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“A~Ah, I guess the moon is cracked as always.”
Those were the words of a single girl that stood atop an abandoned observatory, as she stared at the moon in the dead of the night.
There was nothing special about tonight, or the night before that, or any night for that matter. And yet, when the world was at its darkest, she alone would climb the observatory gazing deeply at the moon as though searching for something. It had become a sort of an obsession for her, she would make sure she was there at the very top every night, at the same time. And each time she would leave, having not found what she had been searching for.
With a deep sigh and slight sadness in her eyes, she jumped off the top of the observatory
Like a cat, she landed effortlessly on the ground. She faced the moon with an annoyed expression.
“How about you show your true face already.”
She complained.
“You're always hiding yourself! Get your act together and change already, don’t you know it’s rude to keep a lady waiting! I’ll be it, don’t take the heart of a maiden for granted, my pure heart can only take so much.”
Pouting away, she made her way to the deep forest that lay in front of her. The observatory that this young girl had made her second home was located far in an opening in the silent forest, off the outskirts of the village.
As she continued her way through the forest she could hear the various moans of creatures that lurked in the forest. She wasn’t bothered by them as long as they didn’t bother her. Eventually, far in the distance, the torches marking the borders of the village became visible. A lonely house stood at the very edge of the village.
“I’m home…”
She whispered as she opened the door.
“Umph!”
She had found herself tackled to the ground by three little children.
“Welcome home, Sis!”
They loudly exclaimed.
“Hey, let go of me you little brats, shouldn’t you guys be in bed already? It’s way past your bedtime.”
The young girl grabbed one of them.
“Two can play it that way! Here you go!”
“Us too!”
The other two kids jumped onto her back.
Before long the little house had been filled with the voices of children as they played with their sister.
“Simmer down you lot. How long do you intend on keeping her at the entrance? Come on in, I’ve got some tea brewing.”
“Y-yes, grandmother…”
The four of them responded in embarrassment.
“What rowdy bunch, I told them to go to sleep but they refused to listen saying that they wanted to wait until you were back.”
After having their fill of playing with their sister, the three children were blissfully asleep on the ground in the living room.
The sounds of crackling fire filled the silent room.
“Did you find what you were looking for, Yuri?”
Yuri stared deeply into the cup of tea in front of her. A sense of melancholy filled her heart.
“No, it was the same as always.”
“Is that so…. I don’t suppose I can convince you to stop, can I?”
A pained expression fell on Yuri’s face. Her hands gently clenched under the table.
“All I want to do is get back what was stolen from me all those years ago…”
“I see…finish up your tea. You have a busy day ahead of you.”
With that another night had passed with, yet, another disappointment.
As dusk turned to dawn, gentle rays of light blanketed the village, piercing through the window onto the girl who lay asleep on the floor.
“....Uh..”
Having her sleep disturbed, Yuri rose from her bed sluggishly.
“It’s morning already…”
Yuri stretched her hands as she gazed through the windows towards the sun that hung high in the sky.
“Let’s make today a good day..”
"Alright! Perfect!”
Yuri had finished readying herself. She buttoned up her white blouse and placed a coat on her shoulders. Her jet black hair lay gently on her shoulders as she put on her brown beret. She made her way through the town, to an odd looking shop that lay in the dead centre. Hanging in front of it was a worn out wooden sign:
“Levi’s Odd Jobs!
No Job is Impossible!”
Yuri pushed open the door as the bell that hung on it rang.
“Oh! If it isn’t Yuri! Early as always.”
Standing at the desk was a rough looking gentleman.
“Still haven’t kicked in the bucket I see, old man Levi.”
“Stop it, I’m only thirty five. I’ve still got five more years in me.”
After their brief exchange Yuri started cleaning up the shop as she hummed a little tune. Levi meanwhile, went through the morning newspaper.
“Did you hear anything about it?”
Yuri inquired as she continued brushing.
“Sorry, all I got was dead ends.”
“… thanks for looking into it for me…”
“It’s the least I could do for all that you do for me. Cheer up, it's bound to appear at some point.”
It has to… otherwise…
“Excuse me, I would like to make a request for a job.”
Entering through the door was a group of three men. In the middle stood their leader, he had dark blue hair slicked back and a scar on his left eye.
“What kind of job will it be?”
Levi welcomed the customers.
“It’s an escort job.”
“To where?”
“I hear there’s an ancient ruin just beyond the woods. All we require is a guide to show us till the entrance.”
Ah! He must mean that old castle. What’s so interesting about a bunch of old broken walls?
Yuri thought to herself.
“How about Yuri? You think you can do it?”
“If it’s only till the entrance then that’s fine with me…”
She answered uninterestedly.
“Great. I would like to leave at once.”
