Chapter 13: The Hunger That Watches

The sky ripped open.

Aiden felt something—no, someone—looking directly at him. It wasn't a gaze in the traditional sense. It was deeper, older, as if the universe itself had opened its eyes and settled upon him like a predator watching its prey.

A colossal dark shape loomed beyond the rift, its form shifting, twisting, never fully taking shape. Massive tendrils of shadow and void curled and slithered, reaching toward the ground. Its presence suffocated the air around them.

Then came the whisper.

"I see you now, little wolf."

Aiden's entire body tensed. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs felt like stone.

Kael let out a strangled growl. "What… the hell is that?!"

Solara's golden fire dimmed. Even she, a thousand-year-old phoenix, looked shaken. "It is an Old Hunger… a being that should not exist in this realm."

Sivara gripped her ice spear tightly, her blue eyes narrowing. "It has noticed you, wolf. That is very, very bad."

Aiden swallowed hard, his heart pounding. "You think?"

Niro's silver tails flicked, his expression unreadable. "If it has chosen to manifest even partially in our world, then we have very little time before it—"

The shadows moved.

A tendril shot down from the sky, slamming into the frozen ground where they stood. Ice shattered from the impact, sending jagged shards flying in all directions. Aiden barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as another tendril lashed out toward him.

He activated Moonshadow—his body flickered, shifting into the darkness—

But it followed.

The tendril pierced through the air, striking exactly where he reappeared.

Aiden's breath caught. It can track me—even in the shadows?

Sivara moved like lightning, her spear flashing. With a precise strike, she severed the tendril, sending a spray of inky black mist into the air. The severed part writhed before dissolving into nothingness.

The Hunger above let out a low, reverberating sound.

"You cannot run from me, Moonshadow."

Aiden clenched his jaw. It knew what he was. It wanted him.

Fleeing the Unknowable

"We need to go—now!" Sivara barked.

Kael didn't hesitate, turning on his heels. "Not arguing with that!"

Solara spread her wings, golden fire igniting around her. "I will cover our retreat."

The sky shifted again—the rift widened, revealing more of the abomination's shifting form.

Then—

It reached down with multiple tendrils at once.

Solara unleashed a burst of divine fire, creating a wall of searing light between them and the Hunger. The creature let out a distorted hiss as the flames pushed back its tendrils, causing them to burn and recoil.

"This won't hold for long!" Solara called out.

Niro turned toward Sivara. "The Sanctum. We can use the old gates."

Sivara nodded. "Go. I will ensure they make it."

Aiden hesitated. "Wait—"

Sivara turned her icy gaze on him. "Do not waste time, wolf. If you hesitate, you die."

He swallowed his protest and ran.

Kael, Solara, and Niro bolted ahead, their forms blurring through the frozen expanse. Aiden pushed his legs to move faster, his paws barely touching the ice as they raced toward a jagged mountain pass in the distance.

Behind them, the fire barrier collapsed.

Aiden glanced back. Sivara stood her ground, ice surging around her spear as she faced the abomination. The Hunger moved toward her.

And then—

Aiden felt something inside him shift.

The Voice of the Moonshadow

His vision blurred. The world dimmed, and for a split second—

He was somewhere else.

A vast, dark space. Floating silver lights surrounded him like distant stars. And in front of him—

A figure.

A tall lupine being, its fur black as the void, eyes glowing silver.

It stared at him, unblinking.

Then, it spoke.

"You are not ready."

Aiden gasped, snapping back to reality—

Just in time to see Sivara disappear behind the monstrous tendrils.

His stomach dropped.

"NO!"

He skidded to a stop, about to turn back—

Solara slammed into him, pushing him forward. "Keep moving!"

The world blurred again.

When Aiden finally regained focus, they were standing before a massive stone gate, half-buried in the ice. Strange, ancient runes glowed faintly along its edges.

Niro darted forward, pressing his paw against the carvings. "Hurry!"

A low rumble shook the air.

The gate opened, revealing a swirling silver vortex.

Aiden's heart pounded. He could still hear the whispers of the Hunger, feel its pull.

He clenched his teeth, forcing himself forward—

And jumped through the portal.

A New Sanctuary… For Now

The moment he hit the ground, the overwhelming pressure was gone.

Aiden's breath came in heavy gasps. He turned, expecting to see the others—

One by one, they emerged from the portal. Kael. Solara. Niro.

The last to step through was Sivara, her body battered, her spear cracked—but she was alive.

The portal sealed shut behind them, cutting off the monstrous presence.

For the first time since they had entered the Expanse, there was silence.

Aiden exhaled.

Then, Niro spoke.

"Welcome to the Sanctum."

Aiden slowly looked around.

They were inside a vast underground temple, lit by silver-blue flames floating in the air. The walls were carved with ancient symbols, some of them eerily familiar. At the center stood a massive stone statue of a wolf, its head tilted toward the heavens.

And at the statue's feet—

A glowing pool of water.

Sivara limped forward, dipping her fingers into the pool. The moment she touched it, the water shimmered.

"This is where your real journey begins, wolf."****"The truth of Moonshadow… starts here."

Aiden took a step forward.

The water called to him.

And something, deep inside, stirred once more.