The air in the cottage grew heavy as Kael stepped inside, his presence filling the small space. Luna's grandmother, Elara, stood frozen in the doorway, her face pale. For a moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the faint hum of the pendant in Luna's pocket, a sound she was certain only she could hear.
"What do you want?" Luna asked, her voice steadier than she felt.
Kael's piercing blue eyes flicked to her, and for a moment, she saw a flicker of something—regret? Anger?—before his expression hardened. "You've been marked," he said, his tone grim. "The pendant you carry… it's not just a trinket. It's a key."
"A key to what?" Luna asked, though she already suspected the answer. The vision of the stone archway flashed in her mind again, the symbols glowing with an otherworldly light.
Kael hesitated, his gaze shifting to Elara. "You haven't told her."
Elara's lips pressed into a thin line. "I was trying to protect her."
"From what?" Luna demanded, her frustration bubbling over. "What aren't you telling me?"
Elara sighed and motioned for them to sit. The cottage's small wooden table creaked under Kael's weight as he took a seat, his movements deliberate and controlled. Luna sat across from him, her fingers instinctively curling around the pendant in her pocket.
"The pendant belongs to the Moon Temple," Elara began, her voice low. "It's an ancient place, hidden deep within the forest. The temple is said to hold the power of the moon itself, and the pendant is the only way to unlock it."
Luna's breath caught. "But why me? Why now?"
"Because you're the last descendant of the Moon Priestess," Kael said, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. "The temple has been sealed for centuries, waiting for someone with your bloodline to awaken its power. And now that you've touched the pendant, the magic has begun to stir."
Luna's mind raced. The Moon Priestess? Her bloodline? It sounded like something out of a fairy tale, not her life. But the warmth of the pendant, the visions, the way the forest seemed to call to her—it all made a strange kind of sense.
"What happens if the temple is unlocked?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kael leaned forward, his eyes burning with intensity. "The power of the moon could heal our world—or destroy it. There are those who would use it for their own gain, and if they get to the temple before we do, it won't just be the forest that suffers. It will be everything."
A shiver ran down Luna's spine. "We?"
"You're not in this alone," Kael said, his tone softening slightly. "The Shadowmoon Pack has guarded the temple for generations. It's our duty to protect it—and you."
Elara reached across the table and took Luna's hand. "I wanted to spare you from this, child. But now that the magic has awakened in you, there's no turning back."
Luna looked down at her grandmother's hand, weathered and strong, and felt a surge of determination. She had always felt like an outsider in the village, like there was something missing in her life. Now, she was beginning to understand why.
"What do I need to do?" she asked, lifting her gaze to meet Kael's.
"We need to get to the temple before the Bloodfang Pack does," Kael said, his voice grim. "They've been searching for the pendant for years, and if they find it, they'll use its power to enslave the forest—and everyone in it."
Luna's heart pounded. The Bloodfang Pack—she had heard the name whispered in the village, always accompanied by fear. They were ruthless, violent, and without mercy.
"How do we stop them?" she asked.
Kael's lips curved into a faint smile, though there was no humor in it. "By unlocking the temple first. But to do that, you'll need to learn to control the magic inside you."
As if on cue, the pendant in Luna's pocket grew warm again, and a surge of energy shot through her. She gasped, her vision blurring as the room around her seemed to dissolve.
She was standing in the forest again, but it was different this time. The trees were taller, their branches twisting together to form a canopy that blocked out the sun. The air was thick with magic, and the ground beneath her feet pulsed with a faint, rhythmic glow.
In the distance, she saw the stone archway, its symbols blazing with light. But this time, she wasn't alone. A figure stood in front of the archway, their back to her. They were cloaked in shadows, but Luna could feel their power—ancient, immense, and terrifying.
The figure turned, and Luna's breath caught. Their eyes glowed like the moon, and their voice echoed in her mind.
"The time has come, Luna Everly. The moon's power awaits."
The vision faded, and Luna found herself back in the cottage, her hands gripping the edge of the table. Kael and Elara were staring at her, their expressions a mix of concern and awe.
"What did you see?" Kael asked, his voice sharp.
Luna took a deep breath, her heart still racing. "The temple. And… someone. They said the moon's power awaits."
Kael's jaw tightened. "We don't have much time. The Bloodfang Pack will be coming for you, and when they do, they won't stop until they have the pendant—and you."
Luna nodded, her resolve hardening. She didn't know what lay ahead, but one thing was certain: her life would never be the same.