The Omega Mated To The Four

The night outside was still, almost unnaturally so, as if the enthe forest had decided to hold its breath. I couldn't find it in relax, and every sound outside madeflinch. An owl hooted in the distance, its mournful call sending a shiver down my spine. 1 glanced around at my mates-Isaiah, Alex, and Austin who had finally settled down, though sleep still seemed far from all our minds.

Austin was lying on his back, one arm thrown over his eyes. He lot of a heavy sigh before removing his arm and staring up at the low, wooden ceiling. "Do you really think the Shadow Weaver is Impsoned in Mount Denali?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Isaiah shot him a look, clearly annoyed at the disruption. His smulders were tense, muscles coiled as if he were ready to spring into action at any moment. "Must you always question everything at the Vorst possible time?" he muttered.

Austin merely shrugged, unfazed. "Can't help it. The idea of a centu-es-old demnn being locked up in a mountain doesn't exactly letsleep easy." I couldn't help but he curious too. The riddle from earlier was still spinning through my mind like a twisted melody I couldn't shake. I leaned against my backpack, using it as a makeshift pillow, and folded my arms over my chest. "It makes sense," I replied quietly. "It matches the riddle's clue." Austin turned his head to look at me, raising a a skeptical brow. "Remindagain." I closed my eyes, letting the words replay in my mind. They'd been ched into my thoughts ever since we'd uncovered the ancient Tablet buried in the ruins.

"At the mountaintop ruins where stars align, Celestial convergence, a gateway to find.

Decipher these r riddles, a cosmic quest, To the Moonlit Nexus, where the Keystone rests.

Austin propped himself up on his elbows, his gaze thoughtful. "If that's true, then... is the Shadow Weaver a "he' or a 'she? We keep saying "it," but no one really knows, right?" My throat tightened, and I hesitated before answering. "If I had to guess.. I'd say "she. At least that's what she's appeared. as." I glanced at Isaiah, who gavea faint nod of agreement, his say set in a hard line.

Austin sat up fully, curiosity burning in his eyes. "What does she look like? You never really described her to us." toBefore I could answer, Alex huffed from the other side of the cabin, his voice sharp and impatient. "Stop your yapping and get ssleep. We have an early day tomorrow, and your constant questions are not helping" Austin ignored him, scooting a little closer to me, his expression earnest. "Seriously, Storm. What does she look like?" I swallowed hard, thinking back to the nightmare visions I'd had-the ones where she invaded my dreams, twisting reality until I couldn't tell where the darkness ended, and I began. The mere thought of her presence made my skin crawl and my soul feel tainted. "Darkness," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "So dark it absorbs the light around it. Her form is always shifting, like shadows wrapping around each other. Sometimes she has eyes-piercing, glowing red eyes-but most of the time, it's just... void. An emptiness that you can feel trying to consyou." The bonfire outside crackled again, louder this time, and I bit my lip to suppress the shiver running through me. I hated t about her. Every mention felt like an invitation to the darkness to claw its way back into my thoughts.

Austin stared atfor a moment, his face unusually serious. "That sounds... terrifying." 1/2 Chapter 177.

I shrugged, feigning nonchalance Isaiah's band found mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze, "You don't have to think about her anymore tonight," he murmured. "She's not here." "Enough," Isaiali cut in firmly, his tone leaving no room for argumen. "Talking about her will only make it harder to rest. We've been through hell, and we need sleep. We can't afford to be exhausted tomorrow." "But...." Alex tried to protest.

Austin threw a crumpled shirt at Alex's face. "Qult yapping. We've gu an early start tomorrow, Get ssleep before I knock you mut myself." Alex shoved the shirt off with a huff, muttering something under his breath, but didn't argue. He settled back down, eyes growing heavy as he laid back down, though I could see his mind still whirling with thoughts. One by one, the others seemed to settle, their breathing evening out as sleep claimed them. The tent fell silent once more, save for the occasional crackle of the dying fire outside.

But sleep wouldn't cfor me. My mind kept returning to the riddle. If the Shadow Weaver was truly imprisoned at Mount Denali, what would happen if the Children of the Eclipse reached it first? And what would we even do if we got there before them? How could we possibly stop something so ancient and powerful from being unleashed? But as sleep claimed me, visions of darkness wrapped around my consciousness-twisting and suffocating. I saw those red eyes staring back at me, felt the ice-cold hands wrap around my throat, pullinginto the void. I struggled to breathe, my lungs burning, but I couldn't break free from the grasp of the shadows.

A sharp, unexpected noise jerkedawake, and I sat up, gasping for air. My mates were already on high alert, eyes scanning the darkness beyond the cabin walls.

was that?" Alex whispered, his hand om glowing faintly with Xukar energy. Isaiali moved to the window, peering outside. "I don't see anything could have been a branch breaking." Austin grunted. "Or one of those Umbrakins. You know they like to creep around." I wiped the sweat from my forehead and forced my breathing to steady. "Probably nothing. We're all just on edge. Let's try to rest We need to head out early." Isaiah glanced at me, worry flickering in his eyes, but I gave him a small nod, reassuring him that I was fine. Eventually, the tension in the room cased, and one by one, we drifted back to sleep.

But even in sleep, the shadows lingered at the edge of my mind, whispering secrets and warnings. And in the back of my mind, the riddle played over and over like a broken record-a warning that whatever lay at Mount Denali would change everything.

Chapter Comments Le Stedman-Falls This paragraph says tent, but a couple paragraphs down says cabin.

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