The Moon's Past

Four years ago.

The Zurhic Empire. The lush land of this kingdom spread for acres. It was the definition of an empire. Roads more advanced than any other in the continent, military well balanced, the economy—leading the continent in every way. Drifters and people from other kingdom often move here to settle down. The capital city, Chiile was like a different kingdom within Zurich. The advancement in every single thing— housing, transportation, economy, Rem— made it close to a revolution era. This kingdom was one of the greats along with Valemire.

It's the Year 908. The sky was jet black with stars scattered across. The moon's light bathed Chiile, giving it a different outlook—mesmerising, beautiful, breathtaking. This earned the kingdom the name Lunar Empire.

Horse hooves echoed across the town, two siblings raced, the young Kasian and his sister, Kaylen. They raced through the well built roads in the town, then out the gates into the forest. Their guards behind them. The siblings enjoyed racing under the moon light, until tragedy struck.

Deep in the forest, a band of bandit led by a mercenary had set up base. They stole, raped and trafficked girls around. Kaylen overtook Kasian and ventured deep into the forest, deeper than they normally do. Kasian followed intently, not wanting to lose. He raced for a while but didn't see any sign of his sister. He brought his horse to a stop and surveyed his surroundings. The guards arrived moments later.

"I can't hear Kaylen's horse. Find her, " he commanded.

"Yes, your majesty," they replied and went deeper into the forest.

Not long after they left, Kasian noticed a tiny blood puddle near a dense bush. He alighted from his horse and parted the bush with his hand. He found Kaylen's horse, dead. His face immediately turned grim. He scanned the area and saw a trail of blood accompanying drag marks. He immediately followed, fearing the worst. The end of the trail revealed the bandits' hide out.

He approached cautiously, surveying the area before moving. He heard muffled screams coming from a shed a few paces from him. He swung open the door and there she was, tied up and gaged. She and a few others were in the shed. Kasian immediately untied his sister and removed the gag from her mouth.

She gasped, breathing rasply. Kasian ran out of the shed and into the forest, thinking she followed him. He stopped as he couldn't hear her footsteps behind him. He looked and sure enough, she was not behind him. He ran back to the shed and met her untying the other girls.

"What are you doing?" Kasian asked, his voice almost a whisper but furious.

"We can't just leave them here," Kaylen replied, untying the last girl.

With a silent groan, Kasian reluctantly joined her. He guided the hostages to the path he used. He turned and saw Kaylen setting a trap. She cast [Detonate], a time controlled explosion, then [Illusion], making the shed as it seemed before.

Kaylen walked over to Kasian with a proud look on her face and he could not help but chuckle.

"You are a piece of work, you know right?" He said.

"Yeah well this piece of work is the reason those girls escaped," she said with a smile.

They were just about leaving when a voice softly cried, "Help me."

It was soft like a babe's and weak like a dying ember. Kasian immediately spoke up, "No. No. Kaylen, we have to leave now."

His words seemed to fall on deaf ears as her eyes darted around, looking for the person.

"We've been lucky so far and I don't want to push it. We SHOULDN'T push it," he added.

But all to no avail. She already had that 'doing what I know best' look in her eyes. She takes off running, into the base.

"Dammit Kaylen if you don't die, I'll kill you my self," Kasian said , running after her.

Kaylen wasn't stupid, she set [Detonate] in any key place she passed. She searched, listening closer for the direction of the voice. It came weakly but steady, "Help me please."

Kaylen noticed a tiny cubicle, overflowing with Rem. She stood in front of it, her eyes scanning. She noticed several binding spells and a draining spell on it. "This is going to be tough,"she said, cracking her knuckles.

She poured her light yellow Rem into the door with precise control. Back in Chiile she was hailed as a genius in Rem manifestation and manipulation, a feat for her, relatively straightforward. One by one she dismantled all the binding spells, then focused on the draining spell. Kasian met her in front of the cubicle. She was so focused that she didn't even notice him behind her.

The timer for the spell she put on the shed elapsed and it blew up. The bandits rushed over to check. Just then, the others began to blow up, one after the other. The whole base was in flames. The bandits hurried to put out the fire. A voice drew Kasian's attention, "It seems we have rats in our base."

