Dinner ended in silence. After eating with his father, Moon retreated to his room and sat cross-legged on his sleeping mat. The soft glow of a luminescent crystal lamp glowed on moons face
In his hands, he held a worn family photo one of the few possessions they'd managed to keep during the Convergence. His mother's warm and gentle smile His father standing tall with a hit of pride on his face. And he himself grinning with childish abandon. And Jin, his older brother, arm draped protectively around Moon's small shoulders
"Where are you?" Moon whispered, tracing Jin's face with his fingertip. Four years had passed, yet the absence still felt like a fresh wound. There was no trace of him, no clue Jin just had simply vanished during the chaos of their arrival in the Dream World was it time to accept his death?
Moon's gaze shifted to his mother's face, and the memory crashed over him like a wave
---
"Run!" his father had shouted, dragging Moon by the arm as they fled through unfamiliar streets. Behind them, the screams of the transforming grew louder.
They'd found temporary shelter in an abandoned house, huddled together in darkness as the sounds of destruction echoed outside. Moon remembered clinging to his mother, her arms wrapped tightly around him as she whispered that everything would be alright.
Then he saw something the mark it was beginning to form on her chin. A black circle with five blade-like petals spiraling inward like a flower caught mid-bloom,
"Sung," his mother whispered, looking at her husband with wide eyes as terror was the only thing remain in them as she felt the mark forming. "Take Moon and go. Now."
"Seo..." his father had begun, reaching for her, his voice started to break with a sound of crying"No!"
"Please," she'd begged, pushing Moon toward him. "I can feel it something is changing in there I don't want him to see me like this."
Moon had cried out, trying to stay with her, but his father's grip was firm.
The last image he had of his mother was...
His father holding a blade in a dark room painted with blood. On his face, the same mark had appeared on him , but he wasn't transforming. His blade dripped with blood as his mother lay dead on the floor. Sung lifted his head, tears streaming down his face, hands trembling. A single, broken word fell from his mouth
"Moo...n!"
---
Moon carefully placed the photograph back in its lacquered box. Even now, four years later, his father never spoke of that day. The pain remained buried beneath his stern exterior, channeled into his single-minded dedication to establishing the Tensura Clan's position in this new world.
Lying back on his sleeping mat, Moon stared at the ceiling. Two days until his birthday. Just two days until he would know his fate.
"What will I become?" he whispered to the darkness.
Sleep claimed him in no time but his dreams were filled with twisted memories of his mother's voice calling his name..
----
Dawn broke over the Tensura compound, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson. Moon had been awake for hours, practicing forms in the small courtyard adjacent to his family's quarters. With his wooden practice blade cut through the morning air with precision, each movement flowing into the next. Yesterday's lessons from his father had taken root his left side remained protected even during the most complex sequences.
"Moon! There you are ! "
Suddenly a group of girls from the compound approached him. Their practice uniforms were crisp, their hair neatly arranged a stark contrast to Moon's sweat-dampened clothes and hair falling loose from its topknot
Most of the girls in the group were daughters of prominent Tensura Clan families
"Good morning," Moon said politely, lowering his practice blade.
Lina stepped forward, offering a small package wrapped in decorative paper. "We made rice cakes for you. Since... well, your birthday is coming up." Her cheeks flushed slightly.
"That's very kind of you " Moon replied, accepting the gift with a formal bow. "Thank you."
Nari giggled, nudging Seon. "We wanted to wish you luck, for whatever comes."
Moon knew what they meant. Luck that he wouldn't transform. Luck that something bad wouldn't happen to him. But the Luck that he wanted was to awaken a mark tied to an ability just like his father
"Will you sit with us at breakfast?" Seon asked, her voice was hopeful
Before Moon could answer, a cold voice cut through there conversation
"I wouldn't get too close to him if I were you."
It was Kwan, the son of Elder Min, stood at the edge of the courtyard. Tall for his age and already showing promise as a fighter, Kwan had made it his mission to remind everyone of the rumors surrounding Moon's family.
"What do you want, Kwan?" Moon asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"Just looking out for these girls," Kwan said with a smirk. "They should know what they're getting into, spending time with someone like you." He stepped closer, lowering his voice theatrically. "Everyone knows about your family's curse. Your mother transformed and had to be put down like an animal. Your brother vanished. Even your father bears the mark."
Moon's grip tightened on his practice sword, knuckles white. "My father ! " he couldn't deny it
"Just accept it. The elders think of him like us that's why he wears those high collars, isn't it? To hide the mark that's slowly spreading. It's only a matter of time before he transforms too. And then you'll be next."
The girls drew back, uncertain now, glancing between Moon and Kwan.
"That's enough, Kwan," came a sharp voice. It was instructor Yuna, the compound's head combat teacher, strode toward them. "Spreading gossip before breakfast? Perhaps you'd prefer to spend the morning running laps instead of eating?"
Kwan bowed stiffly. "My apologies, Instructor." He shot Moon a final glare before walking away, the girls following after a moment's hesitation, their earlier friendliness had replaced by wary glances
Moon sniffed to himself
As they left, Lina looked back at Moon, mouthing a silent apology. Moon nodded but kept his expression neutral. This was nothing new he'd grown accustomed to the shift in people's attitudes, the way their interest in his unusual looks quickly gave way to fear once they remembered the rumors.
Instructor Yuna watched them go, then turned to Moon. "Don't let it get to you. People fear what they don't understand."
"I know," Moon replied, resuming his practice stance. "Fear is rational in this world."
Yuna studied him for a moment. "Your form has improved. Did your father give you lessons yesterday? Mira mentioned it."
Moon nodded, executing a precise thrust. "Yes."
"He's hard on you because he has to be," moon said softly. "The world is harder for someone like me ."
And focused on his footwork. Yuna sighed and left him to his practice, knowing from experience that the boy preferred action to conversation when troubled.
Alone again, Moon's thoughts drifted to Kwan's words. "Those mindless kids don't even know anything about the mark, and they talk about it like they know everything," he whispered to himself. Once the mark awakened, it would lead to three outcomes. One possibility was that the holder could gain an ability from it, and once the mark had an outcome, it wouldn't change his father wouldn't turn into a dream creature it was that simple
Even so, the rumors of his family's curse felt too real. Everyone in his family had this mark what hope did Moon have? His birthday loomed like an executioner's axe, and suddenly the crisp morning air felt too thick to breathe.
"Focus," he muttered to himself, forcing his attention back to his practice. "One step at a time."
In the distance, the breakfast gong sounded. Moon sheathed his practice blade and headed toward the communal hall, knowing from experience that it was better to arrive after most had been served fewer stares that way, fewer whispers.
As he walked, he caught sight of his father across the compound, deep in conversation with two elders.
Their eyes met briefly, and Moon thought he saw something flicker across his father's stoic features concern, perhaps, or resignation.
Then Sung turned away, resuming his discussion with elder
"Moon's body is beginning to show the signs of Patal's "
"Already?" Elder Nam asked with a hint of concern in her voice
"I think so... but I'm still not sure if it will be a petal's or a wall "
"Let's just hope for the best," Elder Nam said, glancing at Moon
Moon continued toward the dining hall alone, with a weight of his approaching birthday pressing down on him with each step