To my utter horror, standing right in front of me was a monster.
She was no lady; she was just a monster, and like every evil witch in fairy tales, would eat me!
"Wha–t…what are you?" I barely managed to stammer out.
It was a Shadow Warg. I could tell that much. It was a gigantic wolf-like beast made of shadows and mist, eyes glowing like twin moons. The body constantly distorts, resembling smoke trying to maintain a form.
Despite living two lives, I refuse to believe that the creature that was helping me all along was this monster. It simply did not make any sense that this creature would lead me right into her home; oh, I get it now, she wants to eat me.
I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't listen.
"Tsk, tsk," I groaned, my body in pain. It felt as if a million needles were piercing through my spine.
I was paralysed.
Reality hit me hard as I realised that this legendary Shadow Warg could do anything to me. My naïve mind had caused me to fall right into the trap this Shadow Warg had set up for me.
"So we finally meet, child," the Shadow Warg repeated with a half-lazy smile.
With all elegance, the Shadow Warg sat there, back lying on the left armrest of the glorious throne and its legs resting on the other. Despite being the great Crown Prince, her domineering presence made all bow. Even I am embarrassed to call myself a prince, standing right in front of her.
She was chewing on what seemed like…an apple?
"Bugs will fly into your mouth if you don't close it quickly," the Shadow Warg chuckled.
Great, she has a sense of humour for someone who's going to eat me anytime soon.
I failed to notice earlier the crescent moon shape gaping hole in her chest, with moonlight and blood gushing out continuously.
That's strange, I don't remember there's anything to do with moonlight in Aetherion. Aetherion is mostly a world of stars. Why is she different?
The air thickened until it felt like tar in my lungs. My body refused to move — not even a finger twitched under the crushing weight of its presence. The Shadow Warg stirred from its throne of twisted roots and stone, its body rippling like smoke wrapped around muscle and fang. Each step was silent, yet the cavern shuddered as though the shadows themselves recoiled from its passing.
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't scream. Its molten eyes fixed on me, unblinking, as it descended. The closer it came, the sharper my panic cut through the numbness. This is it. I'm prey. I'm going to die here.
The beast loomed over me, its fangs glinting like shards of night. I waited for the jaws to close, for the void to swallow me whole—
But the Shadow Warg passed me by.
Its massive form shifted toward a crooked tree growing out of the cavern wall, its branches pale and skeletal, bearing fruit that glowed faintly like captured starlight. The warg's shadowy claws extended, brushing the branch with unexpected care. A single fruit fell, caught in its grasp.
It turned back to me. The shadows swirled, and with a flick of its claw, the glowing fruit rolled across the floor until it touched my hand.
The voice that followed was not a growl, but a deep, resonant echo, vibrating through marrow and stone alike:
"Eat. It will heal you."
I stretched my fingers out and grasped the fruit.
It was shiny gold and smelled just like honey.
Could it be?
Is this a trap?
Perhaps she drugged this fruit?
"Relax, child. Fear not, for I have taken a bite too." The Shadow Warg reassured me, sensing my hesitance. She showed me the half-eaten golden fruit in her hand.
I studied the fruit one last time before taking a bite. The taste of honey, so sweet, came from the fruit and into my mouth. I savoured every bit of the fruit.
It has been years since I last tasted honey.
Tears couldn't help but well up in my eyes.
The million needles in my spine instantly vanished, replaced by refreshment and strength.
The kind Shadow Warg walked over and helped me sit up properly.
When I finally calmed down and gotten used to her scary appearance, I mustered up my courage to ask her, "Um, Lady Voice, how should I address you?"
"Well, hmm… Yukihime will do," her raspy voice replaced with pure cheery excitement when talking about her name. She had that awfully sweet and seductive voice that didn't fit her form or figure at all. Maybe that's how she manipulates people. Yukihime looked nothing like a Yukihime. She didn't seem like that sort of elegant, peaceful and beautiful goddess.
"So, what are you doing here?" Curiosity got the better of me.
"I'm a goddess, and I can see that we're both special, am I right?"
*Sigh, another goddess, huh? Why do the gods keep following me?
"How so?" I replied.
