Wait no longer, here is the second chapter! I don't have a ton to say this go around, other than that I've been having a lot of fun with the world building for this AU, but that's like... standard procedure with me, basically, so nothing new on that front! That said, thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoy this new chapter!

under the pale moonlight

chapter two

under the falling stars

"Shiro?"

Shaking off his stupor, Hunk looked up towards Pidge with wide eyes. "Wait, Shiro? As in, Captain Shirogane? Former captain of the royal guard?"

"What other Shiro could he possibly mean?" Lance asked.

His tone probably came across as a bit harsher than intended, but he was still trying to process all of this. Captain Shirogane had been missing with the rest of the royal expedition for nearly a year now- so how the hell had he ended up here, this far away from the Lion's Forest where they had all disappeared?

And what the heck was up with his arm?

They had drawn a sizable amount of attention by now- though aside from the three of them, everyone else seemed to be keeping their distance. They were eying his right arm warily, and he could just make out faint whispers of Galra and came from the forest. Neither of those things sounded all that great.

His arm... definitely did bring to mind those old stories about the Galra. Marco had always described them as being monstrous beasts covered from head to toe with purple fur, whose glowing yellow eyes could see perfectly in the dark as they tracked their prey- which, in Marco's stories, had always been small, naughty children who didn't do what they were told and wandered out late at night or into the forest.

"Right," Hunk said, "-well, good news is that he's got a pulse still. It's weak, but he's alive."

He swore that Pidge exhaled, his shoulders sagging in relief. Squinting up at him, he pursed his lips. Not only did he seem to know the Captain, but he was on familiar enough terms with him to call him by a nickname. "How do you know Captain Shirogane?"

Pidge visibly flinched. "My family works with the royal guard sometimes."

That sounded... vague. Actually, everything this kid told them about himself was pretty vague. That settled it- this kid was definitely some kind of a runaway.

"Sorry to interrupt," Hunk began, drawing their attention back towards him, "-but I don't think it really matters just how Pidge knows Captain Shirogane. I'm pretty sure getting him some medical assistance is more important."

"Hunk is right."

All three of them nearly jumped out of their skins, though that high pitched yelp had definitely come from Pidge, not him, and he'd stand by that. He hadn't even noticed Miss Lia's arrival, but there was no way to miss her now, the pale skinned tavern keeper stooped over Captain Shirogane's unconscious body, hand extended to check his pulse herself.

Miss Lia looked up, briefly meeting his eyes. For a second, it looked like her eyes were almost glowing, but he quickly chalked it up to just a trick of the light. "We can take him back to the tavern. He'll be safe there."

He wanted to ask from what, but instinct kicked in and forced him to hold his tongue. Instead, he watched as Miss Lia scooped the Captain up as if he weighed nothing, carrying him nearly bridal style in her arms. All the while, he didn't stir- only the rising and falling of his chest letting him know he was still alive.

She turned towards Hunk, leveling violet eyes on him. "Find your parents. Their assistance will be required."

"Uh..." Hunk trailed off, still sounding a bit dazed by her sudden appearance. "Right, I'll- I'll get them."

Miss Lia's eyes narrowed. "Now."

Flinching, Hunk leapt to his feet, giving Miss Lia a hasty salute before he made his retreat. For a second, he debated going after him, before he caught the hard edge of Miss Lia's gaze out of the corner of his eye and hastily decided against it.

"Lance, Pidge," Miss Lia instructed, "-you two come with me."

She left little room for protest, and after exchanging a quick glance with the other, both he and Pidge fell in line behind her. The crowd that had formed parted to give them room- but whether that was because of Captain Shirogane's weird purple arm or just the fact that it was Miss Lia who was carrying him, he had no idea. It didn't stop the onlookers from trailing behind them, understandably curious about exactly what was going on here.

He'd like to know that himself.

They made it to the tavern without issue, which came to a dead stop as they entered. Miss Lia didn't say a word, only making a motion for them to wait at the bottom of the steps as she carried the Captain up them and deposited him in a room. Once she had done so, she came back down, unsheathed her knife, and sunk its blade deep into the main counter of the establishment, all while somehow maintaining eye contact with the entire crowd.

"Service is over for the night." Miss Lia said firmly. "Leave."

Nobody disputed her. One by one, the tavern's patrons filed out, some of them less gracefully than others, but all left without a word. Once the last of them were gone, she yanked her knife from the counter, sheathing it back at her waist.

