Luna POV

  The crowd was buzzing as the referee raised his hand, preparing to signal the start of the duel between Evan and Itla.

  Down in the arena, the two stood facing each other—calm, unreadable. I was pretty sure they exchanged words, but from this distance, I couldn’t hear a thing. Just vague gestures, a few nods, and that strange electric tension in the air.

  So far, Evan had breezed through every match like it was a warm-up. Barely scratched. Barely serious. And the moment he summoned those gleaming wings, half the audience had gasped—myself included.

  He looked... dreamy.

  And no, I’m not proud of that thought.

  But seriously—when did he learn to do all that? It’s one thing to be a Hero, sure, but magic like that? That kind of control, that presence? Learning those skills takes time. Focus. Discipline. Not exactly things I associate with Evan.

  Unless… this really is the power of a Hero.

  Right now, little Hope was curled up on my lap, swinging her feet idly while Faith sat comfortably in Aisha’s. The others—Tifa, Lucy, and Oswald—sat beside us, eyes glued to the arena.

  I wanted to focus on the match.

  I really did.

  But then there was her.

  Aisha.

  I get that she’s another Hero. That her presence makes Evan’s life easier, his battles safer. Logically, I understand that.

  But emotionally?

  SHE PISSES ME OFF SO MUCH.

  “Aunt Luna,” Hope piped up, tugging at my sleeve, “why did Papa ask that girl that he wanted to see his demons?”

  Wait.

  What?

  My head whipped around. Everyone else—Aisha, Tifa, Lucy, even Oswald—stared at her, wide-eyed.

  “Hope… you can hear them?” I asked, blinking in disbelief.

  She tilted her head innocently. “You can’t?”

  I stared at her, dumbfounded. Right now, Evan and Itla were a couple hundreds of meters away from us.

  Aisha, of course, just had to add her commentary. “Papa Evan is probably asking that because he wants to face the demon inside him.”

  Faith’s eyes widened. “Papa has a demon inside him?”

  Aisha nodded sagely like she was some kind of self-help guru. “Everyone has a demon inside. For example—Aunt Luna’s demon shows up every time I speak to her. Isn’t that right, Auntie?”

  I smiled.

  A slow, dark, smile.

  One day, Hero or not, I swear by my tribe’s entire ancestral line—I will end you.

  We were still in the middle of that lovely exchange when the referee’s voice boomed across the coliseum.

  “BEGIN!”

  And just like that, the match was on.

  Before anyone could even blink, Itla had already conjured a shimmering dome of blue-black light around her—a Mana Shield.

  A crafty move. Strategic. The kind of spell that can reduce incoming magical damage by up to 50%, or in some cases, outright nullify it. It’s one of those rare techniques that’s as annoying to deal with as it is brilliant to use.

  And she wasn’t stopping there.

  No hesitation. No posturing. She immediately began casting again—hands weaving complex sigils through the air, eyes glowing with dark intent. I recognized the patterns: her signature spell, Nightmare.

  But what really threw me off was Evan.

  He didn’t move.

  Didn’t flinch.

  Didn’t even blink.

  He stood there, arms crossed, just... waiting.

  “What’s he doing?” I whispered, confused.

  “Well,” Aisha said, watching intently, “he did say he wanted to face his demon. Let’s just wait and see what happens.”

  “Whatever it is, Papa will beat it for sure!” Faith chimed in from my lap, fists clenched in full support.

  “Faith’s right. Never underestimate Shishou,” Lucy added, nodding confidently.

  Down in the arena, a thick black smoke began to churn in front of Itla—swirling and pulsing with unnatural energy.

  But... something was off.

  This wasn’t like last time. The last Nightmare spell had summoned a grotesque, towering slime monster with a human figure inside it—disgusting and dangerous.

  This one?

  Smaller.

  Tighter.

  Focused.

  The smoke twisted violently, then cleared—and standing there was a man. Just a man. Brown hair, casual clothes, no glowing eyes, no demonic aura, nothing flashy. He looked like someone you’d pass by in a marketplace and never think twice about.

  And yet...

  This was the first time since the incident that I saw Evan visibly terrified.

  Like... frozen.

  His arms dropped.

  His breathing changed.

  Tifa stiffened beside me. “Something’s wrong.”

  Aisha’s face drained of color. “Oh no...”

  I turned to her quickly, and the moment I saw her expression—wide eyes, pale lips, trembling fingers—I knew something was very wrong.

  “Luna,” she said urgently, voice low but trembling. “If something bad happens, take the kids and run. Get as far from this coliseum as possible.”

  What!?

  She shoved Hope into my arms before I could even react.

  “Wait—what are you saying? Are you saying that that man can beat Shishou?” Lucy asked, voice rising with disbelief.

