Arisadis - The Fox's Constellation

 A ship was drifting away, yet the waves of the sea never touched it. Its ocean was the sky itself, where it soared higher and farther, leaving behind a land steeped in sorrow, a city stained with blood, and sealed graves that would never again receive flowers, tears, or whispers...

 Ayun jolted awake, soaked from head to toe. Again. He blinked in confusion, still unable to distinguish between dream and reality. For a moment, he believed the figure before him was merely an illusion, a phantom of the past.

 The individual had an imposing stature, easily towering over the young boy. His entire body was covered in fur so black it seemed drawn from the very essence of night. Along his back, the fur bristled into sharp spines, while his prominent features and elongated fangs added to his fearsome appearance. His eyes, however, were a fiery orange, glowing like the flames of hell. His powerful body was complemented by long claws and pointed ears, akin to those of an elf, though his legs were bent in reverse, giving him an unusual look. He wore only a stained tank top and a pair of shorts, while two twin tails, ending in sharp blades, swayed menacingly in the air.

 His entire being seemed to radiate darkness. Though he bore some resemblance to the young noble Ayun had clashed with the day before, this creature was far more savage and dangerous. The only thing that slightly undermined his menacing image was the bucket he held in his hand, smiling maliciously.

 They stood on the deck of a ship caught in torrents cascading from the mountains, which had reached Tharym only a short while ago. Branches and mud piled on the deck awaited cleaning, though Ayun had deemed the ship's condition good enough. In the past, he had dealt with vessels fresh from battle, and mud was far easier to scrub away than dried blood.

 "You!" he murmured, barely waking up fully.

 It took him only a moment to understand why his clothes were drenched. Though the rude awakening was unpleasant, he felt a flicker of relief—had the port authorities caught him sleeping instead of working, he would've been in real trouble. Thus, he made no effort to confront the other, inwardly grateful.

 "Has life in Tharym worn you out?" the creature mocked, a sly grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

 "I thought you only came out at night," Ayun replied, ignoring the mocking tone.

 Since arriving in the city, Ayun had rarely seen Hachyro in daylight. He wasn't in the mood for conversation, so he tried to walk away, but one of the twin tails suddenly stabbed into the ship's railing, blocking his path. The other tail hovered threateningly near his chest. Any trace of amusement vanished from the fiery orange eyes.

 "Don't toy with me, Ayun," Hachyro said menacingly.

 "When I have new information, I'll come to you. The Tower Mages won't arrive until next month. Maybe if you cooperated with them, we could learn more," Ayun replied, staying calm.

 The other growled, a terrifying, almost demonic sound.

 "The Guild's executioners? I still don't understand why you let them cast all those spells on you."

 "You know very well why. They want to help us, to find an answer to the past. A way to..."

 A powerful roar echoed from the depths of the city, sending a chilling reverberation through the air. It came from somewhere beneath the ship, within the canals connecting Tharym to the underground lakes. Ayun knew those canals were occasionally invaded by creatures drawn to the scent of prey. The dead fish swept into the sea by the damaged ship had now caught the attention of these beasts.

 In the moment of distraction, Hachyro had vanished. Ayun didn't bother to look for him; his presence in broad daylight would only cause more trouble. Instead, the young man tensed and leapt over the railing, landing on the docks.

 He broke into a run through the city, weaving between passersby and dodging roadside stalls, ignoring the curses that followed whenever he stumbled into someone. He knew every corner of Tharym, every narrow alley and hidden refuge. The streets of the port city held no secrets for him anymore. Without slowing down, he slipped into an inn tucked away in a dimly lit alley, sneaking through a side door left ajar.

 The room was shrouded in semi-darkness, but Ayun hurried down the stairs, sliding along the cold, damp stone walls. The corridor that stretched before him was pitch black, but he didn't need light. His confident steps revealed that he had traveled this path countless times before.

 The path led to a vast, damp chamber filled with stagnant air, where a massive iron grate, now lifted, served as the doorway. At the center of the room lay an underground lake, its surface shimmering faintly with the glow of thermal waters. Normally, it was an attraction for the inn's customers, but those who vanished there mysteriously never got to fully enjoy this "privileged" destination.

