Knotted By The Three Feral Alphas
Chapter 115: Final Shadow Ritual
The fractured isles finally appeared on the horizon soon later. Our ship cut through restless water with Soren at the helm and the children standing at the prow.
Eerie sounds were all over the place for some particular reason unknown to us. I felt uncomfortable and I could see my children also were so I decided to keep them close while the kings and guards were on high alert.
"I hate this place." Darius spoke.
"You’re not alone brother, it feels too wrong for even me." Kane chipped in.
Rylan said nothing just kept his axe in his hand ready to attack with a grin face.
Soren put on a smirk and eventually said "This is where we come to perform most of the shadow rituals."
"We? Who’s we?" I asked.
"I guess that’s a story for another time my queen. For now we have work to do.... And we have to do it fast!" He replied warmly.
Lila kept her shield ready around the hull. Thorne studied the swirling currents with focused intensity. Elara pressed her palms to the rail, her touch steadying the wood against the waves.
At nine and seven they carried themselves with quiet readiness that made my chest tight with both pride and fear.
Soren pointed to a narrow channel between two jagged rocks. "The heart of the shadow lies in the central cleft. The shadow gathers deepest there. We perform the binding ritual on the tallest stone where the old carvings meet the tide. Your children’s gifts complete it. Together they can seal it for good."
"Fucking piece of shit shadow. All this just to get rid of it’s stupid arse!" Rylan finally snapped.
"I’m getting sick and tired of this bastard shadow. Let me just kill it already!" He finally added angrily.
The children just looked at him with blank stares and it was a funny moment but none of us could laugh because there was a serious situation at hand.
"Alright then let’s get it over with." I straightened myself and replied.
Waves crashed against the hull as we entered the channel. The call returned stronger, voices weaving through the wind with promises aimed at the children.
Lila expanded her shield wider. "Ughh, the shadow is getting stronger here, I don’t know how much longer I can hold it!"
Thorne called adjustments to the sails. "I feel it too but I’m here with you. Let’s do this together once and for all."
Elara pushed her healing into the ship to keep it steady.
The kings moved closer, their presence feeding strength through the bond.
Soren shouted orders to the crew while keeping one eye on the children.
"Skolter make sure to secure the ship no matter what. Protect it with your bloody life." He said to his second in command.
"Aye aye captain." Skolter replied.
Soon after, another corrupted being breached the surface near the bow. Scaled patches covered his skin and his eyes glowed with unnatural light. He climbed the hull with desperate strength and lunged toward Elara.
He made gnarly sounds and was drooling over whuch carried a stench so bad it made me nearly puke but I held myself together.
He immediately lunged at Lila but her shield slowed him mid-air. Thorne predicted his path and shouted a warning which helped save us. Elara reached out and tried to calm the rage inside him.
The kings then struck.... fast and hard. Darius drove his sword into the creature’s shoulder. "Take this you freaking cunt!" He roared.
Kane slipped behind and cut its leg, the creature shrieked loudly. "Yeah, you like that? How’s that for an ugly bastard like you."
Rylan cleaved downward with his axe and gave it a clean deadly slice. "This is just a waste of my time, bring me a tougher opponent not this mummers farse!"
Soren finished the creature with a precise thrust through the chest. The corrupted sailor shrieked and collapsed back into the water, the glow fading as the shadow released its hold.
We finally reached the central isle as the sun dipped low. Ancient stones formed a circle on the rocky shore. Moss covered the runes carved into them.
Soren led us into the center while the crew secured the ship. The children stayed between the kings and me. The air felt thick with old power. The sea shadow pressed against the island from all sides, its call louder here.
Soren arranged the shells and salt in the pattern he had shown us. "The ritual binds the shadow for a generation. Your children’s gifts complete it. Together they can seal it so it never rises again."
Lila nodded and raised her hands first. Her shield spread across the entire circle. Thorne aligned the shells according to the tides he sensed. Elara placed her palms on the central stone and poured her healing into the ritual.
The runes glowed softly. The sea around the isle calmed. The whispers faded to distant echoes.
But the shadow answered with fury. Waves rose higher around the island. Dark shapes circled beneath the surface.
A larger corrupted creature breached near the shore and charged toward the circle. Soren met it with his blade. The kings joined the fight while I stayed with the children.
As if that wasn’t enough, multiple corrupted creatures came out screeching weird scary sounds that even made the kings become staggered from fear.
Dark shapes circled beneath the surface. Multiple corrupted creatures breached near the shore and charged toward the circle. Soren met the first with his blade taking it out cleanly. The kings joined the fight while I stayed with the children.
Lila held the shield firm around the ritual site. Thorne called out weak points in the creature’s movements. Elara pushed her touch through the ground to weaken its connection to the shadow.
The battle turned fierce on the rocky beach. The corrupted creature fought with unnatural strength, its scaled body shrugging off blows.
Soren took a deep cut across his chest but kept pressing. Darius struck with cold precision. Kane moved like shadow between strikes. Rylan cleaved through its guard with his axe.
The children worked in perfect sync from the circle. Their combined power weakened the creature until the kings and Soren finished it.
Silence fell across the isle as the ritual completed. The sea calmed completely. The shadow’s call retreated deep beneath the waves.
The children lowered their hands with visible exhaustion but bright eyes. They had helped bind the shadow for a generation. Their gifts had turned the tide in a real confrontation.
"Finally," I smiled and moved towards my children and brought them all into my arms for a tight hug.
"You guys did it, we’re proud of you." I added.
"We couldn’t do it without you guys." Lila replied softly while Elara and Thorne nodded in agreement to that.
Each of the kings took turns in hugging and muttering soft words to each of the children while Soren stood at a distance with a smile of contentment on his face.
We sailed home as the stars came out. The children slept against me on the deck while the kings kept watch. Soren stood at the helm with fresh bandages on his chest. His loyalty had proven true during the fight. The bond between the four of us carried shared relief and deep pride in the children.
Frostfang welcomed us at dawn. The pack gathered at the docks as the children stepped onto solid ground. Cheers rose when they heard of the ritual’s success.
Lila stood tall. Thorne explained the patterns he had seen. Elara smiled quietly as healers praised her efforts.
The pack lifted them onto their shoulders and carried them through the gates in celebration.
That evening in the royal chambers we kept the children close. They spoke excitedly about the isle and the ritual. Their gifts had helped seal the shadow. The pack had seen their strength again. We had forged a new alliance with Soren and his knowledge.
The kings and I lingered by the fire after the children slept. Darius rubbed his healed arm. "The shadow is gone. We use the time to strengthen our borders and our family."
Kane nodded. "The children grow into their roles with every test. We guide them carefully."
Rylan leaned back with a satisfied expression. "They faced the shadow on its own ground and pushed it back. Our family stands stronger than before."
I looked toward the inner room where the three breathed evenly. The sea shadow had been bound for a generation. New threats would come from distant shores. Yet our children had helped seal it today. Their gifts had protected the pack and strengthened our alliance.
Frostfang continued its steady rhythm. Fields yielded. Walls stood firm. The children grew into their roles while we protected the space they needed to become who they were meant to be.
We faced the wider world with open eyes and linked hands. The ground remained generous. The pack grew more united. Our family kept choosing each other through every new current that tried to pull us under.