We walked together in silence, each of us understanding that this moment would change everything. Her fear was present, but so was her desire to no longer be trapped in a place where she didn’t belong. As we reached her door, I gently squeezed her hand to give her confidence. No matter what happened, I was there, and nothing and no one would separate us again.

The doorbell echoed through the enormous house, elegant and adorned with details that betrayed a life of comfort and wealth. A maid appeared and invited us in, guiding us to a spacious, luxurious living room. Upon entering, the first thing that struck me was the laughter coming from a corner—it was Aura, sitting comfortably with Luna’s parents, as if she were an old family friend.

The smiles on her parents’ faces vanished the moment they saw me. Their eyes widened with a mix of surprise and disdain as they stood up. Luna’s father was the first to speak, his tone defiant and furious.

—What are you doing here? —he spat, casting an accusing glare at Luna—. How dare you bring him here? How did you find us?

Overcome with anger, her father lunged at me, fists raised, giving no thought to my attempts to explain.

—I don’t want any trouble, sir… —I tried to say, stepping back, but my words only seemed to fuel his fury. He swung punch after punch in blind rage, and I simply dodged, evading them with ease while glancing at Aura, who remained utterly unfazed, sitting beside Luna’s mother without moving a muscle to intervene.

—Stop! —I said, dodging another blow. But in that moment, her father tried to grab Luna’s arm, his grip harsh and unrelenting. She let out a stifled gasp, and before I could think, I moved in an instant, pulling her with me to the other side of the room, out of his reach.

My arms encircled her tightly, and I felt her rapid breathing against my chest. My muscles trembled—not just from the tension of the moment but from the overwhelming need to protect her.

I wanted to remain calm, and while I might have walked away in another situation to avoid conflict, this time, I couldn’t—not when it was about Luna.

—I apologize for the sudden intrusion —I said, carefully choosing my words and keeping my tone firm yet calm—, but I only want to understand why you’re so against me.

The moment I finished speaking, his fury erupted.

—Shut up! —he shouted, his face red with hatred—. You have no right to speak to me. I don’t want to hear anything from someone as pathetic as you!

Suddenly, I saw him reach into his pocket, and before I could react, he pulled out a gun, pointing it directly at my head. A piercing scream shook me: Luna clung to me with all her strength, shielding me with her own body, trembling with fear. I felt her embrace, her terror, and in a reflexive burst of action, I materialized a concrete barrier just in time to intercept the bullet.

The gunshot echoed through the room, and Luna’s father stumbled back, staring at the scene with a mix of horror and distrust.

—I knew it... —he muttered through clenched teeth, his gaze filled with a deep hatred—. I knew you weren’t human. You’re a threat, something that shouldn’t exist! I’ll finish you, even if it’s the last thing I do! I bet you’re the one responsible for what happened a few weeks ago, that incident on the news—those were your streets!

His words hit me like a blow. Images from that night flooded my mind: the flames, the screams, the lives I couldn’t save. The weight of every lost life pressed down on me. For a moment, I lowered my head, unable to meet his hateful gaze. No one could truly understand the constant struggle, the burden of not being enough.

But then, I felt Luna still holding onto me, her breath shaky, fear reflected in her eyes. That fear wasn’t for them—it was for me. I pressed my lips together, feeling a spark of renewed determination.

—Sir… —I began softly, keeping my eyes fixed on his disbelieving, trembling face—. I’m not the one who caused that disaster. I’m the one here to stop those things from hurting us… to protect your daughter. Yes, sometimes I fail, and believe me, that’s something I never forget.

I swallowed hard, my emotions threatening to spill over.

—I’m here for her, and whether or not you want me around is irrelevant to me. I’ll protect Luna, even if it means facing your hatred or anything else that stands in the way.

Luna’s father lunged at me with uncontrollable fury, shouting insults— Bastard! Filth! How dare you step into my house… —His face was contorted with rage as I stood firm, holding Luna tightly in my arms. She clung to me, her eyes shut, her body trembling—fear had robbed her of the ability to react.

