{The crows are silently watching him, their beady eyes glowing ruby-red in the unobstructed moonlight that paints the landscape a pale blue. The persistent rain that had accompanied him for the past few moons had vanished without a trace. The night hung in eerie silence.
In the castle's shadows, Deene stood with an inscrutable expression on his face. He knew he had to return soon with news of his recent discovery, yet he made no move to do so. No one in their right mind would venture out during a blue moon unless they desired to join the ranks of the Moon-Touched. Despite being largely considered harmless, nobody wanted to relinquish their autonomy and transform into moon-praising lunatics.
The silent night is broken by the flapping of wings. Deene looked up expectantly as a crow circled the area before landing not far from him. The bird tilted its head to the side, its moonstone collar shimmering with iridescent colors.
Deene waited for the crow to approach before seizing it and untying the felt pouch attached to its collar. As he flipped it over, a moonstone ring and a handwritten note fell out. There was only one word on the note: "Unsafe."}
-
Allen
Setting his pen aside, Allen glanced at the new clock resting on the desk. It was well past midnight, and he realized it was time to get some sleep. Midnight, his trusty companion, had already settled into the new bed he had purchased on his last trip, thanks to a tempting sale.
As he went through his nightly routine, Allen found his mind wandering. This time of night was a catalyst for both creative and destructive thoughts. Some of his favorite novel ideas surfaced during these hours when his mind was a bit more relaxed. However, with his guard down, unfounded or trivial concerns, such as his forgotten past, often crept into his thoughts as well.
Brushing aside these distractions, he gently patted Midnight on his way to bed, being careful not to disturb her peaceful slumber. Slipping under the covers, Allen hoped for a long-overdue pleasant dream. Soon, his weary mind succumbed to the embrace of sleep.
-
Floating in the air, carried by an invisible breeze, he gazed down upon a vast expanse. Below him stretched a blue sea, its waves gently caressing the rocky shore. Drifting further, he found himself hovering over mist-covered mountains. A sparse selection of architecture dotted the top or sides of the tall peaks.
The night is silent, but at least it wasn’t dark. Illuminated by a colossal moon radiating a mesmerizing blue glow, the night was captivating. Drawn by her elegant light, he flew towards her. She also seems to be eagerly waiting for him.
However, before he could get much closer, she was gone. It looked like she was swallowed by a large, shadowy entity. The confusion over the new darkness only lasted a few seconds before he lost interest. It was so difficult to focus while dreaming, but he didn’t mind too much. He returned to his lazy drifting.
The mountainous landscape transformed into luminous forests, speckled with points of light. They didn’t compare to the moon but were interesting, nonetheless, to a bored mind. Fireflies, that is what they reminded him of.
A distant memory surfaced, bringing a touch of nostalgia—a recollection of fireflies in a clear jar. He reached for them, and they scattered just like he remembered. Unfortunately for them, they appeared so slow in his vision. He effortlessly captured one of them.
Opening his palm, he was surprised to see the firefly was gradually losing its light. Well, it had been the slowest flying one, so perhaps it was previously injured. As the last light left the poor thing, he flipped his palm over, returning its body to nature.
No longer in the mood to chase fireflies, he continued his lonely journey. Is it lonely? It is lonely, he realized. The moon had returned, but it seemed different from before, but he couldn’t place what changed.
Maybe they never changed, it was his interest that did.
Gazing at the sky, he noticed an absence—the dream lacked stars. Puzzled, he wondered how there could be no stars in the sky. It would be much less lonely if there were stars to always accompany him for all of eternity…
-
What was he thinking about…? He lost his train of thought as the pull of reality tugged at his mind. Hovering between wakefulness and sleep, he recalled the sound that had roused him. It resembled a bell, much like the one on the front door of the store.
It seemed implausible; he had secured the door, and any intrusion would surely have been accompanied by more noticeable commotion. Shifting over, he surrendered to the embrace of sleep once again.
-
Deene
It's vanished—the blue moon is gone. It wasn't a mere phase transition; the moon itself had disappeared.
Deene stood motionless as his eyes adapted to the newfound darkness. His fingers grazed the smooth stone on his ring, which no longer emitted its gentle glow. This wasn't a hallucination or illusion; the moon was genuinely missing.
Uncertain about the next course of action, he debated whether to continue the trek to the safe house or return to the castle. With no means to contact Amaris at the safe house, he will remain in the dark about any new developments. Although the impulse to return to the city was strong, Amaris had cautioned against it, and his trust in her vision held firm.
Opting for a brief respite until morning to make a final decision, he hoped the disappearance hadn't affected the other two moons. Amid his rest, the night was abruptly illuminated as the moon reappeared. It was no longer a blue moon, but it wasn’t back to its dormant state either. Something has changed.
Checking his ring, he felt reassured by the moon's return. Gripped by a newfound urgency, he decided to travel through the night. The world is changing more rapidly than anticipated. They needed to push the plans forward.
-
Unknown
Stumbling along the dark street, a familiar drunk slowly moved toward the lone lamppost, collapsing onto the bench beside it. Retrieving another flask from his tattered jacket, he seemed to be just a man drowning his sorrows in alcohol to any casual observer.
Not many people ventured into the streets late at night, especially with recent rumors circulating. Despite that, he was surprised by the absence of any living presence on his way here. Stumbling back to his feet, he continued to follow the traces that soon led him to a seemingly ordinary store.
Bookstore, the signpost read.
The drunk rested his hand on the handle before pausing. Too easy? The hesitation didn’t last for long. There was nothing to worry about, he had taken all the necessary precautions before committing to the plan.
He pushed it open and stepped inside.
Outside?
Suddenly shedding all signs of drunkenness, he reached for the handle, only to find it missing. Turning around, he stared at the stone wall of a castle. When? Where?
Scaling the castle's side with quiet grace to obtain a better view, the man surveyed the misty landscape. Trees stretched across the terrain as far as his eyes could reach, bathed in the bright light of the moon. Moon?
Shifting his gaze to the unusually massive moon in the sky, he became certain he was no longer in the same world. Fear coursed through his veins at the revelation, except it didn’t. He felt so…at peace and serene, so…calm.
Beautiful.
She was the most stunning being he had ever beheld. Sinking to his knees, he looked up at his Goddess, who radiated a brilliant smile down at him. Soft words whispered into his ears, assuring him of safety, love, and acceptance in this realm. He must find his brothers and sisters, and together they would guide other lost souls into the embrace of their Goddess.
Moonlight descended upon him, entering his eyes. His once vibrant eyes now turned a foggy white, glowing in the night. With her by his side, he did not need to witness the darkness of the world. His sight should focus solely on her. Tears streamed down his face in gratitude for her generous gift.
Praise the Moon.
Dianos· Dec 23, 2023
