The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the quiet forest, it wouldn't be long before the lunar eclipse from the moon of chaos began.
Sil laughed, her voice light and carefree as they ran through the grove, but something was wrong. Jaylen couldn't quite place it—her laugh echoed too loudly, and the sky, once a soft pink, darkened to an unnatural black.
"Sil!" He tried to call out to warn her of something he didn't fully understand, but his voice was gone.
He tried to move closer, but his legs wouldn't budge—heavy like they were rooted to the ground.
Slowly, mist began to funnel in, thick and cold, creeping across the forest floor like grasping fingers. The once familiar trees now twisted unnaturally, their gnarled branches reaching out as though alive, curling and swaying despite the still air.
A sickly light cut through the fog, casting distorted shadows that danced on their own. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the distant, disjointed echoes of whispers that came from no discernible source.
Once firm, the forest floor was now squelched beneath his feet, as though the earth had grown soft and rotten. Even the air tasted wrong, metallic and thick as if it clung to his lungs with every breath.
"HA, HA, HA," Sil's unsettling laugh echoed through the forest, but now it was hollow—a faint whisper of the joy they once shared.
As she turned to face him her figure was unnerving, her radiant smile faded, her bright eyes dull and hollow.
"Why… why didn't you… you stop it?" She whispered, her voice broken like shattered glass, cutting through the thick silence.
"Why didn't you stop it?" she repeated louder, her voice barely audible over the wind that seemed to howl from nowhere. The leaves on the trees lit a flame, turning into ash filling the sky like rain.
Jaylen reached out to her, he wanted to explain to make amends but there—just behind her, in the corner of his vision, a shadow loomed.
At first, it was only a blur, a smudge on the edge of his memory. He blinked, his heart pounding as the figure sharpened, though never fully clear. Sil stood oblivious, her back turned, unaware of the approaching darkness.
Jaylen's heart pounded, each beat a hammer against his ribs. His mind screamed for him to act, to save her—but he was frozen, helpless. Always too late.
The figure moved closer, creeping silently toward Sil. Jaylen's chest tightened. He wanted to shout, to warn her—but his voice was gone again, choked by the weight of fear.
He lunged forward, but the ground split beneath him, a chasm of black smoke rising up between them. The figure raised its hand, a dull glint of metal catching the fading sunlight.
"No…" Jaylen mouthed, his breath hitching in his throat as he fought against the invisible force holding him down. Sil's hand stretched out to him, but he couldn't reach her. He never could.
As Sil's laughter faded, the figure behind her became clearer—a towering shadow, but no face, no form he could fully recognize.
It was the man who took her from him, yet as the figure stepped closer, the lines blurred. Was it really him? Or… was it Jaylen? The figure's face twisted, morphing between two forms—his own reflection, and the faceless killer. His stomach churned with nausea.
The metallic taste in his mouth grew stronger, thickening with each breath. His skin prickled as the cold mist wrapped around him, crawling up his spine.
He could see the blade now, raised high above Sil's head. The figure's hand wavered, but the motion was deliberate. Sil turned to him, her eyes wide, lips forming the same silent question. "Why didn't you try to save me?"
Her words sliced through him, leaving behind the familiar burn of guilt—deep, festering, and impossible to heal.
The same question, over and over again, until it became unbearable. No matter how many times he lived this nightmare, he never had an answer.
Then the blade fell.
"No!" Jaylen screamed. His body surged forward as if breaking free—but it was too late. The sound of the strike was muffled, distant, but the pain in his chest was sharp, tearing him apart. He watched in horror as Sil crumpled to the ground, her body going limp. The figure stood over her, faceless, watching him with cold indifference.
"I'm sorry," he gasped, but the words never left his mouth. She was slipping away, disappearing into the darkness.
He reached into the void, but his fingers grasped nothing but air.
Jaylen's eyes flew open, his breath ragged, his heart slamming against his ribs. Sweat clung to his skin, and his throat felt raw as if he had screamed into the silence of his room.
He rubbed his eyes, but the shadows clung to his mind, refusing to vanish. The faceless killer was still there, lurking in the dark recesses of his memory.
