starting in a dark way

When he looked into the boy's eyes, he saw a spark—a radiant light that said he was ready. Ready to face anything, to do whatever it took to protect Luna.

Grandpa, in a deep and heavy voice, said, "You want to save Luna, but do you even know anything about her?"

Lucas was taken aback by Grandpa's sudden seriousness and fell into thought. What was Grandpa trying to say?

He asked, "What do you mean?"

Grandpa replied, "So you really don't know? Have you ever wondered why the villagers treated Luna like a goddess? Why they respected her so deeply? Why she looked so different from everyone else? Have you ever thought about that?"

Hearing this, Lucas realized—perhaps for the first time—that Luna was indeed the most respected person in the village.

He had always assumed it was because her father was a well-known and beloved man. But now, after what Grandpa had said, Lucas was shocked.

"Grandpa, why is Luna so… different? What makes her so special?" Lucas asked, his voice trembling with curiosity.

Grandpa looked up from his old, weathered chair, eyes narrowing as if peering into the distant past. "Lucas," he said gravely, "if you truly want to protect Luna… then you must first understand her."

Lucas leaned in, heart pounding. "Then please, tell me. Tell me everything."

Grandpa took a deep breath.

"Listen carefully, my boy. What I'm about to say… has sparked wars, torn nations apart, and shaken the foundations of our world."

Lucas froze.

"This world," Grandpa continued, "is no ordinary world. It breathes magic. And magic… can do anything. It can create life. It can take life. It is life."

There was silence. Then Grandpa's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Have you ever wondered… if being born or dying… could itself be a form of magic?"

Lucas swallowed hard.

Grandpa said, "Luna is the only child ever born with The Wind of Life."

Lucas blinked. "The Wind of Life? What… what is that?"

"It's the most powerful force of magic in existence. A sacred, invisible current that flows through everything. It is the essence of joy, of breath, of being. They say the Wind of Life can even bring back the dead…"

Lucas's eyes widened. "But… what does that have to do with Luna?"

Grandpa stood up, slowly. "Everything," he said. "The year Luna was born… The Wind of Life entered this world. At that very moment, it took form—inside her. It chose her as its vessel. Its host. And now… Luna is the Wind of Life."

Lucas stumbled back. All the strange things he'd seen Luna do—things he could never explain—they suddenly made sense.

"I always felt something was different about her… but this—this is beyond anything I imagined."

Grandpa nodded. "And when the world found out… that the Wind of Life had taken human form… chaos followed. Wars were fought. Entire nations rose and fell. Because this time, the Wind of Life won't leave until the host dies."

Lucas felt cold. "So they'll try to…?"

"Yes," Grandpa said grimly. "They'll try to take her. Use her. Or worse."

Lucas clenched his fists. "Then I have to protect her. No matter what."

Grandpa looked him in the eye, voice steady. "Then prepare yourself, Lucas. Because what's coming… will change everything."

Luna was running—running blindly through a place drowned in darkness. There was no road, no path, just endless blackness ahead.

The air echoed with the screams of people, desperate cries for help, voices begging for life. All around her were these haunting sounds, but she could see nothing—only a suffocating, endless void.

Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced through the chaos—it was her father's. She froze.

And then, from the very heart of the darkness, a grotesque, half-torn corpse emerged, crawling forward on its bloodied hands. It reached out and grabbed her leg with a cold, lifeless grip.

"Luna… my child," it rasped, eyes hollow yet burning with pain. "You let me die… Luna… Luna…"

The horror gripped her chest. She couldn't breathe. A scream burst from her throat, raw and desperate—and she jolted awake, drenched in fear.

Lucas and Grandpa came running, alarmed by her cries. They rushed to her bedside to find Luna curled up, face buried in her trembling hands, sobbing uncontrollably, her body shaking with the aftershock of the nightmare.

Lucas rushed to Luna's side, concern flooding his face as he gently held her trembling shoulders.

"Luna, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked softly, his voice filled with worry.

Through her tears, Luna whispered, "Papa… Papa was asking me… why I left him all alone…" Her voice cracked under the weight of her sorrow.

In that moment, Lucas understood—clear as day—that the haunting memory of what happened in the village still had its claws deep in her soul.

Tonight's breakdown wasn't just fear. It was the echo of trauma, returning to shatter her peace.

He pulled her close and spoke with firm tenderness, "Luna, listen to me—don't cry. That wasn't real. It was just a dream. Your papa would never say something like that. He loved you too much. He still does."

As he tried to soothe her, Grandpa entered, his voice deep and reassuring. "Child," he said, "you need rest. You don't have to carry the weight of these thoughts. No parent ever wants harm to come to their child. And I believe, with all my heart, your papa would never forget you."

