MOONRISE

||| THE PATH OF ILLUSION: ARIADNE |||

[Sector Beta | The Opal Sun Kingdom]

[Somewhere in The Edge, The Octagram City]

Old, dilapidated houses lined along the muddy road; all of them looked as if they were about to collapse at any moment. The air was humid and musty; the stench of rotting wood made it unbearable for anyone to stand still outside their home for more than a few seconds. Several eyes anxiously peeked through the windows as if they were waiting for something.

With the crescent moon slowly ascending to the sky, the shadows also grew - a perfect environment for Aria to sneak around the outer district of the Octagram City undetected. She adjusted the tattered brown robe given by her head maid; her resourcefulness was impressive as always.

Aria walked past a few houses, occasionally hearing whispers of the residents cursing the soldiers and the royalty. Their scathing words made the princess bite down on her lip, but they were right – she should have done more for the people of the Edge.

After a five-minute walk, Aria eventually stopped in front of a mossy house with a single cracked window. She took a hurried look around before knocking on the wooden door.

No answer.

“Not this again.” Aria rolled her eyes. “Io, I know you’re in there. Open the door.”

“No, sorry. There’s definitely no one named Io in here,” a clear-bell girl’s voice responded.

“Io, if you don’t open this door in five seconds, then I’m going to kick it down.”

“Then, I’ll scream for help.”

The gall of this kid, Aria quietly complained. “You are akin to the 14th moon.”

As soon as she spoke the phrase, the door creaked open. Aria swiftly slipped through the crack before slamming it shut. The first thing she saw after pulling down her hood was a pale little girl with short, disheveled blonde hair sitting on a dusty brown couch, playing with a wooden red Kendama. Her clothes were stained with grime and soot – an unsurprising sight since she liked to hide in the attics and chimneys. In front of her was a small table with a few lit candles, and all of them were halfway done.

“Evening, Miss.”

“That was certainly not suspicious at all,” Aria replied.

“Had to be careful. A lot of strange people in the area recently.”

“Strange? How strange?”

“Ah, drats! So close,” Io muttered as she failed to steady the ball on the hammer.

“Io,” Aria asserted, both hands on her waist. “The strange people, please?”

The girl sighed. She set her toy on the couch before gesturing at the princess to follow her to the back. After passing through a few doors, they arrived in a large room; its walls were decorated with papers and photographs.

“You been busy, lil bunny,” said Aria, a tiny smile appeared on her face. “Despite I told you not to get involved.”

“I was bored,” Io retorted, shrugging her shoulders.

“No, you’re avoiding Phoebe. She’s been looking for you since this afternoon, and let me tell you, she is not happy.”

Io folded her arms, her lips pursed.

“That’s cute, but I’m serious, Io. You might not see it yet, but all those works she gave you; it’s for your own good.”

“But I can’t help anyone if I spend most of my time in the Palace.”

“That is not your responsibility – it’s mine, and Jason’s, and Theo’s…”

“Then, let me help you.” Io’s piercing stare made Aria shudder. “I can’t stand it when they said you were sitting in the Palace, fattening yourself up.”

“They’re not wrong, though. We do eat a lot-.”

“To recover the energy you used to protect us from the Distorted,” Io interjected. “It’s just not fair. After everything you’ve done, they just…”

Before Io could finish her sentence, Aria patted her on the head. “Silly child. I’m glad you trust us so much, but that is not your burden to carry. What you heard is the truth – we are failing – I am failing to be a good leader for our people. However, that doesn’t mean I’m giving up.” Aria walked past the girl, slowly approaching the paper-covered walls. They were notes detailing patrol routes of the Royal Guards and also, surprisingly, the Remnants of the Stars.

“Now, how did you guys get in here undetected?” Aria said. Her eyes then shifted to the photographs of a man wearing a black hat and a grey trench coat. Even with the disguise, Aria instantly recognized the scar on the man’s stubbled chin. “Euclides, you are far from home.”

“Who’s he?”

“A former soldier of the Sapphire Star kingdom. The last I heard, he’s busy training the Remnants of the Stars. When was this taken?”

“Yesterday, just before the Dusk Raid. He was snooping around the area like he was searching for something.”

“Or someone,” Aria added. Then, she suddenly felt a tingle on the back of her neck, prompting her to turn to Io. “You weren’t followed, were you?”

“I don’t…think so,” Io replied.

“Are you sure? Because my guts say otherwise,” Aria stormed past the girl, heading toward the window. The princess peeked through it, and as she expected, two lanky men in brown robes were standing in the alleyway; their sunken eyes were fixed on the house.

“Well now, that’s disturbing,” Aria remarked. “You were definitely followed, Io, and not by some grunts.”

“Ah, shoot.”

“Don’t sound too disappointed, lil bunny. Like I said, they are not some grunts,” Aria consoled the girl. “Unfortunately, that also means this place is compromised.”

“So, are we doing the Evacuation protocol?”