  Aisha didn’t answer right away. She just stared—locked in place, lips parted, like her brain was trying to process something too big to say aloud.

  “No,” she finally whispered, shaking her head. “That’s not the point.”

  “Then what is!?”

  She clenched her fists. “That person...”

  She trailed off. Wouldn’t say another word.

  Whatever—or whoever—that man was, even Aisha, a Hero, was terrified of him. And that terrified me.

  She looked back at me, deadly serious.

  “Just promise me—if I tell you to run, you don’t ask questions. You take the kids and run. Don’t look back.”

  I wanted to say something. To get back at her for all the times she’s been bugging me, but I couldn’t with the way she was staring down at the man.

  At first, everything seemed… bizarre.

  Evan was down there in the arena, playing around with that strange human like they were old friends. Laughing. Teasing. Dodging like it was a game. It made no sense.

  And normally, I’d just it was Evan being himself—his weird habit of turning the deadliest situations into a casual walk in the park.

  But Aisha wasn’t laughing.

  She wasn’t even blinking.

  She was locked in place, eyes fixed on that man with an expression I’d never seen on her before—Fear.

  I frowned.

  I thought Evan had amnesia. So how could he act that casually with someone he supposedly doesn’t remember? Who was that man?

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  Before I could even make sense of it, Evan suddenly landed a clean hit—knocking the stranger outside the arena. The crowd gasped. The tension finally seemed to lift a little.

  Evan said something to the Stranger at which point he pulled something out.

  A strange tablet.

  Covered in glowing runes and twisted etchings. It radiated something... wrong.

  And that’s when everything shattered.

  Aisha shot to her feet so fast her chair nearly tipped over.

  “Luna! Take the kids and get to safety—right now!”

  Her voice cracked with panic. Not fear—desperation.

  “W-Wait!” I stood too, heart pounding. “If Evan’s in danger, then we need to go down and help him, right!?”

  She turned to me, eyes fierce. “Do you think he’ll try to save you or himself if you go down there?! You’re not Strong Luna! So, get the hell out of here!”

  The words hit like a slap. I wanted to argue, scream back—but my throat locked up.

  Because deep down… I knew she was right.

  If it came down to it, Evan would sacrifice himself without blinking. For all his ridiculousness, he would always throw himself into danger to keep others safe.

  And that thought—infuriated me.

  I clenched my teeth so hard it hurt.

  …Strong, huh?

  I’m not a Hero.

  But I was trained by one.

  That has to mean something.

  Before I could move, Aisha leapt off the platform, sprinting down toward the battlefield like a bolt of lightning. Her aura flared to life, trailing behind her like fire on the wind.

  And right then—everything exploded.

  A giant magic circle materialized beneath the arena floor, pulsing with power.

  From it, something monstrous began to emerge—hulking and twisted, a beast in every sense of the word. It roared as it clawed its way into our world and immediately swung down at Evan with a fist the size of a carriage.

  He barely dodged. The entire arena shook under the impact.

  My heart stopped.

  “ITLA! Cancel that magic—RIGHT NOW!!” Aisha screamed.

  Itla—clearly panicked—tried to react. But the strange man, still lying calmly on the ground, raised a single hand.

  With a casual flick, he sent Itla flying like a rag doll—slamming her into the far wall with a thunderous crack.

  She crumpled instantly. Unconscious.

  That was it.

  No more hesitation.

  I turned to the others, voice firm.

  “Everyone! We’re retreating!”

  “What? But Shishou—!” Lucy protested, her voice cracking with panic.

  “Didn’t you hear what Aisha said!?” I snapped back, harsher than I meant to.

  I hated it.

  Every second of this.

  But as much as I hated it…

  I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Evan.

  Even now, some foolish part of me still believed I could save him. That if I just moved, just did something, I could reach him in time. Pull him away from the edge of whatever disaster was coming.

  Hope and Faith were already gone—Lucy and Oswald had taken them and retreated with the others like I told them to.

  But me?

  My legs refused to move.

  I stood there, frozen.

  Everyone else had run.

  But I stayed.

  Afraid? Maybe. Paralyzed? Definitely.

  I couldn't do anything.

  And then, his voice—raw and thunderous—rang through the air.

  “GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE! I’LL BE FINE!”

  For a moment, everything stopped.

  The world fell silent, except for the rush of blood in my ears.

  And suddenly, memories I’d buried deep clawed their way back to the surface.

  The castle.

  The screaming.

  The fire.

  The way steel clashed and echoed through the halls like a funeral bell.

  The smell of smoke. The tears. The pain of losing people I loved.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  I was reliving it—all of it.

