Bc_brooke_belle_159 -
Brooke and Belle stood side by side, bathed in the restoring warmth of the Sunstone, knowing they had not only saved their village but had also made a friend in the deepest dark.
They followed the glowing trail deeper into the heart of the woods, where the trees grew so close together that they blotched out most of the sky. The air grew colder with every step, a surefire sign that the stolen Sunstone was nearby, likely being drained of its warmth by the beast. bc_brooke_belle_159
"Wait," Brooke commanded softly, catching Belle's wrist. She looked closely at the beast. It wasn't snarling or destroying the stone. It looked tired, desperate, and desperately sad. Brooke noticed a jagged, angry red scar running down the creature's side, weeping a dark, thick liquid. "It's hurt. It isn't stealing the light to destroy it; it's using the warmth to heal itself." Brooke and Belle stood side by side, bathed
"We cannot afford to be timid now," Brooke said, forcing a bravery she did not entirely feel. "The fog is lifting. If we move fast, we can catch it before it reaches the Black Crag." "Wait," Brooke commanded softly, catching Belle's wrist
"We don't have to fight it to save our village," Brooke said, a plan forming in her mind. She reached into her own pack and pulled out a small wooden vial containing a glowing green paste made from crushed healing herbs and forest sap. "We help it heal, and then we ask for the stone back."
By noon, the trees suddenly gave way to a massive, jagged clearing of dark volcanic rock. In the center of the clearing stood a creature that looked like it had been carved from the night sky itself. It was massive, with fur that shimmered like dark velvet and eyes that burned like twin white stars. Cradled in its giant, clawed hands was the Sunstone, its brilliant golden light visibly pulsing and fading.