Latale: A Memory's Venture

Chapter 6: The Dark Moon of the 16th Day

Sorry for the long wait, I got school and gaming to do, Nah...

Hope you like it!

Kyiin's POV

The Portal closed. I aimlessly walk outside the Arcadia. Which is now under influence of the loop, the tigers and the other agasuras are being transported randomly in the area. I catch a glimpse of pink hair dangling in the empty space above. I waved my hand at her gesturing a hello, but she turned away as if not to notice me.

"Hold on, I'll get you down." I shouted

"Don't say it, hurry up and help me!" she shouted back.

With that I quickly look for anything that I can use to reach her. But when I looked back she was gone. She was transported a few meters away, her wings are still stuck but she was standing on the earth. I quickly made my way through her.

"Help me get the wings off."

"They can come off?"

"Of course they can, they're made of magic anyway, and they'll fade once the source of magic is detached."

I carefully grabbed the pair of golden bright wings on her back and start pulling it like hell, when it came off there was no scratch or torn in Corelle's back and the wings faded immediately. I tumbled down and Luli fell from my back Corelle helped me up, I suddenly felt a puncture in my right hand, some kind of thorn has been embedded deep in my skin causing a splinter. I took it off and saw a stream of violet fluid that leaking from the thorn, my hand is bleeding with that violet ooze. But I ignored it.

I carried Luli onto my back again. And we started walking towards the exit; me talking to Corelle about the events, when we arrived at the exit, the sun was streaking downwards and was declaring that it was dusk. I was more tired that I was before moreover, there was a feeling of dizziness in my head, my vision blurred a bit and head swung left and right from my nausea Corelle let me sit for a while, knowing I was exhaling loudly, my vision continues to blurred and the sounds I hear started to echo back and forth in my head.

"Kyiin, are you okay?" I heard the echoing words she spat out, I tried to look at her, but only saw vague appearance of where she should be, then it was all black.

~End flashback~

Luli's POV

When I woke up, I was laid tucked in bed in the room we rented in Yong Gyoung. Kyiin was laid just the same in the other bed of our room. His mouth opening and closing in a fast rate, his chest rises and falls faster than usual. There was something wrong with him but I was too drained out of energy to even move from my position. Corelle came in she was carrying a paper bag full of food, she set it down on the table and look both of us unable to notice me being awake.

"Seriously, how long does it take for the both of you to stay asleep?" She cried out in frustration

"How long has it been?" I asked her. She was surprised.

"A week, they thought the both of you had a coma."

"Sorry, what happened?"

"After you were possessed you fell asleep, Kyiin brought you out Hyunmu's room. And helped me get unstuck, he got punctured by a poisoned thorn in the process, I don't know how, he collapsed when we got out of Arcadia."

"Furthermore, I promised that if one of you woke up, we'll continue to Aioch."

"What? But Kyiin is in no condition to travel. We can't go" I said in a high pitched voice. Straining myself to a sitting position.

"We have to, Shaowee sent a letter to the Princess of Aioch for our arrival, she sent a letter back, expecting us in two weeks, if we're not there, any other one that declares that they are the Iris seeker gets killed immediately." She said still calm but obviously tired.

"That's harsh"

"That's life" she spat out. "We'll wait for his fever to come down a bit further until tomorrow, and then we go. Shaowee asks a couple of merchants to take us to Aioch the same time of their travel."

"Why won't just go to sleep for a while?"

"Can't I have to watch over him, he convulses every once in a while, I have to summon the nurses to get him to stop, even though they already removed the poison, still they can't do anything to stop it permanently."

I look over a Kyiin, whose breathing hitch a bit higher I can tell his fever was making him suffer; even if the poison was removed the effects should take effect just a bit. But it lasted for already a week now, what kind of poison did he get?

"Why don't take a rest, I can tell you got a beating, taking care of both of us, I'll hold the fort here."

"Go ahead, you'll beat yourself up anyway, Thanks." The pink haired said in delight she smiled and left off to another room.

