Tides of the Moon

As Divine and Caelan descended the steps of the Moonlit Archives, the air around them buzzed with an unfamiliar energy. Divine's thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions—remnants of the trial still lingered in her mind, pulling her between the weight of her forgotten past and the uncertainty of her future.

"What did you see in there?" Caelan finally asked, breaking the silence.

Divine hesitated. "Fragments. Pieces of who I used to be. People I helped… and people I hurt." She looked at him, her eyes heavy with guilt. "I don't even know who I was, but I can feel the consequences of my actions. It's overwhelming."

Caelan's hand brushed hers, a fleeting moment of comfort. "Whatever you did back then, you're not alone now. You don't have to face it by yourself."

Before she could respond, the wind picked up, carrying with it an eerie, melodic hum. Divine froze, her pulse quickening.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

Caelan nodded, drawing his blade. "It's coming from the cliffs."

They rushed toward the source of the sound, the ocean's waves growing louder and more violent as they neared. At the edge of the cliffs stood a figure cloaked in black, their face obscured by a hood.

"Moonlight," the figure called, their voice echoing unnaturally. "You cannot escape your fate."

"Who are you?" Divine demanded, stepping forward.

The figure chuckled, the sound cold and menacing. "I am a shadow of what you left behind. And I've come to collect what you owe."

Before Divine could react, the figure raised their hand, and the ground beneath her feet trembled. The ocean surged upward, forming a massive wave that threatened to swallow them whole.

Caelan lunged forward, pulling Divine back just as the wave crashed against the cliffs, drenching them both.

"We need to go!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the water.

But Divine stood her ground, her eyes narrowing as she reached deep within herself. She raised her hand, and the storm seemed to hesitate, the waves calming slightly.

The figure laughed. "You still have a spark of your former self, I see. But it won't be enough. Not yet."

With that, the figure vanished, leaving only the echo of their laughter behind.