I ran toward the spears, toward the place where his body should have been. But I knew… I knew I wouldn’t even be able to find him beneath the forest of silver stakes. His form had been so utterly swallowed entirely, lost within the merciless cage.

  He didn’t deserve this.

  And yet, I also knew this was the only way forward.

  This was the best outcome, the price that had to be paid. But the weight of it pressed down on me like an unrelenting force, suffocating in its enormity. The fault was mine.

  I had failed… Not just him, but everyone. The lives he had taken were my burden to bear. I could have ended this before it ever began. I should have listened. I should have incinerated him when he asked me to.

  Instead, in trying to save one life, I had allowed hundreds to be lost.

  The sickening stench of death filled my lungs as I turned, my gaze sweeping over the bodies strewn about like discarded dolls. A grotesque monument to my failure.

  “It is done now.” – A clear, emotionless voice broke through the heavy silence, snapping me back to reality.

  Sapphire stood at the edge of the battlefield, surveying the carnage with not even the faintest trace of remorse. Her golden hair glowed beneath the moonlight, her stance unwavering. She was utterly still, utterly composed, so much so that it made my stomach churn.

  I could not understand her.

  “Tell me.” – I said, my voice hoarse. – “Did you know?”

  Sapphire turned to me, as if questioning what I could be referring to. – “Know what?”

  It made sense. She knew too much. And she had told me too little.

  “You knew…” – I whispered. – “You knew everything from the start. That this whole star prophecy was a farce. That my existence was never meant to be some divine hope. That I was never born of humanity to begin with.”

  Sapphire remained unmoving. – “I told you the truth before. This world is fake. Stars are just the roles entrusted to us.”

  “That’s not what I mean.” – I took a step forward. – “You never told me what I really was. You never told me the truth about my blood. My powers never came from humanity. I was always a demon in a human body.”

  “That is not true.” – Her voice was calm, too calm.

  “Your blood may carry the essence of a vampire, but it does not define you. Vampires burn under the sun, they crumble to dust with a stake to the heart, they never age. They are creatures bound by their own weaknesses. But half-vampires… They are different. You may be weak against silver, but you are immune to the sun. You age like any other human.”

  “Then explain my immortality.” – I took another step forward. – “How can I come back from ash as if nothing happened?”

  Sapphire hesitated. Just for a fraction of a second.

  “Vampires possess remarkable healing, but even they cannot survive complete annihilation. Half-vampires can heal even limbs over time, but they do not regenerate as you do.” – She exhaled slowly. – “This was not something you had in past lives. It was not something you had before arriving in this world. I believe it is connected to the role you play here. Your immortality is not from your blood, it was granted by this world itself.”

  I let her words settle. And then, I rose to my feet.

  “What about that creature who took over his body… Do you know him?” – I asked.

  “Yes. He is you.” – Sapphire’s voice was steady, but there was something beneath it. Pain and guilt, perhaps? – “The original you. Before the endless cycles of reincarnation shattered your mind, fragmented your soul, and grounded your spirit into dust. Before your memories were crushed beneath the weight of time itself.”

  Her words struck like a blade to the chest.

  “He knew this would happen.” – She continued. – “He foresaw the erosion, the decay. That is why he preserved himself… Why he sealed his memories within your blood. It was the only way to defy the fate that had been forced upon him. A desperate gamble, a final hope that one day, by some impossible miracle, he might live again.”

  Her voice wavered. Just slightly.

  “But now, he’s gone.”

  She exhaled, a slow, quiet breath, yet it carried the weight of a thousand years of sorrow.

  “Gone forever.”

  The silence between us stretched, suffocating. My thoughts were a tangled storm of disbelief and reluctant acceptance.

  “What was he to you?” – I finally asked, hesitant to know the truth.

  Sapphire closed her eyes for a brief moment, as if collecting something fragile within herself before speaking.

  “First, he was my master, and I was his slave. A weapon forged for his hand, a tool to be wielded as he saw fit.” – Her gaze darkened, distant, as though staring into memories far older than this world itself.

  “But in time, we became more. He was my ruler, my guide. And then…” – A faint, bittersweet smile ghosted across her lips. – “We became lovers.”

  I felt my breath catch.

  “Even after nearly two thousand years, I have never stopped loving him. Not once. In every form he took, in every life he lived, my devotion never wavered.”

  Her gaze locked onto mine, piercing through every layer of doubt, fear, and disbelief within me.

  “That includes you.”

  The words hung between us, heavy with meaning.

  “That’s all I needed to know.”

  Sapphire watched me carefully as I turned to face her fully.

  “Now. Stay still. Be unable to move. Be unable to do anything but reply to what I ask.”

  The moment the words left my lips, I felt it, my authority wrapping around her, embedding itself deep into her very being.

  She froze.

  Then, I grabbed her by the throat.

  With one hand, I lifted her into the air, her feet dangling inches above the bloodstained ground.

  Her eyes widened, but she couldn’t struggle. She couldn’t even breathe properly. She could only stare at me, helpless, as my fingers tightened around her neck.

  “I thought you were incapable of lying to me.” – My voice burned with rage. – “But now I understand. You never needed to lie. Because half-truths were enough to mislead me.”

  She tried to inhale, to growl, to say something. But I hadn’t permitted her to speak.

  “You let me believe that you couldn’t tell me everything because something was stopping you.” – My grip tightened. – “While that might be true, there were many things you chose not to tell me.”

  Her lips parted in a silent gasp, her body trembling against my grasp. Her body trembled beneath my grip, her blue eyes wide with something that almost resembled shock. But there was no fear, no regret. Only the silent acceptance of my authority. She couldn’t do anything I had not permitted.

  Her servitude was absolute.

  “First. You didn’t tell me about the experiment. I assumed you were simply naive, that you didn’t fully understand that I would want to know. But the truth? You were hiding it from me. Worse, you waited until it was nearly complete before revealing it, as if it meant nothing.”

  I watched as she struggled, as if her body instinctively fought against my command, but she couldn’t. Not until I allowed her to speak.

  “Is my assertion correct?”

  “Yes…” – The word left her lips in a strangled whisper, the only sound she could make.

  A cold, bitter satisfaction twisted in my chest.

  “I see.”

  I wasn’t done. Not even close.

  “When we stood there, watching the experiment, I asked you what was going to happen. But you didn’t give me a real answer. You avoided it.” – My nails dug into her skin, drawing blood. – “You said that if it failed, their bodies would reject the modifications.” – I let the words sink in before my next question came, sharper. – “But there was never a chance for it to succeed, was there?”

  “There was a small chance that Sirius’s modifications to your blood would be enough to change the result.”

  “A small chance?” – I echoed. – “A meaningless gamble with human lives. A sliver of possibility you knew was doomed to fail.”

  She did not answer. She couldn’t.

  “When Sirius was conducting his research, you never told me what was happening. But worse than that, you never told him it was impossible. You let him believe in a fantasy, in a lie, knowing full well what would happen when they injected my blood into those people.”

  I let the weight of my words settle.

  “If you had told him the truth, all those lives wouldn’t have been lost. Chris would still be alive.”

  She remained still. The silence was suffocating.

  “So, tell me, Sapphire.” – My voice dropped to a whisper, yet it held more venom than if I had screamed. – “What is the real reason you didn’t stop him?”

  Her lips parted, and the truth came forth like a dagger to the heart.

  “Having an army of ghouls under your command would have changed the course of this war.”

  The world around me seemed to stop.

  The blood in my veins turned to fire.

  I let go.

  Sapphire collapsed to the ground, coughing, gasping, her body shaking as she tried to draw in breath. But I didn’t care. I barely saw her.

  My vision was red.

  “You monster.” – The words slipped from my lips, barely audible.

  Sapphire, still on her knees, looked up at me, expression unreadable.

  “You’re worse than Sirius. He at least thought it would save people. He was wrong, but his intentions weren’t vile. But you, you wanted to use them. You thought I would just command those things? Turn them into soldiers?”

  Her breathing steadied, and when she spoke, her voice was calm. – “You weren’t against it before.”

  The rage inside me surged.

  “I don’t give a damn about my past lives.” – I roared. – “I don’t care what I used to be, what I used to do. I am not that demon anymore!”

  Sapphire didn’t flinch.

  “You’re the one who murdered Chris.”

  The words left my mouth before I could stop them. But I did not regret them.

  “Not because of what you did today. But because everything that happened is your fault. Every decision you made, every lie you told… It all led to this.” – I said, pointing towards the bodies, pointing towards him.

  She didn’t argue.

  I exhaled slowly, my fury settling into something colder, something final.

  “You are no longer my servant. You are no longer Sapphire.”

  Sapphire’s eyes widened, just slightly, but I saw it, the first real crack in her perfect, emotionless mask.

  “Stay here for a day.” – My voice was hollow, drained of the fury that had consumed me moments before. – “Look at the destruction you caused. Look at the lives that were lost because of you. Then, you’re free.”

  I turned away, but before I took my first step, I glanced back one last time.

  “And one more thing.”

  My voice was sharp, ending the silence.

  She looked up, searching for something. Understanding, forgiveness, a sliver of hope that things could go back the way they once were.

  “You disgust me.”

  Her breath hitched. For the first time, the mask she always wore, the cold, calculating expression, the ever-unshaken poise, broke.

  “Not just because you were the lover of that monster. Not just because you manipulated me, twisted the truth, and led down a path with lies.” – I exhaled, shaking my head, as the final realization settled into place.

  “You have retained every single one of your past lives. Every memory. Every experience. You are, in every way, an adult. A being who has lived for centuries. Who has walked through time itself. And yet…”

  My breath trembled, rage and revulsion coiling in my chest.

  “You have romantic feelings… You have attraction towards me. Someone who doesn’t know you. Someone who never asked for this. Someone who is...” - I hesitated, the words burning my throat. – “A child.”

  The truth settled between us like a stone sinking into dark water, rippling outward with undeniable finality.

  Because yes.

  That was the truth.

  I wasn’t a star. I wasn’t a goddess.

  I am just a little girl who once dreamed of love.

  “I’m not your lover. Whoever I once was… Whoever you think I used to be… It doesn’t matter. I am not him. And I never will be. These expectations you put on me, this love you’ve clung to, this delusion you’ve nurtured for centuries… Just go find an actual man to drop them on.”

  I turned, unwilling to see the way her expression crumbled, unwilling to let her existence linger in my sight for even a second longer.

  “Because I feel like I will vomit just looking at you.”

  As I walked away, the only sound I heard was the soft, hollow drip of tears hitting the bloodstained ground. I did not turn back. That day, I severed the final tie to the monster I had once believed to be my sister-in-arms. I trusted her. I believed in her. I had thought she would help me save the world. But now it is too late to go back.

  2012-08-23

  The Golden Tower’s main elevator hummed as it ascended, carrying me toward its highest chamber: The Observatory.

  At the tower’s core, high above the city, this place was once meant to be a beacon of hope. A symbol for all of humanity. And at its heart stood Sirius.

  He had called for me, an unprecedented act. He hasn’t summoned me like this for years. Normally, his orders reached me through others. Orders passed down the chain of command, or fleeting encounters in the labyrinthine halls below.

  Something was happening. Something I needed to know.

  The elevator doors slid open with a quiet hiss.

  The first thing I saw was his back, standing before the massive quartz-glass dome that crowned the tower. During the day, it reflected the sky. But at night, it illuminated from within, casting the Golden Tower as a beacon visible for kilometers, like a sun.

  Sirius stood motionless, hands clasped behind him, gazing out at the vast city below. Even through the distortion of the glass, I could see the twinkling lights of Sirius City, stretching endlessly beneath us, the lone bastion of civilization.

  “Arstria, the First Star.”

  His voice was rough, uncharacteristically so. There was something different about him, something almost fragile.

  “Ever since the day of the experiment, you chose to sever ties with me. We stopped being family. Now, we are merely allies, working toward the same goal.”

  The Observatory was where Sirius spent most of his time, high above the city, watching over it like a guardian. Few ever saw him outside this place, and when he did descend it was almost always to visit the underground.

  A place where science once danced on the edge of morality.

  A place I visited periodically. Not because I was welcome, but because I had to. To make sure no human lives were being used in his endless pursuit of salvation.

  The air inside STR was always sterile, almost artificial. But here, in this glass dome floating above the world, the silence was absolute.

