The Reborn Luna: Claimed by the Billionaire Alpha

Chapter 16 – The Ruins of Black Hollow

The weight of the dagger never left Selene's palm, even when she sheathed it. The sensation of it pulsing, like a second heartbeat, was ever-present. It was no longer just a weapon—it was something more. Something that had almost consumed her.

She and Rylen moved quickly through the dense forest, their path barely illuminated by the silver glow of the moon. The battle had left them weary, but there was no time to rest. They needed answers.

The ruins of Black Hollow were said to be ancient, even older than the kingdoms themselves. If there was a record of the dagger, its origins, or how to control its power, they would find it there.

Rylen cast a sideways glance at her as they walked. "Are you going to tell me what happened back there?"

Selene swallowed, her throat dry. She wasn't sure how to explain it—not when she barely understood it herself.

"I lost control," she admitted finally. "I don't remember… I just know the dagger took over."

Rylen frowned. "You mean, it controlled you?"

She nodded. "It spoke to me, Rylen. It commanded me. And I—" She hesitated, clenching her fists. "I listened."

His expression darkened. "That's exactly why we need to be careful. This thing… it's dangerous."

Selene exhaled sharply. "I know that."

Rylen shook his head. "No, you don't. You think you do, but you still believe you can control it. What if you can't?"

She met his gaze. "Then we find another way."

The silence that followed was heavy, filled with unspoken fears. They both knew the truth—if the dagger's power became too much, there might not be another way.

They pressed forward.

---

The Ruins Await

By the time they reached Black Hollow, the first hints of dawn painted the sky with streaks of deep indigo and gold. The ruins loomed before them, ancient stone structures crumbling under the weight of time. Vines curled around fallen pillars, and the wind howled through the cracks like whispers of ghosts.

Selene shivered. "This place feels… wrong."

Rylen tightened his grip on his sword. "That's because it is."

Legends spoke of the lost scholars of Black Hollow, who had delved too deep into magic and paid the price. Some said their spirits still roamed the ruins, trapped in a curse of their own making.

Selene had never been one to believe in ghost stories. But after what had happened with the dagger, she wasn't so sure anymore.

They stepped inside the largest structure—a ruined temple, its walls covered in faded carvings. The air was thick with dust, and the scent of decay lingered in every corner.

Selene ran her fingers over the carvings. "These symbols… they look familiar."

Rylen studied them closely. "Because they're the same ones that were on the dagger's hilt."

A chill ran down her spine. If the dagger had been mentioned here, then they were in the right place.

She turned to Rylen. "We need to find the records. If there are any books or scrolls left, they should be—"

A loud crash cut her off.

The sound echoed through the ruins, followed by the unmistakable sensation of being watched.

Rylen drew his sword, his body tense. "We're not alone."

Selene reached for the dagger, but a voice stopped her cold.

"You shouldn't have come here."

They turned sharply.

A figure stood in the shadows of the ruined temple. Cloaked in black, their face hidden beneath a hood, they radiated an unsettling presence.

Selene took a step forward. "Who are you?"

The figure remained still. "A warning," they said simply. "Leave now, or be swallowed by what you seek."

Rylen's grip tightened on his sword. "We're not leaving without answers."

The hooded figure sighed. "Then you have chosen death."

Before either of them could react, the figure raised a hand—and the shadows moved.

---

The Shadow's Wrath

Darkness exploded from the figure's palm, tendrils of inky blackness lashing toward them.

Rylen barely had time to push Selene out of the way before the shadows slammed into the ground where she had stood. Stone shattered on impact, dust and debris filling the air.

Selene rolled to her feet, dagger drawn. The moment she gripped it, the power surged through her again.

The hooded figure tilted their head. "Ah," they murmured. "So it has already begun."

Selene ignored the words, lunging forward with the dagger aimed straight for the figure's chest.

The moment the blade neared them, the shadows recoiled. The figure stepped back, as if avoiding something dangerous.

Selene's eyes narrowed. "You're afraid of this dagger, aren't you?"

A pause.

Then, a whisper.

"Not afraid," the figure said softly. "Only wary."

And then, with a flick of their wrist, the shadows rushed forward.

Selene barely managed to block in time. The force sent her staggering back, the dagger's energy pulsing wildly. She could feel it pushing against the darkness, its power clashing with whatever magic the figure wielded.

Rylen lunged, swinging his sword in a swift arc. The figure vanished before the blade could make contact, appearing several feet away.

"You're playing a dangerous game, child," they murmured. "You think the dagger makes you strong. But it only makes you a prisoner."

Selene clenched her jaw. "Then I'll break free."

The figure chuckled. "Oh, Selene. You have no idea what you are."

Her breath caught.

"How do you know my name?"

The figure didn't answer. Instead, they took a step back, merging with the shadows. Fading into nothingness.

Their final words echoed through the ruins.

"The dagger doesn't serve you. You serve it."

And then they were gone.

---

A Shattered Truth

Silence filled the ruins once more.

Selene stood frozen, her grip on the dagger shaking. The weight of the figure's words pressed down on her, heavier than before.

She turned to Rylen, expecting him to say something—anything.

But his expression said it all.

He was afraid.

Not of the hooded figure.

Not of the dagger.

But of her.

Selene's breath came in ragged gasps. She looked down at the dagger, its dark surface glinting in the dim light.

Was it true?

Had she been thinking all along that she was the one controlling it…

When, in reality, it had been controlling her?

Rylen reached for her shoulder, his touch gentle. "Selene…"

She closed her eyes.

