Bound by the Moon

Chapter 17

The cell was colder than ever before. The walls felt closer, the air heavier. Astrid sat on the narrow, hard bed, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Sleep had evaded her for days, ever since the last trial had wrung every ounce of strength from her body. The darkness in the cell wasn't just the absence of light anymore—it was something that seemed to seep into her skin, weighing down her thoughts and sapping what little energy she had left.

Every sound in the fortress echoed through her bones, a distant clank of metal, the ominous howls of wolves somewhere far below. Each sound reminded her of what awaited her outside that door. She hadn't seen Lucien since the last trial, but she didn't need to. His cold, distant presence lingered in her mind like a shadow, constantly reminding her that the worst was yet to come.

When the door to her cell creaked open, Astrid's heart skipped a beat. Two guards entered, their faces hidden in shadow, their eyes cold and unfeeling. Without a word, they gestured for her to stand.

She obeyed, though her legs felt weak beneath her. Every muscle ached from the previous trials, the wounds and bruises still fresh on her skin. As she stood, her body trembled—not from the cold, but from the knowledge of what awaited her. She could sense it. This next trial would be different. Darker. Deadlier.

The guards led her through the labyrinthine corridors of the Bloodmoon fortress. It was a place of shadows and secrets, where the walls seemed to shift and whisper, where darkness pooled in the corners like something alive. The further they walked, the colder it became, and the torches along the walls flickered with a weak, dying light, casting long, eerie shadows.

The guards stopped before a massive iron door, its surface covered in strange, ancient symbols she didn't recognize. One of the guards produced a large, rusted key and inserted it into the lock. With a loud, metallic clank, the door swung open, revealing a vast underground chamber.

Astrid stepped inside, her breath catching in her throat.

The room was enormous, the ceiling arched high above, disappearing into the shadows. The stone floor was uneven, strewn with rocks and debris, and at the center of the room was a large, foreboding altar, carved from ancient stone. Strange symbols were etched into the altar's surface, glowing faintly with a sickly, unnatural light.

But it wasn't just the altar that set her on edge. Surrounding it were iron cages, suspended from thick chains that hung from the ceiling. The cages swayed slightly, the iron creaking under the weight of... something. She couldn't make out what was inside them, but the sight sent a shiver down her spine.

This wasn't just a place for trials. This was a place of punishment, of fear. A place where nightmares were born.

Lucien stepped out from the shadows, his black eyes glinting in the dim light. He wore a long, dark cloak that seemed to blend into the shadows themselves, making him look like a specter of death. His expression was as cold as ever, but there was something different about him now. Something darker.

"You've done well to survive this long," he said, his voice echoing through the chamber. "But your next trial will test you in ways you've never imagined."

Astrid's stomach twisted in fear. She could feel the weight of the room pressing down on her, the oppressive atmosphere suffocating. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to run, to escape, but she was trapped. There was no way out.

"This trial isn't about strength or endurance," Lucien continued, his voice low and dangerous. "It's about fear. The kind of fear that lives deep within your soul. The kind you can't fight with fists or claws."

Astrid swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel her pulse racing in her ears, her palms slick with sweat. The idea of facing her deepest fears terrified her more than any physical trial. The fear of the unknown, the fear of losing control—those were the things that could break her.