The sky was beginning to darken in a way that didn't resemble a normal sunset. Shades of violet and gray blended, forming an almost liquid twilight that seemed to seep into the skin. I was still close to Luna, but it wasn't her presence that kept me alert—it was the sensation that every element of the city was subtly shifting, imperceptible to anyone else. Every streetlight, every stone on the pavement, even the movement of leaves in the trees seemed to respond to a force that no one else could feel.
Luna drew closer, this time without needing to guide me, and her black eyes shimmered in the dim light. There was something captivating about her, something that made me lose track of time. Unconsciously, I realized my body reacted to her energy, as if mere proximity amplified an ability I still couldn't fully control. For the first time, I felt more alive than I ever had—but also more vulnerable.
I looked at the lake, still unsettled from moments before, and noticed something that made me swallow hard: beyond the city's reflection, the water began forming small circles—not randomly, but in an organized way, almost as if attempting to draw specific patterns across its surface. A shiver ran down my spine, and instinctively, I touched the water with my fingers. The sensation was strange, as if the energy flowed from me into the lake and returned multiplied—more intense, more concentrated.
"I've never felt anything like this," I whispered, unaware that Luna could hear every thought.
She smiled, a gesture almost imperceptible, yet full of meaning.
"You haven't even discovered half of what you can do," she said, and for a moment, I realized she wasn't just speaking to me—she was transmitting something only my own mind could comprehend.
As I tried to process it, a rapid vision swept through me: the seven lakes of the city, which until then had been only a historical curiosity I knew superficially, appeared in my mind as energy maps. Each lake emitted a distinct vibration, and all their frequencies seemed to converge at the lake where we stood. I understood, without being able to explain, that Seven Lakes wasn't just a name—it was a network of mystical points, and I was right at its center.
Then I heard a strange sound coming from the city, something that mixed the snap of metal with a low whisper, impossible to locate. Seconds later, a nearby building trembled slightly, with no apparent cause, and I saw shadows stretching along the walls, forming distorted human-like figures. My breath quickened. The real world was being altered, invaded by something beyond natural laws, and I could feel the force emanating from the figures—a dense, oppressive energy that made every step feel heavier.
Luna pulled me closer, and I felt the connection between us grow, as if we were two poles of the same invisible field. For the first time, I tried to consciously explore the breadth of my ability. I focused my attention on the shadowy figures, trying to perceive their intention. At the same time, I visualized the city's lakes and felt a current of energy run down my spine, connecting every mystical point. A wave of understanding hit me: I could shape the environment, influence the force attempting to invade our world—but only if I was completely focused.
Then something new happened. An object fell from the sky toward the lake, piercing the water's surface without fully sinking. It was a small, ancient mirror, its edges worn, reflecting the sky that no longer existed. When I touched its surface, an intense vision took over: Zade and Jace, side by side, commanding legions of ethereal creatures, shaping the space around them as if the world were made of clay. I heard their laughter, thick with triumph, as if every step I had taken had long been predicted.
The lake's water began to rise around the mirror, forming a whirlpool that seemed to try to engulf both the object and us. The reflection shifted: no longer showing Zade and Jace as humans, but as larger beings with features that warped reality, long arms, and eyes glowing like embers. The energy radiating from them seemed to corrode the very atmosphere, and fear almost paralyzed me.
"Ana… can you do it?" Luna's voice rang firm and clear, cutting through the whirlpool of thoughts and the pressure of the environment. "If you hesitate, it will be too late."
For the first time, I tried to focus completely. I concentrated on the sensation of each lake in the city, visualized every energy point converging toward our side of the lake, and let my will flow. A shock surged through my body, and a barrier of bluish light rose from the water, pushing the whirlpool away. The distorted figures were repelled, though not destroyed. I could still feel their force pulsing around us, threatening to break through again.
I took a deep breath, trying to regain composure. It was then that I noticed something that left me speechless: Luna was looking at me in a way that went beyond attention or concern—there was a deep recognition, as if she knew that something within me had just changed forever. I felt strangely vulnerable, yet also safe.
As the wind calmed and the lake water returned partially to normal, I heard footsteps behind us. They were different—heavier, firmer. When I turned, I saw an unexpected presence: an elderly man, thin, with an intense gaze, approaching silently. He seemed to know everything, as if he had been waiting for this moment for years. A sense of urgency and mystery swelled inside me; this was the kind of figure who, in ordinary stories, would mark the beginning of events no one could control.
Before I could react, a scream echoed from one of the smaller lakes, the one I had only known by name, and for the first time, I realized that the seven lakes were truly connected: something was moving beneath their surfaces, something capable of crossing into the real world at any point. A wave of dread washed over me. The world I knew was transforming, and I understood the overwhelming responsibility I carried.
"Hey," Luna said, gripping my arm firmly, "you don't have to face this alone. But you must be ready for what comes next."
I looked at her, feeling the weight of her words, and understood there was no turning back. My destiny was irrevocably tied to the awakening forces I was only beginning to comprehend, and the coming hour would decide not just my future, but the fate of Earth—and all the worlds poised to open before me.