Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 62: Chapter 62 — Little Moon’s Plea

Chapter 62 — Little Moon’s Plea

Moonlight slowly walked out of the hut where the council meeting had just ended.

The judgment had been placed.

Victor was going to be sacrificed during the Festival of Mana.

As she walked away, her head remained lowered. From the outside, Moonlight looked calm, and no one passing her through the village would have immediately noticed how emotional her eyes had become.

It wasn’t that she cared for Victor in some deep emotional way.

But over the past few weeks, something had slowly begun to form between them. A friendship. A connection that Moonlight hadn’t expected when she first decided to bring food to the mysterious outsider inside the Mana Lock Prison.

Victor had become someone she could call a friend. More than that, he had become someone who shared in her dream. The dream of seeing the world outside the forest.

For her entire life, Moonlight had wondered what existed beyond the enormous trees surrounding her village. She had heard stories about distant places, but they had always been nothing more than stories.

Then Victor had arrived.

He had told her about the sun.

The oceans.

Stars.

Places she had never imagined could truly exist.

And now that dream was about to disappear.

Victor was about to disappear with it.

Moonlight continued walking through the village.

Moonlight made several laps through the same parts of the village, walking back and forth while trying to work through her thoughts.

What was she supposed to do?

Eventually, Moonlight slowed down in front of Oheema’s hut.

She stopped.

For several minutes, she simply stood outside the entrance without moving.

Her thoughts continued running through her mind.

She didn’t know what she could possibly say.

She didn’t know whether Oheema could even do anything.

But after standing there for several minutes, Moonlight slowly looked toward the door.

She didn’t know if anything she said would make a difference. But she knew she had to try.

Moonlight finally gathered her courage and pushed open the door. She stepped inside.

The hut was exactly as it had always been.

Nothing had changed.

Moonlight had known this place since she was a child. She had spent countless hours inside these walls, sitting beside her grandmother and listening to her guidance.

Everything was familiar.

Yet today, the hut somehow seemed different.

Maybe it wasn’t the hut.

Maybe it was simply Moonlight’s outlook on everything around her.

The interior was quiet.

Oheema sat near the center of the room with her wooden staff resting across her lap. Her eyes were closed as she cultivated, faint Spiritual Energy moving gently around her body.

She looked peaceful.

Completely at peace.

The sight was almost the complete opposite of how Moonlight currently felt.

Moonlight stopped near the entrance.

She tried her best to hide the emotions on her face.

But she couldn’t completely control them.

Not in front of Oheema.

A few moments passed.

Then Oheema slowly opened her eyes.

The moment she saw Moonlight standing there, her expression softened.

”Little Moon.”

Moonlight walked closer.

But then she stopped.

Normally, she would have immediately gone to sit beside her grandmother.

Today, she didn’t.

That small pause was enough.

Oheema immediately noticed that something was wrong.

Her expression slowly became more serious.

”What’s the matter?”

Moonlight lowered her eyes.

For several moments, she didn’t answer.

Then she finally spoke.

”Oheema... is there any way you can revoke the judgment against the outsider?”

The room became silent.

Oheema looked carefully at her granddaughter.

Moonlight continued.

”The Festival is still some time away. There’s got to be another punishment.”

Oheema remained quiet.

Moonlight took a breath.

”He didn’t know the Sacred Pond belonged to Samal. He didn’t understand our laws. He didn’t even know what he was entering.”

She paused.

”He didn’t realize it was a holy place.”

Oheema was silent for a moment.

”And yet,” she finally said softly, ”he still entered the holy place.”

Moonlight’s hands slowly tightened.

”But he didn’t hurt anyone.”

Oheema looked toward her.

”He took five years of holy mana from the Sacred Pond.”

”He didnt steal anything.”

Moonlight’s voice suddenly rose.

The words escaped her before she could stop them.

Immediately, Moonlight realized what she had done.

She became quiet.

Oheema watched her carefully.

Moonlight took a slow breath.

”He didn’t understand.”

Her voice was quieter now.

”He didn’t understand what the pond was.”

Oheema slowly looked away.

”Intent does not always change the consequences of our actions, Little Moon.”

Moonlight stared at her grandmother.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Moonlight took another step forward.

”You could speak to the council.”

Oheema’s expression changed slightly.

”I have.”

Moonlight froze.

Oheema’s voice remained calm.

”He’s but a young boy. I never wanted him to be sacrificed.”

Moonlight stared at her.

Then why?

The question remained in her mind, but she didn’t say it.

Oheema continued.

”The Shaman has spoken. The elders have accepted Samal’s judgment.”

”But you’re Oheema.”

The words escaped Moonlight before she could stop them.

For the first time, something changed in her grandmother’s expression.

Moonlight continued.

”You are the most respected person in this village. Everyone listens to you.”

Oheema looked toward her.

”Not everyone.”

Her voice was quiet.

”Not when it comes to Samal’s judgment.”

She paused.

”And not when it comes to the Shaman.”

Moonlight’s eyes slowly began to sting.

Oheema looked toward her granddaughter.

”Some decisions are larger than either of us.”

Her voice softened.

”Some decisions... not even I can do anything about.”

Moonlight slowly shook her head.

”No.”

Her voice was quiet.

She looked directly at Oheema.

”There has to be something.”

Oheema remained silent.

Moonlight stepped closer.

”He’s not the person they think he is.”

Her grandmother’s eyes softened.

Moonlight swallowed.

”He talks about the world outside.”

Oheema’s expression changed slightly.

Moonlight looked down.

”He taught me about the sun.”

The words came out quietly.

”He told me about the oceans and stars and cities.”

She paused.

”Places I didn’t even know existed.”

Moonlight slowly looked back toward her grandmother.

Oheema closed her eyes.

Moonlight’s voice began to tremble slightly.

She looked toward her grandmother.

And finally—

She understood.

There was nothing else she could say.

Nothing else she could do.

Her eyes watered slightly, but no tears fell.

Moonlight stood there silently for several moments.

Then she spoke.

”Please.”

Oheema’s expression changed.

Moonlight took another step forward.

”Please, Oheema...”

Her voice cracked.

”Don’t let them kill him.”

The silence that followed felt unbearable.

Moonlight’s eyes remained fixed on her grandmother.

”He doesn’t deserve it.”

For several moments, neither of them spoke.

Then Oheema slowly stood.

She walked toward Moonlight.

Moonlight looked up at her.

Oheema gently placed her hands against the sides of her granddaughter’s face.

Moonlight stared into her eyes.

Oheema’s expression was filled with sadness.

”I’m sorry, Little Moon.”

Moonlight’s breath caught.

Oheema’s voice became quiet.

”There’s nothing I can do.”

And that was the answer.

Moonlight stared at her grandmother.

For several moments, Moonlight remained there.

She looked toward Oheema one final time.

Neither of them said anything else.

Moonlight turned around.

Then she walked out of the hut.

Oheema didn’t try to stop her.

She understood.

Moonlight needed time to come to terms with what was going to happen.