Luma Hollow was a village that never feared the dark. Every night, Starwhisps tiny glowing lights floated through the sky like dancing stars, keeping shadows away and dreams safe.
Mela loved lying on her roof to watch them. She believed they had names, secrets, and stories.
Eli watched them too, but he liked to write down how many came, what color they glowed, how long they stayed. He didn't believe in stories. He believed in patterns.
But one night, the Starwhisps didn't come.
The sky stayed black. The village felt cold.
And the forest at the edge of the village… was silent.
Mela sat up straight. "Eli! Did you see? They're gone!"
Eli ran from his house holding his notebook. "I saw. And it's not just here. The whole village is dark. Even the Light Tree stopped glowing."
The Light Tree was in the middle of the village square. It had never stopped shining. Not once.
Something was wrong.
"Come on," Mela said. "We have to go find them."
Eli looked nervous. "You mean… into the forest?"
Mela nodded. "Into the forest."
And just like that, two brave kids held hands and stepped toward a mystery much bigger than either of them knew.