Infernal Moon ⋮ ᴏɴɢᴏɪɴɢ ⋮

〝⋟›∔‹⋞〞𝔐 𝙾 𝙾 𝙽 𝙸

     In the midst of the bitter night, when the moon hid behind the ominous clouds and the stars became hazy in their eyes, two men were arguing in the courtyard.

     One was Sori, the other, Saya—friends entangled in the bonds of brotherhood, locked in a howl of words under the dim sky.

     Seething with fury and remorse, it looked like the once-shared blood of the order had turned into an unmixable brew of water and oil. The bond they forged through their sacred vow now lay in shards, each fragment echoing its own discord.

     "Why?!" Saya shouted while clutching the collar of Sori's shirt. His eyes illuminated with fury but the humor in his tone wasn't anger but misery.

     "Did you realize what you've done?! To me? To her? To us?!" he lunged forward and abruptly sent Sori flinging aside, causing him to stumble back several paces.

     Their voices nearly reached the attentive ears eager to dig into their dirt. After all, they weren't just ordinary individuals. Sori and Saya were part of the elite operative unit on their continent. So every action they took and any slip-up they made would not escape the watchful eyes of others.

     "Damn it! Answer me!" Saya cried out as loudly as he could, but it felt as if he had hit the limit of his voice.

     Saya crashed into Sori, driving him to the ground.

     Anger.

     Regret.

     Sorrow.

     All those sentiments were conspicuous in their eyes.

     Every time he looked at Sori, all those memories of the hurt his friend caused came flooding back. It's like his love and respect for Sori have been completely overshadowed by those negative feelings. Saya is usually not aggressive at all but he's in so much pain that even the gentlest person could turn into a completely different beast.

     The brotherhood that dared to condemn his love is known as the Darkside. It is steeped in blood, saturated with the stench of death. And it remains so merciless that not a single ray of light, like love, pierces the hearts of its members. And beneath the watchful gaze of its emblem, Saya found it impossible to feel any more pain than he already bore.

     "I love her... I really do," he whimpered, "I don't want to lose her."

     Love.

     A forbidden spell and a corrosive poison that threaten the essence of unity. In the face of this colossal moon, love stands no chance.

     "Saya..." Sori whispered gently to his friend, uncertain of the right words to weave into the air.

     "Don't call me that! I'm not just the deputy leader of AOZORA, I'm your friend too!" Saya yelled while casting a fierce look in his direction.

     Sori sought to soothe and uplift him amid the chaos. But they found themselves entangled in a wrestling match upon the verdant carpet of grass.

     Among the elite hundred operative units across their continent, none rival the formidable and skilled AOZORA. Their reputation stems not only from the fact that a scion of the Darkside is part of their ranks but also from their flawless track record. They have an faultless sense of judgement, serving as the distinguished arbiters who determine guilt with absolute precision.

     But on that fateful night, the Elder and the Underboss of AOZORA were not seated upon the lofty thrones of the court. Instead, they stood in the dock, the weight of their own transgressions casting shadows on their pristine reputation as the scales of judgment weighed heavily upon them.