LOGINThe Echo That Split the NightThe night over Silvercrest was unnaturally quiet. There was no breeze, no moonlight—just the faint hum of the barrier that Rowan had fortified earlier. Aiden sensed it first—a tremor in the atmosphere, an anomaly that felt out of place. Standing at the overlook tower, his muscles coiled tight, and his gaze was intense. Something was approaching. Luna ascended the steps behind him, her breath stable despite the fatigue from their earlier training session. “You sensed it too,” she murmured. Aiden remained facing forward. “It’s not a patrol. It’s not a wandering spirit. This feels different.” His wolf was restless beneath his skin, growling in agitation.Before Luna could inquire further, Rowan and Kai emerged, both visibly on edge. Rowan’s eyes emitted a faint glow as he pointed toward the horizon. “The Heartstone’s alarm has been continuous since noon. Whatever is approaching… it defies nature.”Luna stepped closer. “Is it them? The corrupted ones?” “No
The Shattering of the Silver GateThe ground quaked beneath Luna’s feet long before the noise reached them. A deep, grinding growl echoed through the ancient halls of the Moon Temple, causing dust to tumble from the stone ceiling as if the temple itself sensed the impending event. Rowan’s attention snapped upward instantly, his instincts keen.“That isn’t seismic activity,” he remarked, pulling Luna back behind him. “Something is attempting to break in.”Kai drew his sword, the blade gleaming like lightning. “We locked the main gate. Nothing should be able to break it open that swiftly.”“Unless it’s not an object,” Luna murmured, feeling the Heartstone pulse against her chest. “Unless it’s him.”Another thunderous impact struck the Silver Gate — the primary barrier safeguarding the inner sanctum — with enough force to crack the surrounding walls. The sound was more than just a physical force. It carried a dark vibration, a pulsation Luna felt deep within her skin.Rowan drew her clos
The Atmosphere Prior to the DownfallThe sky above the Moon Temple darkened to a deep shade of violet, as if the universe itself anticipated the impending events. Luna stood on the balcony of the upper chamber, her hands gripping the chilly stone railing while the wind tossed her cloak behind her. The Heartstone throbbed beneath her skin—warm, restless, and almost quivering. It had remained quiet since the ritual, resonating softly like a heart at rest after exertion… but tonight, its tempo felt off.Something awaited them.She sensed it before spotting Rowan quietly entering the chamber. His presence enveloped her like comforting warmth amidst a winter storm. “You feel it as well,” he said, his voice low and serious.Luna kept her gaze forward. “The Heartstone is unsettled. It keeps warning me, but the message isn't clear.” She let out a shaky breath. “It’s as if… I hear whispers in a language I nearly comprehend.”Rowan moved closer to her, surveying the quaking horizon. “Kai has di
The River of Echoing SoulsThe forest was unnaturally still—so still that Luna could hear her own breathing echo in her ears as she strolled between Rowan and Kai, her fingertips grazing the luminous riverbank. The River of Echoing Souls sparkled like flowing moonlight, bending and undulating as if something beneath it was stirring. Each surface mirrored faded memories, faces floating like fog, emotions locked in time—and all of them felt achingly familiar.Luna gulped. “I can’t stand this place already.”Kai managed a strained smile. “I feel the same way. Whoever named this river certainly had a talent for theatrics.”Rowan remained somber. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were locked on the water. “Stay vigilant. This river doesn’t reveal random visions. It shows exactly what it intends you to see.”A shudder crawled down Luna’s spine. “And what does it intend?”“Your vulnerability,” Rowan replied, his tone hushed. “Your greatest fear.”Before Luna could answer, the river pulsed—o
Shadows That Acknowledge MeThe forest felt changed tonight.Not threatening… just observant.Luna strolled between Rowan and Kai, their steps quiet over the moist leaves, but the air pressed in around them, heavy with a presence she hadn’t sensed since the Heartstone stirred within her. Every tree seemed to lean in closer, every shadow appeared to be etched with intent, as if the forest itself held its breath.A shiver coursed through her chest—not terror, but familiarity.“I feel like we are being… watched,” Kai said softly, glancing at the tree line.Rowan slowed, turning his head slightly toward Luna.“It’s not a foe,” he reassured. “Your aura is responding to something. I can sense it.”Luna swallowed hard and lifted her hand. A faint glow spiraled around her fingers—silver, gentle, like moonlight attempting to take shape. It pulsed once. Twice. Then drew her further into the woods.“It recognizes me,” she murmured before realizing she had voiced it.Rowan moved closer. “What rec
The Echoes That Refused to DieThe Moon Temple felt especially frigid that evening—more so than any gust of wind, more so than any tempest. Perhaps it wasn’t the chill in the air. Perhaps it was the stillness that enveloped the space following Rowan's last utterance. The kind of stillness that seeped deep into one's bones, filling every fissure the conflict had created.Luna hesitated initially. She remained rooted where Rowan had left her, gazing at the stone archway as if his silhouette still hovered there. Her heartbeat seemed overwhelmingly loud. Too burdensome. Even the Heartstone pulsing beneath her skin had unnaturally quieted, as if it were holding its breath alongside her.Kai entered cautiously, as though nearing an injured creature.“Luna…” he murmured.But she simply shook her head in a slow, tight gesture. Not yet. She couldn’t find her voice—not without it fracturing into pieces she didn’t possess the strength to piece back together.She sank down to the stone floor, her







