The moon hung high above the palace walls, casting its silver glow over the land. It was a haunting beauty that only seemed to grow more ominous the longer Seraphina stared at it. The night had fallen quiet, too quiet, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
But the stillness was deceptive.
A rider had been seen near the Northern Border—the Moonmarked. The very mention of the name brought a chill to Seraphina's heart. The Moonmarked was no mere legend, no distant threat. He was real, and his return could mean only one thing: the prophecy was awakening.
Seraphina stood in the middle of her chamber, gazing at the stars that sparkled through the balcony window. Her fingers tightened around the letter that had arrived that morning.
The Moonmarked rides again.
She had been preparing for battle for weeks now, training with Cassian, learning to control her powers. But no matter how much she learned, no matter how strong she became, the weight of her destiny pressed down on her shoulders like a thousand stones. She was the Lightbearer—the one who would either save the kingdom or see it burn.
And now, the man in the mask—the one who had spoken of unraveling threads—was no longer a distant shadow. He was coming for her.
A knock at the door broke her reverie.
"Seraphina?"
Cassian's voice was gentle but filled with urgency. She opened the door to find him standing there, his eyes shadowed with concern.
"We need to talk," he said, stepping inside. "The scouts have confirmed it. The Moonmarked is close."
"I know," Seraphina whispered. "I can feel it."
Cassian's gaze softened. "Are you ready?"
She hesitated. "How can anyone be ready for this? How can I be ready to face something so… dark?"
Cassian placed a hand on her shoulder, grounding her. "You've already faced darkness. You've faced fear, doubt, and pain—and you've come out stronger every time. You have something no one else has—your heart. Trust it, Seraphina. It's stronger than you think."
Her heart fluttered at his words, a strange warmth spreading through her chest. "But what if my heart isn't enough? What if I fail?"
"You won't." His voice was firm, unwavering. "You have more than your heart. You have the light inside you. And you have me."
Seraphina searched his eyes, seeing the sincerity there, and for the first time in weeks, she felt a flicker of hope. It wasn't about her destiny. It wasn't about the battle to come. It was about the people who stood by her, who believed in her—even when she couldn't believe in herself.
"I'm not alone," she whispered.
"Never," he replied.
---
The next morning, the kingdom stirred with activity as news of the approaching Moonmarked spread. The Harvest Festival was forgotten, replaced by preparations for war. Warriors donned their armor, archers practiced their aim, and the royal court moved in a flurry of plans and decisions.
Seraphina stood at the palace's edge, looking out at the horizon where the first rays of sunlight were just beginning to break through the dark clouds. Her thoughts were a swirl of uncertainty, but one thing was clear: the time for hiding was over.
She turned to Cassian, who stood beside her, his face stoic as always, but his eyes betraying the worry he refused to show.
"What now?" she asked softly.
"We prepare," Cassian answered. "And we wait."
---
That evening, as the shadows grew longer, Seraphina made her way to the garden—a place she had always found solace in. The path was lined with the flickering light of lanterns, their glow casting soft, warm light on the stone path.
She paused at the entrance of the garden, her eyes catching the movement of a figure in the distance. It was him.
The masked man.
For a moment, they stood there, gazing at each other from across the garden. Seraphina's breath caught in her throat. The prophecy had spoken of him, but seeing him now—seeing his silver mask, the dark cloak, the figure that seemed to melt into the shadows—was a reality she wasn't prepared for.
The figure stepped forward, his voice low and cold as he spoke.
"You're more like her than I expected."
Seraphina's heart pounded. "Who are you?" she demanded, stepping forward herself, though her hands shook.
The figure chuckled softly, his voice like a whisper in the wind. "A friend. Or an enemy. That depends on you, Lightbearer."
"Why are you here?" Seraphina pressed, her mind racing. "What do you want?"
He tilted his head, the mask glinting in the moonlight. "What I want? I want the same thing I've always wanted. The same thing that was promised."
"The Everflame," she whispered, her throat tight with fear.
His lips curled into a smile, though it was hidden behind the mask. "Exactly. And you're the key, Seraphina. You always have been."
---