The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light casting long shadows across the silent waters. A quiet, cold breeze swept over the forest surrounding the lake, its rustling leaves the only sound breaking the stillness. At the water's edge, a figure stood—hidden in the shadows of the trees, watching. The air felt heavy, almost thick with something unseen, as if the land itself was holding its breath. There was something strange in the water tonight. Something that hadn’t been there before. A ripple, a slight disturbance that felt... unnatural. As if the water itself was alive, awakening. Her heart skipped a beat. Lunaria Sletcheinzs gripped the fabric of her cloak, the darkness of the night almost swallowing her whole. The cool air tugged at her hair, but she didn’t move. Her eyes remained fixed on the water, a strange, inexplicable pull in her chest urging her forward, toward the very thing that terrified her most. Why tonight? She’d felt it before—the unmistakable pull to the water, like a magnet calling her. But this was different. This time, the water seemed to be calling her name, beckoning her in ways she couldn’t understand. It felt wrong, and yet... she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the shimmering surface. A voice—soft, almost a whisper—rose from the depths of the lake, faint but clear.

 Lunaria…

Her breath caught in her throat.

 Lunaria Sletcheinzs….

The name echoed in her mind, a voice that she did not recognize yet somehow seemed familiar. She looked around, half expecting someone to step out from the shadows—someone who had been watching her. But the forest remained still, and the voice, as chilling as it was, faded into the night. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but she couldn’t tear herself away. Something was about to happen. Something she didn’t understand but knew, deep down, she had no power to stop. Lunaria’s thoughts were distant, absorbed in the mysteries she couldn’t yet understand, when the moonlight seemed to shift, casting new shadows on the landscape. The chill in the air deepened, bringing a quiet sense of foreboding to the tranquil estate. The night passed in silence, as if the world was holding its breath. The wind whistled through the trees, and the silence grew heavy with secrets long buried. Later that night, far away, a different feeling stirred. Then, as if the earth itself had woken from its slumber, Meridia stepped onto the terrace, her gaze drawn instinctively to the moon. The breeze caught her hair, the night air brushing against her face as she stood still, reflecting in the quiet solitude. She didn’t need to search for answers; the moon, her constant companion, had already spoken. But something else lingered in the air—an unspoken tension. Her thoughts flickered briefly. As Meridia continued to ponder, a chill ran through her, and a thought whispered in the silence. While Lunaria stood at the edge of the lake, feeling the mysterious pull of the water, Meridia Shaincheinzs sat alone on the terrace of her room, her gaze fixed on the moon. The terrace overlooked the vast grounds of her family estate, where the wind carried with it the faint scent of salt from the distant sea. The night air felt unusually heavy, as though it carried secrets on the wind—secrets meant for no one but the stars above. Meridia, however, wasn’t sure whether the feeling was coming from the world around her or from deep within her heart. The night had always felt comforting to her, a place where she could think clearly and feel at peace, away from the chaos of her noble duties. But tonight... it was different. A soft breeze tugged at her hair, brushing across her face as she sat in silence. She tilted her head back, staring at the moon as it hung high in the sky, casting its silver glow across the landscape. The gentle light of the moon seemed to connect her to something larger, something ancient. A sudden shiver ran down her spine. She couldn’t explain why, but tonight she felt watched. Not by anyone physically present but by something far older, far more ancient than any of the people around her. The sensation crept up her back, causing her to instinctively rise to her feet and look out over the grounds once more. The soft glow of the moonlight on the water below seemed so distant, so unreachable, yet somehow connected to her. Was it time? She didn't know why, but she had always believed she was different. That there was something in her blood, something passed down from her ancestors that would eventually reveal itself. She’d always assumed it was just a feeling—just a thought. But the weight of it tonight felt heavier than ever. Her heart raced as if something inside of her was awakening, something she’d been running from her whole life. The breeze tugged at her again, urging her to step away from the terrace, to leave