  And this time, Evan was at the center of it.

  If I lost him too...

  If I stood there and watched it happen again...

  I wouldn’t survive it.

  “Luna!” he shouted again, voice fierce but steady. “I swear I’ll be fine!”

  Something inside me snapped. His words cracked through the fear and pulled me back into the present.

  This was a choice. One I didn’t want to make—but had to.

  If I stayed… I’d just add to the chaos.

  If I ran… I’d make it easier for him to fight.

  I clenched my fists, teeth grinding in frustration as my heart screamed at me to go back.

  “You better come back!” I yelled at him, voice choked but fierce.

  Then I turned—and I ran.

  Tears blurred my vision as I sprinted after the others, the roar of battle behind me, fading like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.

  I HATE THIS!

  I HATE THAT I’M SO WEAK!

  My vision stung. My chest burned. But I kept running, searching for the others in the chaos.

  ...But then—

  A voice echoed in the back of my mind.

  My mama’s voice.

  She used to tell me, when I was just a girl sitting on her lap, too small to understand the weight of a crown:

  “Being queen isn’t about doing what you like—it’s about doing what’s right, especially when it hurts.”

  Even when you're scared.

  Even when you're breaking.

  You do what must be done.

  So I ran. Not because I was weak.

  But because, right now—

  I had to be strong.

  I looked back one last time.

  Down toward the coliseum.

  Toward Evan and Aisha—standing firm in front of that giant monster, like ants before a mountain.

  …

  We had made it out.

  Far enough from the coliseum that the thunder of its chaos was distant—but still close enough to feel the vibrations under our feet.

  Hope and Faith were clutching Lucy’s and Oswald’s hands tightly, both of them trying their best not to cry. Their little fingers trembled. Faith bit her lip until it turned white.

  They didn’t understand everything, but they knew enough to be scared.

  I turned again—toward the coliseum.

  You’d better come back, Evan.

  I told myself he would. Tried to believe it. Forced myself to imagine him smiling, waving, making some dumb joke about how easy it all was.

  But then—

  A thunderous, crackling noise tore through the air.

  And giant, radiant-white laser beams exploded out of the coliseum, punching through the sky and the buildings around it like paper. The city shook. A nearby bell tower collapsed in a cloud of dust and screams.

  I flinched, my hope shattering like glass.

  “Oh my god…” Oswald murmured, eyes wide with horror. “Shishou is actually fighting something that strong...?”

  “We have to go back!” Lucy shouted, already starting to turn.

  “We can’t!” I yelled, louder than I meant to. My voice cracked as tears streamed down my face. “We’d just be a burden—something he has to protect while risking everything else!”

  Silence followed.

  They didn’t argue. Couldn’t. They just stared at me—at the tears, the trembling, the raw emotion I couldn’t hide anymore.

  All around us, panic filled the streets. People running. Screaming. Parents pulling children along, guards shouting for order that no one could hear. The whole kingdom felt like it was falling apart.

  And in the middle of it all, I just stood there—frozen.

  Then… I felt something warm.

  Tifa.

  She had stepped forward without a word, and before I could react, she gently wrapped her arms around me.

  “It’s not good to keep everything to yourself,” she whispered softly, her voice steady but kind. “Evan once told me… when words don’t come out, it’s better to just hug it out.”

  That was it.

  That single line broke the dam.

  I buried my face into her shoulder and sobbed.

  It all came pouring out—everything I’d tried to hold in. The fear. The frustration. The guilt. The helplessness of being forced to run, to leave him behind. It was all too much.

  I hated how I looked right now.

  It was so unsightly. So weak.

  But I couldn’t stop.

  Because deep down—I had promised myself I would never be this weak again.

  I’d sworn that after the castle fell, after I lost everything, I would become strong. Strong enough to protect the people I care about. Strong enough to stand beside Evan and fight. Not run.

  But now, here I was.

  Crying like a child.

  Still too weak.

  It wasn’t long before Lucy and Oswald returned, joining the rest of us in the alley we’d taken shelter in.

  Tifa finally let go of me, and I took a deep breath—long, shaky, but solid. That hug… I didn’t realize how much I needed it. Not just for comfort—but to recenter myself.

  I wiped the tears from my face with the back of my sleeve, trying to pull myself together.

  And for the first time in what felt like forever, my mind felt… clear.

  We might not be able to get close to Evan right now, but that didn’t mean we were powerless. If proximity was the problem, then we just needed to support him from afar.

  There’s always something we can do.

  Even if it’s small.

  Even if it’s not enough—I’d rather try than sit here doing nothing.

