[84.4] Moni POV: A Brother Never Forgets

[Author's note: This chapter is from Moni's perspective]

I opened my eyes to peer through the darkness. I was in a foreign city listening to every conversation.

Most were mundane.

Until-

"Did you hear!? The traveling troupe is coming to perform! We can see their show!"

"In this economy? No way."

"Don't be like that! I heard the singer is so amazing, if you go without hearing her sing you'll be missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime event."

"It can't be that good."

"No, my cousin went and cried for three hours after listening to her. He said afterward, he started realizing how he should be treating those close to him better."

Another joined in, "I know of a husband who stopped cheating after listening to her!"

"What's her name?"

"They call her Snow."

Snow?

Is it not Rose?

Or is that a pseudonym?

I disappeared after listening and followed the trail of gossip until I finally found a group traveling with large carriages you couldn't see into from outside.

Eventually, I found Lene humming in a room as she spun a web.

"Lene!"

She flinched and looked around blindly, "Big brother!? Where are you?"

"I'm-" I paused as I watched her blindly feel for my face. For some reason, I felt too anxious to stand before her, "Where are you?"

"I don't know. We go wherever sisters troupe takes us."

"Her… Troupe?"

Lene nodded, "Yeah. Sister Rose sings to people to take care of me and Astra. We get to see all sorts of places!!! Well… Rose does, I can't see anything."

"Why did Rose join them?"

Lene paused as she thought hard, her brow knitting as she focused, "Because…. Because there was nowhere else to go? But why was that again…" 

"Lene." I quickly cut her off, "Why didn't you go to the Macabre forest? Why did Rose take you traveling?"

"Oh!" Her face lit up, "I remember those meanies! They told us not to come in cuz they were scared they would become like our mountain-"

Her words abruptly came to an end.

"Lene?"

Her eyes started to tear up, "...I remember now."

I bit down on my lip, "Lene… How long has it been?"

"Oh… I don't know… Lene can't remember."

Right. How could she know?

"Wait." I suddenly realized something, "You said Rose and Astra. Where is Atta and Zephyr?"

"Ohhh… Um." She rubbed her head, "I don't know. Not with us."

"Are they… With Sister Lovi and Brother Koale?"

"No…. I don't think so… Oh! I remember! Lene remembers! Astra was crying a lot because she couldn't connect to brother Zephyr!"

She can't connect?

Then does that mean-

"Sisters are going to be so happy to have you back! I can't wait to tell them-"

"-Lene." I quickly cut her off, "Tell Rose to keep watching over you and wait for me. I am going to find Zephyr and Atta."

I quickly pulled away to check on the mountain, but my vision was obstructed. The longer I tried to look, the more my chest felt like it was being ripped apart. A searing headache crossed my vision, nearly blinding me.

Once I stopped looking, everything returned to normal.

Why is that?

Not wanting to waste time, I started checking around the mountain from the shadows. Anytime I drew too close to the snow, I was blinded by a bright flash that would only disappear when I moved back away. 

My eyes slowly reopened, my head thudding from the sudden light. However, as my eyes readjusted the burning pain went away.

Master…

Are you really gone?

I laughed at myself with a grimace, "Of course, she's gone… Master would never allow us to be separated…"

Even if the mountain was compromised…

She wouldn't stop until we were all reunited, no matter what it took.

I clenched my fists until my nails dug under my skin and made it bleed. I could hear the voices slowly starting to get louder and took a deep breath.

"It's okay…. It's my duty to bring everyone together in her place. Once I ensure everyone is safe and can live without me then-"

My words halted as guilt flowed into my chest. 

I can't think about that now.

First, I have to find Atta and Zephyr.

I closed my eyes and went back to checking every cave and every shadow of a tree for any sign of them. The wound in my chest started throbbing in agony, but I ignored it.

"-The horses are getting spooked by something."

My eyes shot open as I pulled back from the shadows and looked behind me. 

There's someone behind me.

I was so preoccupied with finding my siblings that I didn't even check where I was!

Only now did I realize that I was standing in the center of a road.

I need to leave before-

I tried to escape into the shadows but my wound abruptly opened. I fell forward, collapsing to my knees. I lurched forward and felt a surge of metallic blood rush up my throat. My body trembled uncontrollably as my wound was clawed open by shadow people desperate to crawl out from my chest.

"There's someone collapsed!"

Voices were screaming at me, so loud I could barely hear the people running over to check on me. No longer standing, I tried to force the shadow men back, but it was impossible.

"N-No…" I struggled to speak as I held back the deadly souls clawing out of my chest, "I can't… I can't stop them-"

As soon as I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was all over. Just like a floodgate being ripped open by a tsunami, I felt something burst from within me. Endless screaming souls rushed forward, clawing at any form of life, begging for their bodies back. However, no matter which body they found, they could never recover what they already lost.

My vision went dark.