"The two of you stand watch outside." She instructed them, making for the staircase that lead to the upper level of the tavern. "When Hunk's parents arrive, bring them upstairs. I'll watch over the Captain."

She paused, turning mid-step to glance back at the both of them. "Let no one else in."

They both swallowed, nodding their heads almost in unison. Apparently satisfied with that, Miss Lia disappeared upstairs, leaving the two of them alone.

"So," Pidge began, after a moment of undeniably awkward silence, "-still think I'm crazy?"

Hunk's parents arrived with haste, their son apparently having stressed the urgency of the situation to them. Although there was still a sizable throng of onlookers gathered outside the tavern, none had dared to take a step inside even when the doors opened- probably too afraid that its owner would turn her knife on them if they dared.

Just as they had been told to, Lance and Pidge brought the couple upstairs, to where Miss Lia had laid up Captain Shirogane. She had stripped him of his ragged cloak and boots, but had otherwise left him untouched. He was still unconscious, but it had barely even been half an hour since he had collapsed in the village square, so he didn't exactly expect him to be awake yet.

The only window had been drawn shut, its curtains fixed in place. If he squinted, he could make out a dark stain against the glass, but it was probably just dirt.

Although they had a moment of pause at the sight of his arm, Hunk's parents rapidly set to work, beginning their examination. They were both only healers, not proper doctors, but both were equally skilled in their trade. There was a reason that their remote border village could rest easy, even after the mountain path closed off for the winter.

"In terms of his overall health, he's showing all the classic signs of exhaustion. With time and rest, he should recover." Hunk's mother told them, once she had finished her exam. "I brought along an herbal tea blend that should be able to help. Give it to him when he wakes, and it should take an edge off the fatigue."

"And make sure he eats." Hunk's father grunted. "He looks like he's been fed just enough to stave off outright starvation."

"That can be arranged." Miss Lia said.

"As for his arm..." Hunk's mother trailed off, clearly at a loss for words. "That's a bit out of my depth."

"And mine." Her husband agreed. "All I can tell you is that the cut's clean, and it responds normally to stimuli. It... should work."

Narrowing her eyes, Miss Lia uncrossed her arms. She had been watching the examination like a hawk, and Lance was starting to get the feeling that she had a vested interest in the whole affair herself. Digging into one of the pouches she wore at her waist, she produced two gold coins, pressing them in the hands of Hunk's parents.

Lance couldn't help but gawk. He'd never seen gold even once in his entire life. Even Veronica only got paid in silver, and she was employed by the royal guard!

"For your troubles." She told them, in a tone indicating that they were not allowed to refuse. "Speak of this to no one."

Hunk's parents exchanged a glance, before accepting the pair of coins. "There's already a large crowd gathered outside. What should we tell them?"

"Tell them he is under my care." Miss Lia stated. "And to keep the bonfire burning through the night, if they do not have it burning already. It will ward off shadows."

"So what should we do?" Hunk asked, after seeing his parents off. He almost looked like he kind of wanted to go with them, but Miss Lia had caught his eye, and he'd opted instead to remain behind. "You kind of seem like you need us for something."

"Stay, until dawn breaks." Miss Lia instructed. "The three of you are not to take a single step outside of this tavern."

Exchanging a glance with Hunk, Lance frowned. Pidge aside, they had just gotten mixed up with this due to happenstance- or at least, that's what he thought. But something about the way Miss Lia was acting made him question if that was really the case.

It was almost like she'd known this would happen.

They weren't the only ones to notice either. Pidge had sat himself by the foot of the Captain's bed ever since they had brought Hunk's parents up- he'd barely even stirred during the entire exam. But now he looked up, eyes narrowed as he critically examined the tavern keeper, looking for... Lance didn't know what, exactly. Just that he was.

Whatever it was, she didn't betray it.

"When you say shadows," Pidge began, "-what do you mean, exactly?"

Miss Lia only narrowed her eyes. "You would be wise not to ask questions."

"Well forgive me for being curious," Pidge told her, "-especially since you seem to be awfully prepared for all of this."

Lance flinched. Sure, yeah, he'd noticed that too, but what was Pidge thinking, saying it out loud? What if she made Miss Lia angry? Nothing good came from making Miss Lia angry.

Not one to be intimidated, especially not by someone less than half her size, Miss Lia merely held Pidge's gaze. "When dawn breaks, we will be free to speak. Wait until then."

For all that the woman had intimidated him earlier, Pidge actually held Miss Lia's gaze this time. Then finally he tore it away, narrowing his eyes. "Fine."

