The fog in the north did not move like ordinary fog.
It did not drift with the wind. It did not thin when it rained. Instead, the fog stood like a great wall that blocked out the world behind it.
Aurelia could feel it even before she drew near.
The energy emanating from the fog was cold.
Not cold because of the air.
But cold that seeped down to the bone.
Ahead of her, the three guards walked without hesitation.
The man with gray eyes led the way.
His steps were light, as if he had traveled this path a hundred times over.
"You've been quiet since the fight," he said without looking back.
Aurelia kept walking behind him.
"So have you."
The man let out a small laugh.
"True."
They continued along the forest path that grew increasingly narrow.
The great trees began to thin out.
The ground turned to stone and ancient roots that jutted out from the surface.
In the distance, the sound of wind from the mountains began to be heard.
One of the guards behind Aurelia finally spoke.
"Not many can bring Garron down in a single move."
He gestured to the large man who had fought Aurelia earlier.
Garron only grunted softly.
Aurelia replied calmly,
"I didn't bring him down."
She glanced toward Garron.
"I only stopped him."
Garron smiled slightly.
"An interesting distinction."
The man with gray eyes finally stopped walking.
They now stood right before the fog.
It was only a few steps away.
But up close, the fog looked far more strange.
It moved slowly.
Like the surface of water that kept rippling.
Aurelia narrowed her eyes.
"This isn't fog."
The man with gray eyes turned to her.
"Correct."
He raised his hand and touched the surface of the fog.
The fog rippled like thin cloth.
"This is a gate."
Aurelia watched seriously.
An energy gate.
And the energy felt... very old.
"Who made it?"
The man answered without hesitation.
"The Kings."
He stepped a little closer.
"The Shadow Lands cannot be found by just anyone."
Garron added in a deep voice,
"If this gate didn't exist, you could walk through the mountains for days on end... and still never find it."
Aurelia nodded slowly.
It made sense.
Energy like this was clearly made to hide a territory.
The man with gray eyes turned to her.
"Once we pass through this, there's no going back without the Kings' permission."
Aurelia showed no sign of hesitation.
"Good."
She stepped forward.
The fog felt cold as her body touched it.
For one second.
The world around her vanished.
The sound of rain.
Wind.
Forest.
Everything was gone.
As if she were walking through empty space.
Then.
Dim light appeared before her eyes.
And a new world opened up.
Aurelia stopped walking.
Stretched out before her was a vast valley covered in thin fog.
Great mountains surrounded the territory on all sides.
But the most striking thing was the city in the middle of the valley.
Not a city like those in pack territories.
Its buildings were made of tall, sharp black stone like war towers.
Blue flames burned in large torches along the main road.
And at the center of the city.
Stood a great palace.
Dark.
Majestic.
And felt... dangerous.
Aurelia observed everything calmly.
"The Shadow Lands."
The man with gray eyes stood beside her.
"Welcome."
Aurelia could feel many eyes watching her now.
On the city streets, several figures stood still.
Most wore dark cloaks.
Their energy felt different from ordinary wolves.
More wild.
More sharp.
Garron walked through the fog gate behind them.
"News of your arrival has already spread."
He gestured toward the city.
"Everyone is curious."
Aurelia stared toward the palace.
"And the Kings?"
The man with gray eyes replied,
"They are waiting."
He began walking toward the city.
"But before that..."
He glanced at Aurelia.
"There are a few things you must see."
They walked down the stone path toward the valley.
The closer they got to the city, the more people came into view.
Some stopped talking when they saw Aurelia.
Others simply watched with cold expressions.
Whispers began to be heard.
"That's her."
"The new Luna."
"The one who broke the Council."
Aurelia did not respond.
Her gaze remained straight ahead.
But her senses picked up all the energy around her.
Many of them were strong.
Some even as strong as pack Alphas.
The man with gray eyes finally spoke again.
"You're probably wondering who we really are."
Aurelia answered without looking at him.
"Yes."
He smiled faintly.
"We are not a pack."
He gestured toward the city.
"We are the remnants of the old world."
Aurelia finally turned to him.
"What do you mean?"
The man spoke softly,
"Wolves who do not submit to the pack system."
He pointed to several people on the street.
"Hunters."
"Outcasts."
"Alphas cast out by the old Council."
Garron added,
"And some who simply want freedom."
Aurelia thought about this.
So the Shadow Lands were not just a secret kingdom.
It was also a sanctuary for those who did not fit into the pack world.
They finally stopped before the city gate.
The great black iron gate slowly opened.
Two tall guards stood on either side.
Their eyes immediately fixed on Aurelia.
The man with gray eyes said to them,
"The Kings are waiting."
The guards nodded.
The gate opened fully.
Inside the city, a wide stone road led straight to the dark palace in the middle of the valley.
Aurelia stared at the palace.
She could feel extremely powerful energy from there.
More than one.
More than two.
The Shadow Kings were indeed real.
The man with gray eyes walked slightly ahead of Aurelia.
"Now," he said softly.
"The real meeting will begin."
And far beyond the valley.
On the other side of the Northern Mountains.
Four shadows finally reached the same fog gate.
Cassian stared at the fog with a slight smile.
"So this is the door."
Darius spun his axe.
"I don't like doors that are hidden like this."
Alaric touched the fog gently.
