Chapter 1.5

Lucius's Point Of View**

I cradled Erebus's lifeless body in my arms, his once warm skin turning cold, his hands slowly losing their grip, and my heart shattering with each passing moment. "You dare to leave me alone in this world?" I cried, tears streaming down my face and dripping from my chin. The taste of my tears was salty, cold, and bitter.

"My dear beloved Erebus, you sacrificed yourself to end this war," I whispered, gently holding his lifeless body close. "I promise to make our mutual dream come true. Khangfor will be formed, and you will rest in peace. My love." I gave him a final kiss, the last time our skin would ever touch, the last time I would hold him in my arms. Then, Erebus was buried.

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Half a day had passed since Erebus's death. I was sitting next to his grave, the setting sun casting long shadows across the ground. A gentle breeze rustled the nearby trees, and the air was filled with the scent of damp earth. As I watched the sky bleed into hues of orange and purple, a specific memory surfaced—a memory of a night long ago at the academy. The night I first saw Erebus under the starlight. ‘Oh, yeah, I remember he liked watching the stars back then. I just watched him while practicing swordsman skills at night… I saw you mesmerized by the night sky.’ 

“Do you recall Erebus and the night we first encountered each other at Oxeland Academy? We were both 16 years old at the time...” I laughed. 

"We were so immature. The hatred, the misunderstandings, all for nothing." A sigh escaped, accompanied by a heaviness in the chest. Was it nostalgia? Perhaps. Even after all this time, the emotional ties remained.


“Erebus, I selected this location for you, recalling your fondness for the night sky. The only element absent is your beloved cat, who passed some years ago. Perhaps you are with him now, while I speak to a headstone…”  A melancholic chuckle escaped."I find myself longing for your presence.”

The setting sun descended below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. The air grew cooler, and the scent of damp earth mingled with the faint fragrance of night-blooming flowers. A lone owl hooted in the distance. As I sat there, the quiet stillness of the graveyard surrounded me. I lingered at Erebus's grave, memories washing over me like the gentle tide. "Let me return to that night," I whispered, my voice barely a breath in the stillness. "It was 201 A.S., After the Separation of Powers. We were both sixteen, young, and full of dreams. The academy slept, but we were wide awake. The only sounds were the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures. The stars and moon illuminated the sky with silver light. I was training, pushing my limits, and you were lost in the wonder of the cosmos..."

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**Flashback ‘Our night’

” I need to study for my examination tomorrow.” The younger Lucius stated.

Everyone was already asleep, deep in their dreams. While I was practicing, my ears automatically focused on a strange sound. I stopped my sword training. ‘Someone humming? At midnight?’ My curiosity won over me, and without realizing it, my feet began to walk toward the mysterious sound.

“Is someone there?” I inquired, apprehensive that the administrator was checking the territory. In the end, there was no answer. My body continued to follow the unknown melody as if it were forcefully attracting me toward it.

After some minutes, my body stopped moving. I heard a voice in the darkness of the night. “Who are you, and why are you spying on me?” The voice sounded deep, so it must have been a male’s. My eyes were already accustomed to the darkness of the night.

“I may ask the same question, my dear fellow,” I responded. “I thought I was the only person awake at this late hour.” All my senses were on guard at the moment.

The mysterious person answered, and this time his location could be identified. “So, you are only a student who is making an effort to be the best in the school?”

This time, his voice sounded from above. The first thing that came to mind was that the person was on the rooftop.

My eyes saw a person, a young man of my age. He was sitting with his legs crossed against each other, looking at me; between his crossed legs, there was a black cat—it felt like its eyes were glowing. The young man’s long, black hair—like the night sky—was tied up in a ponytail, dancing in the cold wind. The moon shone behind his back, giving his face a shadow effect. The silence between us lasted a few seconds; it felt like an eternity. Creatures of the night were audible from a long distance. The smell of wet dirt from the previous day remained in the atmosphere. The air was chilly but comfortable, and the tension that this person gave me was intriguing.

I had to break the silence. “You were the one humming? I have never heard the melody before; it somehow led me to you. It was so mesmerizing that I couldn’t stop following it; it was forcing me to keep following. The way I couldn’t identify where you were was fantastic! You must be powerful! I admire you, mysterious person! May I know your name?” I said in a matter-of-fact.

 The boy chuckled softly. "Why should I give you my name? I don't know you, and it's suspicious how you're awake at this hour. It's midnight," he stated, his voice laced with caution.

"Well, my fellow, I have told you my reason," Lucius explained, his tone earnest. "I was honing my swordsmanship skills. Since today was the first day I arrived in Oxeland, I hadn't had time to practice before. So, I found this time to work best for me today. Now that I have explained myself, may I know your reasoning?"

The mysterious boy gazed behind him, his eyes fixated on the moon. While responding, he continued petting his cat. "I like to watch the night sky. It reminds me of my mother," he murmured, his voice hinting at sadness.

‘It reminds him of his mother?’ Lucius unconsciously stepped forward, causing the young boy to tense up, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.

"I advise you not to try any suspicious tricks on me!" the young man yelled, his voice sharp with alarm.

Lucius panics, realizing his misstep. "Oh, no! My friend, I could never," he stammered, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "I just wanted to join you on the rooftop. You don't have to tell me your name, and neither do I. Please don't get the wrong impression of me."

The young man narrowed his eyes, suspicion still lingering in his gaze. "Why do you want to join me?" he questioned, his voice laced with skepticism.

"With a pure purpose, my friend, "Lucius assured him, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "I just want to be your friend; I find you interesting. And to ease your suspicion, you may call me Day since I am fond of the daytime."

The tension in the boy's shoulders eased slightly, and his grip on his sword loosened. "Alright," he conceded, "You may join me, Day. And you may call me Night, for I love the night sky." He shifted to the side, making space for Lucius.

With a grateful smile, Lucius climbed onto the rooftop and sat beside the boy. In the moonlight, he could see the boy's features more clearly. His eyes shimmered like polished gold, reminiscent of the sun's warm rays.

"My dear friend, Night," Lucius began, his voice soft, "Your eyes are beautiful. They remind me of the summer sun." He chuckled lightly. "I truly wish to get to know you."

Night gazed at me. "You wish to get to know me?" he said, unfamiliar with the sensation.

"Yes, I do," I answered, looking at him with a sad and understanding face, a small frown accompanying my emotions. "I must say, my friend, I may be related to you somehow. The night sky is beautiful, too. I remember when I was younger, I just stared at it, crying, still unable to believe my mother was gone. But throughout the years, I have accepted the fact that she is gone," He said, His gaze fixed on the moon.

"You lost your mother too, Day?" he asked.

"I did. I was young. And I have felt quite lonely since. And I believe you have too, my friend."

"You keep calling me your friend," Night looked at me, "I am not used to that."

"Well, now we are friends, so we do not need to feel lonely anymore." I smiled while putting my hand on Night's shoulder.

"Alright... Friend," Night said while looking at his cat, a small smile on his lips. ('My first friend')

‘Now I believe that we do not have to suffer from our pasts now, Night. We have each other now, and loneliness won't chase us anymore while we are together,’ Lucius thought to himself while talking to his new companion.

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