“Ok, first off, do you guys have weapons or anything? I mean, using your powers as defense all the time would make us stand out too much. We need a back-up,” Afton said.

“Why can't we just kill everyone that strays our way?” a girl, Phoenix, asked moodily.

Afton blinked, “Kill?” he asked incredulously.

Phoenix shrugged, “It's not hard.”

“Ok, you know what? Never mind the weapons, I'll take care of it. Right now, we have to get you all cloaks or something.”

“Cloags?” the twins chorused, staring at each other with quizzical looks.

“Erm... what?” Afton asked, looking their way.

The twins blinked. “My name's Carol and Coral,” they both said at the same time.

Afton nodded to them. It was the fifth time he heard it in the twenty minutes of walking.

“Can someone with a more natural hair color volunteer to.... oh. I forgot that no one knows the way. Now what?”

“You go,” Kira said, “I know how to fight hand-to-hand pretty well. That should hold some off for a while.”

“Ok, then, I'll be back as soon as possible,” Afton said, he glanced over at Kaylie before replacing is hood and hurrying away on the black mare.

Why do I have a bad feeling about something?Gah.... must be my imagination.

Away from her once more... that's what.

Afton was riding back to Sundance, slowly because horses aren't infallible, when he came upon two riders sparring.

“R...Rain? Is that you?!”

“Niss...Argh!”

The familiar double-bladed assassin had done it...

“Rain...” Afton whispered to himself as if he couldn't believe it, “Rain...”

The assassin went after Afton next, but he was already worked up. Afton snatched up two switchblades from his bag. “Die...” he muttered under his breath.

They faced-off again. This time, the weights shifted to Afton's side. The land was to his advantage. The assassin, no matter how skilled, would never compare to Afton's speed. He was fast enough, smart enough to predict the moves and counter every one. Not to mention... Afton was fueled with hatred, anger, something else.... was it grief?

Blow after blow, Afton wouldn't let this devil go...

Never...

The triple swift death never failed... it didn't this round either.

“Don't you dare hurt anyone of my people. Anyone, I say,” he muttered, kicking the lifeless body.

Death...blood...loss... he'd just lost two-in-one, blinded by hatred and anger. Afton left a tear over Rain's grave, but that was the most he would allow himself.

I'm a loser... a traitor... a failure. I'm not worthy to weep over an innocent's death. Goodbye... Rain. When I've proven myself, when I've won my battle, I'll return. Then... only then... will I be able to forgive myself.

Afton wiped the blood of the 'assassin' on a thick blade of grass....

****

Afton returned at night. He'd procured enough cloaks for each of them as well as a change of clothes and a meal's worth of food.

“I'm broke,” he said when they were munching on their meager buns of bread.

Wisteria smiled at him, “Thanks... for everything.”

Afton just nodded, staring at the fire. Something about it's flicker... seemed sad. Even the shadows that danced about their feet seemed to be falling over each other. Afton swallowed whatever he had left and walked away from the group.

It's... so hard! Alistair... I miss you. I think... even Kaylie wouldn't be able to cheer me up now.

Afton sat at the bank of the giant cove, staring at the stars. Something about them... about their winking... it seemed so sad. Yet, it comforted him that under these same stars, Alistair lay somewhere safe. He just didn't know... it was in the grassland by the road leading to Sundance.

To the stars... the deities... Fate... whoever controls what happens next, I pray. Let Alistair be safe, let him smile in his dreams, let him never shed a tear, may he never entertain a worry, and let him shine the brightest... wherever he is. Because he always loved the stars most.

It began to rain. The ripples intersected as the drops came down harder. As it fell, around, on,/ everywhere, Afton lost it. The rain... reminded him too much of Rain.

You can't think about that! You could have saved him and you didn't! Don't you dare!

He tried hard to hold it. He bit his finger 'til it turned white, and at last, fell to crushing his cheeks between his knees. The tears mixed with rainwater fell, the child, uttered not a cry.

The rain... was there... solely for the purpose of comforting him. No one would notice the tears during the rain.

Cold... yet warm and comforting... Rain... I'm... I'm so sorry!

