ASHES OF THE FORGOTTEN

Elora stumbled forward as the shadows unraveled around her, depositing her onto cold, cracked stone. The air here was thick—chokingly so—and it smelled of ash and iron. Her knees hit the ground hard, sending a jolt of pain up her legs. She sucked in a sharp breath, clutching her chest. The pull was stronger than ever, a constant thrum that seemed to sing through her bones.

When she raised her head, her heart froze.

The world around her was… wrong.

An endless, desolate wasteland stretched in every direction. Dead trees twisted like broken fingers into a sky split by blood-red lightning. Rivers of black sludge snaked across the ground, bubbling with unseen creatures. The wind carried whispers—faint, indistinct voices that made her skin crawl. They hissed her name, taunting and coaxing, the sound weaving through her mind like poison.

Where am I?

“The Realm of Shadows.”

The Watcher’s voice boomed behind her. She spun around to find it standing tall, its smoky form towering over her. Its glowing eyes pulsed like twin moons.

“This is where your first trial begins, child of the moon and the earth. The Forgotten await.”

Elora’s hands balled into fists. “What do I have to do?” she asked, forcing her voice to steady despite the fear clawing at her throat.

The Watcher’s form flickered, its voice low and unyielding. “Survive. Or be consumed.”

Before she could demand more, the shadows split open. Figures began to crawl out—wretched, half-formed creatures with hollow eyes and twisted limbs. Their whispers grew louder, turning into guttural screeches that clawed at her mind.

They were humanoid but wrong, their bodies warped and broken. Skeletal hands reached for her, their nails like shards of obsidian.

“Stay back!” Elora shouted, backing away until her boots hit the edge of a blackened river. But there was no escape.

The first creature lunged. Elora threw her arms up, bracing for impact, but at the last second, her hands glowed faintly. A burst of silvery light erupted from her palms, sending the creature sprawling with a screech that made her ears ring.

She stared at her hands, wide-eyed. “What… was that?”

The other creatures hesitated, circling warily now. But their whispers never stopped.

You don’t belong…

You’re weak…

You’ll never survive…

Elora pressed her hands over her ears, shaking her head violently. “Shut up! Shut up!”

But the voices only grew louder, worming into her thoughts. They’ll all die because of you…

“No!” she screamed, clutching her chest as her heartbeat synced with the strange pull. Her hands ignited fully this time, light pouring from her fingers like liquid moonlight. When another creature leapt at her, she released a surge of energy without thinking. The blast struck it midair, disintegrating the monster in a shower of ash.

Panting, Elora stared at her glowing palms. The light danced across her skin, swirling like a living thing.

This… this is me.

But the Watcher’s voice echoed faintly through the wasteland: This is only the beginning.

The ground split beneath her feet, black tendrils wrapping around her ankles. She tried to scream, but the shadows dragged her under before a sound could escape.

🐺 Meanwhile — Back in the Council Hall (Joel’s POV)

Joel’s claws scraped against the stone floor, sparks flying as he dragged them in frustration. Elora was gone. Just gone.

He wanted to tear the Watcher limb from limb, but it had vanished with her, leaving behind only fear and accusations.

“This is your fault, Silverfang,” Rowan hissed, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Your reckless attachment has doomed her—and perhaps all of us.”

Joel rounded on him so fast the elder staggered back. His golden eyes blazed like wildfire. “Say one more word, Rowan, and I’ll rip that smug face off your skull.”

Gasps echoed through the hall as tension rippled like a storm wave. Wolves shifted uneasily, claws clicking against the stone floor.

“Enough!” Maren’s voice cracked through the chamber, sharp as breaking glass. The oldest elder rose slowly, her pale eyes sharp and commanding. “Joel’s rage is justified. You all feel it—the prophecy stirs. The child has entered the trials. If she survives, she could save us all. If she fails…”

“She won’t fail,” Joel growled, his voice low and lethal. “I won’t let her.”

“You can’t follow her,” Maren warned, her tone softer now. “This is her battle.”

Joel’s jaw flexed, his claws digging furrows into the floor. “Then I’ll prepare for what’s coming. If the pack won’t stand with me when she returns, I’ll stand alone.”

He stormed out of the Council Hall, his boots echoing like war drums against the stone. Silence and unease clung to the room after his departure.

Back in the Shadow Realm (Elora)

Elora gasped as she was spat out onto another cracked expanse of stone. This place was different. The air was colder, thicker with despair.

A labyrinth of broken pillars and arches stretched before her, shrouded in shadows that seemed to breathe. Whispered voices slithered along the edges of her mind.

A figure emerged from the darkness—tall, cloaked, and eerily familiar. Its face was obscured, but its voice froze her blood.

“Hello, daughter.”

Elora’s heart stuttered. “Mother?”

But as the figure stepped closer, the illusion melted. Hollow eyes, skeletal features twisted in torment. It wasn’t her mother.

It was what remained of her.

The creature’s voice was like cracking glass. “You carry my curse… you carry his blood.”

Elora stumbled backward, shaking her head. “No… you’re not real. You’re not her!”

“You will never belong,” the creature whispered. “To them. To him. Not even to yourself.”

Elora’s palms began to glow again, light flaring brighter with each racing heartbeat. The creature lunged.

This time, she didn’t run.

She screamed and unleashed a wave of silver fire, engulfing the twisted vision in light. Its scream was deafening, echoing in the ruins long after it had crumbled into ash.

Elora fell to her knees, trembling. “This isn’t just a trial… it’s a nightmare.”

The Watcher’s voice rumbled faintly above her. And only the worthy awaken.

The ground trembled. Ahead, a massive black gate appeared, runes glowing faintly on its surface. It pulsed with a power that called to her blood.

Elora staggered to her feet, determination hardening in her chest. She had no choice. She had to keep going.

Even if it killed her.