A few hours had passed.
Leo had been walking alongside the wolf clan, deeper into the forest. The thick canopy above dimmed the light, and the silence had stretched on for far too long. Finally, Leo broke the silence.
"So, let me get this straight... You guys are trying to get to the moon because of a stupid children's song?"
Kieran stopped in his tracks and slowly turned his head, his glare sharp enough to cut stone.
"It's not just a song. It was written by our god, Mobius."
Leo blinked, then scoffed.
"Wow. That's even dumber than I thought. What's next? You planning to ride a magical squirrel up there?"
Kieran didn't respond at first. He simply turned around and resumed walking.
"That... is what you're going to help us figure out."
Leo stared at him for a moment before muttering under his breath.
"Great. I joined a cult of moon-chasing werewolves. What could possibly go wrong?"
Leo sighed. The weight of the silence made the forest seem even quieter. After a few moments, he started following them again, his steps reluctant but steady.
"Then tell me, why are we here?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.
Kieran glanced back at him, his eyes sharp.
"Do you know about the Golden Era?"
Leo furrowed his brow, uncertainty creeping in.
"Not much about it. I remember it had something to do with gods civilizing the lower beings."
Kieran nodded, his tone growing a little more serious.
"Yes. When the gods came to our world, our god, Mobius, built a kingdom hidden deep within this forest. It was meant only for those of the wolf race."
Leo paused, eyeing Kieran skeptically.
"A kingdom? In this forest? That sounds... hard to believe."
His tone was half-amused, half-curious.
Kieran continued,
"We were strong enough to build our own empire once."
He glanced back at Leo, his voice tinged with bitterness.
"You humans... you destroyed it."
Leo halted, his footsteps faltering. He let out a dry laugh before exhaling heavily and rubbing his forehead.
"We did that? I really need to catch up on history."
They continued walking for hours, the tension thick between them. Eventually, they reached the camp. Leo parted the thick grasses and stared in awe at the sight before him.
"For a camp, isn't this a bit much? It looks more like a small town."
Before he could finish, Sasha strode past him, her shoulder brushing against his. Leo stumbled slightly before steadying himself. Sasha glanced over her shoulder, her voice sharp.
"Of course it's big."
She looked him up and down with a raised brow.
"There are at least 300 of us living here."
Taking another step forward, she added,
"Unlike your kind, we don't leave anyone behind."
Leo tilted his head slightly in agreement.
"Fair enough."
He entered the camp alongside the others. As he slowly walked inside, he could feel their gazes burning into him.
Looks like they don't like humans, huh?
As they made their way deeper into the camp, Kieran glanced sideways at Leo and asked calmly,
"So, do you have any idea where we should start looking?"
Leo stopped for a moment, his face twisting with annoyance. He crossed his arms and looked at Kieran in disbelief.
"No! What do you think I am, some kind of divine compass? You expect me to magically pull the location out of thin air? It's not like you guys gave me anything remotely useful to work with."
Kieran remained calm, his voice steady as he replied,
"I was just asking. Since, you know... we don't have much time left."
Leo rolled his eyes and exhaled sharply.
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
He paused before adding, with a little more composure,
"For starters, we need someone who knows this forest better than any of us."
Kieran raised an eyebrow.
"And where exactly are we supposed to find that someone?"
Leo looked at him as though the answer were obvious.
"Why do you think I saved that guy?"
Kieran's eyes narrowed as realization hit him.
"...Adrian?"
A few minutes later, Leo approached the center of the camp, where Adrian and Goldy were locked inside cages. The atmosphere was heavy, and the tension seemed to rise with each step. As Leo walked in, he spotted Goldy in the front cage and glanced at him.
"Are you doing well, Goldy?"
Goldy didn't respond. His eyes remained cold and lifeless. He looked at Leo for a brief moment before shifting his gaze downward, as if trying to ignore him.
Leo took a deep breath and turned his attention to Adrian, who was glaring fiercely at him. As Leo approached the cage, Adrian spat through gritted teeth,
"Damn traitor."
The disdain in his voice was unmistakable.
Leo walked up to the cage with a cocky grin and crouched in front of Adrian, locking eyes with the knight.
"Come on now, no need to be so salty. Let's not forget—you'd be six feet under if I hadn't opened my mouth for you."
Adrian looked away, his jaw tight with frustration.
"Tch... why the hell did you help me?"
Leo's grin faded. His tone dropped, becoming quieter and more honest.
"Because I need you."
Adrian narrowed his eyes.
Leo continued, his voice steady.
"They're looking for something in this forest—something big. But here's the catch... they're outsiders. This isn't their land. They don't know the terrain, the people, or even where to start."
Adrian turned to face him again, suspicion evident in his eyes.