For the first time since she had taken up the dagger—she wasn't sure she wanted to keep it.

But something deep inside her whispered that she had no choice.

Because the moment she had taken it…

It had already chosen her.

And there was no turning back.

The air inside the ruins grew colder, a deep, unnatural chill that seeped into Selene's bones. The hooded figure's words still echoed in her mind.

The dagger doesn't serve you. You serve it.

She didn't want to believe it. She couldn't.

Selene tightened her grip on the weapon, feeling the pulse beneath her fingers, like a second heartbeat. No—her heartbeat.

Rylen was still watching her, his expression unreadable. But his silence said more than words ever could.

He was afraid.

And not of the hooded figure.

She swallowed hard. "We need to keep moving."

Rylen hesitated. "Selene—"

"No." She cut him off before he could say what she knew was coming. "Don't look at me like that. I'm still me."

But even as she said it, she wasn't sure it was true.

The shadows of Black Hollow loomed around them, their presence suffocating. The hooded figure had vanished, but their warning lingered like a curse.

Rylen exhaled, then nodded. "Alright. Where do we start?"

Selene turned back to the ancient carvings. The symbols stretched along the stone walls, some faded beyond recognition. But there—near the center—was something new.

Not just a carving.

A door.

It was barely visible, hidden within the designs of the temple ruins. The edges blended seamlessly with the stone, but the moment Selene stepped closer, she felt it.

A pull.

The dagger's pulse quickened, as if recognizing the doorway.

Selene reached out and pressed her palm against the surface.

The stone was ice-cold beneath her fingers.

And then—it moved.

A deep, grinding sound filled the temple as the hidden door slid open, revealing a narrow passageway descending into darkness.

A gust of stale air rushed out, carrying the scent of dust, decay, and something far older.

Rylen tensed. "That's… unsettling."

Selene took a breath. "Only one way to find out what's down there."

She stepped inside.

The dagger's pulse grew stronger.

---

The Descent into Shadows

The tunnel stretched deep beneath the ruins, the walls narrowing as they moved further in. Faint symbols glowed along the stone, their dim light the only illumination in the suffocating dark.

The deeper they went, the heavier the air became, pressing against their skin like unseen hands.

Selene's steps slowed. Something about this place felt wrong.

Not just the darkness.

Not just the silence.

Something else lingered in the air—watching.

Rylen's voice was barely above a whisper. "I don't like this."

Neither did she. But they couldn't stop now.

The passage eventually opened into a vast underground chamber. A massive altar stood at the center, its surface covered in intricate markings. Chains hung from the ceiling, rusted and broken. Ancient books and scrolls lay scattered across the stone floor.

And at the far end of the room—

A throne.

Selene's breath hitched. It wasn't just any throne. It was black as obsidian, its surface carved with the same symbols as the dagger.

The room pulsed with energy.

Powerful. Ancient.

Selene took a step closer.

A whisper filled the air.

You have come.

She froze.

The voice wasn't Rylen's.

It wasn't human.

The shadows in the room began to shift, coiling like smoke. Rylen stepped beside her, his sword drawn.

The whispers grew louder.

The dagger calls to you, child of fate.

Selene's pulse pounded. The dagger—still clutched in her hand—burned.

And then—the throne moved.

No, not the throne.

Something sitting on it.

The shadows peeled away, revealing a figure.

Not flesh. Not bone.

A wraith-like being, its form flickering between solid and smoke. Its face was obscured by a hood—like the figure they had encountered above—but this one…

This one radiated something far more powerful.

Selene's grip on the dagger tightened. "Who are you?"

The figure slowly lifted its head. Though its face remained hidden, Selene felt its gaze pierce straight into her soul.

You already know.

The room trembled.

The chains along the walls rattled, the weight of unseen magic pressing down on them.

Rylen shifted closer, his voice tense. "Selene… we need to go."

But she couldn't move.

Because suddenly—the dagger moved on its own.

Her fingers clenched as an invisible force pulled it toward the figure on the throne.

The whispers grew deafening.

The chains must break. The cycle must end.

The throne cracked beneath the weight of those words.

And then—everything erupted into chaos.

---

The Chains Break

The shadows exploded, surging toward Selene and Rylen.

Rylen grabbed her arm, pulling her back as the darkness slammed into the floor where she had stood. The impact sent cracks racing across the stone, dust billowing in thick clouds.

Selene staggered, the dagger burning hotter in her grip.

The figure on the throne remained seated, unmoving. But its voice thundered through the chamber.

Free me… or be consumed.

The walls trembled.

The chains hanging from the ceiling snapped.

Selene barely had time to react before one of them lashed toward her like a whip. She dodged, rolling across the stone as the chain struck the ground, leaving a deep gash in the floor.

Rylen cursed, slashing at another chain that came for him. His blade met metal, sparks flying.

"Selene, whatever you're thinking—stop."

But she wasn't thinking.

She was feeling.

And the dagger was calling.

The figure on the throne slowly stood, its movements impossibly fluid. The shadows around it pulsed.

Selene's breath came in short gasps.

The dagger—her dagger—was pulling her forward.

She fought it, but the force was overwhelming. It was as if it recognized the figure. As if it belonged to it.

And then she understood.

The truth hit her like a dagger to the chest.

The whispers. The warnings. The figure's words.

This wasn't just some cursed artifact.

This dagger… was a key.

And if she used it—she would set something free.

Something that had been locked away for centuries.

Her hands shook.

She could end this now.

Or she could risk unleashing something far worse.

The choice was hers.

And she had only seconds to decide.

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