The full moon at Etherclipse Bay shone bright and made Keira aglow. It was the sixteenth birthday of Keira and she had just finished celebrating with her lone mother. Standing on the balcony, she stared over the horizon, eyeing a Meoon village. Her curiosity for the creatures had always been there as far as she could remember. Isolfar, her mother, had told her that they were unlike Meoons or Witches. It did not make sense to her at first but as she grew, this just became the norm for her, and eventually accepted it. Keira heard Isolfar’s footsteps on the way to the balcony.
“My lovely daughter, you look stunning there! I hope you enjoyed our celebration today,” Isolfar kissed Keira’s forehead.
“Thanks, Mom,” she replied and hugged her mother. She looked down and sighed before asking, “Mom, may I ask a question?”
“Why, of course, sweetie,” Isolfar replied.
“I’m curious about the life of Meoons or Witches. Are we forbidden to be with them because we’re different? I don’t quite understand.”
“Sweetie, those were my questions as well when I was your age. But Meoons and Witches aren’t all that different from us. I have experienced living with both races during my life and they have a similar lifestyle with similar laws.”
“Is there a possibility we will be able to visit them?” Keira asked.
“Of course! There are five villages here at Etherclise Bay, we could go to one of them tomorrow. There’s one near our mansion, so there wouldn’t be any problem,” Isolfar smiled.
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Keira had awoken the next morning with a slight migraine. I don’t remember falling asleep, she thought. She scratched her back and saw bits of orange fur in the bed. Huh? That's weird. But her attention was caught by the smell of breakfast. Her mother sure knows how to give her food that she likes. As soon as she got downstairs, she was met with a warm smile from Isolfar who had prepared the table already. Keira smiled and enthusiastically sat on the chair beside the table.
“Are you excited, Keira?” Isolfar asked. She poured water into the drinking glasses.
“Very much! It’s been a while since the last time I got out of the mansion after all. I always wondered what it’s like to spend some time with the other races. I’m so excited!” Keira’s eyes glittered before sitting down. She ate her food with haste and grace as her mother stared at her, smiling. After they finished their meal, Keira asked once again:
“Mom, what do you think happened to father?”
“Your father…” Isolfar paused as if uncertain how to answer. “… he’s a good man but it never worked out between us. It’s like, we were destined to meet but we were never destined to be together. When you grow up, you’ll realize that. Sometimes, you just don’t stay with the things you love no matter the magnitude of that love. The last time I remember, he moved to Azurehaven Summits; a mountain range with soil perfect for farmers. Maybe, even someday, the two of us will be separate, who knows? But I will never let that happen because you are my precious daughter.” Isolfar told these words while staring deeply into Keira’s eyes.
“Of course, mom! I wouldn’t want to leave your side, either,” Keira nodded.
After the wholesome conversation, they went out of the house and got to the Meoon village near their mansion. Immediately, Keira saw their distinct lifestyle as it felt more rural in a sense. There were farmers visible as you entered, kids running around grassy fields, brown huts with stone roofs, and several animals such as carabaos, pigs, and sheep, among many others. So diverse, she thought. The adult locals were bowing their heads, the children were running up to them, looking up at them and giving them smiles, while the elderly were waving their hands. The more they looked around, the more Keira realized the positivity being radiated by these creatures. What an atmosphere. They don’t seem so different from us.
“Welcome, visitors,” a Meoon said. “We hope that you enjoy your stay in our humble village. If you request, I shall guide you around our place.” Keira and Isolfar shared a look and nodded.
After the tour, Keira was eager to get to talk to one of the village creatures. As she was looking around, she found a stunning figure, wearing a white robe, with a wolf cut. The figure turned around and smiled at her before going inside her hut, she felt starstruck. So beautiful, she thought. Isolfar noticed.
“We could go talk to them if you want to,” Isolfar suggested.
“I would love to!”
They knocked on the door of the hut. Footsteps approached and when the door opened, they were met with a man. Keira looked up, scaling the man and meeting his eyes. He looked to be 6 foot tall, wearing a black vest and yellow shorts. There was something familiar about him but he didn’t know what. After a moment, the man shouted.
“Love, we got visitors!”
