Nyx was curious about this child.
It felt as though a powerful spirit was shielding him, making it impossible for her to see much beyond the veil surrounding him.
Her crow-like eyes drifted back toward the stage, where tiny saplings had begun pushing through the earth.
She did not remember Aldric planting any new trees here, which could only mean one thing.
Those buds were incredibly recent.
But what could have possibly caused them to grow?
Her gaze eventually settled on the Lunar necklace hanging around the boy's neck.
That was something she would have to investigate herself.
Granted, she would have spent far more time wandering the Spirit Realm if she had not been summoned back by Thane.
But now...
It seemed she had her answer.
{Flashback}
A woman stood within the depths of an ancient forest.
Yet something about this forest felt... different.
The air itself seemed impossibly pure, every breath carrying an invigorating freshness unlike anything found in the mortal world.
The trees were more vibrant, their emerald leaves glowing with life, resembling the enchanted forests seen in fairy tales rather than those found in reality.
Life overflowed from every corner of the woodland.
The plants came in countless strange forms. Some radiated a soft, ethereal glow, while others resembled enormous bells that gently chimed whenever the wind brushed against them.
One peculiar plant even looked remarkably similar to a frog, occasionally puffing out its leafy throat as though croaking.
Crystal-clear rivers flowed peacefully through the forest. Beneath their shimmering surface, graceful figures swam effortlessly through the water.
They resembled beautiful humans from the waist up, but instead of legs, they possessed elegant fish tails that shimmered in shades of sapphire and silver.
At the very heart of this mystical forest stood a lone woman.
She appeared to be in her early twenties and stood at an impressive height of nearly 5'10".
At first glance, she looked human.
If not for her pointed ears and smooth, dark gray skin.
Her mesmerizing purple eyes slowly scanned her surroundings beneath the shadow of a hood that concealed much of her face.
She wore the traditional attire one would expect from a druid, simple yet elegant, woven from natural fibers adorned with leaves and vines.
She possessed an almost divine beauty.
A beauty made even more striking by the world surrounding her.
Every leaf whispered with life.
Every gentle breeze carried distant laughter that no ordinary mortal could ever hope to hear.
Tiny spirits drifted lazily between the branches, none larger than a sparrow.
Some resembled glowing dragonflies with translucent humanoid faces hidden beneath delicate flower petals, while others looked like tiny children sculpted entirely from moss, their emerald hair flowing into trailing vines as they slept peacefully atop oversized mushrooms.
One spirit rested upon a flower no larger than a single coin.
Its tiny body resembled a porcelain doll woven from white lilies, delicate butterfly wings fluttering behind its back. Every few seconds, it would let out a tiny sneeze, releasing shimmering pollen that transformed into miniature stars before fading into nothingness.
Nearby, several Bell Sprites happily swung from enormous blue flowers whose petals chimed softly whenever the wind passed through them.
Their cheerful laughter echoed throughout the forest like dozens of tiny silver bells ringing in perfect harmony.
Not every spirit possessed such delicate beauty.
A squat creature no taller than a rabbit waddled beneath the roots of an ancient oak.
Its body resembled rough bark stitched together by twisting roots, while an entire colony of glowing mushrooms flourished across its back. Wherever it walked, dead leaves dissolved into rich black soil, allowing vibrant flowers to bloom moments later in its footsteps.
High above the forest canopy rested something far older.
A colossal stag, nearly twenty feet tall, lay peacefully upon a floating island of moss suspended in the sky itself.
Towering antlers stretched from its head, each resembling ancient trees whose branches cradled birds' nests while glowing fruit ripened among the leaves.
The giant never moved.
Only its ancient golden eyes slowly followed the countless lives below.
Near one of the crystal-clear streams, dozens of water spirits played beneath the surface.
They possessed the upper bodies of beautiful women while shimmering tails of silver and sapphire carried them effortlessly through the flowing current. Their melodic laughter echoed beneath the water as schools of fish gathered around them without fear.
One of them noticed Nyx.
The spirit offered her a warm smile before diving beneath the surface, leaving behind nothing but glowing ripples dancing across the water.
Elsewhere, a group of tiny creatures no larger than squirrels hopped playfully across giant lily pads.
They resembled miniature frogs carved from polished jade, except flowers blossomed wherever their tiny feet landed. Every cheerful croak caused another blossom to bloom somewhere along the riverbank.
Above the forest floor floated translucent spirits resembling graceful jellyfish.
Rather than swimming through water, they drifted effortlessly through the air, their long tendrils scattering droplets of pure mana that nourished every plant they touched.
Vines eagerly stretched toward them as though yearning for a refreshing rain.
Perched upon the branch of an ancient tree sat a raven forged entirely from moonlight.
Its feathers shimmered like liquid silver beneath the eternal twilight of the Spirit Realm.
Unlike any ordinary bird, six glowing eyes silently watched the entire forest.
It watched everything.
And forgot nothing.
Farther in the distance, enormous silhouettes slowly wandered between the towering trees.
Giants fashioned entirely from tangled roots and flowering vines moved so slowly that centuries could pass before one completed a single step.
