20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Orion

I glanced over my shoulder at Jake and the others trailing behind me, their eyes constantly scanning the tree line for any threat. "Stay sharp," I muttered, my voice low. "We’re getting closer, but something feels ... off."

Jake, ever the loyal one, nodded.

"Yeah, boss. It feels like the mountain itself is watching us."

I gripped my jacket tighter as the wind picked up, colder now, biting at our faces. "You’re not wrong. The trees ... look at them. They’re twisted, almost like they're trying to warn us."

One of the men, Davis, spoke up, his voice tense. "It’s eerie. Like the terrain is shifting, trying to push us back."

I didn’t respond, but the unease gnawed at me. Each step felt heavier, more deliberate. "We’re close. Just a little further, and we’ll reach it."

Even the birds had gone silent. I looked back again, locking eyes with Jake. "Whatever’s waiting for us up there, we face it head-on. We didn’t come this far to turn back now."

Jake smirked, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Wouldn’t dream of it, boss. We’re with you, all the way."

As we trudged higher, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something – or someone – was waiting for us at the top. "Stay ready," I warned, my hand instinctively reaching for my weapon.

I stopped at the mouth of the cave, the mist swirling around us. The entrance was gaping, dark, like the cave itself was daring us to step inside. I glanced at Jake. "This is it. Stay alert."

Jake nodded, his eyes narrowing, as he peered into the darkness. "Feels like we’re walking into a trap."

"Maybe we are," I muttered, gripping my weapon tighter.

We moved forward, the dim light barely cutting through the blackness. The walls were jagged, rough. I could hear our footsteps echoing, each one heavier than the last. My gut screamed caution, but I kept moving, pushing deeper into the cave.

Finally, we reached a massive chamber. It was cold, eerily quiet. In the center, on a stone pedestal, sat the artifact. An ancient, twisted relic, glowing faintly, like it had a life of its own. My heart pounded in my chest as I took a step closer.

"There it is," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

But just as I approached, the air shifted again. I froze, instinctively raising my hand to signal the others. "Wait," I hissed, my eyes scanning the room. "Something’s here."

From the shadows, a figure began to emerge—slowly. Deliberately. My breath caught in my throat. The figure stepped into the dim light, and I felt my blood run cold.

"You’ve come a long way, Orion," the figure spoke, his voice deep and resonant. "But are you prepared for what lies ahead?"

"Who are you?" I demanded, my heart pounding, but I already knew. Recognition washed over me, and I took a step back, disbelief flooding my mind.

The figure stepped closer, his face now fully visible.

"Father’s old friend ..." I muttered under my breath, unable to believe my eyes. The guardian of the artifact wasn’t just some mystical force—it was him.

"Orion," the spirit said, his voice carrying both warmth and sorrow. "It's been a long time."

My breath caught in my throat. "No. It can't be."

The spirit stepped closer, his form becoming clearer. He was unmistakable. My father’s best friend. A man who had been like an uncle to me growing up. "Gideon?"

His spirit smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. "I’m the guardian of this place now. Of the artifact. And if you wish to claim it, you must face the trial."

"Why are you here? Why this?" I took a step forward, my mind racing.

Gideon’s eyes grew somber. "I’m here because of a promise I made to your father. He knew this day would come—that you’d seek the power within this artifact. But retrieving it will cost you more than you realize. The trial will test everything you are, Orion. Not just your strength—but your heart, your mind, and your soul. If you fail, the artifact will claim you. Forever."

"I’m not afraid." I clenched my fists.

"I know," Gideon replied, his gaze softening. "But that’s what makes this trial so dangerous. It will use your fearlessness against you. Are you truly prepared for what lies ahead? Once you start, there’s no turning back."

I looked over my shoulder at Jake and the others, all of them standing still, waiting for my command. My heart was pounding, but my mind was made up.

"I have to do this," I said quietly, mostly to myself.

Gideon nodded. "Then come."

The moment the trial began, everything around me twisted into something far more sinister. The air grew heavier, oppressive, and the walls of the cave seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy. Shadows swirled around me, dark tendrils reaching out, warping into horrific shapes—visions of my worst nightmares, my deepest fears.

I froze as the first image formed.

