The Sky of Shadow Land was torn apart by black lightning.
Its rumbling shook the ground, as if the world itself rejected the presence of the creatures emerging from the mist.
At the front line.
Aurelia stood tall.
The golden light in her eyes burned like an unquenchable flame.
Before her, that great creature the Wraith Commander smiled in a wrong way.
A smile without a soul.
A smile born only from darkness.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
His voice was heavy, like an echo from empty space.
"The new Luna… stronger than we anticipated."
Ragnar stepped forward with a rough laugh.
"Stop talking."
He clenched his fist.
"I didn't come here to chat."
BOOM.
The ground cracked as he shot forward.
His massive fist struck the Commander's body with brutal force.
Yet.
The creature did not fly back.
It only shifted slightly.
His smile remained.
Ragnar halted.
His brow furrowed.
"Hmm."
The creature stared at him.
"A good strike…"
Then.
With unseen speed.
He retaliated.
CRASH.
Ragnar's body was hurled far away, slamming into the ground and creating a small crater.
Kael moved immediately.
"Very fast."
He vanished, reappearing at the creature's side, then attacked from several directions at once.
Shadow strikes rained down on the Commander's body.
Yet.
Each attack seemed to pass through mist.
No real impact.
Orion narrowed his eyes.
"His body isn't fully physical."
Aurelia understood at once.
"He's tied to an energy source behind the mist."
The creature laughed softly.
"You're starting to understand."
He raised his hand.
Dark energy gathered.
In an instant.
Dozens of Wraiths reappeared around them.
"But understanding alone isn't enough."
Battle erupted again.
Ragnar rose with a growl.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Yet he only smiled.
"Good."
He wiped the blood with his thumb.
"It's been a long time since I've been hit like that."
Kael glanced at him briefly.
"You enjoy this too much."
Ragnar laughed.
"I always have."
Meanwhile.
Aurelia remained focused.
Her eyes observed.
Analyzed.
Every enemy movement.
Every flow of energy.
She took a slow breath.
"Orion."
The man turned slightly.
"What?"
Aurelia pointed at the mist.
"The source isn't just the portal."
She narrowed her eyes.
"There's a core inside it."
Orion nodded slightly.
"I feel it too."
Kael grinned.
"So we have a target."
Ragnar smashed one Wraith to pieces.
"Good."
He looked at Aurelia.
"Lead us."
One word.
Yet it was enough.
Aurelia did not hesitate.
"Kael, distract the Commander."
Kael smiled faintly.
"With pleasure."
"Ragnar, hold off the Wraiths so they don't interfere."
Ragnar nodded.
"I'll keep them busy."
"Orion, come with me."
Orion moved to her side at once.
No questions.
No doubts.
For the first time.
Aurelia's orders were accepted without protest.
She shot forward.
Straight toward the mist.
The Wraith Commander realized it.
His eyes narrowed.
"It won't be that easy."
He moved.
But Kael had already appeared before him.
"Sorry."
He smiled faintly.
"This path is closed."
Shadow strikes surged from all directions.
Forcing the Commander to stop.
Ragnar on the other side.
Ran wild.
He destroyed Wraiths one by one.
Holding them back from approaching.
"Come on!"
he shouted.
"Over here!"
Aurelia and Orion broke through the enemy lines.
Entered the mist.
Inside.
Everything changed.
The sounds of battle faded.
The world felt silent.
Black mist swirled around them.
But in the center.
An energy core floated.
Shaped like a heart.
Beating slowly.
Emitting pulsing dark light.
Aurelia stopped.
"That's it."
Orion nodded.
"The connecting core."
He narrowed his eyes.
"If we destroy it… all Wraiths will collapse."
Yet—
Another voice sounded.
"Quite right."
Aurelia spun around at once.
Another figure emerged from the mist.
Different again.
Calmer.
More… conscious.
His eyes were not glowing red.
But pitch black.
And his smile.
More dangerous.
"I didn't expect you to get this far."
Orion tensed slightly.
"There's more than one Commander."
Aurelia stared sharply.
"Who are you?"
The figure bowed slightly.
"Think of me as… the gatekeeper."
He glanced toward the core.
"And you won't touch it."
Aurelia did not reply.
Lunar energy immediately rose.
Golden light enveloped her body.
The figure smiled.
"Good."
He raised his hand.
The mist around them trembled.
"Because I also want to see… how far the new Luna's power goes."
BOOM.
Fighting erupted inside the mist.
Aurelia moved quickly.
Her attack aimed straight for the core.
But the figure blocked her.
An energy collision occurred.
Golden and dark light clashed.
CRASH.
A shockwave spread out.
Orion joined the attack from the other side.
His precise strikes targeted weak points.
But the figure dodged easily.
"Not fast enough," he said casually.
Aurelia narrowed her eyes.
She began to understand.
This enemy.
Was different.
Smarter.
More dangerous.
Outside the mist.
Kael and Ragnar still fought.
But the first Commander began to press forward.
"Enough playing around."
He said coldly.
His dark energy rose drastically.
Kael leaped back.
"This isn't good."
Ragnar laughed.
"Good for me!"
But even he began to feel the pressure.
Inside the mist—
Aurelia steadied her breath.
She stared at the core.
Then at her opponent.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then.
She made a decision.
"Orion."
The man turned.
"Hold him off."
Orion understood at once.
Without hesitation, he advanced.
Attacking with everything he had.
Diverting the enemy's attention.
Aurelia gathered all her energy.
The golden light on her body changed.
Deeper.
Stronger.
More… ancient.
She raised her hand.
Lunar energy gathered.
Pulsing in sync with the dark core.
The gatekeeper realized it.
His eyes widened slightly.
"What is that.."
Too late.
Aurelia brought her hand down.
"Lunar Break."
BOOOOM.
A burst of golden light struck the core directly.
The entire mist trembled violently.
Cracks appeared in the core.
One.
Two.
Then.
CRACK.
The core shattered.
Dark light burst apart.
Vanished.
Outside.
All Wraiths froze.
In one moment.
They collapsed.
Shattered into shadow dust.
The first Commander growled.
"Impossible—"
His body began to crack.
Kael smiled faintly.
"Game over."
CRASH.
The Commander shattered.
The mist began to fade.
Aurelia stood in the middle.
Her breath was slightly heavy.
But her eyes still shone.
Orion stood beside her.
"It's over."
Aurelia shook her head slightly.
"Not yet."
She stared forward.
The remaining mist slowly moved.
As if… retreating.
But not because of defeat.
But—
Withdrawing.
A final voice sounded from within the darkness.
"We will meet again, Luna…"
Then everything disappeared.
Silence fell.
The battle stopped.
Ragnar walked closer.
"HAHA! That was amazing!"
Kael grinned.
"Not bad."
Orion stared at Aurelia.
More deeply than before.
"Tonight…"
He said softly.
"You didn't just pass the test."
He paused for a moment.
"You led us."
A brief silence occurred.
Then Ragnar raised his hand.
"So then…"
He smiled broadly.
"Let's make this official."
Kael glanced at him.
"Are you serious?"
Ragnar nodded.
"It's time."
Orion did not refuse.
Aurelia narrowed her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Ragnar replied.
"Blood Pact."
Kael added in a casual yet serious tone,
"An alliance that cannot be betrayed."
Orion said softly,
"And done only once in a generation."
Aurelia stared at the three of them.
She could feel it.
This was no small decision.
This would bind them.
Forever.
Ragnar extended his hand.
"So, Luna…"
His smile was wide.
"Are you ready to bind your fate to ours?"