CHAPTER ONE

"Come, Elara, come,” a woman dressed in white, her robe shining like stars, called out to me. I was curious so I followedher. I was so captivated by her beauty, elegance, and grace. As I followed, I found myself beneath a sky that sparkled like silver fire.

"Where am I? "Who are you?" My voice was shaking with terror as I asked.

She remained silent. Rather, she moved in closer and stroked my hair. I felt like I had known her my entire life, so I didn't flinch.

Then she moved close to me and said softly but firmly in a whisper,

"The light rests inside of you." Follow the fire when it beckons.

I stood confused, surprised by what she had said. She caressed my cheek again and gave me a dejected smile.

"Take care my child," she whispered.

Suddenly, a thick, silvery fog rose from the ground. It lifted her off her feet, curling around her like a living creature.

"Hold on—!" I cried out as I reached through the fog, but all I  could grasp was cold mist. "Who are you? Who is Light? "Who is Fire?", I screamed.

Another voice, sharp and familiar, broke through the fog before she could respond.

"Elara! Elara , wake up!"

I was startled awake by the sound, my eyes adjusting to the morning light as the mist faded. The dream disappeared, but the memory of her words remained, causing my heart to race.

I looked over to my aunt. "Ma! Are you alright? Still catching my breath, I asked.

She smiled and replied, "Oh, Moon dear, when were you planning to get up?"

Since my parents passed away, Aunt Caroline has been my sole relative, showing me love and warmth, she treated me like her own.

She stayed by my side despite the village rumors, that I was possessed, because my skin glowed in the moonlight. Instead of turning away, she would gently cup my cheek and say,

"My dear, you are extraordinary. Don't pay attention to them.”

She referred to me as her Luna, her beautiful Moon, all the time.

Aunt Caroline never spoke about my parents. Ever since she took me in, not once.

Her sole priorities were providing me with comfort, taking care of me and protecting me from the rumors of the village.

"But, Ma, what's today?" Still a little shaken, I asked.

Aunt Caroline moved to the bed after giving me a close look. With a worried tone, she said, "Moon dear, are you all right?"

I forced a smile when I saw her look. "No, Ma, I'm alright. I just...thought I had missed the bus again.

"Oh, dear, you were meant to deliver the roses to Mr. Kart today — and it's already nine o'clock!" she exclaimed, laughing a little in relief.

"What? Oh my god, I totally forgot! I slapped my forehead and gasped.

Aunt Caroline laughed and gave me a flick of the forehead. "Dear, you should get dressed. You know how he is -all grumpy and impatient.

I got out of bed, quickly washed up, and returned to my room to figure out what to wear. For some reason, selecting the right clothes has always been torture. But I never really cared. It was only a small village, after all.

Evershade Village, my home, was a place where everyone knew everyone. It was a small, friendly neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. It felt quiet and forgotten, but at night you could still see the city lights glowing in the distance. The village's greatest pride was its flowers. They were endless, wild, and colorful, which grew everywhere. Their lovely smell filled the air and made Evershade beautiful, even when it was completely quiet.

I finally chose an outfit: a black tank top, denim dungarees, and white sandals. I swung my waist pack over my shoulder and picked up the bouquet of roses for Mr. Kart.

I looked in the mirror,

"Cute," I said with a slight smile.

I was ready to go when Aunt Caroline called after me.

"What about breakfast, dear?" she asked.

"Later, Ma—I need to go. "I'm in a rush," I said, half-turning and smiling.

I kissed her forehead, waved farewell, and rushed out of the house. Unlocking my bicycle, I gently jumped on and began cycling down the road. The morning breeze caressed past my cheeks, bearing a delicate aroma of flowers and dew.

When I arrived at Mr. Kart's store, a small crowd had gathered outside. People stood in groups, muttering, their faces tense with fear.

I got off and made my way through the crowd slowly. "Good morning," I said.

Oh, good morning, dear. "You're right on time," He said smiling, although he looked tired. 

"Thank goodness," I sighed with relief. I thought I was late. But, what's happening outside?

He paused for some time before responding, his voice quieter than normal. "A child went missing, Elara. "This has never happened before.

My heart sank, "Missing? How?"

He shakes his head. "We do not know yet. We intend to divide into search parties to find him.".

"Well, we need to do it quickly. "What's the delay?" I asked.

"One of the villagers said he saw the child heading into the forbidden part of the forest," Mr. Kart stated, his face hardening.

"That place is unsafe, my dear. For all we know, it's somewhere we shouldn't go - or be seen in. That's why we need to gather our toughest men before we begin our hunt."

He paused and then looked at me. "We leave by twelve. "Are you in?"

His question surprised me. I felt fear in my stomach, but also a sudden, deep pull, like the world itself was calling my name.

“Yes, I’m in,” I said firmly. “I’ll just call my aunt first. I don’t want to keep her worried.”

I pulled out my phone from my waist bag, ready to dial her number, but before I could, I noticed a new message flashing across my screen.

Stay safe, Moon. I’m sure you’ll do great.

I froze, confused. How did she know? I hadn’t even told her yet.

Before I could respond, a firm, anxious voice came from outside,

"It's time, Elara"