Sunlight spilled across the dense overgrowth of trees as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon.
The evening sky became a canvas, brushed with the full spectrum of rainbow colors, each hue so vivid and seamless it invited the mind to wander deep into reflection.
Through the leaves, just underneath the trees, the dirt path was a mosaic of light and shadow. A breeze moved through the leaves, making the shadows dance beautifully. It looked almost like a field in heaven.
Along that path, Mytri walked toward their house, holding Luna tightly in his arms. Like a mother holding her newborn.
He slowly exhaled while his gaze remained fixed on the path ahead. "I wonder why he was so certain about his words. Here I am, alive. Still, he was somewhat right. Alive but dead inside," Mytri thought.
He tightly gripped Luna within his embrace and muttered under his nose, "I will make sure that you'll live longer… I will bring you 'it'. Whatever it takes, so don't worry, Luna. If anyone needs to die, it will be me." Mytri muttered to himself.
"Just sleep peacefully… like you are now. I'll leave right away."
Mytri took a deep breath in as a scent of rosemary flowers seeped in. "Finally…home."
Beyond the trees, the simple roof of their house came into view: Mytri, Theia, and Luna's house. Slowly a smile grew on Mytri's face. "I don't care anymore whether my life is on the line. As long as I can keep you alive longer… I will do it."
"I have to,"
***
Mytri closed the door behind him and walked right into Luna's room, placing the unconscious Luna beside Theia, who slept right by her bed, on the floor. Mytri sighed as his eyes gazed upon her.
He knelt and shook her shoulders saying "Wake up, Theia… Wake up!"
Theia shot up straight and muttered "Luna?!", and looked to her left up onto Mytri, "Oh… it's just you. Is Luna alright?"
"Please, come with me," Mytri said as he slowly walked out of the room, and Theia followed.
***
Inside the living room, Mytri took out his sword from a chest hidden in the corner, behind his sofa. Along its hilt, a noticeable crack radiated like a sore thumb.
"It's weird how Theia acts around Luna. Normally she is cold and straightforward to everyone, or at least to me. But when Luna is around she… I don't get it" Mytri thought.
"What is it? Mytri." Theia sighed as her eyes half closed.
Mytri sheathed the sword into his belt and he turned to face her, his expression grim " Listen carefully. I need to leave. There's something I have to get for Luna. Something that will help her," Mytri pointed right at Theia's heart saying "And it's your responsibility from now on, to protect her. You are strong, so act like it and protect her while I am gone"
"Gone… Gone…. Gone…" Mytri's words echoed through Theia's mind as her eyes slowly opened widely.
"Okay!" Theia shot right up and grabbed Mytri's hands, gripping them tightly.
"Huh," Mytri muttered under his nose,
"Right! Of course I will! She's my sister! You don't have to worry and bring whatever you have to. But hurry, now!" Theia pushed against Mytri's leg as she kept on rambling "Then go already! Don't waste time!"
"You don't even know what I'm going after." Mytri added.
"I don't care whatever you bring, as long as it will help my sister. So go!"
Mytri gazed upon Theia's face as she slowly pushed Mytri towards the doors. He chuckled to himself saying "Alright, alright" Mytri immediately moved towards the doors, causing Theia to stumble and fall face-first onto the floor
"you…" Theia muttered as her face lay straight on the floor boards.
Mytri opened the doors widely and looked right at Theia "Please, tell Luna that I will be back in a week or two. No longer than that, I think. I'll have to travel towards the other end of the queendom, so it'll take a while by foot,"
"Take care of your sister. I trust you."
Theia, stood up abruptly and gripping her dress she said "I will! So please hurry up and heal her! It's… It's really painful to see her like this again…" Her head slowly drooped down towards the floor and her hands were shaking while her face grew ever more gloomier.
Mytri stood in the doorway, his gaze lingering on the small figure trembling in front of him. The dim light from the outside carved soft shadows across his weathered face, highlighting the prominent eye bags under his eyes.
He let out a slow, heavy breath, his hand tightening on the door frame as if steadying himself. "I see… Me too, child. Me too," he whispered, his voice cracking with a shared sorrow. Then, he turned and stepped out, pulling the door closed behind him with a gentle, final click.
***
A gentle click of the door echoed through the house as Theia stood before them, a wide smile spread across her face, slightly too wide. The smile lingered, making her eyes squint playfully, before she changed direction and made her way to Luna's room.
She stepped inside and knelt beside the bed. Gently, she gripped Luna's fingers, intertwining them and held them for a long moment before Theia's tears began to drip onto Luna's hand. Her eyes wrinkled, eyebrows curling upward in anguish.
"W-why... Is something wrong w-with you?" she whispered.
But Luna did not respond, she herself was fully unconscious, covered in sweat.
"No... You are f-fine. There is nothing w-wrong with you. You said so... I trust you."
Theia's breath hitched as she muttered under her breath, " You are everything to me… I can't live without you anymore..."
She placed Luna's hand against her forehead and held it there, trembling in the silence.