The Lunar Bound

seemed amplified by the weight of the moment. Lana stood in the center of the room, her breath shallow and quick, her heart pounding like

ailed? What if she didn't have the power to complete the ritual? What

or, his stance poised and alert, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife. He was scanning the for

to trust that her grandfather's work-the ancient knowledge passed down through generation

gathered the materials her grandfather had left behind. She had seen them all before, in the corners of the workshop

urse. The curse that could either destroy or heal. She set them in a circle around her, ju

that Lana couldn't quite explain. Her grandfather had told her once that it was the essence of the forest itself, something that bound both the

. It wasn't just for weapons. It was for sealing the curse, binding it. She sprinkled the silver dust in a perfect ring around the

sink into her bones. The books, the sigils, the ritual-it all felt more real than ever

t through the silence.

epped back, drawing his knife. His eyes flicked to the door once more, then back to h

had come. There was

wl, just as the book instructed. "By the power of the bo

ld feel the power of her ancestors surging through her. The power of the Moonborn curse,

's howls echoed through the trees. Lana's he

dfather's journals. The air around her grew heavy, thick with the promise of magic, and the candles flickered violently in res

Aiden with a deafening crash. Lana's breath caught in her throa

as if he could will the threat outside to dissipate. He moved toward

She reached for the bowl, placing both hands over the silver liquid. The energy crackled, electricity dancing

he terror that gripped her. "By the blood of the Bound, I bind

he sigil above her began to glow with an otherworldly light, and the ro

he door exp

ward Lana with an unnatural hunger. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from one of them, the alpha of the pa

at one of the Moonborn. The creature howled in pain but didn't retreat.

iden was fighting for her, but she had to finish the r

of light so intense that it momentarily blinded her. The Moonborn shrieked, their for

e through, a hulking beast with dark fur and glowing yellow eyes. It was faster than the others, its movements a b

she remembered something her grandfather had written in one o

hought was just a trinket-and raised it above her head. She spoke the final

the will of the Bound, I command

ke thunder, and the Moonborn's form was wrenched backward, pu

magic subsiding, leaving the cabin eerily quiet. Lana stood there, her ches

g his arm, but it wasn't deep. His eyes met hers, and for the first time

d softly, though hi

ere gone-for now. But the ritual had only bought them a brief respite. The war was far from ove

seemed amplified by the weight of the moment. Lana stood in the center of the room, her breath shallow and quick, her heart pounding like

ailed? What if she didn't have the power to complete the ritual? What

or, his stance poised and alert, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife. He was scanning the for

to trust that her grandfather's work-the ancient knowledge passed down through generation

gathered the materials her grandfather had left behind. She had seen them all before, in the corners of the workshop

urse. The curse that could either destroy or heal. She set them in a circle around her, ju

that Lana couldn't quite explain. Her grandfather had told her once that it was the essence of the forest itself, something that bound both the

. It wasn't just for weapons. It was for sealing the curse, binding it. She sprinkled the silver dust in a perfect ring around the

sink into her bones. The books, the sigils, the ritual-it all felt more real than ever

t through the silence.

epped back, drawing his knife. His eyes flicked to the door once more, then back to h

had come. There was

wl, just as the book instructed. "By the power of the bo

ld feel the power of her ancestors surging through her. The power of the Moonborn curse,

's howls echoed through the trees. Lana's he

dfather's journals. The air around her grew heavy, thick with the promise of magic, and the candles flickered violently in res

Aiden with a deafening crash. Lana's breath caught in her throa

as if he could will the threat outside to dissipate. He moved toward

She reached for the bowl, placing both hands over the silver liquid. The energy crackled, electricity dancing

he terror that gripped her. "By the blood of the Bound, I bind

he sigil above her began to glow with an otherworldly light, and the ro

he door exp

ward Lana with an unnatural hunger. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from one of them, the alpha of the pa

at one of the Moonborn. The creature howled in pain but didn't retreat.

iden was fighting for her, but she had to finish the r

of light so intense that it momentarily blinded her. The Moonborn shrieked, their for

e through, a hulking beast with dark fur and glowing yellow eyes. It was faster than the others, its movements a b

she remembered something her grandfather had written in one o

hought was just a trinket-and raised it above her head. She spoke the final

the will of the Bound, I command

ke thunder, and the Moonborn's form was wrenched backward, pu

magic subsiding, leaving the cabin eerily quiet. Lana stood there, her ches

g his arm, but it wasn't deep. His eyes met hers, and for the first time

d softly, though hi

ere gone-for now. But the ritual had only bought them a brief respite. The war was far from ove

and this time, they woul