Across the World

Chapter 9: Danger

Lucas invited Luna to return to the place where they accidentally fell and saw a beautiful paradise. Luna didn’t refuse because of what transpired with Julio. They walked to a place where there was no one. Lucas unfurled his wings on his back and looked at Luna.

"Are you ready to fly again?” Lucas asked her and laid out his palm to her. Luna smiled sincerely and accepted Lucas' hand. Lucas carried her body, her arms embraced Luca’s neck and they stared at each other.

"Don’t worry, I will not let the incident last night happen ever again," Lucas reminded her and they quickly flew in the air. While they were flying in the sky, Luna's eyes were closed and Lucas felt her body trembling.

"Don’t be afraid. Open your eyes for you to see the beauty of the world."

"No! I can’t!” Luna cried out. Lucas ignored what Luna said to him. They hurriedly searched their way to the place where they were going while the wind brushed against them. Although Lucas had a lot of things to think about, he was happy with what was happening to him right then. Unlike before, he has no companions. Same with Luna, she also has a lot of events and things to think about, but she still trusts Lucas. Finally, Lucas already saw the place and gradually descended to the ground while carrying Luna into his arms.

“Here we are, you can open your eyes now,” Lucas told her as he lowered Luna’s body to the ground. Also, Lucas returned to his human form.

Luna opened her eyes and she could not believe the beauty she saw. As if she was in another world, as if she was in the home of the Gods. The ground that she sees is full of different kinds of flowers having different colors that bloom and she can smell its scent even if she is a few feet away from them. The trees and grasses that surround them are lit with blooming, green colors. Luna also noticed the water flowing at the side and suddenly remembered the waterfall.

“Where is the waterfall?” Luna asked him.

“Come and I will show it to you,” Lucas answered her with a mesmerizing smile. As they walked toward the waterfall, Luna noticed those scented red petals scattered on the ground until they reached the area. Luna was surprised at what she saw. There was a picnic blanket laid on the ground with scattered red roses around it and she saw the guitar.

"Do you like my surprise?” Lucas asked her.

"What does this mean?" Luna asked him, wearing an awkward face.

"Come and sit because I have another surprise for you," Lucas replied as he pulled Luna towards the blanket. They both sprawled on the lawn where the picnic blanket was laid on and Lucas took his guitar.

"I will offer you a song and I hope you will like it," Lucas said. Luna still can’t believe what’s happening. Lucas began to play his guitar and sang a song while staring intently at Luna. Lucas himself wrote and composed the song.

Years ago, I lived alone, not knowing where to spend my wandering days. Neither is there a place that embraces me, a sanctuary.

I walked all day, I walked all night. No one knows and no one cares. I looked at the sky with bitterness and sorrow, the same ingredients that poison my life.

I feel numb, living my life with a dead heart and a dead soul.

Until the day came.

I feel the sunshine. I started breathing again and my heart beat once more. The moon and the stars kissed me, while the sun embraced me and the rain nourished me.

I felt true love for her and she is my beautiful dearest.

She is a goddess, dancing and shining in the darkness.

Luna's heart bursts into fire and explosion while she’s listening to the rhythm sang by Lucas to her. She doesn't understand her feelings, a mixture of sadness and joy. She didn’t know if it was love or she felt pity for Lucas. Because of the wide- different emotions going into Luna’s heart, she didn’t notice that her fourth half of her body was shining. Lucas immediately saw the gradual light on her. He easily threw his guitar on the ground and immediately embraced Luna’s body tightly.

Plenty of questions puzzled Luna’s mind. She thought that, since last night, Lucas had displayed strange behavior towards her. Then, slowly, she removed Lucas' arms that were wrapped around her. She seriously looked at Lucas and began to ask him.

“Lucas, what are you doing? I don’t really understand the gesture you are showing to me!” Luna’s face was serious.

“Don’t leave me Luna,” Lucas pleaded. He also grabbed her hands while in sadness into his eyes.

“But why? Why are you always telling me that?” Luna stood up and spread her arms wide.

“Look Lucas, this is my world and my home, I’m not going anywhere, I’m not leaving!”

“No! This is not your home,” he answered her seriously and shook his head. Luna was surprised by what Lucas told her. She didn’t know why he answered her like that. How come she does not belong to this world?

“W-what do you mean?”

“Luna! I told you this once. You’ll understand everything when that day comes. Right now, we don’t need to waste the time left for the two of us,” Lucas explained to her.

“Honestly, I don’t know what to do and to think? I’m confused as well! My heart keeps on telling me that we should keep each other together and share every beautiful moment in our lives,” he added. But in the middle of their conversation, they heard someone rustling behind the trees and both of them turned their heads. They saw a form of a shadow on the ground. Lucas went to Luna and he hid her at his back.

“Who are you? Show yourself!” he uttered in a loud voice.

After Lucas said those words, there a man came out of the tree. It was Julio. Julio, who had a long desire for Luna. Luna saw Julio and she was really scared. She put her arms together around Lucas' waist and enclosed them tightly.

“I’m scared!”, she whispered.

“Shh.. Don’t be afraid, I’m here to protect you!” Lucas answered her. Julio walked slowly with a silly smile that he had shown to Luna and Lucas. While both of them were staring at him, Julio looked around his surroundings.

“Is this the place you were hiding?”

“How did you know this place? How did you get here?” Lucas answered him with a question too.

“Why? I think I have the right to go to this place too!” Julio replied, and he noticed Luna hiding behind Lucas.

“Why are you hiding behind Luna? Are you afraid of me? Do you think that man can really protect you, like I asked you but you didn’t answer me?” Then Julio laughed like an evil person and Luna glared at him.

“Oh, my beloved Luna! Don’t look at me like that, you’ll be mine soon.” He continued to laugh. Lucas couldn’t control the anger that he felt in his heart. Because of this, his eyes turned red.

“Oh, C’mon man! I’m not afraid of you because I know what you are,” Julio laughed like an evil person. He just feels so relaxed. There was no trace of fear on his face. If only other people saw Lucas’ eyes, they would be scared. Lucas and Luna were surprised. How did Julio know about the true identity of Lucas? Is he always following them?

“Luna do you choose? Him or me? Will you go with me or not?” Julio added. But this time his face turned serious. At the same time, some black smoke came out of his body.

“W-what are you?” Only words came out of Luna’s mouth.

“If you don’t come with me, I’ll kill him!” Julio threatened Luna and he pointed his finger at Lucas.

“No! Don’t listen to him Luna, trust me, I can protect you!” Lucas embraced her but Luna was dumbfounded.

She could not believe what was happening to her life right now. She was surprised that Julio also had a different identity to Lucas. She felt that she was in big trouble. From her confused mind, she couldn’t utter any words. She didn’t know what to say.

“It looks like you’re staying with that man. I’ll let you go for now and give you time to think. But, I’ll get back to you some other day to get what is mine!” Julio told her.

Then, the black smoke surrounding him lifted him up away from Lucas and Luna. Lucas didn’t take his eyes away from Julio. Might Julio do something bad to them that they did not expect? Lucas just felt relieved when Julio was gone permanently in the area. Suddenly, Luna fell to the ground because she could no longer fight the fear she felt. All she did this time was to cry. Lucas felt sorry for Luna.