A 6-feet muscular man with an eye patch stood a few paces from them, flanked by a few bandits. Kasian turned desperately to his sister but she was still transfixed. He stepped forward, drawing a line in front of him. Exhaling sharply, he said, "My name is Kasian Le Monde, heir to the Lunar throne. Forget you saw us and leave. Or cross the line and suffer."

The muscular man laughed, hearty yet cold."The rat's got a little fight in him." His face immediately turned vicious. "Get them," he commanded.

The bandits all rushed at him. Kasian let out a sigh. I gave them a chance.

"I may not be as skilled as my sister but you lot are underestimating me."

He stretched his hand towards them, "[Flame], [Wind] merge."

The conjured spells merged, forming a more stronger flame, hotter than normal fire.

"Split," he continued.

The flame splits into tiny fist-sized pieces.

"New flame spell, [Flame brid]."

He shot the flame pieces at the bandits. Its speed was faster but the damage wasn't reduced. He took out all the bandits with the spell.

"Oh—ho. I never knew something like that was possible," the mercenary said, stroking his chin. "It seems I encountered a couple of geniuses. I wonder how much you'll sell for." A wicked grin played on his face.

Kaylen finally dismantled the draining spell. A shout of joy came out, "I did it!"

Kasian turned to her, "Shut your mouth, idiot! We are in a situation."

Kaylen took in the surrounding, the line, the laid out bandits and the hulking mercenary with the creepy grin. She laughed sheepishly then said, "Sorry sir but could you let us go? We were only messing around."

The mercenary's black rem flared. "I guess that's a no," she said, serious, taking a stance besides Kasian.

"My name is Decka, remember that when they ask who caught you."

Decka vanished from their sight. Both Kasian's and Kaylen's darted over the place, trying to track him. He appeared behind them, swinging a rem covered right. Kaylen cast [Earth barrier] almost immediately, creating a huge thick layer of earth to shield them. The punch shattered the barrier and the resulting shock wave sent them a couple of meters away. Kaylen cast [Lightning] and [Cyclone]. The spells merged and formed a vicious Cyclone with lightning within it.

This lethal spell destroyed everything in its path. Decka easily dodged the spell but forgot he wasn't fighting just one mage but two. Kasian appeared on his blind side and cast [Earth bullets]. Sharp bullet sized shards materialized and launched at Decka.

He tried but he couldn't avoid them all. Decka fell, riddled with earthen bullets.

Kaylen went to the cubicle and opened it. Inside was an elf, one different from regular elves. His hair was as white as snow. His skin was like the night sky, black with scattered stars. He was near death's door. Kaylen cast[Heal] on him then hoisted him up, placing his arm around her should. Kasian rushed to help her and with one arm on each of their shoulders, they made their escape. They were about a mile away from the bandits' base when the elf muttered, "Help me."

Kaylen looked at him with sympathy and said, "It's ok. You're safe now."

As those words left her mouth, she sensed dread and an impending doom. Decka appeared beside Kasian, bloodied, swinging at his side. "Who said you could leave?" His voice rasped, his breath hot on Kasian's neck.

Thinking fast, Kaylen cast [Teleport], sending Kasian and the elf outside the forest. The punch connected with her side, sending here crashing into a tree with a bone cracking thud. She slumped, resting against the stump of the tree the remaining part fell. Blood rolling down from the edge of her lips, she looked up, Decka looked like a monster. Bloodied and bruised with some of the earthen bullets still in his body. He looked like a walking dead.

Kasian was shocked to see himself out of the forest. His mind immediately connected the dots and he turned, facing the forest. Kaylen assessed her body, four broken ribs, a broken arm and leg. She thought; I had just enough Rem to teleport just two people. I hope that airhead is safe. She brought out a tiny gem and crushed it. Rem flowed Into her body giving her just enough to cast one more spell. "If I let him go now, more innocents will suffer." She said to her self. A memory of her and Kasian racing flashed. She smirked, "Its all or nothing."

"I never thought I'd get the chance to use this," she said with a wild grin.

She stared down Decka with fury and yelled,"[Explosion]!"

