Chapter 4 — Rekindled Shadows

Alexander Krom

The knock at the door startled Alexander out of his restless thoughts. He had been sitting by the window, staring past the frost-rimed glass into the dense darkness of the taiga. The Ashen Moon hung low, its silvery light casting an almost menacing glow over the forest. His cabin, small and sturdy, usually felt like a sanctuary in moments like this, but tonight the walls felt fragile, as if the weight of the woods beyond might crush them in. The sound came again—firm and insistent.