“We are. Gather everything and let me know when you’re done. I’m going to keep my eyes on those gentlemen outside.”

Io nodded her head and swiftly ran to the back room. Aria, on the other hand, shifted her attention back to the men who still remained in their position – barely moving an inch. She had never seen their faces before, let alone heard anything about someone like them coming into the city.

“All documents are collected and accounted for, Miss,” Io announced while carrying a small box in her arms.

“Good. I trust you can find your way back without being seen?”

“Sure, but what about you?”

“Don’t worry about me. I still have some unfinished business here,” Aria assured.

“You’re gonna kick their butts, aren’t you?” said Io, her eyes narrowed.

“No, I’m not going to kick anyone’s butt. I just want to have a little talk and hopefully clear any misunderstanding.”

“A little talk…sure,” Io responded. “Just don’t get carried away. Theo already has a lot on his plate.”

“Why do you need to say it like that?” Aria grumbled before pulling up her hood. After exiting the building, she glanced left and right, while keeping the two hiding men in the corner of her eyes. She began to move, continuing down the path she walked earlier. Ten steps later, the men barged into the house, followed by them shouting and screaming in frustration. “Attagirl.”

Now, she needed to find a wide, secluded place to confront those strangers, and the best place she could think of was one of the 18 Prism Courtyards. Aria started to stroke her hair, imagining how the Inner Circle would react if they found out she used that place as a battleground.

Would they be furious? Undoubtedly.

Would it be worth it? Absolutely.

So, she kept on walking while ignoring the curious gazes of the local populace. Some recognized her, but instead of saying anything, they retreated into their home as if they had seen a ghost.

It did not take long until she reached a fork in the road. To her left, she could already see the top part of the Prism Column glimmering under the pale moonlight. Plus, she caught a glimpse of two familiar figures comically peeking their heads out from an alleyway.

“Are they doing that on purpose?” Aria whispered. Either way, she took the path on the left, moving further and further away from the main road. The tangy air gradually diminished, replaced with the sweet scent of pine trees. Then, she saw it: a spacious area with marble tiling. Standing firmly in the middle was an 18-foot pole with two long glass prisms attached to it. During the day, they would spin simultaneously in different directions, actively collecting sunlight, converting it into electrical energy.

Aria turned around, just as her two stalkers entered the Prism Courtyard. “Good evening, gentlemen. Are you here to sightsee as well, or perhaps you are searching for something?”

Instead of answering the question, both men took out a silver-hilted dagger from their robes.

“Not much of a talker, huh? You guys must be really popular with the ladies – that was sarcasm, by the way.” Aria tilted her head, expecting some kind of reaction from the strangers. Now that she was out in the open, she realized their eyes were not eyes at all – they were black crystals embedded inside their sockets.

“You are not just a pair of thugs, are you?” Aria smirked. “Are you with Euclides? He is always fond of strange and unusual things.”

Instead of answering, the men advanced at a speed that was nearly inhuman. They turned into a blur, making it impossible to track their movement – for the common people, of course. Seeing the incoming threat, Aria calmly drew her sabre and swiftly deflected the men’s daggers.

“Hm?” The princess felt her arm shiver, like she had just struck a boulder. In fact, it felt as if she was facing another Faceless.

The man on the right suddenly opened his mouth, and something shot out of it – a black, jointed appendage akin to the legs of a giant water bug.

Startled and also disgusted by the sight, Aria quickly retreated to a safer distance. “Sneaky little bastard,” she said. “You’ve brought some friends over – the boring kind, it seems.”

The leg slipped back into the man’s throat. Seconds later, the men’s faces literally peeled off like a snake shedding its skin, revealing dark, round holes. From them, a mite-like head emerged before hastily clawing out of the bodies.

“A mite head, water bug legs, and a ground beetle body – Skinborers,” said Aria.

The insectoid Distorted tossed their disguises away, their gangly feet pattered loudly against the marble flooring. Though they were half the height of the Prism Column, Aria knew it was not their size that made them formidable.

From between the Skinborers’ chelicerae, a viscous liquid sprayed forth, painting the milky white flooring blood red. Aria’s nose twitched; the pungent, acidic stench stung her eyes so badly she could barely open them. She promptly put on her mask, and what she saw next briefly stopped her heart – red glistening globules emerging from the puddles, floating upwards like a cloud of spores. Despite their unassuming appearance, each sphere contained the Skinborers’ larvae; all it took was a single contact for them to be absorbed into the body.

“What bothersome opponents,” Aria grumbled. She looked up to the sky, towards the crescent moon. Its pallid ray always calmed her down every night, but at this moment, it stirred something in her. Perhaps it’s her mother’s blood, telling her to stop goofing around and focus on her duty. “We better not disappoint her then, Moongazer.” The princess held her sword in front of her, bathing it in the moonlight.