A flame circle with arcane symbols appeared above the forest and like a missile, exploded. Kasian watched from outside the forest, screaming her name. The elf opened his eyes, glanced at the explosion then coughed up blood. It was blue and shimmering. This snapped Kasian back.

"Don't die on me," he said casting [Heal] with tears streaming down his cheeks.

The elf already knew his fate. He swirled a finger around his stomach then touched Kasian's forehead with that hand. A purple crescent moon appeared on Kasian's forehead.

"Thank you for the help, I'll leave you with this." With those words, the elf died. His body turned into tiny shimmers of light and scattered into the air. Kasian knelt in the grass, facing the burning forest. Their guards came with more soldiers, mounted on horses. Kasian explained that the forest fire was caused by Kaylen, not hinting what they had gone through. Six mages appeared and cast [Cloudburst]. The sky immediately gathered dark clouds and rained heavily. The rain stopped when the forest fire was totally extinguished. Some of the guards went in the forest to look for Kaylen while the others took Kasian back to the castle.

The next few days were hell for the Le Mondes. With no update on finding Kaylen's body, the king fell into grief. He stopped eating, refused to see the outside and after a month, died. Kasian was crowned King, the same day as the burial. Kasian covered his entire body leaving just his eyes as he sat on his father's throne as King.

Far away from Zurhic, on the shores of a village in Valemire, Decka docked his boat. He picked up a body bag in the boat and tossed it over his shoulder. He stepped out of the boat and walked to a tacky fisherman house close to the river. He knocked, banging the door three times. The door opened and he entered. He tossed the bag on the floor and took a seat. The door was shut and a lady with blonde hair, blue eyes, wearing just shorts and bra— the one who opened the door — said, "You look like shit Decka."

The lighting of the house revealed Decka's skin with second degree burns.

"She was a tough one. I probably wouldn't be alive right now if not for your artifact," Decka said, reclining against the chair.

"Making that artifact cost a lot you know. Its supposed to be a life or death use," she argued.

"This was life or death Sora. I would be dead if I didn't use it then," Decka responded.

"Well whatever, let's see what you brought."

She opened the body bag and there she was, Kaylen, passed out and wounded.

"She will fetch a high price at the black market," Sora said, all smiles.

"Yes, We just have to wait for that pirate Barner and sell her to him. He'll deal with the black market."

It's now the Year 910. Kasian had ruled Zurhic for two years. Everyday, he stood before his sister's portrait, staring at it. The painting does her no justice as it dailed to capture her true beauty. This was his ritual ever since that night. A man appeared, bowing on one knee.

"What?" He asked annoyed.

"We've found Decka my Lord," the man answered.

That name triggered Kasian. His green Rem flared, the force broke the floor beneath him. "Where?" He asked, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Valemire, a tiny fisherman village on the southern shore," the man answered.

The crescent moon on his forehead glowed, not too bright but just enough to be seen. He cast [Gate] and immediately appeared in the village. He cast [Fly] and took to the sky. Hovering above the village, he touched his throat and cast [Amplify]. "Valemarians in this village," he said, his voice booming. "You harbor a criminal and an attacker of the Zurhic Royal Household. Bring me the man named Decka in 5 minutes or face total annihilation."

Decka heard the warning and peeked through his window.

"You messed with Zurhic royalty?" Sora asked, fear and surprise in her words.

"I didn't know she was royalty," Decka responded.

"What do you mean you didn't know? You said they introduced themselves," Sora said.

"Yes, the boy mage. I had no idea who the girl was," he answered.

"You are so gonna owe me for this."

Sora brought out all her artifacts and began activating them. Five minutes passed and no one came out. With one hand raised to the sky, Kasian said in his heart, "It seems they have chosen death." The sky turned crimson and the red clouds formed a circle with arcane symbols above the village. His crescent shone a bit brighter, then he said,"[HellFlare].

The clouds spun, the wind howled furiously, the ground rumbled. From the heavens, a massive pillar of blue flame came upon the village, turning everything to ash. Sora's artifacts couldn't save them from the flames of hell. The smoke rose to the sky and the wind carried the ashes. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air.

"This is for you Kaylen." He said quietly before disappearing.