Trial By Moonlight

Two days had passed.

Two days since I met Valtheria. Two days since I told her everything—about the massacre, the assassins, the monster that wore my mother’s face.

She didn’t flinch. She didn’t pity me. She just listened, as if this kind of tragedy was as normal as the changing seasons.

And then she said something that unsettled me.

"This power is yours, Castiel. Whether you like it or not."

I hated hearing that. But I hated that she was right even more.

I can still feel the warmth of the fire from that night, the scent of roasted rabbit lingering in the air, but the peace of that moment is shattered as Valtheria speaks again—her red eyes watching me with that same unreadable expression.

"You don’t want to be dependent… do you?"

Her words cut through me like a blade.

"So prove to me you can walk with your own two legs."

I frown. “What?”

She steps forward, folding her arms. "Survive a full day and night on your own. No help. Nothing. Find food, find shelter, defend yourself."

I scoff. “You expect a six-year-old to survive alone?”

For the first time since I met her, Valtheria smirks.

A chill runs down my spine.

"You’re not just a child, are you?"

The breath catches in my throat.

Does she know?

The thought rattles around in my brain, but before I can ask, Valtheria turns away, stepping back toward the trees.

"Make it through the night, Castiel," she calls over her shoulder. "Then we’ll talk."

And with that—she vanishes into the darkness of the forest, leaving me alone.

***

The moment she’s gone, the silence presses in like a thick fog.

I exhale slowly, gripping Velmora’s staff tightly.

Okay. First things first.

Water. Shelter. Food.

It’s still early morning, which means I have time before nightfall. I start walking, letting the weight of my staff keep me steady as I navigate through the undergrowth.

The rustling of leaves fills the air, along with the occasional chirp of unseen birds. The morning light filters through the dense canopy above, casting golden beams onto the forest floor.

I hear the soft murmur of flowing water.

I follow the sound and soon find myself standing at the same small river I discovered with Valtheria before. The water glistens under the sun, clear and inviting.

One thing down.

I kneel at the riverbank and take a long sip, the cool liquid soothing my dry throat.

Now for food.

I scan my surroundings. Among the towering trees, I spot some bushes with clusters of small, dark berries.

I hesitate.

They look edible, but I’m not about to test my luck and end up poisoning myself.

Then I notice them—small bluish birds perched on the branches, pecking at the berries.

If they can eat it, so can I.

I take off my navy-blue sweater, using the fabric to carefully collect a handful of the berries before placing them near the riverbank.

Shelter is next.

I gather a few dry twigs, knowing I’ll need them to start a fire later.

By the time dusk begins to fall, I’m sitting near the river, feeling… surprisingly calm.

It wasn’t that hard.

A bit boring, maybe, but nothing impossible.

The sky darkens, deep shades of indigo swallowing the last remnants of daylight. Crickets start chirping, their rhythmic calls blending with the distant rustle of the wind.

I take a deep breath and extend my hand toward the pile of twigs.

Incendium.

A flicker of orange flame ignites at the tip of my staff before spreading to the dry branches, crackling softly as it takes hold.

The firelight casts long shadows against the trees.

I lean back, staring up at the night sky.

The trial has only just begun.

And for some reason… I feel like I’ve walked straight into a trap.

***

The full moon bathed the forest in an eerie glow, casting elongated shadows that swayed with the flickering firelight. The warmth of the flames brushed against my skin, offering a small comfort against the creeping night chill. I chewed on the berries I had gathered earlier, their tart sweetness lingering on my tongue as I stared absentmindedly into the fire.

A rustle.

I stiffened. My fingers instinctively curled around Velmora’s staff, my heart thudding against my ribs. The fire crackled, the only sound breaking the silence as I slowly turned toward the bushes. The shadows shifted. Something was moving.

Then, out of the underbrush, a small fox emerged, its reddish fur glistening in the moonlight. My grip on the staff loosened slightly as I exhaled. Just a fox.

The little thing stared at me, its nose twitching. A quick meal, if I was lucky enough to catch it. Maybe if I—

A blur of black. A flash of fangs.

The fox barely had time to react before something burst from the darkness and snatched it by the throat. A sickening crunch followed, and the fox went limp, its tiny body twitching one last time before going completely still.

I inhaled sharply, a cold chill crawling up my spine. My eyes darted to the massive black wolf standing just beyond the reach of the firelight.

It wasn’t just a wolf. This thing was huge. At least twice the size of a normal one, with powerful limbs and sleek, shadowy fur that seemed to meld with the night itself. Blood dripped from its fangs as it released the fox’s mangled remains, its glowing red eyes locking onto mine.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t.

