The Red Moon Always Shines

Chapter 16: The man who lived twice

<Warning: Once again, mentions of rape.>

<Updated 2025: If you haven't seen my update on chapter 15, here is a summery: I remember having no real reason to add rape in this story outside of shock factor, so I am now going back through and doing my best to edit out all mentions of it from the story. BUT, I am keeping the warning on said chapters just in case I missed something in my read through> 

"Xelqua's dead"

That was what the members of Archenstone heard an early morning, and everything stilled. All eyes turned to Lina who had just walked in, tears were streaming down her face as she repeated, "He's dead"

Horrified gasp filled the room, no one could believe it.

"Are you sure?" asked Tobias, not wanting to believe what he was hearing, "I mean, there's been no announcements about it. And Little Spitfire is the son of the kingdom guards leader, that would be pretty big"

"We are very sure," said a voice from behind the creeper hybrid, and as the builder stepped aside Xavion stepped forwards, "I was there to see it for myself"

It was silent after that, no one wanting to speak. But they all wanted to know what happened, so Nielle asked.

"We don't really know," said Xavion, green eyes darting around the room not looking at anyone, "But we know it was someone from the Hollow Order, their symbol was all over the walls"

"Healer Void, can you please elaborate?" asked Tobias, "We want to know everything that happened"

"Very well," agreed the brunette, "Sit down please, this might take some time"

Everyone got seated, some having to sit on the floor since there wasn't enough chairs for everyone to sit on.

"Yesterday some neighbors investigated a foul stench of blood that was coming from Xanagoras house, and when they entered everything looked normal. That is until they got to Xelqua's room. It was," the brunette stopped here to take a shaky breath, "It was drenched in blood, almost every single thing in there had blood on it. They immediately called it in and a team was sent in, and I came with them since I was checking up on Ness at the time. At first I thought it wasn't all Xelqua's blood, but, but it was, all of it," the Void broke down sobbing here, unable to continue.

The group comforted him the best they could, but it was hard when some of them were doing the exact same thing. But after about thirty minutes he collected himself enough to continue, "We know it was the Hollow Order since their symbol was drawn on the walls," something seemed to hit him at this moment, "Oh god, how do I tell Xisuma and Xeres? And what about Xen? What will he say?!"

The guild felt bad for the man, no one should have to tell their twelve year old sons about their cousins death. But it would most likely be easier with Xenagoras, since that man definitely wouldn't care if his son was murdered or not. But something suddenly hit Lina, "What about the body? You never described how it looked"

"There was no body," whispered Xavion, "But we know he's dead, no living thing can loose so much blood and still be alive." Silently, he wished the young thing was dead, because he could not imagine what state Xelqua had to be in if he wasn't. 

Lina choked on a sudden sob, her Kätzchen was dead, and no one had known a damn thing until it was too late She couldn't believe it, but Xavion wouldn't lie about something like this. She was full out wailing on the inside, but she was trying to keep a strong face up for the others. (Oh god, I'm starting to cry)

The healer left after this, Lina and the others bidding Xavion a sad goodbye and they then had a guild meeting-the next day because today was a day of tears and sorrow, not to say that the next few weeks wouldn't be like that too, it was just that today it would be worse.