The sabre let out a buzzing sound; the curved edge flickered like a flame of a candle. Aria placed her right hand on the blade and clenched – the entire sword unfolded like a veil, revealing a snow-white bow with black string.

The Skinborers squealed; their agitation was visible in spite of their lack of facial features. They then spat out several red, sticky webs, attempting to capture the princess before she could use her weapon.

Aria, in turn, swiftly leaped into the air and landed lightly on top of the Prism Column. “Only 25. That should be enough - hopefully,” she murmured. As she jumped off the pillar, a rain of white arrows suddenly fell from the nightly sky, forming a barrier between her and the monsters. Aria wasted no time plucking one of the arrows of light and aimed it at the nearest Skinborer. She released the bowstring; the projectile flew through the air before embedding itself into the insectoid’s foreleg.

The Distorted barely reacted to the assault – instead, it retaliated by spitting out another web.

The princess pulled two arrows from the ground, firing one before quickly nocking the other. She steadied her breath, waiting for the first arrow to close in on the flying web, and then – release.

The two arrows collided – shattering into shards of light, shredding the web into pieces. “Hah!” Aria exclaimed proudly, but her celebration was cut short when the Skinborer she attacked earlier charged toward her. She took an arrow, aiming it at the one sticking out of its foreleg. A smirk appeared on the princess’s face before she unleashed the arrow – it flew smoothly between the red globules and eventually reached its destination, creating a blinding white flash.

As the bright light died down, most of the Skinborer had been disintegrated into dust, leaving only a small quarter of its beetle-like body. The floating larvae had also been destroyed in the blast; an unexpected but pleasant outcome.

“One down, one to…huh?” Aria frowned after realizing the last Skinborer was nowhere to be seen.

Then, she heard a scream in the residential area.

**********************************************

Stupid! You’re so stupid, she cursed quietly. How foolish of her to think one of the Skinborers would not try to slip away during the fight. Aria ran as fast as her legs could carry her, towards the screaming and the shouting.

Just as she reached the fork in the road, she saw a man in an orange-gold military coat fending off the Skinborer with his side-sword. Theo parried the giant insect’s forelegs and chelicerae repeatedly, barely breaking a sweat. Aria could not take her eyes off him – his fluid movement, the way his sword danced and…what on earth are you on about, Ariadne Helians! The princess immediately slapped herself in the cheeks; how could she even think of such silly things at a time like this.

Shifting her attention back, she saw Theo drove his sword between the Skinborer’s chelicerae. Before she could blink, a large, golden horn protruded out of the Distorted’s back. A short hiss – that was the last thing the Skinborer uttered before dropping on its belly.

“Evening, princess,” Theo calmly greeted. “You’ve made quite a spectacle earlier.”

“You…saw everything?” Aria stumbled over her words.

“You’re not the only one who can sneak around without being seen, Your Radiance. Besides,” Theo paused before yanking his sword out of the Skinborer’s corpse. “Prince Jason will have my head if anything happens to you.”

“Well, that… makes sense,” Aria replied.

“You should return to the Palace at once, princess, before the Inner Circle finds out you are out here socialising with the locals.”

“That should be the least of their concerns. I mean, Skinborers inside the city’s compound – how is that even possible? Are our scanners broken? Because if not, then we have a bigger problem.”

“I’m afraid the Sifters are working perfectly, Your Radiance; I’ve checked them myself.”

“So, there are interlopers in our midst, and we have no idea how they got in. That’s just great,” Aria grumbled.

“There’s more, Your Radiance. There are rumours of a stranger roving around the Edge, looking for, I quote, able-bodied soldiers who desire to purge the corruption of this kingdom.”

“Sad to say, the rumours are true, Theo. This stranger…is Euclides.” As soon as Aria mentioned the name, Theo’s face darkened.

“I see. That is…regrettable.”

“Sorry,” Aria apologized, “I should have worded that more carefully. I know he was like a brother to you.”

“Both of us have our people’s best interests at heart, but the end does not justify the means, and it never will. I thought he, of all people, would understand it by now.”

“Euclides was never the same ever since the…ever since that day. You can’t blame yourself for what he is now.”

“It’s not that easy, princess. It’s like you said – he was like a brother to me.” Theo swung his sword before sheathing it. “I will order the Royal Guards to check on the residents, but rest assured, all of them are unharmed…including Io.”

“Oh,” Aria awkwardly stroked her hair. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you knew about her. You’re not going to tell my brother, are you?”

“That depends on whether or not she committed a crime recently. Did she commit a crime recently?”

“Io? Phoebe would kill her if she even tried to steal a piece of bread in the kitchen. I can personally guarantee you that she’s not in any way involved in criminal activities.” As soon as she finished, she heard a commotion from behind the Skinborer. “Guess that’s my cue.”

“Please make sure to stay out of trouble, Your Radiance. Just for tonight, at least.”

“Since you asked nicely and all – sure, I promise to stay out of trouble. Cross my heart.”

||| THE END OF THE PATH OF ILLUSION |||