Chapter 14. True Nature: A Moonling's Home

As the helicopter landed and quieted, the surroundings became awkwardly still.

Sir Tanori had a thing with flashy entrances. He and other three men peered out of the entrance but it was only Sir Tanori who hopped on the ground.

"Who are you?" Ma'am Ague's voice was still dark amidst her heavy breathing. With her injured arm, she was doing a pretty good job in putting up that strong face.

"I am Tanori, a moonmage of Orion Agency," he formally introduced. "And your student over there is also one of us."

Ma'am Ague looked back and forth between Regina, Sir Tanor, and the other men at the helicopter who were positioned carefully, ready to do back-up. Regina in her bandages, Sir Tanori in his white shirt, and the agents in civilian outfits certainly didn't convince Ma'am Ague that they were some agency.

"Moonmages, huh? So the legend still lives, so it seems," she said. Her voice was now a little bit relaxed. They let a minute of silence pass over them. Each had the same thought in mind–the connection between Moonlings and humans was not broken. The moon from beyond the skies must have brought them together. They were meant to meet.

"You might want us to treat your wound first before we go any further. I know that you know we will be having a rather long conversation."

Ma'am Ague stood.

"It's all right. I'm a pure creature of the moon. I heal fast under the moonlight."

The sun was almost half-way disappearing. The surroundings were getting darker as well.

"More importantly, I just want to make sure." Ma'am Ague paused and looked at Regina who was still crouched in the ground. She looked at her intensely straight in the eye.

"You are moonmages, that I can confirm. But how can I be sure that you are not connected to the Beluas?"

The sudden gust of the wind made the leaves of the forest rustle. 

Beluas.

If Regina was not mistaken, they were a higher form of the nightspawns. They were only mentioned in alien books. No human knew of their appearance because not one has appeared on Earth as far as history is concerned.

So the talking monster was a Belua.

"I see. To think that what we captured two nights ago was actually a Belua," Sir Tanori said.

Ma'am Ague's eyes widened at that.

"You captured one?"

"Your student over there engaged it. It led us to speed our operations and Regina took it upon herself to gather intel from your office. I'm sorry, ma'am, but we borrowed your book."

Without permission. Regina was expecting another death glare from her but Ma'am Ague only looked surprised, not angry.

"I see. Looks like my notes led you here. I thought you were the enemy and that you are here to conduct the ritual by bringing in more human sacrifices."

Her last two words gave Regina chills.

"We really thought you were the criminal behind the missing cases of the teenagers. We also assumed that you would be doing the ritual in this place," Sir Tanori said.

Ma'am Ague laughed in response. "Looks like both of our sides were in the wrong. For that, I have a longer story to tell and I guess this is not a good place to tell it."

Ma'am Ague then turned her back on them.

"Follow me. I will show you where the humans are."

***

Regina expected some sort of sanctuary hidden from the eyes of the people or maybe a secret house safe from the enemy.

Regina never expected an orphanage beside a busy street.

They flew back towards the center of Jazel by helicopter. Then, Ma'am Ague led them through a series of alleys until they reached a private road that led to an undeveloped district. The place seemed untidy and unprofessional with all the graffiti on the buildings but nevertheless, there were lots of people. Hooded people and naked people.

"What is this? To think that there was such a place as this," Regina muttered.

"Dear, how sad of you if you think that Jazel is all pretty and dazzling," Ma'am Ague said.

"This is what they call a red light district, Regina," Sir Tanori chimed in but he seemed embarrassed that he knew. Regina was already eighteen so she knew why. If Sir Tanori knew of the place, it wasn't really that much of a big deal. It was already the year 2022. Things like innocence are already gone when a child reaches twelve.

"Regina?" asked Ma'am Ague as she looked at her, clearly foreign to her name.

"Oh, uhm, that's my codename as a moonmage. You can call me that or just the usual Raii Shin." Now she was feeling awkward. How could she see her teacher the same way as before? 

Ma'am Ague didn't respond to that.

"We're here," she just said. 

Regina's eyes flew around. They were beside a flower shop. Ma'am Ague went ahead and greeted the vendor who was an old woman closing up the shop. Nothing seemed off about the place and certainly it was not where you would typically hide a bunch of humans away from the enemy.

"Where?" Regina asked.

Sir Tanori twisted her head towards the hidden stairs just beside the flower shop. The steps were small and it was already nighttime so Regina had trouble finding it. Ma'am Ague went in first.

The wooden stairs led them to the second floor. Ma'am Ague stood in front of a big door, knocked thrice and whistled. It was like the usual instructions of a mother of not opening the door unless the signature knock is heard.

There was a series of thuds on the floor before the door flung open.

Two teenage girls peered out. When they saw Ma'am Ague, they burst outside hugging her.

"You're back!!" they exclaimed with glee. Certainly it was not the expression and reaction of kids who were 'kidnapped'.

"Well, have you been good?"

The girls nodded and Ma'am Ague caressed their hair while smiling.

"Who are these?" they asked while looking at Sir Tanori and Regina, their eyes wary.

"Oh, them?" Ma'am Ague smiled again but this time it was a sad one. "They are the police. They are the ones who will take you home."