Wind just wouldn't quit, screeching through Silverwood like it was mad at the trees. Elara and Virella hustled along the edge, trying not to look back. The city behind? Yeah, it'd gone weirdly quiet—like, "something's gone and sucked all the life out" kind of quiet. The Whisper had brushed past and, let's be real, nothing stays the same after that.
Out in front, the wildlands sprawled: silvergrass waving like an ocean, old ruins just chillin', half-eaten by the ground. And way out there? Threnos—the "let's ruin your day" mountain, stabbing up at the clouds like it had a grudge.
Elara's hand kept drifting to the dagger Virella had pressed into her palm. Not some killer's blade—nah, Virella told her, "It's for remembering. Every blade made under the stars keeps a memory. This one? Used to be your grandma's." That actually meant something. Elara felt a little less scared, a little more like herself. Weird how that works.
Anyway, they kept moving, not really talking, letting the grass swish around their boots. Then—bam—sky goes dark, but not in a "time for bed" way.
Nope. Not sunset.
Up above, clouds started getting ideas—twisting, spiraling like someone was stirring the sky with a giant spoon. And then? Wind just…stopped. Like, dead silent. Virella froze.
"They're here," she muttered, real low.
Something hauled itself up from the grass—tall, black-robed, rocking a silver mask that caught the starlight all freaky. No face. And when it spoke? Didn't bother with mouths. The words just slammed straight into Elara's head.
"Child of Echo. Give back the shard."
Yeah, not happening. Elara squared up. "No."
Mask-thing did this creepy head tilt. "You cannot hold it. The Whisper eats everything. Your light's toast."
Elara just glared. "I'd rather burn out than fade away," she shot back, not sure where the guts came from.
The Starless thing lifted its arm, and reality kind of…bent. Sky twisting, trees bowing in like they were fans or something. Elara's stomach dropped, vision all wobbly. But Virella? She was on it.
Blade out—bam, straight into the earth. Light exploded outwards, booting the figure back. The world snapped back to normal, more or less.
"Keep your hands off her," Virella snarled.
The Starless hissed (except, like, without lungs, which is extra unsettling). "Fine. Meet us on Threnos. Seal breaks, with or without you."
And just like that, poof—gone. All that was left was a patch of grass, burned with starlight.
Elara gasped, gripping the spot where the shard hummed inside her. Still there. Still glowing.
"We're out of time," she panted.
Virella nodded. "Maybe. But we've got a road."
So they slogged on, climbing the last ridge. And, man—Elara just stopped.
The mountain wasn't just a rock. It was awake. Stars flickered around its top, buzzing like cosmic lightning bugs. Down at the base was this colossal stone gate, covered in symbols that, honestly, looked like they were pulsing in Elara's veins. Her palm? Lit up, exact same mark.
Then the mountain groaned—like, bones-creaking kind of noise—and the gate started to open.
Elara stepped up. No hesitation.
This was where the first stars had come screaming into the world.
This was where she'd finally find out what the Whisper really wanted.