"Is there something wrong, Luna? You seemed unrest." Lucas worriedly ask. "Well, I'm just— okay! It's just that... well..." Luna is struggling to express her thoughts so Lucas to the rescue. "Are you still bothered by the kiss?" That made Luna blush. "Ki— kiss!?? Why in Tophet am I bothered with a kiss??!"
"Is there something you're hiding from me?" Lucas knows what Luna is thinking. "Well— I.... Ugh..! Aarrgh! Look Lucas, my mother told me that kissing someone is like: declaring your love to that person. It's like— confession or something? Ya'know preparing for parental role?" Lucas draws closer. "How childish." He chuckled. "Aren't we lovers already, Luna?" She flinched. "Like I said before, we've been together for so long and what I've told you about my feelings were real."
Lucas touched her hand and gently pressed it to his chest. "Feel the beat of my heart and tell me whether I lie or not." Luna felt the gentle pulse of Lucas. "I... love you, Luna." Luna is hesitating. "Do you love me as I love you?" She gulped. "Yeah... I am! But— my mother said that: once partners came into agreement, both are ready to take on the role of a parent. I.. I dunno what mother meant by that and—" she's panicking but Lucas covered her mouth with his index finger.
"Your mother sure pampered you since young huh?" Lucas let out a piercing stare. "I just learned the ways of this continent, but you— I conclude you've lived throughout your life believing what you're told to. So, how about this—? let's discover it ourselves as adults are. Are you ready?" She gulped. "Lucas, you're acting strange. Did an infernal possessed you or something?"
Lucas smiled. "I'm definitely sane. Does this behavior scared you?" Luna didn't answer. "Well, if it did, I'm sorry." Lucas fall back. "I apologize for making you feel that way. And— to correct you. Kissing can be done anytime. What forms a family is love according to the books I've read and personal observation." The king flip himself and didn't face her. Luna on the other hand still hesitating.
Suddenly, a bell ringing is heard. "Wait, that alarm.... Night raid!" Both quickly stood up and investigate.
Outside....
"Oh my Nirvana! What a great number of infernals!" Luna's surprised and so is Lucas. "Those are definitely Rogue infernals. But— how odd? Did they decided to work as a team?" As Lucas analyzes the strange phenomenon of the Rogue Infernals, Luna used her magic to completely dressed herself in her battle armor. "It's been years since the last raid and how I MISSED the blood of my enemies!" She declared as her weapon alike to Lunaria manifest.
"I'm going to enjoy this night SO MUCH!!!" Lucas noticed a change of Luna's behavior when she's in battle. When the infernals descended, Luna lunges and attacked them. Lucas revert back to his royal attire and he, too, engaged in combat. They fight the infernals to prevent any harm to the town's men but after hours of killing, Lucas spots a fellow infernal, trying flee and avoid battle. "You are one of my people, what brings you here?" He ask.
"King Lucas? Thank the Doom Deity I've found you at last!" The Swarm infernal felt glad. Lucas look around, took the infernal, and headed to the dark alleys, preventing them out of sight. There, they talked.
"How did you manage to enter this realm without Nebulous aid?" Lucas look around. "I was dragged by the Rogue Infernals' overwhelming number, towards an unknown Gigantic Rift Reaper." The infernal answered. "How come you—? don't tell me, you deliberately entered the Unbound Zone?! Didn't I remind all of you that Area is off limits?!"
"We're so sorry your majesty but— our worry taken us to extreme measures in search of you." Lucas gasped. "We don't know why you disappeared but one of the Mountainous-sized Infernal, the Guardian, told us that you wander off at the Unbound Zone. So, the Swarm Infernals now searching in that area, hoping to find you." Lucas is shocked and the infernal draws near, begs. "Let's head back to the Void Realm your majesty! Everyone's worried about you!"
Lucas cared for his people, sure, but what drove him not to return is his animalistic behavior of his hunger. Thinking it once again, he's driven back to his former crisis. Suddenly, Luna appeared before them, all bloodied and sinistrous. "Lu—?!"
"Lunaria!!!?" The infernal screamed and trembling. "Last infernal remained and peace will once again restored." Luna prepared her dual weapon and Lucas is now in a pinch. He's going to save his fellow infernal no matter the cost but Luna looks like she's up for slaughter! The woman lunge but in that moment of desperation, Lucas kicked her and quickly cast a Rift Reaper beside the infernal.
