Next Morning
As the pale light of the blue moon faded into the soft blush of dawn, the entire camp stirred to life. Horses were being prepared, bags fastened, and voices called out in soft but urgent rhythm. The journey was about to begin.
Inside the quiet of a silver-canopied tent, Lira stepped gently through the entrance.
She had taken her human form, the one she rarely showed—tall, graceful, and glowing with a calm, maternal presence. Her footsteps were soundless as she walked toward the wooden desk in the corner.
There, on the surface of the table, she saw it.
A drawing.
Her soft fingers picked it up—and her breath hitched.
"No…" she whispered.
It was him.
Azrael.
She stared at the drawing in disbelief. The sharp, godlike features. The dark crown. The deep black eyes that seemed to burn straight through the parchment. It was unmistakable.
Lira's eyes slowly shifted toward the girl still curled on the bed, unaware.
"This can't happen…" she murmured under her breath.
"I won't allow it."
Lunastia's POV___
Lira's sweet voice called out to me, gentle like sunlight peeking through clouds. She always woke me up with such care—like a mother I never had. Her warm presence filled the room like it always did when she took her rare human form.
Honestly, we all loved her better as our cute little Lira, but I had to admit—like this, she was stunning. And that loving, protective air she had? It only got stronger.
"The breakfast is ready on the table," she said softly. "I'll send Myra and Crysie to help you get dressed."
I nodded, still half-asleep. But something in her voice...
Was different.
She smiled, but her eyes didn't.
Maybe it was everything we'd been through.
A power inside me I couldn't control.
Kidnapped by the Devil King.
Bound to mysterious Shadow Masters.
I just wanted to reach home... to peace.
But suddenly—
> Wait—the painting!
I sat up quickly and rushed to my desk.
Nothing.
Gone.
> No way... I drew him last night. I remember every line.
Azrael. His eyes. His crown. His darkness. I drew it all...
"Lunaaa!" Myra's bubbly voice pulled me from my daze, followed by Crysie skipping in with her usual smile.
They began preparing my clothes and hair, chatting about the journey like it was just another ordinary day.
But I stood frozen by the desk.
> Was it all a dream...?
One Day Later – Kingdom of Fangreth_____
After a long and treacherous journey through the twisted shadows of the Death Forest, Luna and her company finally crossed the border into Fangreth—the brutal homeland of beast werewolves, night terrors, and countless creatures born of blood and legend.
Though it wasn't their final destination, the path ahead through this cursed land would be far from easy. Here, even the trees had claws, and the wind howled like hungry wolves.
And somewhere far behind them...
The Devil King still watched.
______...
In the Carriage_____
Luna sat in silence inside her enchanted carriage, her knees drawn to her chest beneath a massive, oversized black coat that swallowed her figure entirely. Only her golden eyes were visible, glowing dimly beneath her hood like hidden flames.
Outside, Noctarion rode beside her, quiet as always—his eyes never straying from the carriage window.
"Let's take a break," he ordered calmly.
Luna blinked, raising her head as the carriage slowed.
"Great idea!" Mirzand chirped from his horse behind. "I know a famous resting inn in this area—warm beds, strong drinks, suspicious owners. Perfect."
Fangreth Outpost Inn — "The Howling Hearth"______
The inn stood like a fortress carved from black stone, ivy-wrapped and fanged in its architecture. Skulls hung from the archways for decoration—or perhaps warning. Glowing red torches lined the path. The moment they entered the creaky gate, a chunky werewolf in a crimson vest came loping down the steps to greet them.
"Welcome to The Howling Hearth, honored travelers," the werewolf rumbled with a toothy grin. "Molten stew, warm furs, and no beast attacks… after midnight."
Floe, the shy fairy, squeaked from behind Luna's cloak.
"Is he serious about the midnight part...?"
Myra whispered with a playful smirk,
"Probably. But look at his fuzzy ears! I wanna pet them."
The werewolf chuckled.
"Only for paying customers, little different creature".
Lolan raised a brow.
"Nice place. Smells like blood and wet dogs."
Mirzand snorted.
"Home sweet home."
