The life of a orphan was never easy, but Nerpheus was learning to survive. Weeks had passed since Orion and Ra had taken him in, and though the transition from the ocean depths to the bustling streets of Xylodia was jarring, he was adapting. His body still ached for the weightless embrace of the deep, and the dryness of the surface world made his skin feel tight and uncomfortable, but he had no choice. He could never go back.

  At night, when the city streets quieted and the moon cast its silver glow upon the waves, Nerpheus would slip away to the shore. There, he would wade into the sea, just enough to feel the water embrace him, to remember what it was like to belong to something vast and endless. He used these moments to fish, providing food for Orion, Ra, and himself. It was the least he could do to contribute to their survival.

  During the day, he concealed his Aquarian features beneath layers of stolen clothing—a tattered cloak with a deep hood, a scarf to obscure the shimmering blue of his skin. Orion and Ra had taught him how to move unnoticed, how to blend into the slums and navigate the alleys without drawing attention. He had even found a use for the small water pouch he carried at his waist, manipulating the liquid within to aid in their petty thefts. With a flick of his fingers, he could create diversions, spill goods from a merchant’s stall, or snuff out lanterns to shroud their escapes in darkness.

  But no amount of disguise could change what he was. If he was ever caught, he would be sold to the highest bidder, a prize for slavers eager to exploit the rarity of an Aquarian outside the depths. He had no illusions about his fate should he slip up. Orion and Ra understood this too.

  The market was teeming with life, the air thick with the scent of roasted meat and spiced tea, mingling with the less pleasant odors of sweat and unwashed bodies. Orion, Ra, and Nerpheus moved through the crowd, their senses honed for opportunity. They weren’t just here for food—they were here for survival, and that often meant finding things that didn’t belong to them.

  It was during this search that Orion saw him—a boy, no older than seven, with silver hair flashing between the stalls. He was running, his small frame darting between startled merchants and wide-eyed pedestrians. His expression was one of sheer panic.

  “Look at that,” Ra muttered, already sensing trouble.

  Orion followed the boy’s desperate gaze. A group of thugs was pushing their way through the crowd, shoving people aside as they pursued him. Their faces were twisted in hunger—slavers.

  “They’re going to catch him,” Nerpheus whispered.

  “Not if we get to him first,” Orion said, already moving.

  The boy barely made it past the last row of stalls before one of the thugs caught his arm, yanking him backward. He struggled, thrashing like a trapped animal, but he was too small to break free. Before Orion or Ra could act, the slaver struck him across the face, knocking him to the ground.

  Orion clenched his fists. “Damn it.”

  “Not here,” Ra said quickly, gripping his arm. “We can’t take them in the open. Too many witnesses.”

  Orion gritted his teeth but nodded. They watched as the thugs dragged the boy through the crowd, disappearing down a side alley.

  “We’ll get him tonight,” Orion vowed. “We just need a plan.”

  Nightfall came swiftly, the market’s chaos replaced by the low murmur of the city settling into restless slumber. Orion, Ra, and Nerpheus crouched in the shadows of a nearby rooftop, overlooking the brothel where the boy had been taken. The building was guarded—two men at the entrance, others no doubt lurking inside.

  “The two at the door,” Orion whispered. “We take them out first.”

  “I can bait them,” Nerpheus suggested. “Show them something they’ll want.”

  Ra smirked. “You mean yourself?”

  “Exactly.”

  It was risky, but it would work. Nerpheus would reveal just enough of his Aquarian features to draw the guards away, leading them into an ambush where Orion and Ra would strike from above.

  Once the guards were gone, they would sneak inside, find the boy, and anyone else who needed saving.

  Nerpheus took a deep breath, stepping into the flickering lamplight. He lowered his hood just enough to reveal his shimmering blue skin. The effect was immediate—the guards stiffened, their eyes widening in greed.

  “Oi! That’s an Aquarian!” one of them barked.

  Nerpheus smirked. “Come and get me.”

  He turned and ran.

  The guards chased him, boots pounding against the cobblestone. Nerpheus led them into a narrow alleyway, heart hammering in his chest. At the last moment, he skidded to a stop, raising his hands in mock surrender. The guards barely had time to process the smirk on his lips before shadows descended from above.

  Ra and Orion struck like phantoms, daggers flashing. Ra’s blade buried itself in the first guard’s throat before he could cry out, while Orion’s dagger sank into the second man’s ribs. Both men crumpled, their bodies barely making a sound as they hit the ground.

  Nerpheus let out a breath. “I was getting nervous for a second there.”

  Ra wiped his blade clean. “Let’s move.”

