After the Awakening Ceremony concluded, the night did not belong only to joy and celebration. It also carried shattered dreams, broken hearts, and bereaved parents as well.
The entire Clan gathered before the towering pavilion beneath the midnight sky, all dressed in white. Soft, serene music drifted through the air, a romantic melody.
Lunaris stood tall in a white shirt and trousers, a black tie neatly knotted at his collar, and a long coat draped elegantly over his shoulders. Beside him, Caelrisu wore a flowing white dress with a crossed collar, a right lapel folded gently over, the sash in place of buttons, and loose sleeves swaying lightly in the breeze. Fremileo, ever composed, stood near them in a simple but dignified white three-piece suit.
Everyone had donned their finest white attire. Their faces were solemn, their silence heavy with unspoken grief.
At the forefront stood the families of the ten children who had not returned from the Mirror Lake. In their hands, each held a Sky Lantern, delicately crafted, glowing faintly against the night, and inscribed with both the child's name and their dearest dream.
One by one, the Clan Head stepped forward and called the names of the lost. His voice carried not only authority but also gentleness, as though cushioning the sorrow that weighed on every heart.
"Draco Aurelis."
From the crowd, Draco's father emerged. An unawakened man, his eyes clouded with grief, yet his steps were steady. In his trembling hands, the Sky Lantern glowed softly.
"You may read his wish," the Clan Head said with a calming smile, giving him time, urging him not to hurry.
For a moment, Draco's father struggled to steady his breath. Then, with a voice thick but unwavering, he read the words aloud:
"Draco Aurelis, I wish to become the strongest Awakened in the world."
The words hung in the air. The wish was lofty, almost childish, but no one smiled, and no one dismissed it. Instead, heads bowed, prayers whispered, not for the impossibility of the dream, but for its fulfillment in another life.
As the soft romantic song, Draco's favorite, played in the background, his father released the lantern.
The glowing lantern lifted into the night, drifting upward gently and steadily, before finally vanishing into the darkness of the sky.
After Draco's lantern disappeared into the night, silence lingered for several breaths before the Clan Head called the next name.
"Selene Aurelis."
An old lady, Selene's grandmother, raised her from childhood, as her parents perished in that horrible incident that happened during the time of the Vitalis Aurelis. She, pale and trembling, stepped forward with her lantern. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she whispered her daughter's wish, her voice breaking with every word:
"Selene Aurelis, I wish to paint the moon in every color of the world."
A fragile dream, innocent and whimsical, yet it painted smiles on faces wet with tears. As the lantern rose, glowing softly, it felt as though the moon itself might catch her colors.
The next name rang out.
"Marcus Aurelis."
His elder brother came forward, clutching the lantern with firm hands, though his jaw quivered. He read aloud:
"Marcus Aurelis, I wish to build a house so big that everyone in the Clan can live together."
The words were simple, but they struck every heart with their purity. A child's dream of unity, of warmth. The lantern drifted upward, as though seeking the stars to build a home among them.
The Clan Head's voice continued, steady, unyielding, but immensely caring.
"Lyra Aurelis."
Her mother's knees nearly gave out as she walked. With effort, she raised the lantern and read:
"Lyra Aurelis, I wish to sing a song so beautiful it could make even Nightmares cry."
Soft gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Even as her mother wept, some smiled faintly at the charm of it. The lantern floated upward, carrying a melody only she could hear.
Then came:
"Ceren Aurelis."
His father, stoic and silent, bowed deeply before speaking. His voice was heavy but unwavering:
"Ceren Aurelis, I wish to protect Mother and Father forever."
The crowd lowered their heads. A child's promise of strength, cut short too soon. The lantern glowed brighter than the rest, as if resisting the darkness around it.
And so it went on, name after name, each wish read aloud:
"I wish to fly without wings."
"I wish to grow a forest where no one ever goes hungry."
"I wish to touch the stars with my own hands."
"I wish to be stronger than fear itself."
"I wish… I wish to live forever with my friends."
One by one, the lanterns rose, trailing upward, glowing softly in the night sky. Each light carried a dream that would never be fulfilled in this life, yet none were mocked. Each was honored with reverence, their fragility making them sacred.
By the time the tenth lantern disappeared into the heavens, the sky above the Clan pavilion shimmered faintly, as if the children's wishes had been etched into the stars themselves.
The music swelled gently, shifting with each passing lantern. Sometimes sweet and romantic, like a lullaby carried by the wind. Sometimes loud and heavy, as though echoing the fiery passion of youth. Sometimes playful, with funny lyrics that tugged out reluctant smiles through the tears.
Each note highlighted the uniqueness of the children, their quirks, their laughter, and their ambitions. And for a moment, it truly felt as though the departed were still there, among the living, singing, laughing, and dreaming, as though death itself could not silence them.
"How do you feel, Cael? Looking at all of this…" Fremileo asked softly, tilting his head toward the drifting lanterns. A small smile curved his lips, but his eyes lingered on her with curiosity.
"I remember last year; you wept like crazy."
"I don't know," Caelrisu murmured, her crimson-flecked eyes fixed on the sky. "I feel… weird. Like I should grieve for them, like I should shed tears for them. But I can't. As if it's the most useless thing in the world. And…"
Her voice trembled, just enough for him to notice.
"It's scary, right?" Fremileo placed a hand on her shoulder, a rare gesture of reassurance.
She turned to look at him, her expression unreadable.
"You feel strange today too. Could it be… you're feeling sad?"
Fremileo blinked. 'Weird, right?'
He had never truly cared about this pair of brother and sister. He had stayed close because it was convenient, because one of them would inevitably rise to Clan Head. It also kept his parents off his back about his lack of friends.
'That's how it's recently been. When she walked out of the Mirror Lake, I felt something familiar from her, as if a missing piece had been placed in me.'
He was an old fox, through and through, living only to claw his way free from his [Innate Curse]. Other than a sliver of duty toward his blood parents, nothing mattered.
'But now… I feel something else towards the siblings. Kinship? Affection? Especially for Caelrisu. Just what did you go through in the [Endless Gallery], Cael?'
"Why aren't you answering?" she asked, tilting her head. "Could it be true? That you're feeling emotions like this?"
"No." Fremileo's lips quirked into a smirk. "I just thought you looked like a lost puppy. So I figured I'd pet you, make you loyal to me."
"Ohhh… I'm a puppy?" Caelrisu teased, eyes bright. "Well, this puppy is pretty confident in her bite force. Should I bite your head off?"
Fremileo spread his hands and gave an exaggerated bow. "I would like to politely decline."
They bantered, Fremileo teasing, Caelrisu lunging half-heartedly as if to land a playful punch, until laughter tucked the edge off the night's sorrow. Around them the last lanterns drifted away, the music faded, and the ceremony came to its close. The stars watched in silence as the clan dispersed, and the night slipped quietly into dawn.