Eclipsed Destiny

The forest was full of whispers, as if the wind conveyed secrets between the trees. Celia moved carefully by the side of Aziel, her newly marked arm hidden under the sleeve of her jacket. The pulsing glow on her skin had ceased, but she could still remember the electric sensation in her veins with peculiar clarity. It felt both exhilarating and terrifying.

"Where are we off to this time?" Celia asked, breaking the silence with a question.

Aziel looked at her, his face stern. "To the Veil," he said, as if that was all that needed to be said.

"The Veil?"

"It's a barrier," he said, his voice clipped. "A border between our world and the realm of the rogues. It's where the blessing's power is strongest-and where its secrets are hidden.

Celia's stomach churned at the mention of secrets. She had learned enough in the past few days to make her head spin. Each revelation seemed to pile onto the last, creating a tangled web she didn't know how to navigate. But she also knew there was no turning back. Whatever waited beyond this so-called Veil, she had to face it.

The pack spread out in a protective formation, their movements coordinated and silent. Marcus walked at the rear, his keen eyes scanning the forest for any sign of danger. Luna had stayed behind to tend to the injured, but her parting words echoed in Celia's mind: *Trust yourself, and trust the bond.*

Celia didn't know what to do with those words. Trust wasn't something that came easily to her, especially when it was something as overwhelming as the bond she shared with Aziel. It was there, humming beneath her skin like a live wire, pulling her toward him even when she wanted to pull away.

"Stop," Aziel said suddenly, raising a hand.

The pack froze, their ears perked and their bodies tense. Celia held her breath as she strained to hear what Aziel had sensed. There it was a faint rustling in the distance, followed by the unmistakable growl of a rogue. "They're close," Marcus said, his voice low.

Aziel nodded, his jaw tightening. "We don't have much time. Celia, stay close to me."

Celia opened her mouth to argue but stopped. Now was not the time for stubbornness. She nodded and fell into step alongside him as they moved forward.

The forest grew denser with each step. The air grew colder with each step. It seemed as though the trees were closing in on them, the twisted branches forming some sort of canopy that blocked all moonlight. Celia felt a shiver run down her back, and she pulled her jacket closer around her.

Is it always like this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aziel glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "The closer we get Easier said than done, Celia thought, but she kept her mouth shut.

the Veil, the stronger its influence becomes. It feeds off fear and doubt. Stay focused, and don't let it get to you."

When they finally reached the Veil, Celia couldn't help but gasp. It wasn't a physical barrier, like a wall or a gate. Instead, it was a shimmering curtain of light that stretched between the trees, its surface rippling like water. The air around it crackled with energy, making the hairs on Celia's arms stand on end.

"This is the Veil?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.

Aziel nodded, his eyes fixed on the barrier. "It separates our world from the rogue realm. To pass through it isn't easy, but it is the only way to find out about your blessing.

Celia's stomach curdled. She hated walking into a world of villains, but she knew what she had to do. No other choice existed. If she wanted answers-if she wanted to explain the power inside her-then she had to walk across the Veil. Aziel turned to the pack, his voice commanding. "Marcus, you and the others stay here and guard the perimeter. If the rogues try to cross, hold them off."

Marcus scowled, his eyes flicking to Celia. "You're taking her in there by herself?"

"She'll be safer with me," Aziel said firmly.

Celia wasn't so sure of that, but she didn't argue. The pack complied reluctantly, forming a defense line near the Veil as Aziel stepped forward, holding out a hand to Celia. His expression softened almost imperceptibly. "Ready?" he asked.

"No," she admitted, but she took his hand anyway.

The instant their fingers touched, the link blazed to life, stabilizing her nerves. Hand in hand, they passed through the Veil.

There was a jarring, disorienting sensation to it. One moment Celia was standing in the forest, and the next, she was wrapped up in light. It surrounded her, filling her senses with warmth and sound-whispers, faint and indistinct, like voices carried on the wind.

When the light faded, Celia found herself in a place she had never seen before. The rogue realm was a twisted mirror of the forest they had just left. The trees were gnarled and blackened, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The air was thick with fog, and the ground beneath her feet felt soft and spongy, as if it were alive.

"What is this place?" she whispered, voice shaking.

Aziel squeezed her hand harder. "It's the rogue realm," he said grimly. "A corrupted version of our world. This is what happens when the blessing is twisted and used for power instead of balance.

Celia shivered, the oppressive atmosphere weighing down on her. She wanted to turn back, to run as far away from this place as possible, but the bond with Aziel kept her grounded.

"We have to hurry," Aziel said, his voice urgent. "The rogues won't take kindly to us being here."

Celia nodded, following him as they walked deeper into the realm. The whispers grew louder as they walked, words growing clearer but no less mysterious.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

The keeper's blood. the blessing's power. fate awaits.

"What are they saying?" Celia asked, her voice shaking.

Aziel didn't answer, his jaw tightening as his eyes scanned their surroundings.

They had walked for what felt like hours before finally arriving at a clearing with a huge stone monolith in the center. The surface of this one was etched in carvings like the ones on the altar in the pack's territory, but these were darker and more chaotic.

"This is it," Aziel said softly. "The heart of the rogue realm.

She stared at the monolith, her chest constricting. The necklace around her neck grew warm, its glow intensifying. She took a hesitant step forward, pulled to the stone despite the fear clawing at her.

As her fingers touched the surface of the monolith, she felt a burst of energy, and the whispers became a deafening roar. Images flooded her mind-visions of the past, present, and future she couldn't yet understand.

She saw her mother, standing before the monolith with a determined look. She saw the rogue Alpha, his eyes burning with malice as he reached for the blessing. And she saw herself, standing at a crossroads, her hands glowing with power as the fate of the packs hung in the balance.

When the visions faded, Celia stumbled backward, gasping for air.

"What did you see?" Aziel asked, his voice tight with worry.

Celia shook her head, her mind a whirlwind. "I saw. a choice. A future I don't understand."

Just as Aziel was opening his mouth to speak, a low growl rumbled through the clearing.

The rogue Alpha entered the clearing, his red eyes glowing in the dim light. He smiled, his face twisted into a grotesque grin that sent shivers through Celia's body.

"Welcome, little keeper," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "You've come a long way to meet your destiny."

Aziel stepped in front of Celia, his body tense and ready for a fight. "Stay behind me," he growled.

But the rogue Alpha's gaze was fixed on Celia, his expression smug. "You can't protect her forever, Aziel. The blessing belongs to me."

"It will never be yours," Aziel snarled, his voice filled with authority.

The rogue Alpha laughed, the sound echoing through the clearing. "We'll see about that."

7---

Before Celia could react, the rogue Alpha lunged at them, his speed and strength unlike anything she had seen before. Aziel met his attack head-on, but the sheer force of the collision sent shockwaves through the clearing.

As the two Alphas clashed, Celia could feel the monolith's pulse behind her, as if its power was calling her. She knew with a sickening feeling that the choice she saw in her vision wasn't simply a possibility far off, but it was happening. Would she take the blessing and risk everything?

Or lose herself to the power that sought to consume her?