The Train Beneath the Moon
THE GIRL WHO STOLE THE SUNSET · August 21, 2026
Ren couldn’t move.
The words echoed inside his head.
I am your brother.
The Crimson King stood in the doorway of the library as though he had just announced something completely ordinary.
Sora slowly raised her camera.
Aiko stepped between Ren and the King.
“You’re lying.”
The King smiled.
“You know I’m not.”
Ren looked at Aiko.
“Is he telling the truth?”
Aiko said nothing.
That silence was enough.
Ren’s voice became quiet.
“Tell me.”
Aiko lowered her eyes.
“Yes.”
The library seemed to disappear around him.
Ren looked at the painting again.
The baby.
The golden star.
His father.
And beside him stood another boy.
Older.
Silver-haired.
Wearing the same black crown.
Ren whispered:
“What’s his name?”
The King answered.
“Kael.”
Aiko’s face tightened.
“His name is Kael Hoshina.”
Ren looked at him.
“Why did you become the Crimson King?”
Kael smiled.
“Because everyone else failed.”
A sudden wind swept through the library.
Thousands of books flew from their shelves.
The librarian shouted:
“Everyone move!”
Black shadows crawled across the ceiling.
Kael raised one hand.
The shadows stopped.
“I’m not here to fight.”
Sora pointed her camera at him.
“Then why are you here?”
“To retrieve what belongs to my family.”
His eyes moved toward Ren.
“The Star Core.”
Ren instinctively covered his palm.
“What is the Star Core?”
Kael’s expression became serious.
“Your heart.”
Ren froze.
Aiko stepped forward.
“Don’t listen to him.”
Kael laughed softly.
“You still protect him.”
“Of course.”
“You always did.”
Aiko’s eyes narrowed.
“You know nothing about what happened.”
“I know everything.”
Kael looked at Ren.
“Your father created Aiko to protect you.”
Ren looked at Aiko.
“Is that true?”
Aiko nodded.
“My purpose was to protect the last Star Prince.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t I remember any of this?”
“Because your memories were sealed.”
“By whom?”
Kael answered.
“By me.”
Ren stared at him.
“Why?”
Kael looked away.
“Because you were too young.”
Aiko whispered:
“You were only six.”
Ren’s heart tightened.
“I was six?”
Kael nodded.
“Six years old when the palace fell.”
The library disappeared.
Ren suddenly saw another memory.
A palace beneath a golden sky.
People running.
Guards fighting.
Fire everywhere.
His mother holding him.
His father standing before them.
And Kael.
Young Kael.
Holding a sword.
The Crimson King wasn’t a villain yet.
He was a frightened teenager.
Ren watched as his father shouted:
“Take Ren and run!”
Kael grabbed the younger Ren.
But the palace doors exploded.
A dark creature entered.
The same creature Ren had seen beneath the clock tower.
Kael fought it.
He screamed.
“Go!”
His mother ran.
Aiko followed.
Then the memory broke.
Ren returned to the library.
He was crying.
“My father…”
Kael looked at him.
“He died protecting us.”
“Then why did you become the King?”
Kael’s expression hardened.
“Because I learned the truth.”
“What truth?”
Kael pointed toward the ceiling.
“The stars aren’t natural.”
Ren frowned.
“What?”
“They are doors.”
Aiko whispered:
“Kael…”
He continued.
“Each star connects our world to another.”
“And?”
“One day, something came through.”
The lights went out.
A deep sound echoed through the library.
BOOM.
Kael looked toward the windows.
“The Void.”
The entire city began shaking.
The librarian rushed toward them.
“The Void has entered the city!”
Kael looked at Ren.
“Now you understand why I need your Star Core.”
Ren stepped backward.
“You want to kill me.”
“No.”
Kael’s eyes became cold.
“I want to save you.”
“By taking my heart?”
“It isn’t a human heart.”
Kael pointed at Ren’s palm.
“It is the key to the Star Gate.”
Aiko grabbed Ren.
“We’re leaving.”
Kael didn’t stop them.
Instead, he said:
“Run.”
Ren looked back.
“Why?”
Kael smiled.
“Because when the Void comes for you…”
He pointed toward the sky.
“…you’ll come looking for me.”
They escaped through the library’s secret entrance.
Aiko led them through narrow streets.
Sora followed.
Ren was still trying to understand everything.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Aiko looked at him.
“Because you weren’t ready.”
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
“You knew my real name.”
“Yes.”
“My family.”
“Yes.”
“My brother.”
Aiko stopped.
“I knew what happened.”
“Then tell me.”
She looked at him.
“Your brother wasn’t always evil.”
Ren waited.
