Novel & Cerita A Shadow In The Ember

They are led to the throne room where the queen of the witches sits. A woman steps forward and approaches the group. “Hello Rex, welcome back and who are they? So I can introduce them to the queen? " asks the woman. “I am Hector. Nice to meet you,” says Hector. “I am Ash. Lovely to meet you,.” says Ash. “I am Ruby, beautiful dress, .” says Ruby. The woman smiles and steps back. “My queen: Rex, Hector, Ash and Ruby from Ember City,” says the woman. The queen motions them forward. Hector and Rex come forward. Ash and Ruby stay back a few feet. All bow lightly out of respect for the queen.

**MOON GODDESS** The child is a bridge. Not a weapon. Raise him in truth. Guard him not from the world—but *for* it. A gust of wind rippled the field. The light began to fade. **MOON GODDESS** And beware the one who carries your face in shadow. She walks still. **EMBER** Who? But the vision cracked. --- **INT. EMBER & ASHER’S CABIN – NIGHT** Ember jolted upright in bed with a gasp, hand to her chest. Her skin glowed faintly with silver, slowly dimming.

To what we’ve unleashed. The wyrm is not just a monster. Not merely a beast that chases us. It’s the embodiment of something far older. Far darker. Something bound to us. To our story. “Eve...” Shadow turns to me, and in his face, I see a mixture of despair and sorrow. “I think we’ve opened something we won’t be able to close.” The fear in his voice stops my heart for a beat. I don’t want it to be true. I don’t want to believe we’ve come this far just to lose.

The shadows flickering around the arrow seemed to stretch toward me, curling like tendrils hungry for skin. And then I heard her voice. Ember. She softly brushed my mind then said something absurd, “Touch it.” My steps faltered. “What?” I whispered in disbelief. “Touch it,” she urged again, firmer this time. “it is his. He has sent a message and as long as those shadows still move like they are alive then he would be able to see and hear all that goes on in here.” My throat dried. My gaze flicked to the nobles behind me, still muttering nervously, their voices were too loud as they talked about the prophecy amongst themselves. If Ember was right… Veyran was listening. Right now.

Ember zipped to the door, hovering until she opened it. The halls were silent. Torches burned low, their shadows dancing across the walls. The moonlight from the high windows silvered the marble, making the Academy feel older—like the stones remembered things no one dared speak aloud. Ember darted ahead, leaving a faint trail of warmth in the otherwise cool night air. Rowan followed, keeping her steps light. They passed the training yard, where the sparring dummies stood like frozen sentries. Then Ember turned sharply toward a narrow archway she’d never noticed before.

“If you were born from my defiance, you know I don’t hand over power easily.” The embers along its body flared, and suddenly the shadow lunged. It moved like liquid darkness, slipping under her guard and brushing its hand—a hand made of nothing but heatless flame—along her cheek. The air between them crackled, and she saw a flicker of something not here: armies kneeling in ash, skies lit by falling stars, the Hollow’s gates yawning open. Ruby’s blade whistled past her shoulder, forcing the shadow back a step. It didn’t react as if it had been struck—more as if the act itself was mildly inconvenient.

The shadow stepped closer, its form rippling like smoke in wind. “Of the one your soul holds above all others.” The air left Ember’s lungs. Kaila recoiled inside her. No. No. NO. Ember staggered backward, shaking her head. “That can’t be right. You’re lying.” The shadow didn’t move. “It is the law that created your world. Only love strong enough to break you can restore the balance.” “No!” Ember shouted, her voice echoing wildly around the chamber. “There must be another way!” The chamber flickered. For a moment, Ember thought everything might crumble. But the shadow remained steady.

“We fight.” In the Shadows Ignis stood in the dark. Watching through fire. He had seen everything. Lycan’s death. Zuri’s grief. Daisy’s pain. He smiled. “Let them gather. Let them burn with hope.” He turned to the white-haired girl—**Ember**. “Soon,” he said. “The child will come to me. And when she does… she will burn this world to ash.” Rosa’s POV They told me Lycan was gone.

The flickering sparks danced across her smiling face, but in that glow, I suddenly saw Alyssa's silhouette from last year's Moon Goddess Festival. She was standing by the altar, setting off her own fireworks. "Matteo, this color is so beautiful." I snapped back to reality and blinked hard. "What's wrong? You don't look so good," Sabrina said, coming to stand in front of me. I shook my head with a frown, and Sabrina grabbed another firework and went to play by the shore alone. Why did Alyssa's shadow keep haunting my mind? I grew increasingly irritated. I sat on the rocks for a long time before finally pulling out my phone and opening Alyssa's chat window.

The shadow let out an unearthly shriek and dissipated into the air. Breathing hard, drenched in rain and sweat, Emma approached the node. It was a small, cylindrical device, glowing faintly, humming in sync with the shadows outside. She knew what to do. She connected her signal device, forcing its pulse into the node. The hum intensified, reverberating through her bones. The shadows outside twisted and shrieked, retreating into corners as the node’s connection faltered. Emma’s fingers ached, sweat and rain dripping down her arms, but she held firm. Finally, the hum steadied, the shadows froze, and the node went dark.