Luna walked through the mist with heavy steps.
She had left Stonecradle Gorge only two days ago, but her heart still carried the weight of what Terranak had shown her—the vision of her mother, the truth of her father, and the knowledge that she was born from both light… and shadow.
The wind had changed again.
Not in power, but in mood. It whispered secrets that didn't sound like her elemental kings. It warned her of something unseen, something near.
She had reached a strange place—a wide valley blanketed with thick fog. Trees stood crooked like they were listening. The silence was so loud that even her breathing felt like thunder.
She clutched her cloak tighter around her. "Something's not right," she murmured.
Suddenly—
> "Hello there," a voice said from behind.
Luna spun around, ready to call fire to her fingertips—but what she saw stopped her.
It was a girl. About her age. Dressed in a deep red cloak, with wild curly hair and a mischievous smile. She held a stick like a sword and was poking at a mushroom growing from a tree.
> "You look lost," the girl said with a grin. "Are you one of those dramatic forest ghosts?"
Luna blinked. "I—I'm not a ghost."
> "Shame. That would've made this valley more exciting. Name's Nia. You?"
"…Luna."
> "Pretty name. Mysterious. I like it."
Something about Nia made Luna pause. She was talkative. Bold. Funny, even. But there was a sharpness behind her eyes. Like she was watching Luna too closely.
Still, Luna followed her deeper into the valley. The conversation was light at first. Nia made jokes about her stick sword, tried to guess Luna's age, and even teased a squirrel by calling it "Sir Acorn."
But then—
> "So," Nia said casually. "You're the girl who can summon kings."
Luna froze.
"…How do you know that?"
Nia smiled too sweetly. "Word spreads fast. Especially when kings start bowing."
Luna stepped back.
> "Relax," Nia said, raising her hands. "I'm not here to fight you."
The fog thickened.
> "But I do want to know…" Nia's eyes glinted. "What does it feel like, Luna? To have all that power? To be chosen while the rest of us… are just background noise?"
Luna narrowed her eyes. "You're not just some girl in the woods, are you?"
> "Of course not," Nia whispered—and the ground beneath Luna's feet shattered.
Suddenly, vines erupted and wrapped around her ankles. Thorns circled her wrists. Luna fell to one knee, trapped.
> "Don't worry," Nia said, walking toward her. "This isn't personal. But the one in the shadows… he's been looking for you. And I work for him."
Her smile vanished.
> "You were born lucky. But girls like me? We were born to serve. You get the crown. I get the chains. Tell me, Luna—how is that fair?"
Luna struggled. "You don't have to follow him. You have a choice!"
> "No. I don't," Nia whispered, sadness flickering in her voice. "Not all of us are made to shine."
Suddenly—a blast of wind and fire burst from Luna, burning the vines and scattering the mist. She stood, trembling—not just with power, but with emotion.
> "You think I was born lucky?" Luna shouted. "I was born alone. Hated. Feared. I've earned every step I take. I don't have chains, Nia—I carry scars."
The words hit like lightning.
Nia stood frozen.
Luna walked past her—then paused.
> "You're stronger than you think. He doesn't own you. Not your story. Not your power."
And then, with a flick of her wrist, Luna vanished into the mist.
Nia stood alone, clutching her stick sword, eyes wide… and maybe, just a little less sure of her master.
---
Back on the hilltop, Luna sat down and let herself breathe.
Her hands shook. Not from fear—but from everything she felt.
Anger. Sadness. Pity. Power. Hope.
Not every enemy came with claws or swords. Some came with pain. With lost dreams. With broken girls, trying to survive in a world that told them they were less.
But Luna was done being quiet.
She wouldn't just fight for herself anymore.
She would fight for every girl who had been silenced.
The storm inside her was rising again.
And soon… the final element would call.