the moon heart breaks

Chapter 28 – The Heart Breaks

The first crack in the Heart of the Moon was barely visible.

A thin silver line ran across the ancient crystal.

Then another appeared.

Then another.

Lia stared at it, unable to breathe.

"No..."

Noctis stepped backward.

For the first time since anyone had known him, genuine fear appeared on his face.

"Everyone moves away from the Heart."

Liam tightened his hold around Lia and the twins.

"What happens when it breaks?"

Noctis didn't answer.

"NOCTIS!"

The old guardian looked toward him.

"When the Heart breaks," he said quietly, "the boundary between the living world and the Forgotten Realm disappears."

A deep rumble rolled beneath the manor.

Ethan looked toward the ground.

"So those creatures..."

"They won't need the forest anymore."

Elena's face went pale.

"They'll be able to cross."

Noctis nodded.

"All of them."

Another crack appeared.

This one was larger.

Silver light poured through it.

The Forgotten Ones standing in the courtyard didn't move.

They simply watched.

Waiting.

Lia stepped forward.

"Why aren't they attacking?"

Noctis looked at her.

"Because they're waiting for you."

Her stomach tightened.

"For me?"

The largest Forgotten One slowly raised its head.

Its face remained hidden beneath a dark hood.

Then it spoke.

"The Guardian remembers."

Lia froze.

"I don't know you."

The creature tilted its head.

"You do."

Its voice echoed strangely, as though several voices were speaking at once.

"You simply don't remember yourself."

Liam immediately stepped between them.

"Enough."

The creature's glowing eyes shifted toward him.

"You protect what belongs to her."

Liam's expression hardened.

"She belongs to no one."

A strange silence followed.

Then the creature bowed its head.

"That is why she was chosen."

Lia stared at Liam.

Neither understood.

Victor stepped forward.

"What exactly is she?"

Noctis answered before the creature could.

"Not what."

He looked at Lia.

"Who."

Lia shook her head.

"Stop speaking in riddles."

Noctis took a slow breath.

"Your family has spent generations hiding the truth."

"My family?"

"Your bloodline."

The words struck Lia harder than she expected.

"My parents were ordinary."

Noctis's expression softened.

"That is what you were taught."

Lia stared at him.

"What are you saying?"

Before he could answer, the Heart shattered.

The explosion threw everyone backward.

Liam immediately reached for Lia.

"Ethan!"

"Elena!"

The twins were beside them.

Alive.

But the courtyard had changed.

The silver light had disappeared.

The sky above Mooncrest had turned black.

Not cloudy.

Black.

As though the night itself had descended in the middle of the evening.

Then the forest moved.

Thousands of shadows emerged between the trees.

Not hundreds.

Thousands.

The Forgotten Ones.

Their numbers stretched beyond what the eye could see.

Warriors rushed forward.

Liam raised his hand.

"Nobody attacks."

Ryan stared at him.

"Alpha?"

"They aren't attacking us."

He was right.

The creatures were walking toward the manor.

Slowly.

Silently.

Until they reached the courtyard.

Then every single one dropped to one knee.

The sight left everyone speechless.

Lia stared at them.

"Why are they kneeling?"

The largest creature removed its hood.

An ancient face appeared.

Silver markings covered its skin.

Its eyes were brighter than moonlight.

"Because our Guardian has returned."

Lia shook her head.

"I'm not your Guardian."

The creature smiled sadly.

"You were."

A strange pressure filled the air.

Lia suddenly grabbed her head.

Images flooded her mind.

A kingdom.

Ancient wolves.

A woman standing beneath a silver moon.

A crown.

A battlefield.

And a baby being carried away through a burning forest.

Lia gasped.

"No..."

Liam caught her.

"What did you see?"

She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"I saw..."

Her voice broke.

"I saw myself."

Silence.

Noctis closed his eyes.

"The memories are returning."

Lia looked at him.

"Tell me everything."

Noctis hesitated.

Then finally spoke.

B"Long before Mooncrest existed, there was another kingdom."

He pointed toward the shattered heart.

"It was ruled by a Guardian bloodline."

"What happened to them?"

"They were betrayed."

"By whom?"

Noctis looked toward the ancient creatures.

"By the first Alpha council."

Lia's expression changed.

"They imprisoned the Forgotten Ones."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because the Guardians refused to let the Alphas use the Heart as a weapon."

Liam's eyes narrowed.

"So the Forgotten Ones weren't monsters."

"No."

Noctis looked toward them.

"They were protectors."

Ethan stared at the creatures.

"Then why were they called the Forgotten Ones?"

"Because the Alphas erased their history."

Elena whispered,

"They made everyone believe they were dangerous."

Noctis nodded.

"And for centuries, the truth disappeared."

Lia looked at the Heart.

"Then why did it choose me?"

Noctis's voice became quiet.

"Because you carry the last pure Guardian blood."

Liam's face hardened.

"And the twins?"

Noctis looked at Ethan and Elena.

"They carry the power necessary to control the Heart."

Ethan frowned.

"So we're connected to this whether we like it or not."

"Yes."

Elena looked toward the dark forest.

"Then what happens now?"

Nobody answered.

Because something enormous moved beyond the trees.

The ground shook.

The Forgotten Ones turned simultaneously.

Every head lifted.

Every glowing eye faced the same direction.

Then the ancient Guardian spoke.

"Something has entered the world."

Noctis's face went pale.

"What?"

The creature whispered:

"The first Alpha."

A roar erupted from beyond the forest.

It was so powerful that every wolf in Mooncrest dropped to the ground.

Liam pulled Lia and the twins behind him.

The trees began bending.

Branches snapped.

Birds fled.

Then a figure emerged from the darkness.

Tall.

Massive.

Covered in ancient armor.

A silver crown rested upon his head.

He walked slowly into the moonlight.

Noctis stared at him in horror.

"That's impossible."

Lia looked at him.

"Who is he?"

Noctis could barely speak.

"The first king."

The figure stopped.

His ancient silver eyes swept across the courtyard.

Then they landed on Lia.

He smiled.

"At last."

Lia's heart pounded.

The ancient king lifted his hand.

Every Forgotten One bowed lower.

"You have returned to me, Guardian."

Liam stepped forward.

"You will not touch my wife."

The ancient king's smile disappeared.

"Wife?"

He looked at Liam with curiosity then laughed.

A deep, ancient laugh.

"You still believe she belongs to this age."

Lia's blood ran cold.

"What does that mean?"

The king looked directly into her eyes.

"It means, little Guardian..."

The ground began to tremble.

"...you were never born in this world."

Lia stopped breathing.

And behind her—

Elena whispered the words that none of them were prepared to hear.

"Mom..."

She looked terrified.

"I remember now."

Everyone turned toward her.

Elena's silver eyes glowed.

"You were there."

Lia's voice trembled.

"Where?"

Elena pointed toward the ancient king.

"Beside him."

The king smiled.

And the Heart of the Moon began glowing again.