The night sky was fractured.
Arka stood on a cliff, gazing at the remnants of a satellite once whole now broken and suspended over the horizon like a jagged crown.
"The First Moon," the wolf murmured.
"Where the gods themselves walked before the fall."
Arka exhaled.
The ruins below shimmered faintly, carved from obsidian and silver, pulsating with lingering divine energy.
Every step he took toward it made the ground hum, as if the world itself recognized him.
"So much power… so much history," Arka whispered.
"No wonder Fen'Rath became a tyrant."
"Power is never evil," the wolf replied. "Only those who wield it without truth are."
✦ The Descent
The ruins were a maze of spires and collapsed pillars.
Cracks in the stone leaked beams of starlight that floated like spirits, illuminating paths in the darkness.
Arka walked cautiously. Each pulse of light revealed echoes memories of the First Moon's inhabitants: celestial beasts, warriors, and gods who once shaped the cosmos.
"They recorded everything here," the wolf said. "Every war, every betrayal, every lesson lost."
Arka knelt to touch a carved glyph.
Instantly, visions engulfed him battles between wolf and serpent, mortal and divine, starfire consuming entire cities.
It was overwhelming. His body shivered as the pulse of the Seals synchronized.
"This is… too much," Arka muttered.
"It is your inheritance," the wolf replied.
"To bear knowledge is to bear the burden of all who came before you."
✦ The Temple of Shattered Stars
At the heart of the ruins stood a temple, perfectly intact despite the surrounding collapse.
Its doors were engraved with constellations unknown to any mortal map.
As Arka approached, the marks on his chest flared.
"The Final Seal waits inside," the wolf said quietly.
"But it will not be given freely."
The temple doors opened, revealing a vast chamber.
Stars hung suspended in the air like floating lanterns.
At the center, a pedestal held an orb of blinding silver light pulsating like a heartbeat.
"The last seal," Arka whispered. "So close…"
But before he could step forward, a voice boomed:
"Who dares disturb the memory of the First Moon?"
A figure emerged a being wreathed in shadow and starlight.
Its eyes burned like twin novas.
"I am the Guardian," it said. "I was born to test those who would claim the Final Seal."
Arka's grip tightened. "Then I will prove myself."
✦ Trial of the First Moon
The chamber transformed instantly.
The floor shattered, revealing an endless void.
Stars rained down around him, each fragment showing visions of Fen'Rath's victories and failures.
"You must reconcile what was," the Guardian said.
"Face the Star Wolf not as legend, but as truth."
Suddenly, Arka's body was engulfed in silver-gold flame.
He found himself standing before the first Star Wolf massive, radiant, eyes burning with fury and sorrow.
"So… you are the echo," the Star Wolf roared.
"Do you come to inherit my throne… or my guilt?"
Arka's voice was steady. "Neither. I come to learn, to remember, and to remake."
The Star Wolf lunged, claws of starlight tearing through the void.
Arka dodged, weaving through visions of past battles, absorbing memories, tasting the weight of power Fen'Rath once wielded.
Every strike taught him, every pain tempered him.
"To claim the Final Seal," the wolf whispered inside him, "you must accept all of it light and shadow alike."
✦ Becoming the True Heir
After what felt like an eternity, Arka stood triumphant.
The Star Wolf bowed its massive head, eyes softening.
"You have borne my sins," it said.
"And learned mercy."
The orb pulsed.
Arka stepped forward. The Final Seal merged with him, a symphony of light, flame, and starfire flowing through his veins.
"All Seals united," the wolf said, awe in its voice.
"You are now… the true Star Wolf."
The chamber collapsed, and Arka found himself standing atop the First Moon's highest spire, gazing at the mortal world below.
Silver, crimson, and gold light coursed through him, painting him as both heir and savior.
"The world awaits," Arka murmured.
"And I will not fail it."
The stars above shimmered, as if bowing to the new sovereign the Star Wolf reborn.