Chapter 113: Battle of Darkmoon City
Dawn illuminated the dark forest, casting sunlight on the towering ancient trees. Despite the fierce battle, the forest slowly recovered, but some relationships faced irreparable fractures.
Vampires, fearing the sunlight, had completely retreated.
Alpha Cyril, disheartened, returned to the wolf pack. He couldn’t believe that Hazel had willingly pushed him away. His heart felt an unprecedented pain, as if thousands of blades had pierced it.
“Cyril, why are you the only one back? Where’s Hazel?” Elmer inquired, and the warriors of The Iron Star Pack accompanying him shared the same concern.
Cyril’s expression was troubled, and his cold demeanor added immense pressure to everyone.
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“Her blood awakened, and then… she was marked by vampires. She chose to leave,” Cyril spoke lightly, as if still unable to accept the fact that Hazel had departed.
He couldn’t abandon the warriors of The Iron Star Pack. Assisting in escorting Eric and Trnald’s wolf pack back to their original location was the top priority. As the Alpha, Cyril, though eager to follow Hazel, understood that the wolf pack couldn’t lose its backbone.
The wolf pack, learning of all this, displayed complex expressions. Elmer felt sorrowful about Hazel’s departure. They had always been efficient combat partners, and Hazel’s power had been consistently improving. However, he didn’t understand what blood awakening entailed.
“Our steps can’t stop because of Hazel. Move on,” Cyril calmed down, saying it with composure.
“Obey Alpha! Follow Alpha!” The remaining warriors echoed Cyril. At this moment, the wolf pack needed more cohesion to face greater challenges.
As the sun set with the wolf pack’s rapid movement, they crossed the dark night forest and traversed a river.
Walking along the riverbank, Cyril looked towards a distant hill. The sun’s silhouette had been half-swallowed by it, and the unsettling night gradually descended. Although they hadn’t slept for many hours due to their encounters in the dark forest, the adrenaline from the experience kept their exhaustion at bay.
At night, moonlight bathed the riverbank, revealing some magical things suspended in the air-a crisp chirping sound from the creek flowing down from the melting snow in the spring, glimmering in the twilight. The foam on top captured the moonlight, spraying out gem-like droplets to return it to the sky.
Under the moonlight, the group involuntarily relaxed their guard, returning to their usual alert state. They no longer felt the lurking danger around them, only sensing the mysterious attraction of the moonlit night.
Cyril let himself immerse in the moonlight, thinking again of Hazel, returning to the memories of when they first met. He remembered her graceful body, vibrant soul, and the night their souls were mutually affirmed. He longed to share the beauty of this night with Hazel.
“Our wolf pack lost a lot because we entered the dark forest.” Alpha Eric spoke towards the river, sharing his thoughts. Eric lost his father at a young age, and as an Alpha, he had to follow his mother Mylixe’s guidance for life. His childhood consisted of endless training. He often doubted if there was a hint of a desire for freedom deep within his soul. He loved his mother Mylixe deeply but also yearned to be himself.
His mother, Mylixe, was a strict and outstanding she-wolf. She detested the recurrence of war.
This time, Mylixe went to war solely for her son. She feared her son would leave her like her husband, something she couldn’t accept.
When the dawn blurred the moonlight, the shimmering gloss of the river’s suspended particles gradually faded. The wolf pack prepared to move forward, each one of them moving in succession. Looking in the direction they were headed, it was a city-Darkmoon City.
“Is that a city?” Alpha Cyril, leading the way, asked.
More precisely, it’s a family,” Alpha Trnald corrected. “This city doesn’t have many people, but it’s where the wizard family led by Lilith resides. They know the Northern Continent inside out.”
“Looks like we’re in for some big trouble,” Alpha Cyril mused, casting a scrutinizing gaze over the wolf pack. Soon, he continued leading them forward.
As they advanced, there were no obvious signs. They had almost run half the distance to Darkmoon City, and there was no trace of the black-robed wizards, not even a hint.
Night fell again, and Alpha Cyril wanted to run out of Darkmoon City entirely, but the group had reached their limit. A trace of unease lingered in Cyril’s heart. His night vision was excellent, and his blood surged in anticipation of what was about to happen.
“How many?” Alpha Trnald asked Cyril.
“Four, but she’s among them,” Cyril replied, furrowing his brow.
“Ready? Kid,” Trnald looked at Eric.
“Wait for them to come to us, or should we ambush them in the thickets?”
“Wait for them to come,” Trnald answered. “They’re advancing so covertly; they probably think they’ll catch us off guard.”
“Counter-ambushing is better than attacking from a distance, especially since they’re wizards,” Cyril concluded. Then, he used the mind link to alert the wolf pack to get into position.
The wolf pack hid along the city walls, and Lilith led three black-robed wizards, approaching them in a single file. Clearly, they intended to slowly come and attack.
As the black-robed wizards approached, Lilith smiled.
“You’ve really worked hard on your way here.”
“A rat would announce its arrival in my city. Are little dogs this rude?” Lilith’s smile turned cold.
“This visit didn’t go as smoothly as through the forest.” Lilith’s black hair floated over her shoulders. She hovered in mid-air above the city walls, her eyes fixed on them, searching for traces of the wolf pack.
Lilith and the three black-robed wizards muttered incantations, starting their spellcasting.
Darkmoon City’s walls began to stir up dust, permeating the entire sky above the walls, becoming dim and unclear. Low roars came from within the walls, and the wolf pack began to grow restless.
In the pitch-black surroundings, Cyril’s vision remained unaffected. He took a slight step back, preparing to attack.
On the other side, Lilith chanted to cast an illusion, creating eight identical shadows around her, making it impossible to distinguish the real one. She raised her staff, aware that the wolf pack excelled in close combat but were easily provoked.
Lilith smirked, hiding in the darkness, activating dark magic.
“Can you still escape this?” Lilith looked up, wearing a disdainful expression.
But she didn’t revel for long. Suddenly, the ground erupted again with a tremendous noise, accompanied by a terrifying howl of wolves. The wolf pack almost simultaneously bounced up with a “bang” and charged towards Lilith before she could react.
Three Alphas approached Lilith at lightning speed, throwing punches at her simultaneously.
Lilith only heard a muffled sound from her chest, and she felt nothing. Then, she swiftly flew outward.
“Damn it! Death’s Fire Curse-”
The other three black-robed wizards dispersed and began casting spells. At this moment, a dazzling black circle appeared above Lilith’s head, descending rapidly. The wolf pack was slightly startled, witnessing her mutter something under her breath and then focus on the circle above her head.
A wave of deep blue light emanated from her head, its descent speed suddenly increasing.
The wolf pack, on high alert, raised their heads, only to be met by a rolling blue fireball hurtling towards them.
“Spread out!” Cyril realized something was wrong. He quickly dodged the fireball and commanded the wolf pack to do the same. However, the fireball moved like a blue lightning bolt. With a loud bang, it exploded, sending shockwaves in all directions. The wolf pack was scattered, emitting cries of anguish.
After the explosion, Cyril opened his squinted eyes. He found Carlotta, Jay, and Marcus lying amidst the debris, their breaths extinguished.
The wolf pack roared in anger, launching another charge towards the wizards in different directions.