The Moonlit Ceremony
The glade was alive with an ancient energy that seemed to pulse beneath Isla’s feet as she followed her father into its center. Silver beams of moonlight filtered through the thick canopy above, casting ethereal patterns on the ground. The air was dense with magic, each breath Isla took filling her with an overwhelming sense of both familiarity and awe.
“This place,” Kaelen began, his voice hushed with reverence, “is where the Moon Goddess first blessed our bloodline. Every leader of our lineage has come here to understand their purpose.”
Isla turned to him, her silver eyes glinting in the moonlight. “And what am I supposed to do here?”
He stepped back, gesturing toward the clearing. “Listen,” he said simply. “The Moon Goddess’s power flows through this place. If you open yourself to it, you’ll hear her. She will guide you.”
Skeptical but intrigued, Isla stepped into the center of the glade. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, focusing on the stillness around her. The world seemed to fall silent, and then, slowly, the faintest whispers began to drift through the air.
At first, they were indistinct—fragments of sound carried on the wind. But as Isla’s connection deepened, the voices became clearer, forming words and fragments of visions. She saw glimpses of a shimmering silver wolf standing tall against a storm, and a pack of shadowy figures bowing before a radiant light. Her heart pounded as she felt the power of the Moon Goddess surge through her, a warmth spreading through her chest.
And then, suddenly, the connection snapped. The glade grew cold, the voices silenced as if cut off by an unseen hand. Isla’s eyes flew open, her breath ragged.
Eira stood at the edge of the glade, her figure framed by the trees. Her face was calm, but her sharp tone carried an air of finality. “Enough,” she said, her voice breaking the spell of the moment. “She’s not ready.”
Kaelen turned to Eira, his brows furrowing. “This isn’t your decision to make.”
“It’s mine to ensure she survives this,” Eira replied evenly, her piercing gaze fixed on Isla. “You have no idea what you’re playing with.”
Isla’s frustration boiled over as she stepped toward Eira, her fists clenched. “Why do you keep stopping me? Every time I get close, you pull me back!”
Eira didn’t flinch. “Because you don’t understand what you’re inviting into yourself. And until you do, this power will destroy you.”
Isla’s chest heaved with anger, but Kaelen placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice soothing. “We’ll try again when the time is right,” he said softly.
Isla pulled away, her voice cutting through the tense air. “When will that be? When I’ve lost everything?”
