The final touches were nearing completion on the small set-up designed to mimic a miniature festival in the academy's small courtyard. Ethan had been leading the implementation team from his class since dawn this morning, overseeing every detail with uncompromising precision.
He had to finalize the final arrangements, from setting up the tables to setting up the small booths their class had set up. He brought games, food, and entertainment to complement the other booths set up by the rest of the classes.
Because of the small academic budget, his class had to raise extra money to supplement the allocated budget.
Ethan left nothing to chance; he meticulously planned and saved enough money to hire entertainment magicians who specialize in moving steam-powered iron puppets and small airplanes that glow with lights that mimic the colors of a peaceful summer day.
The work was coming to an end. Only a handful of students were in the courtyard, some pitying Ethan for his early morning efforts, others impressed by his leadership style and ability to run things smoothly. But for Thalia, the main event supervisor until today, it was a completely different thing.
Although she put in a lot of effort and helped accomplish a lot, there was a nagging feeling that she had only accomplished half of what Ethan had done.
From the booth she was decorating with a group of students, she gave him a long look, not quite spiteful, but annoyed, ever since the day he embarrassed her in front of everyone. Her best friend, Danisha - a short, elegant girl with a cute attitude - tried to keep her busy with some minor work, to prevent her from continuing to watch him with that annoying and creepy interest.
Ethan was outside, surrounded by a number of other students, including the slender Urska and Serpur, the class boys, as they worked to prepare the massive wooden "Flame of Destiny Pillar"-a majestic pillar adorned with ancient runic symbols, to be lit at sunset, a fitting end to the festival.
According to a tradition that stretches back to the age of ancient gods and titans of doom, the blue glow of the Flame of Destiny is said to bring luck to all who see its light at nightfall.
Although this ritual is primarily associated with the Lunawi religion - the cult of the night - it has been loved by everyone from iron and steel worshippers to followers of Agnifera, the cult of the Morning Glory
The pole was lifted with difficulty despite the help of several high school seniors, along with some magic to lighten the weights. Still, it remained a challenge for even the most experienced.
Everything in the courtyard now began to take its place. Students spread out among themselves, looking for places to rest away from the afternoon heat, which held a slight chill despite the sun's waning glow.
At the same time, villagers, peasants, and children eagerly began arriving at the festival through the eastern gate, Regra, in preparation for its imminent start.
With most of his class relaxing after hours of hard work, Ethan had the opportunity to wander for a while. He walked slowly through the stalls, checking out the other classes' projects. He saw steam-puppets, delicious food, and various parades. Colors and sounds filled the place with a bustling energy.
Although he felt a little uncomfortable and annoyed by the rising noise of the festival, excitement crept into his heart against his will. This was his first time celebrating the Crimson Moon Festival away from his beloved home, and the experience, in all its strangeness, gave him a contradictory feeling of nostalgia and excitement.
At a nearby stall, he saw small steam dolls flying through the air like swings, with village children merrily gathering around them. Ethan noticed that they resembled Urska's steam puppets but lacked the appearance of the old-fashioned iron dragons.
A few steps away, the booth for Nila and Ovend's class, the renegade class, caught his eye. It wasn't hard to locate; he already knew it because of Nila's penchant for revealing her plans to anyone who would listen. Ever since she was made class president, she never stopped trying to prove her competence.
Ethan bet himself that her high grades were no coincidence, especially after her success in growing red garnet flowers in old Mr. Camila's classroom - a task that many students had failed at before
Frenith, who became her deputy, had clearly earned the position - unlike Ethan, who had been chosen at random without much effort. That choice still left him with a vague feeling of indifference and a desire to prove himself... even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone.
Ethan couldn't understand why Draceline had chosen him, but he wouldn't dwell on it too much, unless he wanted to.
As he approached the booth, Ovend greeted him with his usual smile. Some students from his class were finishing up a simple arrangement, while Ethan joined him for a brief tour around the booth, asking about the details of their project. The project looked similar to most of the rest of the classes, with the exception of the sword demonstration that piqued his curiosity.
- "'Frenith's idea'," Ovend said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.
Ethan wondered, but didn't comment, just continued walking with him until they reached Nila, who looked exhausted as she greedily ate her lunch from her overflowing lunchbox. She raised her head to look at them awkwardly, not used to being interrupted while eating alone.
She broke the silence by inviting Ethan to join her, but he politely declined, explaining that he wanted to see how they were doing.
Nila joked back:
- "Oh, so you've come to spy on us? Or maybe steal our plans and manipulate us?"
Ethan laughed, flatly denying it as he tried to suppress a smile as he observed her messy appearance and the food stuck to her face. The scene was enough to make him laugh as silently as he could.
- "By the way..." she said, quickly wiping her face. "How is Nachtwolf? I wonder if he misses me."
