Shadow Monarch Ashborn Novels & Stories

What they don't say is what happens after. What happens after is this. Just this. And it is more than enough. THE END SHADOWBORN: The Rise of the Dragon Wolf

the hooded man, now back in his human form, dragged Asher towards the looming silhouette of the abandoned castle, a twisted grin danced upon his lips. The weight of his victory settled upon his shoulders, fueling his resolve to push Asher deeper into the depths of suffering. The castle stood as a haunting monument to their macabre dance, the dilapidated walls exuding an air of desolation and despair. It welcomed them back with open arms, as if the very stones themselves thirsted for the agony that would soon unfold within its decaying chambers.

he shouts, grabbing my arm and pulling me from the room. We race through the pack house, the sound of shattering glass and splintering wood echoing behind us. As we burst into the cool night air, I chance a glance back. My blood runs cold at the sight of Asher stepping out onto the porch, his body wreathed in writhing shadows, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. "This isn't over," he calls out, his voice a chorus of countless others. "The game has only just begun." With that ominous declaration, he vanishes in a swirl of darkness, leaving behind only the acrid scent of ozone and despair.

The temperature dropped instantly. Air thinned. Frost crawled across the runes. My breath fogged. Ashen stiffened but didn’t collapse. I stepped in closer. “Ashen, keep breathing. Talk to me.” “I’m okay,” he whispered. “It’s cold but… steady.” A shadow gathered near the far end of the circle— A humanoid shape carved from winter night, edges dissolving like smoke. Solven. Ashen’s voice trembled. “He’s here.” Hamish lifted his staff. “Do not speak to him as a subordinate. Speak as the center.”

The trembling of her body gradually stopped as her hands gathered into fists, seemingly suppressing the surging waves of negative emotions that could fully taint her soul with all the darkness in the land. “The Royal Ark clan, King Regor, Crown Prince Rogeus, Princess Regina and…elder brother…” Asha’s murmured to herself as she took one last look at the temple before taking her steps down the mountain. The closer she approached the ruined buildings of the Blood Wolves clan, the heavier her body feels.

I roared, my voice now a low, King-like vibration that shook the entire building. ### The Coronation of the Shadow Queen I turned back to the "Ascension Core." I was alone in the pit. I was the Shadow Queen, my body a lattice of obsidian and violet fire, my chest still connected to the building by the glowing root. I was the "High-Value Asset" now. Vivian Vance stepped onto the observation deck above me. She wasn't afraid. She was smiling.

{Rest assured. {No worries.} {We’ll listen to you.} {We heed your command.} A few of them randomly answered Shadow while every head bowed at her as respecting her wishes. Yet, Shadow wasn’t convinced. “I don’t want to see any blood. Especially you, Ambush. I mean it, pal.” Ambush looked away after side-eyeing Merlina and Miley’s dinosaur. “King.” Naturally, Shadow changed her target. {I’ll make sure nothing will happen.}

The man stood with slow grace, like he didn’t need speed to be dangerous. “Dax Ashthorne,” he said warmly, as if greeting an old friend. “You look tired.” Dax’s voice went low. “Hollow King.” The man’s smile widened, pleased. “That name survived.” He touched his throat mark with reverence. “They tried to erase me. They couldn’t even erase the rumor.” My breath shook. “Who are you?” He looked at me, and I felt his gaze like fingers sliding under my skin. “The first ashbound your covenants ever feared,” he said softly. “The one they caged and named a monster so the world would forget what I was.”