  “I’m not sure if I’m even allowed to say this… But I’m sorry for your loss. He was a warrior to the end.” – I could somewhat feel emotion in his voice.

  “A little late for condolences. It’s been almost a year.” – I had already decided to move forward. I wasn’t here to listen to him dig up the past.

  “Just tell me what you want, Sirius.”

  A brief silence.

  Then, with a slow breath, he said. – “Everything that happened that day. I know all of it.”

  He stepped forward, the glow from the dome casting eerie reflections against his mask.

  “And I owe you an apology.”

  I stiffened.

  “I lied to you.” – He exhaled, as if finally admitting something long buried. – “You never fell from the sky.”

  I let out a hollow laugh. – “Of course I didn’t.”

  “That story was what the people needed. Because even I didn’t know the truth behind your powers.”

  I crossed my arms. – “It’s fine. You couldn’t have known you were raising a human-eating monster.”

  Sirius didn’t flinch.

  “Even so, at least we finally understand where your power comes from.”

  He turned slightly, his gaze drifting beyond the glass once more.

  “For years, I believed the beasts first descended upon the earth only a decade ago. But to think supernatural creatures have lived within humanity for millennia…” – He let out a quiet breath. – “Vampires are not like them. They operate by different laws.”

  “Yeah.” – I nodded. – “For one, neither I nor the ghouls burn under your barrier. That means we aren’t considered enemies of humanity. At worst, we’re predators. But the beasts?”

  I met his eyes again.

  “They don’t attack to feed. They don’t need to eat. They exist only to destroy life.”

  “Exactly.” – Sirius’s voice harkened. – “And based on your report, it seems the beasts have a master.”

  “A creator.”

  “Which simplifies things.” – He murmured, as if testing the words aloud. – “Rather than fighting an endless horde, we need only eliminate their source.”

  I scoffed. – “If only. If they even exist in a form we can fight.”

  He was silent for a moment. Then, he finally said. – “That is a question for another day.”

  Then, something in his voice shifted.

  “For now, there is something else. Something I have kept hidden for years.”

  I narrowed my eyes. – “A secret?”

  “Yes.”

  I stepped forward, my posture rigid.

  “If this secret puts human lives at risk, Sirius. I will kill you.”

  His expression remained unreadable behind the mask.

  “Of course. But the secret served to protect them.”

  A long pause. Then finally.

  “Sirius City is not the only remaining human settlement.”

  The words crashed into me like a physical blow.

  “What?!”

  “I have created another barrier. A second refuge. Its name is Procyon Town.”

  My heart pounded.

  “Another city…?” – The words felt foreign on my tongue. – “That’s not possible. I would have known…”

  “No, you wouldn’t have.” – His tone was matter of fact. – “Because you were never meant to know. Not until now.”

  “Why are you telling me this only now?”

  Sirius was silent for a moment.

  “Because… Just as I found you years ago, I have felt the same pull again.”

  I froze.

  “You mean…”

  “Another one.” – His voice was quiet, but firm. The Observatory felt smaller suddenly, the air around me thickening.

  “They shouldn’t be considered a star yet. Something akin to a molecular cloud. They have not yet awakened, but they will.”

  I could feel my pulse hammering in my ears.

  Another one.

  Sirius studied me closely.

  “Your mission is simple, Arstria. Find them. Bring them here.”

  Chapter 10

  The Day I Grew a Fox Tail (and Ears)

  2012-09-15

  Procyon Town

  Present

  I just had a dream.

  A dream where I stood side by side with the hero I idolized as a child, her presence as radiant and unshakable as I had always imagined. A dream where the impossible became reality. Where I wielded strength beyond my wildest imagination, fought a colossal monster with unwavering resolve, and stood tall as a beacon of hope in a town on the brink of ruin.

  A dream where I was a hero.

  [Fear]

  But as my consciousness stirred, the dream’s vividness did not dissolve into the usual morning haze. Instead, a strange sensation lingered. One of weightlessness, of something unfamiliar pressing against my back. Slowly, I opened my eyes, expecting to find myself in my familiar, artificially lit room, tucked away in the solitude of my mansion.

  Instead, I found myself in an unfamiliar place.

  The first thing I noticed was the scent. Floral, fresh, and subtly intoxicating. Surrounding the massive bed I lay upon were flowers of all kinds, their petals swaying ever so slightly, as if breathing with the vivid air. Sunlight streamed in from impossibly tall windows, their glass glimmering like liquid gold. The ceiling was so high that even if I leaped with all my might, I wouldn’t come close to touching it.

  Everything about this place exuded luxury. The bed beneath me was unlike anything I had ever slept in. Larger than the one back in my mansion, its plush surface enveloping me in warmth. The blanket, thick and woven from what felt like the softest wool in existence, draped over me like a queen’s mantle. Even my clothes had changed. The familiar fabric of my usual attire had been replaced with something else entirely. A pristine, snow-white garment, so soft and airy that it felt like it had been made from clouds.

  And then, I saw her.

  A girl, sitting quietly on a couch by the bedside, lost in deep slumber.

  My breath hitched as I took in her features. Her delicate frame, her soft pink hair cascading over her noble yet practical clothing, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept. My heart pounded as realization struck me.

  This was her.

  The very same girl I had seen in my dream.

  The very same girl from the cartoon I had spent days and night being inspired by.

  “I see…” – My voice was barely a whisper as I slowly sat up, my mind struggling to process what I was seeing. – “Then it wasn’t a dream…”

  A flood of thoughts crashed into me, memories of the battle, the transformation, the impossible events that led to this moment. Had I truly become the beast that felled the fabled beast? My hands clenched instinctively, my body yearning for any sign that what I remembered had been real.

  And then, I felt it.

  Something was… missing.

  My fingers brushed against the sides of my head where my ears should have been. Only to meet smooth, empty skin. A cold chill ran down my spine. My hands frantically searched again, rubbing the same area, but there was nothing. No familiar curve of human ears, no reassuring presence of what had always been there.

  Panic surged through me as I snapped my fingers near my head. The sound rang in my ears, but something was off. The source of the noise wasn't coming from where it should have.

  It was coming from above me.

  I hesitated. Slowly, hesitantly, I reached upward. My fingers brushed against something soft, something distinctly… inhuman.

  Fur.

  I recoiled, my breathing growing rapid. No, no, no, no…

  I scrambled to my feet, my eyes darting around the room in search of a mirror. My gaze landed on a nearby flower vase, its water-filled glass surface reflecting just enough for me to see. I grabbed it, carefully maneuvering the flowers aside to get a clearer look.

  And there, staring back at me—

  Were two fox-like ears, perched atop my head.

  Dark brown, fluffy, twitching slightly as if reacting to my own shock.

  "What?!" – The word tore from my throat in a strangled cry.

  As if in a trance, I turned my attention downward, my hands moving instinctively. If I had animal ears, then—

  I flipped back the thick blanket, my eyes scanning desperately, searching for something. And then, there it was.

  A tail.

  A large, fluffy, dark brown tail, extending from my lower back and swaying ever so slightly.

  "Haha… Haha…" – A breathless, nervous chuckle escaped me as my trembling fingers brushed over the tail. It felt real. It moved as I willed it to. This wasn’t some elaborate costume or illusion.

  My life as a human had truly ended.

  [Cringe]

  "Why are you that surprised?"

  The sound of her voice jolted me back to reality, reminding me that I wasn’t alone.

  And yes, at that exact moment, I had been tugging down my puffy shorts, trying to figure out where exactly the tail was coming from.

  Before my mind could even process the sheer humiliation of the situation, my body acted on instinct. With a sharp yelp, I dove straight under the blanket, curling up into the warmth of the fabric in a desperate bid to disappear. The thick covers muffled my panicked breathing, but it did nothing to erase the fact that she had seen everything.

  And what was worse? The way I leapt into the blanket, headfirst, diving into safety, made me look exactly like a fox burrowing into snow.

  Kill me now.

  “Shikimi Elewp.”

  Her voice cut through my internal suffering like a judge passing down a sentence. I peeked out slightly, just enough to see her standing there with her arms crossed, staring down at me with the stern disappointment of a mother catching her child elbow-deep in the cookie jar.

  "I learned your name from the citizens, by the way." – She continued, tapping her fingers against her elbow. – “You have a lot of explaining to do."

  I exhaled sharply, trying to recover at least a shred of my dignity. – “Really? I'm the one who has explaining to do?" – I scoffed, sitting up while still keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around me. – “You're the one who just got up after dying. Maybe you should start."

  Arstria’s expression didn’t falter, though a flicker of [Annoyance] and [Amusement] passed through her crimson eyes. – “We don’t have time to go over my backstory now." – She said, brushing off the topic entirely. The way she said it, so firm and absolute, told me there was a story, one that probably wasn’t simple.

  But she wasn’t going to tell me. Not yet.

  Instead, she took a step closer, her piercing gaze locking onto mine. – “I need to understand why the hell you just turned into a giant fox and killed a fabled beast."

  I opened my mouth. Then closed it.

  "...Hmm." – I muttered, gripping the blanket as I thought. – “I don’t know, okay? I’ve always been able to sense people’s emotions, but turning into a kitsune? That’s not something I knew I was capable of."

  And that was the truth.

  My ability to feel the emotions of those around me had always been a part of myself, a trait I had grown accustomed to. Sometimes it was overwhelming. Being in a crowded space meant experiencing a chaotic mess of emotions that weren’t mine. Other times, it felt like a curse, making it impossible to ignore people’s true feelings, even when I wanted to.

  But this?

  This transformation, this power, this magic that had awakened inside me?

  I had no explanation for it.

  Arstria narrowed her eyes, the gears in her mind visibly turning. – “Wait… you’re able to feel emotions?"

  I nodded. – “Yes."

  She leaned forward, intrigued. – “Then… what am I feeling right now?"

  I raised an eyebrow. – “It doesn’t work like that. I can’t just read people like a book. Normally, I can only sense emotions when they’re strong enough to leave an imprint. If someone is feeling something faintly, I won’t pick up on it. But I would guess it is curiosity.”

  She frowned slightly, her fingers drumming against the chair’s armrest. – “Anyone would feel that way after what you just told me.”

  “Well… I can send emotions too.”

  Arstria’s eyes sharpened. – “Send them?”

  A smirk tugged at my lips. Oh, this is going to be fun.

  “Yeah.” – I said casually.

  I thought back to the absolutely humiliating spectacle I had put on earlier. The frantic scrambling, the sheer mortification of realizing she had seen me investigating my own, newly born tail. The memory was still fresh, still vivid. So, I took all of that embarrassment, focused on it, and pushed it outward. Straight into her.

  The reaction was instantaneous.

  Her whole face turned red in a matter of seconds, her hands shooting up as if she had been physically struck by the emotion. Her posture stiffened, her fingers gripping the edge of the chair like she was bracing for an earthquake. Then, in a split second, she bolted, diving behind the very chair she had been sitting on, as if that flimsy piece of furniture could somehow shield her from the overwhelming wave of secondhand humiliation.

  "S… S-Stop!!" – She stammered, voice cracking slightly as she clutched the chair’s backrest. – “I believe in you! You don’t have to prove it like this!"

  I burst out laughing, doubling over as I watched the almighty Arstria Sirius, the legendary First Star, the warrior who had been revered, reduced to a flustered mess, peeking out from behind a chair like a frightened rabbit.

  The moment the sensation faded, Arstria let out a sharp breath, her body sagging slightly against the chair as the lingering embarrassment finally lifted. She shot me a glare so sharp it could have sliced through steel.

  “If you dare do that against me again, I will beat you up.”

  I wiped a tear from my eye, still grinning. – “Maybe. But you did look adorable just now."

  Arstria narrowed her eyes, as if analyzing my words. – “Forget about that. I am interrogating your past, so try to remember anything that might be useful.”

  "Well… While I was asleep, I had a strange dream." – I began slowly. – “It felt like I was floating in space, surrounded by nothing. And then… I fell. I fell to Earth. That’s the most I can tell."

  Arstria stiffened slightly. – “Wait. Falling from the sky?" – Her tone sharpened, as if I had just said something deeply unsettling. – “Are you sure? You’re not just confusing the stars from the show with reality?"

