Short Stories-Kai Ships Only! Volume 3

Tyunning- Seven Moons

For one year every century, all seven moons will make an appearance in Velleris. The rarest seen moon, the blush moon (known for it's signature blush pink color), was said to bring miracles during its short 30 minute appearance in the sky.

Whether or not it actually brought miracles was up for debate. Some say it did because blessings were rumored to come for those the next morning. Others only said they seemed like miracles because of the disasters from the moon before.

The Kang moon, named after Taehyun Kang, the leader of the Battered Ones, seemed to curse the planet during it's one month appearance every five years. Once called the glass moon, the Kang moon was the first moon recorded 3,000 years after Velleris formed.

When the glass moon originally rose thousands of years ago, it blacked out the sun. Taehyun Kang was among the first group of people to witness this phenomenon. For 72 hours, Velleris lost it's warmth. Oceans froze. Vegetation withered. Animals died and humans were no exception. After the moon's passing, the only people in Taehyun's family to witness the sun again was him and his older brother.

At first there was mass panic. No one knew when it was going to happen again so they began shredding the forests for firewood and shelters. Then, without the protection of the trees, the animals on land started dying off too. Ten year old Taehyun was horrified. The once lush planet was reduced to dirt and oceans within three years time.

Disease ran through next. His brother, Ellemis Kang, was no exception. Taehyun thought they were immune. While everyone in the capitol was dying off in the 4th year, their solitude was keeping them alive. But only barely.

Tired of starving, Ellemis waited until his brother was asleep to sneak off into the city to steal food from the Commander's hoard. While he was successful, he caught the plague in the process.

At 15 years old, Taehyun watched his brother lie on a stone floor, clinging onto dear life. A small fire of half wet driftwood was keeping them warm. Above in the broken stone ceiling, was the glass moon's cresent reminding him of his demise. With 7 hours left until the sunrise and an empty corner where their stash used to be, they both knew they were going to die.

Ellemis passed out first. Taehyun looked up to the sky and cried for a miracle to make it through the night. Then, as if on cue, he saw a pink moon rise. The moon moved quickly over the blackness like a ripple breaking through the sea. It was phenomenal. A hypnotizing beauty to distract him of his own tragedy.

He cried when it was gone. Before he committed to sleep, Taehyun crawled over to his brother and told him of what he saw. Ellemis didn't react but it satisfied him to know the last thing he heard was something happy.

The glass moon eventually dipped below the beach. Taehyun woke to an explosion just outside his door. Weak and starving, he stumbled onto the sand to see his brother rummaging through large wooden crates. Each box was branded with a halo and the word "Huening".

Neither Kang knew what a "Huening" was nor did they really care because each box contained enough guns and ammunition for a small army. With it, they planned a revolution against the greed of the city.

The first step was to protect them from the high moon. Coming once every month, it drew waves to their highest points at sea. Having their house on a cliff was for safety. Never in their wildest dreams did they think they would have to haul thousands of pounds of equipment up it. A small price to pay to get out of poverty.

They were successful. The high moon flew by the forever moon without affecting a single crate. Taehyun's plan was ambitious. They were going to attack when the next glass moon rose. The protection of the dark would make it easier, almost too easy, to catch the military off guard. They just needed help.

When the spring moon rose, their plan was to split towards farming valleys and persuade them to join the cause. A genius suggestion by Ellemis since the Commander kept taking their products with no extra money in return.

By the time the century moon rose, the Kangs had an army by their side and pockets of support in the capitol ready to fight. Fate was in their hands. The blush moon miracle was a fun tale to invigorate the cause. Taehyun was seen as a holy being to some for making his wish in the first place. Though he never showed it, the flattery was starting to get into his head.

The night before the glass moon was set to rise again, Taehyun held a final meeting with his followers on his home beach. Unlike the rest of the group who felt more excited than ever, Taehyun felt dread. Everything was going according to plan. He had no reason to feel that way yet he did. Figuring it was just nerves, he dismissed the army and hoped they'd go away after a good night's sleep.

At seven o'clock sharp, the Kangs lead seperate assaults around the city under the cover of total darkness. In 70 hours, the Commander caved. Taehyun killed him despite his promise to spare his life. His gun then turned towards his son Kai.

Kai Huening too begged for his life. He threatened something bad would happen to Velleris if he couldn't see the last moon set over the valley.

Taehyun didn't believe him. Instead, he decided to tease him in his final moments of life. The holy moon, named after the halow glow it omitted, peaked over the hill and brought the first rays of light.

Kai's black hair began to shade to silver but Taehyun didn't see. His focus was only on the horizon while he pointed a gun in the back of his prisoner's head. Then, when the bullet killed Kai, the moon disappeared from the sky.

To the current people of Velleris, "Huening" was a name that became synonymous with life while "Kang" became a reminder of the moon that died.