I forced myself to stand up and walk towards Kyiin, I steady myself and played a little sonata from my guitar, I learned from my mother, she taught me the power of music that heal persons. The Healing ability of a bard, although I've never used it before, being stuck at home doesn't exactly give the situations needed for this sonata, so I never knew its effect or even the signs that it shows. So I only continue playing, enjoying every note it gives, the melody soothing me and Kyiin altogether.

His breath started to slow down a little bit, his breath stabled enough to consider normal. The grip he has on the blanket has loosened and his tightly shut eyes started to come loose, He was feeling better, Me as well.

The following day, Kyiin was feeling a lot better but is still asleep, Corelle wanted us to go anyway; we loaded Kyiin in the carriage. Corelle was silent all the sudden, even though we often fight we don't come to a dead air conversation between the both of us. But when she went inside the carriage she was clustered in the corner hugging her knees from her striped stockings, and gripping a portion of them in her anger? From my view I can only see her eyes staring blankly in the wooden floor of the carriage, she didn't wear her Gothic Lolita dress, instead it's a simple purple dress with a puff out skirt and a yellow cloth tied around her collar. Kyiin was still wearing his Rubashka, while I wore my old player outfit, a black straight dress with a white cloth cradled in both my shoulders that serves as a huge collar.

"So what do we do when we get there?" I broke out wanting to take out the heavy atmosphere surrounding us provided by Corelle.

"You didn't know yet right? Shaowee wanted us to meet the Engineer of the Dark Moon Castle, to help all the way to Kaimara Research Facility. Kyiin needs to be properly introduced to the Princess or all hell breaks loose in the castle." She said uninterested

"The Engineer of the Dark Moon Castle?"

"From what I heard, he's in charge of repairing the ruins inside the castle, The Princess let him live inside the castle because he was found loitering in the city gathering mechanical parts for some sort of machine."

"You do hear a lot."

"That's what's happening when you go around the cities a lot. Got any idea how to wake him up?"

"Hmm.. Only one"

(line)

Kyiin's POV

I doused up, my head aching, but other than that I'm feeling so refreshed.

"Where are we?" I asked

"In a carriage on the way to Aioch" My black haired companion said as she raised her blue guitar away from my head.

"Wait Are you hitting me with that guitar?" I shouted

"Well it's about time you wake up; you've been sleeping on the entire journey. And being the guy on the group you should be the one carrying us when we accidentally sleep rather than being the one carried by two women your age!" She shouted at me.

"I'm Sorry, How long was I out?" I asked scratching the back of my head as I gave an embarrassed chuckle.

"Long enough for us to reach Aioch! And also you missed the view on cherry lake. It was gorgeous!"

"Oh, by the way Shaowee sends her apologies. Plus she told us where to find the next Iris fragment." Luli answered in delight.

"By the way" the pink haired girl asked me with seriousness in her voice. "Shaowee send us this" she dug inside her pack and lift up a pink decanter. I was surprised it wasn't something that Shaowee would easily give to me.

"Any idea what is this for?" she asked like only I know the answer to her question. In fact I do its Symphony's soul item.

"It's a pitcher maybe we can pour water out from it." I answered no to let know anything about me having a little talk with the first Iris Seeker. She shot me a look as if she knew I lied but let it pass.

"I was hoping you wouldn't know." She said smiling forcefully "listen both of you, we don't have enough time to go wandering in Aioch first, we arrive there is three days from now. That exactly a day before the princess orders the decree of killing all Iris Seekers that enters Aioch"

"What?" I shouted horrified to her speech

"It's true; she wanted to meet us within two weeks. If we can't meet her within the said timeline she's going to kill anyone else who declares themselves as the Iris Seeker." Luli answered.

"Now back on track we can't spend another 2 weeks in a single city, we have less time than we know it. So we're going to have to double our efforts. We split up. Kyiin and I will talk to the Dark Moon Princess about Iris, Luli, you take initiative and find that Engineer as fast as you can."

"Wait? I'll be alone?"

"Technically yes, sorry to take this from you, But Dark Moon Princess is not a very understanding person. She takes pride in every kill she makes and doesn't care if you die in front of her. She's cruel and heartless, just like Iris" The last part was a bit of a whisper. I can't really understand what she just said, but it's clear that she wants to get things done.