"Luna." My voice cracked. She was standing in front of me, her eyes wide with fear, her hand outstretched, reaching for me. But something was wrong. She was in danger, her body trembling as if some unseen force was crushing her. I tried to move, tried to reach her, but my legs felt like they were buried in cement.

"Luna!" I shouted, desperation clawing at my throat. I lunged forward, but it was like moving through thick, suffocating tar. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t reach her. She was slipping away. "No, no, no—don’t leave me!"

Suddenly, the vision shifted, and I found myself staring at my father’s body. Cold. Lifeless. The same helplessness I’d felt that day came crashing back, like a tidal wave swallowing me whole.

"Why couldn’t you save him?" The voice whispered, low and venomous. It was my voice. The guilt echoed in my head like a drumbeat, relentless. "You let him die."

“That’s not true. I did everything I could to save him. He didn’t die because of me! Despite being so young, I tried to save him I told … I told him not to go hunting but he did, and he got killed by humans who mistook him for a wild animal. They … they shot him so many times. He couldn’t take it.”

“But you could have gone hunting with him,” the voice whispered.

I backed away, my heart hammering in my chest. "This isn’t real," I muttered, trying to shake it off. But the images kept coming, more vivid, more terrifying.

And then I saw him.

"Marcosias." His name slipped through my teeth like poison. He stood there, towering over me, victorious. His smile—cold, wicked—sent a shiver down my spine. At his feet, Luna lay, bound and broken, and I was on the ground, defeated.

"You’ve failed," Marcosias sneered, his voice like nails scraping against stone. "Everything you’ve built, everything you’ve fought for—it’s mine now."

"No!" I roared, but my voice felt weak, swallowed by the darkness. My body ached, exhaustion setting in as each vision tore at me, one after the other. I could feel my resolve weakening, my mind screaming for it to end, to stop the onslaught. It was relentless, dragging me deeper into despair.

"You’re not strong enough, Orion," the voice hissed again, louder this time. "You never were."

I collapsed to my knees, my hands shaking, as I clutched my head. Every part of me wanted to give in, to let the crushing weight of my failures drown me. I was suffocating in my own fear, in the guilt that gnawed at my soul.

But then, I saw her again. Luna. Her face, her eyes, filled with hope. She was waiting for me, depending on me.

"For her," I whispered, forcing myself to breathe, to focus. "I can’t fail. Not now."

I pushed through the visions, clenching my fists until my knuckles turned white. Each step felt like a battle, but I kept moving. I couldn’t let this break me. I had to survive. I had to win.

"Luna needs me," I growled through gritted teeth, standing up on shaky legs. "And I’ll be damned if I let you stop me."

The shadows thickened, the visions more violent, but I fought back, harder, with everything I had. This trial was meant to break me, to force me to confront my darkest fears—but I wouldn’t let it. I couldn’t afford to lose. Not to this. Not to him.

"For Luna. For everything I’ve lost. I will not fall."

Finally, the visions faded, leaving me gasping for breath. Gideon stood before me again, his expression unreadable.

"You’ve passed the trial," he said quietly. "But the cost is not over. The artifact will bind itself to you. Its power is immense, but it comes with a burden. You must wield it carefully, or it will consume you."

I nodded, barely able to stand, but refusing to show weakness. "I’ll do whatever it takes."

"Then take it, Orion. And may the gods have mercy on your soul." Gideon gave me one last look, the weight of his words heavy between us.

With trembling hands, I reached for the artifact.

“Whoa!” I gasped, my breath hitching in my throat. The power felt like a tempest, swirling inside me, igniting every nerve.

I staggered back, my heart pounding wildly. “What is this?” I stammered, my eyes wide, as I struggled to comprehend the raw force coursing through my veins. It was exhilarating yet terrifying. A double-edged sword poised to either save us or obliterate everything I held dear.

“Focus, Orion,” I told myself, clenching my fists to steady my racing heart. “You need to control it. You can’t let it control you.”

Taking a deep breath, I pressed my palms flat against the artifact, feeling the vibrations intensify. “Guide me,” I implored, feeling the power envelop me like a cloak. “Help me wield this strength.”

“It’s time for me to go. I wish you the best in the battle. It won’t be an easy one,” Gideon said, and disappeared.

