Welcome to The Enchanted Quill. Ashes of the Moon Pact The night Rael was born, the moon bled crimson. Villagers whispered of an ancient pact sealed in fire and shadow—one forged when the first red moon rose a thousand years ago. They said a child born beneath it would carry the spirit of an ancient guardian, bound to rise again when the blood moon returned. Rael grew up unaware of the stories, shielded by his adoptive grandmother, who kept talismans near his bed and salt around the doors. But on the eve of his sixteenth birthday, the moon turned red again, and Rael’s blood began to burn. His reflection shimmered. Eyes glowed silver. Fingers cracked, reshaping. Veins pulsed with molten light. He stumbled from the cottage, drawn to the forest. The trees whispered his name. From the shadows rose a figure made of smoke and embers. A voice echoed in his mind: “You are the last of the Pact. The moon calls you to remember.” Memories not his own surged forth—battles against creatures made of nightmare, a world nearly devoured, and a flame-hearted guardian who fell to protect it. Rael dropped to his knees. “I’m not him. I’m just a kid.” The figure touched his chest. “You are both.” As the moon pulsed above, Rael’s form fully shifted—half-human, half-elemental, ancient power crackling in his hands. From the darkness, something stirred—an old enemy sensing the guardian’s rebirth. Rael stood tall, the forest alight behind him. The Pact had awakened. The war would begin again. if you liked this story and want to hear more, please like, comment, share, and subscribe.