The Luna's Fated Choice

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen: Gathering Storm

Kiadaria and Joshua thought it best to seek the aid of the Oracle that broke the possessive curse upon him. Power can only be met with power and they realize they need more on their side, they need more knowledge. They stand before the mystical oracle and they feel helpless against the weight of their shared revelations. 

"Your bond has been severed by a dark entity for centuries." The Oracle's voice is is low, gravily and holds mystery. "Darius has followed the two of you through too many lifetimes and in each one is goal was to ensure that you would never find one another, but your love would prevail. So eventually, he attacked the mate bond itself. He warped Joshua into a villain in your lives Kiadaria and cursed you to feel the remnant of the mate bond but fear Joshua. 

The more his curse worked, the more he was able to cast another spell that would make you believe he was your mate and choose him, but you would find your way to Joshua each time. Now, he will stop at nothing to claim you Kiadaria. He needs you to be completely his, this lifetime, or he will cease to exist." 

As the Oracle's speech reveals more of the truth. Kiadaria and Joshua are transported into a flashback. They see the past visions of themselves as ancient warriors, as star-crossed lovers, as mortal enemies, but Darius is always there. He lurks in the shadows and strikes at the most opportune time. 

The Oracle continues, pulling them from the past and back to the present. "He's growing darker and stronger by the day. He's going to use every single power he holds to keep you apart and to claim Kiadaria as his own." 

"We won't let that happen." Her voice is sure as she thinks about the mark she now bears as Joshua's Luna and mate. 

Joshua's jaw is set with determination. "We will overcome him, we will end his curse, no matter what it takes." 

A small smile reaches the Oracles eyes but not her lips. "I will give you the tools to defeat Darius, but you must be warned: You will be greatly challenged to do so. The entity is too strong, almost a god this lifetime, only missing Kiadaria as the missing piece." 

The Oracle passes Kiadaria a small ornate box. "you must solve the riddle contained. That will then unlock the first step to breaking the curse." 

Opening the box, Kiadaria feels Joshua's eyes focused. There is a tiny message etched onto parchment: 

"Where the shadows dance, light reveals

The heart of darkness, the soul's conceal

Seek the truth, in plain sight

And claim your fated choice, before the final night" 

"What does that mean?" Joshua is frustrated with the riddle as he desperately wishes to protect Kiadaria and their union. 

Kiadaria rereads the cryptic note. Her heart thuds in her chest as she meets his gaze with trepidation. "I think I know, but we need to talk with Akira, see if she can help us further decipher this." 

As they leave the Oracle's chambers, Kiadaria can't ignore the prickling of her skin. Something in her heart, maybe the ' before the final night' part, tells her that they are running out of time. 

Darius is closing in, and the curse growing stronger every moment. Darius curses as he watches from the shadows. "Fucking bitch!" He hisses the words like a madman. "You think you can break the mate bond I've gifted you? I'll show you the meaning of true power." 

*********

Kiadaria shares the Oracles words with Akira, who listens intently. As she reads the parchment, her eyes grow three times their size.

Her voice is awe-filled. "This is the ancient tongue." She begins to rummage through her many books, ancient times, and scrolls. For a moment, she traces the words of the parchment. Every so often looking at a bit of a scroll or passage in a book. "This dark riddle is supposed to test if you are even worthy to break the curse." 

Joshua leans in and his frustration is loud, but Kiadaria wonders if he is simply afraid of losing her again. "What does it mean? We get that much." 

Akira locks onto the parchment. "It says 'Where the shadows dance, light reveals' and that is a hint of a place where darkness and light are merged or meet together. There is only one place, I'm aware of, that may fit that description, but it is a dangerous place." 

Kiadaria nods. "Akira, please tell us." 

Akira seems contrite as she whispers. "The Shadowlands. It's the only realm where the veil is thin enough. I think Darius would have concluded this and have preset traps there. The fabric of our reality is very thin there." 

Joshua's face hardens and is chiseled with determination. "We must go. We have to break the curse, no matter what comes our way." 

Akira looks at them with respect. "I heard rumors of your combined bravery as a team. We must quickly gather what we need and go." 

As they prepare to leave, each ponders what awaits in The Shadowlands, but they fortify themselves against fear. They can't allow cowardice to enter because too much is at stake. They are set towards The Shadow lands, Akira leading the way. The silence around them thick and eerie. 

Akira halts. "Do you hear that?" She whispers. 

A low, threatening growl rumbles through the air. Joshua puts his hand on the hilt of his dagger. 

Akira swallows hard. "The Shadowlands' guardians. We have arrived and they sense our presence." 

"We can't turn back." Kiadaria states the obvious, more so to herself as she works against her fear. 

They step into the Shadowlands, the darkness swallows them up. Their hearts pound in their chests as they've never encountered such pitch. Kiadaria's heart taps her chest as she knows they are being watched. 

"Welcome to the Shadowlands," A low hissing voice whispers right beside her ear. "Where shadows dance, and light reveals...your deepest fears." 

Will they survive the shadows hidden within?

(Update: 1/2 Sat, Oct 5th, 2024)