Selenophile 1

Azera Cordelia Ross tried to remember the reasons that had successfully compelled her to return to the village of Avaluna, her birthplace and the place where she had spent her childhood with memories that were anything but pleasant. As far as she remembered, she had decided to accept the offer of her college friends who had invited her for a vacation to La Bay Beach. But here she was, in a dilapidated house with blood dripping from her forehead.

Era shouldn't have come back. That irrational decision proved to be yet another reason why not everyone has a hometown worth longing for. She should have erased the name Avaluna from her life and continued to live as an orphan.

In Era's eyes, she stopped having a family about ten years ago, when her mother, Sylvie Blair, took her last breath. Sylvie died and a life of misfortune began.

Era's childhood was a sad time, but without Sylvie, her life became a living hell. She no longer had a protector, defender or comforter.

The days became an endless apocalypse. Not a moment passed without the constant threat of fear. Tears had long since dried up, replaced by blood, often flowing from various wounds.

The hope and fragments of beautiful dreams that Sylvie had whispered for so long slowly faded away. Era's eyes were wide open; reality had slapped her. Not everyone is blessed with a happy life; some have to endure times of suffering.

"I love you, Era."

Unfortunately, Era couldn't leave the world just like that. Sylvie's love echoed in her mind every time she cried. She remembered the days when Sylvie had caressed and defended her with love, then she realized that what Sylvie wanted was her happiness.

Sylvie had tried to protect Era by risking her life. Era shouldn't waste all of Sylvie's sacrifices and give up so easily.

You're strong, Era. You're a strong woman. Hang in there.

Then another voice, from an unknown source, appeared. Era didn't know exactly when, but the voice always appeared at the right time, usually when things weren't going well. Like about thirty minutes ago.

Era arrived in the village of Avaluna as the sun began to set. The clock still showed four in the afternoon, and the villagers were wrapping up their activities. Some had finished gathering wood in the forest, others had just returned from the gardens, and many were leaving the office buildings. The atmosphere buzzed with activity for a moment before returning to silence before nightfall.

Everyone had returned to their homes. The streets were empty again. Era didn't meet many people along the way, except for those who were forced to continue working - some had to stay at the restaurant, the pharmacy, or the police station.

As a small village on the slopes of Monte Astralis, Avaluna didn't offer much comfort to its inhabitants. The reason for this was the unfriendly climate. It seemed as if there were only two seasons, fall and cold.

The sun rarely shone. Mostly it was the fog that formed the canopy of the sky. Daylight was shorter than night, and rain could fall unexpectedly at any time.

It's no wonder that many of Avaluna's inhabitants began to leave. Most of them were looking for a better life in the city. It wasn't just about jobs, as the government paid special attention to those who stayed, but also about the quality of life, which they felt they couldn't get in the village of Avaluna.

Era became one of them. She left Avaluna at the age of eighteen. She was considered an adult because she had graduated from high school. So when people questioned her journey—at least the bus driver and the traffic police—she simply answered that she was going to continue her studies in the city.

After that, real life greeted Era. She could breathe freely, and with the bright sun shining, everything seemed easier. Without the shouts and angry slaps, she realized that this must be the life Sylvie had always wanted.

Ah, yes. Mama.

Finally, Era remembered why she had refused the invitation to La Bay Beach. It must have been because she missed Sylvie, and only a visit to her grave could ease that longing.

Unfortunately, as she left the grave, Era ran into someone she despised the most.

Amias Ross stood right in front of Era. His appearance was disheveled, with an unbuttoned shirt and a shabby jacket that seemed to have not been washed in who knew how long. His face was messy, his breath heavy, and he stared at Era with a sneer.

"At last, we meet again, you disobedient child."

Era froze. The night wind blew, and she felt the increasing cold make her shiver. Her teeth began to chatter and she shivered.

"Papa."

Amias staggered forward under the influence of alcohol. He approached Era with a fleeting memory that had crossed his mind; earlier he couldn't believe the information about Era's return.

"I saw you visiting Sylvie's grave. You must miss her."

This time, Era couldn't say anything. It was probably because the cold had really penetrated her whole body, and her tongue was also frozen and couldn't move at all.

"Same here. I miss Sylvie and you, Era."

After that, Era couldn't remember exactly what happened. Everything happened so fast that she couldn't even scream for help when Amias slapped her.

Era's vision blurred. Her body swayed. Her consciousness was on the edge, and before she knew it, she was already home.

Era lay helpless on the ground. Trying to regain her focus, she saw Amias rifling through her backpack. He emptied everything inside and found what he was looking for - a wallet.

Era's moans got Amias' attention. He turned around as he opened Era's wallet, then frowned.

"Is this all you have?"

Era didn't answer. She didn't care about the money Amias had taken, but she realized something. Apparently, she was still powerless under Amias' intimidation, completely unchanged. Fear and terror always managed to make her tremble.

Amias snorted. "You're just a useless child."

Amias slapped the purse in Era's face. The owner remained silent, holding her breath. She was familiar with Amias' nature, but for some reason it felt different this time.

Stand up, Era. Don't let him keep you down.

Her lungs began to work again. Air came in and circulated the blood to her head. Era tried to ignore the voice.

