Whispers of Astoria

Chapter Ten: The Eye of the Storm

The forest was a blur as they ran, the creatures chasing them through the trees, their glowing eyes piercing the darkness. Florence's lungs burned, and his legs felt like they might give out, but he couldn't stop. Not now.

They burst through the treeline, emerging onto a cliffside overlooking a vast valley. Below them, the land stretched out for miles, bathed in the eerie light of the twin moons that hung in the sky. But the beauty of the scene was lost on Florence. All he could see was the storm.

In the distance, far on the horizon, dark clouds swirled, crackling with lightning. The hum in the air was louder than ever, vibrating through Florence's bones. The storm was coming, and it was coming for him.

"We can't outrun them," Andre said, his voice tight. "We need to make a stand."

Johmarrian nodded, his expression grim. "We fight here."

Florence's heart pounded as he looked between them. "But we can't... We can't stop this, can we?"

Andre's eyes softened for a moment, and he stepped closer to Florence, his hand resting on his shoulder. "We don't know yet. But we have to try."

Johmarrian's voice was low, almost a whisper. "The storm... it's you, Florence. You're the key to all of this."

Florence's breath caught in his throat, his heart racing. He didn't want to believe it, didn't want to be the one responsible for what was coming. But deep down, he knew it was true.

The creatures were closing in, their twisted forms emerging from the trees, their eyes locked onto Florence. He could feel the pull of the book in his hands, the magic within it growing stronger.

The storm was coming. And Florence was at its heart.

The ground beneath them trembled, and from the horizon, the first crack of thunder echoed through the valley.

The storm had arrived.