The Itezista Lake was silent, but this silence was not ordinary. It was as if the forest itself were holding its breath. Sunlight melted over the water, and Sofia's pendant and bracelet glowed in a gentle rhythm, like two hearts recognizing each other.
Dragoș leaned forward, touching his silver ring. A wave of cold, silvery light rose from it.
— "Sofia… do you feel it too?
"— "Yes," she whispered.
"It's as if the forest is calling us again."
Suddenly, the surface of the lake rippled. A circle of light formed in its center, and from it rose a silver mist. The wind stopped. The leaves ceased rustling. The entire forest seemed to be watching that place.
A tall figure emerged from the mist. It was made of branches, leaves, and light. Its face was neither old nor young — it seemed as ancient as the forest itself. Moss-green hair flowed like a river, and its eyes… its eyes burned softly, like two suns hidden beneath water. A cloak of mist and sparkling leaves fluttered around its shoulders, and each step it took left trails of light in the wet grass.
Sofia was speechless.
— "Who… who are you?" she managed to whisper.
The voice that answered seemed to come from everywhere — the wind, the earth, the water.
— "I am Codrion, the Spirit who guards the Itezista Forest. The one who has seen the light being born and the shadows growing. The forest is my body, and its rivers are my blood."
Dragoș stepped forward.
— "You are the one who spoke to Miral?"
Codrion nodded slowly
— "Yes. Miral was the chosen of the Moon, the one who bore the secret of balance between Light and Night. And you two," he said, looking at Sofia and Dragoș, "are the ones who must continue the path he began."
Sofia felt a fire in her chest.
— "Why us? I'm just a child."
The Spirit moved closer, and the wind lifted his hair like a gentle breeze.
— "It is not age that brings power, Sofia. It is the heart.
You carry the Mark of the Sun — the one that once lit the kingdom when shadows fell upon it. And you, Dragoș, carry the Mark of the Moon, its mirror. Together, you can open the Gate between Light and Shadow."
Alexandra looked around, astonished
.— "The Gate? Where is it?"
Codrion touched the surface of the lake with his transparent hand. The water parted like a broken mirror, revealing an image beneath
— a massive tree with a golden trunk and roots that reached deep into the earth. In its center shone a symbol: half sun, half moon.
— "This is the Tree of Lights," Codrion said. "The heart of the forest. It connects all light — human, shadow, and spirit. But its heart has weakened. Miral knew that one day the Light would need to be reborn. And that day is today."
Sofia took a step forward. Her pendant vibrated.
— "What do you want us to do?"
Codrion gazed at them.
— "I want you to learn to listen. The forest does not speak to your ears, but to your soul. Soon, a new sign will appear — and then you will know where to go. But beware… light without shadow blinds."
Dragoș clenched his fist.
— "That means Miral… knew all this?"
— "Yes," said Codrion, a trace of sadness in his voice. "He knew the time would come when Light and Moon would be one again. And he knew something else… before balance is restored, a new ray of sun will be born."
Sofia looked up, puzzled.
— "A ray of sun?
"— "Yes," said Codrion. "Someone who has not yet come into the world, yet is already coming, will burn brighter than yours. He will be your brother, Sofia. But the journey to him is long."
The Spirit began to fade, and the light in the lake dimmed slowly
.— "The forest will guide you. Listen to its voice when the wind blows and the light trembles on the water. Then you will know they are there."
Silence fell once again. Codrion had vanished. Only the lake flickered faintly, as if keeping a living memory.
Dragoș approached Sofia.
— "Did you hear that? A brother…"
Sofia smiled faintly.
— "Yes. But I don't know if I should be happy or afraid."
Alexandra gazed into the distance.
— "I think this is the beginning of something greater."
And for a moment, the forest shivered again. The wind carried a barely audible whisper, like an ancient song:
"Light has been reborn, but it is not yet whole…"
Sofia looked at the sky and felt her pendant beating in rhythm with her heart.She did not yet know it — but the step she had taken that evening would forever change the fate of the kingdom and the forest.