Lyra POV:
The city refuses to hide from the winter. Music echoes through the streets as the Blood Moon Festival begins.
I walk beside Kael through the crowded market square, my staff in hand.
Snow covers the roofs and lanterns, but the people still gather. Merchants shout over each other. Fires burn in iron braziers. Children throw snow at one another while their parents laugh nervously.
"Strange way to celebrate while monsters attack the walls," Kael says quietly.
"It keeps people from panicking," I reply. "Fear spreads faster than frost."
A sharp crack splits the air. A scream follows. I turn instantly.
Ice spikes burst from the cobblestones in the middle of the crowd.
"Back!" I shout.
People scatter. I thrust my staff forward.
"Shatter!"
Silver light slams into the spikes. They explode into harmless frost dust. But something moves behind the stalls.
A shadow crawls along the ground. Kael's sword is already in his hand.
"I see it."
The shadow rises. A creature made of frost and darkness lunges toward a child.
Kael moves before I can speak. His blade slices through the creature's chest. The monster breaks apart like frozen glass.
The crowd gasps.
"Stay away from the alleys!" I call out.
More ice begins forming across the street.
"Lyra," Kael says.
"I know."
I spin my staff.
"Barrier!"
A circle of silver light spreads across the square, pushing the frost away from the people.
Three more shadow creatures crawl from the forest road. Kael charges them.
His movements are quick and controlled. One creature swings a frozen claw. He ducks under it and drives his blade through its skull.
Another leaps toward me. I fire a ring of blue flame. It shatters midair. The third creature tries to escape. Kael throws his dagger. The blade pins the monster to a wooden post. It dissolves instantly.
Silence returns. The crowd stares at us. Then someone begins clapping. Others follow. I lower my staff awkwardly.
"They'll start expecting this every day," Kael mutters.
"They probably will."
We continue walking toward the city gate.
"Do the attacks always happen during the festival?" he asks.
"Not always," I say. "But the Blood Moon is close."
"That's when the curse grows stronger."
"Yes."
The gate guards nod as we pass. Outside the city, the snow is deeper. Then the ground shakes. I stop.
"You felt that?"
Kael nods.
Another tremor shakes the road. Something massive moves through the snow ahead.
Then it rises. A giant made of ice towers over the forest road. The construct roars. Ice pillars erupt from the ground around it.
"Gods," I whisper.
Kael draws his sword.
"We don't let it reach the city."
I step beside him.
"Agreed."
The creature swings an enormous frozen arm. Kael runs straight toward it.
"Kael!"
He leaps onto a rising ice pillar and launches himself toward the construct's shoulder.
I lift my staff.
"Lunar fire!"
Blue flames wrap around his blade. He slashes downward. The flaming strike cracks the giant's chest.
The construct roars and slams its arm into the ground. Ice erupts everywhere. One pillar crashes toward me.
I try to move. But the pillar is too fast. Suddenly Kael grabs my arm and pulls me backward. The pillar smashes into the ground where I stood.
I stare at him.
"You could have died."
"You were closer."
Another strike from the giant interrupts us.
"Later," he says.
We attack again. He cuts the creature's legs while I blast the cracks open with magic.
"Left side!" he shouts.
I fire a spell. The crack spreads up the giant's torso.
Kael jumps again. This time his sword pierces the creature's core.
"Now!" he yells.
I raise my staff.
"All power—break!"
A massive wave of blue fire erupts. The ice giant explodes into thousands of shards. The ground finally becomes still. I breathe heavily.
Kael takes two steps back. Then he collapses.
"Kael!"
I rush to him.
His skin is pale.
"You're hurt?"
He shakes his head weakly.
"No... just drained."
"From the battle?"
"No." His voice is quiet. "From the curse."
I freeze.
"What do you mean?"
"The closer I get to its magic... the weaker I become."
My grip tightens on his arm.
"That makes no sense."
"Maybe it does."
We return to the palace quickly. The library lamps glow as Orion spreads scrolls across the table.
"More attacks?" he asks.
"Yes," I reply.
Kael leans against the table.
Orion studies him.
"You look terrible."
"I feel worse."
I open the Blood Moon scroll again.
"Look at these symbols."
Kael steps closer.He traces a mark with his finger.
"This one means 'heart.'"
"And this?" I ask.
"Anchor."
I translate the full sentence slowly.
"The Heart of the Moon anchors the curse to the world."
Orion stiffens.
"That's impossible."
Kael continues reading.
"There's another line."
He points to a faded symbol.
I translate again.
"The Heart must fall beneath the Blood Moon for winter to end."
The room becomes silent. I look at Kael.
"You're saying the curse is tied to a person."
Orion answers before he can.
"Yes."
His amber eyes fix on Kael.
"And that person is standing in front of us."
My chest tightens.
"That can't be true."
Kael doesn't deny it. Orion spreads another scroll.
"The signs match perfectly."
I whisper the words slowly.
"The Heart of the Moon... must be sacrificed."
The meaning hits me like a blade. Saving the kingdom means Kael's death. No one speaks for a long moment.
Finally Kael straightens.
"If that's what it takes to end the curse..."
"No," I interrupt.
He looks at me. I grip my staff tightly.
"We are not killing you."
Orion's voice is cold.
"The prophecy is clear."
Before the argument continues, a horn blasts outside the palace.
Then another. I run to the window. The festival square is filled with chaos. A massive pack of ice wolves storms through the gates.
Far more than before. Kael draws his sword.
"Looks like the curse is getting impatient."
I meet his eyes.
"Then we fight."
Together we run toward the courtyard.
But one question burns in my mind as the Blood Moon slowly rises over the city.
If Kael is the Heart of the Moon…
How long before the curse claims him completely?