I knew I could easily defend myself, but I didn’t want to escalate things, especially with Luna so vulnerable. Still, I braced myself, ready for whatever might come.

Then Aura stepped forward, positioning herself between us with an unshakable calm.

—Mr. and Mrs. Williams, I think that’s enough, —she said, her tone firm yet conciliatory, radiating a serenity that made us all pause.

Luna’s father turned to her, a mix of surprise and frustration flashing in his eyes as he growled in anger.

—Get out of the way! This has nothing to do with you!

Aura stood her ground, completely unfazed, and continued with the same composure.

—Actually, I’m the one who brought him here. And besides… —Aura locked eyes with him—, I know exactly why you hold so much resentment toward Ángel, and I know the story behind your hatred. But he isn’t responsible for what happened in the past.

Luna’s father stepped back slightly, visibly shaken by her words. His hateful glare toward me faltered, if only for a moment, caught off guard by what Aura had said. How could she know something so personal, so buried in the silence of their family?

—What you feel —Aura continued— is fear of what his power represents, but you’re wrong. That aura you sense in Ángel isn’t the threat you believe it is. Moreover, he and I are colleagues, and I trust him completely.

The room fell into a heavy silence as both parents stared at Aura in disbelief, struggling to process what they had just heard. Luna’s father opened his mouth, ready to retort, but before he could speak, Aura cut him off, her tone now even more serious.

—I’m going to explain what’s really happening, —she said—, but only if you’re willing to sit down and listen to me. Because even if you tried to take on Ángel, you know this is a fight you can’t win.

Luna’s father scowled, his rage still burning, but something in his eyes betrayed an understanding of Aura’s words. It was clear he wasn’t ready to let his guard down; his anger was still palpable, but there was also something else… perhaps a trace of resignation.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of tension, he nodded reluctantly, agreeing to listen to what Aura had to say. He turned away, though his eyes still burned with insatiable fury. The weight of Aura’s words, however, began to temper the atmosphere, even as distrust and suspicion lingered in his gaze.

Aura sat down with an unshakable calm, her serene expression unwavering as she began to explain.

— I know you were attacked by an anomaly, Mr. Williams —she started, her tone steady.

Luna’s father interrupted sharply, his eyes still filled with resentment. — That wasn’t an anomaly! It was a demon—a damn demon that nearly killed me.

Aura maintained her composure, continuing without missing a beat. — Anomalies are indeed difficult to understand. They emerge from our deepest beliefs, from fear, hatred… they materialize from the darkness we carry within. I won’t deny that it might have seemed demonic to you, but that entity was born of something as human as fear and resentment. I also know what happened afterward, Mr. Williams. I know you were on the brink of death, and that despite your injuries, you managed to defeat that anomaly on your own.

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Mr. Williams’ face hardened at her words. He said nothing, but his eyes betrayed the memory of that fight—a wound that had never truly healed.

— Your wife was also severely injured that night, wasn’t she? —Aura continued, her voice softer now, as though trying to cushion the impact of her words—. And at the time, she was pregnant with your daughter.

A flicker of vulnerability crossed his face before he could suppress it. He pressed his lips together and nodded almost imperceptibly.

— I understand that the experience was traumatic, and that the last words spoken by that anomaly were a direct threat. It promised to return and destroy everything you loved, didn’t it?

Luna’s father’s expression tightened again, filled with simmering rage. It was clear those words still echoed in his mind, as sharp and potent as the day he’d heard them.

— One day, while passing the park where Luna and Ángel used to meet —Aura continued—, you saw the boy and felt something familiar… the same dark energy, the same essence that reminded you of the anomaly you fought. And then fear turned into rejection. That fear drove you to see Ángel as a danger, an extension of that shadow.

He didn’t respond verbally, but his demeanor spoke volumes. The anger in his eyes mirrored the fear he’d harbored for years, and though he remained consumed by hatred, his hands trembled slightly, as if the weight of that truth was too heavy to bear in silence.

