The battlefield was a swirling mass of chaos, shadow beasts tearing through wolves as the Lycan King's laughter echoed over the carnage. Aurora stood at the center of it all, her blade glowing with the light of the Celestial Pact, the energy burning hot and wild in her veins.

Cassian fought at her side, his movements fluid despite the growing exhaustion visible in his eyes. His strikes were precise, each one cutting through the shadowy forms that lunged at them, but the enemy's numbers seemed endless.

"We're being pushed back!" Nathan shouted from a distance, his voice strained.

Aurora's chest tightened as she looked toward the Lycan King, who stood unmoving, his glowing eyes locked on her. He wasn't just toying with them-he was waiting for something.

Anica appeared beside her, their golden eyes sharp. "It's the commander," they said, nodding toward the massive creature that loomed near the Lycan King. "It's siphoning energy from the chasm, destabilizing the bond. If it keeps going, the Pact will fracture entirely." Aurora gripped her blade tighter. "Then we stop it."

They pushed forward, cutting through the battlefield with determined strikes. But as they neared the shadow commander, the oppressive energy surrounding it grew stronger, slowing their movements and sapping their strength.

Cassian grunted as he deflected a swipe from the creature's massive claws, but the force sent him stumbling backward. Aurora moved to intercept, her blade slicing through the commander's arm, the golden light momentarily disrupting its shadowy form. The Lycan King's smirk widened. "You think you can stop it? You're only feeding it, little Luna."

Aurora ignored him, her focus entirely on the bond. The energy within her surged, her connection to the Celestial Pact flaring brighter than ever before. She raised her blade, the light radiating from it illuminating the battlefield as she channeled everything she had into a single strike.noveldrama

The shadow commander let out a deafening roar as the blow landed, its form unraveling into tendrils of black mist.

For a moment, the battlefield stilled, the oppressive energy lifting.

But the victory was short-lived.

Aurora staggered, the glow in her eyes dimming as the bond recoiled violently within her. The warmth in her chest turned to searing pain, her knees buckling beneath her. Cassian caught her before she hit the ground, his face pale with worry. "Aurora!" he said, his voice filled with alarm.

"I'm fine," she managed, though her vision blurred and her breaths came in short gasps.

"You're not fine," Cassian snapped. "You've pushed too hard-"

Before he could finish, a shadow beast lunged at them from behind. Cassian twisted, his blade flashing as he deflected the attack, but the creature's claws raked across his side.

He let out a sharp cry, collapsing to one knee as blood stained the ground beneath him.

Aurora's heart clenched. "Cassian!"

"I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth, though his movements were sluggish as he tried to rise.

Anica appeared at his side, their expression grim. "We need to fall back. Now."

The retreat was chaotic, wolves dragging the injured as the shadow beasts pressed their advantage. Aurora stayed close to Cassian, her blade flashing as she cut down any creature that got too close.

When they finally reached the safety of the camp's outer defenses, Aurora collapsed beside Cassian, her chest heaving as the bond's energy flickered faintly within her.

Nathan approached, his face grim. "We lost too many," he said quietly. "And we can't keep this up. The Lycan King isn't just attacking us-he's dismantling us."

Aurora looked to Cassian, who was being tended to by the healers, his face pale but determined. The weight of her failure pressed heavily on her chest. "I need to do more," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You need to rest," Anica said firmly. "If you burn yourself out, you'll be no use to anyone."

Aurora didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the horizon. She knew Anica was right, but the thought of waiting, of doing nothing, was unbearable.

As the camp settled into an uneasy quiet, Aurora made a silent promise to herself: she wouldn't let this happen again.

No matter the cost.

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