Chapter 1 — The Whispering Moon

A silver glow spilled over the endless stretch of the darkened sky. The full moon hung like a watchful eye, casting its pale light across the twisted canopy of the ancient forest. Wisps of mist curled lazily along the ground, brushing against the gnarled roots that jutted out like skeletal fingers. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and a distant howl echoed — low, lingering, and unnervingly hollow.

Aditya pulled his hood tighter over his face, his breath misting in the cool night air. The shadows seemed to shift around him, flickering as if they held secrets within their depths. His footsteps crunched softly against the mossy ground, but the sound felt insignificant beneath the weight of the silence.

Why tonight?

The thought echoed in his mind, but no answer came. It had been three years since his parents vanished. Three years since the accident. Or at least, that's what they called it. Yet, even now, the truth gnawed at him — elusive, tangled in whispers that refused to fade. Every full moon brought a restless pull, a gnawing ache in his chest, as though the very sky held the answers he sought.

But the sky remained silent. Only the moon spoke. And its voice was far too quiet.

A sudden breeze rustled through the trees, sending a shiver down his spine. Aditya's eyes flicked toward the shadows. For a moment, he could have sworn he saw something — a faint, silver glimmer, like the outline of a figure. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, swallowed by the gloom.

It's nothing. Just your mind playing tricks.

Yet, the air tasted different. Charged. As though something ancient stirred beneath the soil.

He clenched his fists. "No more waiting," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

With a determined step, Aditya moved forward. The path wound deeper into the woods, where twisted branches loomed overhead like skeletal arms. An uneasy stillness blanketed the forest, as if the world held its breath.

And then he saw it.

A clearing bathed in moonlight. At its center stood a massive stone archway, cracked and weathered with age. Carved runes glowed faintly along its edges, pulsing in rhythm with the heartbeat of the night. The ground beneath it was scorched, as though touched by an ancient fire. But what held Aditya captive was not the archway.

It was the figure standing before it.

Draped in shadows, the figure's presence oozed with unsettling calm. A cloak of midnight black billowed around them, though there was no wind. Their face remained obscured beneath a dark hood, but the faint gleam of silver eyes pierced through the darkness.

"You've come," the figure's voice rasped, low and deliberate. "Just as the moon foretold."

Aditya's chest tightened. He wanted to speak, to demand answers — but the words refused to come.

The figure took a step forward. "The full moon has risen, Aditya. The veil between worlds grows thin."

A chill crept through the air. The runes on the archway pulsed brighter, their glow mirrored in the stranger's gaze.

"They will awaken." The figure's voice dropped to a whisper. "And so will the darkness."

Before Aditya could respond, a blinding flash erupted from the archway. A surge of silver light engulfed the clearing, illuminating the sky as a deafening hum resonated through the air. He stumbled back, shielding his eyes.

But in that moment — just before the light consumed everything — he saw it.

A beast, cloaked in shadows. Twisted horns curled from its head, and eyes of molten crimson locked onto his. The ground trembled beneath its presence. A primal roar shattered the silence, sending a wave of fear crashing through Aditya's veins.

And then, as swiftly as it began — it was gone.

The clearing stood empty. The archway was silent once more. Only the whispers of the night remained.

Aditya's heart pounded. His breath came in ragged gasps, but a strange resolve settled within him. He didn't know what the figure meant. He didn't know what awaited him.

But the moon did.

And soon, so would he.

To be continued...