The skies of Moonshine turned crimson as the Memory Core pulsed with growing heat in Tara's hands. Images surged through her—visions of a time when gods still walked the stars.
The Warning Within
As Tara meditated with the orb, a voice echoed in her mind—not gentle, not cruel, but ancient.
_"You seek to stop the Shroud... yet you awaken me?"_
Startled, Tara opened her eyes. The Memory Core now bore a symbol glowing gold—a spiral flame surrounded by wings. Jasmine gasped.
"That's the mark of Aurelion... the Forgotten God."
Who Was Aurelion?
Jasmine explained, "Aurelion was once the Guardian of Balance. He watched over realms, ensuring no power grew too dark or too bright. But he vanished eons ago—betrayed and sealed."
"Sealed where?" Tara asked.
"Beneath the Vale of Echoes," Neha answered grimly. "That place was forbidden for a reason."
To the Vale of Echoes
The trio traveled across Moonshine to its edge, where sky turned violet and gravity bent sideways. The Vale was a realm of memories—each step rewound time.
They saw visions of themselves—moments from their past:
Tara's first day in school.
Jasmine's coronation.
Neha's childhood tears in a storm.
"It's trying to distract us," Jasmine said, pushing forward.
The Prison Beneath
At the Vale's heart lay a black mirror, floating over a silver pool. Tara placed the Memory Core inside it.
Light erupted.
The Forgotten God rose.
He was neither man nor beast—wreathed in wings made of smoke and flame, his eyes endless galaxies.
"You should not have awakened me," he said.
"We need your help," Tara pleaded. "The Shroud is devouring the realms."
Aurelion studied her. "I vowed never to interfere again. But... I see something in you—something impossible."
He raised a hand, and fire danced between his fingers.
"Very well. I shall lend you my breath of power. Once. Use it wisely."
A Deal Struck
Aurelion leaned close. "But in return, you must bear my curse—visions of all that might have been, all that never was. You will never dream the same again."
Tara hesitated... then nodded.
Fire surged into her chest, wrapping around her heart like a serpent.
Her eyes glowed. Her blade shimmered with new power—alive.
The Shroud Reacts
Far away, deep in the veil between worlds, the Shroud recoiled. A scream—like metal torn in two—rang across the cosmos.
It knew.
It feared.
And it was coming.