With the coming of dawn, the ebbing night receded with the rise of the golden star as a bathing light washed over the forest peering through trees at a small child with long obsidian hair sprawled over his face.
And as if disturbed by the sudden disturbance, awareness coiled through his senses. He opened his eyes to a sight he'd never forget.
Inches away stood a young girl so beautiful Altair found words could not even begin to describe her. Her hair was a pale blue that was so light it appeared silver at times and other times azure. In contrast, her eyes were a deep silver, filled with pure innocent that made the young Prince feel as though it were a sin to stare. And yet he did almost as if to tarnish them.
Enthralled by her majestic features that seemed to dim the world around him, his gaze landed on the two wolf-like ears on top of her head. And a thought came to his mind: Demi-human.
Humans that acquired the blood of monsters and would mutate due to the complexity of genetics.
"Hello," Altair said, and the small girl blinked at him. A curious gleam twinkling through her silvery eyes.
She leaned closer, and Altair could feel her body's heat press against his cheeks. And against all reason, he heard her sniff.
"Eh?!"
Sniff-Sniff. Sniff-Sniff.
Like a lost puppy getting to know someone new, the strange girl whirled around Altair, casually sniffing him. Nodding as if she'd made a great discovery. She smiled.
Startled, if not embarrassed, by the suddenness of her action, Altair grew curious if he smelled funny. He glanced down, noticing his clean robes, and his cheeks turned even redder.
"Did… Did… did you change me?" He asked, unable to resist the shame.
"Ah, you're awake. Mother said you like pancakes. Want some?" The cool voice of Luna echoed through the boy's embarrassment as she stepped away from the campfire towards the young children. She glanced at the strange girl. "Reina, did you say hi?"
And Reina tilted her head and glanced at Altair. " Hi… I'm Reina of the Moon." She said and cuffed her palm together.
Altair had never seen such a greeting but instinctually did the same, somehow knowing it was customary, and said: "I am Altair."
"Do forgive Reina…." Luna began. "As you can see, she isn't human. And her beast side tends to control her instincts. So she usually acts on them."
The Prince recalled the earlier strange action of Reina and nodded, somehow understanding what she meant. And thought: 'Her actions resemble a dog or cat. They tend to sniff foreign things to get an understanding of them. Then again, don't humans smell foods they have never seen before? Am I food?'
He shot a measured stare toward the pale hair beauty and felt his cheeks heat the more he thought of how she sniffed him. He glanced down at his milky skin and sniffed it.
"... Do I smell?"
Reina shook her head. "No… Onii-Chan smells good." she brightly replied. Taking a step closer, she stared with doe-like eyes. And licked his cheek.
"Reina! You can't just lick stranger!" Luna scolded sternly, flicking her head.
"But why?" Reina asked, puffing out her chubby cheeks. She pointed the finger at Luna. "Mama and Papa, let me. Papa said it's how we wolves greet each other."
"That idiot Leto. Bet he just wanted extra kisses from his daughter." Luna moaned to herself. And placed both arms on her waist. "Well, you're in the human world now. You can't lick strangers like that. And you're a Nephilim, not some wolf. You are also now my Third Disciple. So licking strangers, especially my little brother, is rather rude."
Reina shook her head and pointed towards the absent-minded Altair. " But he tastes good!"
Blood trickled down Altair's nose as he returned to himself.
'What is going on? Who is this feral child' he thought, rubbing at the cheek Reina had licked. 'She's crazy!'
He shifted somewhat, displaying trepidation towards the strange woman, barely managing to hold his tongue.
'Anger would solve nothing.' he quickly told himself, getting a grip on his emotions like he'd been trained to.
"So this is your disciple?" Altair asked, directing the question toward Luna.
"Yes, I took her in last night. Her family is in a rather tough spot. It was the least I could do for Leto. Being hunted with a child is rather stressful and is no way to raise a baby girl." She told him, beckoning Riena forward, and placed her hand on her head. "
'She speaks as though it's a simple matter.' The Prince thought. "Does she have so much faith in him?"
"Master," Reina asked, fiddling with her fingers pensively. " Will Father be alright? After Mother fainted… there was so much blood, and—"
"And what would you do if I said your mother and father were in dire need of help?" Luna said coldly, bearing down with such cold eyes. Riena felt her blood still. Her face paled of color as her throat grew dry as a desert.
She trembled. "I—"
"Your Mother suffered quite greatly, and her health quickly deteriorated when she gave birth to you," Luna added, "As for your Father, he risked it all for your sake. And is taking an even bigger gamble by heading into the Nine Hells. And you ask if it'll be alright?"
Heat pressed against Reina's small chest, crushing what little hope she held as she recalled the pool of blood surrounding her mother. The paleness of her cheeks, the coldness of her body, and the look of horror she'd seen in her Father Leto as she howled.
Fear coiled up her little legs, latching over her heart as her breathing went short. Pain, unlike anything she'd felt before, seemed to sink into the small heart as she found the world around her spinning.
"But there fine?" Altair said, noting how Luna evaded the question. He stepped forward and placed his hands over Riena's shoulders, and despite being a head taller. The moment Reina glanced at him, she'd felt him towering over her.
"That is correct. But if the Nine Hells don't help, I will be forced to involve myself, and you'd lose an instructor for the next hundred or so years." Luna explained, taking a seat near the fire. She beckoned them over. " Well, it all should be fine. I only wanted my little disciple to understand the meaning of feeling helpless. More so than what she has already experienced. Eat. I've got a lot to teach both of you."
'What a cruel lesson.'Altair muttered to himself, glancing at Reina, and took a seat with her by his side.
Luna plated the two of them pancakes and began: "Currently, we are in the middle of the forest just southeast of the temple of serpents. It will take ten months to reach the temple. In that time, you two will hunt for your food. This meal here is a freebie. And you'll have an hour each day to do so. The work day begins at 3 am. Keep that in mind. After your hunt, you'll have one hour to cook, eat and play. At 5 am, you'll spar for about an hour. At six, you'll train in mana sensing and/or circulation. At seven, sword training. At eight, rune/ alchemy training. At nine, I shall discuss the Arcane Arts. And from ten to eleven you'll have free time to do whatever you want. And at twelve lunch."
"Big sis… that seems rather intense."
"Indeed. After lunch, we'll begin exploration until seven pm. During which I will instruct you on tactics of espionage, killing, assassinations, kingdom building, and politics," Luna added, fiddling with the fire. She smiled evilly. " Once night falls, you can do whatever you want. However, that's only on the premises that it's productive. Bedtime is 11. So you'll have about four hours of sleep."
A tremor ran through Altair as he heard his schedule, but before he could refute his schedule, Luna licked her plump lips, that carried a devious smile. "Failure to meet my expectation will result in… Let's see… An increase in intensity."