Shadow Moon arrived safely back at the castle after their confrontation with Akira. The night was heavy with tension, the sky painted in deep indigos and purples. Stars barely broke through the thick canopy of clouds.
Echo carried Luna's unconscious form carefully, her head resting against her shoulder. Luna's breathing was steady, yet her expression betrayed a restlessness even in slumber.
They brought her Luna to bed, tucking the blankets around her with care, hoping she'd wake up like normal in the morning.
But as Luna slept, she dreamt of a long-forgotten memory...
A young Luna bounded toward the riverbank, her excitement shining like a spark in the cavern's gloom. Her small shoes sent up puffs of dust from the rocky ground, and her braided hair bounced with every energetic step.
Hearing her footsteps, Akira looked up from the river.
"Uh... you really came..." his hesitant, soft voice cut through the quiet, matching his nervous posture.
He sat on the dirt by the river's edge, his shoulders hunched. His dark hair framed his face, his fringe covering one eye. A faint blush crept across his cheeks as he avoided meeting her gaze.
"Hehe! I thought I'd let you win since you're new to the whole 'having fun' thing," Luna giggled as she playfully sat beside him.
"Uh! Hey, I can have-... fun... mm..." Akira mumbled, trailing off as he slouched in defeat. His hands fidgeted in his lap, feeling a little awkward.
Luna's smile widened, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief in the river's glow.
"Mm... so.... how are you?" Akira asked, his awkward tone laced as he glanced at her briefly before darting back to the glowing water.
"I'm fine. Mom went out for food while dad's studying this chemical thing. And my brother said he needed to go beat up these boys or something," Luna told him, leaning back on her hands to look up at the rocky ceiling.
"Your brother's being bullied?" Akira tilted his head, his brow furrowing slightly.
"No," Luna replied, seeming confused of why he'd ask.
"... are you...?" he asked softly, hesitant.
"No, of course not, silly. No one else knows I exist," Luna said lightly, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Her words made Akira's breath hitch. He straightened, his dark eyes searching her face, troubled by the contrast between her cheerful tone and the loneliness beneath it.
"You don't have any friends, then? Must be lonely..." Akira pointed out, examining her expression.
"No. I'm not too lonely. My brother takes reeeeeally good care of me! He makes sure no one ever finds me..." Luna told him with a carefree shrug.
"But you've come here to find me... Sooo... Does that mean you wish for me to know that you exist?" he teased, leaning slightly closer with a small, teasing smirk.
"Hm. I guess so," Luna admitted, a blush dusting her cheeks as she shyly turned her gaze to the glowing river.
Akira could still sense the emptiness of her smile...
"... You must feel lonely hiding away all the time... I should know," Akira muttered.
"Mmm..." Luna shyly looked away.
YOU ARE READING
The Demons of Shadow Moon
FantasyAwake. But the nightmare has not ended. It's simply been forgotten. With her memories wiped, Luna wakes up on an island all alone. Scared and fragile, she clings to the kindness offered to her by two demons. They take her in, and teach her magic! B...
