The sun had set, and Algol made his way outside. He glanced up at the moon, glowing in a warm, bright orange—a clear signal that autumn had arrived.
In this world, the moon's color shifted with the seasons. Summer brought a yellow moon, spring a soft purple, and winter a frosty blue, but in autumn, it shone a deep, vibrant orange.
Before setting out on his nightly walk, Algol took a moment to admire the stars. Gazing at them always brought him a sense of peace that nothing else could match. He searched the sky until he found Betelgeuse, his favorite star. Just then, he heard the door behind him creak open.
He turned to see little Eris standing there. Feeling uneasy, he started to walk away, but she called out, "Hey."
It had been a long time since she'd bothered to talk to him. Usually, the only interaction he had with her was when her mother sent her to collect the rent.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"Where are you going?" Her tone was accusatory, and though she was only a child, her presence filled Algol with an odd sense of dread.
"Nowhere, just… going for a walk."
"Liar," she muttered, glancing away. "You're going to drink and gamble, aren't you?" She clicked her tongue. "Mother says you're an irresponsible good-for-nothing." With that, she turned back inside and slammed the door.
Algol stood there, staring at the closed door. A hollow, empty feeling settled deep in his chest. He felt his lip tremble, and his eyes watered. The thought of ending it all briefly crossed his mind, but he shook his head and shoved it aside, setting off toward the brothel.
As he walked, his legs felt weak, as if they might give out at any moment. When he finally arrived, he requested his usual companion, Twilight.
Inside their room, she began to undress, but Algol just sat on the bed, his gaze fixed on the floor. This was unlike him; he was usually eager to be with her. Twilight was beautiful, with long purple hair, voluptuous curves, and a confidence he found captivating, but tonight he felt nothing.
"Hey," Twilight said, her voice playful. "My body's up here."
Algol looked up slowly, meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry. I… can't do this." He grabbed his coat and left without another word.
---
Algol sat alone in the corner of a noisy tavern, nursing a beer while the other patrons gathered around the TV, captivated by the night's gladiator match. Normally, he'd be right there with them, but tonight his mind was elsewhere, replaying Eris's words over and over. His fist tightened around his drink.
"When I become Capella's hero, they'll regret saying things like that about me," he muttered to himself. "There's got to be something I can do… something that'll make me great."
But looking around, he felt the weight of reality settle in. "What am I doing?" he muttered, disgusted. "Sitting in a tavern, drinking myself numb. Tomorrow, I'll barely have enough stamina left to perform even the simplest magic." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "Pathetic. Completely alone."
---
It was 10 p.m. by the time Chiron finally closed up the guild for the night. Stepping outside, she sighed, "Dad better hurry up and get his act together. Working late like this every night is exhausting."
Just as she began her walk home, she heard footsteps approaching. She turned to see a woman swaying unsteadily, her posture slouched. At first, Chiron assumed she was drunk.
"Wait!" the woman called out.
Chiron stopped, offering an awkward smile as she turned back. The woman kept her gaze down, her face obscured by thick, black hair.
"Oh, what a lovely body!" the woman sneered, her voice filled with envy. "I'm so jealous. So very, very jealous."
Unnerved, Chiron took a small step back. "I'm sorry, but I need to get going. It's late, and I'm tired."
"Oh, off to see your boyfriend?" The woman cackled. "With a body like yours, you must have a boyfriend. I'm so jealous!"
"No, I… I don't have one."
The woman hissed in response. "Should have gotten one when you had the chance. How very… unfortunate."
Suddenly, something moved within the thick mass of her hair—a snake, slithering forward. Before Chiron could react, it darted toward her with terrifying speed, sinking its fangs into her neck.
Chiron's eyes rolled back as she fell to the ground, her body convulsing uncontrollably. She lay there, lifeless, her dignity stripped as her body soiled itself in death.
"How unfortunate," the woman whispered with a twisted smile. "Look at her, my children. Once so beautiful, and now… nothing."
She extended a hand, summoning a red circle in the air, from which a large python emerged.
"Enjoy the meal," she murmured, her mouth twisting into a demonic grin.
The python slithered forward, wrapping itself around the body and began to feed.
"How unfortunate. How very, very unfortunate."