Satisfied with that, Miss Lia made to leave. She paused, lingering by the door, resting her hand on the frame, the sleeve of her blouse slipping just enough so that he could make out a bandage around her wrist.

Had that been there before?

"If he wakes," Miss Lia said, "-call for me."

Once he was sure she was gone, Lance heaved a breath of relief. He thought he was used to how intense she could be, but this was definitely something else.

"Okay," Hunk began, "-so is anyone else freaking out right now, or is it just me?"

"It's not just you." Lance said. Sure, he'd said that he wanted a little more excitement in his life, but he didn't mean like this. He was thinking more along the lines of meeting a cute girl or something, not having a long lost royal guard wander into their village from the forest that people weren't supposed to come back from. "I have no idea what's going on. Heck, I'm not even sure if I want to."

"It's the Galra," Pidge said firmly, "-this is their doing."

Lance groaned, hanging his head. "The Galra again?"

"I mean... his arm does seem pretty Galra-like." Hunk said. "And he did come from the direction of the forest, so..."

Huffing, Lance collapsed in a nearby chair. He hated to admit it, but Hunk did have a point. It was pretty hard to deny what was right in front of him- and believe him, he'd been trying.

"Okay, so let's say that the Galra abducted the king's expedition, just like Pidge said." Lance stated, pointedly ignoring Pidge's glare. "Why would they even do that in the first place? And how the heck did Captain Shirogane end up here, with an arm that definitely isn't his?"

"Shiro," Pidge corrected, "-he prefers being called Shiro."

"Okay then," Lance said, "-how did Shiro end up here?"

"That's the part I'm still working out." Pidge admitted. "Maybe he escaped?"

"Without the king and the crown prince?" Hunk asked. "I thought it was his job to like, guard them. Why would he leave them behind?"

Pidge flinched, his face falling as he turned away, staring at his feet. "Maybe... maybe he didn't have a choice."

Lance frowned at that. It sounded an awful lot like Pidge was trying to convince himself of that. He wasn't sure if he liked it. There was no way that the Takashi Shirogane he had seen at that tournament would ever be the kind of guy to willingly abandon his duties like that. There had to be some other explanation as to why he was alone.

The room fell into a hushed silence, broken only by the steady sound of Shiro's breathing. It sounded better now- probably had something to do with the weird incense that Miss Lia had left burning in the room. It didn't seem to have any actual scent, at least, not one that he could discern.

"So," Hunk cautiously began, "-you said something about a prophecy before?"

Lifting his head, Pidge looked over towards him. "Yeah. Do you know it?"

Hunk nodded. "I mean, we do live in a village that basically worships the moon maiden. Of course I know it."

"Yeah, well, I don't." Lance interjected. "So if we're going to start discussing more cryptic bullshit, how about we take a second and make sure we're all on the same page first?"

"I still can't believe you don't know the prophecy." Hunk said. "Your sisters-"

"-have both played the moon maiden." Lance finished. "Yeah, I get it. I should have paid attention. I'm just used to not having to care about that stuff. How was I supposed to know it would all suddenly become relevant?"

"Hm, fair point." Hunk admitted. "Still..."

Lance just groaned, shooting his old friend a glare. "Look, can we just cut to the part where you tell me the prophecy already?"

"Yeah, yeah, we can do that." Hunk said, holding up his hands. "No need to get testy. So, should I tell it, or should Pidge?"

"Why don't you tell it?" Pidge asked. "Part of the reason I came out all this way was to hear the version of the prophecy that was told in this town."

"Yeah?" Lance asked. "What was the other part?"

Pidge just looked away. "Just... recite the prophecy, Hunk."

"Uh." Hunk's gaze darted over towards him, to which he just shrugged- if Pidge wanted to keep secrets, then fine, what did he care? That seemed to be the theme for this evening anyways.

"Okay, so fair warning, it's been awhile since I've heard it too, so my recollection may be a bit fuzzy in places." Hunk admitted, before he took a deep breath, reciting the prophecy.

"When the full moon is high in the sky,

and the heavens crash down to Earth,

evil once sealed will break its boundaries.

Five paladins shall be chosen by the stars,

who shall wreathe themselves in the vessels of the ancients,

guided by the moon's hand."

Lance squinted, half expecting there to be more. "Wait, that's it? You didn't even mention the moon maiden!"

Pidge stared at him blankly. "He literally mentioned the moon twice."

"Yeah, but not the-" Lance stopped himself short, internally groaning, "-right, okay, I get it. That refers to the moon maiden, doesn't it?"

