9,000 Years Ago

The sky rumbled like the anger of gods, dark clouds swirling with an intensity that promised chaos. Thunder roared across the heavens, a deafening symphony of destruction. Lightning speared the earth, leaving jagged scars in its wake. Two figures stood at the center of it all, their power consuming the landscape like an unstoppable storm.

Her glowing green eyes blazed like twin emerald suns, veins of the same color crawling from her jawline to her sharp cheekbones, pulsing with raw energy. Her short, silky green hair defied gravity, flowing as if caught in a breeze only she could feel. She raised her hands, fingers tipped with elongated, glowing nails, and unleashed a blinding surge of green lightning. The air crackled as the bolt tore forward, splitting trees and scorching the earth.

Her opponent was faster. She twisted her body with fluid grace, the attack missing by mere inches. Blue, sparkling energy like powdered starlight poured from her fingertips, trailing her movements like a comet’s tail.

"You’ve hurt us for the last time!" the woman in blue shouted, her voice reverberating with both anger and pain. A ball of concentrated blue energy formed in her palms, swirling like a miniature galaxy. With a cry, she hurled it at her green-clad adversary.

The orb struck true, slamming into the woman’s shoulder. She staggered, her balance faltering as she was pushed back, her body swaying like a leaf caught in the wind. But she refused to fall, her defiance evident in the twisted smirk that spread across her lips.

The woman in blue didn’t hesitate. Her body shimmered, encased in an aura of vibrant blue energy. With a battle cry, she propelled herself forward, colliding with her enemy in a clash of power. Green and blue light mingled violently, the collision shaking the ground beneath them.

As they grappled, the woman in green let out a sinister laugh and reached into the folds of her robes. From within, she produced a small, intricately designed knife, its blade glowing with an eerie green hue.

"You can still make this right," the woman in blue urged, desperation creeping into her voice. "Surrender your powers, and this madness ends."

"Never," the green-clad woman hissed, her words quiet but dripping with venom.

Her eyes burned brighter, and her green hair rose as if possessed by the storm. Dark veins spiderwebbed across her skin, spreading like cracks in fragile glass.

"You, your kind, and the world you’ve created will fall at my feet!" she screamed, her voice carrying a promise of annihilation.

Before the woman in blue could react, her adversary’s body erupted in an explosion of radiant green light.

"Ah!" the blue-clad woman cried out, shielding her face as the light consumed everything around her.

---

Present Day

The forest stretched endlessly before Kayla and Adeen, illuminated by a moon so full it seemed to be watching them. Its silver light filtered through the dense canopy, casting long, shifting shadows on the ground. The air smelled of sweet blossoms and damp earth, a stark contrast to the tension between the two travelers.

"This light... it’s refreshing," Adeen murmured, running her fingers through the silvery rays as if they were tangible. Her pale skin seemed to drink in the moonlight, glowing faintly in its touch.

"It’s nothing like our world’s light," Kayla agreed, her focus fixed on the compass in her hand. The needle spun erratically, then steadied, pointing them north. "This feels… sacred, like Selene herself blessed it."

Adeen rolled her eyes. "Werewolf fairy tales."

Kayla ignored her companion’s sarcasm, her determination unwavering.

"What exactly is the plan when we find Bay?" Adeen asked, her tone more challenging than curious.

"We bring her back," Kayla replied simply, her attention still on the compass.

"And if she doesn’t want to come back?"

"Then we’ll fight her," Kayla said, her voice steady, as if the answer was obvious.

Adeen stopped walking and crossed her arms. "She’s a queen, Kayla. And a powerful one. How exactly do you plan on fighting her?"

"She’s strongest in water," Kayla said without missing a beat.

"She still has her necklace and scepter. That makes her dangerous anywhere," Adeen countered, her voice tinged with irritation.

Kayla paused, letting out an exasperated sigh. "She’s been here for centuries. Her necklace and scepter’s power must have faded by now."

"And if they haven’t?"

Kayla finally turned to face Adeen, her frustration evident. "Then we’ll figure it out as we go."

Adeen smirked, clearly unimpressed but unwilling to argue further. They resumed their journey, the forest’s beauty surrounding them like a dream. The trees stretched high, their branches intertwining to form a natural cathedral. Flowers of every color bloomed along the path, their fragrance carried by the gentle breeze.

"This place is disgustingly bright," Adeen muttered, wrinkling her nose at the moonlight.

"It’s perfect," Kayla said, her tone wistful. "If our pack were here, we’d be unstoppable. This light… it would make us stronger than ever."

"Too bad that’ll never happen," Adeen said flatly, kicking a small stone off the path.

Kayla didn’t respond, but her mind wandered. She imagined her pack running wild through these woods, howling beneath the moonlight. For a moment, she could almost feel the strength of the moon coursing through her veins.

"Let’s keep moving," she said finally, shaking herself free of the vision.

---

Hours passed, and the journey felt endless. The compass needle never wavered, but the road seemed to stretch on forever.

"This is taking too long," Kayla said, her voice tinged with exhaustion. She leaned against the trunk of a large tree, sliding down to sit on its roots.

Adeen climbed effortlessly onto a low-hanging branch, lounging with the ease of a predator at rest.

"You know we can sit in silence, right?" she said, breaking the quiet after a moment.

"I wasn’t talking to you," Kayla shot back, her tone defensive.

"Sure," Adeen said with a smirk, leaning back against the tree.

Minutes passed in uneasy silence.

"So," Kayla began hesitantly, "what do you think humans are like?"

Adeen sighed loudly, clearly unimpressed with the question. "Meaty. Full of blood."

"Wow, you’re starting to sound just like your dad," Kayla said, raising an eyebrow.

Adeen’s expression darkened. "I might sound like him, but I’m not him," she said sharply. "And if I wanted blood, you wouldn’t know until it was too late."

Kayla’s eyes narrowed. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Adeen grinned wickedly. "Just like you didn’t know I drained six or eight animals earlier."

"What?!"

"They weren’t very tasty," Adeen said with a shrug, clearly enjoying the reaction.

Kayla groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I knew teaming up with you was a mistake."

Adeen chuckled softly, her laughter carrying a faint edge of menace. "This mission is going to be fun."