  Nerpheus took a deep breath, adjusting the hood of his cloak before stepping into the flickering lamplight. His heart pounded, but his face betrayed nothing as he slowly lowered his hood just enough to reveal the iridescent shimmer of his blue skin.

  The reaction was immediate.

  “That’s an Aquarian!” one of the guards barked, his voice thick with greed.

  The other guard’s lips twisted into a grin. “A rare catch. He’ll fetch a fortune at auction.”

  Nerpheus smirked. “Come and get me.”

  He turned and bolted, bare feet pounding against the cobblestone street. The guards gave chase, their heavy boots slamming against the ground as they pursued him into the narrow alleyway. His mind raced, carefully measuring the distance between him and the shadows above.

  Just a little closer…

  The guards were nearly upon him when he suddenly skidded to a stop, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, you got me,” he said, a cocky grin playing at his lips.

  The guards barely had time to register the smirk before the night itself seemed to descend upon them.

  Ra and Orion struck like phantoms.

  Ra landed first, his dagger flashing in the dim light as he buried it deep into the first guard’s throat. The man choked, a wet gurgle escaping him before he crumpled. The second guard barely had time to react before Orion’s dagger drove into the base of his skull, his body stiffening before falling limp in the dirt.

  A heartbeat of silence.

  Nerpheus let out a slow exhale. “I was getting nervous for a second there.”

  Ra yanked his dagger free, wiping it clean on the dead man’s shirt. “You’re lucky we’re good at this.”

  Orion nudged one of the corpses with his foot before crouching to check for valuables. “No alarms raised. Let’s move.”

  The brothel smelled of sweat, alcohol, and cheap perfume. The air was thick with the mingling stench of unwashed bodies and candle wax. Dim red lanterns swayed from the ceiling, casting long, ominous shadows along the wooden walls. The sounds of muffled laughter and drunken murmurs echoed through the halls, masking their footsteps.

  Orion led the way, his golden eyes scanning the corridor for any sign of movement. The three of them moved like ghosts, silent and methodical. Ra stayed close to the walls, his green, dragon-like eyes darting between doorways, while Nerpheus clung to the darkest corners, his breathing steady.

  A pair of guards stood at the end of the hall, chatting in low voices, oblivious to the predators moving in the shadows.

  Orion signaled.

  Nerpheus raised his hand, drawing water from the pouch strapped to his waist. The liquid slithered through the air like a living serpent before snapping forward, wrapping around one guard’s throat. The man barely had time to gasp before the water constricted, cutting off his breath.

  Ra moved swiftly, stepping into the other guard’s blind spot before slitting his throat with a clean, efficient motion. Blood spattered against the wall as the man collapsed soundlessly.

  The strangled guard thrashed, his hands clawing at the water constricting his windpipe. Orion stepped forward, grabbed a fistful of the man’s hair, and drove his dagger into the back of his skull. The body went limp in an instant.

  They dragged the corpses into a side room, shoving them beneath a table before pressing on.

  They found Tsuki and Kannie in a small, dimly lit room at the back of the brothel. The space was barely more than a storage closet, cluttered with discarded bedding and broken furniture.

  Tsuki was curled up in the corner, his silver hair tangled and matted. Kannie, her long bunny ears twitching, clung to him with wide, frightened eyes.

  A single guard sat in a wooden chair nearby, a half-empty bottle of liquor in his lap. His snores rumbled through the room, oblivious to the danger creeping closer.

  Orion signaled to Nerpheus, who silently pulled water from his pouch. The liquid hovered in the air for a moment before shooting forward, wrapping around the sleeping guard’s wrists and ankles. The water solidified into ice, locking his limbs in place.

  The man stirred, blinking groggily. “Wh-?”

  Ra didn’t give him the chance to speak. He grabbed a sword propped against the doorway and, with a single brutal swing, severed the guard’s head from his body. Blood sprayed across the wall, staining the wooden planks a deep crimson.

  The head hit the floor with a dull thud.

  Tsuki flinched, his silver eyes wide with terror. Kannie pressed herself against him, trembling.

  Orion knelt. “It’s okay. We’re getting you out of here.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Tsuki swallowed hard, nodding.

  They slipped out into the night, the brothel none the wiser.

  The storage house smelled like salt and damp wood, its walls worn thin by time and neglect. The only light came from a single, flickering lantern, casting long, wavering shadows over the five figures seated on the rough wooden floor.

  For a long time, nobody spoke.

  Tsuki sat with his arms wrapped tightly around himself, his silver hair falling over his face. Kannie sat beside him, hugging her knees, her long bunny ears twitching as she fought to keep her emotions in check.

