3 months earlier

“Shay, come in.” A mature voice sounded through the beautiful massive wooden double door left slightly ajar to let the breeze flow freely through the office behind it. The door was made of what seemed to be amberwood, while each side of it had an intricate design carved across the entire length of its surface. It was only when you brought them together and closed them entirely you could see that the two halfs represent the whole. The upper side of each half of the double door held room for a beautiful moon on a high rise; one light and beautiful as a cherry blossom against the clear blue sky and a promise of a new dawn; the other magnificent but dark and ominous as the heart of the Lord of the underworld himself, overpowering and menacing in a gut wrenching threat to stop the sun from ever rising again. The lower part of the door was carved in a very naturesque fashion, portraying a gorgeous mountain range towering over a lake and amberwood forest. The lake itself was made out of the purest white crystal, glimmering under the lights the hallway provided, and on its shoreline stood a maiden and a man, each in their respective half of the door; united when doors were closed, made apart when they were open. Shaylin grew up looking at these doors as her father often took her with him when discussing matters of business with professor Jackson. The doors at the time seemed gigantic against her small frame which made her feel weary of them as it is. Looking at them now almost two decades later their size did not scare her any more but she could yet again feel all the same emotions the doors made her feel each time she saw them even as a little girl…each time she was met by these doors, for reasons unknown to her, she felt dread creeping up her spine and clouding her giggly demeanor, never failing in making her small arms reach involuntary for her father’s leg, hugging it for dear life, seeking protection unaware of doing it or even why. She loved going with her father, but almost each time she was met by these doors she would spend the rest of the meeting pressed against her fathers huge and comforting frame, all child’s playfulness leaving her. Her father noticed her strange demeanor but interpreted it as shyness in front of the professor. It only occurred to him the real reason for her distress once he noticed her stealing one last, scared yet saddened glance at the door over her shoulder as they were leaving the meeting the last time she was there those twenty years ago. Her father crouched down giving her the gentlest of hugs but firm enough to let her know he intends keeping her safe at all times, and whispered to her ear: “These are only doors my child. Never fear things. Things will never hurt you unless they are wielded by someone whose soul knows only dark. But you my love, you are light and those emerald eyes of yours can scare away any evil by sheer beauty and determination in them. And even if that by some chance does not help, I will always be here to protect you.” He smiled at her endearingly, stood up taking her tiny hand and led her away, never to bring her back to the office with him again. This was the first time after all those years she set foot in this hallway, let alone stood before these doors, and now the memories came crashing against her soul with the same fervor the storming sea crashes mercilessly against the cliffs. That same voice spoke again, making her snap out of her revery.

“If you are late for the council, not even your father will be able to help you.” Shay could feel the disapproval and warning etched in the calmness of his voice and rushed to apologize.

“I am truly sorry professor, I meant no disrespect.” Shay paused searching for her next words carefully. After all, it was a serious topic that needed to be discussed and she could not let her tardiness get in the way. “I was just wondering about this next mission I’m being sent on.”

“Ah yes, that. Well, that’s what the meeting is all about…alongside the fact that idiot of a brother of yours is being named the next grandmaster after your father.” Professor Jackson said.

He looked at the woman in front of him noticing how she must have grown up at some point during the years he wasn’t really seeing much of her, at least not after her father had stopped bringing her to his office when they had meetings. His office was almost their general headquarters where all the strategies and plans were discussed, and it still held the same brown leather armchair by the window, where that gangly little thing with emerald eyes of a doe used to sit and play while he and Corin, Shay's father, discussed business. In front of him now was no trace of that scrawny little girl. Shaylin has grown into a strong, confident and beautiful woman every father would be proud of, and all that gave away that it was still the same little girl, were those captivating emerald orbs.

Professor Jackson was an old man but he was blessed with the sight of an eagle in the hunt. Even from ten feet away he could notice traces of amber-like swirls dancing in the emerald sea of her eyes and around her pupils. They looked almost like a forest canopy adorned with strings of fairy lights. It was not uncommon for the Amber Coven to have traces of amber in their eyes and almost all had at least some. All but Shaylin’s brother Hendric that is, although no one really knew why. Over the years the amber was believed to be a special mark or the coven’s insignia, showing both their origin while also being a physical manifestation of the magic coursing through their veins. The Amber coven was known to be blessed with most potent magic by their beloved Gaia, and people believed the amber was a direct proof of that as no other coven held the same feature. Shaylin’s eyes were vibrant with the amount of amber in them, making it seem like flames danced in the green of her eyes. They seemed both magnificent and threatening, but if you looked closely you could see nothing but the purest spirit behind them.

