Twelve - Star Studded Night Sky

Cepherus regained its former glory.

Just by seeing the Herven folks happily living their simple lives, not bound by chains and forced to do manual labor, a part of Hyun Ryu, the god inside him, felt relieved more than ever. He knew that after so many years of sacrifice, on his and Luhan’s end, the smile on their faces was proof enough that indeed, they overcame the domination of the previous Daevric monarch.

Herven folks had lived for almost a century believing that they are the weakest ones, out of all the races living in Cepherus. But Chen said that with Arnkai’s return, he had helped his people regain their identity and power.

The number of spiritual beasts roaming around or clinging on their masters said so.

Even under the cloak of an Aeri folk, Hyun decided to keep his distance from the borders of the kingdom. He stayed on the edge of the Hunter's Forest, sitting on one of the enormous trees’ sturdy branches as he thought of the next step he would take from here on.

He planned to meet Arnkai with Chen. Hyun felt like the Astral Child hated him for leaving him alone for years, and then the last time they were together as Jongin and Baekhyun, he left again, without so much of a goodbye to his cousin. With this in mind, he didn’t have a heart to face the Astral Child on his own. Let alone make him believe that he would come back to the heavens and rule the night with him. Because he can’t.

He is the Daevric prince. And Chanyeol is waiting for him.

He needs to go back.

Because Cepherus is no longer his home.

“Ahnie!”

A distant voice of a child brought him back from trance. Looking at the direction where it came from, he saw a little girl running towards the forest, trying to catch up with a fast, glowing fluff a few yards ahead of her. The said fluff stopped at the root of the tree he was sitting on. Hyun almost cooed at how the small thing was trying to jump and reach him, but with the tree’s height and its inability to fly, he doubted that it could.

The girl stopped a few feet before the fluff, panting. If it wasn’t for the marks of the plague on her skin, Hyun would have cooed at her. It wasn’t that she was less pretty now that she was sick, it was only because he couldn’t turn a blind eye on this sickness, knowing how the severity of it could torture and kill anyone if not treated.

And this little girl, who just barely saw the world, who just learned how to call her Astral beast, does not deserve that.

“Ahnie, what did I tell you about running off?” The little girl tried to take the fluff in her arms but it tried to get away, still adamant on climbing the tree. “Come on, now, papa will look for us! You know he wouldn’t like us out here.”

Hyun decided to show himself, spreading his now broad, white wings and descended smoothly on the ground. The girl looked frightened as she took a few steps back. But Hyun tried his best to make a good impression. He smiled at her, and then slowly crouched to place a hand on the glowing fluff.

“Your Astral beast is a jade rabbit.” Hyun caught the fluff as it jumped on his arms. “You call her Ahnie?”

When the girl realized that he’s just one ‘ordinary Aeri’, she relaxed but still cautiously approached. “How did you know about Astral beasts?” she asked.

“I-I heard stories. Something like about the Astral Child teaching you the lost abilities you once had.”

The girl nodded. “His Grace is every kind! Though he didn’t really want us addressing him that, hehe.”

Hyun chuckled, “So, how does it feel to have your Astral beast?”

“Ahnie is so adorable! But she is so stubborn.” The girl pouted, “I can barely catch up with her when she runs off to get stuff. She sometimes runs off and comes back with plants in .”

“Mmh,” Hyun gave the rabbit to the girl, “Do you know that jade rabbits are known as elixir makers of heavens?” The girl shook her head. “Jade rabbits make moondusts using their mortar and pestles and spread it all over the world while people sleep at night.”

“So…Ahnie is running off to take plants to make these elixirs? Moondusts?”

“Mm-hmm, but the plants that she is getting here are not the same plants from where he used to stay. Maybe it was just bored and he wants something to do. What do you do in your house?”

“I…I help mama make herbal medicines for the sick.”

“I see, that’s why you got Jade rabbit as your Astral beast,” Hyun chuckled, “Just give Ahnie something to do, let her help you and you will bond like no other.”

The jade rabbit’s ears perked up, just as the little girl smiled as she hugged the fluff. “Thank you mister! What’s your name?”

He smiled, “You can call me Baekhyun.”

“Thank you mister Baekhyun!”

“Honestly, I prefer if you would just call me big brother.” He smiled at the little girl, who just giggled cutely at him. “What’s your name, little one?”

“Oh! I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Lala.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lala.”

Hyun was startled when he heard a loud horn that originated from the Herven Palace. Lala seemed to notice, and said, “It means the day has ended, big brother. My mom said after the last eclipse, night disappeared from Cepherus. I didn’t know what night was, because I wasn't born yet. But mom said that the skies turn dark when it’s night. It’s scary.”

It is sad to hear that the new generation of Cephereans do not know anything about night. The part where they hear that the skies turn dark already makes them scared, especially children. Hyun couldn’t blame Lala for feeling so. Not knowing what lurks in the darkness, not being able to see the path ahead of you, it makes you feel small and vulnerable.

“Why don’t you go home already, before your parents start worrying where you two could be?” he stirred the conversation away from the topic.

“Can you come with us big brother? I want to introduce you to my mama and papa! It’s my first time seeing an Aeri! Hehe, you are really pretty!”

Hyun smiled, “Thank you, but I have somewhere else to be. I will visit again next time, okay?” Lala looked sad, but she nodded anyway. “But before I leave, I need you to do something for me, is that okay?”

Lala bobbed her head, “Of course, I’ll be happy to help, big brother!”

Hyun smiled and handed her a small vial of moon dust. “You see, like your mother, I am also making herbs for sick people. I heard there are a lot of sick ones in your home.”

Lala dipped her chin, tears welling in her eyes. “One of my playmates couldn’t go outside anymore, because he’s so sick he couldn’t even get up.” She sniffed. “My elder sister died a few months ago.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. I… I thought the Archmage from Garnlok Empire had brought back some cure?”

Lala shook her head, “She died a few days before the Archmage returned. And even after we bathed in the lake, it only took a few weeks and the spots returned. It was only temporary relief.”

Hyun felt his chest ache for the child.

“It’s okay big brother! If we happen to die because there isn’t a permanent cure for the plague, at least I’ll be with my sister again!”

The sight of the helpless tears in Lala’s eyes was like an acid to Hyun’s heart. He couldn’t bring himself to smile and reassure her that everything will be alright, because there are a lot of things that made the situation complicated. He was the root of their suffering and even after seeing all the pain from an innocent child’s face, despite how she tried her best to be positive, he still couldn’t make the final choice of returning. To go back being the Moon Child. To save these people from the plague.

Because what about Chanyeol? What about the Daevric people?

“Big brother, why are you crying?”

Hyun blinked away the wetness in his eyes, “I’m…I’m sorry.”

Lala shook her head, “It’s okay, big brother, it’s not your fault!”

It is my fault.

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