"Fine, do you even know what that boy looks like?" Luli asked her.

She only shook her head. Luli sighed unrelieved.

"señor y señora, yo no puedo llevarte más allá de este punto, que es demasiado peligroso para mi coche" The merchant said (sir and lady, I can't take you any further than this point, it's way too dangerous for my carriage [translation])

We only stared on the merchant, having no clue of what he just said, He stop the carriage where Cherry trees seem to be growing.

"¿No me oyes, bajar mi coche!" He shouted at us, we stood unaware of his meaning, but it's clear he wants us to get off. (Didn't you hear me? Get off my carriage [translation])

We exited his carriage and he drove in a different direction, mumbling complaints on his own language, which I don't understand at all.

"I wonder what he was talking about, He suddenly dropped us off." Luli asked

"Wrong way" Corelle said flatly, she wasn't very active today, she normally insults me and Luli all the way, but now it seems she's way too focused with the tasked at hand.

"We have to go retrace a bit; we passed the right way to Aioch."

We nodded and let her lead the way, The Cherry Lake was bright, the cherry trees stood at least ten feet high from the ground and letting their leaves fall off slowly along with the wind beautifully.

There were wondering monsters around the vicinity, a couple of Cherry Ghosts, some with white hair, and a couple of blue outfitted ninja that seem to be klutzy. Corelle with her wings vast spread out, swipes the hordes of enemies in front of us dead.

"Corelle! Stop killing them, they are still living creatures!" Luli shouted, still pissed off when we kill monsters unnecessarily.

"Look pigtails, if we are the ones being attacked by those monsters, do you think anyone of them will shout, "Oh, don't kill them their living creatures too." Corelle annoyed, mimicked Luli's complaints and threw back a fact that just threw her entire idea out of bounds.

Luli just looked away, annoyed and clearly embarrassed at the situation.

Corelle basically dragged us along the Cherry Lake to get there as fast as she wants. I take no mind at all to her sudden change of attitude, pace and rate of unruliness to us, but I think she is really getting on Luli's nerves, she turns extremely red and keeps on gritting her teeth, whenever Corelle drags or throws us at ledges and raised platforms.

I often put my hands on her shoulders to calm her down. Although she stops gritting her teeth, she becomes redder and walks faster whenever I'm near her.

When we finally reached Aioch,it was 3 days later from the declaration of killings on fake Iris seekers, however our arrival to the city was at night rather than day because of our long walk. Not to mention the fact that I was beaten and bruised by Corelle's harsh acts upon us. But I manage to endure it. I wanted to rent our inn before anything else, but Corelle insisted that we continue to the Dark Moon Castle.

"Hurry up Iris Seeker!" Corelle shouted. I turned around and raised my hand signaling her to wait for a moment.

"You sure you're okay to do this alone?" I ask Luli who is now as happy as a hummingbird since we got here.

"Yeah sure I can, how hard is it to find one boy in a city with a low population?" she answered smiling wide.

"Just be careful in there okay?"

"Yeah, sure I'll be back, you too." I answered slightly blushing, I hope she didn't notice.

I ran back to Corelle an entered the Dark Moon Castle at night, when we entered it was all ruins, there were protruding wood tiles everywhere that Castle is a total wreck.

"Is this a castle?" I asked Corelle in a joking manner, but she is too serious to laugh right now.

"It was, before the Dark Moon Castle was open for everyone to enter enjoying the scenery inside it, before it was wrecked by the general of Elias, No one knows why but apparently the castle was wreck from top to bottom, even in the underground passages. And as a result the Dark Moon Princess was enraged and isolated the city of Aioch from every other city there is, It was once a castle, but now it's just a wrecked citadel housing a cold hearted princess, her guardian, and her loyal servant."

"It seems you really are convinced that the princess is really that cruel?" I asked her.

"She is" she answered flatly.

"How so?" I asked her, she didn't answered and continued pacing the floor silently, creating an eerie aura around us both.

"Since it's just the two of us, would mind telling me about you?" I ask her.