The fire crackled between us, its light reflecting in those haunting eyes. The beast sniffed the air, its body tense, assessing. Then, it stepped forward.

My pulse hammered. I raised my staff slightly, my mind racing through options.

Incendium? No. The fire would spread to the trees, and I’d be dead long before the wolf burned.

Wind magic? Maybe. But if I missed…

The wolf lowered its head, muscles coiling. It was going to pounce.

I had seconds to react.

I slammed my staff into the ground.

Ventus Vortex

A sharp gust of wind blasted forward, kicking up dirt and leaves, disrupting the wolf’s charge. It veered off course, skidding to the side, claws tearing through the soil.

It recovered instantly.

Shit.

This thing was fast. Too fast.

It growled, lips pulling back into a snarl, revealing teeth made to rip flesh from bone.

I backed up slowly, my grip tightening on Velmora’s staff, my brain screaming at me to run, but I knew better. The moment I turned my back, I was dead.

The wolf lunged again, a black streak cutting through the air.

I barely dodged, rolling to the side, but my foot slipped on the damp earth.

A sharp burning pain exploded across my side as the wolf’s claws raked into me.

I hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from my lungs. My vision blurred. My ribs ached.

I coughed, trying to push myself up, but a massive paw slammed onto my chest, pinning me down.

I gasped, my ribs creaking under the sheer weight of the beast.

Its breath was hot, reeking of blood and raw meat as it loomed over me. Its red eyes gleamed with something predatory.

This wasn’t just an animal.

It enjoyed this.

I gritted my teeth. No. I wouldn’t die here.

I thrust my staff upward, jamming the tip against the wolf’s throat. The beast recoiled slightly, giving me just enough time to kick it off and roll away.

Pain shot through my body as I scrambled to my feet, my breathing ragged.

This wasn’t working. My magic was too slow. My body was too weak.

I needed to end this.

Now.

The wolf lunged again. Faster than before.

I barely raised my staff in time—impact.

The force rattled my bones, nearly knocking Velmora’s staff from my grip. The beast snarled, pushing against me with raw strength.

I dug my heels into the dirt and twisted my body, using the wolf’s own momentum against it.

It stumbled.

I didn’t hesitate.

I swung hard, slamming my staff into the wolf’s skull.

A sharp crack.

The beast yelped, staggering. Its red eyes flickered.

I didn’t give it a chance to recover.

I raised my staff again and struck.

And again.

And again.

Each blow landed with sickening force, splattering blood against the dirt.

The wolf let out a weak, gurgling sound before its legs gave out.

It collapsed.

Panting, I stepped back, my vision swimming. My arms felt like lead. My entire body throbbed.

But I had won.

I had won.

I swallowed hard, staring down at the motionless beast, its black fur matted with blood. My hands were still shaking.

Then—

I saw it.

A glowing purple orb hovering above the wolf’s corpse.

I swallowed hard, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

It was just like before. Just like the rabbits. Just like Grilda.

The familiar nausea coiled in my stomach. My fingers twitched at my side.

But I didn’t step back.

I knew—deep down—I needed this.

Like it or not, I wasn’t strong. I wasn’t a skilled warrior or a prodigy mage. I was just a six-year-old kid barely surviving in a world that wanted me dead.

If I wanted to keep surviving, I had to use everything at my disposal.

Even this.

I forced my legs to move. My body protested, aching from the battle, but I ignored it.

Reaching out, I let my fingers graze the purple light.

The moment I touched it, a pulse of cold energy surged up my arm. It wasn’t like before—no sudden explosion, no loss of control. This time, I expected it.

The wolf’s body twitched. Its dark fur rippled as a faint purple aura flickered around it.

Then—

It stood.

The beast that had nearly killed me was now standing before me, eyes glowing with the same eerie purple hue.

My heart pounded in my chest. My fingers clenched around Velmora’s staff.

It wasn’t attacking me. It was just… standing there.

I took a slow breath, forcing down the instinctive urge to run.

No. This is my power.

I licked my dry lips, the words forming hesitantly.

“...Sit.”

The wolf’s ears twitched. Then, it obeyed.

It sat.

I exhaled slowly.

A minute passed. Then another.

It wasn’t moving unless I told it to.

I wasn’t just reviving the dead—I was controlling them.

A necromancer.

A real one.

I turned my gaze upward, staring at the full moon hanging heavy in the sky.

Even a D-rank monster is stronger than me...

That makes me what? An E-rank?

I let out a bitter chuckle, shaking my head. It didn’t matter. Ranks didn’t mean shit if you were dead.

I stumbled backward, my body screaming in exhaustion. Collapsing onto the cool grass, I stared up at the silent, star-streaked sky.

My limbs felt like lead. My ribs ached. My eyelids drooped.

