Chapter 9: The Echo of Dawn
Weeks passed since the fall of the Temple.
The island that once trembled under the weight of darkness now glowed with peace. Trees sprouted anew, birds returned to the skies, and the once-cursed winds of Moonvale carried the sound of calm waves again.
But for Ben, the silence felt heavy.
He stood alone on the cliff overlooking the ocean, the broken hilt of his sword hanging from his belt. Every sunrise reminded him of her — the warmth of her light, her laughter, and the promise she made before vanishing.
Father John often found him there, staring into the horizon.
"She gave her life so that you could live," Father John said one morning. "You honor her by living — not mourning."
Ben didn't look away from the sea. "She didn't just save me. She saved both halves of what I was. Gabriel's gone… but I still feel him. Like part of me finally understands peace."
Father John smiled faintly. "That peace is her gift. And perhaps… she's not as far as you think."
The Whisper in the Wind
That night, the moonlight shimmered across the ruins where the temple once stood. Ben returned there, drawn by something he couldn't name.
As he stepped among the broken stones, the air shimmered faintly — the same golden light that once surrounded Mia.
"Mia?" he whispered.
For a moment, nothing. Then, a soft, familiar voice echoed around him, gentle as wind.
"Ben…"
He turned sharply. She wasn't there — yet her presence filled the place.
"You kept your promise," the voice said. "You brought balance."
Ben's heart clenched. "You're still here?"
"Not here," she answered softly. "But my light remains… wherever you are."
He looked down at the golden feather still tied around his wrist. It glowed faintly, pulsing in rhythm with her words.
"I don't know how to move on," he whispered.
"Then don't forget," the voice said. "Remember what we were — and what we became."
The light faded slowly, leaving only silence and stars.
But for the first time in centuries, Ben smiled.
He finally understood — endings were only another kind of beginning