her thoughts behind. But she didn’t. Instead, she let it swirl around her, as if it too was trying to tell her something. She gazed at the moon once more and whispered into the night, almost as if asking for answers. “Is this what it all leads to?” The night deepened further, and with it came a stillness that seemed to hold the world suspended. The moonlight stretched long across the land, and for a moment, the house seemed untouched by time. Yet, beneath the calm, an unspoken sense of urgency quietly stirred in the air. Asterlayna stood alone at the edge of the courtyard, her gaze sharp as the stars above. The cool breeze tugged at her hair, a reflection of the fire that burned deep within her. She had never been one to linger in thought for long. Action came naturally to her, but tonight, even she could feel the weight of something shifting. Her heart beat faster as a sudden wave of unrest gripped her. She was not one for magic, but the strange sense of something pulling her, something larger than herself, was undeniable. Hidden behind thick curtains, Asterlayna Sancheinzs stood at the edge of her window after going inside her room, the glass cold beneath her fingertips. Her sharp eyes were locked on the horizon where the forest met the sky, an expanse of trees stretching endlessly into the distance. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular; she just needed the solitude. Asterlayna had always felt the urge to act, to do something rather than wait. It was in her blood, this restless energy that surged in her veins. The quiet of the night didn’t calm her; it only reminded her of what was missing. Her mind constantly wandered to the same question: What was she supposed to do? She shook her head, as if to shake off the thought, and her eyes narrowed in determination. She had trained for years in martial arts and combat, skills that no one but her father had known about. It was a secret she’d kept for years—no one could know she wasn’t just the daughter of a noble family. She was more than that. But now, she couldn’t ignore the pull of something else—the same force that Lunaria and Meridia felt in the water, that strange sensation whispering through the night air. Her body tensed, ready for battle even though she wasn’t sure what she was preparing for. She had to fight something, whether it was physical or something deeper. As the wind whistled through the cracks of the windows, Asterlayna whispered, her voice barely a breath, “If you want me to fight, then show me what I’m supposed to fight.” --- And then, as the night continued, the air seemed to hum with anticipation, as if the world was waiting for something that had yet to unfold. Aelita walked softly through the quiet halls, her presence unnoticed by the world around her. She preferred it that way. Unlike the others, she was the most attuned to the whispers of the earth, the whispers of things unseen. She paused in the grand hallway, her fingers tracing the edges of a tapestry that hung by the window. A sudden, inexplicable sadness filled her heart, a quiet knowing that there was something missing—something important yet untold. She hadn’t expected it to come like this, but the feeling was overwhelming. It was as if the very air around her had grown thick with secrets—secrets only she was beginning to understand. Meanwhile, deep within the estate’s grand library, Aelita Sheencheinzs sat surrounded by rows upon rows of ancient tomes. The scent of old paper filled the air as her delicate fingers traced the spine of a books she’d read a hundred times before. Aelita was not drawn to action or physicality; she preferred to find answers in books and knowledge. She wasn’t as sure of the pull that had beckoned her to the water or the breeze. To her, the world was filled with possibilities, all waiting to be discovered. But tonight... tonight felt different. The air seemed thick, heavy with magic. In the library of her family estate, Aelita remained unaware of the stirrings of others. Instead focused on the ancient tomes that filled her world. Aelita closed her eyes for a moment, her mind reaching out for answers. The magic of the world had always fascinated her, and in the deepest corners of the library, she had uncovered ancient secrets that few could ever understand. Yet, something inside her told her that what she was seeking now was not found in these books. She would need to reach beyond. Her fingertips brushed the worn pages, and a soft, ethereal light flickered around her hand, responding to her touch. It was the same magic that flowed through her—subtle, powerful, and ever-present. She wasn’t sure what her abilities were just yet, but she knew that the time to uncover them was fast approaching. “I can feel it,” she murmured softly. “Whatever this is... it’s coming for us.” 

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