Prologue: The Azure Moon

"I-I can't...move..."

He could not move an inch as his body could not listen to his brain anymore.

His eyes were closed from the unbearable pain.

His body was sore with a pervasive, searing, and unbelievable pain. Although, there was not any blood or even prominent bruises aside from a red spot on his left cheek.

"Every part of my body hurts!"

Aside from that unbearable pain, he felt a hard texture behind his head and back as if he was resting in front of a rock or a boulder.

Or rather slammed against it, as he also felt a stinging ache at the back of his head.

"What just happened...?!"

Furthermore, he felt something heavy resting on his chest.

He forced his eyes open. His vision was blurry for a second until it gradually restored its clarity.

The first thing he saw was a boy of the same age as him who was half-conscious as he was seemingly trembling and suffering from pain in turn.

However, this boy's body was full of bruises, and blood tickled from the

corner of his mouth.

"N-neru...!!!"

He yelled as panic twisted in his eyes, calling out the boy's name in a terrified manner as if he was worried about his life more than his own; however, he received no response from him.

"Neru! Neru! Get up! Urgh…my head!"

Besides the pain in his head, he felt dizzy and foggy; his brain was blurred.

As his survival instincts kicked in, he forced his head up to scan his surroundings.

He then witnessed two contrasting sceneries.

It was so tranquil, so peaceful, so saddening.

The glowing azure moon was radiating such a cold and unique charm as it sended its slim and faint blue arms of gentle light across the dark sky.

But he could not have the chance to enjoy such glamor, firstly because of his pervasive pain, and secondly because of the malicious scene beneath the azure moon.

Beneath the charming tranquility of the azure moon and up in the distance stood such malevolent eyes. They belonged to a man with pale skin and black eyes.

The man's composure was rather arrogant and unsettling as he swung with a blade, that seemed like a curved dagger, in the air in such a pleased manner as if he had just found a treasure.

"Now... now... now..." the man hummed, stepping forward leisurely. "I don't quite have much time, so I think I will begin by cutting off your limbs.”

The man said in such a smooth tone, coming out with a confident, self-assured smile.

The boy's terrified eyes widened in fear as he remembered that this man was the cause of his and the other boy's pain.

"That's bad! Really really bad! I have to move."

He forced every fiber of his body to move, as adrenaline surged in every part of his body.

"Move. Move. Move. Move. Move."

However, it was all in vain.

His body had completely given up, as had the other boy's body, leaving them in a critical and defenseless state.

"It is no use! I can't move...!”

His face tensed. Running was the only option and even that was impossible. Before he could even realize it, the man vanished.

A gust of wind followed as the attacker appeared above them, blade raised high, looking him down with eyes gleaming with bloodlust.

"That might hurt a little.”

The glimmer of the shining blade was the last thing he saw before closing his eyes, accepting his demise.

CLANG!

[To be continued]