Cassian's sword trembled in his hand as he stood before the Heart of Solara, its corrupted energy radiating waves of malevolence. He raised the blade, preparing to strike, but the shadows in the room twisted unnaturally, coalescing into a towering figure the Lycan King. His dark armor seemed to drink in the light, and his eyes burned with triumph.
"You're predictable," the Lycan King sneered, his voice a deep rumble that filled the chamber. "Did you really think you could destroy the Heart without consequences?"
With a flick of his wrist, the Lycan King sent a pulse of shadow energy rippling through the room. Cassian staggered, barely able to keep his footing. Anica scrambled to his side, her face pale but determined.
"What have you done?" Cassian growled, his sword raised defensively.
The Lycan King's laughter was cold and cruel. "The Heart is no longer a mere artifact-it's a lifeline. Aurora's child is bound to its power, their essence woven into the very fabric of the Pact. Destroy it, and you destroy them both."
Cassian's grip faltered for a moment, his gaze darting to the dim light emanating from the Heart. Doubt clawed at him, and the weight of the choice before him threatened to crush his resolve.
Outside, Aurora collapsed to her knees, gasping as the Pact's energy surged chaotically within her. Erya knelt beside her, his face etched with concern. "You can't keep this up!" he barked, but Aurora barely heard him. Her connection to the Pact was slipping away, her child's presence within her flickering like a candle in a storm.
In the chamber, the Lycan King advanced, his shadow magic crackling with raw power. "Surrender now," he said, his voice almost gentle, "and I will spare her. Fight me, and you'll lose everything."noveldrama
Cassian's mind raced. The love he felt for Aurora was a fire in his chest, but the lives of the pack, of their child, and the entire world weighed just as heavily. As his sword wavered, the Lycan King's smirk grew wider.
"Choose," the Lycan King demanded, his voice a whip-crack in the silence.