The next morning the forest felt heavy,The Moon Crest pulsed faintly beneath Aerin's skin, a constant reminder of the previous night's battle.
Nyxara led the way to a small clearing where a circle of runes glimmered faintly in the morning light.
"This is where your training begins,
" Nyxara said, her eyes fixed on the markings.
"Control is more than survival. Without mastery, the Crest will consume you before anyone else can."
Aerin listened,her hands trembling slightly, aware that the previous battles had only been the beginning. Nyxara continued, explaining the history of the Moonbearers.
"The last bearer, Eryndor, was strong but reckless.
The Crest chose him, and he let it destroy everything he loved. I failed him, and I will not fail again."
Aerin felt the weight of those words.
The Moon Crest was more than power,it was a legacy of destruction. Every surge of silver light that had defended them in the forest carried a risk one misstep could unravel everything.
Under Nyxara's guidance, Aerin began practicing focus and control.
The Crest pulsed in response to emotion, and Aerin learned to channel fear, anger, and determination into precise waves of silver energy.
Each time the power flared uncontrollably, they adjusted, learning to bend it rather than suppress it.
Hours passed, and exhaustion began to set in. Yet slowly, Aerin began to understand the Crest as an extension of themselves.
The pulse beneath their skin was no longer alien it was a guide, a weapon, a companion.
Nyxara studied them silently before speaking. "You are ready to face the hunters again. But remember, mastery is only the beginning.
The world is watching, and those who seek the Crest will not wait. You must learn faster than they can strike."
Aerin nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on their shoulders.
Survival was no longer enough.
The bearer of the Moon Crest must become more than a survivor they must become a force the world could neither ignore nor control.
The moon glimmered, silver and unwavering, casting its light on a world that had already begun to notice the awakening of the Moonbearer.