SHADOWBOUND HEARTS

Chapter Two

Selene's heart pounded, and every beat sounded in her ears as she awaited the trials Eamon had spoken of. Eamon's words rang in her ears, 'The forest will test you.' She knew her journey had only just begun, with trials to reveal themselves soon enough. Her eyes ranged over the altar, the carvings within seeming to glow slightly in the moonlight. The runes there pulsed softly with ancient power, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they, too, were alive and watching her.

The soft rustling sound, as if on cue, came from the edge of the clearing. Selene spun sharply around. Her breath caught in her throat. Out of the shadows into the moonlight stepped a figure swathed in darkness. The presence was unmistakable, but it was hard to discern any features—an aura, one of menace and authority that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Greetings, Selene," the figure spoke; his voice was a low, rumbled whisper, so smooth and soft, it felt it came from someplace and no place at once: "I am the Sentinel of the Trials. I shall be your guide to the trials following."

Selene warily eased back, taking a step. The warnings her instincts had been picking up told her to steer clear. "What do you want from me?" she asked, trying to sound braver than she felt.

"This is a test of your spirit, your grund, and your courage," replied the Sentinel. "You will face your worst fear and your greatest weaknesses. But fear not, for each challenge is a new opportunity to prove yourself."

A sudden gust of wind blew through the clearing and within it was carried a whisper of ancient voices. Selene shivered with the sudden increase in her anxiety. There had been an eerie undertone to the Sentinel's words, and she now felt a growing sense of foreboding.

"The first trial will begin shortly. Prepare yourself, for it will be unlike anything you have faced before.

With that, the figure melted back into the shadows, leaving Selene once more on her own. She took a long silent breath to calm down her nerves; now the clearing was eerily silent except for the sound of her ragged breathing.

She waited, and suddenly, visions of her past returned, including her life within the Eldergrove Pack and the rejection that had been handed to her. To her pack, she had always been a misfit—someone outside looking in. Any accomplishment that Selene seemed to make was scorned and mocked, and Alpha Drake's scathing renunciation had been the final nail in the coffin.

Her mind returned to that fateful day of rejection. She stood before Drake, hopeful and full of determination. More than anything else, she had yearned for his acceptance and a place at his side. Instead, she found herself a member, her dreams shattered instantaneously. She held on to that hurt, and it stayed with her as a smoldering flame of vindication to prove themselves, to show them all, more than most people thought of her.

Hardly had she digested these thoughts when the Sentinel emerged once more into the light, his face very grave. "The first ordeal begins," he said, his voice resolute. "Follow me.

Selene's heart hiccupped as she followed the Sentinel to the rim of the clearing. Ahead the way was buried in darkness, trees like quiet sentinels flanking the path. Felt it colder here, and the pressing weight of silence was heavy. Her footsteps were muffled under the thick layer of leaves, and the only sound was the occasional slight crackling of twigs beneath her feet.

The Sentinel led her to a small, out-of-the-way glade where there was only one tree, gnarled with branches like skeletal fingers. At the base of the tree was an enormous, ancient volume bound in dark leather. The book itself seemed to give off a faint, pulsing light and was inscribed with intricate symbols on the cover.

"You hold in your hands the Book of Shadows," said the Sentinel. "It has the solution to your first test. Open it and read the inscription inside."

Curious and yet a little hesitant, Selene moved closer to the book. When she turned the cover lightly, she saw that it was replete with a language in which she did not have the ability to read ancient symbols and runes that, from her perception, shimmied and writhed on the page. And then she peered closely at the inscriptions, a sense of unease rising over her. The book came alive under her gaze. Its pages seemed to tremble, as though struggling to reveal their secrets to the reader.

"The inscription will show what the ordeal is about," read out the Watcher. "Read it well and prepare yourself."

Selene fixed her concentration on the symbols before her, in an attempt to interpret them in a certain way. And, a wave of dizziness came over her as the forest seemed to blur around her. Symbols on the page seemed to glow with a faint, eerie light, the very words coming alive to compose a message that resonated deep inside her.

"Confront your fear; enter darkness," it said. "Only by facing your Shadow can you overcome"

It was a cryptic phrase, but she knew that deep within it lay the knowledge: that the trial would put her face to face with that which she feared the most. Selene shut the book. Her heart was beating fast as she turned to the Sentinel, an inscrutable expression gracing his face.

"Are you ready?" the Sentinel asked, final in its tone.

Selene drew in a deep breath, feeling her resolve hardening. "Yes," she returned, quite firm. "I am ready."

The Sentinel inclined its armored head in the direction of the tree. "Then step forth and face the trialing."

Cautiously, Selene approached the tree. When she touched the bark, shivers passed through her, and everything around turned black. She was swallowed up by dark nothingness, when all of her five senses were overwhelmed by the feeling of confinement in a cold and hollow space.

The fear in the darkness started to become her own. Shadows took the shape of haunting images from her past: the pack's rejection, scornful peers' faces, and the heavy weight of inadequacy. Every image seemed to speak of failure and worthlessness felt by the poor creature. Shadows whispered their taunts and criticisms, their voices now a plethora of self-doubt.

She tried to get the message of the book, to turn inside of her the darkness. She was ready to face the shadows, the realization of her fears and insecurities. And thus, she felt a rush of anger and determination to rise within her. The shadows were not just reflections of her past; they presented things to rise above, hindrances to her growth.

With renewed determination, Selene finally let out the shadows and did precisely that. With all the fears being confronted, images of her past were deconstructed one by one. The process was strenuous, both physically and emotionally, but she would not give up. Nothing from her past would surely define or have a hold on her.

Slowly, the darkness began to recede; wherever she shifted her gaze, the shadows disappeared. The blackness around her shifted to gray, and the intense silence was cut by a gentle, musical voice. The woods opened up in front of her again: the trees, the glade.

The Sentinel stood nearby, approvingly looking at Selene. "You have passed the first trial," he said. "You are facing your fears and embracing your darkness.

Selene nodded wearily, breathing raggedly. She was so very tired. But she had to feel accomplishment, too, and relief, for having faced her deepest fears and come out on very top. The trial had tested her, but so much of what she could do amazed herself.

The Sentinel made an inviting gesture toward her hand. "The first step of this journey has passed. The trials yet stand, but you have proven worthy. Always remember, every challenge opens a new door to self-discovery and growth.

Selene took the Sentinel's hand, feeling a sense of gratitude and determination. She had faced the darkness within her and had come out stronger. The journey ahead would be hard, but she was ready to face it, prove her worth, find her place in this world.

As the Sentinel led her back to the edge of the clearing, a renewed sense of purpose seemed to well up inside Selene. It was trials only beginning for her, yet she felt prepared for whatever challenge could stand before her. It was a place full of mystery and magic, and she was filled with an unquenchable resolve to solve the mystery and find her way to redemption; this was hers alone.