Enjoy the first two chapters of Gerald Binghoven’s upcoming story, The Tale of Two Moons. One night, a second moon appears in the sky, leading to a series of natural disasters. A young girl learns she is the Moonkeeper, destined to set things right by journeying to the second moon.
Chapter One: The Night of Two Moons
In the small, tucked-away town of Aylesford where nothing much ever happened—except perhaps the annual pie-baking contest or the occasional lost cat—Elara was an anomaly. With her nose forever buried in a thick tome or her eyes squinted at the night sky through a telescope, she was the girl “with her head in the clouds,” as Mrs. Hawthorn, the librarian, often remarked.
Tonight, however, Elara felt a sense of anticipation that no book or constellation could ever provide. She set up her telescope on the wooden deck behind her house, aligning it carefully to get the best view of the moon. Just as she was fine-tuning the focus, her eye caught something—a shimmer, a celestial hiccup, and then, another moon.
She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Yes, the sky definitely had two moons. One was the familiar, comforting presence she’d sketched so many times. The other was newer, tinged in hues of blue and green, like a marble.
Elara was so engrossed that she almost didn’t hear the soft, melodic voice that seemed to come from the air itself. “Elara, child of the Earth, would you forsake one moon for another?”
Startled, Elara swiveled around. Floating a few feet above her deck was a figure so radiant that she had to squint. Garbed in robes woven from what seemed like stardust, the figure extended a hand.
“I am the Guardian of Celestial Equilibrium,” the figure said. “And you, Elara, are the Moonkeeper.”
Chapter Two: The Moonstone and the Guardian
Before Elara could speak—before she could ask about Moonkeepers or Celestial Equilibrium or how exactly one floats—the Guardian reached into the pocket of his robe. Out came a pendant with a luminous stone set in the center, glowing with a silvery light that was almost lunar. The Guardian handed it to her.
“This Moonstone grants you the power to breathe the airless ether and converse with celestial beings. You must journey to the second moon and mend the tear in the fabric of our worlds,” he said, his voice tinged with urgency.
Elara felt a wave of doubt wash over her. “I don’t understand. I’m just a girl who likes to read books and look at the sky. How can I fix moons and mend worlds?”
The Guardian looked into her eyes. “Remember, Elara, courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The Moonstone will guide you, but the strength must come from within you.”
Just then, Elara heard a loud crash from her house. Her parents’ shouts echoed from inside. The unbalanced world was already affecting the people she loved. She clenched the Moonstone pendant in her hand, feeling its subtle warmth seep into her skin.
“Will you accept this task, Moonkeeper?” asked the Guardian, extending his arm toward the twinkling sky and the second moon, now glowing brighter, almost as if awaiting her.
Elara took a deep breath. She had spent so long looking up at the moon, living in stories. Now, it was time to be part of one.
“I will go,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but steady.
As the Guardian nodded, the Moonstone around her neck glowed even brighter, and for a fleeting second, Elara felt as if she were already dancing among the stars.
When One World Meets Another
And so, dear reader, our young Elara, armed with little more than a magical Moonstone and an insatiable curiosity, embarked on a quest not just to save her world, but to discover her own untapped reserves of courage and wisdom. Remember, moons may wane and stars may fall, but the light within us can outshine them all.