 From time to time, the "explanation" for these disappearances would emerge from the dark waters. Massive tentacles, covered in suckers as large as windows, would rise from the depths, reaching hungrily for any unfortunate soul lingering on the lake's edge.

 A few dockworkers, identifiable by their simple clothing, wielded spears to keep the beast at bay. Among them stood the nobleman's son, his expression frozen in terror but laced with determination. Nearby, fresh bloodstains on a rock hinted that the monster had already claimed a victim.

 On the opposite side of the lake, the other young men, who just a day before had been brimming with courage, now stood paralyzed by fear. Among them, a boy with an abnormally long neck, barely more than a child, was visibly trembling.

 When Ayun burst into the chamber, all eyes turned toward him, filled with disbelief. The monster immediately sensed him and wasted no time attacking, its tentacles hurtling toward him. But Ayun was too quick, sliding along the edge of the lake with agility, dodging the massive strikes. One of the tentacles slammed down on the cowering group of youths, grabbing the smallest among them and squeezing with lethal force.

 An explosion suddenly erupted, filling the air with the acrid stench of burnt flesh. The beast let out a guttural roar that echoed ominously through the chamber. The injured tentacle withdrew sluggishly, much of it gone, the edges of the wound smoldering and smoking. With a pained groan, the creature sank beneath the surface, releasing its prey from its deadly grip.

 The boy was seized by Ayun's firm hand and effortlessly pulled onto the shore. Behind him, the others were rising, unscathed and still in awe of their miraculous rescue. As if by instinct, they all bolted toward the exit, abandoning the fight they had so desperately sought. That creature was far beyond their abilities. Yet the young man with emerald eyes stood motionless, showing no intention of following them. His gaze was fixed on the last person remaining in the chamber: the nobleman's son.

 The youth was laughing maniacally, relentlessly stabbing the lake's waters with his spear, convinced that slaying such a creature would bring him unimaginable glory.

 A faint sound echoed behind Ayun, but he didn't even turn around. By now, he was used to the almost ghostly presence of Hachyro. He hadn't come to help; he was drawn by the prospect of carnage. Typical of someone from the Arsien bloodline. Hachyro walked past the noble's son, grinning broadly, his excitement written all over his face.

 "Close the gate," he said sharply. "I'll take care of the rest."

 Ayun tilted his head slightly, feeling a growing unease.

 "If I close it, you'll be trapped inside," he replied, doubting deeply that Hachyro had any genuine concern for the city's safety—or for anything beyond his own bloody amusement.

 Hachyro smirked, malice gleaming in his eyes.

 "Have you never wondered why the nobles are so eager to help you?" he asked, his fiery orange gaze sparkling with macabre amusement. "How they know about us... about what and who we are? This is the reason!"

 He gestured toward the boy, who, with a reckless enthusiasm, continued to provoke the monster. Ayun had suspected someone had spread rumors about them in the city, but he hadn't even considered that this kid might be the source. Most likely, his wealthy family had access to information they had irresponsibly allowed to leak.

 "What are you planning to do?" Ayun asked, sensing the tension between them intensify.

 "Make sure he keeps his mouth shut," Hachyro replied with a fierce grin, baring his fangs. "Care to join me?"

 Ayun gritted his teeth. Hrassin's strict orders echoed in his mind, forbidding him from getting involved with the noble's son again. Staying would mean disobeying those orders and getting into serious trouble. While he could try to protect the boy somehow, doubt gnawed at his thoughts—what chance would he have in a real fight against Hachyro? Perhaps giving the noble brat a good scare would be enough to keep his mouth shut.

 Although he pitied him somewhat, Ayun made his decision quickly. He activated the mechanism of the thick chain, and the iron grate fell with a deafening metallic crash, sealing off the room from the outside world. Without looking back, Ayun turned and walked away, leaving the outcome of the battle in their hands.