Aura regarded him with a mix of empathy and determination, waiting for her words to sink in. And I, standing beside Luna, felt the weight of this story—a burden from the past I had never imagined but was now destined to face.

Aura kept her gaze fixed on Luna’s father, her voice softening slightly without losing its strength.

— Back then, Mr. Williams, Ángel was also battling his own demons. What you felt in his presence that day—the darkness, the heaviness in his aura—was nothing more than the pain and loneliness he had been carrying from a very young age.

Her words pierced through the silence, filling it with a tension so thick it was almost tangible. Luna’s father clenched his fists, his expression shifting between disbelief and barely restrained anger.

—That afternoon at the park, when Luna and Ángel's paths crossed, was pure coincidence. Neither Ángel nor anyone else could have predicted they’d meet there. And I want you to understand something else: when an anomaly is destroyed, its essence may be reborn, but never with the same consciousness or identity. That creature that attacked you… it cannot come back for revenge. The threat it left behind was nothing more than a final torment, a way to ensure you’d carry that burden forever.

Aura paused for a moment, watching as the man’s face reflected the internal conflict between fear and years of pent-up pain.

—Our organization tries to intervene in every threat… but that night, we didn’t arrive in time. —Her voice dropped, almost to a whisper—. I’m deeply sorry, Mr. Williams, that we couldn’t save you from that experience.

Then she turned to me, her tone shifting, becoming more personal.

—Ángel, I… —Aura lowered her gaze briefly, struggling with something within herself before continuing—. This is also my fault. That night… I should never have let something like that happen to your family. If I had done my part, they wouldn’t harbor such deep hatred toward you.

My chest tightened at the weight of her words. I shook my head, wanting to lift the blame she was so determined to bear.

—Don’t say that, Aura. There was no way you could have prevented it. This isn’t your fault.

She closed her eyes for a moment, as though trying to hold back an emotion she rarely let others see. When she opened them, there was a hint of melancholy in her gaze.

—Ángel, you don’t understand… You couldn’t understand, because there are parts of this story I can’t even tell you.

In that moment, I realized Aura carried secrets far deeper than she let on. The silence about her own story and the mystery in her eyes made me feel that, for the first time, I was seeing the true Aura—the one who bore her own burdens in silence, just like the rest of us.

The silence settled over the room like a thick fog. No one dared to break it, not even Luna’s parents, who stared at Aura with a mixture of skepticism and confusion.

Aura, after a deep pause, finally broke the tension in the air with a voice both firm and gentle.

—All I ask is that you understand —she continued— that Ángel is not your enemy. He is your ally, someone who has risked everything, far more than he would ever admit, to protect those he loves. Since I met him, Luna has been his reason to get better every day. She… she became his conviction, the spark that drives him to rise even when everything seems to fall apart.

Luna's father clenched his jaw but kept his gaze on Aura, seemingly reflecting on her every word.

—And that is what gives him his strength, Mr. and Mrs. Williams —Aura went on—. If you truly want the best for your daughter, let me tell you that this is the kind of love you will never find elsewhere. I know no one else willing to risk as much as Ángel has. I can’t ask you to understand everything that’s at stake, but… —Aura lowered her voice slightly, softening her tone— if you believe your daughter deserves a love that is pure, honest, and true—a love they both have earned—then I ask you to let her have the life she deserves with him.

My cheeks burned, and I lowered my gaze, unable to bear the weight of Aura’s words. I knew she was right, that my heart only beat this strongly for Luna, but hearing it said aloud, especially in front of her, was overwhelming.

I glanced at Luna, who had only just begun to process everything she had heard. She turned to me, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at me with an intensity that left me defenseless. Her lips quivered as if she wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t come.

And in that moment of shared glances and silence, I knew that no matter what happened in the minutes to come, we had crossed a threshold. There was no turning back; our lives had changed, and the bond we shared now was something no one could break.