She raised an eyebrow slyly, seemingly trying to pique his curiosity further.
- "He's growing fast..." Ethan replied, feigning disinterest. "But he's still just a little mountain wolf pup."
Nila's eyes widened in amazement, and she seemed as excited as ever whenever Nachtwolf was mentioned. She had always admired his cute looks, even though Ethan had only recently adopted him.
The seconds Ethan had spent with Nila and Ovend had turned into at least half an hour. Ovind left the booth to greet the festival guests, while Neela hurriedly finished her meal to be outside as the class leader, making sure she didn't disappoint Mr. Camila's expectations of her.
Ethan quietly got up and bid her farewell with a sideways smile, almost jokingly saying:
- "Well, I have to get back to Thalia now... if you want to bet, I think she's already mad at me."
He left her little room, which she had specially made to get away from the noisy festival atmosphere.
.
On his way, the crowds grew larger amidst the smoke and dancing lights of the fireworks. The night rose without Ethan realizing it, and he didn't realize how much time had passed until he unexpectedly ran into Frenith.
He was his usual height and build, but his shiny golden hair caught the eye. They greeted each other with mild surprise, and when they said hello, Frenith invited him to a small meal from a nearby stall.
Frenith seemed excited after a long and tiring day; the meal was nothing more than a small piece of cake made by high school students. It wasn't bad, but its pungent flavor ruined his enjoyment.
Still, it was worth a try.
They chatted about how hard the day had been and how they were coping with the exhausting workload. Frenith didn't show much of his fatigue; they were used to hiding their exhaustion behind a facade of indifference. This time, the tired body was not the result of sword brandishing, but of the burden of leadership.
In a casual tone, he stated that Nila was very stubborn in some decisions, but he still managed to contain her throughout the day.
The night lights came on and the warmth of the early winter weather spread out. The road was decorated with parade lights, while steam-powered puppets flew through the sky amidst the laughter of children and the hustle and bustle of parents who had come to the festival as planned.
Ethan spotted Urska launching his ancient iron dragon into the sky, while Thalia was taking care of some organizational tasks before he reached them. He watched them silently from afar, as their stall was not far away now.
To his right, Frenith told him that he used to celebrate this holiday at home, despite the heavy atmosphere there, but his younger sister always made it special; she loved presents, and he had to choose one for her this year. But his younger sister always made it special; she loved gifts with a passion, and he had to pick one out for her this year.
Even though Ethan had to wait for Frenith, he wasn't bored, as they had already shared a few laughs. He chose to stand nearby while Frenith paid for a small sword that looked like a neat trinket to hang on a keychain or bag. It was clear that he intended to send it to his sister. Ethan stood nearby, watching silently.
As night fell, the chill slowly began to creep into his body. The moon appeared faintly crimson in the sky, not yet fully reddened. He felt the cold morning heat gradually fade away, but a strange sensation crept up on him. He had had this feeling since morning, but he tried to convince himself that it was just fatigue.
In the crowd of people passing by and coming through the East Gate, Ethan lowered his defense a little.
It was only a brief moment before he felt that lovely, suffocating feeling of numbness squeezing his neck. There was someone behind him, drawing his blood with a strange device. He tried to resist, but his body failed him. The anesthetic slowly crept into his veins, while the small bowl filled with his warm blood.
The person whispered to him in a voice as soft as a night breeze, but he couldn't make out the words. However, he heard a chuckle, faint but tinged with sarcasm. Amidst the crowd, everything seemed normal, and no one noticed what was happening.
The unknown left him on the brink of unconsciousness and walked away with quiet steps, repeating a sentence that Ethan barely caught before he fell unconscious:
"Your blood is so pure... Mother will take care of us as long as you are like this. Not forever... Not even now."
It wasn't long before Frenith was close enough to see Ethan collapse at the feet of passersby. He rushed towards him, but the culprit had already disappeared into the crowd, hidden under a heavy cloak.
Without hesitation, he drew his wooden sword, which had been hanging from his belt since training, and rushed after him. He reinforced his feet with a mana-charged block, giving him a tremendous boost that covered the distance in moments.
He saw the unknown man slipping through the crowd, and followed him, trying to intercept him. He almost caught him, but he stumbled for a brief moment, giving him a chance to escape. With a swift blow, Frenith swung his sword at the person's body, but only his heavy cloak was hit and fell to the ground... Its owner had disappeared.
Frenith paused in place, panting and gritting his teeth before cursing the bastard in a low voice. But he quickly refocused, heading back to where he had left Ethan lying on the ground.
A small crowd of people gathered around him anxiously, but Frenith took a breath once he examined him - he wasn't in bad shape... He was just asleep.
Still, that nagging question never left him:
Who is that bastard?