"I can't sleep."

It was strange, almost unsettling. My body was exhausted, my eyelids heavy as if begging to give in to gravity, and the environment around me was perfect for rest. I was cocooned in warmth, the heat of Dr. Wolf at my back and the wolf pup curled against my leg providing a comfort that felt almost primal. But the restlessness in my mind refused to let sleep come.

"Come on, it's been hours," I murmured to myself, trying, in vain, to find some peace. Even with the blindfold still securely tied over my eyes, the fatigue seemed to seep into my very skin, layer upon layer.

The small pup pressed against my leg let out a faint whimper, almost like a purr. I couldn’t help but smile faintly, noticing how content it seemed.

"Must be having a lovely dream," I said softly, trying to distract myself, tilting my face upward toward the sky I couldn’t see.

And then, I felt Dr. Wolf stir. The movement was so sudden and abrupt that it caused the blindfold over my eyes to shift slightly, letting a sliver of light pierce through to my right eye. The faint glow slipped through the gap.

"I must be imagining things," I muttered, raising my right hand to adjust the blindfold back into place. But as I did, I rubbed my eyes, and something strange caught my attention.

My breath hitched.

"This can't be real."

Hesitating, my fingers moved to my cheek, pinching it hard. The pain was sharp, as real and vivid as the sight before me.

"Shit... there are two moons in the sky!"

My voice echoed through the clearing, tinged with disbelief and rising panic.

High above, beyond the distant mountains, two moons hung in the night. One was familiar—the same pale white orb, sometimes tinged silver, sometimes with a faint golden hue, that always appeared when the sun set. But beside it was another... a moon blazing red, as vivid as fresh blood.

A chill ran through my veins.

In a burst of motion, I sprang to my feet, letting the blindfold slip down to my neck. I scooped the pup into my arms, holding it carefully yet firmly.

"Wake up, everyone! Wake up!"

My voice carried a desperation I couldn’t suppress.

Dr. Wolf was the first to react, rising swiftly, his movements sharp and protective. His eyes gleamed as they scanned the forest around us, as if searching for an unseen threat.

“What’s wrong, pup?” The white wolf’s voice resonated in my mind, groggy but tinged with concern. She rose slowly, her weight pressing against the ground, causing a soft rustling of leaves.

"The... the moon!" I stammered, my wide eyes locking onto hers before I pointed to the sky.

Her golden gaze followed my gesture.

I turned my attention back to the heavens, and the sight of the red moon sent another wave of dread washing over me. Something had changed. The moon’s intense crimson glow seemed to waver, almost alive… or in pain.

"The moon is... bleeding," I murmured, my voice shaking.

The red moon was no longer just red. It looked wounded. A dark, jagged line snaked across its surface like a deep gash, and a pulsating red light flickered along the scar. It seemed as though something was leaking out of it, slowly spilling into the sky and staining the stars around it.

The white wolf didn’t respond immediately. Her head tilted slightly, her golden eyes locked onto the unsettling sight with an intensity that made my skin crawl.

“Pup,” she finally said, her voice low but laced with a weight I had never heard before. “This is not natural.”

“I know,” I replied, my tone almost pleading.

The pup in my arms stirred, letting out a small sound before curling closer to me, blissfully unaware of the tension around it.

Dr. Wolf let out a low growl, the deep rumble vibrating like distant thunder. His gaze was fixed on some unseen point beyond the trees, as though sensing something I couldn’t.

The white wolf lifted her head, inhaling deeply. Her posture shifted, her body tense and coiled as if ready for whatever was approaching.

“Pup,” she said again, her voice firm and steady, yet carrying an edge of urgency. “Something is coming.”

----------------------------------------

In the Archduchy of Dracknum, within the grand Main Mansion of the family, a servant sprinted through the vast, ornate corridors with every ounce of strength he had.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Shit, shit, shit!" he muttered through clenched teeth, his heavy boots echoing against the polished marble floors.

The mansion was colossal, its corridors stretching endlessly, and he had been running non-stop for several minutes. His legs trembled, his chest burned, but stopping was not an option. He stumbled over a small rug but barely had time to curse before pushing forward again.

Other servants he passed stared at him, their expressions a mix of confusion and worry. Some even tried to stop him.

"Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!"

But he barreled past them without a second glance, his shoulders brushing against theirs as he charged forward, driven by a single thought: ‘I must reach the Patriarch.’

His green eyes were wide with terror and urgency, gleaming as though on the brink of tears. His heart thundered in his chest, and a fear unlike anything he had ever known gripped him, so raw it made his hands tremble and his mouth dry.

“Huff, huff, huff!”

