The faint clink of the silver pendant hitting the ancient granite floor sounded louder than a thunderclap in the absolute silence of the Sacred Summit.
As the necklace fell away, the brilliant, silver light of the Hunter’s Moon struck Aria’s bare skin.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. And then, the magic woke up.
The mark on her collarbone—the crescent moon intertwined with a wolf’s paw—didn't just become visible. It ignited. A pure, incandescent golden light flared from her skin, pulsing in time with her heartbeat. The light was so bright, so saturated with raw, ancient magic, that the blue runes carved into the twelve surrounding monoliths instantly flared in response, resonating with a deep, vibrating hum that shook the very earth.
Elder Silas dropped his black-waxed scroll. It hi
