Chapter 5: The Power of the Moon

The man seized Lily's right arm leaving her utterly astonished as she heard him say, 'Come with me.'

His voice carried a friendly tone giving her the impression that he intended to rescue her and fueled by this perception she decided to take the chance and ran alongside him. Curiosity lingered in her mind wondering why he clung to her hand despite her belief that she appeared incredibly unattractive unless he had an appreciation for unconventional beauty.

A short while after they reached a grand white house and swiftly entered the door closing behind them. Lily's heart eased as she heard Vivian's group rush past outside and the sense of relief washed over her as she found herself standing in a spacious brilliantly lit living room adorned with luxurious gleaming furniture that exuded opulence and to her left stood the man whom she gazed at in surprise.

'Is this your home?' She inquired her curiosity piqued.

The man nodded removing his hood to reveal his pale complexion and long lustrous white hair elegantly tied in a ponytail secured by a purple hair tie and his bangs and captivating light purple eyes only added to his tall slender and strikingly handsome appearance. The white moon insignia on his forehead captured her attention and despite her inclination to sit down on the enticing red velvet sofa to converse the man hesitated.

'Uhm, can you take a bath first' He requested.

Her memory was jogged by her blood-stained clothes and the damaged hooded cloak she wore prompting her to ask if he had any spare garments. To her surprise he went to an ornate brown dresser featuring a carving of a massive tree and opened the middle drawer to retrieve a stack of clothes and he generously offered them to her and pointed towards a room where she could change.

Inside the room she discovered a pristine white bathtub and decided to indulge in a long hot bath thoroughly cleansing herself. The sensation of being enveloped in the delightful warmth of the water brought her immense comfort causing her to lean back and unwind for the first time since she had awoken in Elysium. She suddenly caught herself realizing that within a single day she had experienced more than in an entire week of her previous life prompting her to pause and reflect. In a state of confusion, she muttered about her previous life and questioned the circumstances of her reincarnation because according to what she had read one was supposed to encounter someone or something before being reincarnated yet she found herself awakening at an altar without any such encounter. She even wondered if it was possible to die while attempting to relieve herself though spirits typically had no issues with such bodily functions however on that particular day she had struggled immensely perplexing her at the time and now she feared the thought of having to go through that experience again but she knew that a human body couldn't survive without it.

After finishing her bath, she dressed in black pants and a long-sleeved white blouse securing her hair in a ponytail. As she looked in the mirror she admired her skin and figure but her face bore the remnants of the injuries inflicted by Vivian's group. Despite these scars she missed her average spirit deity appearance and sighed deeply contemplating her current situation and her swollen eye, scarred skin, and damaged lips and teeth reminded her of the ordeals she had endured.

Upon entering the living room, she discovered food laid out on the oval dark brown coffee table and famished she began to eat heartily even though she had previously looked down on humans. Amidst her eating frenzy she managed to inquire about the man's identity and the reason he had saved her all while pondering if he had seen her face.

He responded, 'You possess a dual class, and my name is Ezren though you may call me Shadow. This house belongs to my aunt.'

Lily introduced herself and recounted how she ended up in her current situation and in turn he explained that she had entered a PvP zone starting from the arena and stretching to Arral. This revelation explained why she had encountered small towns along the way now realizing they served as battle arenas for people's training. Frustrated by her lack of luck she expressed gratitude for his timely rescue and inquired about his motive and he revealed that he needed her assistance to advance in rank within the city and offered an alliance with her and despite her general reluctance to associate with humans she questioned why he sought to rise in rank here when there were likely better and larger cities in this world. Though she could use an alliance now she questioned his usefulness considering his apparent weakness.

Sensing her hesitation Shadow addressed her concerns by stating, 'I know all the secrets of the city and you are seeking answers.'

Surprised by his remark Lily asked, 'How did you come to know that?'

Shadow's smile widened as he shared the revelation of his unique ability the Perfect Eye which allowed him to see through others and assess their strength and he also pointed out that Lily hailed from a starting zone that had remained unvisited for many years sparking her curiosity and as they continued to chat and Shadow graciously prepared tea and snacks for them. He inquired about Lily's background, but she chose to reveal only minimal details stating that she was a woman and a spirit deity. Surprised to learn she was not human in her previous world he asked how she ended up in their current realm and after a moment of hesitation Lily decided to trust him and candidly explained that she found herself here in the middle of using the bathroom. Shadow burst into laughter finding her explanation amusing and playfully suggested that she might never have to poop again.

Amused by his response Lily retorted, 'Heh. You're not completely foolish for a human.' And shared a smile.

They delved into discussions about the house and Shadow revealed that he had no remaining family inheriting the house from his late aunt and this reminded Lily of her moon dog her only family and she inquired if there were moon dogs in this realm. Shadow confirmed their existence but noted that they were different from the ones she knew, nonetheless knowing they were present filled Lily with hope and joy.

As the evening descended Lily noticed the city outside illuminating with lights and she caught sight of a massive moon through the window.

Her admiration for the sight was evident as she exclaimed, 'Wow. It's so beautiful.'

