Moonbound: The Blood Pact

ollow

d her was unsettling, broken only by the distant calls of birds and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Her mind raced as the gravity of their situation settled deeper within her ch

mind's eye. The promise of the Hollow Gate, the rift between worlds, the nightmare that was coming for them all. It was no longer a myth

nt reminder that she wasn't alone in this. "You're quiet today," he observe

ight. The Hollowborn were more organized than they had ever been before and the fact that they were hunting for the Hollow Gate made them

thinking about it all wrong, They didn't

of everything. The circle, the land, everything. They won't stop until they

riefly on her shoulder, "You're carrying a heavy load, Lira. We're all in

e who could carry this burden. "I can't fail," she said quietly, her voice tinged with a qui

ght of the responsibility that crushed her from the inside out. Finally, aft

about her own limitations not now, not when

Lira met the eyes of her trusted allies Kade, Maelen, Rheya, and Orin. They were all leaders in their own right, their strength and loy

ays been a threat, but they've never been this organized, They're not just scattere

out how to breach the Hollow Gate, then nothing can stop them. We'

hs of the Hollow lands, the place where the Hollowborn were born and where their power still lingered. "If the Gate is to be opened, it

et there? The Hollow lands are a death trap, Even t

hem now, we'll never have another chance, The Hollowborn will unleash h

hink we'll even survive the journey? The Hollow lands are unlike anything we've ever

her choice and we can't let fear guide us, Orin. Fear wi

air like a heavy storm, but there was no room for hesitation. They had alr

roup of scouts to find any sign of the Hollowborn.

pare what supplies we'll need for the jou

move quickly and quietly. If we can get ahead of them, we ma

s thick with urgency and the Circle had no time to waste, every mome

sion, of the responsibility she carried, threatened to crush her, but she

as they neared the border of the Hollow lands. The trees grew twisted, their branches gnarl

malevolent presence of the Hollowborn lingering just beyond the edges of their awarenes

omfort in the growing darkness. "How far are we f

ape. "We'll reach the border by dawn but I can feel t

rest around them seemed to close in with every step they took. Lira's mind was a whirl of thoughts

ose high in the sky, the fir

ped a beat, the sound was followed by the sharp crack of a branch, and then

with an unearthly light. They moved faster than anything Lira had ever seen,

shouted, drawing her

ircle's warriors in a blur of blood and snarls. Lira fought with every ounce of strength she had,

he took down another Hollowborn, But they just kept coming, m

she realized they we

voice steady despite the chaos a

e, The Hollowborn