Eclipse On Luna

Chapter-3

[Irene Miles’ POV]

I waited too long for the reflection of my mate to show up in that fountain, but not even a shadow. “Maybe the rumours were wrong.” I shrugged and looked around.

The mall was open. I entered the enormous mall. It was cold, empty and even my footsteps echoed there. It was also in shades of black, viridian and blue, but lighter shades. Many things about that city were strange.

First, the streets had carriages, chariots, rickshaws, etc, randomly scattered. The shops were open. Jewellery shops, spice shops, trade and commerce, everything was open, granting free access to anyone. Foods, plates and drinks were served as if the city was fully functioning and suddenly, something happened and people disappeared. 

Because if they would have abandoned it, they would have at least locked their houses, doors, and taken expensive items like jewellery and spices with them. And how was it possible for thieves and other non-believers not to steal them?

Nyxia city was indeed a strange city. The mall had almost a hundred shops, all open and with free access. Another thing that bothered me was the city had an unusual amount of wildlife. That too mostly small animals like squirrels, cats, crows, rodents, etc. I was expecting at least tigers or leopards because they are abundant in the Liberta corridor. Each shop had one or two of those small animals.

I entered a jewellery shop and looked around. They had a collection of jewellery I had never seen before. It was lighter, shinier, more beautiful, ornately decorated, and standard. I placed back the tiara I was examining on the black porcelain manikin’s head. There was a gold ring with the design of a wolf with ruby eyes and ears like those of wings. I tried it on; I liked it, but I couldn’t just take it, so I placed five gold coins in place of the ring and left the shop. If the owner ever returned, he would know his goods were still selling.

When I left the mall, it was almost twilight. I was expecting those smugglers to show up. But not a clue. I sat on the bench, looking around. I heard a squeak and looked around. It was dark, but strangely, the street torches were lit up. I felt something tug my pants, and I jumped on the bench. “Can it be that this place is haunted and ghosts still live here?” I whispered to myself.

I heard another squeak, and it sounded familiar — a squirrel. I helped myself with a torch and lit the area around the bench. There was a squirrel near an ornately curved leg of the bench. It had two gold coins in its hand. Those were the Cariezer pack’s coins. The squirrel clenched the two gold coins in its tiny mouth and got on the bench and placed them in front of me.

“What? You want me to take them?” I asked, and the squirrel nodded like us. “Why?” The squirrel raised its tiny hand towards the ring I had bought from the mall. “This ring?” I showed him the ring I wore on my middle finger. It nodded again. “Wait! The cost of this ring is three gold coins? I paid more, so you came to return the extra?” It nodded again. I gasped and looked around the city even more carefully. Those animals…

“It can mean only two things. One, animals of this city have higher intelligence or you are the owner of that shop.” It nodded again. I took my hands over my mouth. “What happened to you? Who did this to you? I mean, were you a werewolf once?” The squirrel nodded with a squeak again. “What the hell is going on here? Don’t tell me every animal I have come across since the morning is an inhabitant of this town.” The squirrel nodded again. I flopped on the bench. Arsun said that something supernatural at the level of mythical wolves was happening in Nodia. Did he mean this or is there more to come?

I took the gold coins and shoved them in my pocket. I spread my palm for the squirrel to climb on, but it ran away as if something scared it off. Or maybe someone. I hid behind a tree. My pinnas twitched as they perceived the sound of several footsteps. 

A cat came out of the darkness with glowing eyes and four soldiers from the Umbra pack followed it. 

“There should be a maiden somewhere here? Look for her.” One of them ordered.

“Are we doing this again? It gets annoying with those maidens screaming in my ears, crying so miserably that my heart melts.”

“Stop your melting heart before Alpha Kage evaporates it.” 

The four of them scattered and started searching for me. That was not the time I was waiting for. The entire city had turned into animals. That was a greater concern, but still helping those maidens would take the priority. I deliberately ran away from them for them to notice me. I made them chase me for some distance and then got caught. 

“Caught her!” The two who captured me by my arms, yelled and the other two followed. The one who seemed to be the leader placed a pouch of coins in front of the cat and then they dragged me to the fountain. 

“Take her to the carriage outside the city and then to you-know-what place.”

“God, she is beautiful. Can we not send her? Can we keep her for ourselves? She isn’t even screaming or working hard to escape. She will be an obedient one…”

“Shut up! Are you in heat or something?”

“Her beauty might put me in one.” I rolled my eyes and looked at my reflection in the pond. It was dark and in the flickering light of the torches, I think I saw three shadowy reflections in the fountain which weren’t mine or any of theirs. Before I could have a clearer look, the leader grabbed my hand, pulling me to his side.

“I will take her to that place. You jerk can’t be trusted. Hey you!” He called me and I almost glared at him. I tried pretending scared and fearful, but rage was all I had. The way they talked about women, the way they addressed us. It was all offensive and they must be taught a lesson. “What is your name?” He asked, and I sneered. “Are you mute?” I gave him a sharp look and then rolled my eyes. I nodded once.

