Capítulo 32: Who Is Luna?

"Vael... Vael, wake up!" a woman's urgent voice pierced through the haze of sleep, her hands shaking him vigorously. "They're coming! We have to go now!"

Startled, Vael's eyes snapped open. He heard loud knocks at the door, followed by a menacing voice. "I know you're both in there. Just hand over the girl, and I promise your death won't be slow," the voice taunted, followed by sinister laughter.

Vael looked around, disoriented. He was in an unfamiliar room, but the woman's face sparked an instant recognition. "Luna?" he uttered, surprised by her slightly altered appearance.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Vael? We need to hurry, or they'll—" Luna's warning was cut short as the door suddenly burst open, and three large men barged in.

"I knew they'd be here! Now pay up," the leader jeered to his companions. His gaze fixed on Luna, he added, "And that means I get first dibs."

As Luna screamed in protest, the man continued to advance towards her, his intentions clear. But before he could touch her, Vael reacted with lightning speed. Drawing his sword, he swung it with precision, severing the man's fingers in a swift motion.

"Lay a finger on her, and you'll lose more than just fingers," Vael warned coldly.

The man howled in agony, collapsing to the ground and clutching his bleeding hand. Enraged, he yelled at his accomplices, "Don't just stand there, kill him!"

The two assailants charged at Vael with reckless abandon. The first, wielding a hefty axe, swung aggressively. Vael deftly ducked, causing the attacker to lose balance. Seizing the moment, Vael delivered an upward slash of his sword, severing the man's arms in a brutal arc.

The second man, witnessing the fate of his companion, unsheathed his sword and launched a series of strikes at Vael. However, Vael moved with a preternatural grace, evading each blow as if anticipating the man's every move. As the attacker's energy waned, Vael swiftly kicked his knee, causing him to buckle forward. Without hesitation, Vael thrust his sword into the man's chest, then quickly withdrew it, letting the body collapse lifelessly to the ground.

After flicking the blood off his sword, Vael declared resolutely, "I won't allow anyone to touch my Luna ever again."

His attention then shifted to the group's leader, who leaned casually against the wall, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. "You've got some skill, kid," the man acknowledged. "But I won't let you walk away from this." Reaching into a bag, he pulled out what appeared to be a small bomb.

As the man ignited the bomb with his cigarette, he yelled, "See you in hell!" In an instant, Vael turned to shield Luna, screaming her name.

Suddenly, Vael jolted awake, his room filled with the sound of his own shout, "Luna!" Lyria and Elrik rushed in, concern etched on their faces.

"Vael, are you okay?" Lyria asked anxiously.

Elrik, peering curiously at Vael, followed up, "And who's Luna?"

Vael, still reeling from the vividness of the dream, glanced around his room and hesitantly touched his own body, then reached out to confirm the reality of Lyria and Elrik. "Was that just a dream? It felt so real," he muttered, more to himself than to them.

Lyria and Elrik exchanged puzzled looks at Vael's behavior. Sensing their confusion, Vael tried to brush off the incident. "Sorry, just a bad dream," he said with an awkward smile while scratching the back of his head.

"But enough about that. I see you both passed the trial," Vael quickly changed the subject.

"Yeah," they both replied. Lyria added, "The trial was tough. I almost got lost, but this black creature appeared and guided me through it."

Elrik nodded in agreement. "Same here. That creature was a real lifesaver."

"A black creature?" Vael queried, intrigued. He had experienced nothing similar during his own trial.

"No, I didn't encounter anything like that," Vael responded to Lyria's question. "But let's focus on the good news – you're both Seedlings now. So, what's next?" Elrik asked.

"Do you remember the virtual message that popped up when you signed the contract? Can you still access it?" Vael inquired.

Lyria and Elrik both confirmed they could. Vael explained, "You should be able to see your stats and how much essence you need to reach the Harmonizer level."

After checking their status windows, both Lyria and Elrik looked disheartened. "Reaching 1000 essence will take forever. It took us a year just to gather this much," they lamented.

Vael chuckled, trying to lift their spirits. "It's okay. All good things take time. Just keep at it."

As Vael headed towards the door, he announced, "I'll be back soon. Just going to the store for a few things." Moxy, perching on his shoulder, declared, "I'm coming with you."

Walking through the city, Vael noticed a palpable change. The atmosphere was livelier, a stark contrast to the oppressive mood under the Sable Serpents' rule. As they moved through the bustling streets, a distinctive woman with long green hair and pale skin caught Vael's eye. Her attire, adorned with various types of plants, was striking.

Approaching Vael with a purposeful stride, the woman introduced herself. "Hello, Vael. My name is Ivy. I have something for you," she said.

Recognition dawned on Vael. Ivy was one of the Grand Elders from the meeting he had attended, though she hadn't spoken then. Her sudden appearance piqued his curiosity. "Hello, Grand Elder," he greeted her respectfully.

"Just call me Ivy," she insisted with a gentle smile. "Do you have time to talk?"

"Sure," Vael replied, intrigued by what Ivy might have to discuss or offer.

"Have you ever heard of the Athenaeum of Shadows library?" Ivy inquired, her tone suggesting the importance of her question.

Vael searched his memory but found no reference to such a place. "No, I haven't heard of it. Why do you ask?" he responded, his curiosity piqued.

Ivy explained, "Since you possess the Prisma element but lack a teacher, we believe the Athenaeum of Shadows library would be an invaluable resource for you. It contains extensive knowledge about many subjects, including the Prisma element."

Vael absorbed her words, then asked, "Has anyone else visited this library?"

"Unfortunately, no," Ivy replied with a hint of regret. "We lack the power to access it. The journey is perilous, but the potential rewards are substantial."

Vael, somewhat skeptical, remarked, "It sounds like the Elders want me to be the guinea pig to explore it."

Ivy inwardly noted Vael's perceptiveness. "No, Vael, you misunderstand. We genuinely believe it will be beneficial for you," she assured him.

Vael paused, considering her proposal. "I'll think about it and give you my answer tomorrow," he finally said.

"Alright," Ivy replied, handing him a slip of paper with her number. "Call me when you've decided." With that, she left, leaving Vael and Moxy to continue their journey to the store.

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