“Sure thing, let them in!” a voice from inside the house said.
“Please take a seat,” the man said. Isolfar and Keira gently walked inside.
The interior design of the hut oozes simplicity. However, there was one decoration that seemed to stand out. It was a stand with the name “Lyfyos.” I wonder who that is? Keira asked in her head.
“So, what made you creatures visit this village?” asked the woman with short hair. She sat down opposite Isolfar and Keira.
“My daughter wanted to know more about your creatures since she spends most of her time inside our house. It was her birthday yesterday, so I thought this might be a good gift to her,” Isolfar explained. The reaction of the couple seemed dim. Their eyes turned a bit gloomy. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, no, it’s just, my daughter’s birthday was also yesterday. Lyfyos was what we named her," she replied, then sighed. "Sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Sylvia and this is my husband, Draver."
"I'm Isolfar and this is my daughter, Keira," Isolfar replied.
"If you don't mind, may I ask what happened to Lyfyos?" Keira questioned. "If you can't, it's totally fine, I don't want to seem to pressure you or anything."
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"It's alright, dear. It's been a while since we've talked about our daughter. Today's the perfect time for that. You see, sixteen years ago, chaos erupted in the village, and Draver, my husband, is a part of the Meoon military so he had to take care of the matter as one of the creatures in charge. And I was the one left in the house but the smoke was too much for me to handle, I suddenly collapsed. Lyfyos was still in my arms that time but the moment I woke up, I was empty-handed. I keep blaming myself, even to this day,” Sylvia lamented. Her eyes reflected sparkles from drops of tears.
“It’s alright, Sylvia,” Draver patted his wife’s back. Sylvia wiped her eyes off.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Keira said with empathy. Sylvia smiled at her and grabbed her hand. She felt a different kind of warmth from the Meoon.
“You’re lucky to have your mother and child, and she’s lucky to have you. I hope you two stay together for as long as you can,” Sylvia claimed. Keira smiled at her. Isolfar had a worried expression on her face. Her right hand was placed on her chest before putting it down.
"My condolences go to you and your husband," Isolfar finally uttered.
"Thank you, you two," Sylvia smiled at them. "I reckon that you visit because you wanted to know more about our race, right? I don't want to be too emotional with my daughter after all. You may ask some questions if you'd like."
Then, Keira asked several questions about their race based on her observations.
“We are a race of felines. It’s not a secret to anyone that this is not our true form. However, it is ironic that we spend most of our time as bi-pedals, it makes it easier for a culture to thrive. During full moons, we can transform into our true forms. That’s when we’re able to use our powers. But there are curious cases of Meoons being able to use their powers outside of their true forms, but it’s mostly the elites and the Guardian capable of doing that. Our powers are rooted in divinity and we never really use them for combat as much as we did during the Meoon-Witch war. I don’t believe that the hatred between our races is that strong, it’s just that it’s hard to live together anymore ever since the original sin.”
The original sin, Keira thought. I wonder what that is all about.
“Looks like it’s already night time, we got to go, now,” Isolfar claimed, turning to the couple. “Thank you very much, Draver and Sylvia, my daughter and I surely appreciate the time.”
“It’s fascinating! We’ll visit some other time and maybe we could talk more about them,” Keira exclaimed before standing up and waving goodbye to the Meoons.
On their way home, Keira noticed the uneasy eyes of her mother. She held her hand and immediately put a smile on her face.
“Mom, how about we visit the Witches next time? I would love to hear about their perspective on this whole dynamic. They are very interesting, indeed,” Keira suggested.
“Sure thing, maybe the next day we could visit some of them,” Isolfar complied.
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“No, no, no, it can’t be,” Isolfar murmured to herself outside while her daughter was asleep. “It just can’t be.” She shuffled around like a cat trying to scavenge food anywhere. Despite it being midnight, she decided to go to the Meoon village herself. There was no one outside. She walked as silently as she possibly could, trying to peep inside the houses. Most of them were sound asleep. Finally, she went to a familiar house. Draver and Sylvia’s.
