“The Mission Beneath the Blood Moon”

Rain had stopped by dawn, leaving the world washed in mist.

The temple’s bells sounded once — low and solemn — calling its warriors to the courtyard.

Joong stood near the marble archway, his robes fluttering in the cool wind. Behind him, Dunk leaned lazily against a pillar, unchained now but watched closely. The bond glowed faintly at their wrists, almost calm for once.

> “You’re sending them together?” Dunk asked with a crooked smile.

> “They volunteered,” Joong replied, adjusting the silver crest on his sleeve.

> “You mean you forced them,” Dunk murmured. “Cute.”

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⚔️ Pond and Phuwin: The Reluctant Duo

Pond Naravit tightened the strap of his travel cloak. “For the record, I’m not happy about this,” he muttered.

Phuwin rolled his eyes. “You think I am? You humans talk too much.”

“Yeah, well, at least I talk instead of sneaking around like a bat.”

Phuwin’s fangs flashed briefly. “Keep testing me, priest.”

Pond raised a brow. “Oh, so you do admit you’re a bloodsucker.”

Their bickering earned a sigh from Joong. “Enough. You’re tracking the rogue pack in the eastern ruins. If they find the Blood Sigil before we do, this curse will spread beyond our control.”

Phuwin straightened, seriousness flickering in his golden eyes. “Understood.”

Pond hesitated — then gave a sharp nod. “Let’s just get this over with.”

As they left through the temple gates, Dunk watched them go, faint amusement in his eyes.

> “They’ll kill each other before sunset.”

> “Or learn something,” Joong said quietly.

> “Like what?”

Joong met his gaze. “That hate and fear aren’t the same.”

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🌑 The Eastern Ruins

The forest was quieter than it should have been.

Every step Pond took crunched softly over broken stone and dead leaves. Phuwin walked a few paces ahead, silent as shadow.

> “You know,” Pond said at last, “for someone who’s supposed to have super hearing, you ignore me a lot.”

> “Maybe I just value peace,” Phuwin replied, not turning.

> “Funny. You don’t look peaceful.”

> “You don’t look smart.”

Pond smirked despite himself. “Touché.”

They reached the ruins as dusk bled into the horizon. The scent of blood hung in the air — faint but wrong.

Phuwin crouched beside a shattered altar, brushing ash from the carvings. “They were here.”

“Recently?”

He nodded. “Hours ago.” His expression tightened. “They’re feeding on travelers again.”

Before Pond could answer, a low growl rumbled through the trees. Shadows erupted from the undergrowth — feral vampires, eyes burning scarlet.

Pond drew his blade, runes flaring gold. “Guess we found them.”

“Or they found you,” Phuwin snapped, stepping in front of him.

The fight was swift and brutal — light against blood. Pond’s wards flared, blinding the creatures; Phuwin’s claws tore through them with graceful precision.

When it was over, the ruins fell silent again. Pond panted, wiping a streak of ash from his cheek. “We make a pretty good team.”

Phuwin scoffed but didn’t deny it. “Don’t get used to it.”

Yet when Pond stumbled on a cracked stone, Phuwin caught him — instinctive, steady. For one heartbeat, they were too close.

Pond blinked. “You— you caught me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Phuwin murmured, though his tone lacked its usual edge.

Neither moved for a moment. The moonlight fell between them like a fragile truth neither could name.

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🕯️ Back at the Temple

Joong sat by Dunk’s bedside, studying the markings on the bond. It pulsed faintly in rhythm with the rain.

> “You worry about them,” Dunk said softly.

> “I worry about everyone.”

> “No,” Dunk murmured, eyes narrowing. “You worry about the ones who remind you of yourself.”

Joong looked up. “And which am I reminding you of, then?”

Dunk’s smile was slow, quiet. “The light I forgot I missed.”

The words lingered like a touch. Joong didn’t answer — he couldn’t. The air between them felt fragile, alive.

Outside, thunder rolled again.

Far in the distance, Pond and Phuwin’s joined footsteps echoed through the mist.

And in the library’s dim corner, Gemini turned another page, not realizing he’d been watching the doorway for someone who never came.

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✨ End of Chapter 5 — “The Mission Beneath the Blood Moon”

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