Their words slowly broke through the storm inside her. Luna's sobs quieted. Her breath steadied.

Then Grandpa gently added, "You both are exhausted. It's late. What you need now is a peaceful sleep. Let your heart rest, my children."

As the silence settled, Luna reached out and clung to Lucas, her eyes still glistening with tears. "Please, Lucas… don't ever leave me," she pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. "Promise me."

Lucas looked into her eyes, and with a soft smile, replied, "I'll never leave you, Luna. Never."

And in that quiet moment, the sincerity on his face said more than his words ever could. His promise wrapped around Luna's heart like a warm blanket, calming her from within.

She finally closed her eyes, resting in the safety of that promise. Lucas held her close, and soon they both drifted into sleep. Grandpa, seeing peace return at last, turned and quietly left the room, his heart a little lighter.

As the darkness of night thickened, the last traces of sunlight vanished, swallowed by the forest's shadows. In that silence, the forest became their only refuge.

When Lucas and Luna awoke, the first thing they saw was a table set with food—placed lovingly by Grandpa. He always did this. And just like always, he arrived moments later, his voice warm but steady:

"Children, you're awake. Go wash your face and hands. Come eat."

They obeyed without question, washing up and sitting at the table. Grandpa watched them closely as they began eating, slowly, silently. His eyes, old yet piercing, filled with thoughts unspoken.

"These children," he thought, "They've walked through hell. In a single night, they lost their home, their village… their family. No child deserves this."

He swallowed hard. "Please," he prayed silently, "let this burden not break them."

Suddenly, Lucas turned to him.

"Grandpa," he said, "when will you teach me magic?"

Grandpa froze. The memory of the previous night flashed in his mind—Lucas's tear-filled eyes, his trembling voice:

"I want to be strong. I want to protect Luna. I want to be like you."

That moment of resolve echoed in Grandpa's heart. He took a deep breath and said,

"Today. We begin today. But understand—this is not a game. What lies ahead will demand everything from you. Your heart. Your soul. Your very will."

Lucas's eyes lit up, fire igniting within them.

"I'll do whatever it takes. Just make me strong."

Noon arrived, and the forest stood still—as if holding its breath. Deep within the woods, Lucas stood before Grandpa.

"Before you learn magic," Grandpa began, his voice like distant thunder, "you must understand what it is."

Lucas nodded, his attention razor-sharp.

"Magic," Grandpa said, "can shape the world. It exists in every living being. This force is called Mana. It cannot be destroyed, nor created. It only flows—from one life form to another."

Lucas didn't flinch. But his expression spoke volumes: wonder, curiosity, excitement.

"Your strength," Grandpa continued, "will depend on how well you control that Mana. Some are born with it. Others train.

But if you truly want to protect Luna, you must become stronger than every soul who seeks to harm her. And there are many. Entire kingdoms will want her… and they won't be kind."

He stepped forward.

"Now… show me what lies inside you."

Lucas stood tall.

"Close your eyes," Grandpa said. "Empty your mind. Imagine a hollow tree trunk… nothing inside it. Be that trunk."

Lucas obeyed.

Moments passed. Then suddenly—he felt it.

A warmth. A current. Flowing inside him like a glowing river.

"I feel it," he whispered.

"Now," Grandpa said softly, "bring that current… to your finger."

Lucas focused. Slowly… steadily… a small orb of shimmering energy formed at his fingertip. Glowing. Breathing. Alive.

"You did it,"

Grandpa whispered in awe. "Your first time… and you've already touched your Mana."

Lucas opened his eyes. The orb sparkled gently on his finger.

"Is this… is this really mine?" he asked, astonished.

"Yes," Grandpa said, pride in his voice. "But it is raw. Wild. You must learn to tame it."

Suddenly, the orb burst into fragments and disappeared into the wind.

"That's enough for today," Grandpa said. "Let's go home."

The next morning dawned—quiet, tense with anticipation. Lucas's training resumed.

"Today," Grandpa declared, "we focus on control. To control Mana, your body and mind must become one."

Lucas asked, "How do I do that?"

"You must concentrate," Grandpa said. "From now on, for the next week, your only task is to master concentration."

Lucas nodded. For Luna… he would do anything.

He sat beneath a tree, back straight, eyes closed. The world fell away.

Then… he felt it again. The Mana. Flowing. Calming. Peaceful.

But this time, within that flow, something else appeared—red energy. Fierce. Burning. Alive.

Lucas reached for it—

"Stop!" Grandpa's voice cut through the silence.

Lucas's eyes snapped open.

Grandpa stared at him. A look of disbelief… and fear.

"Lucas… your eyes… they've turned red."