Aria looked sadly at his pale face. "It wasn't your fault. You were just carrying out Grand Mentor's orders."

"We were ambushed, there was no way out," Neven continued. "After we killed that Mara, the ground was littered with the bodies of our cavalry. I was severely wounded and felt utterly hopeless, thinking I would die too. I just kept walking, trying to get away from the sea of corpses, until I collapsed from exhaustion in the snow. Then..." He frowned, puzzled. "When I woke up, I was in Longhorn Town."

"You mean, you don't know how you got past the barrier? That towering wall?" Aria asked, surprised.

"I don't know. I lost consciousness. After that, I couldn't remember anything."

"You lost your memory?"

"No, I was unconscious. There's a difference." Neven forced a small smile.

Aria glanced at Spark, who was prancing nearby, and tried to recall more of her memories. "I don't understand. You survived, so why can't you control your Soul Stone? Is it damaged? If so, you could find a new one."

Neven drew his sword, revealing a dark, oval-shaped Soul Stone embedded at the hilt. "This Soul Stone is intact. It's me who can't control it." He held the sword, closed his eyes, but even after a long moment, the Soul Stone remained dark and lifeless.

"For us Lunar Essence people, losing our Essence Power makes us as fragile as ordinary humans," he said.

"But you survived, so there must be a way to recover it," Aria said, her eyes shining with hope.

"That night keeps replaying in my dreams—the night we killed the Mara. The faces of the soldiers who fought beside me, their screams, their bodies lying in pools of blood, are etched in my memory forever." Neven's voice grew low and hoarse, each word heavy with pain. "After that, I just wanted to drown myself in drink, lying in some cold corner of Longhorn Town, hoping the cold would numb my pain and guilt, so I would never wake up again." He paused, his gaze deep and sorrowful, but when he looked at her, a glimmer of warmth appeared. "Then, you showed up."

Aria blushed, embarrassed. "I should thank you. Without you, I couldn't have crossed the barrier or reached the Moon Tower."

Neven smiled. "When I brought you in that day, I wasn't very confident."

"But we made it."

Spark came over and nuzzled her face, its large tongue slobbering all over. "Spark, stop it...you naughty thing...your saliva is everywhere..." Aria pushed it away.

After Spark ran off, her face was covered in slobber.

"Did you ride Spark that time?" Aria asked, brushing a few strands of hair from her forehead.

"It draws too much attention and would cause trouble for me." Neven's fingers brushed her cheek, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "When I mentioned Warrior's Day last time, I wasn't trying to be harsh. I'm sorry."

Aria looked up, and their eyes met. If there was anything in life that baffled her, it was the mysterious man before her.

Warrior's Day had set the once quiet royal capital ablaze, becoming the most talked-about topic.verywhere, Lunar Essence was being exchanged as gifts. Especially Alexander; no matter the time or place, women would cast him charming glances.On the streets, at market stalls, even in the shadows of the city walls, their eyes would follow his every move. Some women even meticulously stitched small gifts, shyly and expectantly presenting them to him in person. They surrounded him like a swarm of dazzling butterflies around a thorny rose, their wings shimmering with colors that highlighted Alexander's unique allure.

Oak was always present in the training grounds. With a swing of his spiked club, he would shatter entire wooden stakes, scattering the archers in all directions and leaving a line of targets bristling with arrows. Sable, carrying a saddle, chased a young, beautiful woman around the hall, but she paid him little attention. Alexander was right; it was the luminous pearl she wanted. This saddle had no such pearl, and Sable had bought the wrong one.

Aria sat in the corner of the hall, at a table near the fire pit. She liked sitting there, especially on days filled with laughter and chatter.

"May I sit here?" A shy young man asked. He had short hair and freckles on his face.

"Of course," Aria said. She was alone at the table.

"We've met before," he said as he sat down. "We were on patrol together the night Sable got hurt."

Aria cradled her warm cup, recalling the night with a trembling young man. "I remember you. We were on watch together that night."

"You remember me?" He looked delighted. "I'm Sander; everyone calls me that."

"Hello, I'm Aria." Aria extended her hand graciously. She liked the name because it sounded similar to her brother Xander's.

Sander shook her hand shyly, then fumbled through his clothes. He lowered his head, speaking softly, "I want to... I want to..."

"What do you want to say, Sander?"

He took out an exquisite light purple box, with a red silk ribbon tied into a lopsided bow. "I want to give this to you." He pushed it toward her, his face flushed red.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"I hope you will accept it, it's a Soul Stone." Sander said sincerely, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible nervousness.

Aria had guessed the box would contain a Soul Stone; Neven's reminder echoed in her ears. She opened her mouth but didn't know how to refuse. The boy sitting before her looked so earnest.

"Sander, she already has a partner," a cold voice came from behind. Neven stepped over a chair and sat next to Aria.

Sander was clearly afraid of Neven, his face flushed as if he wanted to disappear into the table. Neven closed the box and pushed it back to Sander, saying, "You're still very young. You need more experience and strong Essence Power to confidently invite a lady."

"Then I won't disturb you, Commander." Sander grabbed his box, his face turning a deep shade of purple, and fled in panic. At the door, he accidentally bumped into Oak, who had just entered. Oak looked at the retreating figure and shouted, "Sorry!"

"Couldn't you be more tactful? He's just a kid," Aria reproached.

"The Moon Tower is very comfortable, but no one will help him on the battlefield. If he's that timid, he'll be a burden to the team," Neven said smugly, having scared away the poor boy who had attempted to give a Soul Stone. "You promised me. If I hadn't returned in time, you would have accepted it. I can see it written all over your face."

"I wasn't going to. I just didn't know how to reject him," Aria denied vehemently. "I couldn't refuse immediately because... he reminded me of someone."