  I gave her a dry look. – “Hah. Says you, the fictional character standing in front of me. Do you know how ridiculous this entire situation is? My mental faculties are currently not functioning properly."

  She sighed. – “Yeah, I can imagine how weird this must be from your perspective."

  "I doubt it.”

  "But this is reality." – She pressed, her voice growing firm again. – “And you need to accept it if you plan on moving forward."

  I exhaled, running a hand through my hair, only to freeze when I brushed against the fox ears. Great. Just great.

  "Fine." – I muttered. – “Then tell me this, where am I?"

  Arstria’s lips curled into a knowing smirk, and her next words sent an entirely new wave of shock crashing over me.

  "Congratulations." she said, tone almost teasing. While she clapped her hands. – “You just got promoted from ‘resident witch hated by everyone’ to literal incarnation of their god on Earth."

  I blinked.

  “Wait, what?”

  She turned on her heel, heading toward the door with a casual wave of her hand. – “It’s probably best if you see it for yourself. There should be some ceremonial dress in that wardrobe right there." – She glanced back at me, her eyes glinting with amusement. – “I’ll be waiting for you outside."

  As soon as Arstria left, I finally pulled myself out of the tangled mess of blankets.

  And immediately, I regretted it.

  The moment my feet touched the floor, my balance wavered and before I could even process what was happening, I was falling. Hard.

  With an undignified ‘eep’, I landed face-first against the cold, polished floor, my arms flailing uselessly at my sides. A dull thud echoed through the massive room as the impact rattled my bones, knocking the air from my lungs. For a moment, I just lay there, stunned, cheek pressed against the cool surface.

  Ow.

  I groaned and pushed myself up, trying to get back on my feet. But the moment I shifted my weight, my body betrayed me again. My center of gravity was completely off, sending me stumbling awkwardly to the side like a newborn deer.

  What the hell was wrong with me?!

  Then I saw it. A flicker of movement caught my eye. It was my tail.

  My very real tail, very alive tail, flicking idly behind me like it had a mind of its own.

  I froze, watching it sway gently from side to side, the soft fur catching the golden light filtering in through the windows.

  When people think of animal tails, they assume they’re just there for decoration: fluffy, cute little appendages that serve no real purpose other than to make the critter look adorable.

  But that was completely wrong.

  This wasn’t just some extra fluff attached to my back for aesthetic appeal. It was part of me, an extension of my spine. Literally more vertebrae, stretched out and elongated, packed with nerves and muscle.

  And that meant my balance was utterly screwed.

  Humans weren’t meant to have tails. My entire life, my body had functioned on one understanding of movement, posture, and weight distribution. But now, with this new entirely different anatomical structure, everything was wrong.

  I tested a step forward, carefully shifting my weight. Nope. Too much.

  I overcompensated, my tail swinging out behind me like an uncooperative counterweight, throwing me off balance again. I staggered, barely catching myself against the bedpost before I could eat the floor a second time.

  “Okay.” – I inhaled deeply, grounding myself. – “I can do this.”

  I just needed to figure out how to use it.

  Forcing my nerves to settle, I closed my eyes and focused. The tail was a part of me now, right? So, if I treated it like a normal limb, like an arm or a leg, I should be able to move it properly.

  I concentrated, trying to send a deliberate command to it. And nothing. The tail didn’t budge. Not even a twitch.

  [Frustration] bubbled up inside me as I exhaled sharply. Come on, move! I willed the new limb to obey, but it remained stubbornly still, as if it had no intention of acknowledging my existence.

  I had never thought that tails really needed required conscious effort to move. But now, with this thing attached to my body, I was starting to realize just how wrong that assumption was.

  Take cats, for example.

  They are absurdly agile creatures, capable of maintaining their balance with near-perfect precision. They can perform impossible jumps, land gracefully on their feet no matter how high they fell, and maneuver across the thinnest of ledges without a single misstep. And the key to all of that? Their tails.

  Their tails were finally tuned instruments of balance and control. But if you took that tail away, they too would struggle. Their sense of equilibrium would be thrown off completely, and they’d be forced to relearn how to move.

  The same was true for canines, like dogs and foxes. I had read somewhere that, in the past world, humans used to cut off certain dog breeds’ tails for beauty reasons. The thought made my stomach twist in disgust. What kind of person would willingly cripple an animal just for appearances? It was cruel and utterly stupid.

  Tails were important for animals. And now, I had one.

  Which meant, if I could figure out how to use it properly, I’d be way better in athletics than regular humans. My balance, my reflexes, my movement. All could be enhanced. I grinned slightly at the thought.

  Alright, think, Elewp. Humans are just evolved monkeys, aren’t they?

  Monkeys use their tails all the time: to grip branches, to stabilize themselves while climbing, to swing from tree to tree with ease. Sure, humans had lost their tails somewhere along the evolutionary path, but maybe, just maybe, there was still some hidden genetic instinct buried in my DNA that could help me now.

  But that sort of thinking, wasn’t it?

  Monkeys and foxes used their tails for completely different purposes. And whatever I was now… I might not even be a human in the first place.

  That realization sent a chill down my spine (down to my tail).

  Where did even these fox parts come from?

  The thought nagged at me, a whisper of unease curling in the back of my mind. There were too many unanswered questions, too many impossibilities stacking up on top of each other. But there was no use thinking about that now. Right now, I had a more immediate problem.

  I needed to relearn how to walk like a baby.

  The difficulty of that thought stung, but it was the truth. I wasn’t just adjusting to a new limb. I was adjusting to an entirely different way of existing.

  I closed my eyes and focused.

  First, awareness.

  I forced myself to feel the tail, to acknowledge it not as some foreign object stuck but as mine. I wasn’t just a human with an extra appendage. I was something new, a kitsune. If I kept treating it like a useless accessory, I was going to keep falling on my face.

  I inhaled slowly. I imagined my tail as part of me. Just like my arms and legs. I pictured it responding to my will, moving smoothly, following my command.

  A slow, flickering sensation rippled down my spine.

  I opened my eyes just in time to see my tail twitch.

  It wasn’t much, just the barest flicker of movement, but it was something.

  Encouraged, I tried again. This time putting more intent behind it.

  And that was a mistake.

  The tail jerked. A wild and violent swing to the side. The sudden force yanked me off balance like a whip cracking in the air. I let out a long, muffled groan against the polished wood, my face pressed against its cool surface. Lying there, sprawled out on the cold, polished floor, I took a moment to reassess my situation.

  Clearly, controlling my tail was going to take a lot more practice than I had anticipated. It wasn’t just about moving it, it was about mastering it. The sheer strength it had was almost unnatural, like it had already been trained for years while the rest of my body struggled to catch up.

  Why was that?

  I frowned, fingers pressing against the floor as I thought about it.

  It didn’t make sense. Shouldn’t my tail be weak and uncoordinated, just like any other unused muscle? But no, it felt strong, absurdly so, as if it had already adapted to a life I didn’t remember living.

  Then it hit me.

  Only humans had to specifically train their muscles to gain strength. Animals were different. They were born ready. Instinct and biology took care of the rest. A newborn deer could stand and walk within minutes of birth. A kitten could already flex and control its tail without ever needing to think about it.

  And now, I was something in between.

  I had to relearn how to move.

  I groaned, pushing myself up again. But this time, I didn’t immediately try to stand. That had already ended in disaster twice, and I wasn’t eager to let the floor win a third time. Instead, I settled onto my knees, letting my tail sway naturally behind me.

  And then, I started to move. Not like an upright human. No, I moved like something else. Like a toddler taking their first, clumsy steps into the world. Or better yet, like a beast that had forgotten how to be one.

  I dropped lower, instinctively shifting my weight onto my hands and feet, my body adjusting before my mind even had time to process what I was doing. My fingertips barely skimmed the floor, my legs bent slightly, and my tail swayed to keep me stable.

  And that was when it finally clicked.

  The instincts I had been desperately searching for, the ones that had evaded me when I was trying to force control over my tail, suddenly rushed forward like a flood breaking through a dam.

  I remembered.

  Didn’t I literally turn into a perfectly capable, completely aerodynamic fox just days ago?

  Hadn’t I sprinted through the night, leaped impossible distances, torn through the fabled beast without hesitation? This body had already moved with inhuman grace before. So why was I struggling now?

  I inhaled sharply, my muscles tensing. My current movements were still unrefined, awkward, but at least I wasn’t falling anymore.

  I took another step, then another.

  The more I let go of thinking and started feeling, the easier it became.

  The only big problem is that despite the newfound instincts kicking in, despite finally understanding how to balance myself, and despite the fact that I could now move without constantly meeting the floor. There was one glaring issue.

  I looked completely ridiculous. Humans weren’t built for quadrupedal movement. And while I was definitely not entirely human anymore, my proportions were still human enough to make it really awkward.

  My legs were much longer than my arms, which meant instead of looking like a graceful predator slinking through the wild, I looked more like a poorly designed marionette that had lost half of its strings.

  I sighed, pausing mid-step to glance at my reflection in the polished floor.

  Yeah. It was bad.

  My back was arched too high, my arms didn’t reach far enough, and my entire posture screamed, this is wrong and you should feel ashamed for even attempting it.

  Damn.

  There was no way I’d look presentable like this.

  Imagine walking into a room full of people on all fours like some kind of oversized house pet. Absolutely not.

  Still…

  It was good to know that, whenever I needed to move efficiently, and, more importantly, when no one was watching, I could just do this. Speed over dignity.

  Anyway, after what felt like an eternity of awkward stumbling and readjusting, I finally managed to make my way toward the wardrobe. Walking felt different now, like my body was still learning what to do with itself.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  But that wasn’t important right now.

  I reached the grand wardrobe: tall, carved from dark wood, its doors adorned with elegant silver inlays. Taking a steadying breath, I grasped the cool metal handles and pulled them open.

  And then, I froze. The garments inside were stunning.

  A flowing white veil, so sheer and delicate that it looked like mist captured in fabric. A mask, shaped like a wolf’s face, its fine details resembling something between regality and divinity. And then, the centerpiece:

  A striking gown of ivory silk, its fabric shimmering under the soft light, embroidered with intricate patterns that wove across the surface like celestial constellations. Delicate lace adorned the sleeves and hem, its craftsmanship so fine it looked as though it had been spun from moonlight itself. The design was undeniably regal, yet there was something hauntingly sacred about it.

  It almost looked like a bride’s dress.

  Elegant. Pure. Holy.

  Yet something about it made my stomach twist with unease.

  I hesitantly reached out, letting my fingers brush against the smooth silk. It was impossibly soft, almost too perfect, like it had been crafted not for a person, but for an idol. A figure meant to be worshipped, revered, adored.

  And yet, why did it look so familiar?

  The moment my eyes locked onto the gown, something lurched inside me. A sharp, twisting pain bloomed in my chest, a sensation so sudden and intense that I instinctively clutched at my ribs. It hurt.

  Not a physical wound, not something I could see or touch, but a deep, suffocating ache that coiled around my heart like invisible thorns.

  I didn’t know this dress. I had never worn it before. I had never seen it in my life.

  And yet, something about it, something about the way the fabric flowed, the way the embroidery glowed faintly in the dim light, made me feel like I was forgetting something.

  Like I was standing in the shadow of a memory just out of reach.

  The more I stared at it, the worse the pain became.

  My breath turned shallow, my heartbeat erratic, like needles were piercing into it, sharp and relentless, disrupting its rhythm.

  Me, wearing this… It felt wrong.

  So deeply, fundamentally wrong, like a cruel joke whispered by a universe that had already taken too much from me.

  But the worst part? I didn’t even know why. I had no memories, no reason, no logic to explain the overwhelming sense of grief pressing down on me like a weight I couldn’t shake. It was as if the dress itself carried something and just looking at it was enough to unravel a part of me I didn’t even realize was fragile.

  I couldn’t wear it. I wouldn’t wear it.

  My hands trembled as I took a step back, swallowing against the tightness in my throat. The thought of putting that gown on, of feeling it against my skin, sent a fresh wave of nausea through me.

  But then, my eyes caught on something else.

  Nestled behind the ivory dress, tucked away as if waiting for me to notice it, was another gown. One far less magnanimous, far less imposing.

  A gown of light green and gold.

  I hesitated before reaching out, my fingers grazing the fabric. Unlike the first dress, which radiated something otherworldly, something divine, this one felt… gentle.

