Shadow Of The Moon Goddess

Chapter 1: Oaths of blood I’ve always known something was wrong with me; it wasn’t something sleep or medication could fix. No, it felt deeper than that; it felt…wrong yet familiar. Today, however, something felt off. My fingers tapped rapidly against my desk, my thigh, the edge of my notebook—anything within reach. It wasn’t a habit; it was a problem. Sitting still felt unbearable; it was like my body didn’t belong to me unless it was moving. My leg was bouncing so fast under the lecture table that the sound it made was now clearly being heard by everyone around me. “Sapphire,” Cynthia whispered sharply. I didn't look at her right away; it was obvious what she was trying to say. So I try, but it felt like my very bones were vibrating under my skin. But still I force my leg to stop…for three seconds before it starts again. “I’m trying,” I mutter, gripping my pen tighter till it snapped between my fingers. The lecture hall hummed with the professor’s voice, but his words didn’t stick. They didn’t even reach my ears. My focus slips, then comes the migraines, dull at first and manageable. Then it slowly became sharper and intense. I sucked in a deep breath as my fingers tightened around the edge of my desk. “Not again," I whispered to myself. “Not here." "Please, not here." My eyes flickered, and for a split second the room dissolved into nothing but endless trees. It’s always the same except this time something moved between them. Not fast nor slow, just there, watching, waiting. “Sapphire?" Cynthia’s called out, shaking my shoulders. “You good?” I blink hard, snapping myself back to reality. The room now had fewer trees and more desks. The professor had stopped taking and was now staring directly at me, as was everyone else. Heat crawled up my neck, but I ignored it; I had to. “I’m fine,” I said quickly. The lie tastes bitter because the pain doesn't stop; it builds. My pulse pounded in my ears—too loud, like something was clawing its way out. And then fire – it hit my collarbone like a brand. I gasped, my hands flying to my neck as the heat of the burn spread throughout my body. My chair scrapped the floor loudly as I stood up; this time the hallucinations don’t just flicker, they take me. Moonlight shining down through the trees as a voice echoes through them. Old, distant, but there. So… I screamed. When I came back, it was quiet, too quiet. The lecture hall was empty; my breathing was uneven, my chest rising and falling too fast. Cynthia was beside me, her usual sarcasm gone. “You blacked out,” she said softly. I swallowed hard. “I didn't." “You did." I looked past her; the professor stood a few feet away, arms crossed and outrightly tired. “That’s the sixth time this week, Sapphire." Professor Alex said evenly, No anger, no concern, just done. “I’m sorry,” I say hurriedly, even though I’ve said it far too many times. “You need to decide,” he cuts in. “Medical leave or you drop the course.” My stomach dropped. “I can fix this—” “No.” One word. “You’ve said that before; you’re a good student, Sapphire." He continued, gentle but unwilling to put up with it anymore. “But right now? You’re not functioning like one.” Each word was a blow, and now tears were streaming down my face. “Get it together,” he adds. “Or step away completely.” No one was present by the time I returned home, so instead of sulking, I waited till the clock hit 7pm, and when neither Mom nor Dad showed, I took my car keys and drove to a party Mom forbade me from going to. The drive was quiet; I gripped the steering wheel tighter than I should, my knuckles paling as my thoughts spiralled. Something is wrong with me. It wasn’t stress; it wasn’t burnout. It was something I couldn’t quite name. My phone buzzed on the passenger’s seat; it was Mom. I ignored it. It buzzed again, Dad. I ignored it again. Then this time it was Cynthia. I hesitated, then I picked up. “Hey—” “Sapphire, where are you?” Her voice was fast. Urgent. “Driving.” “Okay, listen to me—” The line crackled with static. “What?” I frown. “I can’t hear you.” “Don’t go—” The line went silent. I stared at the screen: ‘Call Ended’ “What in the actual hel—” Pain slams into my skull. My grip slips as the car swerves violently off the road. The car jerked up as my front tyres popped, the world blurred, and the burning at my collarbone came back stronger this time. I couldn’t breathe; I couldn’t think. And just before everything went dark, I felt someone’s arms catch me.