“Before that I would need a name for the register.”
The blue haired man stood silent for a moment.
“Bart.”
Yuri and Bart, along with his men, made it to the outskirts of the village. Upon entering the forest Yuri advised them to stay close.
They made their way through the forest walking on the rocky path. As the sun continued to rise, several small rays of sunlight pierced through the tall trees that dampened the forest. The sounds of wildlife buzzed about as the group climbed over boulders that had fallen over.
The path seemed long. The ruins that Bart and his group had sought didn’t seem to be anywhere. As the sun had peaked, Bart wondered if they were close, however he chose to wait, instead, deciding to ask Yuri about the ruins.
“Do you know about the Crimson Legend?”
Upon hearing that name Yuri tensed up.
They made pace along the rocky path when Yuri stopped. Bart looked at her puzzled.
“You guys better stick close to me, otherwise you’ll be consumed by the forest.”
With that warning Yuri began walking through weaving around the branches that hung about.
After a while, Yuri explained.
“This forest is cursed. Lost spirits gather here and dwell about. As long as you stay on the paved path you’re safe. Once you veer off into the trees you’re as good as done, the spirits won’t hesitate to attack you and devour you mercilessly. Though that’s only the case if you don’t have someone like me.”
“Like you?”
“You see, I have a sense for knowing where the spirits are less. As long as you walk through those paths you’ll be safe.”
Before long a parting in the forest became visible. Extending before them were the remains of an old castle. It had been completely destroyed in the aftermath of some kind of explosion. The area was just broken walls with stones that had been used to build the castle scattered about.
Bart stepped forward scoping the area further. Noticing the doubt in his eyes, Yuri curtly spoke.
“This is the place.”
Yuri stood outside the ruins as Bart and his men started moving in. The three of them spread about and began searching around rubble.
When they had arrived it had already been late in the evening, with the time Bart and his men had spent about in the ruins the sun had already set. Remnants of red mixed with the black sky.
Yuri approached Bart, who stood in the centre of the ruins.
“It’s getting late. If we wait too long, it’ll become difficult to walk through the forest, especially as a group. It’s a well known rule in the village that no one should be under the moon at night.”
Instead of adhering to her cautionary words, Bart focused in the distance.
“Don’t you think it’s odd? A rule to not be under the moon. All it ever does is illuminate the darkness after the sun. And yet you fear it. You see where I’m from, folktales and old legends float about quite often. One of them in particular caught my attention.”
Bart shifted his gaze towards the moon that had come in full view.
“The legend goes as follows. Long ago, during one silent night, the once white moon cracked and turned crimson red, scarlet light filled the night as though the moon had been bleeding through its cracks. Those who witnessed it simply stood in fear and disbelief of this phenomenon. As redness continued to fill the night, among the witnesses there were those who fell to ground gasping for air, just as they were about to die they would vanish into the night. Before long screams of despair would fill the night as many would vanish. This harrowing sight would only be witnessed by the people of a single village. Strange wouldn’t you say?”
Yuri had begun trembling in fear. Panic began filling her body as she breathing slowly became difficult for her. Memories that she had hoped to repress flooded her mind one by one.
When Yuri was still young, she had lived alone peacefully with her father.
Every night, her father would take her on a long walk through the forest. They would make their way to the edge of a cliff, from there the two would sit and gaze at the night sky. The sight of her father under the moonlight as he spoke to her was her fondest memory. She had hoped those nights would never end. However, fate would choose otherwise. One night, the moon turned crimson. Her father stood up and gazed with astonishment. Moments later he would turn to the little Yuri who sat next to him.
He grabbed her shoulders gently and spoke words that she couldn’t remember. Her father bathed in the vermilion light as he vanished right before her.
That night the young Yuri had lost her only happiness. She fell to the ground in disbelief and cried as she searched for her father. Had it not been for an old lady, she would have been lost to the woods.
Yuri fell to her knees as tears began running down her eyes.
Bart looked down at her.
“As I expected, You too are a victim.”
Yuri grit her teeth.
“Shut it… As if you would know…”
The rubble behind Bart began to glow red. The ground slowly started shaking.
Yuri raised her head to see what was happening. It was there, the thing that stole it all from her. Her obsession. The reason she felt piercing pain in her heart. After all these years it had finally shown itself.
“RUDDY MOON”
All Yuri could do was stare in shock. Her mind went blank and all sorts of emotions filled her heart. Her chest tightened as a sense of breathlessness took over.
From the rubble emerged a humanoid creature. It had horns for eyes. Its body was stout and drenched in red with black lines all over.
Bart drew his sword from its sheath as he prepared to engage it.