Luna’s father’s face slowly softened, his eyes shifting between his daughter and me as if he was finally grasping the depth of what Aura had revealed. Luna’s mother, tears still streaming down her cheeks, seemed lost in a sea of emotions as she looked at her daughter standing beside me, perhaps recalling what their relationship had once been. At last, both parents bowed their heads, processing every word, and in a tone heavy with regret and humility, they began to apologize to Luna.

—Luna… —her mother sobbed, trying to find the right words—. Forgive us, my love. We didn’t realize how much we were hurting you, how trapped we made you feel… we only wanted to protect you, but now I see… I see how much pain we caused. I’m so sorry…

Her father nodded, his eyes shadowed with guilt.

—We acted out of fear… but seeing you here, like this, with him, I think Aura is right. —He sighed, finally looking directly at me for the first time with a calm expression—. Ángel, do you truly believe you can protect her better than we ever could?

Without hesitation, I held his gaze and answered.

—Yes. You have my word that I will never let anything happen to her as long as I stand.

A strange peace filled the room at that moment. Luna's father, exhausted from so much conflict and finally letting go of some of his rigidity, simply nodded, resigned and, for the first time, slightly more trusting.

Aura intervened again with an unexpected request.

—With your permission —she said—, I would like Luna to spend some time with us, away from here, to help her grow without the weight of these walls and to allow her to find her own path.

Both parents turned to Luna, and her father, in a gentler tone, asked:

—Luna… is that truly what you want?

Luna hesitated for a moment, casting me a glance filled with tenderness and something beyond words. Finally, she answered with a trembling voice:

—No, I don’t want to leave. I want to stay with you… —She sighed, lowering her gaze—. But that’s not true anymore, and you both know it.

Both parents looked at her with sorrow, their expressions finally defeated. Her mother stepped closer and took her hand, nodding with a voice that wavered.

—From now on, we’ll respect your decisions, Luna. We promise.

Aura gave me a slight gesture as she stood up, and I understood the signal. I stood with her, unable to take my eyes off Luna, who remained bowed, lost in her thoughts. She finally lifted her gaze to her parents, her expression resolute, and nodded. It was as if, in that moment, she reconciled herself with the weight of her past and the pain she had endured.

Her parents, visibly moved and accepting her decision, nodded faintly. Aura offered them a grateful nod and added:

—You have my word that Luna will return safe and sound.

Luna’s parents struggled to hold back tears. Her mother, her voice breaking, asked:

—Will you take anything with you? Something you need?

But Luna gently shook her head.

—No, I don’t need anything else. I’ll leave as I am.

And with that, the three of us left the house in silence, leaving behind everything that had once made her feel like a prisoner. We walked to the car without a word, each lost in our own thoughts and the intensity of what had just happened. Inside the car, the silence was so heavy it felt tangible, until I decided to break it with a soft question, searching her eyes for a glimmer of peace.

—How do you feel, Luna?

She looked at me, her eyes filled with so many emotions that they seemed to reflect the weight of an entire life. After a few moments, she whispered a response, though her voice barely managed to contain the relief that was beginning to surface.

—Free, I think... It’s strange, but I feel like I can finally breathe.

As she finished, she looked at me and suddenly leaned into me, collapsing into my arms as if it was the only thing left for her to do. I carefully wrapped her in my embrace, holding her in silence as the car continued its course.

Through the rearview mirror, I saw Aura watching us, a faint, peaceful smile in her eyes, knowing that, at last, the knot in our lives had started to unravel.

As we rode along, Luna, still with her eyes closed and resting on my shoulder, murmured softly:

—Hey… why can’t a little girl with no arms hug her parents?… Because she doesn’t have parents.

The surprise was inevitable, and in an instant, we both started laughing, first softly, then bursting into hearty laughter, releasing all the tension that had built up over the past days. It was a light laughter, the kind that leaves the soul feeling unburdened, and after a while, exhaustion took over. We fell asleep, still holding each other in silence, as if, in that moment, all the weight of what we had lived through could finally rest in peace.