MOONBOUND HEARTS
Chapter Ten — The Hunters' Oath
The cavern hummed with quiet power. Torches burned in stone holders along the walls, casting flickering shadows across the ancient murals. Mara and Luca stepped carefully over the broken floorboards and rusted debris, eyes alert to every sound.
The white-haired woman led them to the center of the cavern, where a circular stone platform stood. Etched into its surface were intricate runes, glowing faintly in silver light—the same symbols that traced Mara's wrist.
"This is where the oath was sworn," the woman said, her voice reverent. "The first Moon Hunters bound themselves to protect the balance between shadow and light. And now, it falls to you."
Mara knelt, tracing one of the runes. The mark on her wrist pulsed in response, brightening with every heartbeat. "Why me?"
The woman's eyes met hers. "Because the Moon chose you. Every generation, a child is marked. Someone strong enough to bear the burden of both worlds. To confront the exile and end the corruption he brings."
Luca stepped beside Mara, eyeing the others warily. "How do we fight him? He destroyed everything we've faced so far."
"The exile cannot exist where the Moon's power is complete," one of the cloaked figures said. "But you must learn to channel it fully. Otherwise, the forest will burn, and nothing will remain of your world."
Mara felt the weight of the words pressing on her. She had survived trials, outwitted shadows, and faced a being older than the forest itself—but this was different. She was no longer running. Now she would wield the power she had barely begun to understand.
The white-haired leader handed Mara a small, carved dagger, its hilt etched with spiraling silver lines. "This is a conduit," she explained. "It will guide the Moon's light through you. But it will also test your resolve. One misstep, and you may lose yourself to it."
Mara accepted it, feeling the cold metal pulse faintly under her fingers. The mark on her wrist flared, resonating with the dagger's energy.
A murmur spread through the Moon Hunters, and the leader raised a hand. "Repeat the oath," she instructed.
One by one, the gathered figures placed their hands over the runes and spoke:
"By Moon's light and forest's breath, we bind ourselves to the balance. To guard against shadow and flame. To confront what should not be, and to endure the trial of blood and bone."
Mara and Luca exchanged a glance. She could feel the energy building, humming through the floor into her very bones. When it reached her, it was a force both terrifying and empowering.
"Now," the leader said, "you will learn. The exile's shadow is spreading faster than we feared. There is no time to waste. Your training begins immediately."
Mara took a deep breath, gripping the dagger. "I'm ready," she said, though every fiber of her body trembled with anticipation.
The cavern walls pulsed in silver light, illuminating the murals of battles long past. The Moon's power surged through Mara's veins, whispering secrets she barely understood.
And above, the forest shivered as if sensing the gathering storm.
The Moon Hunters circled the platform, their eyes gleaming with purpose. Mara gripped the dagger tightly, feeling the pulse of silver energy travel from the hilt into her wrist, spreading warmth through her veins.
"This is more than training," the leader said. "It is awakening. You must become one with the Moon's light, or it will consume you."
Mara nodded, focusing. She lifted the dagger and traced a spiral in the air. The runes on the platform glowed brighter, responding to her movements. The silver energy wrapped around her like a living cloak, coiling and twisting in patterns that seemed to reflect her heartbeat.
Luca watched from her side, worry etched into his features. "Remember, control it," he whispered. "Let it flow, don't force it."
She inhaled sharply, steadying her pulse. The dagger felt alive in her hands, its energy whispering secrets she didn't yet understand. Slowly, she moved through the motions demonstrated by the Hunters: spirals, arcs, and slashes, each one leaving a trail of silver light in the air.
"Good," the leader said. "You're feeling the rhythm. But control is only part of it. The Moon tests the mind as much as the body."
From the shadows of the cavern, a projection of the exile appeared—a vision conjured by the Hunters' power. His crimson eyes burned with malice, and his form shimmered as if he were both present and not.
"You cannot hide from me," the projection hissed. "Your strength is borrowed, weak. The Moon will fail you."
Mara's heart pounded, but she did not falter. She raised the dagger and focused, channeling the silver energy through her entire body. Light surged around her, forming a barrier between herself and the projection. The exile's image recoiled, howling in silent fury, and dissipated into a mist of shadows.
The leader nodded approvingly. "You see? You have power over fear. That is the first step toward mastery. But know this—the exile will not test you so mildly when he comes in reality. Your next trial will be immediate and lethal."
Luca reached for her hand. "I've faced him before. You're stronger than you think. But you won't be able to do this alone."
Mara looked at him, then back at the glowing runes beneath her feet. "Then we won't face him alone. The Moon chose both of us for this. I'll learn fast, or we'll die trying."
The cavern trembled faintly, a warning from the forest outside. The distant howl of the exile echoed in the tunnels, louder than before, carrying menace in every note.
"Tomorrow, we move to the outer wards," the leader said. "There, you will test your abilities under pressure. The exile's shadow will try to break you. Only then will you be ready for the path ahead."
Mara clenched her fists around the dagger, the silver veins on her wrist glowing fiercely. She felt the weight of the Moon's power, the responsibility of her mark, and the certainty that nothing—neither shadow, nor forest, nor exile—would turn her back.
Outside, the wind carried another howl, sharp and commanding, and the forest seemed to bend toward the cavern, anticipating the coming storm.
The Hunt had only just begun.
To be continued....