Chereads / The Silver Princess / Chapter 2 - The Murmur of the Moon

Chapter 2 - The Murmur of the Moon

The soft sound of the wind caressed the curtains of the room while Sophia remained motionless in her bed, her sky-blue eyes fixed on the ceiling, trapped between wakefulness and sleep. The scent of jasmine floated in the air, a perfume that her mother, Lady Astrid, always chose for her room. It was a smell that now evoked nostalgia, reminding her of times when her days were not marked by constant pain.

Sophia was a prisoner in her own body, ravaged by a rare and cruel disease known as the Degeneration of the Moon. Each passing day, she felt her life slowly fading away, an endless agony that left her weaker and more fragile. However, in her dreams, Sophia was not a sick young student, but a strong, free, and powerful woman. A latent desire in her heart, whispering in her mind like a distant echo.

"Sophia, dear, may I come in?" her mother's voice resonated from the other side of the door, interrupting her thoughts.

"Come in, Mom," Sophia replied softly, her voice barely a whisper.

Lady Astrid entered the room with the grace of a queen, her tall and slender figure wrapped in a silver silk dress that reflected the dim light of the evening. Her eyes, the same bright blue as her daughter's, were filled with a sadness she tried to hide behind a forced smile.

"I've brought you some herbal tea," she said, placing a tray on the bedside table. "It will help you rest."

Sophia nodded, watching as her mother poured the hot liquid into a cup. The steam rose in spirals, filling the air with a calming aroma, but Sophia barely felt relief.

"Mom... have you ever wished to be someone else?" she suddenly asked, her voice breaking a little.

Lady Astrid paused for a moment, her gaze softening as it met her daughter's.

"I think we've all had that thought at some point, Sophia. But what we are... is what defines us," she replied, stroking her daughter's silver hair. "You are strong, more than you believe."

Sophia tried to smile, but the weight of her illness and fear of the future overwhelmed her. She wanted to believe her mother's words, but reality was relentless. She closed her eyes, trying to drown the tears that threatened to overflow.

Night fell slowly, covering everything with a blanket of darkness. Sophia felt the cold of the night creep under her sheets, and a strange premonition invaded her. In her dreams, a vast horizon stretched before her, illuminated by a silver moon that shone intensely. In the distance, a murmur arose, a soft but insistent call that drew her towards it.

She found herself walking in a desolate landscape, surrounded by shadows that whispered her name. Sophia... Sophia... The voice was sweet, almost maternal, but charged with an ancient and powerful energy. When she looked up, the moon seemed closer than ever, its light enveloping her like a warm blanket.

"Come to me, Sophia..." the voice whispered. "Your destiny awaits you."

She woke up with a start, her heart pounding in her chest. The room was silent, except for the sound of her agitated breathing. However, in the stillness of the night, Sophia felt a strange peace, as if an invisible thread connected her to something beyond her understanding. Despite her weakened body, a spark of hope ignited within her.

It was then that, in a flash of light, a figure appeared in the darkness of her room. A tall, slender being, wrapped in shadows that danced around it. Its face was hidden, but Sophia could feel its powerful and authoritative presence.

"Sophia..." said the figure, its deep voice resonating off the walls. "I have come for you."

Sophia tried to move, but her body didn't respond. She felt no fear, only a deep sense of inevitability. As if everything in her life had led her to this moment.

"Who... who are you?" she managed to ask, her voice trembling.

"I am Kael, the King of the Night," the figure replied. "And I have come to take you to your true home."

Before Sophia could process what was happening, an enveloping shadow surrounded her, and the room disappeared around her. Everything she knew vanished into darkness, leaving her floating in a silent void.

When the darkness dissipated, Sophia found herself in a new place, a vast palace of black marble and silver that extended beyond what her eyes could see. Around her, demons of all shapes and sizes bowed reverently before the figure that had brought her there.

"Welcome to the Demon Realm, Sophia," Kael announced, revealing his face for the first time. His red eyes looked at her intensely, and in them, Sophia saw a power beyond imagination. "Here, you will be known as the Silver Princess."

Sophia took a deep breath, feeling how the energy of the place flowed through her. She felt different, stronger, more alive than she had ever been. And at that moment, she knew her life was about to change forever.