"Ask that to Luli, you're interested in her anyway."

I blushed "I-I already know much about her, considering she's a chatterbox and all."

She laughed She finally laughed "Gotta admit that is true."

"Well?"

"There's nothing to know, nothing you'd be interested in anyway."

"Try me" I answered brightly.

"Well it makes you shut up for a while. I'm from a family of adventurers originated from Elfa… My Older sister… went on a journey without saying goodbye, she never came back. As our family tradition to go on a expedition on a certain cause and fulfill it, I went head on without any sort of goal, since then I have been aimlessly wandering in the continent of Jienda since then. Taking in missions and party assistance that's when I unluckily wound up along the both of you."

"Hey, it was your choice to come with us."

"Yeah, Right if I weren't here, you'd both get killed hundreds of time along the way, seriously what a party am I in, an inexperienced bard and an amnesiac guardian, you're hardly a team." She shouted sarcastically. But I let it go and just shrug it off.

Luli's POV

Walking aimlessly, in fact there was nothing I can do but that. I already done booking up rooms in the inn, And I already started asking about the mechanic in Dark Moon Castle, The fun fact is everybody seems to know him, but doesn't seem to know where he is.

Wandering in the city of Aioch, I was losing hope on finding that damned Engineer, other than that I have no idea what he looks like or who he is. Corelle put me on a harder job that she thought. After much contemplation, I noticed the usual agitation and tightness of grip in my hands. As a result I walked rapidly while kicking stones across the floor.

That's when I noticed I walked towards an abandoned alleyway or some sort, there were clearly no people in that side of the city, and I still kept pacing not minding my surroundings. I was too mad to notice it anyway.

Suddenly a bunch of thugs started walking towards me from all directions. They were like a group of 15 guys maybe more. I was in trouble.

"Well, lookie here looks like we got some yummy lady who got lost in the city." One of the thugs said, the others laugh like hell, their intentions were clear.

I steady my guitar in hand, as they kept closing in; they stopped when they form a complete circle without any gap to escape in.

"Dear lady, why not just come with us and let us lead you back to the city" One of them said. The others agree loudly.

One of the thugs took the liberty to taking my hand. I reacted quickly by reflex and adrenaline. I bashed my guitar in his head. He fell down unconscious in the floor the others reacted quickly and came closing in.

I threw my guitar spinning in the air. And sweep the floor with my foot sending a few of them plummeting down. I jumped and kicked one of the thug's faces and maneuver myself to grab my guitar in midair, positioning myself in a strumming position, even before I land on the ground, I strum the strings of my guitar hard to create a loud, eerie screeching sound. The thugs covered their ears in the unpleasant sensation.

"Evil Sound!" I shouted, while I played a horrifying sonata composed by the Devil it sent slashes everywhere in the vicinity, all of the thugs had cuts and incises everywhere in their body, I have to continue to play the sonata, but it was coming to the end of the music. When it did, I wanted to run as fast as I can, but few of the capable thugs got a hold of me.

"Stupid girl, look what you did." One of them said to me. Holding my chin up to his head

"Now you're paying the price to your insolence! I gonna let you feel pain ten times as you did to all of us"

He started unbuttoning my outfit; I looked back at horror and struggle to get free, only to fail. I screamed loud enough for anyone to hear.

"Foolish girl, no one will hear you here" one of the thugs said to me, as I struggled hard to break free, until a foot met the back of his head.

It happened so fast, one of the thugs fall face first on the cold floor, some kid somersaulted overhead us and threw some sort of nail that sent lightning bolts from it in all directions, at me included It sent me a few meters away, when I got up the thugs seem to look afraid, they ran in all directions leaving their incapacitated and unconscious comrades behind.

A hand extended towards me. "You okay?" a soft male voice asks me.

"What do you think?" I answered quickly thinking that I got hit by his sudden attack anyway.

He just laughs, his silhouette became clearer; he was a blue haired boy with a pair of big golden eyes, which seems to be glimmering? He was wearing a studded purple shirt with gears and a purple puff out pants that is decorated with the same colored gears, he was wearing a hard purple construction helmet in his head that held on a pair of goggles, his boots a purple flat bottom with a spinning gear in the sides, he was carrying some sort of attaché case in his hand.