Entire ecosystems flourished upon their bodies, with birds nesting among their shoulders, flowers blooming across their limbs, and countless lesser spirits treating them as living mountains.
None of them paid Nyx any attention.
To the spirits of this sacred forest...
She was simply another familiar presence.
Another child of nature walking beneath the endless embrace of the World Tree.
Nyx took a slow, deep breath, savoring the crisp, untainted air of the Spirit Realm.
Granted, she couldn't venture too far into its heart. She wasn't about to risk running into an elf; that would cause far more trouble than it was worth.
Remaining on the outskirts was good enough for her current objective: she was hunting.
Her gaze stayed locked on a golden scarab spirit peacefully nibbling on a shimmering leaf. She watched the beetle eat to its heart's content, admiring its brilliant shell.
Creatures like this were quite rare. Born from pure, condensed nature mana, the golden scarab was revered in ancient human folklore as a sacred symbol of good fortune, rebirth, and divine protection.
If her study of human history served her right, it was the ancient Egyptians who held that belief.
History aside, her focus was entirely on capturing it.
Luna's birthday was fast approaching. October had already arrived, leaving only a few moons before the day would come.
Nyx wanted to catch the scarab to craft a protective pendant for her friend—or perhaps extract its essence for a perfume or enchantment. As a druid, that was precisely her expertise.
Holding her breath, she carefully closed the distance—
Bzzt. Bzzt.
Without warning, the silver wolf pendant against her chest vibrated violently, pulsing with a sharp, resonant spiritual hum.
Nyx winced, her focus shattering instantly.
The sudden surge of spiritual energy startled the golden scarab. With a soft, chiming buzz, the creature burst into a cloud of sparkling golden dust and dissolved into the ethereal canopy above.
Well... there goes three months of tracking. Finding another would be a massive hassle.
Though these spirits were rare, their scarcity here was likely exacerbated by the elves harvesting so much mana, combined with humans carelessly probing into the spirit realm.
What an utter pain.
She recognized the pendant's vibration immediately.
Very few individuals possessed the means to contact her while she was phased into this realm, and she could rule out Aldric right away. It wasn't his signature.
Which left only one person.
"Thane..." she whispered.
Knowing it had to be urgent, Nyx turned on her heel and walked toward a secluded alcove framed by towering, ancient roots.
Sitting gracefully upon a bed of glowing violet blossoms, she crossed her legs, pulled her hood forward, and gently closed her eyes to channel her consciousness into the spiritual link.
In an instant, her surroundings shifted, transitioning from the vibrant forest to her internal mindscape—a calm, twilight space resembling a serene, star-lit clearing framed by shadowy pines.
Standing in the center was Thane. His massive, scarred frame looked as imposing as ever, even in a projected mental form, his arms crossed tightly over his broad chest.
Soul threads really were convenient.
Nyx opened her purple eyes within the mindscape and offered a polite nod.
"Greetings, Commander. What requires my attention? You pulled me away from a rather delicate pursuit." Her tone was calm, though internally she was calculating the delay.
Now she would likely need another three months in the Spirit Realm to find another scarab, which would cut it dangerously close to Luna's birthday.
Thane skipped the pleasantries entirely, his deep, rumbling voice cutting through the quiet air.
"I require your assistance, Nyx."
Nyx's ears perked up slightly. That was unusual.
"There is a spirit signature I need tracked and monitored," Thane continued. "It is tied to the one Luna brought in."
Ah, the pup Luna turned a month ago. Nyx was well aware of him. Given how close she and Luna were, she had heard the story, though Luna had only mentioned him in passing.
Nyx had already intended to look into the boy eventually; if Luna was praising his potential, his talent was bound to be extraordinary.
"The newborn Alpha?" she asked.
"The very same," Thane grunted. "His origin is shrouded, and his spiritual footprint is heavily masked. I need your eyes in the realm to observe the surrounding spirits and see what might be guarding or trailing him. I need to know what we are dealing with before his presence draws unwanted attention to the pack."
It wasn't a matter of fear—werewolves didn't run from a fight. Thane simply needed to determine how powerful a sealing insignia the boy would require, and what kind of potential threats they might face.
They were in North America, so Thane doubted they would have to deal with the likes of Norse or European pantheon interference—the local entities here generally kept to themselves.
However, the boy presented a different variable: whatever spirit was tied to him originated from his homeland, meaning they had to be certain of its nature.
Nyx considered his words for a moment. Though mildly annoyed about losing her prize, her duty to the pack came first.
Besides, a newborn whose spirit was masked strongly enough to baffle Thane was a fascinating riddle.
"Very well," Nyx replied smoothly. "I shall inspect the local ley lines and spirit paths surrounding his trail."
Thane gave a single, firm nod. "Good. Do not overextend yourself. Just gather what you can."
As the projection began to dissolve and the twilight clearing faded back toward the light of the Spirit Realm, Nyx offered a small, fond smile.
"I will be back as soon as I can... Dad."
Thane froze mid-dissolve. For a fraction of a second, his stoic, unyielding expression softened, a subtle flicker of warmth passing through his sharp amber eyes.
