The Devil of the Moon (Moonblood Series 1)

Chapter 2: The Meeting

"Are...they here?" She stared at him without blinking, not knowing if her emotions were being stripped upon her. Her mind created thousands of questions and she felt as though her legs might give way beneath her. It was only Margosha's firm grip on her arms that kept her upright. Should I be able to see my brother? Kahel and Azul? Will I be able to survive this war? No. Even if she rephrased the words in her mind, the answer will always be no. Even the thousands of questions that ran in her mind, not even a single of it will be a yes.

Zenon stared at her with his wide eyes. Watching her slowly falling into the trap that was made by the unending void in her mind, he asked only one question to himself although glancing at his wrist armor, he could see nothing but mixed emotions in his eyes. Fear. Guilt. Doubt. Did I do the right thing?

"We should move." Her steady voice made them jump into reality. Their eyes in wide circles made Margosha avoid their gazes. Her hands were still trembling and all she could feel was the cold wind that almost made her body numb. "Survive and run away, Lia." Margosha focused her eyes to the bow she was holding as she feared she might not leave her pool of fear even though she never wanted to step out. No. I will never let both of them die in vain. She bit her lower lip as she thought of that while her covered fingers squeezed the bowstring, stretching it. She raised the bow and pulled the bowstring as if she was releasing an arrow. But her mind slipped in memories of them eating together in a field while Lia always snatched his sandwich but at the end, Zenon gave all his food to them. But as she closed her eyes, those memories were swallowed by an overwhelming darkness.

Zenon found himself lost in the depths of his subconscious and remembered when his gaze lingered on Margosha for a while, and in that moment, her smile could even outshine the sun itself. At the same time, Lia's laughter echoed in his mind, as if it were more beautiful than any melodies he had heard. And this is the place he was reluctant to depart from. The thought of leaving, of losing sight of their happiness forever, filled him with an overwhelming fear.

"You must go to the South. Zenon and I will make a clear path but if you see the Aswangs, you should aim directly for the heart." And the woman knew them well for so long, she pulled them out of their unending void because her thoughts would make her suffer if she stayed like them. She tightened her grip to her bow when the two did not respond, looking with her narrowed eyes to Zenon. "Freeze and Lia will die, Zenon."

A sigh from Zenon gave her a response as he rubbed his nose. His slow hands draped the midnight blue cloak over Lia's shoulder and she could almost never feel the heaviness of the fabric settled around her. And yet, Lia's blinking increased as she glanced at Zenon and shifted her glance at his hands as he continuously wiped his hand to his own cloak when all the time, the coldness ran through her spine as if the temperature hadn't risen. What have you done, Zenon?

"And Lia, think about yourself this time." At last, Margosha's eyes were cold as ice as she glared hardly at the woman who shot Zenon with a quizzical look. Lia quickly nodded but still a look of puzzlement washed over her face. And never ending questions raced in her mind as she furrowed her eyebrows when he held her gaze yet, when she opened her mouth, neither a word nor a voice came out.

"We're on our first war against Zacresce." His voice was firm yet thin. His heart ached as he watched Lia, her face was like unorganized books and her petite form was fragile with the bruises on her body as if she would break into tiny pieces but he could almost compare her to the humans' heart. He could see her having those traces and he cannot bear to abandon her because he knew she would not stop to hold a glimmer of hope even if she may endure conflicting thoughts along the way. However, he looked away and took a deep breath as if he forgot for a while.