The forest had never felt so alive and so dangerous. Moonstone Vale pulsed with an unsteady rhythm, the whispers growing louder and more insistent as Skyler and Noah stepped cautiously into the clearing. The air was thick, almost suffocating, as if the Vale itself were watching, waiting for their next move.
Skyler shivered, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. "This place used to feel magical," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the hum of the Vale. "Now it feels like it's judging us."
Noah glanced at her, his jaw clenched. "Well, it's not wrong. We did break the curse."
She shot him a glare. "You're not helping."
Before he could reply, a sharp rustling sound cut through the air. Both of them froze, their eyes darting to the shadows between the trees. The wind carried faint whispers—too fragmented to understand but undeniably menacing.
"They're still here," Skyler said, her voice a mix of fear and determination.
Noah took a cautious step forward, his hand resting on the hilt of the enchanted dagger at his side. "We need to figure out what they want. Or at least what 'return what you've taken' is supposed to mean."
Skyler didn't respond. Instead, she knelt near the glowing cracks in the ground, running her fingers over the pulsing light. The energy felt cold and unyielding, like a warning.
"Whatever balance the curse was holding together," she said, "it's gone. But this doesn't feel like freedom—it feels like chaos."
Noah crouched beside her, his eyes scanning the flickering cracks. "So, what do we do? Light a candle and say we're sorry?"
Skyler smirked faintly. "You're lucky sarcasm hasn't gotten you killed yet."
He opened his mouth to respond, but the whispers suddenly grew louder, filling the clearing with an eerie chant. The words were clearer now, though still fragmented:
"The balance is broken... shadows awaken... the past will rise..."
The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the cracks flared with blinding light. Skyler and Noah scrambled backward as another shadowy figure emerged from the earth. This one was taller, more defined than the ones they had seen before. Its form flickered like smoke, but its eyes burned bright white.
"You meddle with forces you cannot control," the figure said, its voice echoing as though it came from all directions.
Skyler stood, forcing her voice to stay steady. "Who are you? What do you want from us?"
The shadow tilted its head, almost curiously. "We are the Forgotten. The Vale belongs to us."
Noah stepped forward, his dagger drawn. "Yeah? Well, we didn't exactly get a memo about that. How about you explain what you're doing here?"
The shadow's form rippled, growing larger as it leaned toward them. "You broke the curse. You shattered the balance. And now... you must return what you've taken."
Skyler exchanged a quick glance with Noah. "What does that even mean?" she demanded. "We didn't take anything."
The shadow hissed, a sound that sent chills down both their spines. "The curse held the balance between past and present. Without it, the past awakens... hungry."
The ground shook violently, and more shadows began to rise around them, their forms flickering and unstable. Skyler's magic flared instinctively, a faint golden shield forming around her and Noah.
"Not good," Noah muttered, gripping his dagger tighter.
The first shadow raised an arm, and a wave of dark energy surged toward them. Skyler's shield held, but barely. She gritted her teeth, pushing against the force.
"We're not your enemies!" she shouted, her voice strained.
The shadow's laughter echoed through the clearing, cold and hollow. "The Vale decides who its enemies are. You must restore what you have broken—or be consumed."
The shadows lunged again, their tendrils of darkness striking the shield like hammer blows. Skyler's knees buckled, and she gasped as the force of the attacks grew stronger.
"We can't hold them off like this," she said through gritted teeth.
Noah nodded grimly. "Then we need a new plan."
Before Skyler could respond, the shadows suddenly pulled back, their forms flickering as if caught in a strong wind. The whispers faded, leaving only an eerie silence.
Skyler lowered her shield cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest. "Why did they stop?"
Noah shook his head, his eyes scanning the clearing. "Maybe they're regrouping. Or maybe they're toying with us."
"Either way," Skyler said, "we're not going to find answers standing here."
Back at the Jasper Coven
The sanctuary was buzzing with nervous energy. Witches whispered in hushed tones, their eyes darting to the flickering candles and the strange shadows that seemed to linger at the edges of the room. Elder Meryn stood at the center, her face calm but her hands gripping the edge of the council table tightly.
"Something is happening," she said, addressing the gathered witches. "The Vale's magic is unstable, and it's affecting us all. We need to be prepared for whatever comes next."
Elder Althea stepped forward, her expression sharp. "Prepared for what? Skyler brought this chaos upon us. She defied the council, and now we're paying the price."
"She may have acted rashly," Meryn said, her tone even, "but she's not wrong. The Vale was dying under the curse. Breaking it was necessary."
Althea's glare was icy. "And now we face the consequences of that decision. Tell me, Meryn—what do you propose we do about the Forgotten?"
Meryn didn't answer. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the door, as if expecting Skyler to return with answers.
Back at the Obsidian Circle
The lair was quieter than usual, the warlocks huddled in small groups. Noah and Talon stood near the far wall, their voices low.
"This is getting worse," Talon said, his eyes darting toward a group of younger warlocks struggling to control their spells. "Even basic magic is starting to backfire."
Noah nodded. "The Vale's magic is unstable. It's messing with everything—even us."
Talon hesitated before speaking again. "You're going back, aren't you? To the Vale."
Noah's expression hardened. "Yeah. I have to. If we don't figure out what the Forgotten want, we're all screwed."
Talon glanced over his shoulder, lowering his voice further. "I'll go with you. Ezra won't approve, but... he's wrong about this."
A faint smile tugged at Noah's lips. "Good to know someone around here has a brain."
The Chapter Closes
Skyler and Noah met again at the edge of the Vale, their faces drawn but determined. The air hummed with energy, the faint whispers starting up again as they stepped into the forest.
"This is a bad idea," Noah muttered.
"Probably," Skyler said. "But it's the only one we've got."
The whispers grew louder as they walked deeper into the Vale, the shadows closing in around them. Both of them knew that whatever lay ahead, it wouldn't be easy.
The past was awakening, and it was hungry.