He dove in towards the creature slashing his sword. It raising its fists as it launched punches, Bart dodged through them as he aimed another slash at its shoulders. Before long Bart and the creature had begun exchanging blows, however the creature’s would not hit.
Despite its fearsome appearance, it was being handled expertly by Bart. His strikes had started to take effect, the creature fell to its knees. Bart drew back, sparing a glance at Yuri.
“How long do you intend to sit there? It’s right in front of you. The thing that stole it all from you.”
…What does he mean…? I don’t know…
The creature began glowing preparing for another attack.
“Here it comes!”
Bart alerted his men.
The creature let out a piercing screech as a red wave exploded from it.
Bart grabbed Yuri as he jumped back.
He glanced at the dismayed Yuri as he rested her on a rock.
“...”
Bart dashed towards the creature, engaging it once more.
Yuri sat there. Her old scars had opened once again and her heart was ailing. Her mind was lost in confusion. Amidst all the noise, one thought resonated clearly.
What did I even want…
To Yuri the Ruddy Moon had been everything. And now, after years of waiting and yet she couldn’t do anything. It had always been so distant to her, that she had never thought of what she would do after she found it. Maybe she had hoped that maybe her father would come back or maybe it would end her just like it did that night. However, neither of which came true. All she could do was sit motionless.
The vermilion creature’s had become slower. Bart took advantage of every opening and sliced at it. It looked weakened. Bart, without a second of hesitation, darted towards it to end with one final strike. However, to his shock, it had been a feint, a red fist approached him at high velocity, with no means of dodging, Bart grit his teeth as the blow sent him flying back.
Yuri looked to her side as she saw Bart crashing beside her.
Why do you fight?
Bart stood to his feet just as quickly as he landed.
Where does your strength come from?….
“Listen to me close.”
Bart raised his sword.
“I don’t know what’s happened with you but from where I’m from we live by one creed: If something gets stolen, steal it back.”
“...”
“That’s why I fight, I lost something dear to me long ago, and now I want it back. Even if the entire world bares its fangs at me, I’ll just slash at it with everything I have!”
To Yuri her father had meant everything.
As memories of that day continued to play in her mind, her pain only grew.
But…but…I can’t… I don’t have it in me…
Her memories stopped at one scene. Her father had knelt down to speak his last words.
I don’t know! I don’t know what you’re saying!
“Yuri, I know, more than anyone, if it’s you, then anything is possible”
Those had been the last words he spoke to her. She had finally remembered them. Not just those. The countless nights he spoke to her, all the things he had told her about. All of it. Flooded her mind.
How could I forget… All those times….
Yuri cried as remorse and guilt covered her.
Bart was face-to-face with the creature. His strikes felt like they had lost their effect. It had grown used to his attacking pattern and was evading with ease. As his attacks continued to get parried, Bart fell back. The creature stood on top of him, raising its fist to end him.
Just as the creature was about to strike, it screamed. On its back was Yuri with a blade in her hand.
“How long do you intend on lying there!”
She yelled.
The creature fell back as it tossed Yuri to the side.
“Heh, don’t get ahead of yourself!”
Bart jumped to his feet.
“Yuri, let’s end this!”
With tears still raining down her eyes, Yuri let out a wry smile.
The two of them rushed the staggered beast. Bart dealt heavy blows, while Yuri nimbly aimed for its sides.
With the last of its strength, the beast joined its hands high.
Bart used the board end of his sword to absorb the strike.
“Now!”
Yuri, swift as the wind, appeared from behind Bart. The core of the creature had been completely exposed.
With one last cry from the depths of her soul, Yuri pierced the core.
The beast stumbled backwards before falling to the ground and vanishing into ashes.
Just as the creature vanished, the ruddy moon too vanished. The cracks that had appeared on it were long gone. It was back to the normal moon that illuminated the night sky with its gentle white light.
“You’re quite the guide I have to say.”
Bart had begun collecting the remains of the cracked core.
“I’ll leave an extra tip for your assistance.”
Yuri hesitated for a moment.
“C...Cou…Could you take me with you.”
She asked shyly.
Bart starred in bewilderment.
“I..I don’t want to be a prisoner of my past. My father told me countless stories about the world outside.”
If I don’t take the first step nothing will change!
“I want to see those stories for myself. I want to see the world he saw! T-that’s why..”
Don’t falter!
“Please take me with you!”
The air fell silent.
“How long do you intend on staying like that? We’ll leave you behind.”
Yuri raised her head in surprise.
“Does that mean..”
“You better carry your weight kid.”
“Y-yes!”
Yuri breathed in the air from high up in the sky, its freshness felt relaxing.
“Yuri, we're docking the ship! Get ready for landing!”
“On my way!”
With a gentle smile towards the never ending horizon, Yuri dashed to the adventure that awaited her.
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