Only the sound of birdsong and the breeze could be heard as Luna floated among the clouds above the lake. The cool wind brushed against her face and body. A small island in the middle of the lake slowly beca clearer as Luna drew nearer. She landed at the water’s edge.
There was nothing around her but green grass and a forest ahead. Luna began walking into the woods. The atmosphere inside was calm and shaded, with sunlight barely piercing through the thick canopy above. There wasn’t much life here—only a few insects and small birds.
Hmm... maybe because this place is so remote, no other creatures live here? I thought there might be sothing like a dragon nesting here after being abandoned for over 200 years. But I’m grateful there’s no dangerous monster lurking around.
After about ten minutes on foot, Luna reached the edge of the forest and stepped out. Before her stood a large, majestic building resembling a temple. This was the reason she had co—this was the Temple of the Moon and Sun.
The temple was vast, constructed of neatly arranged stone blocks, its walls covered in moss. The entrance itself was enormous—probably five ters tall—and at its center, a prominent carving of the moon and sun stood out.
This wasn’t an ordinary place. Back when this world was still a ga, this temple was where players took tests to obtain the skills they desired. But now that it had beco reality, the ga systems were gone. Would it still work the sa way? There was only one way to find out.
Luna pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Her eyes widened, filled with awe at the temple’s interior. Upon entering, she was greeted by a massive and grand hall supported by nurous stone pillars reaching up to a ceiling perhaps ten ters high. The architecture resembled that of ancient Greece.
Luna made her way deeper into the temple. There, she found a staircase leading to the upper floor. But instead of ascending, she pressed a spot on the wall in a hidden corner.
A tremor followed, accompanied by a deep rumbling. The wall before her slid open, revealing a hidden passage. Luna stepped inside.
Once she entered, the stone door behind her closed automatically, vanishing as if there had never been an entrance at all. The room was bare—just stone walls and a single staircase. Unlike the previous one, this stairway led not to the second floor, but straight to the topmost level of the temple.
• • •
After several minutes of climbing, Luna reached a dead end once more. As before, she pressed a spot in the wall, and another door opened.
A strong breeze swept over her as she stepped outside. The view was breathtaking. Below, she could see the forest she had passed through, and in the distance, her ho and the capital city of Nuzantra.
"Oh! You’re still alive, Master? I thought you were dead!" ca a voice in a flat, mocking tone.
Luna turned to see who had spoken, only to find a statue of a stone head shaped with one half a moon and the other a sun.
What a foul mouth! It used to sound like a lifeless robot.
"What did you just say? Say that again!" Luna snapped, pulling out a wand shaped like a skull and bones.
"H-Hey, what are you planning to do with that wand?!"
"I’m going to reset the personality of this foul-mouthed statue."
"S-Sorry! I promise I won’t say it again! P-Please put the wand away!"
SIGH.
"Where have you been, Mistress? Your kids have been looking for you. Even your sister, Rima, cos here every year searching for you."
Huh? So Rima kept coming here, year after year, looking for ?
Suddenly, a tightness gripped Luna’s chest. Her eyes welled up with tears.
"H-Hey, why are you crying all of a sudden?! I’m sorry, okay! I promise I’ll behave!"
What’s happening to ? Why do I suddenly feel like crying just hearing that?
Luna wiped her tears.
"When was the last ti Rima ca here?"
"Hmm... I think about four months ago."
Four months ago? That was right before she left for that quest.
"Does she always co here before going sowhere?"
"Yeah, she said sothing about dealing with so cult."
"Did she say anything else?"
"Nope, that’s all she said."
"I see..."
So much for hoping to find clues about Rima’s whereabouts. Looks like it won’t be that easy.
"So, where have you been all this ti, Master? I know you gave up on humanity, but the least you could do is let your children and sister know. They’ve been searching for you—especially Radhimar. He ca here crying about his mother never coming ho."
At the ntion of that na, Luna pictured a small silver-haired elven boy.
He must have grown up by now... just like Rania.
"Ha-ha... yeah, things happened," Luna replied awkwardly.
"Oh, by the way, has anyone co to take the trial while I was gone?" she asked.
"Nope, no one has."
"I see..."
"Master, could you recharge my mana? I’m running low."
Who’s the master here, again?
"Fine, fine. Quit whining."
Luna reached out and touched the statue’s forehead. Mana surged from her body, flowing through her hand into the statue. In just a few seconds, the statue was fully recharged.
"There... now I can function for another few hundred years."
"Oh yeah, if anyone cos to take the trial, let them. And let know if they pass."
"Will do, boss!"
"Well, it looks like I’m done here."
"Boss, I have a request."
"A request?"
"Yeah. Could you also recharge the other Tower Guardians? I think they’re out of mana too."
"Huh? What did you say?!"
(The other Tower Guardians? Does that an other Skill Masters are still here?!)
Luna’s heart raced with sudden excitent—hope sparked at the thought of eting her fellow Skill Masters again.