"Who?"

Aria took a sip of hot water, her gaze turning melancholic. "My brother. His name was Xander."

Neven's eyes softened, tinged with curiosity. "If you trust me, can you tell me about your brother? As a friend, I really want to know more about you."

Aria turned to look at Neven, and suddenly, the scarred face of Thanatos appeared in her mind. She remembered him holding a bow, threatening to shoot her brother. Anger surged within her, and her hands started trembling. Both of them looked at the water cup simultaneously, the small ripples in the silence becoming particularly noticeable.

Aria set down the cup and left without looking back. She walked quickly up the stairs, footsteps following behind her. Neven caught her hand and said, "Wait. I thought we were getting along well. Why do you act like this when you look at me? You seem afraid of me and always want to avoid me." Neven asked her solemnly.

"I want to go back to my room. I'm too tired," Aria said evasively.

"Why, Aria?" Neven didn't let go. "Tell me, what did I do wrong? Or is it that in your heart, you have no feelings for me at all, and I just make you uncomfortable?"

"I don't..." Aria frowned, unsure of how to explain. Sometimes, she cared about Neven, but the image of Thanatos always intruded in her mind. Neven's grip tightened, deepening her frown.

Voices rose from the floor below, and Neven pulled her to the side, his expression pained, his voice hoarse as he spoke softly, "I haven't cared about anyone for a long time. I don't care about what others say about me. But with you, if I let you go like this, I'll be sleepless, consumed with self-doubt."

"This has nothing to do with you, Neven. Maybe I'm just tired."

Neven scrutinized her for a long time, saying nothing. He tried to calm his agitation, but his breathing only grew more labored.

At that moment, a deliberate cough sounded from the stairs below.

"Am I interrupting?" Alexander stood at the bottom of the stairs. He looked at Aria, then at Neven, seemingly certain they were arguing. "I didn't mean to interrupt, Neven. Quinn is looking for you. He seems urgent and wants you to come immediately."

"I'm not the Executive Commander right now. Why doesn't he look for Lyra?" Neven asked impatiently, turning to Alexander.

"Lyra is on night patrol, so Quinn wants you."

"What happened?" Neven asked.

"Someone has been attacked, and the body was burned. Another female victim," Alexander said. "It looks like someone has infiltrated the royal city."

"You mentioned a body. Where is Quinn now?"

"Outside," Alexander pointed towards the hall.

Neven hurriedly led Aria down the stairs, his grip firm.

"He asked for you. Why are you dragging me along?" Aria was almost running.

"Didn't you hear Alexander? A woman was burned to death. I don't want to see you burned as well."

They exited the bustling hall, walked through a corridor, and stepped outside into the cold. In the night, a burly young man blocked their way. He was from the Lunarshade Legion, a silver crescent badge on his shoulder, a huge sword on his back, and extremely short hair. He was half a head taller than Neven, exuding a superior confidence.

"Neven Everhart, you're in the wrong place. Quinn is summoning the Executive Commanders, not some random soldier," he said mockingly.

"Lyra is on patrol. Quinn sent me," Neven responded coolly.

"A dismissed Executive Commander," he deliberately mocked loudly. "You've been avoiding us since you came back. Is it because you're ashamed? I was hoping to challenge you on Warrior's Day, but too bad... you don't even qualify now."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Stormblade," Neven said, his face cold, his tone extremely displeased.

As the tension mounted, a steady and authoritative figure suddenly appeared between them. Quinn's arrival interrupted their confrontation. He had overheard Stormblade's remarks as he approached. His face darkened, and he looked sternly at Stormblade, saying, "I called Neven."

Stormblade's smug expression faded. Although unwilling, he couldn't argue under Quinn's powerful presence and remained silent.

"This is not the place for your antics, Stormblade," Quinn continued, his tone carrying a hint of threat. "If you want to keep your spot for Warrior's Day, you'd better behave."

Stormblade suppressed his resentment and muttered, "Understood, Quinn."

Quinn turning to Neven, his gaze softening."Neven, I believe you already know the situation. Someone saw the person who burned the body escaping into this area. His arm was injured during the fight. Now, I need you to conduct an immediate search..." he said meaningfully, "You head to the North Tower, you know the Starguard Legion's area the best. Proceed with caution. If you find anyone suspicious, arrest them immediately."

"Understood, Sir," Neven replied.

"Is there anything else we should know?" Neven asked.

"You don't need to report to Alpha. He's busy preparing for Warrior's Day," Quinn said, his single eye sweeping over everyone, his tone severe. "If you encounter anyone unusual, no matter who they are, capture them, even if it means killing them."

With orders in hand, Neven led a squad of Starguard soldiers to begin the search. He entered the North Tower and started unlocking all the doors. The search team surged in, startling the occupants. The soldiers, half-dressed, stood bewildered. Aria hurried out, feeling very embarrassed as the only woman present.

After a series of searches, they finally reached the last row of the North Tower, where Aria's room was located. Neven used the same key to unlock her door. He instructed Oak and Sable to continue the search while he stood at the doorway, looking tense.

"This is my room," Aria said, puzzled.

"I know," Neven whispered, scanning every corner of the room. "But I think it's better if others don't see..."

Aria suddenly realized she had forgotten to tidy up her room. The blanket was in a heap on the bed, an apple with a bite taken out of it sat on the table, and a freshly washed dress hung over the bedpost.

She walked in, feeling guilty, and tossed the dress into a trunk, standing in front of the table to hide the apple. But Neven's sharp eyes had already taken in every detail.

"There's a rule that rooms must be cleaned daily," Neven reminded her.

"I overslept this morning. Actually, I'm not usually this messy..." Aria stammered in her defense.