Chapter 9 Nine
Seren withdrew her gaze from the window and looked towards her father, who was still lost in thought.
She let him immerse himself in his silence as she sank into hers.
Was she going to leave for the Academy right after the Luna Induction?
Honestly, she would rather run away to school than marry that Alpha.
Still, fear pricked at her ribs.
How was she supposed to purge the Burndels from Crescent Park?
Who would even believe her if she told them that the Moon Goddess herself had told her to expel the priestess and Nova?
And that the priestess and Nova were mother and daughter?
She unconsciously turned to her father and found him watching her with a rare, gentle expression.
Seren blinked, pulled from her thoughts, and muttered, “Huh?”
Lord Nightwind cleared his throat, suddenly awkward, his eyes darting away.
“I’m sorry for how I’ve been pressuring you to get together with the Alpha,” he said. “Like I told you, your mother always believed that you’d do something great. I… interpreted that in my own way.” He sighed, his voice softening. “Now that I’ve been reminded of her, I realize how wrong I’ve been treating you. If you want, you can choose not to accept being the pack’s Luna.”
Seren stared at him, certain she’d misheard. “Father… you’re not pulling my leg, are you?”
Lord Nightwind shook his head with a wry smile. “I’m not, dear. You can do as you wish about being Luna. But as for your acceptance into the Academy of Lunaris—you will attend. That was your mother’s wish.”
Turning to the butler, he asked, “When will the new session begin?”
The butler cleared his throat. “My lord, the new session will officially begin on the fifteenth day of Dawnhallow, next Lunar Cycle. But registration, orientation, and dormitory assignments will begin as early as the first day of Dawnhallow.”
“Perfect!” Lord Nightwind beamed, turning back to his daughter. “You have plenty of time to prepare, Seren.”
Seren smiled. In just two days of arriving in this world, Lord Nightwind had displayed more emotions than she thought him capable of.
She nodded in appreciation. “Thank you, Father. I’ll go and freshen up now. I need to tell the Alpha that I do not accept being his mate.”
Lord Nightwind merely waved a hand like a doting father dismissing a child’s worry.
Seren was too full of excitement to continue eating.
She skipped down the hall toward her room, only to realize, once inside, that she hadn’t understood a single thing the butler had said about those strange dates.
Halting her plans to bathe, she called out mentally,
‘What is Dawnhallow?’ Curiosity laced her voice.
\[Dawnhallow is the equivalent of January in your original world.\]
‘Wow,’ she murmured. ‘They have their own names for the months of the year. Can you tell me all about it?’
\[Sure. They don’t call it a year like you do—it’s called a Lunar Cycle. We are currently in the 19th day of Velyra, 812 LC.
The months of the Lunar Cycle are as follows:\]
\---
Dawnhallow — equivalent of January. Meaning “Birth of Light.”
Season: Winter.
Lunar Magic Effects: Rebirth & Divine Blessings; spells of renewal are strongest.
Frostmere — equivalent of February. Meaning “Frozen Stillness.”
Season: Deep Winter.
Lunar Magic Effects: Protective charms and defensive wards strengthened by silence and patience.
Moondrift — equivalent of March. Meaning “First Thaw.”
Season: Late Winter.
Lunar Magic Effects: Magic begins to flow again; dreams become prophetic.
Bloomveil — equivalent of April. Meaning “Veil of Blossoms.”
Season: Spring.
Lunar Magic Effects: Illusion and charm spells bloom; love and fertility rites performed.
Sunspire — equivalent of May. Meaning “Rise of Flame.”
Season: Early Summer.
Lunar Magic Effects: Elemental magic burns brightest; tempers and passions ignite.
Emberfall — equivalent of June. Meaning “Crimson Days.”
Season: Midsummer.
Lunar Magic Effects: Strength of body and beast peak; werewolves’ powers strongest.
Starhaven — equivalent of July. Meaning “Heaven’s Descent.”
Season: Late Summer.
Lunar Magic Effects: Astral and vision-based magics awaken; omens appear in the skies.
Ashveil — equivalent of August. Meaning “Smoke and Shadow.”
Season: Waning Summer.
Lunar Magic Effects: Dark magic whispers strongest; Nareth’s influence stirs.
Velyra — equivalent of September. Meaning “Golden Fade.”
Season: Early Autumn.
Lunar Magic Effects: Season of endings and choices; oaths gain divine weight. (Current Month.)
Noctaris — equivalent of October. Meaning “Night’s Heart.”
Season: Late Autumn.
Lunar Magic Effects: Silver Moon rises—divine favor or wrath manifests. The Luna Induction is scheduled for the 7th of Noctaris, but given your choice, it will not take place at Crescent Park this year.
Hallowtide — equivalent of November. Meaning “Whispering Veil.”
Season: Early Winter.
Lunar Magic Effects: Spirits walk freely; necromancy and memory spells grow potent.
Wyrmrest — equivalent of December. Meaning “The Sleeping Moon.”
Season: Deep Winter.
Lunar Magic Effects: Magic slows; divine presence fades as the cycle resets.
\---
There was a long silence after the System finished unloading the information.
‘Wow,’ Seren muttered. ‘Look at you go—you didn’t even give me a second to ask a question. You make a really bad teacher.’
\[And you make a really bad host.\]
‘Fair enough. But I do have a question—who the hell is Nareth? You made her sound evil, even though your voice is as monotone as a stone.’
\[Nareth is the twin sister of Selune.\]
‘Selune has a twin?!’
\[Yes. Instinct Magic draws its power from her, just as Divine Magic draws from Selune.\]
‘Whoa… that’s a lot to take in. In your words, what exactly are Instinct and Divine Magic?’
\[Divine Magic dwells in Light, Harmony, Creation, and Balance. It is calm, structured, and shaped through Invocation and Faith. It favors Priestesses, Moon-Blessed, and chosen Lunas. It is wielded through chants, symbols, or sacred objects such as moonstone, blessed silver, or inked runes.
Divine Magic is used for healing, barriers, truth-binding, and purification.\]
‘Right… and what about Instinct Magic?’
\[Instinct Magic dwells in Emotion, Hunger, and Chaos. It is wild, fueled by passion, bloodline, or will. It favors werewolves, warlocks, and cursed bloodlines. It is wielded through breath, movement, and willpower—unleashed like a storm.
It amplifies senses, fuels raw destruction, controls shadows, and influences the mind.\]
‘Damn,’ Seren whispered. ‘And right now, I have both of them. What’s going to become of me?’
\[When both magics meet in one vessel, such as in you, the body becomes a conduit of both Order and Chaos. It’s rare and volatile. You can heal or annihilate with equal potential. You stand at risk of divine corruption—or divine ascension—depending on how you balance them.\]
‘You sure are optimistic,’ Seren sighed, sarcasm lacing her tone.
She suddenly felt exhaust
ed.
What have I gotten myself into?
I was better off as a novel critic, she lamented.