  Orion, Ra, and Nerpheus watched them in silence.

  “You’re safe now,” Orion said at last. His golden eyes flickered with something soft, something reassuring.

  Tsuki let out a short, bitter laugh. His silver eyes, so bright and striking, didn’t hold any light.

  “I’ll never be safe.”

  Ra frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Tsuki swallowed hard. His fingers dug into the fabric of the blanket wrapped around him.

  “I can’t go back to my home,” he whispered.

  Nerpheus tilted his head. “Your home?”

  Tsuki hesitated. “…Tsukiyami no Shiro.”

  Silence.

  Orion, Ra, and Nerpheus exchanged glances.

  “Tsukiyami… no what?” Ra asked.

  Tsuki’s throat tightened.

  “Tsukiyami no Shiro,” he repeated. “My home.”

  “…Never heard of it,” Orion admitted.

  Nerpheus leaned forward. “Is it a city near Xylodia?”

  “No,” Tsuki said softly. “It’s far… far beyond the sea.”

  Ra raised an eyebrow. “That’s impossible. People talk about everything in Xylodia. We hear stories about every kingdom, every empire, every ruin. And I’ve never heard of your home.”

  Kannie hesitated. “Me neither…”

  Tsuki clenched his jaw.

  “Of course you haven’t,” he muttered. “Nobody in Xylodia—or anywhere outside my land—has heard of us.”

  Ra narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “Because,” Tsuki whispered, “Lunarians don’t leave.”

  A beat of silence.

  “…Lunarians?” Orion repeated. “Is that what you are?”

  Tsuki nodded.

  Nerpheus frowned. “What does that even mean?”

  Tsuki exhaled, his shoulders trembling. He looked so small sitting there, but when he finally spoke, his voice carried the weight of something much older than himself.

  “The Lunarians live in the Moon Sun Domain,” he said. “We are warriors. All of us.”

  Orion, Ra, and Nerpheus didn’t say anything, letting him continue.

  “We’re born and raised to be strong. To be perfect. We’re trained in swordsmanship from the moment we can walk. Our magic—Lunar Magic—is tied to the moon. It makes us faster, sharper, stronger than normal people.”

  He swallowed. “But the most important thing to a Lunarian is honor.”

  His fingers dug into his blanket.

  “And I don’t have any left.”

  Kannie’s ears twitched. “Why?”

  Tsuki didn’t want to say it. But he had to.

  “…Because I was captured,” he said, barely above a whisper.

  Ra scowled. “That’s not your fault.”

  Tsuki shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. To my people, it’s the worst thing that can happen. If I go back, my parents will use magic to read my memories. They’ll see everything that happened to me. And then they’ll make me…”

  He hesitated.

  “…make you what?” Orion asked, his voice quiet.

  Tsuki took a deep, shaking breath.

  “They’ll make me commit seppuku.”

  Silence.

  Orion, Ra, and Nerpheus all stared at him.

  “…What?” Ra finally said.

  Tsuki hesitated. He wasn’t sure how to explain something so normal to him but so alien to them.

  “Seppuku is… ritual suicide,” he said at last.

  Nerpheus blinked. “Ritual… what?”

  Tsuki’s voice was eerily calm.

  “A warrior who disgraces himself must die to restore his family’s honor. We take a blade, stab ourselves in the stomach, and cut open our own insides.” His hand instinctively went to his belly, fingers curling against the fabric of his blanket. “Someone—usually a mentor or family member—stands beside us and cuts off our head once it’s done.”

  Kannie’s breath hitched.

  Ra looked sick. “That’s… insane.”

  Tsuki laughed weakly. “To you, maybe. But to my people, it’s normal. Expected. If I don’t do it, my family will be shamed. They’ll be outcasts. My parents will probably kill themselves too, just to prove they still have honor.”

  Orion stared at him.

  “…And do you want to die?”

  Tsuki stiffened. His silver eyes flickered.

  “I…” He hesitated.

  He thought about his mother’s voice, firm but full of pride. He thought about his father’s sword, always gleaming in the moonlight. He thought about the cliffs, the wind, the feeling of falling.

  And then he thought about the cage. The chains. The hands that had grabbed him, the places he had been, the things he had endured.

  Did he want to die?

  “I don’t know,” he whispered.

  Kannie grabbed his hand.

  “You can’t die,” she said, her voice trembling. “You can’t.”

  Tsuki stared at her.

  Kannie swallowed hard. “Because if you die, then… then that means people like us don’t get to live. And I don’t want that to be true.”

