THE FIRST WOLF
The moment the Blood Emperor touched the Bloodstone—
Everything stopped.
The wind died instantly.
The shaking earth froze.
Even the monsters around the clearing went completely still.
Aria’s glowing silver eyes locked onto the Blood Emperor’s hand.
For a split second, no one moved.
Then the Primordial power answered.
A violent wave of silver energy exploded from Aria’s body.
The Blood Emperor was thrown backward like he had been struck by lightning. He crashed through two trees before hitting the ground hard.
The Bloodstone flew from his hand and landed several feet away.
Rowan’s eyes widened.
“…Okay.”
“That was impressive.”
Lucian didn’t speak.
He was staring at Aria.
Her power had changed.
It wasn’t chaotic anymore.
It was controlled.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Aria slowly lowered her hand.
Silver energy still swirled around her fingers like living smoke.
The Blood Emperor pushed himself back to his feet.
For the first time since meeting him—
He looked angry.
“You dare strike me?”
Aria stepped forward calmly.
“You reached for what is not yours.”
Her voice echoed again with that ancient tone.
But this time—
Something else was there too.
Her own voice.
Fighting its way through.
The Alpha King noticed immediately.
“Aria.”
Her glowing eyes flickered again.
But the Primordial spirit was still strong.
The Blood Emperor laughed bitterly.
“You think you’ve won?”
He wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
“You don’t even understand the power you carry.”
Lucian stepped forward beside the King.
“We understand enough.”
The Blood Emperor ignored him.
His red eyes focused on Aria again.
“That power will consume you.”
Aria tilted her head slightly.
“You misunderstand.”
The ground cracked again beneath her feet.
“I am the power.”
Rowan whispered to Lucian,
“She’s starting to sound scary.”
Lucian nodded quietly.
“Very.”
The Blood Emperor stretched his hand toward the Bloodstone lying on the ground.
The crystal began sliding slowly across the dirt toward him.
Lucian reacted instantly.
His sword flashed forward, striking the crystal away before it could reach the Blood Emperor.
The stone skidded across the clearing and stopped near Rowan.
Rowan looked down at it.
“…Oh great.”
The Blood Emperor’s red eyes darkened.
“You should not have done that.”
Rowan quickly kicked the Bloodstone behind him.
“Too late.”
The monsters surrounding the clearing suddenly began moving again.
Slowly.
Dozens of glowing red eyes turned toward the warriors.
Lucian noticed immediately.
“He’s calling them.”
The Blood Emperor raised his hand.
Every monster in the forest roared at once.
The sound shook the mountains.
“Kill them.”
The creatures rushed forward instantly.
The clearing exploded into battle again.
Rowan shifted into his massive black wolf and slammed into the first monster.
Lucian cut down two creatures rushing toward Aria.
“Stay focused!”
The Alpha King stood beside her, golden energy burning around him.
But Aria didn’t move.
She simply watched.
The silver energy around her pulsed slowly.
Watching the chaos.
Studying it.
The Blood Emperor suddenly lunged through the fighting warriors.
Straight toward her.
Lucian tried to intercept him.
But the Blood Emperor moved faster.
Too fast.
He reached Aria in seconds.
His hand shot toward her throat.
“Enough games.”
But before he could touch her—
Aria raised her hand.
The air around them froze.
The Blood Emperor stopped mid-motion.
Like time itself had paused around him.
His red eyes widened.
“…What?”
Aria stepped closer to him slowly.
Silver energy spiraled through the air.
“You wanted to wake the first wolf.”
Her glowing gaze hardened.
“Now you face it.”
The Blood Emperor tried to move.
But his body wouldn’t respond.
Even he couldn’t break the force holding him still.
Lucian stopped fighting for a moment to stare.
“…She froze him.”
Rowan growled while tearing apart another monster.
“Then finish him!”
Aria lifted her hand slightly.
The pressure around the Blood Emperor increased.
The ground beneath him cracked deeper.
But suddenly—
He smiled.
Even while frozen.
“…You think this ends here?”
Aria’s glowing eyes narrowed.
The Blood Emperor whispered quietly,
“You should look behind you.”
Lucian’s head snapped around instantly.
His eyes widened.
“Aria!”
She turned just in time to see it.
A massive shadow rising behind the trees.
Bigger than any monster they had seen before.
Its glowing red eyes burned like fire in the darkness.
Rowan froze mid-attack.
“…That’s not a monster.”
Lucian’s voice dropped.
“No.”
The gigantic creature stepped into the clearing.
Towering over everything.
Even the monsters backed away from it.
The Blood Emperor laughed softly.
“Meet my greatest creation.”
Aria stared at the enormous beast.
Silver energy crackled around her again.
Because the creature wasn’t just large.
It was massive.
And it was staring directly at her.