POV: Matias Castleboar
(Memory of the past)
I walked over the rain-soaked pavement, feeling every gaze pierce through me.
Faces twisted in horror, people stepping aside with each of my steps. I never wanted to be a monster, nor to be seen as one. But there are moments in life when it no longer matters what you are—only what you do.
My grip was firm, my eyes unwavering. I still didn't understand why they had tried to kill me or what their true purpose was.
The murmur of the crowd blended with the endless patter of rain, creating a deafening noise that clawed at my sanity. Every word struck me like a bullet piercing my chest without mercy.
I clenched my jaw, trying to silence the voices, and tightened my hand around the neck of the corpse I dragged across the rough stone ground.
Behind me, I left a crimson trail—the blood mixing with puddles that no longer reflected the sky.
The screams of terror from those who once saw me as their hero tore me apart inside. I had never been one, but I liked the thought that they believed in me as their protector.
I released the mangled neck of my attacker, hearing the dull thud of his body hitting the ground just as the church bells rang in unison with the thunder splitting the heavens.
From the storm descended three figures, striking the ground with such force that the earth trembled.
A cloud of dust and smoke enveloped them as their silhouettes emerged through the haze.
I swallowed hard. Raising my sword toward the sky, I drove it into the corpse's chest, feeling the flesh give way beneath the blade.
"Champion Castleboard, by order of the Taured government, you are under arrest," one of them declared, his voice so heavy it crushed against my chest.
I lifted my arms toward the three figures. They tensed at once, activating their transmitters and taking combat positions.
Then, kneeling on the damp rocky ground, my sword still buried in my failed attempt at vengeance, I spoke words that shocked them all:
"I surrender."
Even with my head bowed, I knew neither they nor the crowd took it as a victory. Confusion cloaked them, silence possessed them. They couldn't believe I was condemning myself so easily.
Their reaction came late, but once they recovered their composure, they wasted no time in arresting me. The cold bite of steel cuffs locked around my wrists, tearing away my freedom.
The rain kept lashing against my body when, through half-closed eyes, I saw a little girl hiding beneath an awning, clutching a stuffed toy. Her tears streamed with such pain that I couldn't bear to hold her gaze.
I turned away, unable to endure it. A sudden blow to the back of my neck sent me into unconsciousness.
The pain faded, but the thoughts burned—the guilt, the regret. The last glimmers of light to touch my mind before the darkness claimed me were those of her smile… the one I had always loved.
POV: Kael Lanpar
(Present day)
The roar of the waterfall behind me echoed through my awareness, tearing me out of a fruitless state of meditation.
Even with my eyes closed, trapped in darkness, I couldn't stop thinking about the memory that had invaded me without warning. They were indecipherable images, surfacing mysteriously, impossible to understand.
The fragments of Matias's past life were a burden, an obstacle keeping me from moving forward in my training.
I had spent too long trying to reach the next stage of my core… without success.
I sighed, releasing a long breath heavy with frustration. Forcing my eyes open, I winced as the sunlight burned my sight.
Trying to shield my face as my vision returned, I slowly adjusted myself on the rough stone where I sat.
That rock stood firm in the middle of the lake where the waterfall crashed down—isolated, yet steadfast.
When my eyes finally focused again, I was struck by the magnificence of the elven forest: a living masterpiece where vast vegetation stretched skyward, as if trying to touch the heavens.
The leaves of the colossal trees—mountain-sized giants—danced with the wind. Birds with radiant plumage soared above, perching on their branches to rest.
Playing with the crystal-clear water around me, I let my frustration sink into it. I moved my hand back and forth, savoring the cool refreshment against my skin.
"Kael, time is running out," Vastiar's voice echoed in my mind. "You must return to the elven kingdom, you know…"
"Yes, I know," I shouted back at him in thought, trying to silence him. "I've been aware of that for a while, but if they keep interrupting my meditation, it'll take me even longer to progress."
At this point, absolutely everything was a distraction. Remaining stuck in the New Moon stage made me feel like a failure.
I knew that if I didn't master the corrupt awakening, I would put my family in danger. The thought of them having to protect someone incapable of defending himself was terrifying.
And my memories confirmed it—I had already watched too many people die because of that same weakness.