  Soft. Human.

  The gold embroidery danced across the fabric in elegant swirls, but it lacked the suffocating weight of the ivory gown. This one looked like an innocent dream, something more distant to the burden of worship or expectation. It wasn’t entirely free of the ache clawing at my chest, but it was bearable.

  This, at least, I could sustain. I let out a shaky breath, gathering the gown in my arms. This was the one I would wear.Top of FormBottom of Form

  Well, that would be the case. But there was a problem. Imagine trying to do something drunk, not that I had ever actually been drunk, but I knew enough to understand the struggle. Motor control? Impaired. Judgment? Questionable. The simplest of tasks? Suddenly a herculean effort.

  Now, take that same feeling and apply it to trying to put on an outfit, and multiply the difficulty by two. Due to well, my still struggling new sense of balance.

  Yeah. It was absurdly hard.

  I huffed in frustration as I fumbled with the delicate fabric, awkwardly trying to maneuver my way into the gown without tripping over myself. My tail twitched impatiently behind me, throwing off my balance every time I moved too quickly. It was like dressing while someone kept yanking at the back of my clothes, pulling me in random directions just for the fun of it.

  And then, well, there was no hole for my tail. A detail I had completely overlooked until I had already put the gown on. Then, before I could even think of a way to fix it…

  The sound of tearing fabric echoed through the room, and I felt a sharp tug at my lower back.

  I turned my head just in time to witness the damage.

  My tail, traitorous, impatient thing that it was, had forced its way through the back of the gown, tearing straight through the expensive fabric like it was nothing. The once-pristine dress now had a large, jagged hole, the edges fraying as if my tail had longed for freedom and simply refused to be contained.

  I stared as my tail flicked, completely unbothered by the destruction it had just caused.

  Well… At least I could wear it now.

  After nearly falling a few more times, I finally managed to leave the room.

  The moment I stepped into the hallway, I instantly knew where I was. Not because I had ever been to this part of the church before, but the architecture was unmistakable. The same towering arches, the same pale stone walls adorned with intricate carvings of a celestial wolf. The dim, flickering light of the candelabras cast long shadows along the corridors, creating a somber yet regal atmosphere.

  It was undeniably Procyon Church.

  Considering how much I was cursed by this place’s followers, I ended up knowing quite a lot about its traditions, its rituals, and most notably, its Saintess.

  The town followed an old custom: one of the priestesses was chosen to become the Saintess, the center of their entire religion. A figurehead of faith, someone meant to be revered, obeyed, worshipped.

  But for some reason, they hadn’t chosen anyone.

  Over the years, there have been murmurs and speculation. Why was there no Saintess? What was the church waiting for?

  Nanfaz had told me once that the bishop had desperately tried to recruit her as a priestess, approaching her multiple times. But she always refused. And I didn’t blame her. The way he had pushed for it made it obvious that he had a plan. First, amass as many priestesses as possible, then choose the most charismatic one among them to take up the mantle of Saintess.

  But clearly, that plan had failed.

  It seemed they had ultimately decided it was better to have no Saintess at all rather than choose someone who lacked the presence to command faith.

  After all, being the center of a religion wasn’t a role just anyone could fill.

  Come to think of it… Nanfaz could probably pull it off.

  She had the looks for it. Her long, dark hair, her piercing gaze, her striking features. She had a way of drawing attention, of standing out in a crowd even she wasn’t trying to. And if she was just as brave as she was curious, I was certain she could convince the town to accept her.

  Before I could dwell on that thought any longer, I reached the grand staircase. And immediately, I realized another problem. Going down stairs? With my current balance issues? Just as I was trying to calculate how to not fall to my death, a voice rang from behind me.

  “Are you okay?”

  My breath caught. I turned to see her.

  “Nanfaz!”

  Just as I had been thinking about her, there she was. And I hadn’t realized how much I had missed her until this moment.

  The second our eyes meet, I felt something tighten in my chest. An unspoken relief, the kind that only comes after surviving something terrible and finally seeing a familiar face.

  Without hesitation, I rushed to her, wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug. She tensed in surprise at first, but within seconds, she returned the embrace.

  She’s safe. I protected her. She’s here. I squeezed my eyes shut for a brief moment, letting that fact settle in. I hadn’t failed. When we finally pulled apart, Nanfaz blinked at me, studying my face. Then, she tilted her head slightly, her sharp brown eyes narrowing as if analyzing something.

  "Wait… you’re different."

  I raised an eyebrow. – “Different how?"

  Her gaze flicked over me, scrutinizing. – “I don’t know… something about you just looks… off."

  I smirked. – “Ah, you mean… these?" – I flicked one of my fox ears playfully and gestured to my tail, letting it swish behind me for dramatic effect. – “Guess who’s the new werewolf in town!”

  I grinned, knowing full well that Nanfaz was a massive fan of that one book series about teenage romance and werewolves. My house’s library had so many unnecessary books.

  Her lips parted in surprise.

  “Oh! That too. But I actually wasn’t talking about your wolf cosplay.”

  I blinked. – “Wait. What?”

  "Yeah, I just thought that was something the Saintess was supposed to wear or something. You’re supposed to be the incarnation of a wolf, right? – She waved a hand dismissively, as if my literal transformation wasn’t the most shocking thing about me. – “I was talking about your face."

  I stiffened. – “My face?"

  “Mhm.” – She leaned in slightly, examining me closer. – “You’re different. More confident, maybe? It’s like your whole aura changed.”

  I frowned. – “How can you say that when I can’t even walk properly…”

  She crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. – “It’s not just that. It’s like… I don’t know, like you’ve had some kind of glow-up?”

  “Glow-up?”

  “Yeah.” – She gestured vaguely at me. – “Your skin looks smoother, your hair is shinier and silkier, and your whole face just looks more refined. Like someone applied a perfect filter over you. It’s like you put on makeup, but naturally. Or like…”

  "Like you had plastic surgery, but not quite." – She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly as she studied my face. – “Like when the nerdy protagonist finally takes off the glasses and the beautiful actress emerges."

  I blinked. – “So… I’ve become more attractive?"

  She shrugged, completely unfazed. – “Technically, yes."

  I didn’t know how to feel about that. I reached up, brushing my fingers over my cheek as if expecting to feel something different. But my skin was still my own. My face still felt the same. And yet… Had it really changed?

  The idea unsettled me.

  Sure, I had been through an absurd transformation already, with the ears and the tail and the whole kitsune situation, but the thought that even my face had shifted, that I looked like an entirely new version of myself…

  I wasn’t sure whether to be horrified or vaguely impressed?

  Before I could even begin to process everything, Nanfaz’s attention suddenly snapped toward something else.

  Her eyes widened slightly, her body going still as realization dawned on her. Then, with absolute zero warning, she lunged forward.

  “Wait are second, how is this moving?” – Before I could react before I could even think about stopping her, she grabbed my tail with astounding force.

  And in that moment I knew true pain.

  A sharp, blinding jolt shot through my entire body, like an electric shock had just been sent directly into my spine. My muscles seized up, every limb locking into place for half a second… And then everything shut down.

  My knees buckled. My arms gave out.

  I collapsed immediately, again.

  “Agh!!” – I gasped, barely able to breathe, let alone move.

  The pain wasn’t just surface level, it was something deeper, something wired into my very nerves. My entire body felt like it had short-circuited.

  Meanwhile, Nanfaz, completely oblivious to the absolute agony she had just inflicted upon me. Stared down in shock.

  I groaned into the floor. – “Please… Never… Do… That… Again…” – I gritted my teeth, forcing out the words through the lingering paralysis.

  “Wait, wait, hold on…” – Nanfaz’s voice was a mixture of shock and barely-contained amusement. Her eyes darted between me and my still-twitching tail, flickering with a combination of concern, curiosity and mischief. – “That tail is actually real?”

  She looked like she was trying so hard not to laugh, pressing her lips together even as her shoulders shook slightly.

  I glared at her from my undignified position on the floor.

  “Huh. So, is it super-sensitive? I’m truly sorry.”

  There was zero sincerity in her voice.

  “I didn’t know it either.”- I muttered, still feeling the lingering effects of my still to be activated nervous system.

  Good to know. Now I had an easily exploitable weakness.

  As I tried to push myself up, still feeling residual tremors in my muscles, Nanfaz suddenly leaned in close.

  And then she started whispering in my ear.

  "Considering you’re going to be like that for a while." – She asked. – “Could you tell me why there was an Arstria cosplayer in a room with you this entire time?"

  I blinked. I turned my head slightly, just enough to catch the tiny blush dusting her cheeks. Wait. Wait a second. Was she…?

  "Wait, she was there the entire time?" – I asked, now fully aware of just how much I had been missing while I was unconscious.

  Nanfaz nodded, looking increasingly embarrassed about even asking the question.

  My thoughts immediately turned back to Arstria.

  She didn’t seem that concerned about my condition when we talked earlier. At least, not in an emotional way. Sure, she gave her all to make sure I didn’t die during that day. So why had she stayed by my side the entire time? So why had she stayed by my side the entire time?

  "Yeah." – Nanfaz continued. – “The priests didn’t let me in. But they let her…"

  Her voice dropped at the end, almost bitterly.

  I raised an eyebrow. – “Wait a second…" – I pushed myself up on shaky arms, my mind catching up to the situation. – “You’re jealous."

  Nanfaz’s face exploded into red.

  "N-No!" – She protested instantly, crossing her arms and pouting like a child caught in a lie. – “It just sucks that some stranger can waltz in like it’s nothing, but I wasn’t allowed!"

  I smirked, deciding to push her just a little further.

  "Oh? So, you’re not upset that she got to stay with me the entire time, but you didn’t?"

  She sputtered, glaring daggers at me.

  "I! That’s not what I!"

  "You totally are. How blind I was to not notice, you even said I was more attractive now!"

  I let out a small chuckle, but the amusement faded when she spoke again.

  "Apparently, the priests said she had divine powers and was protecting you."

  That made me pause. – “Divine powers?”

  Nanfaz nodded. – “Yeah. That’s what they told me when I asked why she could stay and I couldn’t."

  I exhaled sharply. Right. The realization sank in. Nanfaz didn’t know. She had no idea what had truly happened that day.

  To her, I had simply disappeared after asking her to warn the village, then reappeared as this: ears, tail, everything. Without any explanation. She didn’t know about the battle. She didn’t know about what I had become.

  She didn’t know anything.

  I felt a weight settle in my chest.

  I had to tell her. I reached out, gripping the edge of a nearby wooden stand to steady myself as I finally gathered my thoughts. So much had happened. I took a deep breath, steadying myself.

  "Alright." – I said. – “There’s a lot to go over."

  And so, I told her everything. From the moment I woke up in that unfamiliar, luxurious room, to the realization that Arstria, the First Star, was real.

  I explained what I had uncovered about the history of Procyon. The outside world, the beasts, the statues that weren’t just ordinary monuments but something far more significant.

  I told her about my transformation. How I had no idea what I was anymore, how my body had changed in ways I still didn’t understand. And, because I knew she’d ask about it eventually, I admitted to my current biggest struggle.

  "Walking around without tripping over my own tail."

  Nanfaz listened intently, her expression shifting as she absorbed every word.

  At first, there was skepticism. The kind of disbelief that any normal person would have when being told that their world was far more complex, far more twisted, than they ever could have imagined.

  Then, there was curiosity. That signature spark in her eyes, the one I had seen countless times before. The hunger for knowledge, for secrets, for understanding things that no one else dared to question.

  And finally, excitement. A flicker of something dangerous and thrilling.

  After all, there was still a huge mystery in the form of a massive door to be explored.

  “Let me help you.” – Nanfaz’s voice was quiet but firm as she stepped beside me, ducking her head under my arm and wrapping it over her shoulder to support my weight. This time, she didn’t even ask for permission.

  I hesitated for half a second, my pride bristling instinctively. But then I exhaled, letting my body relax against her. I needed the help. And… truthfully, I didn’t mind.

  Together, we began descending the grand staircase.

  The steps stretched downward in a sweeping spiral, their polished stone surfaces gleaming under the soft glow of flickering wall sconces. The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind that came with understanding, a quiet recognition of how far we had come.

  As we moved carefully down each step, something stirred in the back of my mind.

