Moonlight

Part 3 - The villain's path

Four years have passed since Josh made the fateful decision to commit patricide and embrace a life of infamy as a villain. During this time, he has remained estranged from his brother, while simultaneously attaining the status of the most notorious criminal in existence. Through cultivating formidable powers, Josh has managed to amass a multitude of adversaries, including his vengeful sibling who is resolute in exacting retribution for their parents' death.

It was inevitable that the path of villainy would catch up to Josh. His former friend and notorious criminal, Andrew, had always admired Josh and coveted his position as the most powerful sorcerer in history. In a heartless act of betrayal, he sought to inflict maximum pain on Josh by targeting his wife and child.

Andrew and his followers eventually discovered the hiding place of Josh and Amber. Sensing imminent danger, Josh urged his wife to protect their daughter Ciel.

"Amber, you must hide. Take Ciel," he pleaded with her as he took their daughter in his arms.

"No, Josh. Please, I can't leave you," she begged tearfully. In a tender moment of love and sacrifice, Josh kissed her fiercely before placing a comforting kiss on their daughter's forehead.

"For the sake of our daughter, you must run. She needs you more than me. Go into hiding! Now!" he shouted urgently as he handed Ciel over to Amber.

With tears streaming down her face, Amber clutched their child tightly and fled through a secret underground entrance towards the safety of the nearby forest. Although filled with worry for their well-being, knowing they were no longer in harm's way within that building, allowed Josh to bravely confront the impending danger alone – fully aware that death awaited him.

Amber sprinted with all her might, a sense of unease trailing closely behind. Determined to protect her daughter, who clung to her tightly, she pushed herself to the limit. Finally, they stumbled upon a small hollow within a massive tree—a hiding spot perfect for her little girl but not for herself. Gently, Amber placed Ciel inside.

"Ciel, there's something important Mommy and Daddy need you to do. You must stay hidden and remain completely silent," she pleaded.

"M-Mommy," Ciel sobbed.

"No matter what happens, my brave little girl, please don't move."

With tears streaming down her face, the young girl nodded.

"Now bow your head," Amber instructed as she began covering Ciel with layers of dead leaves in an effort to conceal any trace of her daughter's presence.

Amber cut her hand with a sharp rock. In a desperate attempt, she enacted a spell that would ensure Josh's exclusive attraction to this specific location, should something happen to her. Following the completion of the spell, Amber hastily departed from the scene and found herself in a state of evasion. Despite an unsettling intuition suggesting she was being followed, she continued onward without pause. Unexpectedly, she was lifted into the air and forcibly collided with a nearby tree. As the dizziness subsided, she realized that evil-intentioned individuals had surrounded her. Plagued with weakness, she lacked the strength to rise from her current position. A particular man among them gradually approached her presence. To her surprise and disbelief, she identified him as Andrew.

"Drew? You planned all this?" she questioned faintly in sheer astonishment.

The man kneeled before her and gently cupped her chin with his hand, elevating it for her eyes to meet his.

"We were both aware that this inevitable outcome loomed over us, Amber," he asserted confidently.

"I trusted you. Josh trusted you." She clenched her teeth indignantly.

"Please understand, my dear, that this is simply a means for me to establish myself, and to do so, I had to overcome the best. And how exactly do I achieve that?" He gave a sly grin. "By depriving him of what he cherishes most, he will weaken."

"You will never measure up to him! He will seek revenge against you! You will suffer immensely! Your death will be slow and agonizing!" Amber said with anger.

"Keep fantasizing, my dear. Josh is wounded and soon he will be defeated. All I need from you is for you to disclose where you've hidden that little devil." His grin disappeared.

"Are you foolish enough to believe that I would reveal her whereabouts?" It was Amber's turn to wear a triumphant smile. "She was never in our possession in the first place. Did you truly think we were unaware of someone pursuing us? We secured her in a safe location days ago. You'll never find her. As long as she lives, Josh will have a purpose to fight you and victory shall forever elude your grasp." Amber laughed mockingly in his face."

Andrew's expression displayed a slight smile, albeit one that conveyed intense frustration rather than joy. It was evident that he was on the verge of exploding in anger.

In a matter of seconds, he pulled out a knife from underneath his jacket and slid her throat up. Amber placed her hands on her neck while blood flowed from her neck and mouth. Andrew carefully laid her body down as a final act of respect and gently pressed his hand on top of hers to stem the bleeding, granting her an additional few moments of life.

"P-Please s-stop this non-sen-se, Drew," were her final words before she passed away.

Andrew gazed at her with sorrowful eyes before gently closing them and rising to his feet. He then addressed his team, adopting a professional tone:

"Our priority now is to locate the child. This is the only way we can defeat Josh. However, today is not the day for that. Sadly, we must retreat before Josh discovers his wife's death. The fury he will experience will make him unstoppable. As Amber wisely pointed out, as long as his daughter remains alive, he will have a motive to fight. Now, spread this news among the group. It's time for us to return home. We will fight another day and we will be undefeated."