That filth could lead me to greater filth and then I could clean them all at once. So I cooperated with that trash. He threw me in the carriage as if I was a non-living object and then we set off somewhere. One thing was confirmed: Alpha Kage was behind all that.

The carriage kept on moving for a long time. The carriage was small and pitch black. There was no hole in the carriage for the air and light to enter or leave it. If I hadn’t stayed calm, I would not only suffocate, but might suffer from a severe panic attack. Over the last two years, Zane had taught me to stay calm no matter what the situation was. Ironically, both of us lost our calm when either of us was in any sort of trouble. Throughout the dark and packed journey, I kept thinking about Zane, about his voice, his touch, the songs he composed for me and sang only to me. He was my ultimate source of all calmness. 

The door of the packed carriage opened with an ear-splitting creak. The massive amount of light jarred my eyes. I covered my eyes with my hand. They seized my hand and pulled me down from the carriage, pushed me into an area, and closed the door on my face. All that happened so fast that I couldn’t even get the time to see where I was and where all those soldiers vanished suddenly.

In front of me was a huge metallic iron gate and next to it ran the huge grey brick walls with barbed wire on the top. I turned around. It was an open ground with green empty fields wherever my eyes could go and the path I was standing on was made of red bricks and grey cement. The path led to a ramshackle cottage. There were a countable number of trees scattered around the cottage. I walked closer to it and found a small artificial pond well near it. There were no soldiers or guards around it. The cottage was comparatively huge when I reached close to it, yet its stone walls were cracked in places and had holes. I tried peeping through one of such holes to see what to expect inside.

Through the small hole, I saw a few ladies having a conversation sitting at the table. They were all extremely beautiful. Maybe this is the place where they keep them until the games start. I thought and stepped back, crushing a twig. Through the hole, I saw all of them become alert and hide. Good lord, I can relate to them. Once, I was forcefully brought to Liezer palace too. That was when it all started. So I heavily relate to them. I was still in my thoughts when I heard the crunching of leaves. I sidestepped, and an object swooped past my ears. There was another hidden attack, and I caught it with my hand. It was a normal branch of a tree, but was roughly pointed at the end. 

No wonder the ladies were trying to protect themselves. This could be a lethal weapon if it was carefully sharpened and shot at a greater speed. Normal guards wouldn’t even flinch at such a feeble weapon. I raised my hands to my shoulders as if I was surrendering, “I mean no harm. Soldiers forcefully brought me here. Can someone tell me what is happening here? I don’t know what to do or where to go.” I said and skimmed my eyes across the area in front of me. 

The arrow was shot from behind one of the four trees before me. From the direction I caught this arrow, it should have been the second one. I fixed my eyes on it and a figure emerged from behind the tree. I gaped at her golden eyes, boring into me. The golden sword drawn in the middle of her forehead to her hair became clearer as she trudged towards me. She was black. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail. 

The only thought that came to me after seeing her was — oh my God, how can someone be this beautiful? Her beauty captivated me from all sides.

“You were forcefully brought here too?” She asked, tensing her brows. I nodded, stopping my thoughts for the time being.

“Uh… umm… well… yes. I went to the Nyxia fountain and there they came out of nowhere and…” 

“It’s ok.” Her voice trembled, and she hugged me. Rubbing my back, she gave me a very warm and secure hug. “I understand. All of us were brought here against our will…” she said, choking on her emotions. I knew it’d have been tough for them, but from her voice it was clear — they were dying every second in that cottage. I hugged her back tightly.

“It will be fine now. Don’t worry. Everything will be ok.” I stroked her back. She was wearing a cream shirt, a black above knee skirt and sheer cream leggings. Her shoes looked tattered and almost white from the dust, but their proper colour would have been black. It showed how much she had tried to run from that place. There was no limit to my anger, seeing her in that condition. I would kill each one of them, I swore to myself.

“I should tell you that.” She pulled herself out of the hug and wiped her tears. “Come inside with me. There are many ladies like us.”

She held my hand. Her small gestures screamed how strong she was, emotionally and mentally. I walked inside from the main door and the other ladies came out from their hiding places. From the first floor to the hall and kitchen. I could see a girl at every interval. “How many?” I thought out loud.

“Including you, there are thirty ladies here.” She said.

“Thirty?” My chest clenched. “This is unforgivable!” I clenched my jaws and fists.

All those ladies were exceptionally beautiful. If I took off my mask, I would not even have the courage to stand in front of them and look into their eyes. 

“It must have been hard for you. Sit down. Niya, bring some water.” She said and the girl in front of me ran to get me a glass of water from the kitchen. She called her Niya. That must be her name, I thought while sitting on a chair. Niya looked the youngest out of everyone there. Maybe sixteen. While the others were above twenty, like me. 

“My name is Alana. What is your name?” She asked, sitting across the table in front of me. Other ladies stood by and peered at us. She was alone when she attacked me, so I assumed she must be the protector of the group. The rest looked timid and scared.

“My name…” I thought for some time. “Uh… my name is…” I didn’t think about an alias beforehand.