In the evening, they left Hankari Farm, with Akimitsu entrusting his apprentice shepherd to take his place during his absence.
The sun had disappeared behind the mountain peaks, and our five friends walked toward the Coral as twilight took hold of the landscape. Shahin could not contain himself. The presence of these exceptional men sparked his youthful curiosity. He wanted to know everything about them; he moved from one to the other, asking questions non-stop. He was convinced that he was about to embark on an extraordinary adventure with them. He passed by his father and heard him murmur:
"The source of the evil that plagues the kingdom of Arcadia lies in Eirin's Cavern."
He paid no attention and continued his way.
"Akimitsu. You're huge! How tall are you?"
"Two meters ninety-four," he replied, not without pride.
"Wow! What a giant!"
Later, he pulled his brother aside by the arm and spoke to him away from the others:
"Riga, forget what I said earlier. I didn't mean to upset you. Tell me, you who had the chance to live with our father all these years: what happened to our mother?"
Riga stared at him for several seconds before responding in a sullen tone:
"I don't know. He never told me. He never talked about it."
"And you never asked him?" Shahin asked, starting to lose patience with his brother's indifference.
"I did. Once. He almost cried, so I never asked again."
"I see…" said Shahin, unsatisfied, as if he himself had pressed the question when he asked their father. "But still, she was your mother; you could have pushed for an answer!"
Riga gave him an empty look. Shahin was disconcerted by it. He asked no more.
What a strange lad! he thought to himself. And to think that this guy is my brother… Well, I haven't learned much.
When they arrived at the Coral, a milky moon had risen, spreading its pale light over the kingdom's streets. A subtle, gentle evening breeze swept through the atmosphere, carrying away the last doubts. The following day would be decisive for them and all living beings in the region.
They rested a bit before Ogai announced the plan for the coming days:
"Listen to me. Tomorrow, we will go to the Lair of Destiny so you can learn your Name. After that, you will search for Pegasus while I look for the remaining Pleiades in Genib."
"In Genib?" Shiro asked.
"Yes," Ogai continued, "it's risky, but time is short. It's already been a month since Riga and I returned. We must solve this riddle before the kingdom is completely destroyed."
"Fine," Shiro continued, "but how will you return to Genib?"
"Venitia the fairy will take me there," Ogai said, placing his hand in a pocket and pulling out a small bell. "With this. By ringing it, Venitia will appear."
"Handy," Shiro said. "And she will help you cross the Rassan pass, right?"
"Exactly," Ogai concluded. "Now, let's get some sleep."
They wished each other goodnight and lay down on their respective beds.
Shahin, eyes open in the darkness, stared at the ceiling. He didn't try to sleep, knowing it would take him time to find rest. The new state of things weighed heavily on his mind. His situation had changed so much in so little time! He didn't like it. He felt as if his destiny was slipping out of his hands. Moreover, the presence of men he sensed were exceptional disturbed him. And what about receiving orders, having scheduled days, when he had lived freely until now? But above all, one question gnawed at him:
"What happened to my mother? Will I ever know?"
As the unanswered questions piled up in his mind, sleep finally overtook him.
When the Pleiades awoke, the sky was ominous. A cool wind whipped the branches of the Arubi Forest, and heavy gray clouds seemed ready to unleash their fury at any moment. After breakfast, they busied themselves with preparations. Clear-headed and refreshed, they were all ready for the adventure. All except Riga, who seemed particularly anxious. His unease did not go unnoticed by his companions, especially his father.
"What's wrong, Riga? You don't seem yourself this morning."
"I… I don't know," he replied. "Ever since I learned we were going to the Lair of Destiny, I've felt uneasy."
"Oh!" Ogai said, watching his son wring his hands in distress. His behavior seemed increasingly strange; it was hard to recognize the child he had nurtured so well in his early youth.
"Yes," Riga continued, "I feel that a trap awaits us there. Let's not go!" he pleaded, eyes wide with alarm.
"Come on, Riga," Ogai reassured him, placing an arm around his shoulder. "You're a man now. You mustn't be afraid; you must have faith in yourself, in us. It is your destiny to learn your Name, just as it is your destiny to solve the riddle of the Black Moon to save the Arcadians."
I don't care about the Arcadians! Riga thought, turning his head away with a sullen look. What's the point of saving people I don't know and who don't care about my existence?
At that moment, a gigantic flash of lightning tore through the sky with a terrible rumble. A torrential rain began to fall on the kingdom for the first time in weeks of intense heat.
Riga isolated himself in a corner of the Coral, awaiting what now seemed like an inevitable departure. The other Pleiades watched the scene with some incomprehension. Worse, they found his behavior concerning for the future. His grim look, sharp retorts, and strange actions had kept him at a distance from his allies, but as he was the leader's son, they could not ignore him.
The Lair of Destiny was located at the far west of Arcadia, near the sea, the only one in the kingdom. They arrived late in the morning under a torrential rain. Despite wearing waterproof cloaks they had bought in the city center, the fresh rain droplets fell on their faces like the jets of a waterfall.