  As I began brainstorming, trying to think of anything that could help, Lucy stepped forward and gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

  “Luna,” she said softly, “you’re trying to compare yourself to Shishou... but he’s already an insurmountable mountain. I get it—you’re frustrated. We all are. But there’s really nothing we can do right now.”

  I clenched my fists, swallowing hard.

  I know.

  I know that.

  But it still hurts!

  Why does it always have to be Evan? Why does he have to carry everything, suffer through everything, just because of the strength he was given?

  It’s not fair!

  I don’t want him to carry this alone. I want to stand beside him. Help him. Shield him if I have to!

  But I’m still too weak…

  “Uh, guys?” Oswald suddenly interrupted, his voice uneasy. “Where are the kids?”

  ...

  What?

  My heart skipped a beat.

  I spun around.

  My eyes scanned the crowd. The shadows. The alleys. The rooftops.

  Nothing.

  No Hope. No Faith.

  NO.

  “OH NO—!” I shouted, panic flaring in my chest. “They must’ve gone back! They’re heading for the coliseum!”

  “Tifa!” I barked. “Get to higher ground—scan the area! Lucy! Oswald! You’re with me!”

  We bolted.

  Hope’s POV

  My legs hurt.

  But I kept running.

  We were getting closer to the big tower where Mama and Papa were fighting.

  Faith was ahead of me, her hands clenched into fists, her hair bouncing with every determined step.

  I didn’t want Papa and Mama to die.

  Papa once told us what dying was. That it meant someone went far, far away… and didn’t come back.

  I don’t want them to go away.

  I want them to come home.

  Suddenly, a shadow flickered across the road—and a tall man stepped out, blocking our path.

  He wore a white fox mask that covered his whole face. His outfit looked weird—long robes, strange patterns, like he stepped out of a storybook. I couldn’t even see his eyes.

  “Woah there,” the man said, crouching slightly to our level. His voice was calm, like he wasn’t surprised at all to see us. “Where are you two heading in such a hurry?”

  “To that place!” Faith shouted, pointing toward the coliseum. “Papa is trapped in there!”

  The masked man followed Faith’s pointed finger, he looked toward the towering beast tearing through the coliseum. The monster’s roar echoed through the air as buildings crumbled in the distance.

  Then, he looked back at us.

  “Well,” he said casually, “whoever’s stuck in there is probably dead by now.”

  His words hit me like cold water to the face.

  I wanted to shout at him. To tell him he was wrong. That Papa was strong! That he wasn’t going to lose!

  But suddenly… I smelled something strange.

  Sweet. Metallic. Sharp.

  And then—I felt dizzy.

  Weak.

  Like my knees were filled with jelly.

  “Papa is not dead!” Faith shouted, stepping in front of me like a tiny, furious guardian. “Papa is fighting that monster! Please—can you help him!?”

  The masked man tilted his head, almost amused. “Help him? Hmm… I don’t know. I’m a Cultist, you know. Everyone hates us. Even your papa wouldn’t want me saving him on this glorious day—the day our Lord descends upon the mortal world.”

  What… was he talking about?

  Lord?

  I didn't understand.

  “No!” I said, voice shaking but firm. “Papa doesn’t hate anyone! He always says he loves everyone! Can’t you help him, Mister? Please?”

  Papa always smiled. Always helped. Even people who didn’t deserve it.

  He never hated anyone.

  …

  But everything was starting to spin.

  The ground beneath my feet swayed like a boat in a storm.

  Faith’s grip on my hand loosened.

  “Alright, kids,” the masked man said, sighing. “I’ll help.”

  My heart leapt.

  “But first things first…” he added, raising his hand. “Lights out.”

  He snapped his fingers.

  Faith dropped like a puppet with her strings cut.

  “F-Faith!?” I cried, reaching out—but my arm barely moved.

  What… happened?

  What’s going on?

  The man crouched beside her, studying us with quiet curiosity. “Man... I thought the Neko-Fox race was extinct. But if there are still babies around? Oh, our Lord is going to love this sacrifice.”

  Sacrifice?

  My stomach turned.

  Everything was blurry. My body screamed for sleep, but I couldn’t. I had to fight it.

  I had to get up!

  I had to help Papa!

  “Oh?” the man said, noticing me still trying to stand. “Still awake, huh? Impressive.”

  He chuckled, amused at my struggle.

  “But it doesn’t matter.”

  He stood tall, raised his hands high toward the darkening sky.

  “Alright, boys—come on out! We’ve got an offering for the Moon Lord tonight!”

  Shadows moved around us. Figures stepped into view from the alleys, robes dragging across the stone, faces hidden in more masks.

  I tried to back away, but my legs gave out.

  And then—

  He slammed his hand down on me.

  The pain was so sharp, so sudden, that the world just… faded.

  And everything went dark.