  Tsuki felt his chest tighten.

  Kannie slowly lifted her gaze.

  “…My parents were merchants,” she murmured. “We traveled all over Enchantera, selling goods. My mom always told me, ‘If you can talk fast, you’ll never go hungry.’” A small, broken smile flickered on her lips before fading. “Then one day, bandits came.”

  She curled her knees to her chest.

  “They killed my dad first. My mom…she fought. But they cut her down right in front of me.” Her ears drooped low, and her voice wavered. “I was too scared to run. So they took me.”

  The room was silent.

  Tsuki turned to her. “You too”

  She nodded slowly. “Over and over. Until I ended up in that place.”

  Their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them. A quiet, painful understanding.

  Then Kannie exhaled and sat up straighter. “I’m a rabbit lycanthrope.”

  Ra didn’t look surprised. “Yeah, I figured.”

  Kannie blinked. “You—wait, really?”

  Ra shrugged. “Lycanthropes aren’t that rare in Xylodia. They’re usually slaves, servants, or stuck in the slums like us.” His expression darkened. “Xylodia doesn’t like people who aren’t human.”

  Kannie’s ears twitched. “I was born here, though. I’ve never been to Solaria, but my parents told me stories about it. It’s ruled by Taran, The Beast Sun.”

  Nerpheus, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. “Taran?” He frowned. “Is he…a Sun?”

  Kannie nodded. “Yeah. The Suns rule entire continents.”

  Now it was Orion and Ra’s turn to look confused.

  Orion tilted his head. “What…what are these Suns?”

  Ra crossed his arms. “I thought the Sun was just in the sky during the day.”

  Kannie and Tsuki stared at them like they were idiots.

  “…Are you serious?” Tsuki muttered.

  Orion looked between them. “Well…yeah.”

  Kannie gawked. “You guys don’t know about the Suns?”

  Nerpheus sighed, rubbing his temples. “Mercure would kill you just hearing that .”

  Orion blinked. “Mercure?”

  Nerpheus nodded. “The Aqua Sun. He rules the domain beneath the ocean and has control over the seas. He’s the only one I know about.”

  Tsuki added, “I only know about Zen, The Moon Sun.”

  Kannie nodded. “And I only know about Taran, The Beast Sun.”

  “But they’re all Suns,” Nerpheus said. “The children of some great god.”

  They can live for thousands of years,” Tsuki added. “And their children and grandchildren live for thousands, too.”

  Orion’s expression darkened. “And they rule over people like this?” He gestured toward Tsuki and Kannie. “They let their people be sold? Be slaves?”

  Tsuki hesitated. “I… I don’t think Zen cares.”

  Kannie shook her head. “Taran doesn’t.”

  Nerpheus was quiet.

  Ra frowned. “So, these Suns are just powerful monsters who rule domains?”

  Nerpheus shook his head. “They aren’t just rulers.” He glanced at Orion. “A Sun’s will alone can reshape entire lands.They don’t just rule—they are their domains. If Mercure willed it, he could drown entire kingdoms and continents.”

  Orion’s jaw clenched. “That’s disgusting.”

  Everyone turned to look at him.

  He frowned. “They live for thousands of years and do nothing? They have all that power, and they let things like this happen?” He exhaled sharply. “I don’t care how strong they are. They don’t deserve to rule.”

  The silence stretched.

  The fire crackled between them. The weight of the truth settled deep.

  Then Orion took a knife from his belt. He turned his palm upward and dragged the blade across his skin.

  Ra followed. Then Nerpheus.

  They stretched their hands toward Tsuki and Kannie.

  Orion’s golden eyes burned with conviction.

  “You don’t have to go back,” he said. “You don’t have to be alone. You have us now.”

  Tsuki hesitated.

  Kannie sniffled.

  Then, with shaking hands, they took the knife.

  The bloodpact was made.

  They weren’t just a group of orphans anymore.

  They were family

  The brothel was lively that night, filled with the usual mix of drunken patrons, desperate workers, and thick clouds of perfumed smoke. Soft, sultry music drifted through the air, mingling with the scent of wine, sweat, and the faint musk of incense. The place catered to nobles who wished to indulge in their darkest desires far from the judging eyes of the noble district. Here, gold could buy silence, submission, and secrets.

  The madam, a striking woman draped in dark silk, stood near the entrance, sipping from a glass of expensive wine. Her raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, her ruby lips curved into a satisfied smirk. Business was good tonight. And it was about to get even better.

  She had been expecting him.

