Chapter 7 - Blood on the Snow
The night air froze into biting crystals as the outer gates of Silver Crest exploded into a million shards of splintered iron and timber.
Through the breach poured an army of rogue shifters—brutal mercenaries clad in dark armor, their eyes glowing with unnatural crimson light induced by forbidden blood-potions. Leading the charge was Commander Vance, who had thrown off his Silver Crest uniform to reveal the insignia of the Shadow Syndicate emblazoned across his chest.
"Burn the manor! Leave no survivors!" Vance roared, swinging a massive double-bladed battleaxe as he cut down two pack guards at the entrance.
Inside the main hall, chaos reigned. Noble families screamed as they scrambled for the upper levels, while loyal pack warriors fought fiercely to hold the grand staircase.
Ara stood at the top of the stairs, her hands glowing with steady, luminous silver energy. She wasn't the terrified servant girl anymore; the awakening of her bloodline had unlocked centuries of tactical instinct and defensive magic.
"Get back, Ara!" Kieran shouted, slicing through an advancing mercenary with his broadsword before pivoting to block a vicious strike from Vance himself.
"I'm not hiding anymore, Kieran!" Ara yelled back.
As a group of three rogue mercenaries broke past the line and charged up the stairs toward her, Ara raised her hand. She didn't flinch. She swept her arm forward, unleashing a blinding pulse of silver light. The shockwave caught the mercenaries mid-stride, throwing them backward down the entire flight of stone stairs where they hit the ground unconscious.
Down in the courtyard, Kieran and Vance clashed in a brutal duel of steel and shifting muscle. Vance lunged with his axe, carving a deep gash into Kieran’s shoulder, but Kieran didn't even flinch. Letting out a feral alpha roar, Kieran shifted his upper body, his claws elongating as he slammed his fist directly into Vance’s chest plate, shattering the metal and sending the traitor flying into a stone pillar.
"It's over, Vance," Kieran growled, standing over the fallen commander. "Your syndicate loses."
May you like
Vance coughed up blood, a twisted smile curling his lips. "You... you think we're the only ones? The true master... is already inside the vault."
Kieran’s blood ran cold. The vault.
