Cancer’s eyes snapped open, her breath ragged and shallow. The shadows of the nightmare still clung to her mind like a heavy fog. She was drenched in sweat, her heart pounding in her chest as if trying to escape. The room around her was dark and silent except for the faint ticking of the old clock on her bedside table.

The dream had been relentless—visions of a world torn apart by chaos and destruction. She had seen monstrous creatures with sharp claws and glowing red eyes hunting helpless humans. Witches wielding dark magic that burned villages to ash. Friends and foes alike falling in bloody battles, their screams echoing through the crumbling cities. The sky had been stained with fire and smoke, the sun obscured by thick black clouds. It was terrifying, more real than anything she had ever experienced before.

She pressed her palms against her face, trying to calm the storm raging inside her. But the images—the terrible prophecy—refused to fade.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

“Cancer? Are you alright?” her stepmother’s gentle voice came from the doorway.

Cancer wiped her sweaty hands on the blanket and sat up. “Maria… it was that dream again.”

Maria stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind her. “The one about the world ending?”

Cancer nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes. The gods’ prophecy. It feels so real this time, like it’s not just a dream anymore. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do… How can I stop it? What if it’s already too late?”

Maria crossed the room and sat beside her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her trembling shoulders. “I know it’s frightening. But you’re not alone. We’ve been preparing for this—long before you even knew.”

Cancer looked up at Maria, searching for hope in her calm eyes. “Preparing? For what? I’m only eighteen tomorrow. What could I have possibly been prepared for?”

Maria reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a small velvet pouch. “There’s something I need to give you. It’s time.”

Cancer frowned, confused. “But… my birthday’s tomorrow. It’s still eleven-thirty now.”

Maria smiled softly. “I know. But sometimes, the world doesn’t wait for the right time. You need this now, Cancer. For what’s coming.”

She opened the pouch slowly, revealing a moonstone necklace. The pale gem shimmered faintly at first, but as the light touched it, it began to glow—brighter than the stars in the night sky outside the window. Its glow filled the room with a gentle, silvery light that seemed almost alive.

Cancer’s eyes widened. “What is this? Why is it shining like that?”

Maria’s voice lowered, filled with reverence. “That moonstone has been waiting for you. It holds the power of the moon itself.”

Cancer stared at her, confusion twisting in her heart. “The moon? But… the moon is my real mother.”

Maria nodded slowly, her expression soft but serious. “Yes. The moon is your true mother. I am only your stepmother, but I’ve watched over you. This necklace is a piece of her power—her protection—and it’s meant for you now, when the time is right.”

Cancer reached out, her fingers trembling as she touched the necklace. The glow warmed her skin, a steady pulse that felt like a heartbeat of its own. The weight of it was heavier than just metal and stone—it was destiny.

She looked back at Maria. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Maria took a deep breath. “You must find the others—the twelve chosen. Only together can you stand against the darkness that threatens to tear our world apart.”

Cancer swallowed hard, feeling a strange mix of fear and determination rise inside her. “Then I won’t waste any time.”

Maria’s voice was steady but carried an undeniable urgency as she sat across from Cancer in the dimly lit kitchen. The soft glow of the moonstone necklace resting against Cancer’s chest cast shimmering patterns over the worn wooden table, flickering like ghostly flames in the quiet room. Shadows danced across the walls, mirroring the storm of unease swirling between them.

“You need to leave before midnight,” Maria said, her eyes flicking nervously toward the clock hanging above the doorway. Its ticking seemed unnaturally loud in the stillness, each second dragging out the weight of her words. “Before the new day begins. The moment the clock strikes twelve, everything changes.”

Cancer’s brow furrowed, confusion mixing with a rising tide of anxiety. “Why? What happens at midnight? Why can’t I stay here? This is my home.”

Maria took a slow breath, her hands tightening into fists on the table as if grasping for strength. “Because they’re coming,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper that still carried an edge sharp enough to cut through the silence. “The ones who’ve hunted us for generations. The ones who want the moonstone—your moonstone. They won’t wait for a convenient hour or a perfect moment. If you don’t leave now, if you hesitate even for a second, you’ll never have a chance to protect it… or yourself.”

Cancer’s heart hammered in her chest. She stared at Maria, searching her face for reassurance but finding only cold certainty. The gravity of the warning settled over her like a shroud. The dream, the prophecy, the nightmare she’d woken from — it was all crashing in with terrifying clarity.

Cancer swallowed hard, the weight of the prophecy settling heavier on her shoulders. “But where will I go? What about the village? What about you?”