Shadow revealed that his powers grew stronger during the night due to the moon's presence and explained that the city housed inhabitants from Lunarfen a realm connected to the moon which further intrigued her. Being a moon folk, he possessed the ability to harness the moon's powers granting him increased strength when the moon was present. Lily learned about the enigmatic librarian at an abandoned library who was rumored to possess all the answers in the world and was said to be able to transport someone anywhere in the world but only on his terms. The prospect of finding answers and potentially returning to her real world instantly appealed to her leading her to decide to visit the library. Before they set off Shadow gave her black Cure Pills which temporarily fixed her teeth lips and eye while relieving the pain and Lily was eager to have more of them, but Shadow regretfully informed her that he had made them himself. Intrigued by this revelation she decided not to inquire further realizing that sticking close to him might mean more pills in the future. Equipped with a black hooded cloak as a gift from him they ventured outside into the moonlit streets. Lily observed the city coming to life particularly the residents with connections to the moon and was captivated by the magical atmosphere and couldn't help but feel nostalgic about her own spirit realm which held a similar enchantment during the day.

During their search they navigated the labyrinthine city until they finally arrived at the abandoned library. The large white building resembled a temple with its thick stone pillars seemingly empty and desolate however the well-maintained appearance and recent cleaning of the marble floor indicated otherwise. As they approached they spotted a man wearing a black hooded cloak with eyes that gleamed like a galaxy emitting a distinct purple hue and gave them a beautiful smile before vanishing into a shadow behind one of the pillars. Lily remarked on the emptiness of the place despite her efforts to look around and see if anyone else was present. Shadow concurred that the library seemed entirely abandoned expressing doubt about the librarian's presence and reluctantly they decided to abandon their search and turn away however as they prepared to depart the environment around them suddenly shifted and blurred triggering Lily's instinctual response. Before she could fully comprehend what was happening an assailant launched an attack at her catching her off guard. Reacting swiftly, she raised her arms in defense but in an instant Shadow positioned himself in front of her intercepting the attack with a resounding clang. The attacker, a man clad in a black hooded cloak stood several meters away, his enigmatic purple eyes peering out from beneath the hood. He possessed a tall slender frame with an air of mystery and an aura that felt oppressive leaving Lily and Shadow wondering about his true identity and Lily's memory was jolted reminding her of the elusive librarian they sought.

'Who are you?' She demanded seeking answers amid the chaos of the illusion.

The man's response was a mere chuckle accompanied by the subtle movement of his right fingers as though manipulating an invisible sphere. Instantly the surroundings morphed and contorted, and the buildings seemed to shift under the influence of an unseen force and the disorienting effect gave both Lily and Shadow intense headaches as their vision faltered.

Recognizing the ruse Shadow declared, 'It's an illusion.' Seeing through the deceit immediately.

Determined to break free Lily closed her eyes attempting to utilize the techniques she had learned from the oracles to dispel the illusion however the illusion proved to be formidable resisting her efforts to dismantle it and when she opened her eyes the illusion persisted and they found themselves surrounded by countless copies of the same person they had encountered earlier. The illusions lunged at Lily but her strikes merely dispersed them into black smoke only for them to reconstitute moments later. Shadow's swift and precise movements appeared almost like a dance leaving afterimages as he tried to fend off the illusions however every blow he landed on the attacker resulted in the figure reforming unharmed. Frustration mounted as their attacks yielded no tangible results and Lily weary from the futile struggle asked Shadow if he possessed any other methods to confront the librarian.

'It's definitely the librarian so no.' He replied, his determination wavering as he admitted the challenge they faced.

Lily felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her knowing she couldn't afford to lose yet fear gnawed at her because she lacked the necessary abilities. Desperately searching for a solution, she quickly scanned her surroundings and made a crucial observation: all the figures only appeared where there was shadow and excitedly she shared her theory with Shadow.

'We need to run towards the shadows and attack the figures!' She exclaimed hopeful that this tactic might break the illusion.

Following her lead, they dashed towards the shadows striking out at the illusory figures, but their exertion took its toll and within seconds exhaustion gripped them. Lily gasped for breath, her balance faltering and she had to sit down to catch her breath and Shadow equally fatigued joined her taking a moment to recover.

'Can't you use your abilities?' Lily asked looking to Shadow for a solution.

Shaking his head Shadow replied, 'I don't think so. My Illusion Break is complicated.' He sighed deeply realizing the gravity of their predicament.

The thought of being trapped here forever weighed heavily on their minds. Suddenly the surroundings shifted again and they found themselves on top of a black mountain surrounded by a light cloud that was white all around them and a cold wind blew by and they breathed in the freezing air. Lily was shocked realizing that she should have been able to breathe comfortably at this altitude given her abilities as a cleric/necromancer and the librarian must possess immense power capable of teleporting them to another world and altering the very fabric of reality and as the air grew thinner with each passing moment Lily knew they were running out of time. Determination flared within her, and she couldn't bear the thought of being trapped forever.

Standing up she turned to Shadow her voice firm, 'Do something you're a man and I'm a maiden in distress.'

Shadow stood up unsure if he could succeed but he closed his eyes summoning his inner strength and suddenly the air crackled with raw power and his form shimmered with an ethereal white glow. A tempest of dark and radiant energies swirled around him intertwining and merging in a breathtaking display of unparalleled strength and the very ground quivered under the weight of the unleashed might and reality seemed to warp and bend in response. When he opened his eyes they were chalk white with a small glow and he radiated a purple aura around his body and his cape fluttered in the air adding to his majestic appearance and he stood in awe his own powers astounding him.