Chapter 2: Light in the dark

Exypnos - a kingdom where there are upgraded equipment and weapons for fighting. It is located on the western side of Magia.

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"Follow me." Gualtiero's eyes flashed angrily before he stepped down the tower.

Arayan could do nothing but to follow it towards the palace hall. The large windows reflect the moonlight, but it is not the light from an ordinary moon because its color is like blood. The sounds of cricket can also be heard and there are also soldiers who guard the kingdom even at night.

The anxious young man was shocked when the king landed its fist on his face causing him to sit on the floor. He touched his lip that had a wound because of its heavy blow. The soldiers had no reaction, they were just like a statue, they seemed to see or hear nothing, and no action was taken until they heard no command from the king. 

"I accept that you are the princess's friend and I trust you, but what right do you have to violate the only command I gave you? You have no right to do that to my daughter!" Gualtiero shouted, grabbed Arayan's collar and punched him again in the face.

"Where did you get the courage to hold my only daughter?!" He pointed at Arayan who was sitting on the floor. "No one can do that! I did not allow anyone to call the princess by her real name and especially to kiss her." Out of anger he kicked Arayan causing it to lie down.

"Do you have the right to do that? Nothing! Your state in life is just lower compared to the princess, she will never be with you! How can you do that Arayan? How can you disobey me?!" 

Arayan got up from lying down and knelt in front of the king. "Forgive me, I admit I have sinned but Your Majesty, I love your daughter."

The king's laughter echoed in the quiet hall, he couldn't control his anger so his foot landed on Arayan again. The young man was already bleeding profusely but he could do nothing.

"That's not possible, you know I don't want her to be hurt! You should not love her as a woman! I agreed for you to be her friend but that does not mean I will let you hurt her!" His voice was full of anger, and his face was bright red.

"B-But there's nothing wrong with love, is it? I won't hurt her, never! I really love her. How could I hurt someone I love?"

"Don't you understand? The state of your life is far from my daughter! If there's someone she should love it's clearly not you! She's a princess and a princess deserves to be with a prince, did you get my point?"

( "I-I love you so much and you're so important to me because you're my b-best friend." )

Arayan nodded spontaneously when he fully understood what the princess wanted to convey. The whole time they were together she only considered him a friend and that should only be because he really came into her life as a friend, nothing else.

But one big mistake he made was that he fell in love with his friend, the princess. As long as they are together, he looks at it differently while the princess considers him only a friend, he can't blame her.

"F-Forgive me Your Majesty, I have sinned. I admit the mistake I have made. I should not fall in love with a princess who only considers me as a friend. I accept the punishment you will impose for the blasphemy I have committed. Forgive me." Arayan closed his eyes as he bowed in front of King Gualtiero. 

"I forgive you." 

Arayan bowed even more.

"Since you are a close friend of the princess and you are the son of my great friend, I will not punish you."

Even though the king already forgave him, Arayan still felt heavy on his chest. He doesn't want to be far from the princess, but he can't get too close to her. 

"Thank you very much Your Majesty, I owe my life to you."

"Once you come and talk to my daughter without my knowledge, I will not hesitate to punish you with death," the king said seriously.

Arayan nodded even if it's against his will.

"I understand." Arayan closes his eyes tightly.

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The princess peered out the window as she always did in her room. He watches over the vast lands of the kingdom as well as the soldiers who are tirelessly guarding, he also cannot help but notice the rich sea in the distance, there are also beautiful colorful houses standing below their huge palace, and birds flying freely in the air. 

She observes it carefully so that she can draw it properly.

She could also see in her room the small town that was crowded with joyful people. Every night, she sees stars, half of the moon turning red at night, and lights in every house.

That’s always been what has brightened her day over the past few years. She really wanted to go out but she wasn’t allowed to. A few weeks have passed since her birthday, since then she has not seen Arayan and she hopes that next time he will visit her again.

The door of her room opened so she eagerly turned to it with a smile, hoping that Arayan would come, but her sweet smile also faded because the person he expected didn't come.

She stood up from her seat, dropped the painting equipment on the table, and greeted Edmondo. Somehow she felt relieved because Arayan looked like just his father.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it, Your Highness?" Edmondo continued to lay the breakfast on the table while waiting for her to ask the question.

"I'm excited to see your son, when can he visit me?" Luna asked with a smile. 

When Edmondo finished putting the food, he stood up straight to face the princess.

"My son is busy doing business with the other kingdom to get military equipment, there are new equipment that the kingdom of Exypnos sells to us. That's why he is vaguely able to go now, Your Highness." He bowed and was about to leave the room but the princess grabbed his arm. 

"But he hasn’t visited in a long time, is that what he always does? When do you think he can visit me?"

"The answer is with your father. I'm sorry but I have to leave, Your Highness. Don't think about anything now, it would be better if you eat your breakfast first," he replied and left the princess in the room. 

She sat down in front of the table and stared at the food served in front of her today.

"What's the use of a luxurious life if I'm not happy?" Luna sighed heavily. She had no appetite so she just stared at the food served in front of her.

The princess looked out at the beautiful weather from the window when a strong wind suddenly entered her room. To avoid getting dust, she quickly closed her eyes. 

"You are about to know your abilities, Your Highness." 

She frowned and immediately turned to the woman who spoke. A magnificent woman appeared in front of her, it is a goddess, she cannot be wrong. With the white dressed it was wearing that expresses a divine gleaming brightness, it can be said immediately that it is not an ordinary creature.

"May I know who you are and what are you doing in my room? How did you get in and what do you need from me?" Luna asked curiously but she didn't feel any nervousness.

