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Luna awoke in a very different place from where she fell asleep.
She awoke in a dense forest thicket. She sat up and looked around. There were two NightWalkers crouched next to her.
"Custos Luminis!" she directed her finger to one of them.
"Obivia!" the NightWalker shot a protective bubble around them, and the forest floor in front of them exploded with flames.
"Aquais!" the other NightWalker muttered, and droplets of water extinguished the fire. But, as he swung his arm up, his hood fell, revealing Aelius Vincent's messy, black hair, and unmistakable brown eyes. Luna's dad.
"Intermissum!" Luna pointed her finger at the protective bubble, and it popped. "Custos Luminis!"
The two NightWalkers fled into the forest. Now Luna was left alone. Was that truly her dad? What is he doing?
She set off North, towards the Sunlight camp, when someone seized her from behind, blindfolded her, and dragged her away.
When she came to her senses, Luna realized she was in the NightWalker camp. Aelius Vincent sat adjacent to her. Luna's insides twisted with a strong hatred at the sight of him.
"You traitor! What are you doing with the NightWalkers? You're a DayWalker!" Luna's tone dripped with loathing.
"I am not a DayWalker," he replied. "Nor am I a NightWalker."
"Yeah, because you're a monster."
"Both of us, Luna, are a mix. We are not a human, not a NightWalker, not a DayWalker, not a-"
"How did thathappen?"
"It happens when you have A DayWalker and a NightWalker parent. My parents were the traitors, and they fled their camps when everyone found out. All my ancestors are rebellions... they could've guessed anyway. One day, when my parents were out hunting, Cyrus came to tell me I was a DayWalker. So I came with him. But, the next day, Lynne," he indicated the NightWalker who tried to take Luna the day before, "came to tell me I was a NightWalker. From then, I couldn't decide which to be. Now, you've got to decide which to be."
"I want to be a DayWalker," Luna instantly replied.
"Are you sure-?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"- You've not gotten used to any yet."
"I don't care. I want to be a DayWalker. Anyway, why can't I be both?"
"You will be outcast by both clans. I've learned from my mistakes. Now I'm a NightWalker."
Luna had nothing to say.
"And... this is my old family heirloom. It's been passed down the family for years," Aelius opened his fist to manifest an immensely old charm. It was a corroded silver, in the shape of a moon and sun. He gave it to her. "So you'll be staying here tonight, and then you will return to the DayWalker camp tomorrow. Anyway, here's where you're going to stay." He led her to one of the huts.