"Yeah... please recharge them too."
"How do you even know they need it?"
"They sent a ssage a few years ago saying their mana would probably run out soon."
"But... didn’t their Masters refill it for them?"
"Their Masters? They’re gone too. They vanished with you. Since you all left together, shouldn’t you know more about them?"
"What did you say?!"
Luna’s legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed to the floor, her face pale. The spark of hope that had filled her monts ago faded.
(That ans... my hope of eting other players, other Skill Masters... is gone.)
"H-Hey, Mistress? Are you alright?"
"..."
After a while, Luna stood back up.
"In that case, I’m heading ho. Let know if anything happens."
Without waiting for a reply, Luna snapped her fingers. A magic circle appeared at her feet, light enveloped her body, and she vanished.
"What’s wrong with her? Is she sulking?"
• • •
A magic circle appeared on the wooden dock behind Luna’s cottage, and she reappeared with a blank expression. She stood there silently, staring at her feet, before quietly walking into the house.
In the kitchen, Lusserina was cleaning when she heard the door open.
"Welco ho, Mistress."
"..."
Lusserina was taken aback as Luna silently walked past her and up to the second floor without a word.
(What’s wrong with her?) Lusserina wondered, concerned.
Not long after, she heard a door close upstairs. Worried, Lusserina climbed the stairs and gently knocked on Luna’s door.
Knock knock knock
"Mistress, are you alright?" she asked softly.
"..."
No reply. She slowly opened the door a crack and saw Luna lying on her bed, wrapped in a blanket, turned away from the door.
(Mistress Luna has never acted like this before. Did sothing happen at the temple?)
Uncertain what to do, Lusserina quietly went back downstairs to give Luna space.
(Maybe she’s just tired and needs rest.)
• • •
The air around Dewata Lake was still and quiet, broken only by birdsong and the wind. The sky turned orange with the setting sun. Lusserina was in the kitchen preparing dinner when—
Ding dong,Knock knock knock
(Huh? Soone at the door?)She thought.
She walked to the front door to see who it was.
"Good evening, Lusserina!"
"Good evening!"
It was Rania, accompanied by a silver-haired elven man, a brown-haired dwarf, and a bespectacled human man with black hair.
"Oh? Young Miss, Young Master, welco. Please co in."
"..."
"Mom! I’m ho!" Rania called out.
"..."
"Lusserina, where’s Mom?"
"The mistress is resting in her room. She seems unwell."
"What?! Mother Dear’s sick?!" the silver-haired elf exclaid.
Without another word, he dashed upstairs.
"Brother! Geez, he’s always rushing. Let’s follow him, Bhartasz."
"Aye, Sis."
Rania and the dwarf nad Bhartasz followed after him.
• • •
[Inside the bedroom]
What if they’re all gone? What if I’m the only one left in this world? This strange, unfamiliar world... with no one I know... not even my friends... Am I the only one left? Then what’s the point of my being here at all?
As Luna lay in bed, consud by sorrow, she was startled by a commotion from downstairs.
What’s going on? Why is it suddenly so loud? Did soone from the kingdom co again?
Thud thud thud thud
The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder until—
BANG!
The door burst open. A flamboyantly dressed silver-haired elf stood there, panting, eyes gleaming like a predator who had found its target. Luna reflexively clutched her blanket in shock.
Who is that? Was he the one running earlier? Is he a thief being chased by Lusserina?
As she wondered who this stranger was, the elf suddenly leapt toward her with outstretched arms.
"MO—"
"PERVERT!"
SLAP!
CRASH!
Luna smacked the elf, sending him flying into the window. The glass didn’t shatter, but he hit it hard and passed out.
Two more people rushed in.
"Brother!"
"Big bro!"
They hurried to check on the elf, who was now sprawled on the floor, a red handprint on his face.
"How is he?"
"He’s alive, Sis. Just unconscious."
"Phew... thank goodness. I was so worried when I heard Mom scream and then a loud crash."
"Aye, seriously, that gave a heart attack. But, um... what about her?" Bhartasz asked, looking toward the bed.
On the bed, Luna was wrapped tightly in her blanket, an aura of protective magic surrounding her. Rania approached and reached out.
"This... this is a high-level energy shield."
"Can you break it?"
"No. Not even close. Considering Mom’s a high-tier sorceress, this barrier is probably advanced magic."
"So we can only wait?"
"Yeah."
Footsteps approached once again. It was Lusserina and the bespectacled man.
"Young Miss, Young Master, what happened?"
"..."
"I see... in that case, let’s leave your mother alone for now."
"Alright. Let’s get Brother downstairs."
"I’ll help," the bespectacled man offered.
Together, he and Bhartasz carried the unconscious elf out of the room. Before leaving, Rania looked back at Luna with a sorrowful expression, then quietly closed the door behind her.
User Comments
0 comments from readers