  “A lot has happened since then, huh.” – The words left my lips before I even realized I had spoken them. For a moment, Nanfaz didn’t respond. Then, a soft chuckle escaped her.

  “Yeah. It’s been more than three months already, but time really flew by.”

  As I leaned against her, relying on her strength in a way I never would have allowed before, I couldn’t help but think back to the very first day we met. That strange, fateful encounter. Back then, she had tried to help me.

  Noticing her ulterior motives, I had declined, not wanting to be just entertainment to her. I had pushed her away.

  But when she had asked me for help, I had given my all.

  And yet, looking back now, I realized it wasn’t as simple as one person helping the other.

  It was never just me pulling her forward, nor was it just her relying on me. She had helped me too.

  If I had never met Nanfaz, I wouldn’t have protected this town.

  I wouldn’t have uncovered any secrets about Procyon. I wouldn’t have stayed. I would have fled with Arstria, leaving everything behind.

  That thought sent a strange shiver through me.

  It was odd. Thinking about all the different possibilities this world had offered, the countless versions of the past where things could have gone differently. If I had chosen another path, would I have still ended up here?

  Would I have still changed in the ways I had? But this was the path I had taken. And right now, Nanfaz was here, beside me.

  Helping me walk. Now that I was a tailed human, stumbling awkwardly through the new version of myself I had yet to fully understand. She was still here.

  And somehow, that was enough.

  =========================================================================

  “That sure took a long time.”

  Arstria’s impatient voice echoed through the vast chapel as she stood waiting for me.

  I had expected more people to be present. Priests, followers, the usual bustle of religious devotion. But the church was eerily empty. Only a handful of priests remained, all dressed in their finest ceremonial robes, their expressions solemn and unreadable.

  And then, the moment their eyes landed on me, they dropped to their knees.

  They knelt in perfect unison, their heads bowed low, as if my very presence commanded reverence.

  Ignoring that for now, I replied to Arstria. – “It not my fault!”- I blurted out, trying to break the tension. – “You see, the tail has really messed up my balance, so I had a hard time getting dressed and getting here.”

  Arstria crossed her arms, watching me with an unreadable expression. – “You should have asked for help then." – There was no mockery in her voice, only the understanding of someone who had clearly experienced the pain of adjusting to powers beyond human comprehension.

  I huffed. – “I’m getting used to it, alright? I’ll train when I have the time. Until then…” – I smirked, nudging Nanfaz with my elbow before dramatically pointing straight at her face. – “She’ll help me."

  It was a joke. An attempt to lighten the mood, to make Nanfaz look like my personal crutch. But the way Arstria’s gaze shifted toward her…

  Something felt off.

  "Who?" – Arstria’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Nanfaz for the first time.

  Oh, right. They didn’t know each other personally. I cleared my throat, stepping in between them as if to bridge the sudden, unexplained tension in the air.

  "Let me introduce her! This is Nanfaz. My best friend and collaborator in the investigations of Procyon’s mysteries. She’s basically my sidekick."

  I thought the playful tone would help smooth things over, but… The moment I finished speaking, the air turned heavy. Like something unseen had shifted between them.

  I frowned. What was this atmosphere?

  "You know I was the one who asked you for help, right, Elewp?" – Nanfaz shot back, her voice light but carrying an edge of correction.

  Then, she turned to the pink-haired girl. – “Anyway, good to meet you, Arstria. She’s told me everything about you." - There was a strain in her voice, like she was forcing herself to be polite. I blinked.

  Was this really the same Nanfaz who had once fangirled over Arstria’s show?

  Arstria, on the other hand, simply stared. She tilted her head slightly, one hand on her chin, her crimson eyes scanning Nanfaz like she was analyzing a puzzle she didn’t quite understand. Seconds stretched on. A full minute passed.

  Why is she just staring?!

  My palms started sweating. Was she trying to memorize Nanfaz’s face or something?!

  Then, finally, Arstria spoke.

  "It is nice to meet you, Nanfaz." - Her tone was neutral. Flat.

  But the moment had already stretched too long, and I felt it. An undercurrent of something unspoken, something strange. I cleared my throat loudly, clapping my hands together in an attempt to cut through the suffocating air.

  As I spoke, my hyper-intelligent brain immediately began piecing things together.

  Why was the air so tense? Why did they seem to dislike each other despite never having met before? Why did it feel like I was standing between two opposing forces?

  And then, the realization struck me like a meteor to the face.

  I was in the middle of a love triangle.

  I simply gasped out loud. How had I not realized sooner?! It all made sense now!

  Nanfaz, completely in love with me, must have hated that Arstria had been by my side while I was unconscious. She probably resented the fact that Arstria, who had only just met me, was allowed to stay with my comatose body while she was barred from entering.

  I totally understood why Nanfaz would feel that way, she had already fallen prey to my charms.

  But Arstria? Why her? Why would she be interested in me?

  And then, like a puzzle snapping into place, Nanfaz’s earlier compliment echoed in my head. I inhaled sharply. That’s it.

  I had become so pretty that even the First Star had fallen for me. That had to be it. That’s why the priests were kneeling. That’s why the air was so charged with tension. I was just so absurdly beautiful that everyone around me was getting emotionally compromised!

  “Arstria.” – I turned to her, my voice serious and my expression overly dramatic. – “Have I become prettier after awakening my power?”

  She blinked.

  "What…?" - Her [Confusion] was genuine.

  I frowned, narrowing my eyes. – “Answer the question."

  For a moment, she simply stared at me, like I had just spoken in an alien language.

  “By who?” – Then, realization dawned on her face, and a slow grin spread across her lips. Her expression was something like she was slowly going insane. – “Has Nanfaz told you that?”

  Nanfaz immediately turned red and looked away.

  “Elewp, I’ve literally known you for only a few minutes before you turned into a fox and fell into a coma. How the hell am I supposed to tell if you’ve changed?”

  Oh. Right. That was actually a fair point. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment.

  "That’s… true. I didn’t think about that." – I coughed awkwardly, trying to brush it off. – “Haha… never mind."

  But Arstria wasn’t done.

  "Also…" – She added, crossing her arms. – “How am I supposed to know whether a girl is pretty or not? To me, they all look the same. They’re girls, after all."

  I froze. Wait. Wait, what?

  I blinked at her. – “I mean… girls can still like girls, right?" - I looked straight down, refusing to even glance at Nanfaz as I said it out loud.

  Arstria scoffed. – “Of course not. Humans are divided into two genders and only reproduce with their opposites. Don’t you know anything about your own species?" – She held her hips, shaking her head. – “Do you think I don’t know basic human biology just because I’m a star? I’ve studied before, you know."

  I stared at her. Mouth slightly open. Brain buffering. It can’t be. Arstria was completely unaware of modern human conventions. It was almost like she had been plucked straight out of the ancient past.

  I couldn’t help but think it was kind of cute.

  But then, the horror hit me like a tidal wave. Wait. NOOOOOOOOOO—

  If Arstria thought like that… The best ship of The First Star will NEVER come true.

  What a cold slap to the face for a lifelong fan of 1.5.

  My soul is literally in tears.

  (Special translation: The ship’s name, 1.5, comes from the average of 1 and 2: the numbers used to refer to Arstria and Sapphire. Also known as Arsphire. Elewp had never met another fan of The First Star before, so all these terms were entirely self-invented, the result of countless conversations with herself. And yes, she genuinely thought she was being incredibly clever for coming up with 1.5Top of FormBottom of Form)

  "But now that you’ve said it…"

  Arstria narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing my face with even more intensity than before. I could almost feel her gaze analyzing every detail, as if she were studying a specimen under a microscope.

  "What are those lines supposed to be? Tattoos?"

  I blinked. Lines?

  Curious, I turned to a nearby priest and asked for a mirror. Without hesitation, he produced a small, silver hand mirror and offered it to me with reverence, as if I had just asked for a holy relic.

  I hesitantly took it, lifting it to my face.

  And then I saw them.

  Two faint markings had appeared near each of my cheeks. Thin, slightly curved lines, barely noticeable at first glance. They weren’t scars. They weren’t dirt.

  I traced my fingers over them, expecting to feel something different, but they were smooth, just part of my skin, like natural pigmentation.

  "They’re markings on my face…" – I muttered, still processing the change.

  Arstria hummed in understanding.

  "I see…" – She mused. – “They’re supposed to be whiskers."

  I paused. – “Whiskers?"

  "Yes. All mammals other than humans have them. They serve to detect movement, avoid obstacles." – Arstria’s tone immediately shifted into lecture mode, her voice taking on the same patient-yet-condescending tone a teacher might use on a particularly slow student.

  I fought the urge to roll my eyes. She really likes being the senior, doesn’t she?

  "But whiskers should be similar to hair." – I pointed out, frowning. – “Why are these just markings?"

  "They should turn into proper whiskers when you transform into your animal form." – She crossed her arms, nodding to herself. – “All Stars have different powers, and yours seem to be transformation-based. Unless, of course, you’re not a Star at all, but rather a beast that can shapeshift… but I doubt it."

  I stiffened slightly. Not a Star?

  "You aren’t attacking humans, after all." – She continued. – “But considering you’ve only just awakened, your transformation must still be unstable. Making you a strange chimera of human and canine."

  I exhaled, letting that sink in. A chimera…

  "I see…"

  It made sense. Everything had been off since I woke up. My balance, my appearance, my new instincts that seemed half-formed and incomplete. It was like my body wasn’t finished yet, like I was caught somewhere between what I was and what I was becoming.

  But Arstria wasn’t done.

  "That must also be why your friend thinks you’re more attractive."

  “What?”

  "Kitsunes are said to be natural bewitchers and seductresses." – Arstria’s tone was completely matter of fact, as if she were discussing weather patterns. – “They’re infamous for taking the shape of beautiful women, enchanting men, and even becoming their wives. Literal femme fatales. So, I suppose that concept has been applied to you, making you inherently more alluring."

  Her words rung in my head like a gong. Oh no.

  The heavens, those cosmic, all-powerful forces, had finally taken a good, hard look at me and decided: ‘Wow. What a dull girl. She’s too plain. She doesn’t fit in with the Stars at all.’

  And instead of simply leaving me be, they had patched me. Like I was a character in a game who had received an unexpected buff in the latest update.

  After all, both Arstria and Sapphire are beautiful. Of course I had to be modified to meet the standard.

  I inhaled sharply. I had been given… the power of beauty.

  The ability to obtain a girlfriend or boyfriend whenever I wanted.

  After whatever just happened, we prepared to leave the church.

  The tension in the air was suffocating, pressing down on me like a weight I couldn’t shake. I wanted to leave. I needed to leave. To walk out of this place without looking back. Without letting any of it sink in.

  But just as we reached the towering church doors. A voice rang out from the altar.

  “Wait!” – The sound cut through what I was holding in.

  I stopped. Slowly, I turned.

  A figure was rushing toward me, robes billowing behind him like a ghost in the dim candlelight. His footsteps echoed through the vast, empty chapel, his breath uneven, his movements frantic. Like a man chasing something that was already slipping through his fingers.

  Bishop Haldrin. His eyes locked onto mine, wide with something I couldn’t quite name. Something between reverence and terror.

  For a long moment, I only stared down at him. I didn’t speak. I didn’t move. I was still trying to process what this was supposed to be.

  And then, he dropped to his knees.

  The sight of it, the Bishop of the Procyon Church, the very man who had spent his life upholding the faith, bowing before me, should have made me feel something, but it didn’t.

  "Avatar of Procyon." – He spoke, his voice trembling, his hands resting on his thighs as if preparing for judgment. – “I cannot even begin to apologize for what you have endured."

  I said nothing.

  "If you so desire." – He continued. – “You may take this life of mine."

  His words rang through the empty chapel, settling into the stone like an unshakable vow.

  "You might as well destroy the entirety of the town."

  I inhaled sharply. The sheer weight of his words made my stomach twist. He knelt there, head bowed, waiting for my answer.

  As if I were something holy. As if I had the right to decide the fate of an entire town.

  And something inside me snapped.

  “I’m not!” – My voice came out sharp, cutting, filled with the sheer weight of everything I had been holding back. – “I’m still the same witch you all held a grudge against. I’m not a wolf goddess. I’m just a vixen who took a similar form. You might as well go back to throwing sticks and stones at me!”