"Thanks" I said buttoning my player suit.

"No problem, what brings you to this part of the city anyway?" He asked

"Nothing really, I kinda just got here."

"Well it's not safe; there are some flunk-out ninjas that terrorize this part of the city." He said.

"Where are you headed?" He asked me still grinning.

"I don't know exactly, I'm looking for the Engineer of the Dark Moon Castle, Everybody seems to know him, but they don't know where he is exactly… Do you happen to know?" I asked him.

He only laughed. "Well if he is the Engineer of the Dark Moon Castle, then he must be in the Dark Moon Castle."

The sudden realization made me scream. "Of course why didn't think of that sooner?"

He just laughs. "If you're really that committed on finding him, I'll help you. I know the way inside the castle."

"Thank you"

"No prob."

Kyiin's POV

We still wandered inside the Dark Moon Castle, I had unusual flashbacks everytime I touch the walls of the castle, I see that the old Dark Moon Castle being explore by few adventurers. A black caped guy, most likely Kazno, A blonde haired guy wearing a scarf around his neck, an orange haired boy, no doubt that's Muwen, which means… I'm seeing Iris's party venture inside the Dark Moon Castle! But wait, the person leading them, a dark purple haired woman, and her hair laid down in a curved fashion that covers her entire back. But still I can't see Iris…

The visions became some sort of sepia, blurring the colors until the entire vision was brown then returning back to original colors for a short span of time. The vision still disturbed my walking, The Dark Moon Castle is supposed to be a wreck, and in the vision makes it so confusing.

To sum that up… I'm practically, slipping, crashing, bumping, sliding, and falling over and over again while walking around the castle.

Corelle already looks pretty irritated by it.

Corelle's POV

Is he really that klutzy or is something bothering him… anyway I don't have time to be bothered, the area to the princess is still a long way to go… Of course I know the way to it, he has to follow me… but why does he seem to know the right way instead. We reached the roof top quite easily because of him, it takes me quite some time to reach here, then the maze are my problem.

By the time we reached the top, the Mechaprings started creating a horde of their own and attacked us.

"Kyiin!" I shouted hoarsely trying to make him move, he just stood there without any answer, that's when I noticed His pupils were absent. He ignored the mechaprings and literally dragged me along the rooftop area, to the white tiger maze, the first door on the bottom, the second door to the left, farthest door down, and then the farthest door on the left side. That's the right way. Of course we ended in the area of the gate of the Dark Moon dungeon, where the princess resided, the first guardian is found outside the maze

The Ghost Warrior, it's literally just a pile of ancient Japanese armor floating in midair, in its proper position to a human, there is a shadow cast inside the armor with two red glaring eyes.

Kyiin slid quickly in the ladder below us, and attacked the monster. In a single punch the monster disassembled and scattered the armor across the floor, It's dead that easily.

"The Gate to the Dark Moon of the 16th Day, it is a dungeon created by the ancient people of Aioch to protect them from the apocalypse when the Dark Moon arrives to wreck havoc and collect the sinful. It contains their only sacrifice, the Dark Moon Family; she was born for that matter, along with her 2 servants inside. When the ancients created this they seal the entire royal family inside but they escaped their fate anyway, leaving the Princess to vie for herself inside."

"The intricate paper spells stringed along the door is a spell of sacrifice, generated by ancient paper magic, it created a spell powerful enough to stop the 16th day, which never came anyway, but it still needs a human existence energy to be activated, thus the purpose of the Princess." I said hoarsely

"but due to Iris's soul fragment being trapped here, the Room has become too powerful and became a temporal loop, but the effects however is not like the rest, In others you can kill and they'll return, here however you cannot kill anyone inside, The loop's effect restricts outside forces to eliminate anything inside, providing immortality to the princess and her guardians, Us however can be killed." I finished looking at Kyiin for any answer or misunderstanding to the given facts, instead He was just staring with his blank diluted eyes, and of course he didn't hear anything, how pathetic of me.

