MOONLIT RECKONING

uffocating, as though time itself had come to a standstill. She inhaled deeply (her breath steady, controlled)-yet the air held a foreign quality, nearly too pristine for her liking. Beneath her, s

pted to rise; but everything felt distinctly... wrong. The memories of how she had arrived in this strange place eluded her and the overwhelming disorientation left her in a state of confus

time, she observed the faint glow of moonlight shimmering along her fingers. Something was... different. She didn't identify her hands-slender yet formidable, with an otherworldly sheen; but there was an unmistakable strength in their structure. As she flexed her fingers, she could sense her muscles, taut and poised to spring into action. Each movement felt sharp

it felt amiss. Her senses were heightened, sharper than they had ever been, yet she could not decipher this new reality. A fragmented memory emerged, only to evaporate like smoke in the breeze. She glimpsed flashes-a castle, an ancient realm drenched in blood-r

ily stunned. It was as though the very earth obeyed her movements-her body had transformed into a perfect instrument of speed and power. Her legs propelled her effortlessly through the forest, as if they had always been attuned to the terrain. However, Aurora stopped ab

teeter on the brink of recalling something vital, but it eluded her grasp just as swiftly. The shards of her past taunted her, perpetually just out of reach, reminiscent of a half-remembered dream. Suddenly, a sound-a soft rustling in the trees-fractured the stillness, jolting her back into clarity. Her instincts ignited. Aurora crouched, her body coiling

e said, his voice low and smooth, but with an edge of warning. Aurora narrowed her eyes, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. There was no fear-only confusion. "Who are you?" The man studied her and a flicker of something passed through his eyes: recognition? Pity? "Asher," he replied simply. "I've been waiting

t skipped a b

transpired in her former life and why did they torment her currently? The disjointed memories surged forth once more, like waves crashing relentlessly upon a shore. The name "Kael" resonated within her mind, igniting a torrent of fury that coursed through her veins. Although she was uncertain of his identity, she understood he held the key to her past-and to her vengeance. Asher's pre

uld inevitably guide her to Kael. The moon lingered low in the heavens, illuminating the forest with its silvery glow. In the ensuing silence, Aurora committed herself to a promise: she would un