Luna yawned once more, covering her mouth as she sat on the mattress's edge.

She reached for the counter, her body stuck to the comfort of her bed, and grabbed a hairbrush.

Neoma sighed in soft disbelief, gently grabbing it from her hand, and crawled up the bed.

“Your Majesty,” She whispered in a soft tone, sitting behind her. “I can’t keep doing this forever.”

“I know that, but…” Luna paused, smiling softly as Neoma lifted the brush. “I’ll still cherish every moment we have together.”

With her hand underneath the silky locks, Neoma began brushing her long hair, finding comfort in her warmth.

Back and forth, she continued underneath the soothing silence.

“So…” She began braiding Luna’s hair, delicately transforming it into a dazzling coiffure. “May I?”

“Go ahead.”

Luna let out a low chuckle, her knotted hands waiting patiently. 

“Our Sisters from the Recon department found a campsite near the border.”

Neoma set the brush aside and used both hands to finish the hairstyle.

“There.” She said with a victorious tone, feeling a sense of pride in her work.

Luna crossed her legs, letting out a low hum.

“Yes.” Her hand flew across the air, waving with bliss. “You can go.”

“Wait.” Neoma peeked from the side, pressing against the mattress in excitement. “Really?”

Then, Luna opened her eyes, a grin appearing on her face.

She arose, grabbed her crown from the counter’s edge, and put it on.

“There’s a catch, isn’t there?”

Neoma followed Luna from a distance, approaching the door with a nervous smile.

“Yep.” She turned the knob, letting the cold breeze into her room. “One condition only.”

“Oh, no.” 

Beneath the dark sky and drizzle, the plaza remained as busy as could be, dozens of Sisters walking between departments and buildings.

Despite the cold aesthetic and freezing temperature, the atmosphere was quite warm.

It brought them both a smile to see so many of their Sisters in one place.

“Oh, yeah,” Luna whispered as she held onto her cloak. “This is going to be so exciting.”

“You do know just how dangerous this could be, right?”

The two began walking down the stairs into the main plaza, the crowds paying them no attention.

“It can’t be that bad.” Her cloak swayed alongside the gentle breeze. “Plus, I’m craving to free myself of this unbearable boredom.”

“Please tell me you have an actual reason for tagging along.”

“I suppose it’s also because I’m a tad bit curious."

The palace’s exit finally came into view, leading them to quicken their pace.

“Uh huh, sure.” Neoma glanced at Luna, impressed by how much she was able to hide with the disguise.

“I’m the queen after all.” A playful chuckle escaped. 

The towering palace doors loomed in front of them, sunlight slipping by the narrow gap where Sisters passed through.

“Okay, just don’t reveal any of your mana.” Neoma lowered her voice, casting a glance at the increasing number of guards.

“Yeah.” Luna adjusted her hood, further hiding her identity. “I got it.”

A few tense moments later, the two slipped past the gate unnoticed. The palace gave way to a soothing breeze, one that carried the scent of gentle snow.

“See,” Luna stretched her arms with a triumphant smile. “We made it no problem.” 

“I’m quite surprised.” Neoma let out a sigh of relief, resting her hand on her hip.

“Why though?” Luna tilted her head.

“You haven’t really been the best at it when it comes to anything mana-related.” 

“I’ll have you know that I’ve been practicing.” Luna puffed out her chest in protest.

“Really?” Neoma blinked in genuine surprise, her silver hair dancing in the breeze. “That’s amazing news.”

As they continued down the deep snow leading away from the palace, Luna looked towards the endless horizon. Only hues of white, a few trees, and distant glaciers made themselves at home.

At least when it came to that direction.

“I’ve always wondered why we’re only able to use it.” 

“And it seems you’re still stuck in your room, huh?” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Correction: humans can’t use mana.” Neoma raised her finger as if holding a lecture. “Nearly every other species can.”

“How come I didn’t know this?” Luna opened her palm, summoning a small blast of snow as if trying to take her mind off something. 

“I mean no offense, but all you do is sleep.” Neoma scratched her head, small snowflakes scattering across her hand. “Occasionally getting up for some nutrition.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” 

“Let me refresh your mind on something. This world is shared between two primary species, humans and Paradigm.” Neoma fixed her skirt, crossing her arms afterward. “They’re also responsible for creating not only mana but half the species on this planet.”

