Gunmage
Chapter 106: Graves and moonlight

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Graves and moonlight

Aveline, the youngest daughter of the Von Heim main family, darted through the night with a speed that could not be explained by human standards.

Her feet barely touched the ground as she moved, her body a blur in the moonlight.

Her night vision cut through the dark, and her ears twitched, attuned to every sound in the woods.

Sneaking out to the woods wasn’t something new to her, it had become a regular ritual.

Suddenly, a rustle in the leaves caught her attention. A squirrel. Small game, but enough to satisfy the thrill of the hunt.

She didn’t plan in eating it.

Her wild, feral eyes flicked to the side, and she lunged, hoping to catch it in one swift motion.

But the squirrel was fast, too fast. It dodged nimbly to the side, its tiny paws circling around a nearby tree.

Predictable, Aveline thought, grinning as she moved to intercept its line of escape.

Then, just as she closed the distance, the squirrel abruptly changed directions.

’What the?’

Aveline’s heart skipped a beat. She had been so sure of her move that she nearly crashed into the tree, her face grim as she came to an abrupt halt.

The squirrel had already disappeared into the underbrush, a small flicker of movement lost to the shadows.

There was no way she would let it escape now.

Her eyes narrowed, and she crouched low, her fingers brushing the damp forest floor as she sniffed the air. The scent hit her in an instant.

Found it.

A wicked grin twisted across her face as she stalked forward, her footsteps barely making a sound.

When she was close, she pounced again, moving with the same blinding speed, but against all odds, the squirrel dodged.

It darted to the right, hiding its silhouette behind a large rock. Aveline slipped on the mossy floor where it had just been, her feet skidding as she tried to regain her footing.

’Was it waiting for me?’

She realized as she hit the ground with a heavy thud. Her pink pajamas were soaked in mud, the soft fabric now streaked with dirt.

"Urghh"

She let out a groan of pain and frustration, her pride wounded more than her body.

Darting her eyes around, she could see the squirrel sitting atop a tree branch, gazing down at her with what seemed like human-like intelligence, almost as though mocking her.

Her gaze darkened, and she slowly stood, her body rippling with power. She drew from the deep well of mana inside her, the largest among her siblings, and whispered a single word under her breath.

"Nemhira."

The air grew still, thick with tension. Then, without warning, a wind stirred, sharp and sudden, like a blade drawn in silence.

Behind her prey, the moonlight twisted and danced, coalescing into form.

From the silver glow emerged a towering spectral wolf, its ghostly fur rippling like mist in motion.

One gleaming eye—piercing and ancient—locked onto its target.

It swiped its massive paw, then faded as quickly as it had appeared

But by then, the tree branch had been splintered into dust, the squirrel turned into a bloody pulp.

"Hmm"

Aveline let out a satisfied huff. She wasn’t sure what had possessed her to use ancient, forbidden magic just to kill a squirrel, but it felt good to unleash that power.

Just as she turned to leave, a flicker of movement caught her eye. Another squirrel popped up from the bush.

She glanced at it, her eyes narrowing. No, not today. She was done for the night.

But before she could turn away, another squirrel appeared, then another, and another.

The woods around her seemed to come alive with small creatures—mice, rabbits, and crows.

The rustle of movement became a cacophony, and she realized, to her shock, the number was growing by the second.

There were hundreds of them.

"Am I seeing things?

Then, just as her mind was scrambling to make sense of the situation, large shadows fell over her, blocking the moonlight.

Five owls, including one impossibly large, glided down and perched on nearby branches. Aveline didn’t even hear the flutter of their wings until it was too late.

What the hell? The absurdity of the moment hit her—rodents and owls having an "convention "?

The dry humor wasn’t enough to ease her nerves. Every animal, every bird, every inhuman gaze was locked firmly on her.

Their bodies were eerily still, like statues in the moonlight, as if they were waiting for something.

Aveline made no sound, she remained motionless, her breath coming in short bursts. Then, from the darkness, a familiar scent reached her nose.

’Is it...?’

From the shadows, emerging with a shovel in hand, was—

"L-Lugh?!"

Aveline’s eyes widened, as she stared at him in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?"

Lugh stared back at her, his expression unreadable.

"I could ask you the same."

Just then, the forest came back to life. The rodents scurried away, the birds flapped their wings, and the oppressive tension that had filled the air dissipated like smoke.

Aveline took a proper glance at him, her heartbeat quickening. It had been a month since he had arrived from Drakensmar, and she hadn’t been allowed to see him once.

This was her chance—but more importantly,

"Are you the one who controlled those animals?"

She asked, her voice low, a hint of fear and awe in her tone.

Lugh looked up at the sky for a moment, then nodded.

Aveline’s mind raced. Had mother taught him beast taming? She had never heard of any beast taming abilities reaching what she had just witnessed. Maybe he was like her?

But then Lugh’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

"What about you? How can you see in the dark?"

Aveline recoiled slightly, her body stiffening.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about"

She replied quickly, trying to deflect.

Lugh sighed, a small exasperated sound.

"Then what about that phantom?"

Aveline’s gaze turned sharp.

’He saw me’

In a split second, she considered silencing him—for good. But the thought vanished just as quickly as it had come, her hands twitching at her sides.

She glanced at him again, his eyes still waiting for an answer.

"I’m not telling you."

Lugh raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the matter.

"Suit yourself."

He paused before adding.

"By the way, beneath the roots of one especially large tree south of here, I once saw a weird stone structure—part temple, part tomb? Perhaps a shrine?"

Her expression immediately fell. She felt a knot form in her stomach.

"You know?"

Lugh didn’t answer.

Aveline sighed heavily.

"OK, fine. I’ll tell you everything. Just don’t tell mum, or anybody for that matter. Keep it a secret between us, yeah?"

Lugh’s lips twitched slightly as he began to walk.

"Sure."

She trailed close behind, narrating as little as possible. How she had stumbled upon stone engravings, and how she had taught herself the magic she personally deemed, "ancient" and "forbidden"

"So where are the engravings now?"

He asked, his voice steady.

Aveline exhaled in relief, glad he hadn’t questioned her about the magics she could use.

She honestly didn’t know what she’d have done in that case.

"Oh, that. I pulled them out. They’re under my bed now."

Lugh clicked his tongue.

"Greedy imp"

Aveline’s eyes flashed with irritation.

"What did you just call me? How dare you!"

"Keep your voice down"

Lugh cautioned, his tone sharp.

Aveline bit her lip, lowering her voice and sealing her mouth shut. Though she fumed inside, her cheeks burning.

Suddenly, the moonlight grew brighter, casting long shadows across the land.

They had arrived at an unusually large clearing, where the cool breeze carried the scent of earth and fresh air.

Aveline’s gaze wandered over the scene, and her eyes widened as she saw countless half-buried stones poking out of the ground beneath the arching trees.

"What are they?"

She asked quietly, her curiosity piqued.

He replied with a simple chilling word.

"Graves."