"Yup." Pidge told him, absently popping the p. "It refers to the revival of the moon maiden."

"And the Galra." Hunk nervously added.

"Yes, and the Galra." Pidge said, adjusting his glasses. "Specifically, it refers to the revival of the moon maiden in response to the Galra breaking their seal."

"Okay, that I get." Lance said. "But what's the part with five paladins or whatever being chosen by the stars about? What does wreathe themselves in the vessels of the ancients even mean?"

"That's the part I'm a little less clear about." Pidge confessed. "I think it might refer to the five weapons sealed away by the lunar king, but I'm not one hundred percent sure."

"You mean the ones that he used to defeat... well, you know." Hunk said, nervously glancing towards the door. They hadn't exactly forgotten how harshly Miss Lia had taken to the mention of the name earlier. Given the mood she was in now, nobody was about to risk saying it again.

They didn't have to. Even he knew who Emperor Zarkon was. He was the corrupt king who reigned over the Galra, and lead them into battle against the lunar king. He'd tried to conquer the world, and nearly would have succeeded if not for the efforts of the lunar king. He had forced them back into the deep forest, sealing them into what would later become no man's land- or at least, that was how the story went.

"Exactly." Pidge said. "The lunar king knew that someday, his seal would break. That's why he sealed away his own daughter. It stands to reason that she's meant to serve as some kind of guide to the five weapons."

"Okay, so... what are these weapons exactly?" Lance asked.

Pidge shook his head. "No one knows for sure. All records have been lost to time. But d- the king was looking into it just before he disappeared."

Lance arched a brow, not entirely missing the slip, but otherwise not paying too much attention to it. "So, what? Did he think there was one in the Lion's Forest?"

Pidge chewed on his lip for a second, before nodding his head. "Have you ever noticed how many places in this country have lion in their name?"

Lance frowned, exchanging a glance with Hunk. Now that he mentioned it... yeah, there were kind of a lot of places with lion in their name. Heck, the mountains that bordered their village, on the opposite side of the deep forest were collectively known as the Lion's Mountains.

"Huh," Hunk frowned, "-you're right. There's like... what, six places with lion in their name? Weird."

"Six, huh?" Lance asked. "That's like, one more than five."

"Wow," Pidge said, arching his brows, "-you can do basic math."

Lance squinted. "You know, I don't exactly appreciate your sarcasm."

"Yeah well, I didn't exactly appreciate being called crazy either." Pidge shot back.

"Okay you two," Hunk cut in, "-let's not fight."

Lance grumbled a bit, but otherwise stayed silent. Fine- maybe Pidge was right. Maybe he did owe him that apology after all.

"Look, I'm sorry for calling you crazy." Lance said. "It's just this? This is crazy."

"Yeah, I kind of have to agree with Lance on that one." Hunk said. "I mean... if what you're saying is true, doesn't that mean the Galra are real?"

"Oh, they're real alright." Pidge said, his expression grave. "But it gets worse. The disappearance of the king's expedition proves that not only have some of them broken the seal, but that they have eyes and ears within the royal council itself. Nobody should have known the destination of the expedition."

"Maybe it was just a coincidence?" Hunk asked nervously.

"Yeah, who the heck would even help the Galra?" Lance asked. "I'm pretty sure everyone knows they're the bad guys."

"Maybe they forced someone to help?" Hunk offered.

"Maybe." Pidge said. "Or maybe they're using magic."

Exchanging a glance with Hunk, they both swallowed. Maybe he didn't know about the prophecy, but he knew about the Galra's magic. It was part of what had made Marco's stories about them so spooky as a kid- the fact that they weren't just mindless beasts. They could use magic- real magic, not just the potions and concoctions that healers and witches blended together, which were the closest things humans had to magic.

But Galra magic was dark magic. Blood magic, full of curses and hexes and wicked spells- and sacrifices. Lots of sacrifices.

Among the stories that Marco had told him as a child, there had been an especially memorable one that involved a Galra luring an unsuspecting child to the edge of the deep forest, and then killing them when they came close. He shuddered just to remember it- Marco had spared no detail in describing the way the Galra had used blood magic to take the child's skin and wear it as their own, taking their life and their memories with it. They had then returned to the child's mother as if nothing had ever happened, sacrificing their true form for a chance to escape the seal.

He'd thought it was just a scary story- but what if they could actually do it?

