Eclipsed Destiny

The wind brought the smell of blood and ash, a terrible reminder of the battle yet to come. Celia stood at the edge of the camp, her eyes fixed on the distant tree line where the enemy lurked. The rogues were regrouping, their forces stronger than before. They were no longer acting recklessly-this time, they had a strategy.

"We don't have the numbers," Marcus said, his arms crossed as he watched the pack train. "If they come at us all at once, we won't hold."

Celia exhaled slowly, her mark burning beneath her skin. The blessing had settled for now, but she could feel its energy coiling inside her, waiting. "Then we need a different approach," she said firmly. "Strength isn't just about numbers. It's about unity."

Aziel stepped up beside her, his blue eyes scanning the training ground. "What's going through that head of yours?"

Celia turned to him. "We can't outfight them straight on. We can outthink them. If we play the terrain and force them to choke points and separate their toughest fighters, we may have a fighting chance."

Marcus let out a low whistle. "It's a risk."

"It's our only option," Celia said.

Aziel's jaw locked, but he nodded. "Then let's prepare."

The pack huddled around the central fire, faces illuminated by flickering flames. The air was heavy with tension, gazes heavy with uncertainty.

"We can't afford to wait," Celia said, her voice firm. "The rogues are coming, and they won't stop until they take everything from us."

Agreement murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"But we're not just going to wait for them," Celia continued. "We fight smart. We control the battlefield."

She turned to Kaelen, who had been watching from the edge of the firelight. "You know their tactics better than anyone. Where are they weakest?"

Kaelen hesitated, his golden eyes flickering with something unreadable. "They rely on brute force," he admitted. "They don't do well in close quarters. If we can push them into tight spaces, we'll have the upper hand."

Marcus cracked his knuckles. "Then we hit them where it hurts."

Celia nodded. "We set the traps, we cut off their supply lines, and we make them think twice before they step onto our land.

The plan was set. The pack would split into three units: one to lure the rogues into an ambush, one to defend the camp, and one-her unit-to target the rogue leader directly. If they could eliminate him, the rest would fall into chaos.

Aziel's fists clenched. "And if the plan fails?"noveldrama

Celia met his eyes. "Then we fight with everything we have."

The weight of leadership pressed against Celia's shoulders, heavier than ever. She stood at the edge of the clearing, watching the pack make their final preparations. Aziel approached, his presence grounding. "You shouldn't be alone."

She didn't look at him. "I don't know if I'm ready."

Aziel exhaled, stepping closer. "No one ever is."

Silence stretched between them. Celia could feel his warmth beside her, steady and strong. She turned slightly, her chest tightening.

"If we don't make it out of this..." she started.

Aziel took her hand in his, his grip firm. "We will."

She swallowed hard, the firelight casting shadows across his face. "But if we don't-"

Aziel's voice was a low, single note. "Then I will have spent my final hours fighting for the woman I love."

Celia's breath caught at that. Words dangled, thick with intent, between them. "Aziel...", she said softly.

He came closer to her, his head dipping to fit his forehead against hers. "We will make it through, together, all right.".

The first wave of the rogues comes rushing through the trees, the snarling ripping through the morning air as Celia holds at the forefront of the fight, her blade glinting as she raises it. "Hold the line!".

The pack moved as one, smoothly flowing into the strategy they had spent the night preparing. Wolves darted through the trees, drawing enemies into traps. Fighters held defensive positions, cutting down rogues before they could breach their perimeter.

Celia fought with precision, her moves sharp and targeted. The energy of the blessing coursed within her, guiding the strikes. She was alive with the beat of the pack pulsing through her chest-a steady beat that fueled determination.

At her side stood Aziel, his claws slicing through enemy ranks, his presence a beacon- an unshakeable and savage one.

It was working.

Until it wasn't.

A piercing howl cut through the chaos. Celia's mark burned hotter, a warning before she even turned.

A massive rogue broke through the treelined, its form towering over the others. Its eyes gleamed with intelligence and cruelty, its fur streaked with the blood of fallen warriors.

Marcus swore. "That's their leader."

Celia gritted her teeth, stepping forward. "Then I end this now.

Aziel restrained her with one hand. "You don't have to face him alone."

She looked at him, her chest stitching together. "I do."

Aziel's jaw clenched. He was silent, but he nodded, and his eyes spoke unutterable words.

Celia turned back to the rogue leader, her hand on her blade. "You want this land?" she called out. "Then come take it from me."

The rogue snarled, advancing. "Gladly."

The battlefield had fallen silent by the time Celia and the rogue leader locked eyes. He charged.

She met him with a head butt, her sword flashing as it clashed with his. She felt the jolt of their impact reverberate through the clearing. This rogue was fast, faster than she had anticipated. His claws arced toward her, but she twisted away by a hair's breadth.

"You fight well, Luna," he sneered, circling her. "But you're wasting your time. Your pack is doomed."

Celia tightened her grip on her blade. "We'll see about that."

The rogue lunged again, his movements fluid and deadly. Celia parried, her blade ringing against his claws. The blessing surged within her, pushing her forward with every strike.

But he was strong. Too strong.

A well-aimed blow sent Celia stumbling, pain flaring through her ribs. The rogue

pressed forward; his fangs bared. "You can't win," he growled.

Celia gritted her teeth, wiping blood from her lip. "I won't lose."

She lunged, her blade glowing with the light of the blessing. The rogue snarled, meeting her strike with one of his own. The battlefield blurred around them, nothing else existing but the fight between them.

And then-

A sharp pain tore through her chest.

Celia gasped, her vision darkening. The rogue had landed a brutal strike, his claws

cutting deep. She staggered, her mark burning with excruciating heat.

Aziel's voice was the last thing she heard before she collapsed.

Celia hit the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She could feel the warmth of

her own blood, the blessing flickering dangerously.

Aziel's shout was distant, filled with anguish.

The rogue leader stood over her, his claws dripping with her blood. "And just like that,"

he murmured, "your fight is over."

Darkness crept at the edges of her vision.

But it wasn't over.

Not yet.