Breathing calmly, I softened my rhythm and closed my eyes once again. Crossing my legs, I forced my mind back into focus.
Little by little, sounds and scents became vivid images: the flutter of wings, the splash of water droplets, the brush of fish beneath the lake's surface.
The fresh aromas of trees and flowers filled my senses, sketching the invisible outline of that sacred place.
Relaxation enveloped me. My body seemed to lift away from the rough stone, rising in a sensation of stillness.
The wind grazed my face, tossing a few strands of my hair. Amid all that concentration, the blood-red moon of my core ignited. Within that scarlet circle appeared a crescent moon—pale at first, but burning brighter with each moment.
"I can see it…" I whispered to myself.
I stretched out my hand, reaching for my core. But the focus shattered—the pull of gravity reclaimed me with brutal force. I fell headlong, plunging through the thin layer of liquid blood in my inner world, sinking into that crimson ocean.
Bubbles burst from my mouth in a scream of frustration. I clenched my eyes shut, and when I opened them again, reality greeted me.
A strange fish stared at me with curiosity as I sank into the lake. I thrashed my arms, swam to the surface, and when I caught my breath, I let out a roar louder than before:
"Damn it!"
The echo startled half the forest. Entire flocks of birds took flight, scattering from the trees.
Blinded by the fury of my own uselessness, I swam to the shore and collapsed on the fresh grass. My drenched body felt unbearably heavy, but worse were the tears streaming down my face—unstoppable.
As if my mind wished to torment me, the image of that little girl Matias had seen intertwined with my emotions. Her pain became my own.
I felt that, even if I was only a fragment of that lunatic from the shared memories, his life was trying to impose itself over mine, pouring into me a sorrow that was never mine to bear.
"Remember—you are not him," Vastiar's voice returned, this time like a lifeline.
Still trembling, I wiped the tears from my face and forced myself to rise, first to one knee, then to my feet.
"I know… but sometimes it's hard to recognize which feeling is real," I sobbed, aware that Vastiar was listening. "My mind can't tell which life is mine and which isn't."
He didn't answer, but he didn't need to.
I walked alone through the vast forest, watching dry leaves fall around me as snowflakes descended from the sky. The cold pierced my skin, stinging like needles against my soaked body. I was forced to conjure a thin invisible layer of heat to keep from freezing.
Carried by the wind, I leapt high into the sky. The shockwave resounded around me before I landed on the tree branches, now slowly dressing themselves in white.
Without thinking, I ran across those natural platforms.
My mind was silent; only the growls and songs of wild animals accompanied me.
From above, a soft sound broke the calm—the flapping of an owl's wings. Lifting my gaze, I saw it descend. It was a white bird, and in its beak it carried a letter with my name written on it.
The owl perched on my shoulder. I thanked it before watching it fly back into the darkness. Sitting on a branch, I let my legs dangle into the void and opened the letter.
Mana flowed from my fingers, darkening them. As they brushed the paper, the seal broke, and words projected themselves into the air like an illusion.
Letter:
Date: Star Year — XXI
Dear Brother,
It's Mayrei. You haven't replied to my letters in so long, so I decided to send a messenger, hoping this time you'll read it.
Setting aside any resentment, I wanted to know how you're doing—and remind you that Alice's birthday is coming soon. Even though you haven't been around much in our little sister's life, she asked that you be invited to her celebration.
I also sent a small gift to the elven kingdom for you. Even if you're far away, I still worry about you.
I know you're probably struggling with your training, but what I sent will help you a lot. That's a promise… and you can thank me later.
With love,
Your older sister.
I had been so focused on my training that I ended up pushing my family into the background. I hadn't done it with bad intentions, but that didn't make it right.
A faint itch on my lips turned into a bitter smile. How foolish I was—obsessed with gaining the power to protect them, I had, for a moment, forgotten the most important thing… that they existed.
I straightened myself, wiped away my tears with my sleeve, and sprinted harder toward the castle.
The icy breeze lashed my face, freezing the tears that still fell. But inside me, something was igniting: the strength I had always needed, the thing I loved most.
My family.
I would see them soon. I knew it was only a matter of time before I returned to the human kingdom. I had always known.
