Noctis Lucis Caelum Older Novels & Stories

"Luna, Domina Noctis, mater lucis et umbrae, ad te venimus sub caelo tuo argenteo." "Hic stat servus tuus, qui fefellit fidem, sed cor eius nunc patet ante te. Munda eum, Dea, igne tuo frigido, laverunt aquae tuae peccata eius." "Ignosce, Luna, ignosce. Si non dignus est amplius portare nomen tuum, elige, Dea, alium, ostende nobis successorem tuum, qui te servire dignus sit."

Lucien’s army. Wolves with burning eyes and ashen fur prowled in unnatural coordination. Witches draped in tattered cloaks murmured dark incantations that caused the air to shiver. Tower-mounted catapults stood ready, loaded with flaming tar. Lucien himself sat atop an obsidian war-steed, its nostrils leaking black smoke. His silver eyes glowed like twin moons, eerily calm as he surveyed Crescent territory. Kaelen let out a low growl. “He wants a spectacle.”

Dual POV — Lucian / Talia The moon rose early that night. Round. Silver. Too bright for a world trying to hide its sins. Lucian sat beside the campfire with his hood drawn low, the ring clenched in his palm as if it were the only thing anchoring him to the ground. Cassius slept a few yards away, armor stacked neatly at his side, but sleep had never been an option for Lucian tonight. The bond hummed. Not loud. Not demanding.

“As you have been apprised, I am Lumos Valenhart, though most know me by the more ancient appellation: The Oracle.” His sightless eyes seemed fixed directly on my face, unnervingly reading my every thought. “I willingly relinquished my sight, a personal sacrifice made to better channel the strength of the moon, accomplished with the assistance of Demeter, another esteemed Elder among your ranks.” “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you formally, Elder Lumos,” Eve began, her composure impeccable. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I echoed, attempting to match her professionalism. “I’ll leave you to it then, Elder,” Alpha Sano said, giving Lumos a brief, respectful pat on the shoulder.

Was his mind finally cracking under the weight of his guilt? The sound was real as it reverberated through the walls. He stood up, his movements stiff, and made his way to the living room. There he found his assistant, Logan, already in place, looking alert and ready to tackle the day. Logan glanced up from his tablet, a frown creasing his brow. “How many hours did you sleep again? Or was it no sleep at all?” “Not sure,” Ezekiel replied, his voice barely above a whisper. His mind flickered back to last night. Vespera Nightingale. That name was like a thorn in his side. He tried to convince himself she wasn’t Lorna, convincing himself that the woman at the gala was just a stranger.