“Mana was created by these…” Luna paused, looking at Neoma in disbelief. “Paradigm?”

“The strongest, fastest, and smartest species Le Neige has to offer.”

“My interest has been piqued.”

“I must say, I’m surprised we haven’t come across many in our expeditions.” Neoma shut her eyes in slight frustration. “There’s one every hundred humans, so they shouldn’t be too hard to find.”

“Is there a reason you’re searching for them?”

“What’s a kingdom without an army? I must recruit a few if I ever get the chance.”

“Neoma, we talked about this.”

Silence slithered for a brief second, the two catching each other’s strange gaze.

“I was only kidding,” Neoma spoke, tilting her head in defeat.

“If you want to invite Paradigm to our kingdom, that’s fine, but its protection is our duty and ours alone.”

The trail of footsteps gradually vanished, returning to the depths of the endless tundra.

The further they went, the less of the environment was visible, leaving only pure white snow to accompany them.

“There’s actually so much more to them that it’s mind-blowing.” Neoma’s smile grew, her eyes glistening with fascination as if she had made a discovery. “Let me take you to our library one day.”

“Yeah,” Luna nodded, slowing her pace. “That sounds like fun.” 

The kingdom was now but a speck amongst the white hills and azure mountains, worrying Neoma ever so slightly. 

“Since our destination is still a bit away,” Neoma adjusted her puffy sleeves, similar to Luna’s. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.” 

“Have you found a dream of yours yet? Perhaps a goal or a desire?”

“What brought this up?” Luna stopped, startled by the sudden question.

“All our dear Sisters, including me, have something we’re chasing.” She stopped too, resting her pale hands in front, and stepped closer to her. “So I wanted to know if you’re like us in that department too.” 

Luna turned away, facing towards the remote moon, a shade so dull.

The sky gradually turned, the clouds slowly moving away from their line of sight. 

“Honestly, it’s still the same one I’ve had since I was born.” Luna tilted just enough for her hair to brush against her shoulders, her eyes fixated on the lustrous crescent. “To find answers.

A few seconds passed until Luna broke out of her stance.

Her feet shuffled through the snow, her eyes blinking briefly. 

“Shall we continue?” Neoma asked, her expression faltering between confusion and impatience.

The two resumed their stroll, neither affected by the walk in the slightest.

However, Luna noticed Neoma’s narrowed eyes and hidden frown, reaching for her shoulder.

“Are you okay, dear Sister?”

“Yeah, I’m just at a loss for words…” Neoma glanced back and forth between the indifferent spaces of snow as if looking for something. “For some apparent reason.”

Luna’s hands hid behind her back, her fingers intertwining beneath the increasing sunlight.

“Look at the bright side; I’m close to accomplishing it.” 

“That’s good to know.”

“Say, enough about me.” Luna’s pace grew bouncier, her knotted hands jumping with excitement. “Tell me, how was your day so far?”

Neoma’s hand suddenly raced across the distance, halting before her majesty. 

“Please forgive my interruption, but look,” Neoma pointed violently towards the campsite. “There it is.”

The two scanned the distant site, their bodies temporarily becoming statues amongst the whistling wind.

Luna rushed forward first.

“Let’s pick up the pace then.” She exclaimed with a smile, her quick steps leaving a dozen swishes behind. 

And Neoma quickly followed behind like a magnet.

A few seconds later, the two arrived at the spot, both sliding down the small hill.

The tents were spread out evenly, unlike the luggage and materials, some stacked while others were left open, a mess.

Luna’s curiosity got the better of her, leading her to the closest pile of suitcases. She pushed aside her skirt tails and knelt, searching through the bag of food.

“What are you doing, Your Majesty?”

“Someone still owes me ice cream,” Luna whispered, turning her face away to showcase her disappointment.

“I’ll make it for you when we get back.” Neoma scratched her head as she turned in the opposite direction, curious about the tent at the very end. 

Something was off about that one.

Not the tint of purple or its tactical design.

But rather its presence.

Mana was coming from that direction.

“I’ll be right back,” Neoma said, leaving Luna to her discoveries of packaged food and small colorful wrappers.

The further she grew from Luna, the further her brows tilted. 

Her pupils dilated in caution. 

She bared a few of her teeth.

She halted before the tent with a growl.

Whatever was inside wasn’t like anything she had encountered before.

“Get out.” She instructed in a dead tone, slowly raising her open palm.