"And you do?"
Leo leaned back a little, resting his arm on his knee.
"Nope. I've never stepped out of the empire. Ever."
His gaze darkened, and the smirk vanished.
"You know how it is... A cursed kid with no name walking around where no one recognizes him? I'd be hunted down before sunset."
Adrian's expression shifted, the fire in his eyes softening just a little. He understood what Leo meant.
Leo slowly rose to his feet, brushing the dirt off his hands. His gaze remained fixed on Adrian.
"That's why my father never let me step outside the empire walls. Being a Radiance meant safety. But only within those walls."
He crouched slightly, just enough to meet Adrian's eyes.
"But you... you're a royal knight. You've seen the world outside. You've travelled and learned the terrain."
He smiled faintly.
"That makes you my best shot. So tell me, Adrian... are you in?"
Adrian's hands tightened into fists. His voice cracked through gritted teeth.
"No. They butchered my comrades right in front of me."
He glared at Leo as though he wanted to rip the cage apart.
"And now you want me to help them?!"
Leo chuckled dryly, shaking his head.
"Your comrades? You mean him?"
He nodded towards Goldy, who sat in the corner with a blank stare.
"The guy who nearly gutted a child without hesitation?"
Adrian slammed his fist against the bars.
"Because you forced him to!"
Leo didn't even blink.
"And because of that, the kid's alive."
He stepped closer, his expression unchanged.
"Let me ask you something... Do you really believe he wouldn't have done it anyway?"
Adrian froze.
Leo's stare pierced through him.
"You were there, Adrian. You saw the look in his eyes. He wasn't hesitating. He was calculating."
Adrian's jaw clenched, but no words came out.
Leo turned away from the cage. As he walked towards the exit, his voice echoed behind him.
"Wanting to protect your people... that's noble, Adrian."
He paused at the doorway without looking back.
"But doing the right thing for the wrong people? That'll eat you alive."
He stepped out into the cool night air.
Kieran was there, leaning casually against the wooden wall with his arms crossed.
"So," he asked without looking at Leo, "do you think he'll help?"
Leo glanced at him with a smirk.
"He will."
Time ticked by slowly.
Leo sat alone on a mossy log, his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers loosely interlocked as he stared at the dirt. His mind spun in quiet frustration, his brows furrowed as though he were trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
A small shadow moved beside him.
"You look like your brain's about to explode."
Alya's voice was soft and teasing. She stood nearby with her arms behind her back, swaying slightly on her heels.
Leo turned his head, giving her a sideways glance.
"Just... thinking."
"About what?"
He sighed, dragging a hand down his face.
"How the hell are we gonna find it?"
"Oh! You mean the thing that's in the moon?"
Leo gave a dry laugh, leaning back and stretching his legs.
"Yeah. That old fairy tale. The thing-in-the-moon nonsense."
Alya puffed her cheeks, clearly not amused.
"It's not nonsense! It is in the moon!"
Leo raised an eyebrow at her, unimpressed.
"Alright then, Miss Believer. What exactly is 'it'?"
She opened her mouth confidently, but then froze. Her eyes dropped to the ground.
"...I don't know."
Leo tilted his head, smirking.
"Didn't think so."
A moment passed before he spoke again.
"Hey."
He glanced back at her.
"What's the song really about?"
"Huh? What song?"
"The one your god—Mobius, right? The one he supposedly left behind."
Recognition sparked in her eyes.
"Oh! That song!"
Leo nodded slowly.
"Think you can sing it?"
Her whole face lit up.
"Of course!"
With a sudden burst of excitement, she dashed over to a large rock nearby. Hopping onto it, she took a dramatic stance, her feet apart and arms slightly raised like a performer ready to take the stage. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before beginning to sing.
With her angelic voice, Alya began softly, like a whisper carried by the wind. Her voice gradually grew, weaving through the trees and pulling the silence into something sacred.
"Come to me
When you're alone and fear creeps,
Come to the moon—no need to weep,
I'll guard what you must keep."
Leo blinked, his heart strangely still. He didn't believe in gods, but something about the way she sang made the forest fall silent.
"Follow the moon
When you are lost, let moonlight guide,
Follow the path where old ones died,
There you'll be safe by my side."
Her voice trembled slightly on the last line, not from fear, but from something deeper. Faith. Belief. Maybe even memory.
"Rest now
When you are tired of all the fight,
Just follow the moon through the night,
I'll watch you under my sight."
She finished with her eyes still closed, her arms falling gently to her sides.
A few seconds of silence followed. Even the breeze seemed to pause, as if holding its breath.
Leo stood there, his eyes fixed on her, unsure what to say. And for the first time... maybe just a little... he wondered if the moon really was hiding something.
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