Moonlit Vows Of Vengeance-Chapter 43: Entering The Moon Temple

The first rays of dawn bathed the landscape in a silvery blue as we approached the Moon Temple.

The air was crisp, tinged with mist, and I felt the weight of the world settle deeper on my shoulders with every step I took.

Lucas walked beside me, silent, his posture tense but respectful. Whatever unspoken emotions lingered between us from last night were pushed aside by the gravity of our mission.

The Moon Temple stood like a sentinel at the edge of a mountain ledge, partially hidden by overgrown vines and frost-kissed evergreens. Its structure was ancient, older than the capital itself. Moonstone inlays shimmered faintly on the stone walls, and crescent motifs adorned the towering doors. As we drew closer, the temple seemed to breathe. The air around it felt charged and alive.

"It’s reacting to our prescence," Lucas murmured, eyes narrowing as he watched the faint glow around the temple’s entrance.

I swallowed, my heartbeat thudding in my ears. I didn’t reply. I stepped forward, letting instinct guide me. As soon as I touched the large silver crescent etched into the door, warmth radiated through my fingertips.

The heavy doors groaned open on their own, releasing a rush of cool, perfumed air — frankincense, pine, and something strange that I couldn’t quite name.

Inside, the temple was dim, illuminated only by rows of floating orbs that cast a ghostly light across the polished obsidian floors. A massive mural stretched across the dome-shaped ceiling — the Moon Goddess depicted in radiant silver, her eyes closed in slumber, surrounded by wolves bowing in reverence.

I took slow steps forward, feeling something in the atmosphere shift,. For some reason, it felt like the temple was watching. Or listening.

Lucas remained a few paces behind me, letting me lead. I appreciated the space. The further I walked, the heavier my limbs felt, as though the temple recognized me and was testing me.

A sudden sound, a soft whisper brushed against my ears. I turned sharply.

It was nothing.

But the mural above shimmered.

I stared at it, heart racing.

The whisper returned, this time forming words in a voice not mine.

"She stirs... but you are not ready."

The temple pulsed with moonlight.

Lucas stepped closer, hand resting near the hilt of his blade, brows furrowed. "Did you hear that?"

I nodded slowly, unable to form words.

He was about to speak again when the floor beneath the altar at the far end began to glow, revealing a hidden path downward.

We exchanged a look. Whatever came next... we were already in too deep to turn back.

Together, we stepped toward the light.

The Moon Temple loomed ahead, half-buried in creeping vines and timeworn stone. The wind howled through broken archways, echoing like distant howls of wolves long gone. Moonlight shimmered through jagged cracks in the ceiling, casting silvery rays upon the cracked marble floors. The scent of ancient magic lingered in the air—pungent and raw.

Lucas and I stepped forward together, muscles tense, ears straining for any sound. Our instincts buzzed beneath our skin, the wolf in us stirring at the palpable pressure of something watching.

"Smells off," Lucas muttered, nostrils flaring.

"Something’s wrong. This place... it’s not just abandoned." My voice was low, cautious.

As we ventured deeper, strange markings pulsed along the walls, glowing faintly with an eerie blue hue. The moment we crossed the temple’s inner sanctum threshold, a sudden gust of wind slammed the door shut behind us.

"Great," I muttered.

Lucas sniffed the air, a low growl vibrating in his chest. "There’s something very strange happening here. Be careful."

Suddenly, the ground trembled, and we were flung apart by an unseen force. I rolled into a column and scrambled to my feet. Lucas wasn’t so lucky.

"Lucas!"

He stood frozen, his eyes glowing red, body rigid.

"Lucas?Are you okay?" I stepped forward cautiously.

Then he snarled—a deep, guttural sound that rumbled through his chest like distant thunder.

In the blink of an eye, he lunged at me. Claws unsheathed, fangs bared, eyes wild with something feral and unrecognizable. I barely twisted out of the way, the wind of his swipe slicing past my cheek, close enough to sting.

"What the hell, Lucas?!" I shouted, breath catching as I spun back around.

But there was no answer—just another snarl. His scent still carried the core of who he was, the familiar threads of cedar and smoke, but something was off. Twisted. Sharper. As though rage had boiled the scent into something darker. freēnovelkiss.com

I circled him slowly, my pulse pounding like war drums in my ears. His breathing was ragged, shoulders heaving, claws twitching at his sides. His eyes locked onto mine—gold and burning. Not the warm gold I remembered, but molten, volatile. Like he didn’t see me. Or didn’t care.

He lunged again.

"You betrayed us!" he roared, voice thick with fury, cracked at the edges.

I barely blocked the blow, our claws clashing with a metallic screech. The impact sent me skidding backward, boots scraping against stone as I tried to hold my ground.

"Lucas, stop!" I gasped. "It’s me! Iris!"

But that only made him snarl louder. He came at me again, faster this time, wild. Like an animal driven to the edge. I ducked, twisted, brought my elbow up to deflect him—and still he came, relentless. Blow after blow. Strike after strike. Each time harder, more desperate.

He wasn’t fighting to wound. He was fighting to kill.

I growled low in my throat, teeth lengthening, bones cracking as I partially shifted. My claws tore through the seams of my gloves as I countered his next attack. I had no choice now. I couldn’t reason with him—not like this.

He slammed into me, and we crashed into a column. Stone splintered, dust erupting around us. I shoved him back with a roar, claws slashing across his shoulder. He didn’t even flinch.

"What’s gotten into you?!" I shouted, heart breaking even as I fought. "This isn’t you!"