A Dangerous Lesson
The secluded clearing was bathed in moonlight, the silvery glow filtering through the treetops and painting the ground in patches of light and shadow. The air was thick with a hushed stillness, as though the forest itself was holding its breath. Alaric stood at the center, his golden eyes steady as he watched Isla step forward.
“This place is untouched by interference,” he said, his voice calm but commanding. “It’s just you, the moon, and your power. That’s all you need.”
Isla nodded, her silver hair catching the moonlight like a second radiance. She closed her eyes, her breathing slow and deliberate as she focused inward. Alaric’s words were a steady guide, threading through her swirling thoughts.
“Feel her presence in every part of you,” he instructed. “The Moon Goddess is not just above us; she’s within you. That light you summon—it’s yours.”
The connection came slowly at first, a faint whisper in the back of Isla’s mind. But as she delved deeper, her emotions rose to the surface: the desperate need to protect her children, the betrayal by her father, the cold triumph in Eira’s gaze. The images burned in her mind, each one fueling the storm of power that churned within her.
“Don’t resist it,” Alaric said, his tone softening. “Let it flow through you. Channel it, Isla.”
Her silver eyes snapped open, glowing with an ethereal brilliance. The light pulsed through her veins, tangible and alive. A surge of energy built within her, and with a cry that echoed across the clearing, she released it.
A beam of silvery light erupted from her hands, striking a massive boulder across the clearing. The rock trembled before splitting cleanly in two, the sound of the crack reverberating like thunder. Isla staggered, her knees buckling as the power ebbed away, leaving her gasping for breath.
Alaric rushed forward, catching her arm to steady her. “You’re stronger than I expected,” he said, his voice tinged with genuine admiration.
Isla looked at the shattered boulder, her chest heaving. “But will it be enough?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alaric’s golden eyes met hers, resolute. “It will have to be. The stakes are too high for anything less.”
