The second War began

The battlefield had become impossible to recognize.

Blackwood had once been a kingdom surrounded by ancient forests and silver mountains. Now the sky above it was filled with strange lights, while the ground shook beneath the power of beings who had existed long before the current generation of wolves.

Aria stood at the center of it all.

She could barely hear the warriors around her.

She could barely see Kael through the storm of magic.

But she could hear one thing clearly.

Thump.

Thump.

The twins.

Her hands moved instinctively to her stomach.

Then Eden's voice entered her mind.

Mother.

Aria closed her eyes.

"What do I do?"

Nyx answered first.

Don't fight them.

Aria frowned.

"They're attacking everyone."

That's exactly what they want.

Another voice joined hers.

Eden.

They were created from the things the world fears. If you fight their fear with more fear, they become stronger.

Aria opened her eyes.

Across the battlefield, the Firstborn of War was fighting Kael.

Every time they collided, waves of silver and black energy spread across the ground.

Kael was powerful.

But Aria could see something the others couldn't.

The longer Kael fought, the stronger the Firstborn became.

"Kael!"

He turned for only a second.

"Don't fight him!"

The Firstborn smiled.

"Too late."

He struck.

Kael was pushed backward, his feet carving lines through the earth.

"KAEL!"

Ronan rushed toward him, but one of the Firstborns blocked his path.

The battle continued.

Aria looked toward the First Guardian.

He stood completely still.

His eyes were fixed on the Firstborns.

"You knew this would happen," Aria said.

The Guardian slowly shook his head.

"No."

"Then why do you look like you expected it?"

His expression darkened.

"Because the war was never supposed to begin here."

Aria stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

The Guardian looked toward the mountains.

"The Firstborns aren't here to conquer Blackwood."

"Then why are they here?"

His voice became quiet.

"They are here to open the First Gate."

A cold feeling passed through Aria.

"The First Gate?"

The Guardian nodded.

"The gate separating this world from the First World."

Aria looked toward the sky.

A dark crack had begun forming between the clouds.

It was small.

But it was growing.

"How do we stop it?"

The Guardian looked directly at her.

"We don't."

Aria's eyes widened.

"What?"

"We cannot stop the gate from opening."

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

The Guardian looked at Kael.

"We must make sure the wrong thing doesn't come through."

A tremendous sound shook the kingdom.

Everyone stopped.

Even the Firstborns looked toward the sky.

The crack had widened.

A strange golden light appeared inside it.

Kael slowly stood.

His eyes were fixed upward.

"What is that?"

The First Guardian whispered:

"The First World."

Aria's heart raced.

The golden light suddenly disappeared.

For a moment, everything became silent.

Then a voice came from the sky.

"The bloodline has awakened."

Aria froze.

The voice continued.

"The Mother has been found."

Everyone turned toward Aria.

Kael immediately stepped in front of her.

"No one touches her."

A second voice answered.

"The Guardian stands beside her."

Kael's eyes widened.

The First Guardian whispered:

"They know."

"Know what?" Kael demanded.

But before the Guardian could answer, the Firstborn of War attacked again.

Kael raised his hand.

Silver and gold light exploded around him.

This time, however, something was different.

Black markings appeared across his arms.

Aria stared.

"Kael..."

He looked at his hands.

"I don't know what this is."

The First Guardian's expression changed.

"Your blood is responding."

"To what?"

"The First World."

Kael looked toward the sky.

"No."

His voice was firm.

"I won't let it control me."

The Firstborn laughed.

"You still don't understand."

Kael stared at him.

"Then explain."

"You were never meant to close the gate."

The Firstborn raised his weapon.

"You were created to open it."

Kael's expression hardened.

"I was born in Blackwood."

"No."

The Firstborn smiled.

"You were born from the blood of the First Alpha."

He pointed toward Aria.

"And she carries the blood of the First Queen."

The battlefield became silent.

Aria felt the ancient power inside her awaken.

The golden light returned.

But this time, black light surrounded it.

She fell to one knee.

Kael rushed toward her.

"Aria!"

"I'm fine."

She wasn't.

Something was calling her.

Not from the sky.

Not from the battlefield.

From beneath the ground.

A whisper.

Come to me.

Aria looked toward the mountains.

"Someone is calling me."

The First Guardian stepped forward.

"Don't answer."

"Why?"

"Because whatever is calling you has been waiting for thousands of years."

Aria stood slowly.

"Who?"

The Guardian looked terrified.

"The First Queen."

Everyone froze.

Aria's eyes widened.

"But you said she disappeared."

"She did."

"Then how can she be calling me?"

The Guardian looked toward the ground.

"Because she never left."

The earth suddenly cracked.

A powerful wave of energy spread across the battlefield.

The warriors were thrown backward.

The Firstborns stopped fighting.

Even the Firstborn of War looked surprised.

A golden symbol appeared beneath Aria's feet.

The same symbol that had appeared in the Sanctuary of Dawn.

The same symbol connected to the ancient prophecy.

Aria stared down at it.

"What is happening?"

Eden's voice whispered inside her mind.

Mother... don't be afraid.

Aria swallowed.

"Who is she?"

Eden was silent.

Then she answered.

She is waiting for you.

The ground opened.

Not completely.

Just enough for a staircase of golden light to appear beneath Aria.

Kael grabbed her hand.

"You're not going down there alone."

Aria looked at him.

"I don't think I'm choosing anymore."

The First Guardian shouted:

"KAEL! LET HER GO!"

Kael refused.

"No."

"Her blood is opening the path!"

"Then I'll follow her."

The Guardian shook his head.

"If you enter that place, the First World will recognize you."

Kael looked at Aria.

"Let it."

The Firstborn of Choice suddenly appeared behind them.

Her expression was no longer calm.

"Too late."

Aria turned.

"What do you mean?"

The girl looked toward the sky.

"The First World has already recognized all three of you."

"Three?"

Aria looked confused.

The girl pointed toward her.

"The Mother."

Then Kael.

"The Guardian."

Finally, she pointed toward Aria's stomach.

"The Child."

Aria's breathing stopped.

"The twins?"

The girl nodded.

"One of them belongs to the future."

"And the other?"

The girl looked afraid for the first time.

"The other belongs to the past."

Before Aria could ask another question, the sky exploded with golden light.

A massive shadow appeared beyond the opening gate.

The First Guardian stepped backward.

"No..."

Kael looked at him.

"What is it?"

The Guardian's voice trembled.

"The First King."

Aria stared into the sky.

A figure was slowly emerging from the golden darkness.

He was not a warrior.

He did not carry a weapon.

He simply looked down at the kingdom.

And somehow, that was more frightening.

His voice echoed across the mountains.

"The descendants have finally returned."

The Firstborns lowered their weapons.

Even Draven bowed his head.

Kael stepped forward.

"Who are you?"

The figure smiled.

"I am the one your ancestors tried to erase."

Aria felt the twins move.

Thump.

Thump.

The golden symbol beneath her feet became brighter.

The staircase opened wider.

And somewhere beneath Blackwood, an ancient door began to unlock.

The First Guardian whispered:

"The war we feared wasn't the last war."

Aria looked at him.

"Then what is this?"

He stared at the opening beneath her.

"The beginning."

The First King's voice echoed again.

"Bring me the Forbidden Bride."

Kael moved in front of Aria.

"No."

The First King smiled.

"Then I will come for her myself."

The sky darkened.

And for the first time, Aria understood the terrible truth.

The battle they had been fighting was only the beginning.