Turning a wary eye towards Shiro, he swallowed, gaze falling on his right arm. Suddenly, he didn't feel so safe anymore.

He woke to someone jostling his shoulder.

Groaning, Lance slowly drifted awake, for a second unable to place exactly where he was and why his back felt so stiff. He wasn't as concerned as to why Hunk was here- they were childhood friends, it was pretty common for him to barge into his room to wake him up. Not vice versa though, if only because he was almost never awake before Hunk.

He also usually didn't have this bad a case of bedhead, though.

"Hunk?" Lance blinked. "Wha-"

Memories of last night flooded back, and his eyes snapped open, now wide awake. "Shiro!"

"Ssh," Pidge hushed him from his post by Shiro's bed- it didn't look like he had gotten a wink of sleep all night, "-he's starting to wake up. Can one of you get Miss Lia?"

"Hunk should probably go. She likes him best." Lance said.

Hunk grumbled, clearly not liking the idea of being the one dumped with the task. "Alright, fine."

"Good luck, buddy." Lance said, patting him on the shoulder. "Maybe she won't bite your head off."

"I don't think she's going to bite my head off, Lance." Hunk said, only to add, "-will she?"

"She probably will if we don't do what we're told." Pidge pointed out.

"Okay, fair point." Hunk admitted. "I'll be right back."

Watching Hunk leave, Lance frowned, turning back towards the bed where Shiro lay. True to what Pidge said, he was starting to stir- just not peacefully. He was moaning, that Galra-like right arm of his digging into the sheets, claws ripping the fabric. Nervously glancing down towards Pidge, he couldn't help but picture just how easy it would be for Shiro to overpower him- if that really was Shiro, and not just some Galra that had done a crappy job of wearing his skin.

Since hey! Apparently that was a thing now!

(Okay sure, so maybe Marco's stories weren't the best thing to base his theories on. But they had to come from somewhere, right?)

"Maybe you shouldn't be sitting so close to him?" Lance asked nervously.

Pidge glared at him. "Shiro wouldn't hurt me."

Lance could only bite his lip, again wondering what exactly their relationship was. Pidge had said that his family worked with the royal guard sometimes, but he was pretty sure that had been a lie. Maybe he really was a runaway noble, just like he thought.

A runaway noble with a deep vested interest in the missing king's expedition.

Frowning, he took a closer look at Pidge. Maybe they really were... but no. They'd been calling them a boy all this time, and they hadn't corrected them even once. He was pretty sure they'd have done that by now if they were actually the missing princess.

Right? Right.

(Besides, Pidge was a runt. Princesses were supposed to be like, super pretty and stuff right? Granted, he'd never seen a princess before, but he was pretty sure he was right.)

Shiro's eyes suddenly snapped open, and all questions Lance had about Pidge suddenly fell to the wayside. He let out a strangled cry, jolting up from bed as if he had just woken from the throes of a nightmare- probably had, judging by how he had been acting just prior to waking up. He pressed a hand- his human hand- against his face, his breath coming out in short, shallow gasps, sweat clinging to the back of his neck.

At least he didn't lash out, which was probably a good sign. At least, he hoped.

"Shiro?" Pidge cautiously asked.

Shiro groaned, slowly turning his head towards Pidge, almost seeming to squint. "...Matt?"

Pidge just shook his head. "No, I'm Pidge. Do you... do you know where you are?"

Shiro slowly blinked, studying Pidge as a slow look of understanding dawned across his features. Turning his head, Shiro's gaze swept across the room, falling on Lance last. He froze underneath his gaze- those were the same steely gray eyes that he remembered, at least, in color. Before they been those of a man determined to carry out his duty faithfully, but now they looked like the eyes of a man who had seen far too much, and just wanted to forget.

"I... I was captured." Shiro said slowly. "By the Galra. We all- we all were."

"You were." Pidge confirmed. "But you're safe now. You're in a village on the border of the deep forest. Do you remember anything from last night?"

Slowly, Shiro shook his head. He was gradually starting to become a bit more composed, as if Pidge's promises of safety were starting to sink in. "Just bits and pieces. I remember I escaped. I think someone helped me, but we were separated, and then..."

"Nothing." Shiro said. "Not until I crossed the tree line. I'm pretty sure I remember collapsing."

"That part definitely happened." Pidge told him. "You're in a room just above the local tavern. You were carried here by-"

"-me." Miss Lia finished for her. "You can call me Lia."

Shiro stared up at her, his eyes scanning her face as if he were searching for something. "I'm guessing this isn't a dream."

