Chapter 10-A Song in the Storm

The child's cries echoed through the sky, growing louder and louder. Waves of Vitra energy surged from his tiny body, shaking the very foundation of the mountains. The pressure was so intense that 20,000 soldiers collapsed unconscious, their bodies unable to withstand the overwhelming force.

Even the Six Stars, the blue-haired man with green eyes, and their formidable opponent in red were not spared. They were all forced to the ground, blood streaming from their noses, mouths, and ears. One by one, they lost consciousness—

Until only Ryulune remained.

He was on the brink of collapsing, his body trembling as his veins bulged unnaturally, pulsing with raw energy. Blood dripped from his lips and ears, his vision blurred, but still—he refused to fall.

Using his last reserves of Vitra, Ryulune forced himself to stand.

His entire body screamed in pain, but he ignored it. His breathing was ragged, his strength fading, yet he reached out toward the child.

"I will stop you from crying... please, calm down..."

Just as he spoke, a new sound echoed through the mountains.

A soft, pure voice.

A woman's voice.

She was singing a lullaby.

The melody was so gentle, so peaceful, that Ryulune's entire body relaxed. His pain faded, his Vitra stilled, and his legs finally gave out. As he fell, his eyes fluttered shut.

"Thank you..." he whispered before succumbing to sleep.

The woman, cloaked in black, simply smiled and continued singing. The child's cries softened, his Vitra settled, and he floated down into her arms.

"It's time to go."

And with those words, the scene shifted.

Location: Lunara II | Time: Unknown

Ryulune's eyes shot open. His body ached, but he was alive. As he sat up, he noticed the Five Stars and Queen Lunara standing before him. His heart sank.

Lowering his head slightly, he clenched his fists.

"Your Majesty... I am sorry. We failed to retrieve the child. Those unknown bastards took him."

Shame filled his voice. He had sworn to protect the Moonborn, yet he had failed.

Before he could say more, Queen Lunara shook her head.

"Why are you apologizing, Ryulune? That child is safe. Those people do not have him."

Ryulune's eyes widened. "What?! Then where is he?!"

The Queen sighed. "I don't know where he is... but I am certain he is safe."

The Third Star tilted her head, a curious expression on her face. "How can you be so sure?"

Queen Lunara's expression grew serious. **"Because while I was waiting here, I suddenly felt an intense pressure. It sent chills down my spine. I decided to open a portal and go to your location.

"When I arrived... I saw the battlefield covered in blood. All of you—unconscious. I created a healing barrier to protect you. And then... I saw her."**

The room fell silent.

"A woman. Dressed in all black, her face hidden. She stood before me and said, 'You are late. Another group has already taken their people and left.'"

Ryulune's breath hitched. "Did she... do that to us?"

The Queen shook her head. "No. She saved you from the child."

Queen Lunara continued. **"I asked her about the child's whereabouts, but she only said: 'He is safe. I have sent him somewhere in the world where he can live in peace.'

"I told her that we needed the child, but she warned me: 'Do not seek him until he is eighteen. If word leaks out again, there will be no guarantee of his safety.'"**

The Queen's gaze hardened. "I understood her words. The child is too powerful. If he is found too early, he will be in danger once more."

The Third Star spoke up. "Did she say who she was?"

Queen Lunara sighed. "I asked her, but she refused to answer. She simply said: 'You must find him yourself. But because you seem like good people, I will give you a hint—the child is in Asia.'"

The Five Stars held their breath. That was still too vague.

But then, the Queen's voice softened.

"She told me something else… 'The child's power is too dangerous for this world. So, I have sealed it. Until the time comes, he will live as an ordinary boy.'"

A deep silence followed.

Then, the Queen's lips curled into a small smile. "Before she left, she threw me this."

She held up a keychain.

"She said that when this glows, it means the child is near."

The Stars stared at the keychain, their minds racing. Who was that woman? And why had she helped them?

As she began to vanish into thin air, her final words echoed in the Queen's mind:

"It was nice seeing you again… after so long."

The Queen's smile remained. "I thanked her before she disappeared."

Present Day | Keld's Perspective

Keld sat in silence, absorbing everything Queen Lunara and Ryulune had just told him. His mind swirled with confusion and disbelief.

"So... all these years... were nothing?"

A deep pain filled his chest. He clenched his fists. "I thought I was just a normal child. I wanted to live a peaceful life—study, get a job, marry a beautiful girl, have two kids, and live happily. But now... I have to—"

Seluna suddenly spoke up, her tone firm. "I know this is hard... but those years were not wasted."

She met his eyes with unwavering determination. "They were the best years of your life. You made friends who treated you as an equal. You had a mother who loved you more than anything, a father who worked tirelessly to give you everything, and a sister who cared for you like no one else."

"Are you saying all of that was meaningless just because they weren't the ones who gave birth to you?"

Keld took a deep breath, memories of his life flashing through his mind. Finally, he exhaled. "You're right... So, what do I have to do now?"

Ryulune answered. "For now, you have one year to enjoy your life here. Next year, we will take you to our land."

Keld's voice wavered. "Will I still be able to see my family and friends?"

Queen Lunara nodded. "Yes. We will give you a portal ring that will allow you to visit them."

Keld picked up his bag. "Thank you for healing me. I'll see you next time."

Queen Lunara stopped him. "Wait." She threw a ring to him. "Take this. It's a key that will help you in times of danger. Use it wisely."

Keld nodded. "Okay." Then, realizing the time, he panicked and ran.

Ryulune smirked. "He's growing well."

The Queen nodded with a smile.

Keld finally reached home, exhausted yet relieved. As he stepped onto the porch and opened the door, a small smile appeared on his face.

However, just as he was about to step inside and say, "I'm back!"—

WHAM!

A flying chappal came out of nowhere and smacked him right in the face with the force of a divine punishment.

"Who the heck threw that?! Are you stupid or blind?!" Keld shouted, rubbing his sore nose.

He opened his eyes—only to see his sister standing before him, holding another chappal in her hand, her expression dangerously calm.

"I think you're right. I must be blind... since I can't seem to see the time correctly."

Keld's body froze.

A deep, primal fear took over as he saw his sister's lips curl into an evil smile. She slowly cracked her knuckles and took a step forward.

"Let's talk for a bit, dear little brother."

A few minutes later...

Keld was now a human chair.

His sister sat comfortably on his back, flipping through a magazine as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, Keld groaned in pain, barely holding himself up.

(Author's: I can feel your pain, Keld.)

His sister sighed dramatically. "Now then, where were you so late? Can't you see the time?"

Keld, still sore from the sibling torture session, muttered, "Sorry... I was with my friends and lost track of time."

His sister narrowed her eyes. But just as she was about to scold him further, something shiny caught her attention.

A ring on Keld's finger.

She raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, her expression suddenly turning mischievous.

"Oh? Really? A 'friend,' huh? Tell me... was that 'friend' a beautiful girl?"

Keld's eyes widened. "N-No! It's not like that!"

His sister smirked. "Then... what's with this ring? Hmm? Are you married already? Oh-ho! These days, kids don't even wait for marriage!"

Keld panicked. "It's not like that! I—"

And then... he made the biggest mistake of his life.

Without thinking, he muttered, "You're [sister's age] and still don't have a boyfriend..."

At least, he thought he had said it in his head.

But he said it out loud.

The room fell silent.

His sister's eye twitched.

Slowly, she turned to face him, her expression blank... yet utterly terrifying.

"What did you just say?"

Keld gulped. "N-Nothing! I didn't mean to—"

"Can you repeat that?"

And that, dear readers, was the last day of Keld's peaceful life.

(Author's: You dug your own grave, buddy.)