But fate knew exactly how to drive Era into a corner. It showed her that the arrogant figure standing before her was not quite human.

"Hello, Bart. It seems I can't prepare cash tonight, but does the boss accept payment in the form of a girl?"

Era's face hardened. Her eyes stared blankly, completely unnoticed by Amias. The cold was gone, and now it seemed to be replaced by an unfamiliar heat, something she had never felt in her life in the village of Avaluna.

"I don't know if she's a virgin or not. I only know that she studies hard and rarely gets close to men. So, consider her as one, and even if she's not a virgin, it's no big loss, right? At least you'll have something new tonight. How about it?"

Era rose. She pushed the pain aside and moved her hand. She grabbed the old radio on the table and hit Amias over the head with it.

"Don't worry. She's my own daughter, Era. Don't you know her? So come to my house now. She's wai-argh!"

Amias' words were replaced by cries of pain. The phone slipped from his grasp. He turned around in pain and saw Era standing, breathing heavily. The old radio in Era's hand was the answer to the curiosity that briefly crossed his mind.

"Era, you..."

The old radio flew again. This time, Era hit it with all her might. Not surprisingly, Amias fell immediately and lost consciousness.

"Amias! Hello? Amias!"

Era turned to the phone next to Amias. Sounds calling for Amias echoed repeatedly, but she remained unmoved. The only thing she did was to raise her foot and crush the phone with her shoe.

*

According to the schedule, Era could count on the last bus leaving in about an hour. If there was no sudden heavy rain, she could be sure to leave the village of Avaluna after her arrival, which took less than two hours.

Era sighed deeply. She saw the smoke wriggling out of her nose, then inhaled the air as deeply as she could. She remembered her actions against Amias, but she felt no remorse. Instead, she felt a sense of pride.

Well done, Era. You did the right thing.

Again, a strange voice echoed in her head. Era frowned and wondered if it was her own voice or something else.

The voice seemed to be someone else in her body, but it sounded absurd. Era believed it was the voice of her subconscious rebelling after a life of torture.

You don't have to be afraid. You know you are always strong. You've endured all this time, and you're okay.

Despite all the strangeness she felt, Era realized that she liked those positive words. She felt empowered, and suddenly courage coursed through her veins. Her energy felt alive, and the strangeness continued as she spoke in her heart.

Thank you.

Then the voice answered. No need to thank me. I'm glad I could help you. We will always be together and live this life happily.

Now, Era didn't care if she was going crazy or had an overactive imagination. In fact, it was the only thing that could calm her down.

Era looked at her watch. It was almost six o'clock, and the bus she was waiting for would arrive soon. She became impatient, but a moment later something surprised her.

"That's Era!"

A loud alarm sounded in her head. Era turned around and saw a group of people running towards her, so she fled immediately.

"Go after her!"

Era ran as fast as she could, crossing muddy streets and puddles that never dried. Ignoring the splashes of water that stained her pants, she asked herself.

What am I going to do?

Panic set in; fighting Amias and a gang of thugs was another matter. No matter how much courage she had, it was impossible for her to defeat them all. She didn't want to seek death.

Run to the Lunaria Forest. You know there's no one in this village to help you. Everyone is afraid of Mosha Bennett. It's the only place that can save you.

The name Mosha Bennett made Era take a deep breath. She remembered that Amias had contacted Bart, who was Mosha Bennett's right-hand man. The conclusion was clear - Amias must have owed Mosha and couldn't pay him back. As a result, Era, who returned at the wrong time, became the victim. Amias offered her as payment for the debt.

Era shivered in the cold rush of the night air. She wouldn't let that happen, and hopefully she could reach the Lunaria Forest before they caught up with her. Alright.

The usual silence that surrounded the night in the village of Avaluna was now disturbed. The sounds of running, accompanied by curses and shouts, created a commotion everywhere. The curtains of the windows along the street were pulled back. A few pairs of eyes seemed to peek out, but just as the voice had said, no one came out to help Era.

I can definitely save myself.

Armed with strong determination, Era forced her legs to keep running. Behind her, the thugs continued to chase after her. Meanwhile, in front of her, a dark landscape offered a glimmer of hope.

The Lunaria Forest seemed to be waving at Era. Through the rustle of the leaves and the whisper of the wind, it was as if the forest was welcoming Era's arrival.

Just a little more. Just a little bit more.

Fatigue began to set in. Her determination was slowly being eroded by numbness. Her knees slowly lost their strength. But that didn't mean Era would give up. She kept running, using the darkness of the Lunaria Forest to hide. After all, no one had ever dared to go there.

The howling of wolves stopped Era in her tracks. She raised her head and stared at the darkness towering high above her.

That's why the Lunaria Forest had become a forbidden area for the inhabitants of the village of Avaluna and its surroundings. Myths and legends of werewolves remained, creating their own fear. Some didn't believe in it, but they wouldn't dare go in if they were told to.

Era, what are you going to do?

The voice asked and Era swallowed. Two fears attacked her from opposite directions. She couldn't avoid both; one had to be faced.

So, Era looked at the Lunaria Forest without blinking. She inhaled the air, letting her blood boil to feed her courage.

I will enter the Lunaria Forest.

*