  When the brothel doors opened, she turned gracefully, setting her wine aside. Her gaze flickered with intrigue as the figure stepped inside. He moved with a calculated grace, his steps measured, deliberate. The flickering candlelight barely touched him, as if the shadows themselves recoiled from his presence. His long coat brushed the floor as he advanced, his posture straight, composed. The air shifted, the room growing colder despite the heat of the bodies pressed together in the main lounge.

  The madam smiled, folding her hands in front of her. "I see you’ve finally arrived," she purred, tilting her head. "You always keep me waiting."

  The man did not respond immediately. His eyes, hidden beneath the low brim of his hood, scanned the room, absorbing every detail. The guards stationed by the entrance, the nobles lounging in their seats, the women draped across their laps like decorative pets. His gaze, unseen yet felt, was suffocating.

  "You said you had something worth my time," he finally said, his voice a whisper of silk over steel.

  The madam shivered. There was something unnatural about him, something she could never quite place. But he was an important client, and important clients got the best treatment.

  "Oh, I do," she assured him, a knowing glint in her eye. "Two rare acquisitions. Fresh. Young. Perfect."

  She gestured for him to follow, leading him down a dimly lit hallway that twisted deeper into the heart of the brothel. Unlike the lavishly decorated front, the back rooms were sterile, almost clinical in their simplicity. They were where the real deals happened—where nobles came to claim their playthings, where the screams were muffled behind thick walls.

  "The girl is a rabbit lycanthrope," the madam continued as they walked, her tone light, almost conversational. "Young you know how nobles are with lycanthrope children, especially ones this… adorable. Her ears alone will have the nobles in a frenzy."

  She chuckled, as if discussing the latest fashion trend.

  "And the boy?" he asked, his voice betraying no emotion.

  She glanced at him, curiosity flickering in her dark eyes. "A rare beauty. Silver hair, silver eyes"

  She stopped before a heavy wooden door, running her fingers along its frame. "A pair like this? The bidding would have been obscene. But for you… I’m willing to negotiate."

  Silence.

  She turned to him, expecting an answer, but he remained still. A foreboding chill slithered down her spine.

  Then he spoke, low and measured. "Open it."

  The madam smirked, producing a key from within the folds of her dress. With a flick of her wrist, the lock clicked open, and she pushed the door inward.

  What she saw froze her in place.

  The room was empty only a dead body was there.

  The iron shackles that had bound the children hung loose, the scent of fresh blood staining the floor, but there were children. No frightened eyes staring up at her. Just silence only a decapitated guard she left with the childeren

  Her smile faltered.

  "What…?" She turned sharply, searching for an answer. "Where are they?" She stormed inside, scanning every corner of the room, checking under the torn blankets, her breath quickening. "They were just here!"

  She spun to face him, her tone sharper now. "This is impossible. The guards—"

  Her words died in her throat.

  He had not moved. He stood in the doorway, the shadows around him shifting unnaturally, like living entities curling against his frame. He exhaled slowly, and the room darkened.

  "I wasted my time," he murmured.

  A shadow moved.

  The madam barely had time to react before tendrils of darkness shot out from beneath his coat. They moved with an unnatural speed, slithering through the air like hunting serpents. One wrapped around her throat, another encircled her wrists, yanking her forward. A third coiled around her waist, lifting her off the ground.

  She gasped, her hands clawing at the inky tendrils. "Wait—please, this wasn’t—!"

  The shadows tightened, stealing her breath. She tried to scream, but the sound was choked off as the darkness spread, slipping beneath her silken dress, creeping along her skin like an unholy caress.

  She shook her head wildly, her once-confident expression twisting into terror. "No! Please—!"

  The tendrils writhed, moving with a terrible purpose. They gripped her tighter, squeezing, tearing, violating. Her body convulsed as the darkness invaded her, as her own cries were swallowed by the consuming black.

  The man did not react. He simply watched, unfeeling, unmoved.

  A final, wet crack filled the air.

  The madam’s lifeless body hung in the grip of the shadows, her face frozen in a silent scream, her once-beautiful form ruined beyond recognition. The tendrils released her, letting her broken corpse collapse to the bloodied floor.

  The man turned, stepping out of the room without so much as a glance back. The tendrils receded into the darkness, obeying their master’s silent command.

  Outside, the brothel continued its debauchery, oblivious to the carnage that had unfolded just behind closed doors.

  He exhaled, his voice barely above a whisper.

  "What a waste of time."

  Then, without another word, he vanished into the night.

  The only thing that remained was the lingering scent of blood.

  The 10 Suns: A Saga of Legacy and Strife, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Reviews and ratings help boost the story’s visibility and let me know what you’re enjoying the most.

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