Fated Triad: Shadows of the Forbidden Moon
Chapter 28: Breaking Through Shadows

Ariel's POV

Ahead loomed the castle, an iron and stone fortification that seemed to devour the light around it. We moved gingerly, each one resonating off the chilly ground. A constant reminder of the threat that lay ahead, my heart hammered in my chest. This required confronting our most intense anxieties even as it was our opportunity to stop the council's plans.

Graham set the example; his manner was cool and understated. With our nerves on edge, Elijah and I flanking him Marie stayed behind with Alan, her pledge to guard him as much as ours would have stopped the council from acting. Though I yearned more than anything she could be here with us, Alan's healing depended on her in great part.

Graham stopped as we approached the door and drew out a little gadget. He tapped it, and the door creaked open to show a darkly lit hall. The background hum of equipment was faint. Knowing this was it-the one moment that might turn everything around-we exchanged stares.

Graham gave the hushed murmur "Stay close." "The council has arranged lots of guards and traps. We have to be silent and fast.

Old pictures and dusty tapestries lined the corridor; every step caused the wooden flooring to creak. The air smelled like aged parchment and something darker. It was thick. The weight of the secrets buried behind these walls seemed weighing down on us.

We moved in quiet, the thick carpet covering the floor muted our footsteps. Like a labyrinth meant to perplex visitors, the hallways twisted and turned. Graham led us boldly, clearly familiar with the fortress.

We paused as suddenly a door flew open ahead of us. Emerging from the darkness were a group of people whose dark robes nearly mingled. My breath seized in my throat when I identified the council mark on their robes. Graham mumbled desperately, "Stay hidden." As the figures went by, we sought cover in an alcove; their speech was muted but their authority and menace dominated the air.

"We cannot afford to be seen," Elijah said softly. "Let's get ahead of their notice of anything unusual."

Our nerves fraying, we slink along. Every corner might be dangerous, and one could practically feel being watched. Graham brought us to a big wooden door with exquisite workmanship. Pulling out a set of keys, he chose one that appeared to match the lock.

The door creaked open, and we walked into a great chamber with shelves of old books and relics all about. At the far end was a big, elaborate desk behind which a man sat totally absorbed in a stack of papers.

The man raised his head and my heart skipped a beat. It was the sorcerer, his face a mix of shock and resentment.

Rising from his chair, he demanded, "What are you doing here?" I could feel his strength radiating from him; his eyes blazed with a terrible brightness.

Elijah moved forward, his face fixed in resolve before I could respond. "We here are meant to stop you. We are not going to let you succeed; we know about the plans of the council.

The mouth of the sorcerer turned into a sneer. You believe you might stop us? Far more powerful than you could possibly realize is the council. You won never replace the whole scope of our plans even if you beat me. The air surrounding him buzzed with activity as he spoke. The atmosphere charged with an approaching confrontation, I could sense the strain mounting. Graham moved forward with a sad look.

Graham responded, his voice calm: "We don't need to defeat you." "We only need to reveal your intentions and stop the council from implementing their scheme."

The sorcerer's eyes squeezed in focus. "You come too late. Plans of the council are already under progress. Though you might have found our hideaway, you will never stop what is about to happen.

The floor under us shook suddenly, and the walls appeared to move. A secret corridor emerged from a sliding open hidden door at the rear of the room. The sorcerer's eyes flicked with a mix of eagerness and wrath. Turning and headed into the corridor, he added, "Follow me." "You have to see it for yourself if you wish to replace the truth."

We looked at each other warily but trailed him. The path was dark and narrow, barely sporadically lit by torchlight. Leading us further into the stronghold, the sorcerer's presence served as a continual reminder of the threat we confronted.

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Reaching the end of the passageway, we discovered a large chamber bursting with magical relics and old books. At the middle of the room stood a big, finely carved stone altar. Around it gathered some council members with low but strong voices.

We are too late, I said to Graham and Elijah. "They are now enmeshed in their ritual."

Graham nodded with a sad look. We have to cut them off. Should they carry out the rite, everyone may suffer tragedy.

Their voices rising in a harmonic cadence, the council members were chanting in a language I could not understand. The sorcerer forward, his face a mask of will.

"This is our opportunity," he remarked. "We have to interrupt the custom before it finishes."

Our steps light as we hurried toward the altar. The council members noticed us just almost too late since they were so engrossed in their shouting.

One of the councilors turned to see us as we arrived at the altar. He yelled, "Intruders!" with great anxiety.

As the council members broke out from their circle and hurried toward us, anarchy started. The sorcerer lifted his hands, a wall of energy building around us to guard from the approaching assault. Rising into action, Elijah and Graham moved fluidly and precisely as they engaged the council members.

I could hardly keep up with the battle's explosive speed. Driven to stop the ceremony from being carried out, I concentrated on the altar. The excitement in the room sharpened as the chants got louder. The ceremony was almost at its zenith, and we had to move quickly.

Reaching the altar, I snatched one of the old books off the stone surface and tore it up. The chamber rocked fiercely, and the altar produced a dazzling glow. Their ritual disturbed, the council members were flung back.

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The sorcerer came up to me in the middle of the anarchy, eyes full of both dread and rage. He spat, "You've wrecked everything." Do you know what you have done?

I had no time to reply. The room was tumbling around us, the power of the disturbed ritual shattering the fortress. We needed to get out quickly.

"Elijah!! Graham!" I yelled, hardly audible over the noise. "We have to depart!".

Realizing the peril, the sorcerer turned and ran along a side corridor. We trailed, the flickering torches guiding us. The stronghold was coming apart; walls shook and trash dropped from above.

The stronghold behind us was simply a heap of debris as we came into the daylight. Though the fight was far from finished, we survived. Though their threat remained very real, the council's goals had been foiled.

Heart thumping, I turned back to face the ruins. We had learned a great deal even though we had gone so near to calamity. About one thing-this was only the beginning the sorcerer had been correct.

"Is everyone fine?" I enquired, looking to Elijah and Graham. Men nodded, their expressions indicating both relief and weariness.

Elijah exclaimed, his voice worn but joyful, "We did it." "The custom came to an end. Right now, we have an opportunity to rebel.

Graham motioned. Still, this is not finished. The council will reorganize; we must be ready for whatever follows.

Looking out over the debris, a fresh will descended upon me. Though we had been in great risk and doubt, we had also shown our will and fortitude. Though the fight against the council was far from finished, we had made a vital step toward putting their reign of terror behind us.

We turned away from the wreckage, prepared for whatever obstacles stood ahead. Though the battle was still ongoing, every triumph made us more robust. And there was hope for a day free from the shadow of the past as long as we stood together.