Inside the Inn____
As soon as keys were handed out, Luna wordlessly took hers and walked toward the dark hallway leading to the upper rooms.
She didn't speak.
Didn't look back.
She just disappeared into the shadows.
Downstairs, Mirzand, Lolan, and Noctarion headed straight for the bar area, which looked like it was built inside a bear's ribcage.
"Ahhh," Mirzand sighed, dropping into a rough wooden chair. "Finally, a place where the drinks bite back."
Lolan ordered something called "Fangbrew."
"If this kills me, I blame you."
Noctarion, as usual, said nothing—but accepted a drink poured from a bottle labeled "Moon's Mercy."
Meanwhile...
Floe was helping myra check in when—
"floe ~" came Mirzand's voice from across the hall.
She froze.
Turned.
Blushed immediately.
"O-oh. Hello... Mirzand," she mumbled.
Myra giggled and nudged her.
"You're redder than lava."
"I am not!" floe hissed, flustered.
"Keep blushing, and the werewolves might think you're bleeding," Lolan muttered from behind his drink.
Lira, now in her human form, stood near the entrance, clearly tense. She watched Luna's door for a long time before turning to the others.
"This place is cursed. Just like that Devil King."
Everyone quieted.
"If he tries anything again," Lira muttered coldly, "I'll burn every inch of his shadow realm."
Mirzand raised his cup and teased,
"Oi, watch it. Don't go insulting our King like that, Lady Lira."
Lira scoffed.
"I don't care what he is. I care what he's done. To her."
"You were defending him not long ago," Lolan said.
Luna's Room _____
She lay in bed, gazing at the glowing white moon.
"Soon, I'll reach home," she whispered, taking a deep breath. "I'll master my power… I won't be weak anymore."
With those quiet words, she closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.
The blue light of early morning spilled through the curtains as Luna stirred from her sleep, still wrapped in the heaviness of her thoughts. The stillness was broken by a sudden knock—loud, sharp, and commanding.
Before she could react, Lira burst into the room in her fairy form, wings fluttering in panic.
"Luna! Get up now—the Devil King's royal guards are here. They're scanning every room!"
Luna's eyes widened. "What?! How—how did they find us?"
"No time," Lira said, shifting back into her human form. "We didn't have time to set up barriers. They're already inside the hotel!"
Downstairs, in the hotel's main hall, four tall, armored guards clad in obsidian-black with the Devil's insignia pushed past the lava monster receptionist. Their eyes burned crimson, scanning each guest coldly.
Mirzand, already at the bar with Lolan and Noctarion, stood up casually, cracking his neck.
"Tsk. We just wanted one night of rest," he muttered.
Lolan smirked. "Guess it's time to stretch."
"Don't cause a scene," Noctarion warned, though he reached for the hilt of his blade.
The guards stepped forward. "We're under orders from the King of the Devil Continent. We're looking for a runaway. A girl. Blonde hair. Gold eyes."
Too late. One of them spotted Luna descending the stairs, still half-dressed in her oversized black coat, her golden eyes shining unmistakably under her hood.
"That's her."
In a flash, weapons were drawn—but Mirzand and Lolan were faster.
With a grin, Mirzand vanished and reappeared behind the first guard, knocking him unconscious with a blow to the back of the neck. Lolan spun his twin daggers, dancing like a flame between two guards, disabling their legs and sending their weapons flying.
Noctarion summoned a wall of shadow, swallowing the last guard whole and trapping him in a magic cage.
Lira, Myra, and Crysie rushed to Luna's side.
"We need to move—now!" Noctarion snapped.
Minutes later, the team gathered their things in haste and fled the hotel before more guards could arrive.
Luna rode in the middle of the group, cloaked again, her heart pounding. She looked back at the smoke rising from the hotel roof.
"He sent them," she whispered.
"He found me again."
Mirzand rode beside her, looking serious for once.
"This won't be the last time, princess."
Lolan added, "Better hope your people are ready when you arrive."
Noctarion's gaze darkened. "Let's move. Fangreth is dangerous enough. We can't afford another delay."
And just like that, the journey resumed—faster, tenser, and with danger now chasing them in shadows.