Luna Everleigh's POV
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Power.
It surged through me in waves, unlike anything I had ever felt before.
It wasn't just energy—it was something deeper, something ancient. It whispered in my veins, curled around my bones, and set fire to every nerve in my body. I could feel the pulse of the earth beneath me, the hum of the stars above. I had become something more.
I lifted my gaze to meet Nalia's, and for the first time, I saw fear in her eyes.
"…Luna," she whispered.
My name. It felt different now, as if it no longer belonged to the person I once was.
I turned my hands over, watching silver light dance along my fingertips. My skin shimmered like moonlight on water, and when I moved, the air itself seemed to shift around me, bending to my presence.
The transformation was complete. I was no longer just Luna.
I was the Lunar Guardian.
A groan from behind me snapped me back to reality.
Rhydian.
I spun around just as he stirred, his eyelids fluttering open. His golden eyes, usually so sharp, were unfocused at first—until they landed on me.
And then he froze.
His pupils dilated, his breath hitched, and his entire body tensed as he took me in.
"Luna…?" His voice was hoarse, laced with disbelief.
I swallowed. "It's me."
He didn't move. He didn't even blink.
Something flickered in his expression—relief, awe… and something else. Something dark.
He pushed himself up slowly, his movements stiff, like his body was still trying to recover. His gaze never left mine, and the longer he looked, the deeper that shadow in his eyes grew.
"This…" He exhaled sharply. "This isn't just an awakening. It's a rebirth."
I didn't know what to say.
Because I knew he was right.
—
To be continued...