The Reborn Luna: Claimed by the Billionaire Alpha

Chapter 7: The Burden of Fate

The world around Selene remained shrouded in darkness. There was no ground beneath her feet, no sky above—only an endless abyss stretching in all directions. A heavy silence wrapped around her like a suffocating cloak, pressing against her skin.

Then, a whisper.

"Selene…"

The voice was neither male nor female, neither young nor old. It carried the weight of centuries, filled with sorrow and longing.

Selene turned, searching for the source, but there was nothing. Just an endless void.

"Why have you come?"

She swallowed hard. "I—I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to."

A soft glow flickered in the distance, a dim silver light floating toward her. As it neared, the shadows around her shifted, revealing fragments of the past—faded images of people in grand robes, standing in a once-glorious temple.

Selene stepped closer, drawn to the vision. The people weren't speaking, but she could feel their desperation, their fear. They stood before an altar, the same altar she had touched moments ago in the ruined temple. But here, it was untouched by time, gleaming with power.

At the center of the gathering stood a woman. Tall, regal, her silver eyes piercing.

Selene gasped.

It was the same woman from her vision—the one who had spoken of sealing away the darkness. Elira's mother.

The woman raised her hands, and the temple trembled. Runes along the walls flared with light, casting long shadows. The gathered people knelt, heads bowed in reverence.

"We must protect the key," the woman's voice echoed through the void.

The scene shifted. The temple doors burst open, and a flood of darkness poured in. The screams of the people filled the air as the shadows swallowed them whole.

Selene's pulse raced. She wanted to move, to help, but she was frozen in place, forced to watch as the darkness consumed everything.

Then, the vision changed again. The grand temple faded, replaced by a single figure standing alone amid the ruins.

Elira.

But not the Elira Selene knew. This Elira was younger—barely a child. She clutched a glowing pendant to her chest, her silver eyes wide with terror as the shadows closed in.

Selene's breath caught.

"The key must survive," the regal woman's voice echoed one last time.

Then, the darkness swallowed everything.

Selene gasped as she was yanked back into reality. The vision faded, and the ruined temple reappeared around her. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the cold stone floor, her heart pounding.

"Selene!" Killian's voice was sharp with concern as he rushed to her side.

She tried to steady her breathing, but her body trembled. "I saw it," she whispered. "I saw the last moments of Black Hollow."

Killian and Elira exchanged a look before Elira knelt beside her. "What did you see?"

Selene hesitated, the weight of the vision pressing down on her. "The temple before it fell. Your mother was there, leading a ritual—trying to protect something. A key. And you… you were there, too. You were just a child."

Elira's expression darkened. "I don't remember much from that time. Only flashes of fear. My mother sent me away before the darkness could reach me."

Selene's fingers curled into fists. "The darkness. It wasn't just some curse. It was something else. Something alive."

A heavy silence filled the space.

Killian frowned. "You mean, like a living entity?"

Selene nodded. "Yes. And it's still here. Still waiting."

A sudden gust of wind howled through the temple, and the air grew thick with energy. The torches flickered wildly, casting long, twisting shadows across the stone walls.

Then, a deep voice rumbled through the chamber.

"She has awakened."

Selene's blood ran cold.

The temple shook violently. Cracks spread along the walls, and the ground beneath them trembled. The whispers returned, growing louder, more urgent.

Killian drew his sword. "We need to move. Now!"

But before they could react, the shadows surged forward.

Dark tendrils erupted from the floor, twisting like living creatures. The air filled with an eerie wail, as if the temple itself was screaming.

Selene barely had time to think before one of the shadows lunged at her. She threw up her hands in defense—expecting nothing to happen.

But instead, a pulse of silver light exploded from her fingertips.

The shadow recoiled, screeching as it disintegrated into nothingness.

Selene stared at her hands in shock. "What—?"

"Your power," Elira said urgently. "It's awakening!"

Selene didn't have time to process it. More shadows surged toward them, their howls deafening.

Killian slashed through them with his blade, but for every one he struck down, two more took its place. "We can't fight them all!" he shouted.

Elira's eyes flashed. "The exit!"

Selene turned toward the massive stone doors at the far end of the chamber. They were still intact—but for how long?

"We have to go!" she yelled.

They sprinted toward the exit, dodging the writhing tendrils of darkness. The temple groaned, the very foundation beginning to crumble.

Selene felt the shadows closing in behind her, but something pushed her forward—something deep inside, guiding her steps.

With a final burst of speed, she reached the doors and slammed her hands against them.

A surge of energy shot through her, and the doors flew open with a deafening roar.

Light poured into the chamber, and the shadows shrieked as they were driven back.

Selene, Killian, and Elira stumbled out of the temple just as the entire structure collapsed behind them, sealing whatever was inside within its depths once more.

Breathing hard, Selene turned back to the ruins.

The darkness was still there. Still waiting.

But now, she knew the truth.

It wasn't

just fate that had brought her here.

The dust had barely settled when Selene collapsed to her knees, her body trembling from the overwhelming surge of energy. The ruins of the temple lay in shambles behind them, and the darkness within had been temporarily sealed. But she could still feel it. A heavy presence, a watching force lingering just beneath the rubble.

"Selene, are you alright?" Killian knelt beside her, placing a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder. His golden eyes were filled with worry.

She struggled to catch her breath, her heart pounding like a war drum in her chest. "I… I don't know," she admitted. "That power—it came from me, but I don't understand it. It just… happened."