 The noble's son showed no sign of fear, even as the grate slammed shut behind him. His full attention was drawn to Hachyro, who had moved close enough to enter his line of sight. He had met him only twice, but unlike Ayun, whom he could tease daily, the arsian was a new, thrilling challenge. He still regretted the moment Ayun had unintentionally revealed his powers, only for the guards to intervene and cut the spectacle short. Now, nothing could interrupt the confrontation.

 The young noble picked up a large rock from the ground and threw it at Hachyro. It was a careless throw, not meant to hit but merely to grab his attention. The noise of the stone striking the floor was enough to prompt the lake monster to lash its tentacles toward the arsian. However, Hachyro did not budge, calmly observing the creature's sluggish movements.

 Suddenly, a sharp roar erupted from the depths of the water, far louder than before. The massive tentacle rose into the air, riddled with deep cuts that split its soft flesh. The noble's son frowned, unable to comprehend what had just happened, when Hachyro appeared in front of him in an instant, gripping his throat with inhuman speed and strength. The young man struggled desperately, but the gap in power was overwhelming.

 "Da...mned... devil, he rasped, " struggling to articulate a threat. "I'll... I'll... "

 But he never finished. Hachyro's twin, blade-tipped tails rose behind him, slithering like lethal serpents as his orange eyes gleamed menacingly in the darkness. A cruel smile, dripping with sadistic delight, spread across his face as his fingers tightened with merciless pressure, until he felt the young man's neck snap under his grip.

 "Ah, I almost forgot, " he said in a sinister tone, laced with a falseness so palpable it was impossible to believe. As his victim barely twitched, he continued with a wicked grin: "I was only supposed to teach you a lesson, wasn't I? "

 He tensed, and with a brutal gesture, hurled the noble's son into the dark waters of the lake. The boy's muffled scream was swallowed by the echoing chamber. A guttural sound reverberating from the depths signaled that the lake monster had picked up where Hachyro left off — exactly as he had planned from the beginning: to kill.

 *

 Unaware of how the underground confrontation had concluded, Ayun visited once again in Hrassin's office. The port's leader had summoned him for lunch, visibly pleased to see him utterly exhausted, his eyes almost shut. Only the peculiarity of their conversation kept him awake.

 "With all due respect, " Ayun said after listening to Hrassin's instructions, "why must I be the one to deliver that human girl's dinner? Don't you have servants for this? "

 It was true that he preferred carrying a tray of food to gutting foul-smelling fish from the river or scraping dried mud off ship decks. Still, he couldn't understand why he had been chosen for such a task when the well-dressed, well-mannered servants of Tharym's main building were readily available. Hrassin, lazily leaning on his desk, lifted his usual glass of liquor, his calculating eyes fixed on Ayun.

 "I need someone who can think, not just act on instinct, boy. The girl is of immeasurable value. The Tower has tasked us with protecting her for a month, and then they'll decide what happens next. Until then, I want you to learn everything you can about her. Nothing is trivial. And I expect you to report every detail to me every morning. "

 Hrassin leaned slightly over the desk, a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips, his eyes glinting in the dim light.

 "And be very careful... she might be more dangerous than she seems. " 

 The amusement in his voice puzzled Ayun. He couldn't tell if Hrassin was serious or merely teasing him. Lacking clear information, it was obvious he would have to uncover everything on his own.

 By the time evening arrived, he found himself standing once more at her door, carrying a tray of food. Swallowing hard, as he had at the docks, he was haunted by the same strange, suffocating sensation. He didn't allow himself a moment to recover. He doubted there would be any need to fight, which would have worsened his condition. Sometimes it happened even without using magic, which irritated him to no end.

 Remembering that the girl was blind, he deliberately made noise as he opened the door. He found her sitting on a chair near the window, staring into the void. Her eyes were lifeless, empty. At the sound of his steps, she let out a weak whimper, nearly slipping off the chair. Ayun sighed heavily. It was the same story all over again, though at least this time, she didn't throw rice at him.

 He set the tray on the bed. His breathing was faster than normal, but gradually, the strange symptoms would subside if he stayed calm. He had the distinct feeling that the air in the room was insufficient, stifling, as though an invisible cloud pressed down on him.

