Echoes of Dawn - Part 1
The first light of dawn moved through Shadowvale like a tide. It spilled over the roofs and down the narrow lanes, gilding every edge of frost until the whole village shimmered. The river sang louder than it used to, and the air smelled of green things instead of iron. For the first time in living memory, the morning felt new. I stood on the balcony and watched the mist lift from the valley. The fields below had already begun to wake-wolves hauling grain, pups chasing one another through the dew. The old fear that used to cling to every sunrise was gone, replaced by something softer: curiosity, maybe even joy. My mark glowed faintly beneath the cuff of my sleeve, a heartbeat against my skin. Not pain, not warning. Just reminder. Balance never sleeps. Behind me came the familiar sound o
- Writer
