The night wove its cloak over the silent trees, and the breeze carried the scent of earth soaked in early morning dew. Leo sat upon a smooth rock before his uncle's cabin, contemplating the moon's reflection on the small stream. His eyes were still, bearing a tension he would not admit, as if something within him stirred in the silence.
Loki approached quietly. His confident steps made no sound upon the grass, as if the earth had grown accustomed to his tread. He stood behind Leo for a moment, then sat beside him and said calmly:
— "Do you know when the moon becomes full?"
Leo turned to him with a questioning gaze.
— "In seven days… Why do you ask?"
Loki offered a faint smile and pulled a small leather scroll from his cloak. He handed it to Leo and said:
— "Because you're going to Kraken… to attend the annual Radfin Festival."
Leo stared at his uncle in astonishment. The words felt heavy, as if they weren't meant for him.
— "Kraken? Festival? What even is Radfin?"
Loki stood, hands clasped behind his back, and replied:
— "It's a trial for those who seek to understand the moon… a test for those who wish to walk the path of the Lunar Quest."
Leo felt something shift inside him. He did not fully understand what had been said, yet he sensed that a part of his future had just begun to take shape.
⸻
In the Elven Lands — Arathelia
Far from human forests, beyond the sacred mountains of Blendria, lies the High Elven Kingdom: Arathelia.
A city radiant with light, suspended among the trunks of colossal trees, drawing breath from every leaf and pulse.
In the heart of Arathelia, Lita stood beneath the sacred Aratha tree. Her silver hair flowed over her shoulders like threads of moonlight, and her eyes shimmered with the color of dew, concealing thousands of unspoken words.
Lita was born of the Elyarin bloodline — the noblest of all elven branches, and closest to the First Language of the world. She spent her childhood in temples of light, learning to bond with living things, to listen to nature's silent call.
One evening, as she and her mentor watched the sky, the elder said:
— "I sensed a disturbance in the Great Aura… as if the moon itself is preparing to be born again. But this time… it will not be the same."
⸻
The next morning, Leo rose before the sun. Within his chest stirred a strange feeling — a mix of caution and anticipation.
Loki began preparing him for the journey. He handed Leo a grey cloak that resisted Kraken's chill and enchantments, an old dagger etched with unreadable runes, and a small vial of Andam's Blood — a rare creature Loki had hunted in his youth.
— "All this for a festival?"
Leo asked as he packed his belongings.
His uncle replied without turning:
— "No… for a future you know nothing about yet."
After three continuous days of travel, Leo arrived at Oraksa — the side capital of the Kingdom of Kraken, and the annual venue for the Radfin Festival.
Oraksa was unlike any city he had seen.
Buildings made of living stone pulsed with soft light. Streets twisted beneath a ceiling of blue mist, and voices echoed old prayers whose words could not be understood, yet seemed to speak directly to the soul.
The great plaza was crowded with contestants from every kingdom — hundreds of faces, each carrying their hopes, fears, and longing to receive the Moon Seal.
A tall man stood on an elevated platform, cloaked in black feathers with silver chains hanging from his shoulders. His voice shook the plaza as he spoke:
"Welcome to the first stage of the Radfin Trials.
The Test of Mind… where muscles are useless, and bloodlines will not save you.
Only your mind will determine if you are worthy to walk the Moon's path."
One by one, the contestants were ushered into separate halls, each tested alone.
Leo entered a room with no windows, no features… just a single mirror beneath a faint light.
He approached it slowly and gazed at his reflection. He did not see a warrior or a hero… but simply himself:
A boy trained by one man, raised far from the kingdoms, unaware of who his parents were… yet who never stopped seeking to understand the world.
He read the words etched on the wall:
"To open the Moon's Gate, you must see who you are… not who they wish you to be."
He closed his eyes, letting every image flash through his mind —
Cold nights in the mountains, his uncle's harsh scolding, the blood spilled during training, and all the questions that remained unanswered.
When he opened his eyes, everything had changed.
The mirror vanished, and a gate of light opened, leading him to the central chamber.
As he stepped out, silence fell over the plaza.
The faces that met him were not mocking… but awestruck. Surprised by his calm… and how swiftly he had returned, among the very first to complete the test.
One of the contestants whispered:
— "How long did he take?"
Another replied softly:
— "Minutes… He didn't hesitate once."
As the crowd gathered again, many eyes settled on Leo — not with disdain, but with quiet envy.
This boy, who bore no sign, had passed the Test of Mind… as though he was born for it.
Though silent, Leo felt it. Yet he did not turn.
His heart was already fixed on what was to come.
For this… was only the first trial.
And the trials ahead… would be far more brutal.