Destined by the moon

The warmth of the sanctuary seemed to seep into Elara's skin, calming her frayed nerves despite the storm of questions swirling in her mind. She stared at Kael, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light of the ancient structure.

"How am I supposed to remember something I don't even know I've forgotten?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kael leaned back, resting his hands on his knees. "Your memories aren't gone. They're locked away. Buried under layers of protection that were put in place to keep you safe."

"Safe from what?"

"From them. The creatures that attacked you. They're called Shadows. They're hunters, and their only purpose is to destroy those like you."

Elara's stomach churned. "Those like me? You keep saying I'm something else. What am I?"

Kael's gaze softened. "You're one of the Luminara. A descendant of the Moonborn."

Her brow furrowed. "Moonborn? What does that even mean? I'm just… me."

Kael gave her a small, sad smile. "You've always felt different, haven't you? Like you didn't quite fit into the life you've been living?"

She hesitated. He wasn't wrong. She'd always felt a strange disconnect from the world around her, as if she were an outsider looking in. But she'd dismissed it as teenage angst, a phase everyone went through.

"That doesn't mean I'm some… magical moon person," she said, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

Kael chuckled softly. "It's more than magic. The Moonborn are ancient beings, created to maintain the balance between light and darkness in the world. The Luminara—your lineage—are their last living descendants."

Elara shook her head, a hollow laugh escaping her lips. "This is insane. I'm just a normal girl. I go to school, I babysit my little brother, I—"

"You survived the Shadows," Kael interrupted, his tone gentle but firm. "Normal humans can't do that. And you've been dreaming of me, haven't you? Of this place? Of things you can't explain?"

Her breath caught in her throat. She hated how right he was, how his words felt like puzzle pieces snapping into place.

"Why don't I remember any of this?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Kael stood and began pacing, his movements fluid but tense. "Because your memories were hidden to protect you. The less you knew, the harder it was for the Shadows to find you. But something's changed. They've found you now, and the protections around your memories are starting to break."

Her head throbbed, a sharp pain blooming behind her eyes. She winced, pressing her palms to her temples.

"Elara?" Kael's voice was laced with concern.

"I'm fine," she lied, though the pounding in her skull said otherwise. "It's just… a lot."

"I know it is," he said softly. "But you need to face it. If you don't, the Shadows will keep coming, and they won't stop until they've destroyed you."

Her pulse quickened. "Why me? What makes me so important?"

Kael hesitated, his expression darkening. "Because you're the last of your kind. The last true Luminara."

The weight of his words settled over her like a suffocating blanket. "What does that mean?"

"It means you're the only one who can restore the balance," he said, his tone grim. "The Shadows feed on chaos, on fear. They thrive in the absence of light. Without you, there's nothing to stop them from consuming everything."

Elara's mouth went dry. She wanted to argue, to tell him he had the wrong person. But deep down, she felt the truth of his words.

"What do I do?" she whispered.

Kael knelt before her again, his golden eyes burning with intensity. "We unlock your memories. Piece by piece. It won't be easy, and it won't be painless. But it's the only way."

Her chest tightened. The idea of diving into a forgotten past, of confronting whatever secrets lay buried in her mind, terrified her. But the alternative was worse.

"Okay," she said finally, her voice shaking. "How do we start?"

Kael reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, silver pendant. It was shaped like a crescent moon, delicate and intricately carved, with a faint blue glow emanating from its center.

"This belonged to your mother," he said, handing it to her.

Elara frowned, her fingers closing around the cool metal. "My mom? No, this isn't hers. She doesn't own anything like this."

"Not the woman who raised you," Kael said gently. "Your birth mother."

Her breath hitched. "What are you talking about? My mom is my real mom."

Kael's gaze was steady but sympathetic. "The people who raised you—they love you, and they've done everything they could to keep you safe. But your birth mother was Luminara. She gave her life to protect you."

The pendant grew warmer in her hand, the blue glow intensifying. A strange sensation washed over her, like a faint hum vibrating through her veins.

"What's happening?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"The pendant is a key," Kael said. "It's connected to your memories. Focus on it. Let it guide you."

Elara closed her eyes, her grip tightening on the pendant. The hum grew louder, resonating in her chest, her mind, her very soul.

Images began to flicker in the darkness behind her eyelids—flashes of faces she didn't recognize, places she'd never been. A woman with silver hair and luminous blue eyes, her voice soft and soothing as she whispered Elara's name. A towering tree bathed in moonlight, its branches glowing with ethereal light. A fierce battle, shadows clashing against blinding beams of silver.

Her breath quickened as the visions grew more vivid, more intense. And then, she saw herself—a younger version, no more than five or six years old, standing beside the silver-haired woman. The woman knelt before her, pressing the pendant into her small hands.

"You are the light, Elara," the woman said, her voice trembling. "Never forget who you are."

The vision shattered, and Elara gasped, her eyes snapping open. Her chest heaved as she clutched the pendant, her heart racing.

Kael was watching her, his expression a mixture of concern and hope. "What did you see?"

Tears blurred her vision as she met his gaze. "I saw her. My… my real mother."

Kael nodded, his jaw tightening. "You're starting to remember. This is only the beginning, Elara. There's so much more you need to see."

She wiped her eyes, her grip on the pendant firm. "Then let's keep going."

For the first time, Kael smiled—a small, fleeting smile, but genuine. "You're stronger than you think," he said.

Elara straightened, a new determination burning in her chest. The Shadows were coming for her, and she wasn't going to run anymore.