His chest tightened, and he stared at the ceiling, Sil's question echoing in the dark. "Why didn't you try to save me?"
"Haah." Rising from his bed, Jaylen lightly stretched before walking over to the window and pushing it open.
The final whispers of night receded into the shadows, as the first fragile rays of dawn stretched over the horizon, gently breaking the lingering darkness.
'Great start to another busy day,' he muttered under his breath, a bitter edge to his words. He shook his head lightly, though it did little to stop the tremor in his hands. A shadow of guilt weighed on him as he turned and made his way to the bathroom.
***
Jaylen stepped out of the bathroom dressed in his outfit for the day; A well-fitted pair of blue jeans that hugged his legs comfortably, paired effortlessly with a crisp white T-shirt that radiated an air of effortless simplicity.
He slipped on the Orpheus family jacket, the solar eclipse emblem stark against the black fabric. The weight of his lineage settled over his shoulders, a reminder of who he was—and the legacy he could never escape.
The emblem represented not only what branch you were a part of but also your lineage within the family, With white and purple being the main family.
"Aunt Mell, thank you for the change of clothes," he said, glancing toward the maid standing by his freshly made bed.
Bowing slightly, she responded with a calm, measured tone, "There is no need to thank me, Young Master. It is my duty."
As she straightened, she added, her voice gentle but efficient, "All preparations are complete. We can leave as soon as you're ready."
"Alright then, let's not delay any longer," Jaylen replied, his voice steady but with an edge of urgency. With a quick glance back, he stepped out of his room, Mell falling into step behind him, her presence quiet but assured.
Their footsteps sounded in the lonely halls filling the echoing silence with some semblance of sound.
"Young Master" Mell began breaking the unending silence between them, her expression remaining unchanging, betraying no particular feeling.
"If I may be so bold to ask, Why do you not wish to wait for the rest of the family?" she questioned, maintaining her usual composed tone.
Jaylen gave no sign of surprise at her words, continuing his steady pace, his footsteps rhythmic as he walked. He neither smiled nor frowned, his features remaining composed, but a faint hum escaped his lips as he contemplated her question.
What's the point? This last month—celebrations, training, pretending everything's fine… I've had enough. Better they remember the good than drag it out with a goodbye." he conveyed steadily.
She thought to herself, 'Haa, Young Master still has a lot to learn,' without revealing her thoughts.
Jaylen paused before countering with two questions of his own, "Well Aunt Mell I also have two questions for you, First who is keeping my area of the estate clean?"
"That would be Tracy, Young Master" She answered as the turned the last corner.
As they reached the main lobby, the space opened up before them, elegant yet understated. The marble floor gleamed faintly in the low light, and tall windows allowed soft rays of the early morning sun to filter through the curtains, casting long shadows.
Their footsteps echoed softly as they descended the grand staircase, The sound of their shoes against the marble steps was the only noise in the vast, empty corridor.
At the base of the stairs, instead of heading towards the imposing double doors that dominated the main entrance, Jaylen veered off to the left, leading the way, to a smaller door.
"Hm, I see" He muttered as he opened the door.
Just beyond the door stretched a path overtaken by nature, where it lead was a mystery unknown to most in the estate.
Turning back to Mell, His face was set in a hard mask, holding a steady, unyielding gaze, "Tell me why you are speaking formally to me?"
"That would be because you are my master, Young Master," Mell said, her eyes momentarily darting to the side before she quickly regained her composed demeanor.
Her hands fidgeted for a brief second, smoothing out the folds of her dress, as if recalling the countless times she had given the same answer.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," He waved her off as he turned away, already halfway out the door.
"Then I would say You have always and will always be a member of the Orpheus Family and should be walking around proudly with the symbol of the main family" He muttered, his tone weary, as though he'd given this speech a dozen times before.
"Let's go if we delay any longer we could be late" He added, not bothering to look back.
"As you wish, young master," she spoke with an uninflected tone, offering no clues as to her thoughts, but a small smile danced on her lips.
{A/N} Happy X-mas and Happy holidays