The Gardens was never my responsibility but I tend to it all the same. It wasn’t because the respective individuals in charge were neglecting their jobs but solely because I enjoy it.

In the recent times that even the days seem dark, these flowers, they are growing strong despite all the silent chaos around, I envy these flowers more than I admire them. I wish I could be as negligent as them but I can't. I can't just shut my eyes and cupped my ears and pretend everything is alright.

That is not who I am.

My name is Iluna Ninehearts, I am an Elf and a devout cleric of the Faith of the Nines. I am currently two hundred and ten years old. The numbers are deceiving to the the others as I'm only sixteen to eighteen of age in human years.

To other races, we are probably the longest-living race among the Sagax excluding the Majins. To their short span of lives, we may seem eternal but we are not, not even close. One of the first lesson taught to us, Elves the moment we are capable of speech, we are not to flaunt our everlasting lives to the other races and not to take the thousand years of our lives for granted.

To the world, we are a symbolic race of elegance, beauty, and eternity.

Even among the fairy-kin, we are a secluded race that lives among forests of forests. We mostly kept to ourselves and rarely meddles in other Sagax races’ affairs. Some look highly at our peculiar culture and ways but there are also some who thinks the Elves are too proud of themselves to be meddlesome.

In truth, we just wish to be left alone. Being a long-living race, we have witness countless tragedies caused by the power struggles of nations and religions. We were once generous with our offer of assistance but we changed when we began to be abused for our generosity.

We never forgive nor forget the one's who took our kindness for granted but we have neither seek vengeance nor retribution.

Elves are proud but they don’t discriminate. We just wish to be not involve if such tragedies were to repeat themselves.

But I am different. I want to be involved. I want to meddle.

I want to help the peoples, no matter the race.

I still remember my first pilgrimage when I came of age, my first ever experience of the outside world. While it had been a pleasant journey but I have also witness the dark side of the world. So many were left in the cold and the shadows with no saving grace for them.

I have pleaded with the Elders to lend a hand to those unfortunates but my words fell on deaf ears. Which is then, I decided. If no one will help me, I will help myself.

I left my clan and begin a life outside of the forest, all for the sake of helping the ones being discarded into the darkness.

Although, I was naive. I thought I could save everyone. I thought I could change the world. Slowly, I realized why my did my kin refused to lend a hand. There were just too much to be saved. So much to do, so little time.

Along the ruthless and seemingly impossible journey, I found my light, a ray of hope.

The Faith of the Nines.

I have never indulge myself in a faith before. We, Elves never truly believe in Gods. The closest experience I have is the Spirits of Nature the Elves worship back at the forest. To the outsiders, we may be seen as a hypocrite but we prayed to something that we have seen of their existence ourselves. And we don't pray to any random gods. We prayed to the ones that offered us shelter and food, the Spirits of Nature.

Never in my life have I thought that I would be putting all my hopes on an entity that my kin has no faith in.

Although the Nines are powerful and widespread but they could only do so much. So, I have decided to lend a hand. Although I know I can’t do much, I will at least do my part and everything that I can.

Granted, there were suspicions of me. It’s rare to see Elves outside of the forest and indulged in a faith no less. Elves are widely known for their disapproval for religions. Even if Elves are seen outside of the forest, they are mostly seen in an Adventurer’s Guild. Which is why the suspicions on me of other races are understandable.

The first few years were hard but I refuse to give up. My only comfort for the dark times is The Gardens. Looking at the blooming flowers, the envy gives me strength. I refuse to be beaten by mere flowers, this was my philosophy. It's nothing deep but it helps.

Nevertheless, I just couldn’t sleep well knowing that there are others out there who can’t afford such luxuries as mine.

A few years later after I officially became a cleric, I met her.

A prominent figure of the Nines. A young female Templar Knight. She made her name known at a very early age. She rose through ranks and fame in shortest time of any Templar Knights in history.

Inspired and encourage by her unrelenting resolve, I got acquainted with her.

But I was once very distrusting of her.