Elira's silver eyes gleamed as she studied Selene. "It's your bloodline," she said finally. "The visions, the magic, the ability to repel the darkness—it's all connected."

Selene clenched her fists, staring at the faint glow still shimmering on her fingertips. "But how? I never had magic before."

"Perhaps it was dormant," Elira suggested. "Waiting for the right moment to awaken. And now that you've unlocked it, there's no going back."

A chill ran down Selene's spine. No going back.

Killian exhaled sharply and rose to his feet, scanning their surroundings. The air was thick with tension, as if the very ground beneath them was waiting for something—another attack, another calamity.

"We can't stay here," he said. "Whatever that thing was inside the temple, we've only delayed it. It's still there, and I doubt it'll stay silent for long."

Selene forced herself to stand, her legs shaking. "Where do we go?"

Elira hesitated, then glanced toward the distant mountains. "There's one place left. The Sanctum of the First Flame."

Killian frowned. "That place is real? I thought it was just a myth."

Elira shook her head. "It exists. It's where my mother sent me before Black Hollow fell. It's where I was hidden."

Selene's breath hitched. "Then why didn't you tell us about it before?"

Elira looked away, her expression unreadable. "Because I was afraid. Afraid of what I might find there. And of what it might mean for all of us."

A tense silence followed.

Then Killian nodded. "Then that's where we go."

Selene swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the moment. This wasn't just about escaping anymore. It was about finding answers. About understanding why she had been chosen—why she had these powers.

And, perhaps, how to stop the darkness from consuming everything.

The Journey to the Sanctum

They traveled for hours through the desolate landscape. The ruins of Black Hollow stretched out around them like a graveyard, the remnants of a forgotten era swallowed by time and shadow.

Selene couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Every time she glanced over her shoulder, she swore she saw flickers of movement in the distance—shapes shifting between the crumbled buildings, whispering in voices just beyond hearing.

"Do you feel that?" she murmured to Killian, walking beside her.

He nodded grimly. "We're not alone."

Elira's pace quickened. "Then we need to move faster."

The three of them pressed on, pushing through the ruins until they reached the outskirts of the city. Beyond the broken remnants of Black Hollow, the land stretched into jagged cliffs and twisting paths, leading toward the mountains where the Sanctum of the First Flame supposedly lay.

The air grew colder the higher they climbed. The wind howled like a wounded beast, whipping through their cloaks and sending chills down Selene's spine.

"Are you sure about this?" Killian asked Elira. "If this place exists, wouldn't someone have found it by now?"

Elira gave a knowing smile. "Only those with the bloodline can reach it."

Selene's stomach turned. "So that means…"

Elira nodded. "You and I, Selene. We're the key to finding it."

A deep unease settled over her. She had barely begun to understand what her bloodline meant, and now it was the only thing guiding them forward.

They continued onward, the narrow path twisting around steep cliffs. The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows over the land. The mountains loomed ahead, their peaks lost in swirling mist.

Then Selene felt it.

A pull.

A deep, instinctual sensation in her chest, tugging her forward like an invisible thread.

She stopped abruptly, her breath hitching.

"What is it?" Killian asked, immediately on alert.

Selene turned to Elira. "Do you feel that?"

Elira hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes. We're close."

Before Selene could question her, the ground beneath them trembled.

A deep, resonating hum filled the air, as if the mountain itself had awakened.

Then, in the distance, a massive stone doorway emerged from the mist, its surface carved with ancient runes that glowed faintly in the twilight.

"The Sanctum," Elira whispered.

Selene's heart pounded as they stepped closer. The doorway stood at least thirty feet tall, embedded into the mountainside, sealed by an unseen force.

Elira reached out, placing her palm against the stone. The runes flared to life, and the air crackled with energy.

Then, the door began to open.

A gust of warm air rushed out, carrying the scent of fire and something old—older than Black Hollow itself.

Selene exchanged a glance with Killian, then stepped forward, crossing the threshold.

The darkness inside swallowed them whole.

A Forgotten Power Awakens

The moment Selene entered, the temperature shifted. The cold of the mountain air disappeared, replaced by a stifling warmth. The walls of the cavern glowed with an eerie red light, as if the stone itself pulsed with life.

They walked deeper into the sanctum, their footsteps echoing against the ancient stone. The air was thick with magic—Selene could feel it, wrapping around her like an unseen force.

Then, they reached the chamber's center.

A massive brazier sat atop a raised platform, its flames an unnatural blue, burning without smoke or fuel. The moment Selene saw it, the pull in her chest intensified.

"This is it," Elira murmured. "The First Flame."

Selene swallowed hard, stepping closer. The moment she did, the flames flickered and surged toward her, drawn by something deep within her soul.

She gasped, her body locking in place as visions flooded her mind.

A city bathed in golden light. A council of powerful beings standing before the First Flame, their voices echoing with wisdom.

Then—chaos.

Darkness surging forth, devouring everything in its path. The First Flame flickering, weakening.

And finally—her own face, staring back at her from the depths of time.

Selene staggered back, gasping for breath.

Killian caught her before she fell. "What happened?"

She looked up at him, eyes wide with revelation.

"I remember now," she whispered. "I know what we have to do."

Elira stepped forward, her expression grave. "Then we don't have much time."

The ground trembled beneath them once more, and from the shadows, something stirred.

The darkness had found them.

And this time, it would not let them escape.

It was destiny.

And the battle was only just beginning.

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