The Obelisk

-Chapter 71-

Forest quickly reached forward and fumbled to pick up the rune. He snatched it up and held it close to his chest, looking up to Moonbeam with wide eyes.

“Why do you have that?” Moonbeam whispered.

“W—we found it,” Forest answered quietly.

“Well get rid of it,” Moonbeam hissed. She turned away.

“Wait!” Forest called, scrambling over to her. He put one talon on her shoulder to stop her, and she reeled around and roared in his face. “Keep that thing away from me!” she snapped.

“We have questions,” Forest pleaded. “We don’t understand! Why? Whats wrong with it?”

Moonbeam stared at him blankly. “You should know by now.”

“But we don’t,” Spark joined in.

“Moonbeam?” Nyx asked from the entrance to the den. She spotted Forest and the rune, her expression changing from confused to frightened in a matter of seconds.

“Did you know about this?” Moonbeam demanded.

Nyx struggled to answer, her mouth half open.

Moonbeam whipped towards Spark, hissing, “if you want you and your friends to live, make him get rid of that rune!”

“They cant.” Nyx burst out. “Forest has already made the bond.”

Moonbeam froze, unspeaking. She slowly moved her head to stare at Forest, who gripped the rune tighter in his claws. “Great skystars,” She murmured, closing his eyes for a moment.

“That rune is the main reason we started searching for you Shadowmanes in the first place,” Spark explained to Moonbeam. “So please, please tell us: what is it, and why is everyone so afraid of it?”

Moonbeam didn’t speak for another, long moment. “Fine. I’ll tell you.”

“A rune is not just a piece of metal or stone. They are powerful pieces of living energy, hacked out of the Obelisks they came from and cast down to our world. Under certain circumstances they can be more powerful that Element itself. They can build. Destroy. Save. Kill.”

“What kind of circumstances?” Spark asked.

“Bonding,” Nyx whispered.

Moonbeam hesitated. “When a rune is found by someone, it links itself to the keeper’s life force, forming a bond that grows stronger over time. The keeper and the rune become one, sharing a mutual desire to protect each other forever. We don’t know how or why, but we do know that much.”

“How do you know?” Asked Spark.

“Because its happened before.” Moonbeam stated grimly. “Years ago, when most of us were still in Asgard, a Shadowmane found a rune. Took it everywhere with him. bragged about it all the time. But things didn’t go well for long. weeks passed, and eventually, it was all he thought of. Never let go of it. He would spend hours just holding it, staring at it.”

“The next moon,” Nyx continued, “the camp decided it was too dangerous for him to keep it. They tried to take it from him…”

“It destroyed them.” Moonbeam finished. “And him too.”

Nobody spoke. the distant screech of a Troodon was the only sound in the dark, silent den.

Forest looked down to see his claws trembling around the small, meaningless object. Still shaking, he carefully loosened his grip and set it down on the cave floor.

“Why?” Crimson breathed, moving her gaze to Nyx.

“Why what?” Nyx asked.

“Why didn’t you ever tell us this?” Crimson asked her, her voice rising to a growl.

“I—” Nyx swallowed hard, her eyes wide with panic. “I was going to tell you,” She stammered quickly.

“But you didn’t,” Crimson snarled quietly. “You never told us! When we needed answers the most, when you had answers, you said nothing!”

“No, I—”

“Save it for someone who cares,” Crimson growled. She whirled around and stomped away.

Nyx dropped her head low to the ground, crestfallen. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Forest glanced back at Crimson, then the others.

“Come on, Nyx,” Moonbeam said softly. “You wanna find another cave to sleep in?”

Nyx shook her head. “I’m fine here.”

“Ok.” Moonbeam nudged Nyx with her tail and left the den.

By the time everyone was curled up in their own spot, Forest found himself a small ledge to climb into. Resting the sack and scrolls by his side, he laid his head on the cold gray stone, setting the rune in front of him. Night crawled in, and the last thing Forest saw was the rune beside him before sleep finally came.