At first, I was very skeptical about this person named, Vira Ninehearts.

We share the same name but the name, Ninehearts, is just a name given to the ones without a family or a home.

I have heard whispers about her being ruthless and cold-blooded. No matter races, she cuts them down all the same. A human completely based her reasoning on logical thoughts and rationality. Almost like an intelligent Golem.

I have been to her speeches a few times and I was surprise that she only desires peace and unity. I find it hard to believe that such vision comes from a person who lacks any empathy or even sympathy. I can tell she hates giving the speeches but if she didn't, she wouldn't have any support for her methods.

I have my doubts about her true nature and her true goals but after meeting a certain boy, I came to understand her and know of her tragic past.

If anything, I felt pity for her. She had gone through so much that making decision on empathy or sympathy is impossible to her, not without reopening old wounds.

Despite her frozen heart, she is actually capable of love and compassion. She just has troubles showing it and she is always being reminded of her past whenever she show the slightest compassion.

I want to help her like I have helped all the others.

I want to understand her even more.

And so, no matter how many times she rejected my hands that I offered to her, I pressed on.

Eventually, she finally opened up to me.

From then on, we were always there for each other. We came to understand each other. Our mutual respect slowly turns into something bigger.

On a certain night of the annual Red Crescent Festival, I gave my first night to her. We share our love and embrace with each other until the light of dawn.

Currently, we are infatuated. It’s not exactly public knowledge but we are not hiding it either.

Unlike other faiths, the Nines welcome such practices as long as it’s genuine and without malicious intents.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I’m needed, with a purpose, complete.

But there are a few small problems on the side but that’s just life.

Though, I hope that certain boy would stop being so meddlesome in our relationship.

I’m proud to be an Elf. I’m proud to have been given life. I’m proud to have serve the Nines. I’m glad that I have met Vira.

I love her.

Though there are times when I wonder if she just went along with me on a whim. There are times when I shudder at such possibility but I always bury it.

I don't want to believe that Vira is such a person.

Still, I love her.

Which was why I was so oppose to her in suddenly being selected for such a dangerous task. The damn Farmas Kingdom. Greedy bastard of a king. They chose her purely because she was in the capital at that precise moment. I got even more furious when I heard the details. That damn boy is going with her.

Damn it. I wish I have gone with her to Farmas Kingdom at that time. Curse the spirits.

.... sorry. Pardon my tongue.

But.... Vira kept assuring me that everything be alright but I didn’t believe it. And I was right not to.

A week went by and there was no news nor response from the expedition party. The whole team went dark just after a day. Normally, we would receive a status report through a magic link but nothing. No one reported back.

A search party has been organized but another massive surge of malicious energy made the volunteers and soldiers think twice. The king is afraid to send in another party if no good results can be earned from it.

This bastard!

Curse the spirits!

Why.....?

Why did you leave me?

Each day.... I pray and I pray hard to the Nines.

I didn't pray for her safety. I didn't pray for her to come back without harm.

I just pray that she comes back at all.

With each day passed without knowing what happened of her, I spent it in grievance.

Until one day, I received news. I was tending to the Gardens when a messenger came up to me. I read the letter and I remember gasping at the contents.

Tears rolled down my cheek and fell on the letter.

They found her. They found Vira.

Apparently she was carried by the rushing waters in the dungeon and got washed out of it. She could have ended up in any places but thank the spirits that she ended up in a river near a village just outside Farmas’ capital.

As soon as I finish reading the letter, the bucket of water in my hand fell and spilled on the floor. It soiled my shoes but I was too caught up in hope to take notice. I immediately departed from the main temple of the Nines and invoke the spirits for a familiar to be my means of transportation.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

In just a day, I have arrived at Farmas Kingdom's capital. With the help of wind magic, I shortened the duration of the travel from a few days to just one.

I rush to the only Temple of the Nines in Farmas capital. I neglect the streets and pavements by flying through above the buildings with [Wind Magic: Soar].

