Chapter 14

The force that had thrown them back was not something that could be ignored. As they steadied themselves, the energy pulsing through the ruin felt almost like a living thing, breathing with a slow, deliberate rhythm. The air crackled with power, a static charge that made the hairs on Erik's neck stand on end. This wasn't just some dark magic—they were facing something far older, something that had been waiting, hidden beneath layers of time and history.

Astrid, her wolf senses sharp, was the first to react. Her muscles tensed, her eyes flickering from amber to a deep, glowing yellow as she scanned the clearing. Her senses were heightened, and she could feel the presence of whatever ancient force had made itself known. Erik, though more attuned to magic, could sense the darker undertones of this energy. It wasn't just calling to him—it was calling to all of them. His entire family was bound to this power, tied together by blood and fate.

"Erik," Astrid said softly, her voice steady but edged with urgency. "It's not just trying to manipulate you. It's trying to draw you in."

He turned to her, his brow furrowed. "Draw me in how?"

Astrid's eyes narrowed as she glanced back at the pedestal. The glow from the stone was now pulsing in sync with their heartbeats, each thrum more insistent than the last. "It wants to control you. It wants you to come willingly."

Erik's expression hardened. "It's not going to get that from me."

With a swift motion, he reached for his sword and walked toward the pedestal again, his steps resolute. But before he could even get within a few paces, the ground beneath them shook violently, and a loud, guttural growl echoed through the ruins. The earth split open in front of him, and a monstrous figure began to rise from the depths.

Astrid was immediately at Erik's side, her senses alert, her body coiled for action. The creature that emerged from the chasm was unlike anything Erik had ever seen. It was tall, its form twisted and hulking, with dark, ashen skin that seemed to ripple like smoke. The air around it shimmered with an oppressive, suffocating energy. Its eyes—if they could even be called eyes—glowed with an unnatural red light, burning with an intensity that threatened to consume everything in its path.

Erik's heart raced, but his stance remained unshaken. He had faced monsters before—both human and supernatural. This was just another challenge, another enemy to defeat. Still, he could feel the weight of the creature's presence, an ancient evil that sought to consume everything in its path.

"What is that thing?" Astrid asked, her voice laced with both awe and terror.

"I don't know," Erik said, his gaze never leaving the creature. "But I'll make sure it doesn't get the chance to show us."

With a flick of his wrist, Erik summoned the magic within him, the demon blood in his veins fueling the power that surged from his fingertips. Lightning crackled in the air as he threw a bolt of energy at the creature, aiming for its chest. But the creature simply swatted it away as though it were nothing more than a bothersome fly.

It let out a deafening roar, its massive arms stretching out toward them. Astrid, without hesitation, shifted into her werewolf form, her fangs bared and claws extended. She lunged at the creature, her speed and ferocity a blur, but the monster was fast, too—too fast. It swung its arm and sent her flying across the clearing, crashing into the stone pillars with a sickening thud.

"Astrid!" Erik shouted, rushing to her side.

But even as he reached her, he could feel the creature's gaze locking onto him. It was drawn to him, as if sensing the same ancient blood that ran through his veins. The realization struck Erik like a blow to the chest.

It wasn't just Astrid that the creature wanted—it was him.

"You're mine," the creature growled, its voice a rasping, guttural sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once. "The firstborn. The one who dares defy his destiny. You will kneel before me."

Erik's jaw clenched. He wasn't the one who kneeled. He had never been the one to bend to anyone. He had spent centuries carving his own path, choosing his own fate. And he would not let this creature—this thing from the past—dictate his future.

With a roar, Erik unleashed the full force of his magic, his warlock powers amplified by the demon blood in his veins. The air around him shimmered with energy as he threw a series of devastating spells at the creature, his fury driving every strike. The creature staggered back, its grotesque form flickering with dark energy, but it did not fall.

It was strong—stronger than anything Erik had ever encountered. And for the first time in a long time, Erik felt the weight of his immortality—the weight of his power—pushing against him. The creature wasn't just a threat to his physical form. It was attacking his very soul, trying to break him, to make him bend to its will.

But Erik was not so easily broken.

Astrid, now recovering from the impact, returned to the fray, her wolf form a blur of power and speed. She circled the creature, her fangs gleaming in the pale moonlight, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Erik focused all of his energy into his next move. The creature had no idea what it was dealing with. He had lived for centuries, fought wars, killed enemies, and carved out his place in the world. This thing might have power, but it didn't have the one thing that Erik did.

Strategy.

Erik closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the rhythm of the magic around him. He could feel the creature's energy, its desperation, its rage. He could feel its weakness.

With a flick of his wrist, Erik summoned the magic he needed. The air hummed with a sharp, crackling energy as the ground beneath the creature's feet began to shift. A rift opened beneath it, pulling it downward with an almost violent force. The creature let out a bellow of fury as it struggled against the magic, but it was too late.

With a final, thunderous crack, the rift swallowed the creature whole, and it disappeared into the abyss below.

For a moment, there was silence. The air was still, the oppressive energy gone. Erik's chest heaved with exertion, his body feeling the weight of the battle.

Astrid, her fur matted with blood, walked slowly toward him, her eyes still glowing with the amber intensity of her wolf form. "That… was something."

Erik nodded, his breath steadying as he took in the aftermath. "Something ancient," he muttered, his voice heavy with thought. "But it's not over. Not yet."

The rift that had swallowed the creature remained open, the swirling vortex of dark energy still crackling with malevolent power. Erik could feel the pull of it—the same pull that had drawn him here in the first place.

"There's more to this," he said, his voice low, his eyes never leaving the rift. "This wasn't just a random encounter. Whoever—or whatever—sent that thing here isn't done yet."

Astrid stepped closer to him, her expression serious. "What do we do now?"

"We follow it," Erik said, his eyes flashing with determination. "Whatever this is, whatever's behind it, we'll stop it. Together."

With that, they turned toward the rift, ready to face whatever new horrors awaited them in the dark.