There, the infernal got sucked in. "No! Your majesty!!!" - driven back to the Void Realm. As for Luna, she slammed herself to the wall. Lucas draws near and offer his aid but the woman slaps his hand, looking angry. "How dare you kick me!!!" She said. "I was about to kill it!" Lucas doesn't know what to do do. "I'm sorry but I found it first and I don't want you to steal my kill." Luna tries to process and Lucas is panicking but the woman buys his excuse. "Well, if I were in your case, I won't let you steal my kill too." She shrugs.
"Anyway, that's the last infernal! Thank the Nirvana, peace is again restored!" She congratulates and Lucas smiled. "It is and it's time to clean yourself u—!?" He helped her get up but he felt something wrong on her waist. "Is it just me or your waist is kinda hollo—" Lucas felt something eerie and that— he touched an exposed guts of Luna. He's struck both horror & hunger. Lucas' heart raised and his fear is dominant than his hunger. "Luna, you—"
Luna let go, wobbly. "Oh, I didn't tell you about my injury huh? Well, there you go—! Surprise!!!!" She seemed cheerful but Lucas on the other hand, he's frightened and quickly let her sit on a nearby crate. "Oh no... Such critical injury! Why are you so careless Luna?!" Lucas can't cast a healing spell so, he doesn't know what to do. "Lucas, chillax! This is no biggie!" She reassured him but— "Do you think that injury is a joke??" His eyes accumulates tears.
"That injury tells it broke your left ribcage section! Ruptured guts! Your Liver and kidney were affected!" He started crying. "I don't want to lose you, Luna! I don't!" He cried on her lap and she stroke his hair. "I'm sorry to make you worried, Lucas. But look—" she lift his face up and draws her face to his. "There's nothing to fret, okay? Take a close look of my injury." Lucas looked and his brows raised as he saw Luna's wound were regenerating. "Wait... You have regeneration ability?!" He looks shocked and Luna looks blissful. "Yes!"
Lucas checks carefully but the worried sensation still lingers. "Even though you have regeneration, hitting your vital organs won't let you heal! You'll die!" Lucas is panicking but— "Hey? I said hey? Calm down for a while okay?" Luna just keeps telling him to chill. "I understand that better than anybody. But hey? I can still regenerate despite having my minor organs destroyed! I'll only die when my heart and brain completely done up good! So there's nothing to fret okay?"
Lucas takes another look to Luna's injury and is healing at extreme speed. "You, a mortal, how were you able to attain such high regenerative ability? Not even an infernal could match this insane regeneration!" Luna rubs her nose and let out a smug. "Well, I gotta thank mother for that! She also possess this type of ability but for some reason, hers is a complete flop from mine."
"Does your sister possess this type of ability too?" Luna rubs her chin. "Hmm... Not really though and it's kinda disappointing that lil' sis didn't inherit such useful ability. But—! She mastered the art of healing! So it's still 50/50." She stood up. "Oh? Actually, I can heal extremely fast and it's quite impossible for me to have injuries. But the thing is— I used magic to suppress that regenerative ability so I could feel having great injuries! Ehe! Anyway, now that the town's clear and done healing, time to go slee—!?"
Just then, Lucas quickly hugged her. "Next time, don't do anything reckless." His hug tightened. "Don't try to stop your regeneration, please...." Luna paused and stroke his head. "I will."
At the Void Realm....
The citizens were searching for their long lost King for years but the infernal that Lucas saved fell from the skies and one of the fellow infernal ask whether he's okay but then— "Where's Sir Roquinito? I must break the news, as soon as possible!" The rest of the infernals were confused but they guided him. "Sir Roquinito, I have an important Intel to share!"
"Speak, and I'll listen." Roquinito formally replied. "Sir, I found his Highness' whereabouts! He's at the Mortal Realm." This shocked Roquinito. "Mortal Realm, for all those years??!" The infernals nods. "Yes, Sir! And we must make haste! Before I was put to safety, King Lucas seemed pursued by Lunaria! I saw it with my own eyes!"
"Lunaria? Aren't she supposed to be dead along with King Lian Sui?!" Roquinito wondered but the infernal begs. "Please Sir Roquinito, we have to hurry or else his highness will—" Roquinito pats him. "I heard you loud and clear, concerned citizen. Fret not, we will save his majesty as soon as possible. As always, thank you for such Intel." The infernal bow and made its leave.