At last, after what felt like an eternity of steps, he reached an imposing black wooden door adorned with intricate carvings of dragons. Just standing before it brought a brief moment of relief to his pounding heart.

‘Finally,’ he thought, drawing a deep breath to gather what strength he had left.

With both hands, he shoved the heavy door open.

Thud!

The room beyond was vast and regal, bathed in the golden glow of suspended candelabras. Shelves filled with ancient books lined the walls, and a long table of dark oak dominated the center, strewn with maps and documents.

Standing near the table was the Patriarch of the Dracknum Family, Thomas Thaddeus The Dracknum. He was an imposing man, his golden eyes radiating an almost otherworldly calm. His very presence commanded the space.

Beside him stood Luminus Dracknum. His sharp features and equally golden eyes, younger but no less piercing, were focused intently on the maps before him, his posture betraying an analytical intensity.

At the sound of the door slamming, Luminus turned abruptly, his expression cold and unyielding.

"Who dares interrupt so rudely?!" His voice sliced through the air like a blade, but before he could say more, the servant burst out desperately:

"Forgive my intrusion, but this is an emergency, Patriarch!"

The words were nearly choked out in a panicked shout, and the servant barely paused before continuing.

"Someone has broken through the first layer of the seal... of the Black Forest!"

For a moment, the air in the room seemed to freeze. Thomas raised an eyebrow, his expression remaining stoic, though his golden eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity.

Luminus, however, couldn’t conceal his reaction. A mix of shock and concern flashed across his face, his fists clenching at his sides.

"What?!" His voice came out louder than intended, betraying the composure he always worked so hard to maintain.

The servant took a deep breath, struggling to organize his chaotic thoughts into coherent words.

"Patriarch," he began, his voice trembling as sweat trickled down his brow. "The young masters are in danger."

"Th-they... we... we must cancel the forest trial!"

Thomas remained silent, though his golden eyes narrowed slightly, as if calculating every possible scenario and response.

"And... and..." The servant’s voice faltered, but he forced the words out, as though his very life depended on it.

"The... the Blood Moon... has descended over the entire Black Forest. A-and... there’s a chance... the seal of the Demon Forest might break!"

Luminus stepped forward, his golden eyes now glowing with a fierce intensity. His previously restrained expression now showed a blend of disbelief and fury.

"Who would dare such audacity?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else, his hands clenching into tight fists.

Thomas, however, remained motionless, his posture rigid and his gaze unwavering. When he finally broke the silence, his deep voice echoed through the room, each word laden with an authority that seemed to suffocate the air around them.

"There will be no cancellation."

Thomas’s calm, unshakable tone reverberated through the walls like restrained thunder, catching the two men before him by surprise.

Luminus furrowed his brow, stunned by the Patriarch’s apparent indifference, while the servant, still sweating profusely, struggled to suppress a gasp of disbelief.

Thomas turned his golden gaze to Luminus, his expression firm and unyielding. There was no need for spoken orders; his intentions were clear in his stare.

“Prepare yourself. We’re heading to the forest.”

The servant, still trembling with nerves, stepped forward, attempting to argue.

“The forest is enormous, Patriarch! Just two people won’t be able to cover it all!” he exclaimed, his voice tinged with desperation.

Thomas remained unperturbed, as if the servant’s anxiety was beneath his notice.

“We won’t be alone,” he replied, his voice calm yet commanding. He looked back at Luminus, his piercing gaze making it clear that he expected answers.

“Luminus, who is responsible for the southern sector of the forest?”

Luminus hesitated momentarily, his mind instinctively turning to the one individual who stood out to him, aside from Cesar and the Third Child: ‘Alexander. That’s the area where he is…’

“It’s Israel,” he finally answered, his tone measured and careful.

Thomas nodded slightly, as though confirming something he had already surmised.

“Then we need not concern ourselves with that sector.”

He shifted his attention back to the servant, who looked even more bewildered and apprehensive.

“Send word to the others overseeing the trial zones. Their top priority is handling the anomaly. If the children are left alone, they must learn to fend for themselves. They carry the Dracknum bloodline, after all.”

A heavy pause followed, Thomas’s words hanging in the air like a weight pressing down on the room.

Luminus straightened, fully grasping the implied meaning: the children were on their own, and their survival would serve as their test of strength.

“Luminus,” Thomas continued, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “You’re coming with me to the border of the Demon Forest.”

Luminus’s golden eyes narrowed slightly. He knew this was the most dangerous area—the likeliest target of the intruders and the heart of the anomaly. Despite the danger, he gave a resolute nod, his determination solidifying.

“Yes, Patriarch.”