"Let's go in." I said talking to no one in particular.

Luli's POV

The boy guiding me through the Dark Moon Castle, is awfully familiar, the only reason I can think of to make that fact true is he somehow managed to acquire a room in our inn. Nevertheless, there are things I still can understand; I mean throughout the journey I feel a lot of De-ja-vus take place but it makes no sense on how I manage to get this far throughout Jienda, I just feel like a huge part of my memory is ripped away from me, I feel amnesiac like Kyiin, only much worse because I know my past was completely caged in Belos, it's really weird.

"So why have you come to look for the Engineer?" He asked me.

"Yeah…" I said not listening to him at all due to the thoughts, there is much going on in my head that I can handle.

"Right…" he clearly got embarrassed; I wonder what he said…

"Anyway, I didn't even know the name that saved me earlier, how am I supposed to thank you properly?" I said embarrassed

"Ohh.. My name is Raavizani, pleasure to meet and save such a lovely lady" He said kissing my hand.

I turned red and stuttered "Lu-Lu-Luli, nice to meet you" I shook his hand in return.

"What again is the reason, such a beautiful lady like you is looking for the Engineer?" he asked.

"Ohh… Well as you see, I'm a friend of the Iris Seeker, and Shaowee, the musician of Yong Gyoung, told us to look for the Engineer that resides in Dark Moon Castle, to help us." I said sheepishly

"Help with what exactly?" He asked.

"Actually I don't know. I was unconscious at Shangri-La when Shaowee told them that, but they put me up to the job anyway without any reasoning." I sighed disappointed by that fact.

He just laughed.

Kyiin's POV

They end up facing a very large door with strings that hold the pieces of paper with etched ancient calligraphy, their lips move but I can't make out any words, and without doubt they entered the door.

When they got in, the place is a mess, scattered jewelries, golden chalices, and other fancy stuff disordered in the room, in the center there is a white haired person laid face flat on the floor, the dark purple haired woman ran towards that person, after a while she went inside to the other room, the party then rushed after her, but suddenly the cream haired person stood and attacked them, hacking them with large crimson dagger. It sent my vision flying around and around upward in midair, I still wonder why, but no time for that, when I landed it was all black.

Corelle's POV

When we entered the hall, as usual there stood the 1st guardian of the Princess, the Ninja Guardian, no one knows his name actually, it was a debate topic if he was human, his cream hair was thick and messy, two white ears protrude the pack of hair, his eyes glint a blue glow on the right and a red one on the left, pretty cool if you ask me, but it's still creepy, his outfit a black ninja armor plate mail that covers his body, a loose black jogging pants, his right hand has a thick scale protector etched with ancient calligraphy, that is likely to be a bit heavy, considering he dangles it around in front, his left hand carries a crimson dagger that is pretty large.

I got ready for battle, in a flash he sent me and Kyiin flying in the far side of the room, He tossed me back and forth with his incredibly fast kicks and punches. I hit the wall; slide down unable to stand at all.

"30 minutes to go" He said laughing maniacally

"Your turn"

He dashed to Kyiin's position, who is still fazed.

"Kyiin!" I shouted with all I can

In a flash, his dagger met the gap of Kyiin's knuckles, a twist and it broke.

"Impossible!" it said backing away when his dagger broke

This time Kyiin dashed at incredible speed towards the guardian, twist his hand so severe that it broke and dangles down bleeding and unable to move.

"Arhhhh!" the cream hair yelp in pain, holding his broken arm with his other hand.

The guardian retaliated and clawed Kyiin in his right arm, follow by a knee in his gut. He boost himself up with Kyiin's shoulder and blasted some sort of energy towards him, it was suppose to burn Kyiin, because the area around him is in blue flames, but it didn't, Kyiin who was devoid of any expression on his face, wasn't even burned at all.

"What the Hell are you?" It said, before it took a step back and charges another energy ball in his good hand. Kyiin still devoid of any emotion stood aback and charges an energy ball as well, only much larger.