  The entire church seemed to shrink around me, the weight of my fury pressing against the very air.

  I had been ignoring this entire situation. I had been making jokes because I was with people I genuinely cared about.

  But this. This entire church. Every single person here could die, and I wouldn’t even bat an eye.

  Bishop Haldrin remained on his knees, his head bowed, his expression unreadable.

  "Our faith reigns supreme." – He murmured. – “No matter how you may test us, we will not waver."

  A sharp, bitter laugh escaped my lips. And then… I slapped him. Hard.

  The crack of my palm against his face echoed through the grand chamber. The priests flinched. Even Nanfaz stiffened beside me.

  Bishop Haldrin didn’t move. His head remained turned from the impact, his cheek already wounded from the force of my slap. The sound still echoed through the vast chamber, bouncing off the cold stone walls.

  And yet, he didn’t flinch. He didn’t speak. He didn’t defend himself. He simply knelt there, unmoving, as if waiting for judgment.

  My breath came in ragged gasps, my pulse pounding in my ears.

  "Do you even understand how unfair this is?!"

  My voice shook. No… I was shaking.

  "To worship me now, after everything I’ve been through? To kneel before me after spending my entire life wishing I would just disappear?" - The weight of my own words pressed against me. My vision blurred at the edges, not from tears, but from the sheer exhaustion of it all.

  And then, my legs gave out. I collapsed to my knees, whether from my still-unsteady balance or from something deeper, I couldn’t tell.

  Nanfaz was at my side in an instant. She caught me from behind, wrapping her arms around me like she could physically hold me together.

  "Do you know how badly people treated me?" – My words came slower now, as if the weight of years pressed on my chest. – “How every single person in this town would have preferred if I just died?"

  "I felt everything." - I clenched my teeth, forcing out the words that had been buried for so long. – “The hatred. The fear. The disgust."

  The loneliness. The silence. How after knowing they couldn’t hurt me at school… They refused to even speak to me, like acknowledging my existence would somehow taint them.

  "You all should be thanking Nanfaz, not me. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have even considered protecting anyone."

  A stillness settled over the chapel. Even the flickering candlelight seemed to hesitate, as if the very air was waiting for something.

  "I see."

  Haldrin closed his eyes. He didn’t argue. He didn’t plead. He simply went silent, lost in thought. For twenty whole seconds, he remained motionless.

  "This may not be enough for you to forgive me." – He admitted. – “But I have honored the contract I made with your father all those years ago."

  The words froze me in place. – “What…?"

  Haldrin exhaled, his expression unreadable.

  "Many citizens wanted you dead." – He continued. – “They wanted to enter the Black Forest, to hunt you down. They wanted to take you while you were at school. They wanted to rid the town of your presence entirely."

  My stomach twisted.

  "But I knew I had to follow the contract." – His voice remained even. – “So, I controlled them. I made sure they followed the rules I created. And in doing so… I knew it would be enough to protect you."

  He spoke like a man who had already made peace with his decisions. Like he had already justified his actions to himself a thousand times over.

  “Liar!” – The anger surged through me before I could stop it.

  I moved. My hand shot up, ready to strike him again.

  But this time something stopped me. A force, immovable, wrapped around my wrist, holding me in place.

  It was Arstria.

  She was gripping my arm with an inhuman strength, her crimson eyes piercing into mine. There was no warmth in her expression. No amusement. Only danger.

  "That’s enough." – She said.

  [Bloodlust]

  A warning: If you hurt him, I will kill you. My breath hitched.

  "He needs to suffer." – I hissed, barely able to keep my voice steady. – “How dare he try to sound like a hero after everything…"

  "Elewp."

  Arstria’s voice cut through mine, sharp and unyielding.

  And then she lifted something into my view.

  The same mirror. She tilted it toward me.

  I froze. Because when I saw my reflection… I didn’t recognize myself. My breath stopped.

  The faint whisker markings on my cheeks had darkened, deepened. My fangs became longer and sharper. My eyes, they weren’t human anymore. They were the eyes of a predator.

  A beast.

  And then I looked down at my hand. The hand that Arstria was still gripping. No. Not my hand. My claws. Curved and inhuman. A monster’s claws.

  A fresh wave of horror crashed over me. I staggered back, yanking my arm away, my breathing uneven.

  "He’s not worth it.” – Nanfaz whispered. Her voice was soft, coaxing me back from the edge. I swallowed hard.

  She was right.

  I hadn’t saved this town for them. I hadn’t done it for redemption. I hadn’t done it for reverence.

  I had fought on a whim. Because no one else could.

  Because I wanted to avenge the fallen Arstria. Because I wanted to protect Nanfaz.

  That was my reason. Not for them. Never for them.

  “What a piece of shit.” – I turned to her, surprised by the sheer disgust in her tone. For someone who had only arrived in this town the other day, she was too furious.

  “What do you…” – I hesitated, narrowing my eyes. – “Wait. Do you know?”

  “Yes.” – Her tone was so completely sure, that for a second I wasn’t certain how to respond. – “After they began treating me like the god’s envoy, it was easy to get to know everything. From this town’s lore to its modern history, to what they knew about you.”

  I inhaled sharply, forcing myself to stay composed.

  She knew. She knew how this town had treated me. She knew what I had suffered.

  I let out a sharp exhale, running a hand through my hair.

  “Fine. That sounds fair.” – My voice was steady, but inside, I still felt I was on the verge of unraveling. – “But let’s leave this town before I accidentally kill someone with my beast powers.”

  It was half a joke. Half a real concern. Because if Arstria hadn’t stopped me back there…

  The rage had been too raw, too unfiltered. It had clawed up my throat like an instinct older than my own humanity. I had wanted to hurt him.

  And that terrified me.

  She nodded. – “Where do you suggest we go?”

  Right. She didn’t know this.

  “To my house, in the Black Forest.”

  Arstria hummed thoughtfully, tilting her head. – “Oh, that sounds good. I wanted to learn more about that forest anyway. So, let’s go.”

  She turned sharply and then gestured for me to hold onto her as she flew.

  Again?

  “Uh… I’m honored, but…” – I hesitated, scratching my right ear. – “It’s better if we walk. You won’t be able to carry both me and Nanfaz.”

  Arstria stopped mid-step, turning back to me, her expression unreadable.

  “She’s a normal human, right?” – She asked, voice sharp with scrutiny. – “Don’t you think we shouldn’t involve her more?”

  I frowned.

  “But we’re not heading into battle. We’re just going to my house. She’ll help with strategizing.”

  Arstria’s expression remained blank, but I could sense her hesitation. – “I’m not sure if she’ll be able to add anything useful. And we’ll waste time if we walk there."

  She had the look of someone who had never walked anywhere in her entire life. Of course she wanted to fly. For someone like her, who could soar through the skies with ease, the thought of traveling on foot must have felt like an inconvenience. A waste of time.

  “What do you mean she won’t add anything useful?”- I asked while she gave me a skeptical look.

  Nanfaz had been quiet up until now, but she had definitely heard everything. And judging by the way her lips were pressed together and her arms were crossed, she was not happy.

  “Didn’t you watch the show?” – Arstria asked, as if this was obvious. – “Normal people are too weak and fragile. We’ll be going through the Black Forest, there’s a chance that some beast might’ve spawned in there.”

  She wasn’t wrong. Not entirely, at least.

  Her logic was solid. Nanfaz is just a normal human. And to someone like Arstria, she probably did seem fragile.

  But there was something Arstria didn’t know.

  "She is coming." – My tone was final.

  The old Elewp, the one who once would have done anything just to spend time with her idol, might have brushed Nanfaz aside. Might have left her behind without a second thought. But that wasn’t who I was anymore.

  Nanfaz had earned her place in this, whether Arstria liked it or not.

  She had done more than anyone in this town to uncover its secrets. She had risked herself, fought for answers. And most importantly…

  There was something out there. Something hunting her. Leaving her behind wouldn’t protect her. It would only isolate her.

  Arstria sighed, clearly unimpressed. – “Fine. Then I can’t wait to walk for hours just to wait for a slow human."

  She still didn’t get it. It was not only magic that mattered, Nanfaz could still help even without it.

  "Let’s go." – She declared, stepping forward and slipping her arm under mine to help me walk. That was right. In this state, I still couldn’t walk properly without her.

  The journey through the Black Forest was quiet.

  Arstria didn’t seem the slightest bit surprised by the mansion’s technology as we approached. She barely spared it a glance, as if this level of advancement was something she had expected.

  She didn’t ask questions. She didn’t react.

  And the same was true for me and Nanfaz. None of us spoke.

  The moment we stepped inside, I barely spared a glance at the grand entryway of my mansion. The soft hum of hidden mechanisms in the walls, the glow of artificial lighting, the sleek, seamless design. It all felt normal to me.

  But the first thing I needed to do, before anything else, was to get out of these suffocating saintess clothes. I turned sharply, making my way toward my room.

  "I need to change." – I muttered.

  Nanfaz nodded, stepping in beside me as I made my way through the halls. Arstria didn’t follow. Instead, she lingered in the main hall, arms crossed, scanning the mansion with that ever-sharp, calculating gaze of hers.

  "Don’t take too long." – She called after me, her tone unreadable. – “We have things to discuss."

  As I stepped into my bedroom, the door sliding shut behind me, I finally let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

  Nanfaz moved beside me, already helping with the ties and clasps of the ceremonial robes, her fingers quick and precise. She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she understood.

  "These things are way too complicated." – I muttered as she undid another clasp.

  “I would have never expected for them to give the role of Saintess to you.” – She teased, rolling her eyes.

  I scoffed. – “Yeah, well, they can keep their prayers. I’m not interested."

  Finally, the last piece of fabric slid off my shoulders.

  I stepped away from it instantly, as if putting distance between myself and the robe would make its weight vanish from my mind.

  I turned toward my closet, running my fingers over the familiar fabrics inside, searching for something that actually felt like me.

  Something comfortable. Something practical. Something that wouldn’t make me feel like I was playing the role of someone else.

  When we returned to the main living room, Arstria seemed genuinely impatient.

  “Took you long enough.” – She said dryly.

  Then, we finally began our discussion.

  We sat in the dim glow of my mansion’s artificial lighting, the soft hum of hidden technology filling the silence. Outside, the Black Forest stretched endlessly beyond the walls, the darkness between its trees seemingly alive with secrets.

  This was it. The moment everything came together.

  Arstria leaned forward, hands clasped, her crimson eyes gleaming with intensity.

  "First, let’s begin with the timeline of events, so we’re on the same page."

  Her voice was steady, calculated.

  I knew the world outside of Procyon was alien to me. The show had hinted at certain things, but now that I was sitting face-to-face with Arstria herself, I realized that reality was far more complicated than fiction had made it seem.

  "The majority of this information comes from Sirius, so it’s not completely trustworthy." – Arstria admitted. – “But according to his records, everything began in 2002. That was the year the world’s electricity suddenly vanished. Every power grid, every modern technology, gone in an instant."

  My fingers tightened against my knee.

  "Why?" – I asked.

  "Unknown." – I could only frown.

  "Sirius theorized that it was intentional. That if human technology had remained operational, they would have been able to fight back against the beasts. After all, the old world had weapons. Planes capable of dropping city-destroying bombs. Artillery that could wipe out entire battlefields. If that power still existed, the beasts wouldn’t have been able to invade so easily. The world would have fought back and won. The only way for them to succeed was to make sure modern technology stopped working."

  Something about that made too much sense.

  "I can confirm that." – Nanfaz began. – “Procyon Town lost power at the exact same time. Once the electricity was gone, we were completely cut off from the rest of the world."

  "And it wasn’t just Procyon." – Arstria continued. – “Every city, every town, no matter how large or small, was suddenly isolated. With no way to communicate, humanity never stood a chance to mount a counterattack."

  Nanfaz asked – “Then why didn’t the beasts invade Procyon back then?"

  Arstria leaned back slightly, crossing her arms.

  "The beasts prioritize wiping out human life. But they go for the largest population centers first. The great metropoles were the first to fall. Without weapons, they were defenseless. By the time the beasts reached smaller settlements like Procyon, they had already annihilated most of civilization."