Shaylin really did change a lot as she grew, physically at least. Her once mousy brown hair with soft waves only on its ends had lightened to a soft murky blond color with now playful waves through its entire length, and long it was. Jackson could swear the girl did not have a proper haircut in a very long time as her hair now reached her lower back. It looked beautiful alright, but wild. The time she spent out in the sun training with her warriors gave Shay’s hair natural highlights in a honey tone, infusing it with volume and playfulness. Her face thinned out to a pretty oval shape while at the same time her lips filled out and took on a shade of a vintage rose and her lean but muscular body now sculpted like a goddesses, made her look nothing like that little girl he had seen grow up. Somehow he never noticed up until now, but Shaylin looked like a woman and a magnificent one at that.

Alas, just because she was a woman, the position she deserved was going to be given to her brother. The unfairness of it was making Jackson all kinds of angry and desperate at the same time. He knew this girl then and he knew her now, and there was no doubt in his mind she would make a hell lot of a better leader than her weasel brother. Hendric did not look like a weasel, but he sure acted like one.

“Unfortunately, nothing can be done. Tradition stands in the way here…either that, or my grandfather. Or are those one and the same?” She chuckled almost to herself. “Don't worry so much professor Jackson, or that handsome face of yours will crinkle out", Shay teased and managed to draw the tiniest of smirks out of the corner of the old man's lips which warmed her heart. Although she did not get to see him much over the last years as Jackson was always on a mission either away or stuck here in his office researching all kinds of odds and ends demanded of him, he was like a second father to her. Shay missed dearly all those late afternoons with Jackson when he would pick a random scroll from his library, revealing the stories from legends and prophecies. She held those moments dear to her heart and remembered every word he shared even now.

"My brother can be very rigid but is capable of leading us to accomplish great things...he just needs to grow up. Sooner rather than later", Shay tried to defend Hendric. “Maybe, just maybe he will come around eventually and support my father’s vision of changing these ridiculous traditions where power is not being passed down to the first born regardless of their gender, but the first son only. Even his future children can benefit from it...assuming he does want them.” Shay added.

Jackson was listening to his ward carefully and realized that even being a grown woman now she was still childishly naive, always looking for good in people...oftentimes overlooking the bad. And that, he thought, was dangerous. “Shaylin... I don’t know how you can stay so oblivious even after everything. This is not fair and it is not right. Stop putting yourself down by defending your brother's attitude and brazen arrogance. Your father wanted you specifically to succeed him, and he wanted it for a good reason might I add. The people, our people, your fellow warriors...they all wanted you. Your grandfather is an old man with his head stuck in the past like an ostrich stuck in the sand, unaware of the changing world around him. And your brother...", Jackson sighed,"he is a selfish man who only cares about power and wealth. He has no respect or love whatsoever for anyone but himself, and that alone will lead this coven into destruction.” By the time Jackson had finished speaking his face added on a few more years worth of wrinkles. The fervacious resignation of this kind man over having Hendric as their leader stunned Shay, and for the first time ever she felt insecure of her own brother.

“Well, that is why any decision made needs to be first agreed upon by the elder and grandmaster in unison”, Shay answered the professor, avoiding to delve into the matter any deeper. Her brother was already a painful subject for her as he was getting increasingly aggressive with her over the years. She could never fathom why and it hurt her to the core because it was only the two of them and their father after their mother died. She promised her mother to look after her little brother but he kept pushing her away, making her feel like a failure for not being able to keep her promise fully.

“Between father as the next elder and Hendric as the next coven leader, they might accomplish great things.”

The professor was not sure if she was trying to convince him or herself, making him feeling sorry for Shaylin as she always chose to see the best in people in her mind. Hendric was a selfish man with his grandfather always whispering in his ear. It would fall on Corin's shoulders, Jackson believed, to be the buffer of protection for their people against the short mindedness of those two.

“Right…off we go now and make haste child.They should already be waiting for us to arrive” Jackson exclaimed. “Help me with these please”, Jackson pointed to the two piles of books and scrolls with a brisk jerk of his chin, while hurriedly taking one pile himself.

Shay walked over to grab one of the piles left on the table, accidentally knocking down an ancient scroll that unraveled slightly as it hit the floor. Bending down she picked the scroll up, noticing as she did so the image of two moons illuminating the sky and reflecting their perfect spheres over the surface of a crystal clear lake.

Confused, she turned to the professor not quite looking at him, still fascinated with the thing in her hands. “The curse of the two moons…but that’s a bedtime story, why would they need this?” Shay blurted out.

“All will be explained soon, Shay. Remember, patience is a virtue. Now let’s go, I think we have tardied enough.”

The professor exited the office with no further ado with Shay hot on his heels and eager to hear more about this prophecy and the assignment she was about to embark on.