The cool breeze awarded a sigh of relief from the moon-kissed boy as darkness suddenly surrounded them. Different, however, from the perpetual shadows that were felt above ground, accompanied and painfully paired with the crimson moon that hung in the sky. Not his moon, Amaris once more thought with distaste, as he noticed it was not just him who felt relieved to be out from the watchful eye in the sky.

Aelia, too, seemed grateful.

—A sign? His ears perked and twisted toward his twin, and though skepticism blurred his thoughts, he considered her words even so. It could’ve been a sign from those he had given himself and his faith to, but what of the rest of the world’s demise? Was that also the doing of the Five?

The last time he had angered the five, they exploded their world into a series of fires—but this time, Amaris hadn’t…done anything sinful that he could recall to gain such an ire from Houtu and the rest. And so why were they being punished?

His ears splayed atop his crown as they continued to move through the tunnels in silence. And though he grunted his consideration to his twin’s words, Amaris remained relatively quiet. He was thinking, and such thoughts felt especially traitorous as they slipped from the shadows of his thoughts.

But after minutes had passed, or had it been an hour? Amaris finally squeaked out a terrible, terrible thought. Do you think… He started, his voice a low whisper within the cavern walls, Have you thought about the possibility… A part of him felt disgusted by even the thought, a squeamish twisting of his gut, as he passed a citrine glance toward his twin. What if the Five have abandoned us, Aelia? --abandoned me, he thought.

Amaris shook his head, finally responding to the question she had asked not too long ago—or had it been a while? He could no longer be sure. I have felt disconnected for a long time, he admitted through a breath, his ears falling atop his crown as he angled his attention to the path ahead.

Even the shadows that have followed me since birth have been scarce, He shook his head. For the most part, Amaris felt he had been relying on pure intuition, and even that, he doubted at times. My dreams are no longer mine. They are filled with this cursed dream visitor, and while we continue to do their bidding, it feels like nothing is changing.

We are cursed, was the thought he kept to himself.

Where are the Five when we need them the most?