Maria’s gaze softened but remained firm. “You need to go north. There’s something waiting for you there—something I’ve prepared. A package. It will help you when the time comes.”

Cancer looked down at the necklace, then back at Maria. “I don’t understand… Why me? Why am I the one they’re after?”

Maria sighed deeply. “Because you carry the power of the moon. The dark magic leaking into our world wants to use that power to open the gate to hell. If they get the necklace, everything you’ve seen in your dreams will come true.”

Fear prickled at Cancer’s skin, but beneath it was a spark of determination. “Then I have to go. I have to protect it.”

Maria reached out and took Cancer’s hands in hers. “Go now. Don’t wait for the clock to strike twelve.”

Cancer nodded, standing slowly. She grabbed a small satchel Maria had prepared and slung it over her shoulder. Her heart pounded as she stepped outside into the chilly night air.

The village was quiet, cloaked in shadows under the full moon. She cast a glance back toward the house, a strange sense of finality settling over her. She started walking north, the path winding through dark woods and open fields.

After a few minutes, a sudden, deafening roar shattered the silence.

Cancer froze, her blood turning to ice. She spun around just in time to see a towering pillar of smoke and fire rising where her house once stood. Flames devoured the roof, turning wood and stone to ash in moments.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced herself to look away. She understood now. Maria’s warning, her urgency—it was real. They had come for her, and the danger was closer than she had imagined.

“Maria…” she whispered, hope mingling with dread. “Please be safe.”

With one last glance at the burning ruins of her home, Cancer turned her back on the village and began walking faster, never looking back again.

The cold night air bit at Cancer’s skin as she hurried through the darkened forest path. Every step took her further from the only home she had ever known—and closer to an uncertain fate. The moonstone necklace rested heavy against her chest, its gentle glow a faint comfort in the engulfing shadows.

Her breath came in quick bursts, clouds of mist drifting from her lips as she moved faster. The village, now reduced to smoldering ash, haunted her thoughts. Flames still flickered in her mind’s eye—the destruction, the terror. But she had no choice. Maria’s warning echoed relentlessly in her ears: They’re coming.

Cancer clutched the satchel Maria had given her. Inside was the package Maria spoke of—an assortment of tools and scrolls, wrapped carefully in faded cloth. She had yet to open it, unsure if she was ready to face what lay within.

As the trees thickened, she slowed, listening intently to the night. The forest was alive with sounds—the rustle of leaves, the distant howl of a lone wolf, the soft snapping of twigs underfoot. But beneath these natural noises was something else, something darker. A faint whisper riding the wind, a sensation crawling along her spine.

She paused, closing her eyes. The power within the moonstone pulsed in response, as if warning her. Stay alert.

Cancer knew this journey was only beginning. The prophecy was unfolding, and the twelve chosen—her and eleven others scattered across the world—were meant to unite against the darkness. But for now, it was just her.

She finally allowed herself to open the package. Inside lay a small leather-bound book, its cover worn and weathered but emanating a subtle, almost tangible aura of ancient energy. The pages crackled softly as she flipped through them, the parchment fragile yet alive with whispered secrets. Cancer had heard stories about this book before—the real history, not the versions twisted or diluted through generations of storytellers. This was the book that recorded the true past, the hidden truths no one dared speak aloud. It revealed the dark, forgotten events that had shaped the world, the origins of magic, and the battles long buried beneath myths and legends. More astonishingly, the book was said to write itself continuously, chronicling the unfolding future as the world moved forward—an ever-living testament to the fate of all things.

Cancer’s fingers trembled as she traced the faded symbols on the cover. How had Maria come to possess such a precious, forbidden artifact? The question weighed heavily on her mind, stirring both awe and suspicion. Maria had always seemed mysterious, but this—this was beyond anything Cancer had imagined. It was a reminder that the path ahead was not just dangerous, but entwined with secrets far older and deeper than she understood.

Beside the book lay a vial filled with a silvery liquid that shimmered like liquid moonlight, catching the faintest glimmers of light. And a small carved wooden charm in the shape of a crescent moon, its edges smooth and worn from years of handling. These two items are the one that Cancer had no clue about, she had never heard or saw anything like this.

Cancer ran her fingers over the items, feeling a strange warmth spread through her. These were tools, yes—but also a promise. A guide through the chaos that was to come.

Determined, she tucked the package into her satchel and pushed forward, deeper into the night.

The path ahead was uncertain. But Cancer knew one thing for sure—she would not stop until she found the others. Until the twelve chosen stood together to face the darkness threatening to consume their world.

And no matter what awaited her in the North, she was ready to fight.