Under the Same Moon

The castle rested enveloped in uneasy silence. The echoes of battle still seemed to resonate through the walls, as if the stones themselves remembered the fire and the dragon’s roars. The soldiers slept wherever they could—on benches, on the ground—exhausted to the bone.
I could not sleep. I wandered the dark hallways, the Veil Spear on my back. The weight of the weapon had become constant, as if I could not part from it even if I wanted to.
In the gardens, I found Aria. She was sitting on a stone bench, gazing at the moon through the charred branches. Her silhouette, bathed in silver light, seemed fragile, almost unreal.
“I knew you would come,” she said without turning.
I smiled wearily as I approached. “Am I that predictable?”
“No.” She finally looked at me, a faint smile on her lips. “I just know you too well.”
I sat beside her. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. The cold wind swept through the ruined garden, carrying the scent of smoke and ash.
“Kaoru…” her voice trembled slightly. “When Kiseki raised the dragon, I was afraid you’d give in to that darkness. I saw the spear shine, I saw you fighting yourself. And I feared losing you.”
I looked at her silently, unsure what to say.
“I’m not as strong as I appear,” she continued. “I’ve always feared that one day you’d leave, that shadow inside you would take everything from me.”
I took her hand gently, intertwining my fingers with hers. “I’m not going anywhere. Neither the shadow nor Kiseki will take everything from me. I won’t leave you behind.”
Aria lowered her gaze, and I could see tears glimmering in her eyes. “You promised to save both of them… me and Kiseki. But what if that’s impossible?”
I breathed deeply. “Then I’ll make it possible. Even if I have to face the gods, even if I have to carry this darkness forever.”
She leaned against me, resting her forehead on my shoulder. “I hate you for speaking that way. Because I know you would really do it.”
I chuckled softly. “I’ll take that as a disguised ‘I love you.’”
“Idiot,” she whispered, but I could feel the warmth in her words.

The moon shone above us, and for a moment the world seemed to stop. No shadows, no war, no dragons. Just her and me, under the same silver light.
The voice inside me stirred, irritated, as if that peace annoyed it. “Useless sentimentality. All this will end in blood. You cannot deceive her forever.”
I ignored the whisper, closing my eyes. I held Aria’s hand as if it were the only anchor keeping me upright.

“Kaoru…” she looked at me again, more serious this time. “Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“If the day comes when the shadow controls you… I don’t want anyone else to have to bear that. Promise me you’ll let me stop you.”
Her words pierced me like a blade. “No… don’t ask me that.”
“I have to.” Her voice trembled, but her eyes were firm. “Because I love you, and because I couldn’t bear to see you become something you’re not.”
Silence stretched. I finally nodded, though my heart ached. “Alright. But promise me something too.”
“What?”
“Promise me that, no matter what happens, you won’t stop believing in me.”
She smiled, tears on her cheeks. “That I can promise.”
We embraced under the moon, and though I knew the war still loomed on the horizon, for a moment I imagined that everything would be alright.