That's Energy Boom, Guardian focuses their energy and their hand that it becomes a sort of flaming material, only more powerful, Kyiin was charging a larger one at his hands, and the instant the Ninja Guardian released his energy ball, so did Kyiin, Kyiin's Energy Boom was larger and more powerful than the cream hair, as a result, he was the one hit by the 2 energy boom, his armor destroyed and scattered in the surrounding area, in some sort of slow mo version.

There I saw my chance, I was fully capable of fighting again and spread my wings out wide, flew quickly to the tumbled guardian, grab his shoulder and threw him up the air as I flew, with a twirl a created a Sorcerer's final wind skill, The Tornado Swing, the green tornado spun around the enemy, slashing his armor while keeping him in mid air, when he landed, Kyiin threw a very powerful punch that destroy all of his armor, the razor-sharp knuckles punctured his back, but instead of blood, it emitted a black smoke, he fell down with a aqueous black bubble wrapped around before, his weak form revealed, a small cream colored rat, with red and blue eyes.

"What the?" I said completely confused.

But in a flash it was gone and the next door fully opened.

Luli's POV

"So where is the Iris seeker?" Raavi asked me

"In the Dark Moon Castle, they're going to have a little chat with the princess" I answered politely

"A little chat?" he answered quite confused

"I don't know the details exactly, but Corelle, my other friend said they would talk to the princess immediately, before the decree is declared."

"Ahh… The decree, that only minutes from now." He answered still confused

"It won't be applied though, I suppose their right with the princess talking about things about Iris already" I tried to reason out my worry.

The streets are empty now, the night has fallen to late anyway, but still I'm surprised there are children pretending to be ninjas and ran around the city at this late hour, one of them bump on me and accidentally dropped my music box, It went down with its, music tone.

Raavi's eyes grew wide; his expression was surprised and a bit horrifying.

"Where you got this, he said picking up my music box?" he asked me, impatiently waiting for my answer.

"From Fairy Castle why?"

"It's mine" He said.

"No way! Titania said it was from Dark Moon Princess." I said not believing anything; I mean they said it was from Dark Moon Princess, given as a gift to the King and Queen to obtain the space and time fragment, but its contents are taken and given to the members of Iris's party, that are special for Dark Moon Princess.

He dug in his right pocket and took out a cylindrical metal bar, it has protruding spikes all around it in a random pattern, it's a piece of the music box.

"The Dark Moon Princess never gave this to Titania; He gave this box to me, the contents missing three cylinder bars, she gave one cylindrical bar that she treasured, considering it was useless, I gave it to an adventurer, but I kept one of the bars for myself" He said astonished

"Then how did it end up in Fairy Castle? Maybe it's a fake" I said trying to put the facts together.

"No, it's real, I can tell" He said as he attaches the new cylindrical bar to the second slot.

It still played the melancholic sound it produced the last time, but after a minute of two the gears of the second slot started spinning, the transition was beautiful, it change to another melancholic music, it's not like the first one, its more high toned and a bit faster, considering the second bar was larger than the first and the bar spins more slowly, it was supposed to be much longer than the first, we carefully listen to it. He was suddenly wiping his eyes maybe due to the music, but I doubt it.

"Why?" I asked just to confirm my thoughts.

"Please tell me that the Iris Seeker you're with is a girl, please tell me that…" He asked me gripping my shoulders hard.

"Sorry I can't, he's a guy" I laughed inside though, but I know he's serious.

"Then, Then… Then… what happened to last one?" He asked me looking away.

"I don't know, but Corelle said their all dead." I said

"It can't be, I gave this music box to an Iris Seeker, She said she'll see me again soon after her journey, the music box will be proof."

I suddenly understood him, He was waiting for an Iris Seeker to come back with his music box, and maybe they're in love? I don't know, but know I have this music box, it means the girl he waits for it already dead and will never come back.

"The Princess was right, that music is depressing" He said as he softly laughs.

I sat down and patted his back, and then I hear him whisper.

"Lullaby for the Dead."

Hope you like it!

Again with the music box, its the Story of Evil

Daughter of Evil Tune

Servant of Evil Tune

Next Chappie: Dark Moon's Encumbrance

*TYRO*