  "But Procyon sent teams out." – Nanfaz pointed out. – “They tried to reach the nearest city. Which should have been Sirius. If the cities weren’t destroyed yet, why didn’t those teams ever return? Why didn’t anyone come back?"

  Arstria’s expression darkened slightly.

  "Sirius City didn’t exist yet." – She admitted. – “Back then, it had a different name. If your town sent people there during that time, their fate was likely lost to history. I don’t recall anything about it, but I can ask Sirius himself when we get there."

  We could only nod to it.

  "So." – Nanfaz continued. – “After the lights went out, Haldrin set the no-technology law in Procyon for an entire year. But now that I think about it… shouldn’t electricity still have been gone?”

  "You’re right." – Arstria said, her eyes narrowing. – “Electricity didn’t return anywhere at all. That means Haldrin must have taken advantage of the situation. No wonder he was able to seize control of the town so easily."

  But that wasn’t the only strange thing about that year.

  "Then in 2003…" – I hesitated. – “Something happened to the land itself."

  "Yes." – Nanfaz nodded. – “The people of Procyon reported feeling a strange presence. And then, all the area surrounding the town turned into the Black Forest."

  That had always been an unexplained mystery.

  "Do you have any explanation for that?" – I asked.

  Arstria shook her head. – “No. But I can tell you this, Procyon still wrongly assume the entire world has been blackened."

  “So, that is not true?” – Nanfaz asked.

  "No." – She said firmly. – “Only the area around the town turned into the Black Forest. I’ve been outside. I’ve seen what’s beyond. And it’s not blackened."

  “Then, what’s beyond?” – Nanfaz’s most pressing question.

  Arstria didn’t answer. Instead, she looked directly at me.

  “Tell me about you, Elewp.”

  I stiffened at the sudden shift in the conversation.

  "I’ve checked some of this mansion’s machinery. This place was built around the same time the forest blackened.” – Arstria said. – “What do you remember?"

  I took a deep breath.

  "My earliest memories go back to when I was only a few months old. My hometown was under attack. Now I know it must have been the beasts. I remember skyscrapers falling, so it must have been a large city. But something doesn’t add up."

  Arstria tilted her head. – “Go on."

  "We escaped in a car, if all electricity truly had been gone… How was that possible? Is it true that technology stopped working?”

  A flicker of something unreadable crossed Arstria’s face. She hesitated.

  “I don’t know how that was possible.” – She admitted while hiding something. – "Maybe your father had a power that allowed technology to work."

  "Now that I think about it." – I murmured. – “He always parked the car outside of cities. And I don’t remember seeing any lights in those places either."

  Arstria nodded. – “That lines up with the timeline. Many cities still existed at that time. Continue."

  I exhaled.

  "We arrived in Procyon around my first birthday. My father built this house himself. The forest was already blackened by then, so it must have been after whatever event caused it."

  Arstria nodded. – “And then?"

  "Then my father started leaving to another place. He said he had to work in another city."

  Arstria’s gaze sharpened.

  "Considering he is still sending you food, that city must be Sirius.”

  The discussion had stretched long into the night. The artificial glow of the mansion’s lighting hummed softly around us, casting sharp shadows along the walls. Arstria sat across from me, her crimson eyes focused and unblinking.

  This was the first time I had ever received a true history lesson, one not twisted by town superstition or Procyon’s narrow perspective.

  And yet, I could tell…

  There was still more she wasn’t saying.

  "So, tell me what was happening in Sirius during that time."

  Arstria leaned back slightly, crossing her arms.

  "Sirius established the city in 2003. He has the power to create barriers, and those barriers block whatever is responsible for deactivating the electricity.”

  I sat up straighter. – “Wait, so that is why it still works in my house?”

  "Exactly." – She confirmed. – “So far, he’s created two firewalls. One in Sirius City, the other in this Town. As soon as you leave the Black Forest, the fiery barrier begins, separating it from the Wastelands."

  That word.

  "Wastelands?"

  Arstria held up a hand. – “I’ll get back to that later."

  She continued, her voice calm and measured.

  "Sirius spent years exploring the fallen cities. The first places hit by the beasts… They were completely erased, every sign of human civilization wiped out. It’s like the cities never even existed."

  I swallowed hard, thinking back about my hometown.

  "So, there wasn’t a single trace left…?"

  "Not a single building. Not a single road. Not even ruins.”

  "Did he find anything at all?"

  "Only massive-sized beasts made out of stone.”

  “Stone?”

  Arstria nodded. – “His theory? The first of the beasts to descend on this planet were made of the earth element. They were responsible for the destruction of those cities."

  "And after?" – I asked.

  Arstria tapped her fingers against the table.

  "Sirius found me in 2003, around the same time the city was rebuilt." – Arstria said. – “But he kept me a secret until 2008. That’s when he revealed me to the world… and exposed his curse. When he did that, the barrier weakened. And that led to the first beast invasion of Sirius City."

  A name flashed through my mind.

  "Livyatan."

  Arstria’s gaze flicked to me, impressed.

  "That’s right. The first recorded water beast."

  A strange feeling settled in my chest.

  "That means…" – I hesitated, connecting the dots. – “The first season of First Star took place in 2008. My father gave it to me in my birthday in 2009.”

  "The end of season one." – I continued. – “Was when the Treant attacked, the first fabled beast. It was made from wood, right?"

  Arstria nodded. – “At the time, we didn’t categorize beasts by element. But looking back at it? That was the first life element beast."

  I couldn’t quite understand.

  “Life element?”

  “Beasts capable of manipulating life, none has appeared ever since.”

  "Then season two…"

  Arstria smirked slightly. – “Ah, yes. The feathers."

  "At first, I thought the idea amazing." – I admitted. – “The battles shifted from being inside the city to parallel dimensions."

  "Because that’s what the feathers are." – Arstria confirmed. – “They are the gates that allow beasts to enter our world. Every single beast we have ever encountered comes from a feather."

  I took a deep breath. – “Then that means…"

  Arstria nodded. – “Imagine thousands of Feathers falling from the sky during 2002. That’s how those cities were annihilated so quickly."

  "Now." – I said, regaining my composure. – “Explain the wastelands to me."

  Arstria’s expression darkened.

  "The show barely mentioned it. But I’ve seen them with my own eyes."

  I leaned forward.

  "What is it?"

  She took a breath.

  "The entirety of the world is gone, beasts have taken their time to destroy all life on this planet.”

  I frowned. – “What do you mean?"

  "They erase everything. Every trace of human existence. And what remains is a barren wasteland where no life will ever grow again. The soil is dead. The rivers and oceans are stagnant. It’s as if life itself has been drained from them." – She continued.

  "The air is toxic." – She added. – “So, unless Sirius creates a path connecting both cities, if he is even capable of doing that, we won’t be able to evacuate anyone from Procyon.”

  My breath hitched.

  "Wait."

  A terrible realization struck me.

  "Then when you suggested bringing Nanfaz with us, you knew she wouldn’t be able to survive the trip?”

  Arstria gave me a clearly bothered look, as if expecting I wasn’t going to notice.

  "She would likely get absurdly sick, but it is still better than getting killed by a stone wolf, don’t you think?”

  I clenched my jaw. – “You could have told me.”

  Arstria had clearly hidden that fact from me, just so she could convince me to go to Sirius City with her. I exhaled, trying to push my frustration aside.

  "Alright. Now that you know everything that happened in Procyon…" – I met her gaze. – “Don’t you think it’s time to explain your immortality?"

  Something in Arstria’s expression shifted. A flicker of something deep, something guarded.

  "I don’t understand it myself…" – She admitted after a long pause. – “Ever since the first time I died… I simply regenerated."

  I narrowed my eyes. – “That’s all?"

  She hesitated. – “I just can’t die.”

  Arstria wasn’t lying.

  But beneath her carefully measured words lurked an unspoken truth, something veiled, something deliberately concealed.

  I saw it.

  The almost imperceptible tremor in her fingers, the tautness in her shoulders. Signs of restraint, of unvoiced thoughts teetering on the edge of revelation but never quite crossing over.

  A part of me whispered that I should not pry further. That whatever lay behind her silence was something she was not ready to say.

  So, instead, I steered the conversation elsewhere.

  "How did you even know I was here, in Procyon?"

  Arstria exhaled slowly, as if relieved by the shift in direction.

  "Sirius found you." – She stated simply, as if that alone explained everything. – “He’s got this… weird sixth sense. A way of perceiving things that aren’t exactly obvious. That’s how he tracked me down in the Wastelands all those years ago. And it’s how he found you now."

  Her crimson gaze flickered toward me.

  "And it’s how he found you now."

  "So, he sent you?"

  "Yes. My mission was to retrieve you. If we had a third star in our ranks, our ability to defend what’s left of the world would skyrocket. But…”

  Her words trailed off. I watched as a rare flicker of hesitation crossed her face.

  "But?" – I prompted.

  Her arms tightened over her chest, her crimson eyes darkening.

  "But now I don’t think that is a good idea.”

  That caught me off guard.

  "Why?”

  She hesitated for a beat, then sighed.

  "Look, I know you’re different from the beasts I’ve fought. But the truth is, I don’t know you. Not personally. I don’t know where your mind’s at, or if you even know what you’re truly capable of."

  The air between us grew heavier.

  "What if you decide to use your power for your own benefit?" – She continued, her voice cool but laced with something unreadable. – “Or worse, what if you lose control again, like you did at the church? Who’s gonna stop you?"

  There it was. The unease I had sensed from her since the very beginning.

  I had felt it before, but I had never truly grasped the source. Maybe I hadn’t wanted to.

  Now, there was no mistaking it, she thought of me as a threat.

  And I had nothing to say in my own defense.

  Because… she wasn’t wrong. I had no idea what I was, either.

  The silence stretched long between us, until finally, she shifted her weight and exhaled sharply.

  " “If I’m being real? The people here are so clueless, so utterly detached from what’s going on, that it’s actually keeping them alive. Beasts haven’t swarmed this place because their faith protects them. They’ve survived this long without a Star watching over them."

  Then, just like that, Arstria pushed herself to her feet, the energy in the room shifting.

  "I’ve made a decision. I will update my mission.”

  Her crimson gaze locked onto mine, unyielding.

  "Instead of hauling you back to Sirius City like a new weapon, I’m gonna focus on something that actually matters. This town? It’s hiding something. The Black Forest, the dormant beasts, none of it adds up. My new objective is to unravel this mystery. To find out what’s really going on here."

  "And." – She continued. – “My second objective…"

  She took a step closer, her presence almost overwhelming.

  "…is you, Shikimi Elewp."

  My tail instinctively bristled.

  "During this mission, I will test if your heart is in the right place for you to become the Third Star.”

  "So." – She raised a brow. – “What do you say?"

  Without thinking, I rose from my seat, exhilaration coursing through me.

  "Then we start with the door."

  Arstria blinked.

  "The… what now?"

  "The massive door at the edge of the Black Forest." – I elaborated, my tail flicking with excitement. – “Its design doesn’t match anything I’ve ever seen. And the only way to open it is with an incantation, the same one etched behind each of the three wolf statues in town. The statues all point toward it."

  Arstria’s eyes widened slightly, then she let out a sharp, self-deprecating laugh.

  "I literally saw that door with my own eyes and completely forgot about it…”

  "Then let’s open it!" – Nanfaz, who had been quiet up until now, suddenly burst into the conversation, her voice filled with a kind of enthusiasm that felt almost infectious.

  I turned to Arstria, waiting for her response.

  She sighed dramatically, stretching her arms.

  "That sounds like a good lead.”

  After the end of the discussion, the plan was to check the door first thing in the morning. Different from when I introduced the mansion to Nanfaz, Arstria didn’t seem surprised. Rather, she seemed to be quite at home. I’m sure her house back in Sirius was even bigger.

  I showed her the guest room, and she went straight to sleep. It seemed like she was exhausted.

  Elewp had changed. There was no denying it.

  What once had been an ordinary human girl was now something otherworldly. Half-human, half-something-yet-to-be-named. Her ears, sharp and keen, twitched at the slightest sound. Her tail, thick and unruly, swayed whenever she spoke. Even her eyes had taken on a strange, almost hypnotic gleam.

  And yet to Nanfaz, she was still Elewp.

  Her best friend. Her partner in crime.

