Chapter 190: Ritual Of The Moonstone

Chapter 190: Ritual Of The Moonstone
Brenda’s POV

Whispering in harsh tones, the shadows drew nearer. I clutched the Moonstone to my chest, my hands shaking. It was losing its radiance. Damian and I would perish along with the light.

I saw him standing erect with just shattered weapons, his face white and bloody. His voice was scratchy as he said, "Brenda, what do we do?"

I answered, "I have to perform the ritual."

"What is the ritual?"

I said, "The one in the book." "There is no other way to strengthen the Moonstone to combat them."

Damian's mouth clenched. "How much does it cost?"

I paused. I couldn't get the prophecy's words out of my head: A heart for a heart. Right now, I couldn't tell him. "Just keep me safe. Never stop me, no matter what.

He took a step toward me and grabbed my shoulders. Brenda—

"Please," I said. "Believe me."

After looking into my eyes, he nodded. “Always.”

I knelt and took out the silver book. The pages turned by themselves, pausing at a dazzling white luminous page. The air became heavy and began to buzz like a storm. With a quivering voice, I read the words out loud:

"Awaken and bind, light of the first moon, blood of the true line."

The earth trembled. Around me, silver light rose like smoke and swirled. Shadows backed away and hissed. I stabbed my hand with a blade and pressed the Moonstone to the earth. The flame flashed hot and blazing, and blood trickled across the stone.

I felt pain. The Moon itself seemed to be tearing me apart inside my chest. Despite my gasp, I continued to chant.

"Brenda!" Damian yelled. A wall of silver fire emerged between us as he attempted to run at me. "No!"

"Remain back!" I sobbed. Someone else's voice sounded like mine. The Blood Moon made my hair sparkle white as it thrashed in the wind.

The Moonstone rose, spinning, into the air. As the light burned away, the shadows shrieked. Their anger made the air tremble.

"You can't prevail!" They let forth a yell. "Your heart is insufficient!"

I shouted the spell's final line: "I call the light by bond and blood!"

Silver flames exploded from the Moonstone. There was silence for a moment, and the brightness was blinding.

I collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe as the light dimmed. Silver lines glowed faintly from the burns on my hands. In front of me, the Moonstone shone brighter than before, but it seemed weighty, as if it held a fragment of my soul.

"Brenda!" Damian fell to his knees and ran to me. His hands trembled as he drew me in. "What did you do? You're blazing—

Despite the pain in every part of me, I said, "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. That custom—

"Damian." I looked him in the eyes. "Moonstone is prepared. We can now engage in combat.

The ground shuddered strongly before he could say anything. Once more, the shadows came together to form a huge, luminous figure with wings. It chuckled as it peered down at us.

It screamed, "You have roused the Stone." "However, the price has not yet been paid."

I went cold. My heart was racing. The price...

The animal aimed a claw at me. "One heart for another." The relationship needs to bleed.

With his arms spread wide, Damian moved ahead of me. "You must first kill me."

Once more, the shadow chuckled. "That can be set up."

We both plunged into darkness as the ground shattered open.

I heard voices when I woke up. I forced myself up, groaning. The Moonstone in my hand sparked a little silver glow.

"Brenda!" The voice of Damian called. He hurried to me and knelt. I felt a wave of relief—he was still alive. Where were we, though?

We were in a huge cavern with weird symbols shining on its walls. We weren't alone, either. Wolves, warriors bearing the mark of our pack, emerged from the darkness. My heart jumped.

"Leo?" I said. With a stern visage and fiery eyes, the Beta took a step forward.

Leo remarked, "We followed the signs." "We were called here by the moon."

Damian put his arms together. "You arrived."

As Leo put it, "We're not alone." More wolves emerged, warriors from packs that were allies. They had located us somehow.

"How?" I inquired.

Leo gave a small smile. "Alpha, you've been leaving light in your wake. You were chosen by the Moon.

Tears scorched my eyes. I said in a whisper, "Thank you."

But the cavern trembled before hope could calm. Through the darkness came a thundering voice:

"You increase the number of hearts at the altar. Excellent. There will be blood flow.

At the cavern's margins, the shadows surged, creating hideous shapes. The red light of the Blood Moon filtered through the stone ceiling's fissures.

Damian faced the fighters. "Be ready. This is the last battle.

Leo snarled. "We defend the Alpha. For the group!

The cavern was filled with a chorus of howling. Wolves moved, teeth gleaming, fur bristling. As I stood, holding on to the Moonstone, my pulse raced. Like my own heartbeat, its light pulsed.

Damian moved in close, putting his forehead against mine. "I'm Brenda," he said. "Remain behind me when this begins."

I took hold of his arm and said, "No." "We battle together."

Fear glowed in his eyes as they melted. "If anything occurs—"

"Don't say it," I interrupted. "We're both leaving this now."

He gave me a small smile, but I could see the uncertainty in his eyes.

The ground trembled once again, more violently. The cavern was filled with a huge figure made of twisted shadows. Its eyes were blazing red, and its wings were extended wide.

Its voice shattered stone as it screamed, "Bow." "To the end of all light, bow."

I raised the Moonstone in a whisper, "No." Its flaming silver light clashed with the red glow of the Blood Moon.

The animal hissed. "If one heart doesn't fall, the others will."

I went cold. My chest constricted. The ritual's price loomed on the horizon.

Damian looked at me. "What does that mean, Brenda?"

The thing lunged before I could respond, and the fight started.