The weight of the artifact pressed against my side as I strode down the rugged path, flanked by Jake and my men. The thrill of success was dulled by the gnawing anxiety in my gut. “Keep your guard up,” I instructed, my voice low but firm.

“Understood, Alpha,” Jake replied, his eyes scanning the tree line.

As we approached the estate, a sense of dread settled over me.

“Something feels off,” I muttered, quickening my pace. The mansion loomed ahead, but instead of the familiar warmth of home, I was met with chaos.

I burst through the front door, my heart racing. The sight that greeted me was a nightmare—furniture overturned, papers scattered.

“Luna!” I shouted, panic clawing at my throat.

“Alpha!” Jake called, rushing in behind me. “What happened here?”

“Where is she?” I demanded, fear and fury intertwining. I pushed past the chaos, searching for any sign of her. “Luna!”

My mind raced with horrifying possibilities. She had been safe here—she was supposed to be safe.

“Alpha, over here!” Jake yelled, crouching by a broken vase. “There are signs of a struggle.”

I felt my heart drop. “No,” I whispered, kneeling beside the wreckage. “They took her.”

Fury surged through me, a primal instinct igniting my alpha blood. “We need to move. Now.”

“Where do we start?” Jake asked, rising to his feet.

I took a deep breath, forcing my mind to focus amidst the chaos. “Marcosias will have left a trail. We just need to find it.”

“Let’s check the security footage,” Jake suggested, leading me toward the study. As we poured over the recordings, a sickening realization set in. “There! Look!” Jake pointed to the screen, where Marcosias and his clan members dragged Luna away. My heart raced as I caught a glimpse of her struggling.

“Those bastards,” I growled, slamming my fist against the desk. “I’ll make them pay for this.”

“Do you see that?” Jake pointed to a car’s license plate on the footage. “That’s our lead.”

With renewed determination, I gathered my men. “We move now,” I commanded. “We track Marcosias down, and we bring Luna back. No matter what it takes.”

The air crackled with intensity as we rushed out of the mansion, the artifact pulsating at my side—a reminder of the power I now wielded, and the stakes at hand.

After what felt like an eternity of tracking, we finally pulled up to the entrance of an old, decrepit warehouse that loomed before us like a ghost from a forgotten era. The structure sagged under its own weight, the paint peeling like sunburned skin, and the windows were shattered, giving it an ominous, eerie presence. Vines twisted around the supports, reclaiming what once stood proud.

“This place has seen better days,” Jake commented, eyeing the surroundings warily. “Looks like it’s been abandoned for years.”

“Perfect for a hideout,” I replied, gripping the artifact tightly at my side.

“Stay alert,” I instructed, my voice steady but low. “Marcosias is cunning. He’ll have traps laid out.”

My senses were on high alert, the primal instincts of an alpha roaring to life. With each step, I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins, pushing me forward. The dull thud of my heart was a reminder of what was at stake—Luna.

“Do you think she’s in there?” one of my men asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I could hear the concern laced in his words.

“She’s in there,” I confirmed, my determination solidifying. “And we’re going to get her back.”

We moved stealthily, shadows swallowing us as we approached the entrance. The metal door was rusted and half ajar, creaking ominously as I pushed it open.

“Spread out,” I ordered. “We need to find a way to the back—where he’d likely keep her.”

“Over here!” Jake suddenly called, his voice breaking the silence. I turned to see him pointing at a series of faint footprints leading deeper into the warehouse.

“Let’s follow them,” I said, a surge of hope igniting in my chest. “We’re getting closer.”

Finally, we reached a heavy door at the far end, its surface scarred and splintered, a stark contrast to the silence that enveloped us. I could hear muffled sounds from beyond, a mix of voices—the unmistakable tone of Marcosias and, faintly, Luna’s desperate pleas.

“This is it,” I said, my voice a low growl. The air crackled with tension as I turned to my men. “Prepare yourselves. We’re going in.”

“Luna!” I shouted, bursting through the door.

The sight before me was a nightmare: Luna, bound and vulnerable, surrounded by Marcosias and his men. “Get away from her!” I roared, adrenaline surging through my veins.

“Ah, the mighty Alpha arrives,” Marcosias sneered, stepping forward. “Too late, as always.”