The beautiful woman smiled at her, "You need these abilities to save yourself, because one day you can use that against the wickedness..." She approached Luna who didn't even step back even though she didn't know who's in front of her.

"...but you can also be used by the enemies to fulfill their plan. You are an important one and a powerful weapon, so someone will be interested in you."

"What do you mean? I do not understand what you are saying. Is this just a joke?"

"Someone will know about you and that creature is very observant. No one can stop them, especially when it comes to power. They will try to take you to subdue the three kingdoms." She gently touched Luna's hair.

"As I said, you are an important weapon. You have to take care of yourself as well as the people around you," the woman added.

"I still don't understand. What important weapon are you talking about?" Luna stood up to face the strange woman. 

"You have to take care of your heart, because you are the hope of your kingdom." The woman looked down at Luna's chest, and touched it where she could feel its heartbeat.

The princess looked at her hand, it was light and it felt good. Her heartbeat quickened and she felt strange.

"I'm so happy that you grew up so beautiful. Once you already know what you can do, I won't have to watch you anymore." She raised her hand to Luna's cheek, the princess closed her eyes to feel the caress of her hand.

She suddenly burst into tears, "My heart says you are my mother, but Queen Lila-"

"I am Seraphina, your mother as well as Lila. She was the way for you to finally be born into this world, my dear princess."

Luna's tears kept flowing, she tried to hold Seraphina's hand but she failed, it just penetrated as if it didn’t really exist in the world, but she could feel the warmth of its hand.

She looked up and examined the face of the woman who looked just like her, "What did I do wrong to experience this?" she asked, crying.

"Do you know why I named you Luna?" Seraphina did not answer the princess's question.

"Hmm…why?"

"Because it means moon. You are the moon in the dark night, you will be the light in the time of darkness," she replied while stroking the princess's hair.

"Luna, there's a reason you're staying here in the tower. You're not yet strong enough to know your abilities. You were born different from everyone else, your ability is in your heart and so only you will know what it is," she explained. 

Luna just stared at her while understanding what she wanted to convey.

"You are the way to keep the peace in the four kingdoms. You will also know one day why you have to do it. Take care of yourself, be careful of the people you meet, because not everyone should be trusted. I love you, Your Highness," she added.

"I love you too, mother. I love you so much, you and Queen Lila-"

She woke up suddenly to the sound of broken glass. She found herself crouched on the table and the milk spilled on the floor, she had fallen asleep without her knowing. 

(How could it all be just a dream? It seems real.)

She looked out the window where a very beautiful butterfly appeared.

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"Are you still dealing with the pain in your arm?" Edmondo asked his son who had just arrived with soldiers carrying weapons that came from the kingdom of Exypnos.

"It hurts sometimes when hit, but it will definitely heal as well," Arayan replied. 

"Do you think we need to let the king know? The princess did this to you and you said that the princess released very little strength when she punched you but you have been dealing with the pain for a few days." Edmondo removed the armor attached to Arayan's arm and examined the bruise he had sustained, "Isn't this one of the princess' abilities that the strange woman says?" 

He examined the bruise on his son's arm.

Arayan agreed and followed his father to the king. They caught it warning the soldiers about such an attack on their kingdom.

"Because of the warning sent by Megalitha that the kingdom of Ischyros intends to attack us, we have prepared new and powerful weapons to counter it. They are the ones who always start the problems in our world. After Exynos, they will attack us next, but we will not allow it. We will fight for peace."

"For peace!" The shouts of the soldiers echoed. 

Edmondo approached the king, when he had finished speaking. He whispered something to it.

"We have something important to talk about. Watch every corner of the kingdom. Send troops to protect our citizens," command of the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Cerberus: the general bowed before the king left in front of them.

"What do you want to say?" King Gualtiero asked.

"I think the ability of the dear princess is coming out." The king looked at him because of what he had said.

"What do you mean?" he wondered.

Edmond pulled his son to show the king what had happened to his arm.

"The princess did it. Do you think this is one of the princess's abilities? She punched my son lightly but he got a big bruise that lasted a few days."

King Gualtiero turned his gaze to Arayan, "What exactly do you want to convey?"

"Why don't we use the princess to win the battle-" Edmondo fell silent when the king's gaze fell upon him.

"Are you thinking about what you're saying? You are suggesting to me to harm my own child, can you still think properly?" 

"Father, I can't allow that." Arayan's disapproval.

"I'm very sorry, Your Majesty, but the old woman said that the princess will save us all," Edmondo replied.

"But she too can bring darkness here to Magia if the kingdom of Ischyros captures her!" The king shouted, "It would be better for her not to get into trouble." He was about to leave in front of them but Edmondo stopped him.

"Aren't you wondering why Ischyros will attack us only now? It seems like they already know about the princess, especially now that her hidden strength is coming out. Ischyros is known because they have black magic, and they are surrounded by dragons," Edmondo explained, daring the king to agree with him.

"Your Majesty, I'm sure they found out about the princess, that's why they are planning to invade us," he added.

"Not sure yet, but what do you want me to do? Take out the princess to fight the enemies in case the attack is real? Do you think I'll harm my own child?" he asked angrily.

"That won't happen Edmondo. No one has seen the princess yet so it will be difficult for them to get her. We need to double our guard on her and in the kingdom of Prostatévo, we can do this without the princess abilities." And with those words the king departed.

"The king is right, father. We should consider the life of the princess if we are not sure of what will happen. Even I will not allow that," Arayan said before leaving.