Do it now. Do it before they can take anything away from you. You are the only one in this world who deserves love. Remember all the suffering these creatures made you go through. Shunning you from every society. Isolfar’s thoughts consumed her. She was having a headache just trying to stop thinking about all sorts of things. You don’t even know how long you’ve waited for this moment to secure your place. You are who Keira needs, you are who Keira wants to be with, you are Keira’s mother-
“STOP!” she suddenly screamed and immediately noticed her voice. Slight rustling from each of the huts started. She swiftly moved to the forest with inhuman speed to hide on top of the trees. From there, she saw Draver and Sylvia walking out of their hut. She could hear them talking.
“What could have happened? That voice sounded familiar,” Sylvia blurted.
“I’m sure it’s just a robbery attempt, love. Or maybe someone from our village,” Draver claimed.
There were a lot of Meoons who gathered and discuss what had happened. They gossiped as to what could've possibly caused such a guttural scream. This isn't good.
“You know, love. I could feel that scream,” Sylvia said. Draver turned his head. “It was the scream I let out when I woke up without our child in my hands. It was a scream of having something taken away from you. It still feels like she’s somewhere out there but I don’t know. I said I’ve moved on, I said I already let it go. But seeing those two made me think of how our lives could’ve been if our daughter wasn’t taken away from us.” Her husband gave her a hug.
“It’s alright. I understand. There’s really no way that we could let go of those events. But no matter what, I’ll always be here for you,” Draver reassured her.
Isolfar looked from afar. She silently went around the perimeter of the village to get back to her mansion, unable to fathom why she had come to the village in the first place. She felt a slight chill in the night as she went back home. Is this really the right thing?
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From the day that I was born, I was considered a sinful creature. Not because of anything that I’ve done but because of how I came to be. I thought I was the only one. But it couldn’t have been helped that the original sin is not the only sin in this dark world. Many creatures fall in love, many creatures are aware of the consequences of their actions but through the strong feelings they have for each other, they’re willing to pay that price.
What am I to do without him? Isolfar thought to herself. She was walking along the forests of Celestia Raeon. It has been a month since she left Erothis at Azurehaven Summits. I wonder if he’s doing alright? I did hear that Azurehaven is the most peaceful part of Isoraeon, even more so than the center. She was peeking at the lives of the Meoons of the Meoon villages from the top of tree branches. As she was observing the lives of the creatures, she remembered her first child, Halber.
Three hundred years ago, while roaming around the forests of Celestia Raeon, Isolfar stumbled upon a Witch hut. She heard the sound of a sobbing baby from said hut. Even at only thirteen years of age, she was already well-aware of the cultures of both races. The only problem was that she hadn’t had a single interaction with any of them. She didn’t know anyone and nobody knew who she was. I wonder what it's like to raise a child from the moment it was born.
She entered the hut and saw a newborn Witch crying on the floor. It wore no blanket, completely naked, flailing helplessly as if trying to reach and hold onto something. Isolfar rushed to pick the baby up but it didn’t stop crying. She held it like how she saw parents hold their children and tried to calm it down by rocking the baby side-to-side. The Witch didn’t show any sign of stopping and Isolfar panicked. Being the first time she interacted with anyone outside of her thoughts, and it being a newborn child, she scrambled around the house while holding the baby. Finally, she decided to lay it down on a soft couch in one of the rooms. The baby’s cries slowly died out. It looked her in the eyes with wonder. Isolfar slowly moved her head closer to the baby’s and kissed its forehead. The baby looked intensely for a brief moment before closing its eyes. Isolfar sighed in relief and looked around the house and saw a book. She tried to read but only understood a few familiar words that she heard from the conversations she overheard from Meoon villages and other Witch huts.
The next day, the baby started crying again as soon as it woke up. Isolfar stumbled upon herself multiple times. She tried to find something to calm the baby down but everything that she brought to the baby didn’t seem to work. Once again, she leaned forward and kissed its forehead. It went silent and smiled at her. She felt her heart warm up and all the hair from her body stood up. It was a novel feeling for someone like her. What is this? Isolfar questioned herself. With curiosity, she tried to lift the baby again and this time it tried to reach its arms around her. She started rocking her again, the baby began laughing. Isolfar couldn’t put into words the emotions that built up within her.