Moonlight Castle

Death came to him in the form of a beast.

Kazimir could hear it prowling over the freshly fallen snow, its heavy breathing the only sound in the silent night. Each step crunched against the frost, drawing closer and closer until he could smell its foul breath.

He made his peace and waited.

But death did not come.

What came instead was a bloodcurdling shriek—the death cry of the beast. And if that wasn’t enough to rouse him, the sudden splash of scalding hot blood across his face certainly was.

Kazimir’s eyes snapped open.

Towering over him was a monstrosity—its lifeless, hollow eyes staring him right in the eyes. It resembled a massive black salamander, its body covered in thick, turtle-like scales. A single, jagged horn jutted from its skull, just above its now-dulled eyes.

And standing atop the fallen beast was a knight.

She was tall, clad in resplendent silver armor that gleamed under the moonlight. Her hair was as white as freshly fallen snow, cascading over her shoulders. Her pale, muscular, battle-hardened face bore more scars than even Kazimir himself.

Her pale gray eyes studied him with an unreadable expression. It was difficult to tell what she was focusing on.

Then, behind her, where there had once been nothing but empty land, a colossal castle now loomed. Its towering walls shimmered as if woven from pure moonlight, casting a soft glow over the frozen earth.

The knight looked down at him, first with confusion, as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. Then, she leapt down from the beast’s carcass, stepping closer.

Kazimir barely registered the way her piercing gaze swept over him, as if trying to piece together something she alone understood.

Then, to his surprise, a faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across her lips.

His mind swirled with questions. Why is there a knight here? How did she kill this thing?

But before he could utter a word, darkness overtook him.

The last thing he felt was strong arms lifting him, carrying him toward the glowing castle of moonlight.