Grandpa stared at him. A look of disbelief… and fear.
"Lucas… your eyes… they've turned red."
Grandpa stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief. He turned to Lucas and said slowly, almost whispering, "Either I've grown far too old and my eyes deceive me... or your eyes... have truly turned red."
Lucas blinked, confused.
"My eyes? But Grandpa... my eyes have always been black. Since I was a child. How could they suddenly turn red?"
Grandpa stared at the glowing screen at the base where Lucas had just finished his intense concentration.
For a moment, he questioned his own senses. Was it just a trick of the light? Or the illusions of an aging mind?
Time passed. Lucas's focus finally broke, and Grandpa cleared his throat.
"That's enough for today, Lucas. Come, let's go home."
The two walked in silence through the dim path. The air felt unusually still, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
As they reached the door, they found Luna already waiting for them, a bright smile lighting up her face.
"Welcome home, both of you!" she chimed. "Dinner's ready—I've cooked something special!"
Lucas washed up and joined Grandpa at the table, his face lighting up with delight. "Curry? Luna, did you really make curry for me today?"
Luna chuckled warmly.
"Yes, I did. You can eat as much as you like... but don't eat so much that your stomach starts hurting!"
Grandpa watched them with a soft smile, but his mind wasn't at peace. His thoughts returned again to that strange, powerful moment.
"Lucas's eyes—were they really red? "
He couldn't be sure. But what he did know was this: When Lucas was meditating, something changed in there. The energy shifted.
It wasn't just a feeling—
"it was something deeper. A surge, a wave of something ancient, something magical. But not the usual kind of magic. This energy... it was the opposite of the "wind of life." It was something darker, more mysterious—something that whispered of a hidden power."
Grandpa shivered slightly and shook the thought away. Not now. Not tonight.
He looked at Lucas and Luna, smiling and eating, and forced himself to focus on the warm food before him.
But deep down, he knew—something was awakening inside Lucas.
The night was cloaked in darkness, but the sky blazed with stars, each one glittering like a silent memory.
Amidst this quiet brilliance, Luna sat still—her eyes fixed not on the heavens, but on the sleeping face of Lucas.
He had collapsed into sleep, completely drained from his relentless training. But Luna… she couldn't sleep. Not tonight. Her heart was restless, her thoughts loud. So she stepped outside, into the night's embrace.
The sky was breathtaking—stars scattered like diamonds, and the moon… it wasn't just glowing, it was radiating, casting silver light over everything it touched. Luna let herself sit quietly on a rock, letting the moonlight bathe her face.
Something about this night felt different. Strange. Almost sacred.
And then, the memories came flooding back.
She whispered into the silence,
"Mom… Dad… I miss you so much." Her voice cracked, trembling with emotion. "You're not here anymore…"
She lifted her gaze to the stars, and for a moment—it felt like she could see them. Among those glittering lights… were the ones she had lost.
"Since the village was destroyed," she continued softly, "since you both… left us… everything has changed. I have changed. I don't even recognize myself anymore. I don't know if it's sadness or something else, but this world—it feels hollow. Empty."
Her fists clenched as her voice turned to a whisper.
"But everyone is trying… they're working so hard to bring back the happiness that was stolen from us… in a single, cruel day."
"I just hope—wherever you are—you're happy. That your souls are free of pain."
A sudden, bitter laugh escaped her lips. "What am I doing? Crying over the past like a fool?" She wiped away a tear. "It's been a month… a whole month. These should be just memories now…"
But no matter how much time had passed her heart feels empty, then she saw a small rabbit darting near the bushes, something tugged at her heart.
It was so delicate, so pure. She couldn't help but follow it.
The rabbit leapt into the forest. Luna hesitated. She didn't want to go in. The forest was dark, ominous. But then—
A piercing scream.
The rabbit's terrified cry split the air.
Luna's heart pounded. She rushed forward—and what she saw stopped her breath.
There, standing in the shadows, was a monstrous creature. Its face resembled a wolf—but it was no ordinary beast. Its massive body radiated power, danger, and something… otherworldly.
This was not a wolf. This was something else.
A magical beast.
Luna froze in terror the moment her eyes met the monstrous gaze of the magical beast.
Her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground. Even the rabbit, startled by the presence of the beast, disappeared into the thicket.
But the creature's focus was no longer on the rabbit—it had locked its eyes on Luna.
The magical beast let out a deep, guttural growl as it slowly opened its massive jaws, revealing rows of razor-sharp, menacing teeth.
Its overwhelming presence radiated pure doom. Luna let out a terrified scream—but before she could move, the beast lunged at her.
Then, in a heartbeat, someone yanked her out of harm's way.
It was Lucas.
The magical beast missed by mere inches. Furious, it rose again, more ferocious than ever, and began charging at them both. But Lucas was no longer the same.
His face twisted with rage, especially when he saw Luna's tear-streaked face. Something inside him snapped.
"You made Luna cry…" Lucas growled, his voice trembling with fury. "I will never forgive that. NEVER."
Suddenly, a strange energy surged through him—red, blazing, untamed.
Luna gasped as she watched Lucas's eyes turn
"blood red."
The ground beneath them trembled slightly.
With a roar, Lucas struck the magical beast. His blow was so powerful it severed one of its legs, and the creature screamed in pain. But just as suddenly, the energy vanished. Lucas stumbled. His power… was gone.
The beast, now enraged beyond reason, let out a deafening roar. This time, it charged with all its might, ready to annihilate them.
And then—
A thunderous voice echoed through the air:
"MAGICAL BARRIER!"
A glowing shield erupted around the three of them. Grandpa had arrived—majestic, fierce, and filled with protective rage. Flames crackled in his hand as he conjured a massive fireball.
"You dare lay a hand on my grandchildren?" he thundered.
He hurled the fireball straight at the beast. It hit with explosive force.
The magical beast didn't just fall—it disintegrated into ash. Not a trace of its dark presence remained. Silence fell over the forest.
Luna and Lucas stared in disbelief. Grandpa—calm now—rushed to their side, kneeling beside them with worry in his eyes.
"My children… are you hurt? Tell me you're safe…"
But then he looked at Lucas.
His eyes… still glowing red. And this time, the power within him… was stronger.
Stronger—and far from ordinary.