Afton was still looking at the water, the ripples, the reflection of the stars... when the sweet relief came over him. (You know that after you cry, you get tired?)

****

Afton was on the ground. He was bruised terribly, and the bubble that had held those he kept dear was broken about him.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

He sat up and picked one of the pieces off the floor. It felt like a mix between plastic, glass, rubber and metal, with the luster of a diamond.

Afton noticed that there was blood on one of the tips. He gasped and ran over to a lifeless Rain.

The protection itself had killed him... a piece of sharpened ice grew in his hand until it took on the shape of a sword.

Somehow, literally in the blink of an eye, the sword was stained with blood and a lifeless Alistair lay on the floor.

How it happened or why, Afton would never know. He was by them both in an instant, brooding over his loss.

He was suddenly aware of Kaylie, who'd been standing beside him the whole time, watching him patiently. Behind... there were dogs, wolves, all kinds of monstrous beasts about her.

Something about their behavior unsettled Afton and a voice echoed in his head, “Congratulations, you've melted your heart. Now, I, the moon, shall protect you with mine own children.”

Kaylie, and all the familiar faces of the Falconers appeared in a circle around Afton, their backs to him.

“But be aware,” the voice continued, “if you dare stab one of them... any of them... or even hurt them in any way. I will not stand still.”

****

Afton woke up with the words 'if you dare', 'I will not stand still', and 'be aware', echoing in his ear. Who said that or why, he couldn't remember. Apparently, it was a dream that un-nerved him, because Kaylie was holding his hand.

“Kaylie?! Are you safe?” he asked drowsily.

Kaylie nodded, smiling brightly, “What were you dreaming about?”

Afton shook his head, “I don't know... I really don't know.

Kaylie smiled again, “It's alright, it's better that you've forgotten it.”

That smile... melts my worries. It shines... so brightly for me. And I know... she's my light.

“Breakfast is ready!” someone called.

Afton looked back incredulously and they seemed to have been eating some sort of berries Afton never even knew existed!

As he and Kaylie walked over, Afton got the chance to see up close for the first time...

“Berries?”

“I collected a whole load of moon pills too,” Wisteria said cheerfully.

“Wisteria, may I understand how moon pills will help in our situation?” Kira asked.

“Erm... what are those?” Afton asked pointing at a collection of silver berries. However, when he changed his angle, they gave off a bright red.

“Those are moon pills. Probably the most harmful berry in the world,” Wisteria replied.

Later on, she ended explaining that moon pills appear red at night and could easily be mistaken for cranberries. She also said that, if even a drop penetrated beyond the epidermis, the consumer would suffer a severe fever with symptoms similar to those of malaria, in most cases, the victim would end up paralyzed or even dead.

“Ok... so... why did you pick them?” Afton asked, cluelessly.

Wisteria looked at him, and blushed red, “For protection...” she stuttered, “it's... a kind of self-defense and... and we don't exactly kill them...”

“Wait... so how are you planning to use these?” Afton asked, staring at her dubiously.

Wisteria produced a few acupuncture need and a small bottle, “I'm skilled with the needle,” she explained, her face turning redder still from his gaze.

“Oh,” Afton said, shrugging, “that works.”

“Anyway, how much longer to where you want to bring us?” Kira asked, diverting the attention from Wisteria.

“We'll be about two more days on foot...” Afton was saying.

“What if they fly or teleport?” Kaylie asked.

“That would be... maybe less than a day. But, how will they know when to do what or even where to go?”

“That's what you're here for, Afton,” Kira said bluntly.

“Ok... that works,” Afton said, shrugging again, “But... 'poisoned'?”

“Coral and Carol! We wanna fly!”

“Teleport ish better!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes!”......

****

“You shot her! You did?!” the queen screamed, raging at the remaining soldiers who'd gone to report the missing cases of their fellow comrades.

“But... but... my queen, there are more pressing...”

“Silence! I'm usually calm and just, but I'll risk it... for her alone. I've hurt her, I've taken her from her own land, I've.. I've... EEAAAAArgh!” the queen screamed in frustration as guilt took over a half of her.

“Queen! Please forgive my impudence! I deserve death!” the spokesman of the weary group cried falling upon his knees.

