The moon rose once again, but this time it filled Lunar Glade with shadow instead of light. The hole in my heart weakened the moon's essence, weakened Lunar Glade. It needed Valen. I needed Valen...
Being a guardian meant I had to protect the forest with everything I knew. I was required by the high oracles to rise with each full moon ensuring that the balance in Lunar Glade was stable, ensuring no dark magic engulfed its being. This meant never being able to leave Lunar Glade, but instead of a new dawn, dusk fell upon us. The worst part was that it was my fault, my emotions got in the way of my purpose. I knew I had to break the pact, I had to find him before complete darkness took over.
I set out to Thundercove, a place filled with mages, a place filled with dark magic. Their ruler, Sebastian, encouraged this - he was the type of warlock that would do anything for eternal power and immortality, waging wars against other realms to empower and strike fear in the hearts of all living creatures. I knew that he certainly would not appreciate a moonspirit entering his lands, but the fate of Lunar Glade depended on it.
As I entered Thundercove's boarders I was observed by its residents - they stared at me, smirking, taunting me, yelled words in an ancient language which sounded like spells or curses. I just kept walking. Thundercove itself was dark, no moon or sun dared to shine upon this place. Candlelight lit up the windows of the wooden cabins which stood in rows lined up against dirt roads, crows' screeches circled the land ringing in my ears. Smells of brewed potions and earthy herbs filled my olfactory senses.
"Halt Moonspririt," a man's voice called out.
"State your business here!" he insisted in a loud tone of voice. I could feel the presence of other warlocks surrounding me from behind, stopping me from leaving. It seemed that they were Sebastian's guards.
"I mean no harm. I have come to see Valen," I explained.
"Valen? That weakling was cast out by lord Sebastian," the head guard laughed initiating the other guards to laugh as well.
I sensed an uneasy feeling, knowing that something was wrong. "Fine, I'll leave then," I said hastily wanting to escape this uncomfortable and possibly dangerous situation. With the absence of the moon in Thundercove and my weakened power, I knew I was no match against these warlocks.
"You are not going anywhere, Moonspirit! You are coming with us," the guard said signaling the other guards to escort me.
They took me up a hill, the dirt crunched underneath my feet, the guards' hands burning against my arms. Eventually a large shape stood tall in the darkness - it was the castle of Sebastian. Each brick of the castle was just as dark as the rest of Thundercove, no darker. An eerie atmosphere surrounded its walls. We entered the castle through a large iron door. The guards held me tighter with every step until they shoved me to my knees.
"This one seeks Valen, Your Majesty," the guard said eliciting a snarky laugh form the shadows.
"Ahh, a moonspirit. It is about time the moon came to us, excellent for channeling. Think of all the riches and power we could get by channeling you for our magic," Sebastian smirked.
"There is a reason why moon- and sunspirits don't come here. And to think you broke the pact, leaving your realm unprotected for a weakling like Valen. Must be serious," he continued.
"Just let me go!" I yelled at Sebastian.
"No Moonspirit you will stay and let us channel you, and if you don't, I will send my army after your precious Valen and your realm!" he exclaimed.
Without a choice, without strength I had to conform, but before I knew it Sebastian ordered the search for Valen and an invasion to Lunar Glade. He went against his word. I messed up, I not only put myself in danger, but Valen and Lunar Glade as well.
With each day that have past that I was held prisoner in a dark cell, I could feel my energy draining, my strength weakening. Then I heard a broken voice:
"He is on his way," it said. As I looked up at the barred window of my cell, a crow sat. I instantly knew that it was a familiar, Valen's familiar. My heart filled with hope, my eyes gleamed a bit brighter. The crow flapped its obsidian wings and flew away in the darkness.
A few hours later, the cell door screeched open, it was Valen...
But he fell to the ground, bleeding, almost unconscious.
"Valen!" I screamed rushing over to him. He was severely injured.
"Lira, my light," he uttered in a soft rough voice.
I knew I had to do something. I cried, this was all my fault! With my last bit of power I held my hands over Valen and attempted to heal him. I poured every inch of myself into him, hoping that it would save his life. He then closed his eyes letting out a struggling breath...
I now sobbed, laying my head on his lifeless chest when the crow flew through the window. It had something in its mouth - valerian root, mandrake and wolfsbane which it had gathered. He also had something in its claw, a piece of Lunar Glade's crystals.
"Potion... Healing," the bird squawked.
I now knew I had to somehow make a potion to heal him, but potions weren't in my repertoire of skills as my powers were usually strong enough without them.
In the cell, water dripped out of a rusty old pipe which I used as the base for the potion. I also used a rock that laid in the corner of the cell to crush the ingredients into a fine powder. I placed everything into a vial which was attached to Valen's belt, and fed the potion to him. After a few minutes he awoke.
He sat up and gave me a warm embrace. He then looked deep into my eyes, his face just almost caressing my own, his nose almost just touching mine. He leaned forward and kissed my lips, slowly. He awoken me, he healed me, he empowered me once more. Instead of shattering into dust I... We, became whole again. My powers returned.
"You truly are the light to my darkness, the strength to my weakness. I should have stayed with you in Lunar Glade despite the oracle's pact. I was once the leader, the high warlock of Thundercove, but was overthrown by Sebastian, my brother through lies and trickery causing the oracles to summon me for a hearing. Luckily they got news through other realms that Sebastian was the one who needed to be punished," Valen explained.
"That's why I needed to pass through your forest that day, I returned afterwards, but you weren't there and I just knew something was amiss. We are connected you and I, we always have been," he continued.
"Valen, I am so sorry that I caused this mess, Lunar Glade is in trouble and you almost lost your life because of me," I said, wiping the endless tears from my cheeks.
"Lira, this wasn't your fault, this was bound to happen based on a prophecy long before our time. The prophecy indicates that a force of light and dark will reunite bringing a new, a stronger power to the realms enhancing its equilibrium. It is up to us. You saw what we could do that day in Lunar Glade. The oracles explained that they forbade dark magic in your realm because of the consequences it could have. That type of power should not fall into the wrong hands, but I will go against them as that is the only way to stop Sebastian... And for us to be together."
We agreed that we had to join forces. We both channeled our powers as we did that day in Lunar Glade under the Lilac moon, and the whole of Thundercove shattered into light - not too bright nor too dark. We overthrew Sebastian and his followers who was banned for all eternity to the realm of Purgatory where no one, even if they tried, could escape. They were left in limbo with time frozen like ice.
The oracles were sceptic at first of our conjoined forces, but soon requested it as the new master guardians of both Lunar Glade and Thundercove where magic and moon was used for the wellbeing of all. Where balance was acquired in a perfect harmony, where the crystals and plants glimmered like diamonds under the lilac moon once more, humming melodies of infinite power.
Valen and I not only joined our essence of power, but also joined forces romantically where, a few months later a baby was born. She was called her Dawn, heir to magic and moon...
