The Gathering Storm
For a moment, none of the creatures moved.
Their glowing eyes remained fixed on Avira. Their wings trembled, and slowly, almost reluctantly, they began backing away from the magnificent Guardian.
Emmy stood behind her, still trying to process what had just happened.
Avira's glowing wings folded slowly behind her.
"Stay close," she said.
Erick tightened his grip on his weapon. "Are they going to attack again?"
Avira's expression darkened.
"They will."
As if they had heard her, one of the creatures suddenly let out a sharp screech.
Another answered.
Then another.
Within seconds, the forest was filled with the horrible sound.
The trees seemed to shake as dozens of glowing eyes appeared between the branches.
Emmy's stomach dropped.
"There are more?" she whispered.
She looked at Avira. "Can we fight them?"
Avira stared into the darkness.
"Those are only the ones you can see."
Mike blinked.
"Wait... what?"
Avira didn't look at him.
Mike's eyes widened. "Only the ones we can see?"
He looked around nervously.
"Are you serious?"
Before Avira could answer, the ground beneath them cracked.
"Move!"
A creature suddenly burst out of the earth.
Mike swung his sword without thinking and struck it before it could reach Amina.
"Everyone, move!" Avira shouted.
Another creature dove from above.
Erick raised his weapon just in time. Its sharp beak slammed against the metal, forcing him several steps backward.
"There are too many!" he yelled.
Emmy raised both hands.
Magic rushed through her fingers.
She pushed forward, and a wave of energy exploded across the clearing, throwing several creatures into the trees.
But more came rushing in almost immediately.
Emmy's breathing became heavy.
"They're not stopping."
Avira looked at her.
"They aren't supposed to."
Emmy frowned. "What does that mean?"
Avira's eyes stayed on the creatures.
"This is a trial, Keeper. But something has disturbed it."
"Something?"
A deep roar suddenly rolled through the forest.
Avira froze.
Her expression changed.
"That isn't one of them."
Far from the battlefield, Ellen stood before the magical barrier surrounding the area.
She watched it flicker.
Once.
Twice.
Then the entire barrier nearly collapsed.
Ellen's face went pale.
"This is worse than we thought."
She quickly brought her hands together and whispered an ancient spell.
A small ball of light appeared between her palms.
"Sympson, can you hear me?"
The light flickered.
A familiar voice answered.
"Ellen? What's happening?"
"The force around the Keeper is much stronger than we expected."
There was a brief silence.
"How bad?"
Ellen looked toward the distant mountains.
"Their trial has attracted creatures from the Sky Realm. Avira has appeared, but even she is struggling to contain them."
"Then we need to get them out."
"We can't."
"Why?"
"The barrier has changed. Something is keeping them inside."
Mr. Sympson's voice became more serious.
"Who can we send?"
Ellen hesitated.
"Maggy."
A young voice immediately answered from nearby.
"I'll go."
Ellen nodded.
"Take Zoe, Zack, and Marvin with you."
Zack had been standing quietly in the shadows.
At the mention of the Keeper, his eyes narrowed.
"The Keeper is there?"
Mr. Sympson looked at him through the magical connection.
"Yes."
A faint smile appeared on Zack's face.
"Then let's go."
The journey through the forest was strangely quiet.
Maggy walked ahead, following the magical trail Ellen had left behind.
Marvin stayed close behind her.
Zack walked beside Zoe.
But Zoe barely spoke.
Her thoughts kept going back to Emmy.
Everyone was always around her.
Amina was always at her side.
Mike and Erick had become her Guardians.
Even now, everyone was risking themselves to save her.
Zoe lowered her eyes.
Why is everything always about Emmy?
A cold breeze slipped through the trees.
Then she heard it.
You're always standing in her shadow.
Zoe stopped.
She looked around.
"Did you hear that?"
Maggy turned around.
"Hear what?"
Zoe stared between the trees.
"Nothing."
Maggy gave her a confused look before turning back around.
They continued walking.
A few seconds later, the whisper came again.
They chose her.
Zoe's hands tightened.
"No."
Marvin looked back.
"Zoe?"
She quickly forced a smile.
"I'm fine."
But she wasn't.
The voice continued.
They would never choose you.
Zoe's breathing became unsteady.
She stared into the darkness.
For a second, she thought she saw two glowing eyes between the trees.
Then they disappeared.
You deserve to be seen too.
Zoe swallowed hard.
She hurried to catch up with the others.
But the voice followed.
Back at the battlefield, Emmy dropped to one knee.
Her magic was running out.
"Emmy!"
Amina rushed toward her.
"I'm okay."
"You don't look okay!"
Emmy tried to stand.
