Last Moon: Rebirth, Love, and the Werewolf Rockstar

Mizuki floated in a vast, endless void, her body adrift in a serene darkness that felt as though it were cradling her. Invisible waves of warmth and coolness alternated, washing over her like a soothing tide. Her mind was hazy, caught between dream and reality, as if the universe itself was gently lulling her into a state of peace. Is this what death feels like? she wondered, a faint sense of detachment settling over her. Just… nothingness.

But then, a faint whisper sliced through the stillness, a voice both strange and achingly familiar, resonating deep within her soul, tugging at her heart with an unexplainable force.

"Mizuki… Mizuki…"

Her chest tightened. Who's calling me? The voice felt… familiar, yet she couldn't place it.

"Yes?" she murmured, her lips barely moving. The void around her seemed to pulse with the sound of her voice, a subtle ripple in the fabric of nothingness. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open. The world before her shifted.

She was suspended in the infinite expanse of outer space, the stars scattered like a brilliant tapestry across the void. Below her, the moon loomed—so close that every crater, ridge, and shadow on its silvered surface was visible in stunning clarity. Its soft, glowing light bathed her in ethereal illumination, cool and piercing. Beyond the moon, Earth hung like a fragile jewel, a swirl of blue and green, its vibrant beauty stark against the vast blackness. Beautiful… and so far away, she thought, a pang of longing hitting her.

"Where… Where is this? Why am I here?" Mizuki whispered, her voice trembling with awe and a growing sense of fear. The void felt vast and empty, yet also strangely…present. She could almost feel the nothingness pressing against her, a gentle pressure that both comforted and unnerved her.

"Do not be afraid, child. You are with me, and I am with you," came the voice again, clearer now, warmer and all-encompassing. It was a voice that resonated within her, stirring something deep within her soul.

The words wrapped around her like a comforting embrace, quelling the rising panic in her chest. I'm safe, she thought, though the impossibility of the moment was not lost on her. How can I be safe… in space?

"Did I die?" she asked, her voice barely more than a breath. The memory of a dark street, sinister faces, and a cold, searing pain in her back flashed through her mind. Her fingers instinctively moved to her chest, pressing over the place where the knife had struck her. The wound had felt so real—had she died? Was she in some kind of limbo? The wolf… The image of its white fur streaked with blood flashed through her mind. Its eyes… so intense…

"Is this… heaven?" she whispered, the word tasting foreign on her tongue.

A soft, melodic laughter filled the void, light yet tinged with mystery. It felt both inviting and distant, as if it came from somewhere beyond the stars themselves.

"Well, somewhat, my dear," the voice replied, its tone playful yet profound. "This is my domain, and I am the goddess who rules over this space."

Goddess? Mizuki blinked in confusion, her heart hammering. If she was speaking to a goddess, did that mean she was truly dead? The thought sent a chill through her, despite the warmth that surrounded her.

As if sensing her thoughts, the voice responded, gentle and reassuring, "You are not dead, my dear—at least, not entirely."

Not entirely? The phrase twisted her insides. Half-dead? Half-alive? She felt as though she was caught in the seam between two worlds, both of which were impossible to comprehend. Like a ghost…

Before she could process her confusion, the very fabric of the universe seemed to respond to her presence. The void around her rippled, the stars flickering as if stirred by some unseen force. A shimmering energy began to coalesce before her, a brilliant orb of light, growing larger, brighter, until it erupted in a burst of silver radiance, nearly blinding her.

Mizuki flinched, shielding her eyes from the overwhelming glow. But when the light dimmed, she slowly lowered her hands—and her breath caught in her throat.

Hovering in the space before her was an otherworldly figure, a woman whose beauty was so profound it made her chest tighten. The goddess radiated an aura of divinity that seemed to pull the very light of the stars toward her. Mizuki's heart stuttered in her chest as she looked upon the ethereal being. Magnificent…

The goddess wore a flowing silver robe that shimmered like moonlight itself, embroidered with symbols of stars and crescent moons. The fabric moved gracefully around her as though stirred by an invisible breeze, glimmering softly with each motion. A belt of luminous pearls adorned her waist, and her hair—long, silvery, and cascading like liquid starlight—framed her perfect face. Her eyes were deep pools of molten silver, gazing at Mizuki with a mix of infinite wisdom and gentle kindness. A crescent moon gleamed faintly on her forehead, as though marking her as a creature beyond this world. The pearls… Mizuki thought, a flicker of recognition stirring within her. They remind me of something… something from my past… But the memory was elusive, just out of reach.

"Y-You are…" Mizuki stammered, awe stealing her breath, her voice faltering.

The woman smiled serenely, her lips curling in a way that was both comforting and knowing. "I am the Goddess of the Moon," she said simply, her voice soft but carrying the weight of ages.

The Goddess of the Moon? Mizuki's thoughts whirled, and one name surfaced above the rest. She had spent years researching myths and legends—had this goddess appeared to her because of the moon, because of its ancient and mysterious power? The name Selene fit, and it felt right in her mind.

"Are you… Selene?" Mizuki asked hesitantly, unsure if she had even the right to speak the name aloud.

The goddess's laughter was like a melody, soothing yet full of mystery. "I am and I am not," she replied cryptically, her voice light but carrying a deeper meaning.

She gestured toward Earth, the tiny blue jewel hanging far below them. "You humans have given me many names. In your cultures, I am known by countless identities—Selene, Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, Inyanga, Jie Lin, Meongwol… and more. I am all of them, and yet none of them alone can define me." So many names… Mizuki thought, trying to grasp the concept. Each one a different facet of her being…

Mizuki blinked, absorbing the weight of the goddess's words. So many identities, each one representing a different facet of Selene's essence. And yet, Mizuki couldn't help but feel drawn to the name that resonated most deeply within her. Selene…

"Then… which name should I call you?" she asked softly, her voice tentative, but her heart pounding with curiosity.

Selene smiled again, a hint of playfulness in her gaze. "Whichever you prefer, my dear."

For a moment, Mizuki considered the other names, but something about Selene felt right. The name called to her, almost as if it had been waiting for her to speak it.

"Selene," she said, her voice firm and sure.

At her words, the goddess inclined her head, and Mizuki swore that the light around her brightened, just for an instant, as if pleased by the choice.

Still, one pressing question burned in Mizuki's mind, refusing to be ignored.

"Goddess…" Mizuki began, her voice trembling slightly, "Why am I here? If I'm not dead… what is this place? Why have you brought me here?"

Selene's expression shifted as she looked down at Earth, her eyes momentarily clouded with a distant longing. A deep sadness seemed to settle in her gaze, as though she were staring at a memory long past. Sad… Mizuki thought. Why is she sad?

For a long moment, Mizuki waited in the silence, her heart racing with a mixture of fear and anticipation. She could feel that the answer Selene would give her would change everything—that her journey had only just begun.