I forced myself to speak through the haze of exhaustion.

“Stay on guard,” I murmured to the wolf. “If anything tries to attack… kill it.”

The wolf didn’t react, but I felt it understood.

Good enough.

I shut my eyes.

I didn’t sleep well. How could I? The damn thing could rip my throat out at any second.

But for now, at least…

I was still breathing.

***

The sun rose slowly, casting golden streaks through the dense canopy of trees. The once eerie forest, filled with dangers lurking in the dark, now felt… calmer.

I sat on the cool grass, watching the fire crackle in front of me. Three flufftail rabbits roasted on skewers made from broken branches, their delicious scent filling the air.

The undead wolf sat beside me, its glowing purple eyes focused on the flames, still as a statue. The only sign of life—if you could call it that—was the occasional flick of its tail.

It was weird. Just yesterday, this thing had almost torn me apart. Now, it was hunting for me like a trained hound.

I let out a slow breath, rubbing my sore arms. I was exhausted.

The battle last night had taken more out of me than I thought. My entire body ached, my mana reserves felt drained, and my head was heavy with exhaustion.

A rustling from the trees snapped me out of my thoughts.

The wolf’s ears perked, its muscles tensing into an attack position.

I reached out, patting its side. “Relax.”

The moment the familiar green-haired figure emerged from the trees, the wolf eased up, lowering its stance.

“I see you survived,” Valtheria mused, stepping into the clearing. Her piercing red eyes briefly flicked to the wolf beside me. “And even made a new friend.”

“Yeah… He’s a handful.” I ran a hand through his thick fur, feeling the strange coolness of his undead body. “Though, you know… this little guy almost killed me.”

Valtheria hummed, sitting beside me. She reached for one of the roasted rabbits and tore off a piece of meat, chewing thoughtfully.

“I must be honest,” she admitted. “I didn’t think you’d survive.”

“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

She ignored my sarcasm, eyes narrowing slightly. “Have you managed to understand this power of yours better?”

I sighed, stretching my sore limbs. “Kinda. It seems like I have control over the undead creatures I create… But I also feel strangely tired.”

“Maybe it works like summoning magic,” Valtheria mused. “Summoners have their mana drained the longer they keep their summons active.”

I barely listened. I was too focused on devouring the remaining rabbit meat, tearing through it like I hadn’t eaten in days.

“But still…” she continued, watching me closely. “If that’s true, it’s odd that you lasted an entire night with that wolf active and are only now feeling the mana drain.”

I swallowed the last of my meal and licked my fingers, already eyeing the final piece of roasted rabbit.

“So you mean these undead creatures I make are like… summons?” I asked, my voice muffled between bites.

“It’s possible.” Valtheria crossed her arms. “Why don’t you try dismissing the wolf?”

I blinked. “I can do that?”

She shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt to try.”

I wiped my hands on my pants, then turned to the wolf, who sat patiently, waiting for my next command.

I hesitated.

It was weird, but… I’d grown used to having it there.

Still, I extended my hand.

“Your service was great,” I murmured. “You can rest now.”

The moment the words left my mouth, a ripple of energy passed through the air.

The wolf’s body shimmered, dissolving into thick black smoke before disappearing entirely.

I blinked at the empty spot where it had just been.

“…Huh.”

Even I was surprised it actually worked.

Valtheria hummed, watching me with unreadable eyes. “Castiel, you’re probably the most interesting person I’ve met in my wandering life.”

“Really?” I smirked, finally lying back onto the grass. “I’m flattered.”

She didn’t respond. Instead, she stared at the fire, the flickering orange glow reflecting in her eyes.

After a pause, she spoke.

“I’ll accompany you to the next city, Cradena.”

I turned my head toward her. “Cradena?”

She nodded. “Once we get there, we’ll part ways. You’ll be on your own.”

I frowned. “Wait, Cradena? But that’s a city of the Garthram Empire, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Valtheria confirmed. “But it’s no longer under the empire’s rule.”

She tossed the last bones of her rabbit aside and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

“Cradena is a lawless zone. A rotting city where criminals run wild, where murder and theft happen in broad daylight, and no one bats an eye. Even the empire doesn’t bother interfering.”

“…Sounds wonderful.” I deadpanned.

Valtheria gave me a sharp look. “It’s dangerous. If you want to survive there, you need to train.”

I tensed at her words.

Train.

I clenched my fists, remembering the black skull masks. The daggers. The blood.

I wasn’t ready.

Not yet.

But I would be.

I had to be.

“…Fine,” I muttered, my voice quieter than before.

Valtheria simply nodded. “Good.”

The fire crackled between us, filling the silence.

A new goal had been set.

Next stop—

Cradena.