Before she could, another creature swooped toward them.
Amina instinctively raised her hand.
A wall of green energy burst into existence between them.
The creature slammed into it and screeched.
Amina stared at her own hand.
"I... I didn't know I could do that."
Erick let out a breathless laugh.
"Looks like the trial wasn't a complete waste of time."
Mike raised his sword.
"Can we celebrate after we survive?"
Amina smiled.
"Deal."
Emmy looked at them.
For just a moment, she felt safe.
Then she heard it.
Keeper...
Her smile disappeared.
She froze.
The voice wasn't coming from the creatures.
It was coming from somewhere deeper.
"Avira."
The Guardian turned toward her.
"What is it?"
"I can hear something."
Avira's eyes sharpened.
"What does it say?"
Emmy swallowed.
"It keeps calling me."
Avira looked toward the mountains.
"Then it knows you are here."
A deep rumble suddenly shook the forest.
Every creature stopped.
Just like that.
The fighting ended.
Silence filled the clearing.
Mike slowly lowered his sword.
"What just happened?"
The creatures all turned toward the same direction.
Their heads lifted.
Then, one by one, they began moving backward.
Erick frowned.
"Why are they leaving?"
Avira didn't answer.
Her wings slowly opened.
"They aren't leaving."
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
"They're afraid."
A massive shadow moved behind the trees.
Something enormous was coming.
Emmy stared into the darkness.
"What is that?"
Avira's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Something that should never have entered this realm."
Suddenly, a burst of magic exploded through the trees.
"Emmy!"
Maggy, Zoe, Zack, and Marvin appeared.
Amina looked up.
"Maggy?"
Maggy rushed toward them.
"Ellen sent us!"
Mike let out a breath of relief.
"Finally! Reinforcements!"
But Emmy's attention immediately went to Zoe.
Zoe stood several steps behind the others.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Then Zoe looked away.
Emmy frowned.
"Zoe?"
"I'm fine."
Her voice sounded colder than usual.
Before Emmy could ask what was wrong, Zack stepped forward.
His eyes were fixed on the darkness behind Avira.
"What is that?"
Erick immediately moved in front of Emmy.
"Stay back."
Zack gave him a faint smile.
"You still don't trust me?"
"I never did."
The smile slowly disappeared from Zack's face.
Before anyone could say anything else, a powerful gust swept through the forest.
The trees bent beneath the sudden force.
Avira looked toward the sky.
Her eyes widened.
"We're not alone."
Everyone looked up.
A second light appeared above the trees.
It was nothing like Avira's brilliant golden glow.
This light was soft and silver, almost like moonlight shining through the clouds.
It slowly descended.
A woman emerged from it.
Everyone fell silent.
Long silver hair flowed behind her, moving gently even though the air around them had suddenly become completely still.
A delicate crown of light rested above her head, and pale markings shimmered across her arms.
She landed beside Avira without making a sound.
The creatures immediately lowered themselves to the ground.
Emmy stared at the woman.
"Who... is she?"
Avira looked at her.
"She is Selene, Guardian of the Moon Realm."
Selene's eyes moved toward Emmy.
For a moment, her expression softened.
"So... the Keeper has finally awakened."
Emmy frowned.
"You know me?"
Selene didn't answer.
Instead, she looked toward the enormous shadow moving through the forest.
"We don't have time for questions."
Her eyes began to glow.
"The trial has changed."
Avira spread her luminous wings.
"Then we stand together."
Selene gave her a faint smile.
"As we always have."
The ground suddenly shook violently.
The enormous shadow moved closer.
Trees snapped one after another.
The creatures of the Sky Realm pressed themselves against the ground.
Even Avira and Selene watched the darkness carefully.
Emmy suddenly grabbed her chest.
The magic inside her surged violently.
"It knows me."
Avira turned toward her.
"No, Keeper."
Her voice was unusually quiet.
"It remembers you."
Zack stared into the darkness.
Something in his expression changed.
For the first time, Emmy saw genuine fear in his eyes.
He whispered under his breath.
"What are you doing here?"
Erick heard him.
"You know that thing?"
Zack didn't answer.
A deep voice suddenly echoed through the forest.
Not a whisper.
Not a roar.
A command.
"Keeper."
Everyone froze.
Two enormous eyes opened in the darkness.
Emmy's heart began pounding.
The creature stepped forward.
Trees cracked beneath its enormous weight.
Zoe stood behind the others, frozen in place.
Then the whisper returned inside her mind.
This is your chance.
Zoe slowly turned toward the darkness.
The voice continued.
You only have to make one choice.
Her eyes narrowed.
And for the first time...
Zoe listened.