He offered no verbal reply, simply giving her one last silent nod before his form vanished into the mist.
Nyx opened her eyes back in the physical grove of the Spirit Realm. With the faint smile still lingering on her lips, she stood up, brushed off her druid robes, and prepared to track the hidden paths back toward the mortal realm.
{Back to the current day}
Everything had been a blur to James since the fight ended. The dust had barely settled before the entire tone of the arena shifted into some kind of ancient, intense ceremony.
It felt almost like a voodoo ritual, though James wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.
They were still standing in the dirt ring, yet the air felt heavy and charged. The drumbeats had changed rhythm, and the surrounding werewolves moved with a tense, solemn quiet.
The crowd parted smoothly as a tall figure stepped out onto the sand.
Elder Marisol Darkfang—the pack's primary Moon-Seer. James couldn't recall what her official stance on him had been during the council meetings, but her presence alone commanded respect. She carried herself with an effortless, regal grace.
Her dark skin was painted with intricate silver runes, and though her stark white, milky eyes possessed no physical sight, her gaze locked onto James as if she were peering directly into his soul.
James swallowed hard, casting a uneasy glance around the hushed arena. The vibe had shifted far too fast for his liking.
"Um… what's going on?" he muttered. He was still thoroughly overwhelmed by everything, but he did his best to keep his composure.
"Be still, young one," Elder Marisol spoke, her voice smooth as polished stone, yet echoing with a layered, otherworldly resonance.
She gestured toward a carved wooden pedestal standing between them, upon which rested a polished silver ritual bowl filled with crystal-clear water.
"The battle of blood and bone is complete," she declared. "Now, the spirit must be measured. We must test your affinity."
James raised an eyebrow, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "My affinity? Like... elemental stuff?"
"To the Moon, to the earth, and to the fundamental currents of this realm," Marisol explained softly. "We must see how deeply the tides of the Celestial Mother accept your hybrid heart."
She presented an ancient ceremonial dagger forged from jet-black obsidian. "Take the blade."
James took the weapon carefully, its handle cool and heavy against his palm.
He hovered the sharp edge over his hand and poked his skin lightly, but it didn't even leave a scratch.
His werewolf hide was simply too tough; he would have to drive it in with serious force to actually cut himself.
Marisol gently reached out, taking his hand in hers. She rubbed a thick, dark purple paste of crushed wolfsbane across his palm.
A sharp, burning sting flared across his skin, making James wince as the herb momentarily neutralized his hyper-active healing.
She then traced a dusting of shimmering silver powder over the spot, softening the dense hide beneath.
Without another word, she pressed the obsidian edge into his palm.
A thin line of crimson bloomed across his hand, and heavy droplets of blood fell into the silver bowl below.
The moment the blood broke the water's surface, the clear liquid violently churned.
The crimson hue expanded rapidly, swirling into a deep, thick red, while the reflection of the full moon above turned a dangerous, bruised scarlet within the basin.
Elder Marisol raised her hands, hoisting the heavy silver vessel toward the glowing celestial orb above.
The temperature plummeted instantly. Ambient magic gathered from every corner of the coliseum, swirling into a localized vortex right above the pedestal.
The red liquid within the bowl defied gravity, rising upward in smooth, shimmering streams that hovered in mid-air.
A sudden, sharp gust of wind swept through the arena, carrying the crisp scent of pine, ozone, and ancient rain.
The floating sphere of blood and magic condensed, flashing with a brilliant silver light before plunging back down into the basin.
Marisol lowered the vessel and offered it back to James. "Drink. Receive the judgment of the night."
James hesitated for a fraction of a second, staring at the glowing crimson liquid before taking the bowl.
Setting his jaw, he tipped it back and swallowed the mixture in a single, heavy gulp.
Instantly, his vision flared with brilliant colors.
A profound, weightless rush shot straight to his brain, making his mind buzz with incredible intensity. His golden-brown eyes shifted rapidly, cycling through a kaleidoscope of glowing hues—red, blue, green, pure black,radiant amber...…—as his hybrid biology processed the sacred brew.
Elder Marisol closed her milky eyes, tilting her head toward the heavens as she began to chant in a low, ancient tongue James couldn't begin to decipher, invoking the Moon Goddess to bless the newborn and welcome him formally into the pack.
As her chant reached its crescendo, time seemed to grind to a near standstill.
The ambient moonlight streaming through the open canopy condensed into a blinding, graceful silhouette. Standing directly before James was the luminous, ethereal figure of a woman woven entirely from silver starlight and cool mist.
She offered him a gentle, divine smile. Leaning forward, her cool, starlit lips lightly touched his cheek.
A wave of absolute warmth and soothing power rushed through James's entire nervous system, instantly washing away his lingering soreness, pain, and exhaustion. A second later, the celestial figure dissolved back into the shimmering night air, leaving a delicate aura of silver dust floating around him.
Elder Marisol smiled, bowing her head deeply toward the young hybrid.
"She has spoken!" the Moon-Seer announced, her voice booming across the silent arena. "The pup is accepted!"
A/N So.....i did nothing wrong. Anyway, 3 more chapter till end of arc.