The moonlight glistened on the leaves as Rey and Fianna sat together near the cliff's edge, their fingers gently intertwined. The night was peaceful, filled only with the whispers of the wind and the distant howls of wild creatures. Rey's heart raced—not from fear, but from what he was about to say.
"Fianna," he began, his voice soft, "I never imagined finding peace in a place like this… but with you, everything changed."
She smiled, her gaze distant as she looked at the stars. Then she turned to him, her expression serious. "Rey, I need to ask you something important."
He leaned in. "Anything."
"If you truly wish to marry me," she said slowly, "you must be accepted by our ancestors."
Rey blinked, caught off guard. "Ancestors?"
Fianna nodded. "Our tribe is bound by more than tradition. Our ancestors—those of blood and soul—still reside in a place known as the Castle of Echoing Souls. It lies southeast from here, hidden beyond the burning canyons and the misted hills."
Rey's eyes narrowed in thought. "A castle? Do they… still live there?"
"Not in body," Fianna said with reverence. "But in will and presence. It is a sacred ground where the chosen of our people must go to be judged. No union of heart is accepted without their blessing. Even our tribe's leader cannot defy that."
Rey sat in silence for a moment. Then he took her hand gently and looked into her eyes. "Tell me what I need to do. I'll face anything to be with you."
Fianna's eyes shimmered with emotion. "Then you must come with me. We'll seek the council of our tribe and ask for permission to leave. No one ventures to the castle without approval. It is dangerous… even for us."
Two days later, after speaking with the tribe leader and receiving solemn blessings, Fianna and Rey prepared for their journey. The tribe gifted them two swift and sturdy riding beasts—creatures resembling sleek horned panthers with scaled tails. They were bound in woven vines and bone-crafted saddles, symbols of sacred passage.
As they rode side by side, the terrain shifted from lush forest to cracked drylands. The mist thickened in patches, and the air turned heavy with silence. The journey took a toll. Their beasts struggled in the deep sands and their water supply thinned.
Finally, as twilight bled across the sky, the castle came into view.
It was massive—its dark stone walls rose like jagged teeth against the red horizon. Vines, long since turned to ash, hung like ghosts from its shattered balconies. The gates were wide open, yet nothing moved inside. An unnatural stillness surrounded the place.
Fianna dismounted first, her expression unreadable. "This is it."
Rey stepped beside her, eyes wide. "We made it…"
She nodded solemnly. "What happens next… is no longer in our control."
Rey looked at the castle—its towering spires clawing toward the heavens—and felt a strange pull in his chest. Whatever waited inside… wasn't going to be just a test of worth.
It would be a test of his very soul.
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