  During their long days of uncovering Procyon’s mysteries, they had grown impossibly close. Nights that should have been spent resting were instead filled with endless conversations, whispered words in the dim glow of Elewp’s room, their voices laced with exhaustion yet unwilling to let sleep take over.

  They would talk until their eyelids grew heavy, until one of them, usually Elewp, mumbled something incoherent before finally passing out mid-sentence.

  It had become a habit, one neither of them had questioned.

  And now, after so much time apart, with so much left unsaid between them.

  They were about to have one last sleepover before entering the door.

  Nanfaz looked around Elewp’s room as if she were seeing it for the first time all over again.

  Everything was exactly as she remembered. The wooden shelves lined with books, half of them untouched. The small desk covered in scribbled notes and sketches of forgotten memories. The enormous bed, far too big for just one person. It felt timeless, as if nothing in here had changed.

  Nanfaz’s gaze flickered toward her friend, who was currently sitting on the edge of the bed, lazily swishing her tail uncontrollably.

  A snort. Then laughter. They weren’t sure why they were laughing, maybe from exhaustion, maybe from nostalgia, maybe because, for once, things felt normal.

  And normal had become so rare lately.

  After a while, Nanfaz exhaled, staring up at the ceiling. – “It’s been forever since we did this."

  Elewp flopped down beside her. – “Yeah."

  "We should’ve done it sooner."

  "Yeah."

  A pause.

  Nanfaz chuckled under her breath. She reached out and absentmindedly ran her fingers through Elewp’s hair, brushing against her ears.

  Elewp let out a soft, involuntary sound, purring way louder than any cat could ever.

  Nanfaz froze. Wait.

  Wait. Did she just…

  They stared at each other.

  A long, terrible silence.

  Then—

  "Forget that ever happened." – Elewp sat up so fast she nearly launched herself off the bed.

  Nanfaz, still processing what she had just witnessed, nodded slowly.

  They burst into laughter again, breathless, tired, but happy.

  For the first time in a long time, it felt like before. Like nothing had changed.

  Like they were just two girls, hiding under the covers, whispering secrets into the night.

  "Wait, what?"

  “Yeah, I didn’t get it at first either, but when I returned to the battlefield, I saw it with my own eyes. You had just collapsed, face-first, onto Arstria. And you were completely naked."

  "What…"

  "Your clothes must’ve gotten obliterated when you transformed into a giant fox, which, honestly, makes perfect sense.”

  "H-Haha… That… that thought didn’t even cross my mind."

  “So, there was Arstria, standing there, probably trying to process what the hell had just happened. And you? Completely unconscious, stark naked, collapsed on top of her.”

  “And then she draped her cape over your body, as she began princess carrying you.”

  “Please tell me it ends there.”

  “So, while she was still figuring out what to do, Bishop Haldrin came forward and invited you both to the church.”

  "Don’t tell me Arstria dressed me in those pajamas too?"

  “No, the priestess did that.”

  "After that, Arstria locked herself in the Saintess Chamber with you."

  "She what?"

  "Yeah, that’s why I couldn’t really get inside. Not that the priests would’ve let me anyway, but still. She sealed herself in there with you for the entire time."

  "Why?"

  "Well… connecting the pieces after what she said today? She probably thought there was a chance you’d wake up and just start eating people or something.”

  “I see…”

  "Think about it, she didn’t know if you’d be you when you woke up. All she saw was someone who transformed into a massive, man-eating fox, slaughtered a fabled beast, and then collapsed. So, she brought her rapiers inside and stayed in there on guard. The bishop tried to argue, but she just threatened him. After that, she gathered the priests and began interrogating them right in front of the door. I tried to eavesdrop, but they kept shoving me out of the upper floor."

  “So, for four whole days she…”

  "Was prepared to cut you down the second you showed any sign of hostility. She must’ve been on high alert the entire time."

  My ears flattened.

  No wonder I had felt such fear the entire time I was unconscious. Even in my sleep, I had sensed her. The silent tension. The way she must have watched me, blade at the ready, just waiting for me to snap.

  “So, she was ready to kill me.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Too bad after four nights of nothing, she fell asleep when I actually woke up.”

  “Really?”

  "And I must’ve woken her up while checking my ta—”

  “Your…?”

  “…”

  "And just like that… here we are."

  The journey through the Black Forest had been long, its winding paths draped in a suffocating silence. The towering, twisted trees loomed over us like silent sentinels, their branches gnarled and reaching, as if whispering secrets to one another.

  But now we stood in front of the door.

  Massive. Unmoving. Ancient.

  It was unlike anything else in Procyon, unlike any structure I had ever seen before. Monolithic, carved from an unfamiliar stone that shimmered faintly under the dim light filtering through the canopy. Strange markings, etched deep into its surface, spiraled in patterns that defied logic.

  And yet, despite its sheer immensity, despite the oppressive weight of history it seemed to carry… There was no visible handle. No keyhole. No indication that it was ever meant to be opened by human hands.

  A doorway meant to remain shut.

  And yet, here we were.

  As I stood before the colossal door, its ancient carvings looming over us like the weight of a forgotten past, I took a moment to survey our gear. This wasn’t just another mystery, we were about to step into uncharted territory, and I wasn’t going in unprepared.

  From my massive closet, I had carefully selected sturdy hiking attire, a lightweight but durable long-sleeved top, designed to protect against scratches from branches and unseen hazards, paired with reinforced cargo pants that provided both flexibility and storage for small tools. Over it, I wore a fitted utility vest, its many pockets stuffed with essentials: a compass, a flashlight, a multi-tool. My sturdy hiking boots were already well-worn, gripping the uneven forest floor with ease.

  I must not look like it, but I am quite adept at climbing. After all, I had to do it every day to get to school and to do it without getting dirty is another challenge in itself.

  I had offered Nanfaz the same level of preparation, but she had fought me on it.

  She had argued until she realized she had no better option.

  Now, she stood beside me, dressed in a sleek black trekking jacket, cinched at the waist for a snug fit, and dark green cargo pants tucked into her boots. A dark gray scarf was loosely wrapped around her neck, an afterthought on my part, but it gave her a mysterious air she seemed to appreciate. Her long hair, normally flowing freely, was tied back into a practical ponytail. She looked prepared. Begrudgingly so, but still prepared.

  And then there was Arstria.

  Her clothes had borne the brunt of her last battle. The once-elegant outfit she had worn when she arrived in Procyon had been tattered and torn, singed at the edges, ripped where blades and claws had grazed her.

  So, she had raided my closet.

  Now, she stood there, clad in my clothes, a simple but stylish sports outfit. A fitted black tank top, snug against her frame, revealing the toned musculature of someone who had spent years honing her body in battle. Over it, she had thrown on an red zip-up hoodie, the sleeves pushed up just past her elbows. She wore high-performance leggings, flexible and durable, perfect for combat or movement.

  And somehow. Somehow, she had still managed to look effortlessly cool.

  The worst part? She knew it.

  "Huh. Your clothes aren’t half bad." – Arstria mused, tugging lightly at the hem of her hoodie. – “Didn’t expect you to have anything remotely my style."

  I ignored her, shifting my focus back to the backpack I decided to bring.

  Packed neatly inside were all the hiking essentials, sturdy ropes and hooks, in case we had to climb. A first aid kit, because I wasn’t taking any chances. Emergency rations. A compact journal, where I planned to record any findings. And, of course, extra water, hydration was key, even when exploring the unknown.

  The problem was that Nanfaz had to carry the backpack, considering I was still stumbling around due to balance problems. I couldn’t expect to do any climbing this way.

  My balance was already better than yesterday, so I didn’t need to rely on Nanfaz. But I could only walk slowly now, running was still out of the equation.

  Even so, I could feel it now. The weight of the adventure ahead.

  The door, unmoving before us, seemed to breathe in anticipation.

  Whatever lay beyond it, we were ready.

  The last time we stood before this towering door, we had been missing something, an essential fragment of the incantation. Without it, the door had remained sealed, its ancient secrets locked away beyond our reach.

  That missing piece had been the inscription on the school’s stone wolf.

  But now, thanks to Nanfaz, we finally had what we needed.

  She had taken the time to meticulously transcribe the text while I had been in a coma, ensuring that not a single symbol or marking was left undocumented.

  The pedestal where the stone beast sat, unlike the battlefield around it, remained untouched. As though something or someone had willed it to endure.

  For the next twenty minutes I did my art.

  Deciphering. Cross-referencing. Piecing together the cryptic words left behind by whoever or whatever had built this place. Symbol by symbol. Phrase by phrase.

  Until the final line clicked into place. The password was complete.

  I exhaled, gripping the notebook tightly.

  "This is it."

  Arstria cracked her knuckles. – “Then let’s see if this thing finally decides to open."

  I stepped forward, my pulse steady but thrumming with anticipation. This was it.

  The moment we had worked toward, the culmination of every clue, every fragment of history we had pieced together. I stood before the massive, ancient door, its carvings whispering of forgotten truths, of something far greater than ourselves waiting on the other side.

  And then…

  I spoke the words that had been lost to time.

  "Beneath the scorching inferno,

  the fire of forbidden love hides."

  The ground beneath us trembled, just slightly, a low rumble that sent vibrations up my legs.

  "Beneath the dazzling paradise,

  the wind reveals unspoken sins."

  A low hum resonated from within the monolith, as though the very stone was awakening after centuries of silence.

  "Beneath the dark abyss,

  the water imprisons the forgotten."

  The carvings began to glow, faint at first, then with a vivid pulse of verdant green, illuminating the darkness around us.

  "There lies the Angel of the Underworld."

  And with those final words, the earth itself shook.

  The vibrations surged beneath our feet, powerful, unrelenting. Stones rattled, leaves trembled, the very air seemed to hum with energy.

  With a deep, grinding groan, the massive stone door began to shift.

  Dust and debris cascaded from its edges as ancient mechanisms awakened for the first time in what must have been centuries. The glow intensified, forming intricate patterns that danced across the surface, illuminating the glyphs with a haunting, ethereal beauty.

  Then a sharp click echoed through the clearing.

  And the door slowly began to open.

  A cavernous void stretched beyond it.

  An expanse of impenetrable darkness, vast and consuming, like a chasm into the unknown. No light reached beyond the threshold, no hints of what lay ahead. Just pure abyss.

  Then, every other light in the area, the eerie green glow, even the residual energy in the air. Sputtered out at once.

  Snuffed out. As if the door had completed its purpose.

  As if the only way forward was to step into the pitch-black unknown.

  A chill crawled up my spine. This wasn’t just an entrance.

  "It’s a portal."

  Arstria’s voice was calm, but there was something beneath it, a tension that hadn’t been there before. She stepped closer, her crimson eyes reflecting the inky blackness beyond the threshold. The door had fully opened now, revealing not a hallway, not a chamber, but a void.

  A space that didn’t belong. A space that shouldn’t exist.

  She reached a hand toward it, fingers hovering just shy of the darkness, as if she were testing the air.

  "Just standing near it… It’s the same as the feathers. This feels exactly like when I stepped through one of them.”

  A portal. A gateway into another dimension.

  Nanfaz audibly gulped behind me. – “You mean the same kind of portal the beasts come through? The things that lead straight into those twisted places filled with monsters?"

  “This one…” - Her eyes narrowed, scanning the rippling dark mass before her. – “It’s different.”

  "Different how?" – I stepped forward, my instincts screaming at me to be cautious.

  [Hesitation]

  "Feathers are chaotic. Unstable. They tear through space and distort reality around them. But this…" – She gestured toward the portal, her expression unreadable. – “This is structured. Controlled. Someone, or something, built this."

  My ears flattened against my head.

  "Then the only way forward… is through."

  The words left my mouth before I could second-guess them.

  I wasn’t sure if I was saying it to convince myself or the others, but either way, the truth remained. There was no turning back now.

  Arstria turned to me, her crimson eyes gleaming with something sharp, something almost challenging.

  "Do you have the courage for it?"

  Her voice wasn’t mocking, but there was a weight behind it, a test. A final moment to hesitate, to reconsider.

  I straightened my spine, flicking my tail behind me.

  "Of course."

  I refused to waver.

  I had come too far to falter now.

  “Let’s do it.” – Nanfaz was scared about it, but deep down she knew this was the only way to save everyone.

  The three of us stood at the edge of the unknown, staring into the swirling black abyss.

  And finally, we jumped in.