Chapter 1: The Moon’s Shadow
In a Kingdom called Lunareth, where the sun was almost a forgotten myth and the moon never slept, the people lived beneath a sky of eternal haze…
The kingdom lay shrouded beneath a permanent haze, a frozen labyrinth of mountains, valleys, and pine forests. Even in the day, the sun’s face remained hidden, veiled by thick clouds that stretched across the sky like a silken grey curtain. Only once every three months did the sun dare to show its glory, and then the people celebrated with all their hearts, dancing around the golden statue of the hidden sun, drinking, feasting, and offering their devotion in fleeting joy before darkness returned.
But night after night, the moon shone bright, ever-present, bathing the land in silvery light. She was their goddess - cold, beautiful, and eternal, her pale face reflected in every icicle, every frozen stream. The villagers whispered her name with reverence, fear, and longing, for she watched over them ceaselessly.
Virginia’s small hands clutched her mother’s sleeve as they climbed the treacherous path toward the mountaintop. Snow crunched beneath their boots, and her breath came in white clouds that mingled with the dense fog. She was only nine, her long curls bouncing as she ran, trying to keep pace with her 2 older brothers. Her eyes, light brown in the moonlight, sparkled with excitement and fear.
Beside her ran Stephen, a boy of ten, his black wolf-cut hair dusted with snow, blue eyes wide with mischief. The son of the old high priestess, he always moved like a shadow among the villagers and trees, a little braver than most children. He held Virginia’s hand once when they went playing hide and seek in the canopied forests, and let go when he felt too shy and silly, but stayed close, running ahead to point out a frozen deer or a distant pine cone, laughing as his voice carried through the mountains.
“Careful, Virginia! The ice is thin there,” he called, his voice steady but playful.
“I’m not afraid,” she said, trying to sound braver than she felt. But she nearly slipped and almost fell but Stephen caught her hand again, steadying her. She looked up at him, feeling warmth spread through her chest, though she didn’t yet understand what the inner feeling of warmth meant
The villagers had gathered at the mountaintop before the full moon rose. Maidens and men alike were dressed in white — girls in flowing, delicate gowns that brushed the snow, boys in tunics and trousers of soft, frost-colored linen. The air smelled of pine, smoke, and the freshly slaughtered animals prepared for the feast. The town crier shouted the announcements, his voice echoing over the valleys.
“Hear ye! All members of the kingdom Lunareth! Tonight, under the full moon, the Moon Goddess accepts her chosen! The one who would be sacrificed to the gods . Let the festival begin!”
Priests chanted around the great white fire conjured with magic, flames dancing and crackling in the gloomy cold. The villagers bowed their heads in ritual submission. Every full moon, one sinner was chosen - a life offered to the goddess to maintain the balance between shadow and light. To atone for the sins of the people. For she demanded not blood of animals, for they were not pure enough to wash away the stain of sin from her subjects.
Virginia’s heart sank when she saw the priestess open the ancient golden scroll filled with the names of everyone who ever lived in this village . The air grew heavy, the snow falling slower, as though even the wind feared what was about to happen. Her mother pressed a hand against her lips, holding her back from gasping.
Stephen stepped closer to her side. “What is it, Virginia?”
She shook her head, her lips trembling and replied , “I had a dream, a bad dream where the apple tree in my backyard mysteriously died”. Stephen replied “ Virginia, I am so sorry. But you don’t really like the apple tree, right? And it’s still there. It was when I passed by your house this afternoon”. “yes, Stephen it’s not my favourite tree but it’s my little sister’s favourite tree. And you know how much I love her. So it did hurt to dream something like that, and yes, the tree is still there which is strange. What is the meaning of such a dream? What’s a tree when it’s not a tree ?” Replied Virginia . “ I don’t know Virgie. Let’s just listen , and be good children so that we don’t get sacrificed”. Her gaze caught the scroll, as the high priestess held it in her hands . Time seemed to stretch, the villagers holding their collective breath.
“Liora,” the priestess intoned.
Virginia’s stomach dropped. Her little sister’s name — her beloved Liora — why on earth was it her?! What on earth did Laura do to deserve this ? She was a baby. Innocent. Panic seized her. She stumbled forward, but the crowd held her back. Stephen gripped her arm tightly, fear mirrored in his bright blue eyes.
