A Shadow Beneath the Moon

John exhaled in relief when General Ren clarified, "No, I'm not telling you to fight him. Just go to the village, inspect the scene, and find anything that could help us locate the Soul Reaper."

"That… I can do," John said, nodding with determination.

Ren added, "There's a knight waiting for you at the gates. He'll show you the way."

John left immediately. As he walked through the castle grounds, dressed in his newly polished golden armor, villagers turned their faces away. Some ran inside their homes or shuttered their shop windows.

John frowned. Why is everyone avoiding me?

Before he could process it further, a girl appeared at the gate — dressed in a white gown, her long crimson hair flowing behind her. Her skin caught the light like marble kissed by flame.

John stared, completely captivated.

"Hey. Hey. HEY!" she snapped, snapping him out of his trance.

She kicked him lightly in the shin.

"Ow! You?!"

It was Aurora.

She smirked. "Surprised? I'm the knight assigned to guide you."

John groaned. "Why? Why you, of all people? I thought I'd at least get to enjoy some peaceful sightseeing…"

She tilted her head with a teasing smile. "What? Because I'm so beautiful that you can't focus on anything else?"

"Yes—I mean, no! I mean… ugh, forget it!"

Aurora raised a brow. "Ugly?"

John looked away. "Let's just go."

As they walked under the dimming sky, Aurora asked quietly, "Why did you want to become a knight in the first place?"

John hesitated, surprised. He never thought she'd ask—let alone care.

"I wanted to protect my village," he said. "And the people I love."

Aurora tilted her head. "That's… noble. But why go so far for them?"

He sighed. "When I was little, my family—my mother, father, and little sister—we were out near the edge of the village. A bear attacked. My dad grabbed his sword and killed it… but that wasn't the real threat."

His hands tightened into fists.

"Monsters came. One after another. My father fought like hell to protect us. But the knights? They were supposed to be guarding the village... and they were off drinking in the city."

Aurora said nothing, her expression frozen.

"My parents died saving us. After that, the villagers helped—my neighbors fed us, taught me to cook, and looked after us like family."

A faint smile touched his lips. "For a while, it felt like things might be okay…"

His voice cracked.

"But then my sister got sick. Just a fever at first. Nothing serious. But I didn't have the money for medicine. The knights ignored us again. Said they were too busy."

John looked away.

"She died in my arms."

Silence.

"I realized then—no one's coming. Not for me. Not for anyone. If you want to protect what matters… you have to do it yourself."

Aurora glanced at John, his expression distant.

"He's lost so much… and still chooses to protect others?"

She sighed softly.

"And here I thought he was just some arrogant idiot. Maybe I was wrong about him."

"I'm sorry," Aurora finally said, her tone soft.

They walked further until the village gates came into view — but they were blocked by guards, weapons drawn, expressions grim.

John and Aurora passed through without issue, but as they stepped into the village…

The smell hit them like a wall.

Rotting corpses lay in piles. Blood caked the ground in thick, black crusts.

Both of them turned pale. Aurora gagged. John bent over, coughing.

A guard chuckled under his breath. "First time seeing the aftermath, huh? You'll get used to it."

"I'll kill that Soul Reaper bastard," Aurora whispered, her voice trembling. "He butchered these people like they were nothing."

John said nothing — but the fire in his eyes burned just as bright.

They spent the day investigating, but found nothing. As the sun sank into the horizon, disappointment weighed heavy in their eyes.

Just as they were about to agree to rest and return at dawn, a shadow moved.

As they stood before the village ruins, dusk thickening around them, something stirred in the shadows.

Unseen. Watching. Waiting.

———

Far from the blood-stained fields, in the velvet-cloaked chambers of the royal palace, another kind of darkness was stirring.

Prince Von paced back and forth, his fingers twitching with nervous energy.

"Master, what do we do now? Should we start the plan?"

His masked master frowned. "Start the plan? Do you think you're strong enough to carry it out now?"

"I-I thought—"

"You thought wrong," the master snapped. "Here I was, stupid enough to believe in you."

Von bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Master… I didn't mean to offend. I just… I thought you cared."

The man stared at him.

Then, his tone shifted. "Of course I care. You're my disciple. One day, all of this will be yours. I'm not like your father."

Von's eyes filled with tears. For the first time, someone believed in him.

Then, the master vanished — only to reappear moments later, holding someone slung over his shoulder.

A woman.

Bound in ropes. Her mouth was gagged. Tears in her eyes.

He dropped her at Von's feet like a sack of grain.

"Kill her," the masked figure whispered, as if offering a gift.Von's breath hitched.The room fell silent—but his soul screamed.