 "I brought you some food," he informed her, his voice calm yet firm.

 Her stomach growled pitifully in the silence of the room, but she didn't approach. Ayun frowned. Don't humans need food?!

 Dinner was simple: a few slices of bread with butter and jam, accompanied by a mug of milk. Casting a cautious glance around the room, he searched for mice but found none. He sighed in relief, glad he wouldn't have to carry another basket of corpses. He sat on the edge of the bed, alert to every movement around him.

 The girl, clearly starving, took small, hesitant steps toward him. But suddenly, she let out a short cry and retreated abruptly, nearly falling. Before she did, her gaze had locked directly on him.

 Ayun flinched, his green eyes widening in surprise. It only took him a moment to understand. He had moved completely silently, by instinct, and the blind girl no longer knew where he was. But one thing was certain—when she had looked in his direction, it wasn't by chance.

 "You can see!" he exclaimed, amazement evident in his voice.

 "I... I can't!" the girl stammered, her voice trembling with fear. "Stay away!" she shouted again, panic creeping into her tone as she heard his footsteps drawing nearer.

 "What the hell is going on?" Ayun asked, feeling his patience slipping away.

 The girl's behavior baffled and irritated him in equal measure. Was she just pretending to be blind? Doubt consumed him. No, she was lying—she had to be! He knew what he'd seen, and it couldn't possibly be a coincidence.

 Without further hesitation, he strode toward her. The girl, desperate to retreat, backed into the edge of the bed, her terror seeming to grow with every passing moment.

 "Please, don't come closer!" she whimpered, her voice barely audible. "I beg you... I don't want to hurt you!"

 Her words stopped him in his tracks. Something was off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. A subtle wrongness lingered in the air, something elusive yet deeply unsettling.

 "Hurt me?" he repeated, confused, feeling his breath quicken slightly.

 How could a mere human, fragile and powerless, possibly harm him? Humans were so vulnerable that a gust of wind could snuff out their lives, yet there wasn't a hint of pretense in her voice. He began to doubt his conclusions.

 The girl, realizing she could no longer hide the truth, started wringing her hands nervously, agitated and visibly unsettled, preparing to explain.

 "I... I'll show you... but promise me that if you feel unwell, you'll leave immediately!" she said, her voice trembling with fear.

 "You're afraid you'll hurt me?" Ayun asked, disbelief lacing his words.

 He had spent enough time among humans to hear plenty of absurd things, but this situation surpassed them all. A human girl believed she could harm him? The absurdity made his jaw tighten, and the suffocating sensation became even more oppressive. He cursed inwardly.

 "Promise me!" she insisted, refusing to relent.

 Ayun looked at her, irritated by her stubbornness, yet feeling curiosity gnawing at him. The fact that she seemed to know something he didn't made him pause, and his pride began to wane in the face of his desire to understand.

 "Fine," he finally relented, his voice full of exasperation. "I promise!"

 He sat back on the edge of the bed, this time making enough noise for her to gauge his position. The girl approached slowly, her steps small and hesitant, and sat at the opposite end of the bed. With a slow, tentative motion, a dark pupil began to form in the whites of her eyes, meeting his emerald-green gaze unerringly. Still trembling with fear, she reached out for a slice of bread, her hand shaking so much that it took her several tries to grasp it.

 He watched her in silence, waiting for her to calm down, though he could feel the tension thick in the air. The girl seemed to expect him to grab her wrist, but Ayun remained motionless, allowing her to act at her own pace.

 "I don't understand," he said, frowning, his intense gaze fixed on her. "Can you see me when I'm near you?"

 As he formulated his question, Ayun realized that he was breathing normally again, and the suffocating sensation had gradually vanished. He even felt... good. It was strange—something he couldn't explain. His condition, which had worsened without any apparent reason, now seemed to improve.

 "Somewhat," she murmured, avoiding his gaze. "I can see by using... your power. But this will continue until... it kills you."