Ogai was surprised to see that the place in question stood in the middle of an ancient cemetery where those once known as the Niten – literally two heavens – were buried. He shared his thoughts with his companions:
"This people, like the scholars, were related to men and disappeared many years ago. The history of mankind has always been marked by dark periods during which it rarely acknowledged responsibility for the atrocities it committed. Thus, many people were persecuted due to their ethnic, physical, or religious differences... The Niten were no exception and were persecuted like the others. There are many ways to take someone's life, as you well know. But everyone knows or believes that destroying vital organs like the brain or the heart is the most certain way. Scientists have always wondered why men favor the heart when the brain is the most important organ for survival. Perhaps because the heart is not just a simple muscle ensuring blood circulation in our veins. It embodies a jumble of feelings, the most primal emotions. Love, courage, honor, the instinct for survival... All are tied to the heart. Destroying it means destroying those feelings. That is why the men who persecuted the Niten aimed to pierce their hearts. By killing the present being, they destroyed the courage and survival instinct of the survivors. At least, that's one reason I believe is valid. I've heard that men would aim for the left side of their chests, but they would not die. This frightened them even more. Can you imagine a living being without a heart? Insects have one, rats – even as vile as they are – have one too. The fear of facing heartless beings was coupled with disgust. Especially since the influential local notables were very superstitious – or rather ignorant, I should say – and believed that the Niten could come back to life at any moment since they had no heart. Nevertheless, they remained gravely wounded, so men decided to bury them alive. That wasn't enough to quell the psychosis, which reached such a degree that some villagers believed they saw specters emerging from the graves at nightfall, wandering around the cemetery to attack the village humans. This hysteria quickly spread throughout the area, and people began to meticulously avoid the place and its surroundings. The zone then became a ghostly quarter completely devoid of life, where only the summer wind and the dust it carried dared venture. And here lie the remnants of these poor souls resting beneath these tombstones..."
When Ogai finished, they remained silent for a few moments. Shiro watched him closely. After this brief speech, he perceived more of the man's heart and was even more convinced that he had made the right choice in following him.
The Lair of Destiny was a cave whose entrance was sealed by a thick stone wall. On the wall of the facade was a plaque with the following words engraved:
"One man
One name
One revelation
One destiny
Behind the wall, the sleeper
Will you discover yourself?"
"What does that mean?" Shahin asked, brushing the plaque with his fingers.
"I think you have to enter alone," Ogai concluded after a brief reflection.
"Yes," Akimitsu said, removing his staff from behind his back, "once the door is open."
"I'll take care of it," Shiro said calmly. "Step back."
They complied without asking too many questions. He pushed back the hood of his cloak, then stood with his legs slightly apart. He focused on the sealed facade, and although the increasingly fine rain fell on his face, he did not flinch. His eyes seemed to pierce the stone. Several seconds passed during which the Pleiades held their breath. What was going to happen?
Suddenly, a formidable, invisible energy emanated from his body: it was his aura. This jolt was felt by the other four men, particularly Shahin. With a brief, powerful movement, Shiro simply placed his palms on the door, which shattered with a deafening crash:
"Celestial Breath!"
The Pleiades were astounded. Shahin approached what remained of the door to assess the former thickness of the wall and at the same time the strength Shiro had used.
Incredible! he thought. The wall must have been a meter thick! And he destroyed it with disconcerting ease.
He turned his admiring face toward him: he stood in a stance that magnified him.
What a build! Shahin thought.
Shiro's demonstration of strength not only destroyed the wall that blocked the door: it also reminded Shahin that he still had a lot of progress to make.
The faint daylight entered the cave, where an unsettling darkness prevailed. Two weak torches illuminated a door at the back of the room, about twenty meters away. They seemed to have been burning for millennia. The fresh air from outside rushed into the cave while a pungent smell escaped to assault the visitors' nostrils. The atmosphere was tense, and they all felt an imminent danger.
"Shahin!" Ogai said in an authoritative tone, raising his hand toward the opening. "We just saw Akimitsu and Shiro at work in succession. Now it's your turn! It seems an obstacle prevents you from going further. It's that door at the back of the room. Closed as it is, it keeps you from knowing your Name. Go and open it! We'll wait here."
"Pfft!" Shahin said, indignant at such a simple challenge. "Of course, I'll open it!"
He had stepped into the dark, his face half-turned toward his companions.
"This door won't…"
His seasoned fighter's instinct had just sensed a murderous, icy wind. He turned his head in a flash and immediately triggered his favorite attack: the Sunset Loop. His foot cut through the dark air in an arc that slashed the unknown assailant.
A beastly cry tore through the surrounding air, and then the enemy fell with a crash. Shahin went to the back of the room to grab a torch. There, lifting his head, he noticed others scattered along the wall. He lit them one by one and then returned, guided by heavy breathing. His expression was serious as he looked at his victim and knelt beside him.
Outside, the Pleiades were stunned by the young man's remarkable skill. Most of them doubted his martial talents because of his verbosity and impetuous nature. However, on this occasion, he had shown remarkable composure and initiative. They looked at him with more consideration now.