“He loved you more than anyone.”
“What happened?”
“He lost someone.”
“Who?”
Aiko’s voice became quiet.
“Your mother.”
Ren froze.
“What?”
“Your mother wasn’t killed during the palace attack.”
Ren stared at her.
“She was taken.”
“By the Void?”
Aiko nodded.
“Kael spent years trying to find her.”
“And?”
“He found her.”
Ren’s heart raced.
“Where?”
Aiko looked toward the sky.
“Inside the moon.”
A train whistle suddenly echoed through the city.
Sora looked around.
“Where did that come from?”
Aiko pointed toward the clouds.
A black train was descending from the sky.
Its windows glowed silver.
Its wheels didn’t touch anything.
Ren stared.
“That’s the train from the station.”
Aiko nodded.
“The Moonline.”
“Where does it go?”
“To the moon.”
Sora stared at her.
“You’re joking.”
“No.”
Aiko stepped toward the train.
“The Moonline travels between worlds.”
Ren followed.
“Then we’re going.”
Aiko grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because once you enter, the train knows your memories.”
“And?”
“It can take them.”
Ren looked at the train.
Then at the sky.
“If my mother is inside the moon…”
He stepped forward.
“…I’m going.”
Aiko sighed.
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Sora smiled.
“I knew you’d say that.”
The train doors opened.
Inside, the seats were empty.
A conductor stood at the front.
He was a tall man wearing a white mask.
He turned toward Ren.
“Ticket.”
Ren frowned.
“I don’t have one.”
The conductor extended his hand.
“Everyone has a ticket.”
“What do I give you?”
“Your happiest memory.”
Ren froze.
Aiko stepped forward.
“I’ll pay.”
The conductor shook his head.
“The train chooses its passengers.”
Sora whispered:
“What happens if we don’t give him anything?”
The conductor smiled beneath his mask.
“You don’t board.”
Ren looked at Aiko.
She looked frightened.
“Don’t give him your memory.”
“But we need to get on.”
“There’s another way.”
Ren thought.
Then he opened his sketchbook.
He drew a small paper ticket.
The conductor stared.
Ren finished the drawing.
The ticket became real.
The conductor took it.
For the first time, the masked man’s expression changed.
“Interesting.”
He punched the ticket.
CLICK.
“Welcome aboard.”
The train began moving.
At first, it traveled through the city.
Then above it.
Then beyond the clouds.
Soon the Earth became a glowing blue sphere beneath them.
Ren stared through the window.
“We’re in space.”
Sora pressed her face against the glass.
“This is incredible.”
Aiko sat quietly.
Ren noticed.
“You’re scared.”
“No.”
“You are.”
Aiko looked at him.
“I’ve been on this train before.”
“When?”
“When I was created.”
Ren looked surprised.
“Where did it take you?”
Aiko looked toward the moon.
“To the place where your mother disappeared.”
The train accelerated.
The moon grew larger.
Then suddenly—
CRASH!
The train stopped.
Everyone was thrown forward.
Red lights flashed.
The conductor appeared.
“Passengers.”
He looked toward Ren.
“We have arrived.”
Ren stood.
“Where?”
The conductor pointed toward the window.
The moon wasn’t white anymore.
It was covered in enormous black cracks.
A giant door had appeared on its surface.
And standing before it was a woman.
Long golden hair.
White dress.
A glowing star beneath her eye.
Ren’s breath stopped.
He knew her.
He had seen her in the memory.
His mother.
She looked toward the train.
And smiled.
“Ren.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“Mom?”
Aiko stood behind him.
Her face had gone pale.
“That isn’t your mother.”
Ren turned.
“What?”
Aiko whispered:
“Your mother has been dead for eighteen years.”
Ren looked back through the window.
The woman smiled.
Then her face slowly changed.
Her skin became black.
Her eyes turned red.
Her mouth stretched across her face.
Ren stepped backward.
The creature spoke in his mother’s voice.
“Come outside, my son.”
The train doors opened.
Kael’s voice suddenly echoed through the carriage.
“DON’T GET OFF THE TRAIN!”
Ren looked behind him.
Kael was standing at the end of the carriage.
But he wasn’t alone.
A massive shadow stood behind him.
Kael’s expression was terrified.
“Ren!”
The creature outside laughed.
The moon cracked open.
Something enormous began crawling out.
Aiko grabbed Ren’s hand.
“Whatever happens…”
She looked into his eyes.
“…don’t let go of me.”
The creature screamed.
The train began falling toward the moon.
Ren held Aiko’s hand.
Sora grabbed his other arm.
And beneath the moonlight, the three of them fell into darkness.