 Ayun remained silent for a few moments, pondering her words. A connection began to form in his mind. Those dead mice... they were yokai, creatures drawn to magical energy, so they had probably been attracted to her because of this strange power. She had used them to see and had drained their lives, but from the way she trembled with fear, it was clear she hadn't done it intentionally.

 He continued reflecting on what she had said, trying to grasp the full implications. Finally, he closed his eyes, refusing for a moment to rely on the sense he trusted most, just to test his theory.

 Indeed, if he concentrated hard enough, he could feel a faint... drain on his power. A barely perceptible breach through which she was siphoning his life energy. This discovery explained why his condition had shifted the moment he came under her influence. Awe overwhelmed him, and he struggled to suppress his excitement. He couldn't wait for the Tower's mages to arrive so he could reveal what he had found! It seemed he had uncovered a solution to his greatest problem. However, he needed to be cautious; if he frightened her, everything would crumble.

 Watching her, he noticed how the girl stared dreamily at the starry sky, but suddenly her face darkened, and her eyes filled with tears.

 "Now that you know, leave! You'll die if you stay near me!"

 "Don't compare me to mere rodents," Ayun retorted, a wave of indignation coloring his voice.

 "You've already been deeply affected just by being here!" she moaned. "Your energy is half of what it was yesterday! I've hurt you enough!"

 He frowned. Never had he suspected that a human could sense the spiritual state of others. Slowly, he looked down at the floor and shook his head.

 "You deserve no credit for that, child," he replied, his tone cold.

 He didn't intend to offer her any further details, and she didn't seem inclined to ask for them. With timid movements, she took the tray of food and began eating voraciously. He left her alone, but inside, he simmered with fury. Not at her, but at Hrassin. Now he understood why he'd been sent there! Hrassin couldn't risk the life of an important noble... He had used him as a guinea pig!

 When the girl finished eating, he reached out to take the tray, but she grabbed his wrist. The unexpected gesture required an immense effort of will to restrain his instincts, which screamed at him to jerk his arm away and move back. He was disgusted by his own reaction. Since when had he needed to defend himself from a mere child? Since when had he become so wild?

 "Could you... stay a little longer?" she asked, despite her earlier efforts to drive him away.

 Ayun hesitated. He had come out of obligation, not to grant her favors, and Hrassin wouldn't be pleased to see him delay. However, his expression seemed to be interpreted by her as a sign of approval, and she darted toward the balcony door, opening it fervently. If she intended to jump, he probably wouldn't be able to stop her in time!

 Suddenly, he heard her exclaim with delight.

 "Is it always this beautiful?"

 Though he had seen that port enough to last him a lifetime, her enthusiasm lured him outside. Ayun joined her, leaning his elbows on the railing with a bored air, but the view rendered him speechless.

 The sky was clear, and the moonlight bathed the entire city. The river, flowing silently, had taken on a peculiar hue, resembling a stream of molten silver, while the moon's rays caressed the buildings and the few docked ships. Every structure seemed to radiate its own power, intertwining with the magic of the night. A quiet and mesmerizing night.

 He had lived in Tharym for years but had only seen its grimy side. He had never bothered to seek its beauty, so what he now beheld felt alien to him. He didn't recognize the port that usually reeked of fish in this enchanted vision. He had been so consumed by his sorrows and burdens that he had become blinder than the girl standing beside him.

 "Thank you," she whispered gratefully. "Umm..."

 She didn't know how to address him. He blinked, puzzled, still under the spell of the night's scenery.

 "Ayun," he replied shortly. "Ayun Arthan."

 "I'm Lirany Esdren!"

 She extended her hand, and Ayun accepted the human gesture, briefly clasping her fingers before letting go. Lirany pulled back her arm, but not her smile.

 "Thank you, Ayun Arthan."

 His gaze softened. He felt a twinge of pity for the young woman of human descent. He wanted to tell her that she had helped him as well, that what she considered a curse was, in fact, a blessing for him, but he refrained. Magic was taboo in human culture, and he didn't want to jeopardize the fragile seed of friendship that had just begun to take root.