The queen had seen enough of the same scene to go crazy... “Just leave me!” she roared, her eyes flaming, fists clenched in anger.

They all filed out quickly, letting the queen alone with her thoughts, sorrows, guilt, fear..... and one chubby little attendant.

****

In the end, they'd used their powers, against a very reluctant Afton's will.

They arrived... at an abandoned wooden house in the middle of nowhere with a small clear lake close by. It was nearing night and they decided on sleeping arrangements. There were five rooms, a couple of toilets, a living room, and a dining room. This... would be their hideout.

It was sad to say that even though it was big enough to fit everyone, the only way they got in was by kicking down a worm-eaten door.

The walls were rather hollow and a couple of dividing walls had holes big enough to fit hands through.

There were five beds, all infested with termites, and a few rolls of bamboo mattresses. The girls ended up taking two rooms and the boys, three. The mattresses were barely used as they were all used to camping out in the open by now.... too used to camping out, that a few of them tossed restlessly on the cold dirt floor, a couple got up and went to pacing. Kaylie? She went to the lake, as did Afton.

“The stars are shining brightly tonight, aren't they?” she asked when she sensed he was behind.

Afton looked up and there, above them, beyond the layer of rustling leaves, winked countless stars, constellations and all. But what shone deeper, darker, was what caught Afton's attention. For there was the red moon.

He sat mesmerized, watching it glow darker, yet more distinctively than the purest of the pretty winkers. That was when... the moon granted him flashbacks, precious memories of the past...

****

“Afton, my little boy, Daddy's going off for a while. Daddy's going to come back and bring you out camping for a week!” A middle-aged man, balding at the forehead, soft brown eyes and a quick smile, said to a little boy, swinging him around before putting him down and placing a kiss upon his forehead.

The man walked out the door, waving with each step he took. And it seems... he dragged his feet, for his head was lowered just before he disappeared to the stables.

****

An adorable child, brown hair watered with sweat, brown eyes glistening with joy, hugged his father's legs. A little drool dribbled out as he laughed heartily.

“Sorry, Afton, Daddy's real tired. We'll play another time...” his father said, falling upon the wooden rocking chair and closing his weary eyes.

****

“But you can't support it! A child shouldn't be taken from her parents, that's...” reasoned a middle-aged woman, tall and slim, her dark-brown hair tinged with a few strands of white.

“Emma, it's life....” the middle-aged man cut off gruffly.

****

“Cypress! Where did you go last night?” a middle-aged woman with dark rings under her eyes asked.

“Over to Preston's,” a little girl just under teen level replied innocently, “he had a party and a sleepover.”

“Honey, we talked about this...”

“But it was his birthday! I knew you wouldn't let me,” the girl cried.

****

“Is this... my life?” Afton asked aloud, “was that... my sister... my parents? Who's Preston... that jerk.”

“What happened, Afton?” Kaylie asked, putting a hand on his knee.

“I know... I know a little bit more now,” Afton whispered, turning to Kaylie and looking her in the eyes, “my mom, my dad, my sister.... I was so clueless... I didn't think anything of it. Those late nights up... those recurrent arguments... my rebellious sister... I remember a little now.”

“What about them?” Kaylie asked, plastering on a smile whilst her heart pounded with anxiety.

“They're out there... somewhere,” Afton said, standing up, “at least... they were.”

“Are... are you going... going to look for them?” Kaylie asked, hoping... praying that he wouldn't answer what she knew he'd answer.

“I...” he was beginning to say when the voice echoed, “Be aware!”, “Don't hurt them....”

Gah! I hate this! What am I supposed to do... I... I can't leave Kaylie even if I wanted to, but... it's my family...

“Afton!” Quinn hissed from the entrance of the house, “someone's nearby!”

Afton reflexively pulled Kaylie to her feet and pushed her to the house, pistol in hand. He slammed a roughly-repaired wooden door and looked out from the window. There was no sign of movement thereof and Afton began to doubt the senses of the Falconer.

“Where did it?” Afton asked, turning to Quinn. But Quinn pressed an index finger to his own lips and pointed out the window.

Heaven save us...