I stopped atop the highest branch of a massive tree. In the distance, the elven capital rose in majesty. Even under the darkness of dusk, it shone, imposing and bright.
The lights of the houses and the glow of the castle—resting on the gray mountain that ruled the kingdom—formed a spectacle worth admiring. Even from that distance, I could hear the bustle of merchants and the murmurs of the people.
I channeled mana into my feet and leapt down from the branch, buffeted by gusts of wind that tried to halt my descent.
I landed gracefully on a mound of dry leaves that softened the impact. Without stopping, I kept running, dodging trees and animals that burst into my path.
The howls of wolves echoed behind me. Several packs had joined the chase, hungry, determined to make me their prey.
If not for the wind carrying me forward, they would have already caught me. These weren't ordinary wolves—their runes glowed like mirrors, and their speed was terrifying. Nothing like those I remembered from Matias's life.
I ran for a long while before finally losing them among the trees. Then, before me, appeared the two intertwined trunks that formed the gates of Greenlight—the elven capital.
I slipped through the shadows, moving behind market stalls to avoid drawing the townsfolk's attention. Everything was calm.
It felt strange… The hostility I used to see in people's eyes had vanished, replaced with a warmth akin to that of humans in my own kingdom.
Shrugging, I ran up the stairs that led to the castle. I couldn't help but think that, in the end, that hatred had never fully been their fault.
It was something inherited, almost absurd if I was honest—an animosity passed down from generation to generation between humans and elves alike.
It could be said it was a kind of common tale—the sort of story grandparents told their grandchildren before bedtime, always emphasizing that mutual resentment both races seemed to need in order to feel complete.
Reaching the last step of those thick stone stairs—polished and lit by torches on either side—I lifted my gaze and found Kessie's curious face waiting for me.
"You're late," she scolded, shrugging. "You never keep your word."
I patted her on the back and walked past her, hearing her steps follow close behind.
"You're not my mother to be scolding me," I said without looking at her.
"I know I'm not," she shot back, grabbing my shoulder to stop me. "But now that you're in the kingdom, you're under the royal family's protection… and that includes me."
The arrogant way she pointed to herself pulled an involuntary smile from me. Without a word, I reached out and touched her pointed ears—soft beneath my fingers.
"You're very annoying," I whispered, low enough for only her to hear.
"I'm just worried about you, idiot," she snapped, brushing my hand away.
I turned my back on her and continued down the marble floor that mirrored our figures. The whole castle gleamed with radiant cleanliness.
Quartz statues stood tall between the staircases, guardians of the entrance to the upper floor, holding spears that shimmered under the glow of crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
When I reached the hallway where my room was, I waved Kessie off with a flick of my hand before opening the door.
I closed it gently and let myself slide down the thick wood until I sat on the floor, feeling the chill of the stone spreading through my body.
Leaning against the door, my mind clouded by an emotional void I couldn't explain, I caught sight of movement in the corner of my eye—the sheets on my bed shifting. A lump grew beneath them, slowly taking shape.
I moved forward cautiously, careful not to let the floor creak. With a swift motion, I lifted the sheets, and there I found an owl I knew all too well rustling about in the soft bedding.
It was Yako. Apparently, my sister's gift was none other than the protective spirit of the Lanpar family.
I lay down beside him without waking him, pulling the blanket over both of us to shield against the night's cold. Outside, the wind roared in violent snowstorms, battering the window with such force that it groaned.
I fixed my gaze on the ceiling, lost in thought. Matias's feelings surged back with intensity, and when I closed my eyes for just a few seconds, I was dragged into that memory.
The sound of the storm merged with the image of Matias trudging through the blizzard, his body beaten by the cold. Through the small tears in the sack covering him, his dark eyes watched the creaking wooden path beneath his feet, carrying him straight to his doom.
The sack slipped from his face, revealing the crowd gathered in the square. In every pair of eyes, the guillotine behind him was reflected.
His broken smile formed amid the roar of the people demanding his death. That sound tore him apart inside. He knew it well: that day, he was meant to die.
But as always, nothing was what it seemed.
With tears clouding his vision, his gaze stopped on a peculiar figure. Dressed in vivid red, she watched him calmly. And in her silent stare was the certainty that this would not be the end.