Chapter 5: The Blood Moon
He reached the original clearing as the blood moon crested the horizon, painting everything crimson. Sylvana waited beside the split oak, now surrounded by every tree in the forest. Their branches formed a living cathedral.
The three Heartseeds rested in Alex’s hands, glowing brighter than before.
“The final song must be played here,” Sylvana said. “All three together. But the Shadow Root knows. It comes.”
The ground erupted. The black mass burst upward, tentacles thicker than Alex’s body, reaching for the moon itself. Corrupted poured from the treeline in a final desperate wave.