“No!” Virginia shrieked. “She’s only six! You can’t!”
The priestess’s face remained expressionless, her white hair flowing like moonlight itself. “The Moon Goddess chooses, and we must obey,” she said, her voice soft but cold and final.
Liora cried, confused and terrified, as two priests led her toward the white fire. Virginia’s hands tore at her hair; she could not move fast enough, could not save her sister. Stephen tried to step forward, but the crowd pressed him back as well. Virginia’s parents begged and cried but no one listened to them! The decision was already made.
Virginia’s tears froze on her cheeks as the flames rose higher, casting long shadows across the mountains. The moon above seemed to watch silently, unyielding, indifferent to the screams of the innocent. Liora’s small voice was swallowed by the fire, and Virginia felt a rage, a flower of hatred and disgust, bloomed inside her chest.
When it was over, silence reigned. The chosen had been given, the festival continued, but Virginia’s heart had changed. She looked at the pale face of the moon and whispered a vow that no child should ever take lightly: I will not forget this. I will not forgive you.
Stephen put a hand on her shoulder. “Virginia… we… we’ll be okay,” he said gently, though he too had been shaken by the horror. She turned to him, tears still in her eyes, and in that moment, something unspoken passed between them. A bond, forged in grief a foundation made to withstand all odds
The feast carried on. Villagers drank the freshly brewed ale. They ate the meat roasted over the flames, and danced around the fire. Stephen and Virginia sat together on a snowy outcrop, watching the moon and holding hands silently, comforted by each other’s warmth.
“Do you think the Moon goddess is… angry with us?” Virginia asked softly.
Stephen shook his head. “She doesn’t hate us, Virginia… she just… watches. Always.”
Virginia swallowed hard and replied “ what about the sun god?” she said , looking up at the silver face of the goddess above she added “ is he as cruel as our goddess is?” before Stephen could reply she got up , angry and frustrated, filled with pain, eyes flowing with tears like a waterfall and added “ I need space”. Stephen tried to follow his friend but her parents advised him not to. Reluctantly he obeyed.
As Virginia ran through the forest, she kept remembering her Liora and the times they shared. Hot and salty tears flowed flowed down her cheeks. She kept cursing at the moon and didn’t realize when she had gotten too far. She got scared , she looked around petrified at the dark gloomy forest. And then she heard a feminine voice. “Virginia , why do you dislike me so much? Why do you rebel me? You laid your eyes on what’s mine and I took from you as a punishment. Let this be a warning stay away from what is mine and I would let you be . If you do not , I would keep taking from this village until you obey me my child” Virginia looked with horror at the shadow of a woman who mysteriously appeared before her. The aura felt ancient. One she couldn’t explain “ who are you?! What are you?! The moon goddess?! This is really what you look like? I’d rather worship the sun than to bow to a joke like you. What could a mortal like me take from a goddess like you?! I am just a child!” The moon got furious “ you dare speak to me like this ? I will make you suffer beyond imagination child.” Before Virginia could respond, an ancient owl swept through the forest and aimed for Virginia’s eyes , just as his claws were about to hurt her eyes a golden eagle that glowed with an other worldly light attacked the owl , the creature of the night and they both vanished in to thin air, so did the shadow! Virginia was horrified by the horrendous event and grateful at the same time to the kind mysterious eagle . “ maybe it was an angel” she said . “wake up child it is a dream” she heard and she woke up. She was so anxious and asked her mother for advice about the golden eagle but she told not her mother of the other details .Her mother remembered a prophecy that was told her when Virginia was born “And from her womb shall come the flame that lights a thousand years” her mother pondered to herself could this be that light has found my daughter? Will she save us from this evil darkness? This evil goddess who claims to love us when all she does is to take?
“Virginia” she said “ there is something I would love to speak to you about, something very important. When you were born, a young man appeared to me in my dreams ,covered in light. He repeated a prophecy that our people have believed in for centuries,« And from her womb shall come the flame that lights a thousand years». He said it to me every night in my dreams until you were born.” “ my child she added “ you are special and a child of light, do not forget that. I don’t fully know what this all means but I know that the light has chosen you to guide us out of this madness!
Virginia didn’t understand the meaning of all this yet for she was still a child . She only knew the fire of anger and sorrow in her heart. And in that fire, the seed of a future, unimaginable, had already begun to grow.