Roqunito takes a seat and thinking. "In your absence, numerous Rift Reapers with irregular sizes randomly appeared at the Unbound Zone, reducing the numbers of Rogue One's population. Its frequency helps the Kingdom dealing them at ease. That's why we assumed your presence at the Unbound Zone but after those long years of searching, there's no sign of you casting such magnificent power."
"We were there, witnessing the formation of the Rift Reapers but you're not there and it's strange to think such majestic power appeared without its caster. King Lucas, what happened when you left the castle?" In deep thought, he failed to realize the presence of Aleksdair and his team. "Sir Roquinito, sir?"
He snapped from wondering. "Oh? Aleksdair of the Duskborne, I'm sorry for not noticing." He composed himself. "What are your concerns?" Aleksdair stepped up. "Sir, I overheard your conversation with that infernal saved by King Lucas. If it's true that our King is pursued by Lunaria, we, the Duskborne Performers would like to offer our aid and secure his majesty's safety immediately."
"I see... I understand your point. But you are known as performers, are your team adept in battle like the rest?" He crossed his arms. "I don't want to risk his highness' protected population's safety. I'm an Advisor who temporarily take over as leader." Aleksdair and his team braces themselves. "We may be performers but we're also fighters with each preferred field of expertise."
"We rarely experienced battling with Mortals but— with our aid, we can secure his majesty's safety." Roquinito's convinced. "Alright, I'm convinced." Roquinito extend his palm. "By the power temporarily bestowed upon me, I, Roquinito Anherion, permits the Duskborne Performers to secure King's safety." — the Duskborne bows and expressed their gratitude. Just then, Roquinito uses his power to show the image of Lunaria. "This is Lunaria, the Champion of Humanity, responsible of taking down the 1st and the 2nd Kings of the Void Realm. Etched her face to your minds and don't be fooled by her mortal race. She may be human but her abilities as a warrior is on par or greater than that of our former kings so, never forget her and possible, never engage into fight. Understand?"
"Yes sir!"
"I'll give command to the rest of our citizens to give you immediate update of Rift Reaper's appearance. With timing and cooperation, you, the Duskborne, will successfully transported to the Human Realm and secure our King. May the Doom Deity bless you." The rest were looking at Lunaria's picture and were talking about avoiding encounter with Lunaria but in Aleksdair's case, he's out for blood. "If something were to happen to his Majesty, I, Aleksdair Anherion, the leader of the Duskborne Performers, swore to hunt and kill you whatever means possible." He swore as he glare at his target.
Back at the Mortal Realm...
The town is now at peace. Luna and Lucas went back to the house. At their bed, Luna take off her clothes and she's going to sleep but she noticed that Lucas, bare skinned, is terribly worried.
It's all written in his face.
So, Luna draws closer and ask. "Hey? Why's a long face? Are you still bothered by my regeneration abilities?" He didn't reply and that's when Luna took his hand and let him touch the part where it was severely injured. "Are you still worried if I'll die? Well, if my mother dies, so am I. Whoever pierce my heart or brain, that's where I'll meet my end. So, if none of those organs were damage, I'll still live and grow old!" Luna tries to cheer him but that's not the one Lucas been thinking inside his thoughts.
What he's bothered him is about the infernal he saved. Lucas just realized it now that he failed understand what his fellow infernal's words due to fear of going back to his unnecessary trait.
Remembering the infernal's words, "I've stayed in this Realm for so long and aided them as best of my acquired knowledge but— how about my Kingdom?" He wondered. "Before I left, I've also achieved things that will secure my realm's safety but... Like a hive cannot operate without a King or Queen, they'll be driven into chaos." Lucas' worry worsens.
Luna, who doesn't know what he's thinking, badly wanted to cheer him up. Just then, she remembered what Lucas did before the raid. She blushed, crawl to his chest, and sit on top of him. "I... I dunno anything what my mother meant about being a parent and how I was brought upon the world, but—" she lean on him. "I want to be with you Lucas."
Lucas snapped from his worry and flinched by Luna's tender voice. His expression softened and wrap his hands to her. "Me too, Luna." When the night is nigh, the two had their second and heartwarming kiss.