"I wield moonlight, and yet, you wield starlight." She replied, scratching her nose. "I'm glad I got to meet you before I go. It seems that Azelarion has indeed chosen a good successor, and you, child," She pointed to me. "Are very talented. You are not as talented as most; you are much more talented than all except him. I must prepare you for the Final Battle."
Yukihime is indeed an interesting person. She speaks the same language as me, but…it is as if she's speaking in tongues at the same time. She doesn't even bother to explain what she's saying.
"What do you me–"
Yukihime interrupted me, "All will be revealed with time, but for now, I need to prepare you. My time with you is short; he is coming."
"While I create a portal for you to go home, you need to train, ok?" She put on a smile, which was really creepy and patted my head.
Yukihime circled me, studying my body. Then she amazingly produced a stick and walked around menacingly with that stick.
Yukihime poked my abs.
"Ow," I groaned.
"Too frail, need to train your upper body." Yukihime produced those tiny glasses and started taking notes, just like those TCM doctors in China. Next, she poked my stiff thighs and murmured something about not being flexible enough and so on… This torture went on for an hour, for your information.
Why the hell does she need to poke my armpits? That's not needed for anything! She might as well poke my head and say, 'no brain'.
When Yukihime finally took off her tiny old granny glasses, she commanded, "Hoshikawa,"
"Yes, ma'am!" I saluted her.
Yukihime pushed her tiny glasses higher up her muzzle and paced around me with the stick, humming as though she were diagnosing a patient.
"From tomorrow onwards," she began, smacking the stick into her palm, "you will stand on your hands until your shoulders stop squealing like mice, push the ground away with one arm until both arms learn independence, squat until your legs can crack stone, and then—" she jabbed at my thighs again, "sit in a horse stance for as long as it takes to feel your soul leaking out through your knees."
I opened my mouth to protest, but she snapped her stick against the ground with a thwack.
"Silence! After that, you will run with the shadows, chase them, let them chase you, until you learn that fear only dies when lungs burn. Then hold your body still, stomach flat to the earth, while I stack stones on your back. If even one stone falls—tsk tsk, child — you may as well be firewood."
I winced as she poked my belly button with the stick.
"Core flimsy. Fruit pit stronger," she muttered, scribbling notes furiously like some ancient doctor. "And finally—" she stretched her back until her spine cracked like ice, "you will bend until your palms kiss the earth and arch until your chest opens like the moon itself. A stiff branch breaks; a supple one survives."
I groaned. She ignored me, crouched close, and tapped my forehead with the stick.
"And then… You breathe. Ten minutes in with the stars, out with the shadows. Calm the storm, child. Only then can you wield both."
Yukihime's molten eyes gleamed as she took off her glasses and snapped them shut. Her smile was all fangs and cheer.
"Congratulations, little prince. Your suffering begins tomorrow."
That evening, I ate my fill of what seemed like a whole bowl of fruits, I did some sword training with Yukihime.
At least she was kind enough to spare me a sword.
Yukihime was quite good with the sword. I thought that usually ladies would spend most of their time studying astralis, whereas we gentlemen would practice our combat skills.
Night came in the blink of an eye. Lying on the cold, hard floor of the cave, I couldn't help but ask her, "Where is this place? Why were you here all alone? Where did you come from? Why do you have that huge wound? ... Why did you save me?
She patiently waited for me to finish before replying.
"You must have had a lot on your mind. The first question is simple to answer. This place is a narrow zone that is between the Briarwoods and the Forest of Elowenys. No one knows of this place because I've been warding off anyone who came close, although the cases are rare. You, young child, are the first to enter into this domain," she easily explained.
"As for the second question, it is because I realised that my life there was a lie, so I decided to escape to investigate my suspicion. Hmm… for the third… I come from a place very far away. I was stationed really far away as the goddess of moonlight, unable to see my kin here. Why did I save you? I have no idea. Maybe it was because we are alike, special. Maybe because it has been years since I had company. Or maybe because you are a wonderful child, risking your life to save a friend, and I felt compelled to not let such a life go to waste."
I nodded slowly, trying to process the many answers to my many questions.
"Good night, sleep tight, child."
"Good night, Yukihime."
The days of hell ahead awaited me.