In the kingdom of Moonlight, there lived a knight named Aurel. He was known for being kind and caring to the people he served, but strict when it came to rules. He followed the law seriously and didn't tolerate those who broke it. Aurel stood to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. But there was one kind of person he hated the most—the thieves. In their world, they were called Veyra. They didn't just steal… they also took lives.
"When I was little, we were really poor." Aurel often thought back to his past. They lived in a small village where food and money were hard to come by, barely surviving each day. But even then, his father worked hard. No matter how exhausted he was, he always made sure Aurel was okay. "My father was a caring man. He would sacrifice anything just to make me happy… just to help me live through it." That's why he was so precious to him. His birthday was coming soon, and his father had been saving money just to give him a gift. Even if it was small, it meant everything.
But one night, everything changed. The Veyra came. It was late when they attacked the village, breaking into homes and taking whatever they could. The villagers had so little, but even that was taken. And then… they started killing. Aurel couldn't understand what was happening. Everything felt too fast, too confusing. He ran to his father. "Father! Let's go—we need to run—!" But when he found him, he froze. His father was already there… with a blade stabbed into his chest.
Nothing made sense. The man who stabbed him noticed Aurel. Their eyes met. Aurel thought he would die too. But instead, the man said quietly, "…Sorry." And he left.
"Why…? Why?!" Tears streamed down Aurel's face. "We were just living…! Even if it was hard… I was happy! I was happy with him!" He cried beside his father's body until he couldn't stay awake anymore. He fell asleep right there. When he woke up, everything was silent. That's when it fully hit him—it wasn't a dream. His father was really gone. It hurt so much… he couldn't even cry anymore.
Aurel buried his father near their house by himself. Every moment felt heavy, but he forced himself to keep going. After that, something inside him changed. He found a knife and cut his own hand, leaving a scar. "This way… I won't forget." It became his reminder, his promise.
From that day on, Aurel decided to become a knight—the highest rank that serves the king of Moonlight. He trained, studied, and learned everything he could about the Veyra. Their habits, how they moved, how they thought—anything that would help him hunt them down. Years passed, and eventually, he became one.
Now in the present, Aurel was already a skilled knight. He had taken down many Veyra, but it still wasn't enough. One night, news spread that the Veyra had attacked a nearby village called Menud. As soon as he heard it, he rushed there.
When he arrived, the village was already in flames. Houses were burning, and people were dying. The Veyra were there… doing what they always do. Aurel felt anger rise inside him, but he stayed calm. He drew his sword and attacked. One by one, he cut them down. He was fast, precise, and experienced. Five of them fell.
But just as he was about to strike another—clang! Someone blocked his attack. A man stepped forward, another Veyra, but clearly stronger than the others. "What's with this guy? A knight? Our info didn't say anything about him," the man said. "But it doesn't matter. I won't let him kill any more of my comrades." Their swords clashed again, the sound echoing through the burning village.
From behind, voices shouted, "We have to go! We already got what we needed!" There were about twenty of them in total, rebels who couldn't stand the gap between the rich and the poor. They stole and killed without hesitation. The man in front of Aurel raised his voice, "Everyone! Let's go, now!" Then he glanced back at Aurel with a small grin. "See you, knight." And just like that, they all escaped.
Aurel stood there, gripping his sword tightly. He only managed to kill five. Only five. The Veyra would keep growing. Even if some of them died, others would just take their place. His hand slowly moved to the scar. "I'll kill all of you," he said quietly. "That's my promise." He tightened his grip, reminding himself why he started.
aurel is not aware of an unwanted meeting to someone who he doesn't expect to love.