Chapter 4: Destined Partners

The first time Eryndra spoke to Selune, the girl was five years old, her small hands still trembling from the surge of divine power that had coursed through her. The room was dimly lit, the faint glow of the moon filtering through the cracks in the wooden shutters. Selune sat on the cold stone floor, her violet eyes wide with wonder and confusion as she stared at the faint, glowing runes that now adorned her skin.

"Hello, Selune," Eryndra's voice echoed softly in the girl's mind, a gentle whisper that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Selune froze, her breath catching in her throat. She looked around, her small hands clutching the hem of her tattered dress. "W-Who's there?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"It's me," Eryndra replied, her tone warm and soothing. "I've been watching over you for a long time, Selune. My name is Eryndra Veylith, and I am your destined partner."

Selune's eyes widened further, her small frame trembling as she tried to process the words. "D-Destined partner?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Eryndra said, her voice filled with a tenderness that she had never shown to anyone else. "You and I are bound together, Selune. I have chosen you, and you have accepted my blessing. From this day forward, I will guide you, protect you, and help you unlock the power within you."

Selune's lower lip quivered, and for a moment, Eryndra feared that the girl might cry. But instead, Selune's expression hardened, her small hands clenching into fists. "Why?" she asked, her voice trembling but determined. "Why me?"

Eryndra's heart ached at the question. She wanted to tell Selune everything—about the game, about her past life, about the ten thousand years she had spent waiting for her. But she knew that Selune was too young to understand. Instead, she chose her words carefully.

"Because you are special, Selune," Eryndra said softly. "You have a strength within you that no one else can see. A strength that I have always known was there. And together, we will unlock that strength and show the world what you are truly capable of."

Selune was silent for a long moment, her violet eyes searching the empty air as though she could see the goddess who spoke to her. Finally, she nodded, her small hands unclenching as she looked down at the glowing runes on her skin. "O-Okay," she whispered. "I… I trust you."

Eryndra's flames flickered in the void, her runes glowing with a soft, warm light. "Thank you, Selune," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I promise you, I will never let you down."

The next ten years passed in a blur of training and bonding. Eryndra guided Selune every step of the way, teaching her how to control the divine power that now flowed through her veins. The girl was a quick learner, her natural talent and determination shining through with each passing day.

In the beginning, Selune's abilities were raw and uncontrolled. She could summon small bursts of flame, but they often fizzled out before they could do any real damage. She could whisper to the shadows, but they rarely obeyed her commands. Eryndra was patient, her voice always calm and reassuring as she guided the girl through each exercise.

"Focus, Selune," Eryndra said one evening, her voice echoing in the girl's mind as they practiced in the secluded woods outside the village. "Feel the power within you. Let it flow through your hands, but don't let it consume you. You are in control."

Selune nodded, her violet eyes narrowing in concentration as she held out her hands. A small flame flickered to life in her palm, its light casting a warm glow on her face. She smiled, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I did it!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with pride.

"You did," Eryndra said, her voice warm with approval. "But don't stop there. Push yourself further. You are capable of so much more."

Selune's smile faded, replaced by a look of determination. She closed her eyes, her hands trembling as she focused on the flame. Slowly, it grew larger, its heat intensifying until it was a roaring fire that danced in the air above her palms. She opened her eyes, her violet gaze filled with awe as she stared at the flames.

"Good," Eryndra said, her voice filled with pride. "Very good, Selune. You're improving faster than I expected."

Selune's cheeks flushed with pride, but she didn't let the compliment distract her. She continued to practice, her determination unwavering as she pushed herself to new limits. Over the years, her control over her abilities grew, her power becoming more refined and precise. She could summon flames with a thought, her whispers commanding the shadows to do her bidding. She could even manipulate the fabric of reality on a small scale, her runes glowing with a faint, otherworldly light as she bent the world to her will.

But it wasn't just her abilities that grew. Selune herself changed, her quiet defiance giving way to a quiet confidence. She no longer cowered in the face of the priests' cruelty, her violet eyes filled with a quiet strength that made them uneasy. She no longer flinched when the other children threw stones, her small hands clenching into fists as she stood her ground.

Eryndra watched it all with pride, her flames flickering in the void as she marveled at the girl's growth. Selune was no longer the fragile child she had once been. She was strong, capable, and determined—a true reflection of the goddess who had chosen her.

As Selune's fifteenth birthday approached, Eryndra knew that it was time for the next step. The Starlit Academy, the institution that would shape Selune's destiny, was about to open its doors to a new class of students. And Eryndra knew that Selune needed to be there.

"Selune," Eryndra said one evening, her voice echoing in the girl's mind as they stood in the woods. "There is something I need to tell you."

Selune looked up, her violet eyes filled with curiosity. "What is it?" she asked, her voice calm and steady.

"The Starlit Academy is about to open," Eryndra said. "It is a place where the chosen ones—those blessed by the gods—come to train and grow. And I want you to go there."

Selune's eyes widened, her hands trembling slightly as she processed the words. "The Academy?" she repeated, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and fear. "But… why?"

"Because it is where you belong," Eryndra said, her voice filled with conviction. "You have grown strong, Selune, but there is still so much more for you to learn. The Academy will help you unlock your full potential. And it will bring you closer to your destiny."

Selune was silent for a long moment, her violet eyes searching the empty air as though she could see the goddess who spoke to her. Finally, she nodded, her small hands clenching into fists. "Okay," she said, her voice filled with determination. "I'll go."

Eryndra's flames flickered in the void, her runes glowing with a soft, warm light. "I'm proud of you, Selune," she said, her voice filled with pride. "And I will be with you every step of the way."

Selune smiled, her violet eyes filled with a quiet confidence. "I know," she said softly. "And I'm ready."