Chapter 11: The Crimson Moon

The crimson glow vanished from the sky as quickly as it had appeared.

But everyone present knew what they had witnessed.

The Blood Moon was awakening ahead of time.

"This shouldn't be possible," Orion muttered.

"Someone is forcing the prophecy forward."

Outside the mansion, hundreds of frightened refugees gathered behind the estate's magical barrier.

Families clutched one another while children cried in fear.

They had escaped burning villages only to arrive at the Dark King's territory.

Ironically, the man they once feared had become their last hope.

Thaddeus surveyed the crowd from the castle walls.

"Open the gates," he ordered.

Several guards hesitated.

"My King... what if Malachar sent spies among them?"

"Then they'll regret entering my home."

The massive gates slowly opened.

The exhausted survivors rushed inside.

Evelyn immediately joined the healers.

She ignored the fear in her heart and helped treat the wounded.

"Easy... you're safe now," she whispered to a frightened little girl.

The child looked up with tear-filled eyes.

"The monsters took my parents..."

"They'll come here too."

Evelyn hugged her gently.

"Not while we're here."

From across the courtyard, Thaddeus watched silently.

Ryland stepped beside him.

"She's exactly what this place needed."

"Hope."

"Hope gets people killed," Thaddeus answered.

"Sometimes."

"Sometimes it saves them."

Before Thaddeus could reply, a deafening roar echoed through the valley.

The ground trembled violently.

Everyone froze.

"That wasn't a wolf," Ryland whispered.

"No," Orion said as he appeared beside them.

"It was a dragon."

A massive shadow crossed over the estate.

People screamed.

A gigantic black dragon circled above the castle before landing outside the gates.

Its crimson eyes glowed unnaturally.

Dark chains wrapped around its enormous body.

"It's enslaved," Orion realized.

"Malachar is controlling it."

The dragon released another earth-shaking roar.

Dark fire erupted from its mouth, striking the outer walls.

The magical barrier flickered violently.

"Everyone inside!" Ryland shouted.

Guards rushed civilians toward the mansion.

Thaddeus summoned his obsidian blade.

"Protect Evelyn," he ordered.

"I'm ending this."

Before anyone could stop him...

He launched himself into the sky using pure dark magic.

The dragon charged.

Their collision shook the heavens.

Explosions of black fire and shadow magic illuminated the clouds.

Evelyn watched from the courtyard in horror.

"He's fighting that thing alone..."

"Because he knows no one else can," Orion answered.

High above the battlefield...

Thaddeus drove his sword deep into the dragon's shoulder.

The beast roared in agony before slamming him through the castle tower.

Stone exploded everywhere.

"Thaddeus!" Evelyn screamed.

Ignoring everyone's protests, she ran toward the collapsing tower.

"Evelyn, stop!" Ryland shouted.

She reached the ruins just as the dragon prepared another blast of black fire.

Without thinking...

She stepped between the monster and Thaddeus.

"No!"

Silver light exploded from her body.

The Eternal Bond awakened once more.

A brilliant shield surrounded them both.

The dragon's flames struck the barrier...

Then vanished completely.

Silence fell over the battlefield.

Even the dragon stopped moving.

Its glowing crimson eyes slowly faded back to their natural golden color.

The dark chains binding its body shattered into dust.

The enormous creature lowered its head before Evelyn.

"It... bowed," Orion whispered.

"She purified it," one of the witches gasped.

The freed dragon spoke in a deep, ancient voice.

"Blood Heir..."

"Forgive me."

"My mind was no longer my own."

Evelyn stood speechless.

"You... can talk?"

The dragon nodded.

"My name is Asterion."

"Guardian of the First Bloodline."

"I have searched for you for centuries."

Thaddeus slowly stood beside Evelyn.

"Guardian?"

"Then you know the truth."

Asterion lowered his massive head.

"Yes, Dark King."

"And the truth is far more dangerous than any prophecy."

"The Blood Moon is not your greatest enemy..."

"The Shadow King has already awakened."