The Four-Grade Mid-Autumn's Enigma: The Moonlit Reckoning

In the ancient kingdom of Lumina, where the sky shimmered with a celestial tapestry of stars, there was a legend whispered among the scholars and the common folk alike. It spoke of the Four-Grade Mid-Autumn, a time when the moon's light was said to be the purest and the most potent. It was a time when the veil between worlds grew thin, and the spirits of the dead walked the earth, their fates intertwined with the living.

In the heart of Lumina stood the Grand Library, a place of wisdom and secrets, where scholars from all corners of the land sought knowledge. Among them was a young man named Erez, a scholar of great promise and a man of few words. His eyes held a depth that belied his youth, and his mind was a labyrinth of ancient texts and forgotten lore.

The year was 423, and the Four-Grade Mid-Autumn was upon them. The moon hung full and bright, casting a silver glow over the city. Erez was deep in the library's bowels, poring over scrolls that spoke of the kingdom's origins and the dark forces that threatened to consume it.

As he read, a passage caught his eye. It spoke of a curse that had befallen Lumina centuries ago, a curse that bound the moon's power to the kingdom's fate. The text was incomplete, but it hinted at a ritual that could break the curse—a ritual that required the blood of a pure soul.

Erez's heart raced as he realized the significance of the passage. The blood of a pure soul was his own. He was born on the Four-Grade Mid-Autumn, and it was said that the first born of that night was destined to bear the weight of the kingdom's fate. The curse could only be lifted by the blood of the first born, and Erez was that first born.

The library's doors creaked open, and a figure stepped into the room. It was an old man with a long beard and eyes that seemed to pierce through the shadows. "Erez," he said, his voice like a whisper that carried the weight of the ages. "The time has come. You must leave Lumina and face the darkness that awaits you."

Erez's mind raced with questions, but the old man did not linger. He handed Erez a small, ornate box. "This is the key," he said. "It will guide you to the place where the ritual must be performed."

The old man vanished as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Erez alone with his destiny. He took the box and left the library, the weight of the kingdom's fate heavy upon his shoulders. He knew that he had to leave Lumina, that he had to confront the darkness that lay beyond the city's walls.

As he walked through the streets, the townsfolk whispered among themselves, their eyes wide with fear. The curse had been felt in the kingdom for generations, and the people knew that the Four-Grade Mid-Autumn was a time of reckoning.

Erez reached the city's outskirts, where the land was wild and untamed. The path to the ritual site was treacherous, filled with ancient ruins and the remnants of forgotten civilizations. The moonlight shone upon the path, casting eerie shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own.

At the heart of the ruins stood an ancient altar, carved from a single, massive stone. It was here that the ritual must be performed. Erez opened the ornate box and revealed a small, ornate knife. It was the instrument that would break the curse, but it was also the instrument that would end his life.

With a deep breath, Erez stepped forward and placed the knife upon the altar. He knew that the blood he shed would not only break the curse but also seal his fate. As he raised the knife, the moonlight seemed to intensify, casting a blinding glow over the land.

The knife descended, and Erez felt the life leave his body. As he fell to the ground, the curse began to lift. The shadows receded, and the moon's light returned to its rightful place in the sky. The kingdom of Lumina was saved, but at a great cost.

Erez's body lay upon the altar, his lifeless eyes staring up at the moon. The people of Lumina came to the ruins to pay their respects, and they spoke of the sacrifice he had made. They knew that he had been the first born of the Four-Grade Mid-Autumn, and they honored him as a hero.

The legend of Erez lived on, a tale of sacrifice and the power of one man to save his kingdom. And every Four-Grade Mid-Autumn, the people of Lumina would gather under the moonlight, their eyes fixed upon the sky, and they would remember the young scholar who had given his life for the sake of his people.