"No." Miss Lia said rather factually. "I brought food. You need to eat."

In response, Shiro's stomach growled- and loudly, at that. He managed a faint chuckle, resting his human hand over his stomach- his Galra one still rested limply by his side. "You're probably right about that."

"I usually am." Miss Lia said simply, crossing the room and depositing the tray of food on Shiro's lap. "Don't eat too quickly. You'll risk making yourself sick."

Ugh. Lance's stomach was starting to growl a bit now too. He hadn't had anything to eat since that spiced roll last night, and his insides were punishing him for it now. They must have been louder than he thought, because Miss Lia lifted her head, glancing back at the two of them.

"There is food for you as well, in the adjacent room." Miss Lia told him. "Your friend is already there."

Pidge frowned, narrowing his eyes. "I don't want to leave Shiro alone."

"I will stay with him." Miss Lia told him. "Go, eat. Your bodies will need it."

Lance desperately wanted to ask for what, but wisely chose to hold his tongue. Usually he was the first to blurt that kind of stuff out, but around Miss Lia, he tended to be a little smarter about that sort of thing- if only because he didn't want to risk getting on her bad side.

You know, provided he wasn't already.

"But-" Pidge protested.

"I'll be fine." Shiro assured him, giving him a weak smile. "I promise."

Shoulders slumping, Pidge made a huff of defeat. "Okay. But I'll be back as soon as I'm done eating."

"I'll be here." Shiro assured him.

Pidge gave him one last forlorn look, before he made his way out, pausing to grab him by the arm and haul him along. He could only sputter and try to keep up- for someone who was so tiny, he had an impressive amount of grip strength.

"Hey, uh," Lance began, glancing down at him, "-you okay?"

"I'll be fine." Pidge said. "Let's just eat."

Somehow, he wasn't sure if he believed that either.

She didn't have to look back to know that the shadows she had sent out had returned. She could feel their weight as they melded back into her own, which flickered in the dim candlelight- the only light in the otherwise dark room. There was very little light this deep within the forest, but she had lived here for centuries, sealed away with the rest, and so she had since adapted to life without it.

"Did you find him?"

One of the shadows writhed and twisted about her, escaping from her own form. It grew a partial shape, taking on an eyeless form with a lipless mouth whose blackened teeth nevertheless managed to stand out from the otherwise inky blackness of its being. If she gave it enough of her blood, it would be able to split off from her entirely, but sending her shadows outside of the barrier was still a strenuous effort for her, so she chose not to. Her magic was strong, but Alfor's barrier was not yet that weak.

Soon it would be. With each passing new moon, it grew weaker and weaker- and her lord grew all the stronger. It was only a matter of time before it crumbled completely- and then she would not need to depend on her shadows anymore.

But until then, they had to bide their time.

"He made it past the barrier." The shadow whispered in his ear. "To the human village, the one closest to the mountains."

Haggar narrowed her eyes, which glowed dimly even in the dark. "And?"

"We could not go beyond the village's outskirts." The shadow informed her. "They were burning fires. We could not enter."

She frowned. She didn't think the humans had what it took to keep out her shadows, not this close to the barrier. Someone must have given them that knowledge.

"So the traitors are not quite done taking action." Haggar mused, turning on her heel, pacing the length of the room. The shadows trailed behind her- both her own, and the one that danced along the lengths of the walls, its shape becoming distorted with it. She came to a halt, just outside the range of the candle's light.

She might have grown used to the darkness, but there was a part of her that still longed for the sunlight. She had been a creature of it once, long ago, and she had yet to entirely forget the sensation of its warm rays against her skin.

At least she was not alone in her suffering. She had seen to that much herself.

The shadow only drew close again when it had something to say. "We can try again this night. The moon will begin to wane, and our power will grow."

"Not enough to be of any use." Haggar remarked. "I have a different mission for you. Send word to our spy in the southernmost garrison. The humans will cave to his authority. He will bring the Champion back to us- and whatever traitor is hiding him from our eyes with him."

"Yes, high priestess," the shadow nearly seemed to bow, or perhaps it was just a stray flicker of the candle that caused its shape to change, "-we will see that it is done."

"Good," Haggar said, "-I wish to have good news to report to our lord once he awakens next."

The escape of the Champion was merely a minor setback. Their plans remained unchanged. They had spent centuries concocting them, and they would hardly allow a handful of long cursed traitors to undo the work that they had done.

The humans may have all since forgotten, but this world had once belonged to the Galra.

And so it would again.