The wind died completely. Even the rustle of leaves ceased, as if the very forest held its breath, waiting to see who would break first. Selene stood beneath the tallest standing stone, her white robes catching the faint glow of the carvings behind her, making her look almost like a spirit herself—beautiful, hollow, and cold. The warriors at her back shifted restlessly, their eyes empty, their loyalty stolen and twisted by dark magic.
“You have come so far,” Selene said, her voice carrying easily across the silent circle, sweet and mocking. “You walked through the valley of whispers. You crossed the bridge that breaks hearts. And for what? To hand the power back to the very ones who cast you out?”
Kael’s grip on his sword tightened until his knuckles turned white. “You speak of casting o
