LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 14: The Night the Full Moon Fades
The Temple of Reunion and Farewell
Loki (Satoshi Koizumi) lay on a cot in one of the chambers of the Yggdrasil Temple, staring blankly at the sky. A half-open book lay abandoned by his side, a sign that he had already lost the motivation to continue reading. Just then, his loyal companion, Noah, appeared. Noah, a small, fluffy spirit, was always serious and strict when it came to Loki’s laziness. Despite his constant nagging, Noah deeply trusted and cared for Loki, often worrying about him.
“Lord Loki, are you lazing about again?” Noah scolded in his usual stern voice, though a note of concern lingered underneath. He was always worried that Loki, too relaxed to fully tap into his potential, might never unlock his true strength.
Loki lazily waved his hand, grinning. “Oh, Noah. Don’t furrow your brow like that. I was just taking a little break.”
“When you say ‘a little break,’ it usually means you’ll laze around for the whole day!” Noah sighed, standing by Loki’s side, arms crossed as he looked down at him. His posture was firm, but his eyes showed a deep bond of friendship. Noah always took pride in looking after Loki, no matter how frustrating he could be.
At that moment, Gaia (Misa Morino) entered the room, carrying Peeko on her shoulder. The small budgerigar flapped its wings and chirped in broken speech, “Tell a funny thing…say!”
Loki thought for a moment, then grinned. “How about this? ‘Do you know why the moon waxes and wanes? Because sometimes it needs to go on a diet!’”
Peeko flapped excitedly, chirping, “More! More!” with delight.
Noah remained unimpressed, narrowing his eyes. “Lord Loki, why do you bother with such foolish jokes?” he asked, though his tone hid the affection he felt. Seeing Loki joke around made Noah slightly relieved, though he would never admit it.
“Hey, making Peeko laugh is part of my job too, right?” Loki shrugged, offering a playful grin.
Gaia, smiling at the scene, gently stroked Peeko’s head. “You all look like you’re having so much fun,” she said softly.
From a distance, Asclepius (Masato Matsuda) watched Gaia’s smile with a hint of jealousy, though he kept his feelings to himself, quietly observing the light-hearted exchange.
The Full Moon Fades
As the group prepared to return to the real world under the light of the full moon, they noticed something strange. The full moon’s glow was weakening. The sky grew darker, and the particles of light surrounding them began to fade.
“The full moon is fading… We need to hurry,” Uranus (Sora Amano) warned, his voice tense with urgency.
“We must get back to our world now,” Apollo (Kira Moroboshi) said anxiously, quickening his pace.
Noah, watching Loki and the others, rushed forward, worry etched across his face. “Lord Loki… please, make sure you come back. You always act recklessly, and it makes us worry,” he said, his voice tinged with more anxiety than usual.
Loki smiled confidently, gently patting Noah on the head. “Don’t worry, Noah. I’ll be back. After all, it’d be too boring without you around,” he teased, though his eyes held genuine trust.
Noah narrowed his eyes slightly. “You always say that, but… I’ll be waiting. Just make sure you come back safely,” he replied, trying to maintain his stern demeanor, though a warmth lingered in his expression as he watched Loki leave.
With a sense of urgency, Loki and the others prepared to leave the otherworld before the full moon’s light vanished entirely. Hearts racing, they had no time to exchange words, but each of them felt the weight of the moment.
As they returned to the real world, each member found themselves standing in different places, but all near the familiar shrine. Their memories of the otherworld had faded, though Apollo found himself grasping at a faint recollection. “That dream… Could it have been real?” he murmured.
Resolving for the Next Battle
In the days that followed, they continued their lives in the real world, awaiting the next full moon. Though the memories of the otherworld began to slip away, Apollo alone held onto fragments of what had happened, quietly preparing for what was to come.
“These dreams… It feels like that battle was real,” Apollo mentioned to his friends.
“Whether it was a dream or not, it feels like we’re forgetting something important,” Loki replied thoughtfully.
“Another event might occur on the next full moon. We should be prepared just in case,” Asclepius suggested calmly.
With that, they each quietly resumed their daily lives, all the while slowly preparing for the challenges they sensed would arrive with the next full moon. Their resolve was clear: whatever awaited them, they would face it together.