Ancient energy immediately rippled.
Lucien stood before them.
His gaze was sharp toward the fog.
"Aurelia is already inside."
He stepped forward.
The fog rippled as his body touched it.
"Now it's our turn."
And one by one.
The Alphas stepped into the Shadow Lands.
Aurelia's steps echoed softly on the black stone road.
Each step felt like it drew the attention of the entire city.
To the left and right of the main road, stone buildings stood tall like guardian towers. Blue flames burning in iron torches cast cold light on the walls' surface.
The atmosphere was different from any pack territory.
No children running around.
No sounds of laughter.
Only sharp stares from people standing along the street.
They watched.
They judged.
The man with gray eyes walking ahead finally spoke softly,
"Don't misunderstand."
Aurelia turned slightly.
"They don't hate you."
He gestured toward several figures on stone balconies.
"They just want to know if the stories about you are true."
Aurelia replied calmly,
"What stories?"
The man smiled faintly.
"That a Luna emerged from the shadows of the old world... and shook the pack system in a single night."
Garron let out a deep laugh behind them.
"Stories like that sound like legends."
Aurelia kept walking.
"Legends are usually exaggerated."
The man with gray eyes shook his head.
"Not this time."
They continued walking until they finally reached a large plaza before the palace.
The ground there was paved with carefully carved black stone forming a great circular pattern.
In the middle of the circle stood a massive stone statue.
A statue of a wolf.
But not an ordinary wolf.
The wolf was depicted with great wings spread wide on its back.
Aurelia paused for a moment.
Her eyes narrowed.
"What symbol is that?"
The man with gray eyes followed her gaze.
"The First Wolf."
Aurelia furrowed her brow.
"An old legend?"
He nodded.
"According to stories, before the pack system was formed... before Alphas fought each other for territory..."
He pointed to the statue.
"There was one leader."
Garron added in a deep voice,
"A wolf who led all wolf kinds."
Aurelia watched the statue a little longer.
Something felt off.
The energy around the statue was very old.
As if the stone itself held power.
The man with gray eyes started walking again.
"The Shadow Kings believe the pack world that exists now is only a shadow of the past."
He glanced at Aurelia.
"That's why they never submitted to the Council."
They finally stopped before the palace's great steps.
The black stone steps were very long.
On both sides stood other wolf statues that looked down like guardians.
At the top of the steps.
The palace doors towered high.
Made of black iron with carvings of ancient symbols.
The man with gray eyes turned to Aurelia.
"Behind those doors... the Kings are waiting."
Garron crossed his arms.
"Not everyone who goes in there comes out again."
Aurelia showed no sign of fear.
She began climbing the steps.
Each step felt heavy.
Not because the steps were tall.
But because of the increasingly powerful pressure of energy.
Inside the palace.
There was great power.
Very great power.
The man with gray eyes slowly opened the great doors.
The sound of metal scraping echoed through the entire hall.
When the doors opened.
A large room appeared before Aurelia.
Its ceiling was incredibly high.
Great stone pillars stood along the hall like a stone forest.
At the far end of the room, a high platform stood with three great chairs atop it.
But the chairs were empty.
Aurelia stopped.
Her eyes swept across the entire hall.
"Where are they?"
The man with gray eyes walked a few steps inside.
"They always like to make guests wait."
Garron grinned slightly.
"It's their way of measuring patience."
Aurelia stood still in the middle of the hall.
Silence.
A few seconds passed.
Then.
The sound of footsteps echoed from the shadows along the room's walls.
One figure emerged.
A tall man with long black hair tied back.
His eyes were dark red.
He walked slowly toward the platform.
Behind him.
A second figure appeared.
Older.
His hair was silver like steel.
His gaze was sharp like a blade.
And finally.
A third figure stepped out of the shadows.
A man with a large build and an aura far heavier than the others.
The air in the room immediately felt different.
The pressure of their power filled the hall.
The man with gray eyes bowed his head.
"Your Majesties."
Aurelia stared at them without moving.
Three pairs of eyes were now fixed on her.
The black-haired man smiled slightly.
"So this is the Luna who shook the pack world."
The silver-haired man looked Aurelia up and down.
"Younger than I expected."
Meanwhile, the large man in the middle only spoke briefly,
"But her energy is real."
Aurelia stood tall.
Her gaze did not waver.
"I came because of your invitation."
She said calmly.
"Now I'm here."
She stared at them one by one.
"So tell me."
The hall fell completely silent.
"Why did the Shadow Kings call me?"
The three men on the platform exchanged glances.
Then the black-haired man laughed softly.
"Because," he said slowly.
"We want to see if this new Luna... is truly capable of changing the world."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Or just a small storm that will soon die out."
And without them knowing.
Outside the city of the Shadow Lands.
Four other shadows had just passed through the fog gate.
Lucien stood on a stone cliff overlooking the valley.
His eyes immediately found the dark palace in the center of the city.
Cassian stood beside him.
"Interesting place."
Darius grinned widely.
"And full of enemies."
Alaric stared at the city calmly.
"The meeting has already begun."
Lucien clenched his fist slightly.
His gaze was sharp toward the palace.
"Aurelia won't face them alone."
Cold wind from the valley blew through their cloaks.
And that night.
The real storm began to approach the heart of the Shadow Lands.