1. BORN OF A CRIMSON MOON

LORD KAELOR KEMAL

20 years ago

I rushed into the royal inner chamber where my wife was. I could hear her scream from afar as I approached the door.

I told my guards to wait outside the chamber. As I entered, I saw my wife, Queen Pesha. I could feel the pain and agony she was in. As I got closer, I heard the midwife encouraging her.

“He’s a special one… one more push.”

I ran toward her, held her hand, and kissed her forehead.

“One more push,” I said.

She gathered every little strength she had left and cried out with all the power remaining inside her.

“And he’s finally here,” the midwife said with a smile. “It’s a boy.”

We all laughed with joy. I kissed my wife and whispered,

“I’m proud of you.”

But then…

I noticed something about my son.

He looked different.

He carried a strange aura.

He had a moon-shaped mark on his back that glowed softly.

The High Priest saw it and stepped back in shock.

“This… this is impossible.”

I looked at him.

“What is impossible?”

He looked at my son with trembling eyes.

“The prophecy…”

 “When the Crimson Moon drinks the blood of kings…

 A child shall be born beneath its scarlet light.

 He shall carry the blood of the Wolf…

 …and the blood of the Werewolf.

 Upon his shoulder shall rest the Silver Crescent,

 The mark of the Moon’s true heir.

 The beasts of the forest shall know him.

 The Moon shall answer his call.

 The forgotten shall rise beside him.

 The broken Covenant shall be restored through him…

 …or shattered forever by his hand.

 Many will hunt him.

 Many will die for him.

 Many kingdoms shall fall before he claims his throne.

 When the Alpha Moon Wolf awakens…

 The fate of Eclipse shall be decided.”

Before I could respond…

BOOM!

The palace shook violently.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

Everyone turned toward the chamber doors.

Another explosion echoed through the palace.

Then came the screams.

Not screams of celebration…

Screams of terror.

Steel clashed against steel.

Men shouted orders.

Women cried.

A horn sounded three times.

My expression changed instantly.

That wasn’t the signal for celebration.

It was the royal alarm.

I drew my sword in one smooth motion.

“Guards!”

The doors burst open.

A royal soldier stumbled inside, blood covering his armor.

He collapsed onto one knee, struggling to breathe.

“Your Majesty…”

I rushed toward him.

“What happened?”

The soldier looked up, horror filling his eyes.

“The eastern gate has fallen…”

“The western tower has been taken…”

“The palace guards…”

“They’ve turned against us.”

My face hardened.

“Who?”

The soldier swallowed painfully.

“It was an inside attack…”

He looked directly into my eyes.

“…Lord Claws.”

Silence filled the chamber.

Pesha clutched our son closer to her chest.

“No…”

she whispered.

“Not Claws…”

I couldn’t believe it.

My own stepbrother.

The man I had trusted for twenty years.

The man who had stood beside me at every council meeting.

The man who had smiled beside me only hours earlier.

Another explosion shook the palace.

The soldier grabbed my arm desperately.

“They’re coming here!”

“They’ve already killed Commander Jack…”

“They’re slaughtering everyone loyal to the Crown.”

I looked toward my wife.

Then toward my newborn son.

In that instant…

I was no longer just a king.

I was a husband.

A father.

And I knew exactly what I had to do.

I turned to Thefar, Captain of the Royal Guard, who had just entered the chamber with his sword in hand.

“Thefar.”

“My King.”

“If I fall…”

My voice remained steady despite the chaos surrounding me.

“Promise me you will protect my son.”

Thefar knelt immediately.

“I swear it upon my life.”

I nodded.

Then I looked at Pesha one last time.

“I will hold them back.”

She reached for me, tears filling her eyes.

“No…”

“You don’t have to fight alone.”

I leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

With my sword in hand, I turned toward the chamber doors.

Outside…

The sounds of war had already reached the royal corridor.

And waiting somewhere beyond the bloodstained halls…

Was the brother who had come to steal my crown.

I drew in a slow breath.

I had led armies into countless battles.

I had stood before thousands of enemies without fear.

Yet nothing had prepared me for the pain of knowing that the man waiting beyond those doors was my own stepbrother.

For a fleeting moment, memories flooded my mind.

Two young princes racing through the palace gardens.

Training together beneath the watchful eyes of their father.

Promising that one day we would protect the kingdom side by side.

When had everything changed?

When had love become jealousy?

When had a brother become an enemy?

I tightened my grip on Moonfang, the royal sword that had belonged to the kings of House Kemal for generations.

“I won’t let him take this kingdom.”

My gaze shifted to Pesha and the tiny child sleeping peacefully in her arms, unaware that his life had already become the center of a bloody struggle.

“No matter what happens tonight…”

“…our son must live.”

Thefar stepped forward, placing a clenched fist over his chest.

“I swear before the Moon and the Crown, Your Majesty. Even if my last breath leaves my body, no one will lay a hand on the prince.”

I nodded with gratitude.

“I have never doubted your loyalty.”

Just as I stood ready for battle, my wife, Queen Pesha, looked at me and asked,

“What shall we name him?”

I looked through the palace window toward the crimson sky.

“Cloud.”

She smiled and nodded in agreement.

Just then, Thefar took my son through the secret underground passage to escape the evil that was coming.

A tremendous explosion shook the chamber doors.

Then…

He appeared.

My stepbrother.

Lord Claws.

“After all these years,” I said, “I took you as my brother… my family… my most trusted friend. I gave you everything you asked for, and this is how you repay me?”

Lord Claws smiled coldly.

“You were never meant to rule, brother.”

“You were always weak.”

“You ruled with a soft heart.”

“From the very day you chose to unite us Varaks with the Lycari, that was the day we stopped being brothers.”

“The Varaks were always meant to stand above everyone else.”

“They were all that mattered.”

“But instead…”

“You took one of the Lycari as your wife.”

“And now you’ve made us live among them as though we are the same.”

I looked into his eyes.

“Brother… we were all meant to live in unity and peace as one.”

“That is what makes true leaders.”

He laughed.

“You have chosen your path.”

“Now you must face the consequences.”

“Surrender your crown…”

“…or die.”

I raised Moonfang.

“I would rather die than hand you this throne.”

“Or allow you to rule.”

“So be it…”

“…brother.”

His body suddenly transformed into his full werewolf form, consumed by rage and hatred.

I transformed as well.

Our growls echoed throughout the chamber.

“Brother,” I pleaded one last time.

“Stop this madness.”

“We can still live as one.”

He shook his head.

“It is too late.”

With a furious roar, he lunged toward me.

I charged forward and blocked his attack.

We fought as though we had been enemies our entire lives.

After a long and brutal battle…

We were both wounded.

Then…

He suddenly turned toward my wife.

I threw myself in front of her and protected her, but my wounds had already weakened me.

I fell to one knee and looked up at my stepbrother.

“Why are you doing this?”

He looked down at me.

“Power.”

“Power is all I have ever wanted.”

At that moment, my wife, who was a Lycari, transformed into her great wolf form and attacked him.

But she was no match for his strength.

I watched in horror as he slashed her throat.

My world stopped.

My eyes filled with rage…

Sorrow…

And heartbreak.

Every promise I had made to my wife…

Every dream we had built together…

Came to an end in that single moment.

I let out a deafening cry.

With every ounce of strength I had left, I launched myself at my brother, striking him across the face with my claws.

The attack left a deep scar across his face.

But I was too weak.

He overpowered me.

With my final breath, I looked into his eyes and said,

“You may have conquered today…”

“But one greater than both of us will come…”

“…to restore the balance.”