*Chapter Two* of *MOONLIT SHADOW (Love is for the Brave)*,
*Chapter Two: Whispers Beneath the Temple*
The old wooden floor creaked beneath Mark's boots as he and Jun stepped into the dimly lit shop. The scent of sandalwood and aged paper clung to the air. Shelves of ancient scrolls and talismans lined the walls, some humming softly with unseen energy.
Jun moved gracefully, his fingers brushing over a faded charm before pausing at a scroll tucked behind a cracked Buddha statue.
"This," Jun whispered, "wasn't here yesterday."
Mark stepped closer. The scroll was sealed with red wax, marked by a sigil neither of them had seen before. The moment Jun touched it, the flame of a nearby candle flickered violently—then extinguished.
A chill swept through the room.
"Did you feel that?" Mark asked, instinctively stepping in front of Jun.
Jun nodded, his voice steady. "It's a binding scroll. Whatever it's holding back... it's waking."
Suddenly, a low hum filled the space. The walls trembled. Mark pulled Jun back as a shadow—formless, smoky, and cold—slipped from behind the statue and glided toward them.
Mark drew a talisman from his coat, pressing it to his palm as he chanted. The shadow shrieked, recoiling, but not vanishing.
"It's not just a spirit," Jun said softly, eyes wide. "It's a remnant—something older than death."
The energy shifted again. The scroll burst open with a crack, scattering ash into the air.
Then, silence.
Jun gripped Mark's sleeve. "We need to go to Wat Phra Singh. The wards there are weakening."
Mark hesitated, then nodded. "Let's move. But stay close."
Jun smiled faintly. "I always do."
As they stepped back into the night, the moon was higher now, casting longer shadows. And somewhere, deep beneath the city, something ancient stirred.
To be continued.