I didn't go through the main gate. I would need to prove to the guards of my identity but I have wasted enough time. I refuse to wait any longer. Instead, I flew to the balcony of the Temple's head priest room's balcony. I could be wrong regarding whom the room belongs to but such a large chambers can only be for a temple's head. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone in the room.

Navigating the temple with wind magic, I came to a long hallway. At the end of the hallway, the door on the left, few clerics and Templar Knights gathered there. Only the return of a high rank Templar Knight would cause such commotion.

The people saw my approach but they did not stop me for questions. I'm quite well-known among the Nines if I do say so myself. After all, I'm an independent Elf that is not an adventurer and a devout follower of a faith. You don't see many Elves like me. Which is why they recognized me in an instance.

They parted and make way for me without needing me to make use of my voice.

"Hm? An Elf? Wow... an Elf. Its been far too long.... Wait. You're letting an Elf in but not me?"

A girl with short black hair said in the crowd. It seems not everyone knows who I am.

Without even a knock, I burst myself into the room.

I recognize a few faces in the room as they all turned to me when I came in. There are three knights, two high priests, and the head priests himself.

I heard a few comments about my sudden and rude intrusion but I paid no heed to those.

"Cleric Iluna?" The head priest blurted out my name.

I ignored him.

My eyes are on Vira who has just awakened, sitting up from the bed, the sheets covered her legs, her eyes half-closed.

The color on her face is drained and pale. She is wearing a white one piece with long sleeves and her hair is disheveled. Her trademark low ponytail is loosened. With those tired and baggy eyes, she looks completely different from the usual Vira Ninehearts. She looks so.... fragile right now albeit being beautiful as always.

"Vira." Her name escaped my lips without my own consent.

My voice caught her attention and she turns to me. "Luna?" Her eyes would have widened even more if it wasn't for her exhausted state.

Without minding my surroundings, I threw myself into her embrace. She gently received me and wrapped her arms around me. Although her skin feels cold, I can only felt warmth from her embrace.

"Thank the Spirits....." I said while sniffling from our reunion. "You're back." I was sobbing and crying into her chest.

"I'm back, Luna." She said softly and return a warm smile.

With no more distance between us, I saw the state she is in. Bandaged wrapped all over her body and her face bore a few scars but nothing some magic couldn't handle. I slowly brush my hand across her cheek, tracing the scars on her face...

You must been through a lot.... again.

"What's the meaning of this?" I heard one of the high priests called out. "Who gives you the permission to intrude upon us."

I have been so worried that I have forgotten my manners. As I was about to apologize for my misconduct, Vira shot a glance at the priest with an awful looking long hat.

"I did." She said. Even though she looks tired, her voice is as strong as always. "If you have any dispute about it, the door is that way."

The high priest made some startled noise but ends up being quiet after that.

With that settled, I turn my eyes back to Vira and her eyes met mine.

Huh? Something's wrong. Her eyes.... they look sad.... sadder than usual.

The expedition. It must have gone terribly wrong. Of course it did.

"Are you okay?"

"I am now." She told me but her voice is faltering.

"What's wrong?"

She kept silent but her lips are trembling and so is her clenched fist.

The atmosphere in the room became heavy. Blood lust is emanating from her.

"Vira!" I called out to her.

She broke out of her daze and the pressuring atmosphere disappears. She cast her sight back at me. "I'm.... I'm sorry."

"What happened?" I asked, worryingly.

"The whole party is dead." The head priest told me. "Captain Vira is the sole survivor from the unfortunate chaos."

Chaos? This is more than just a chaos.

One of the knights sighed. A woman. She's an elite knight, Naril. A dual wielder of longswords. "I knew this would happen. It only make sense that the captain is the only one who made it out of there alive. I mean, come on. Such a weak party and small expedition for such a large dungeon? What was the king thinking?"

One of the knights beside Naril reprimanded her for her crude words.

I disagree with Naril though. I doubt the king is thinking at all.

"No." Vira denied which drew all the room's gaze to her. "I was simply fortunate. I have resolved to die while fighting.... a monster but.... it was mere luck that I am granted salvation."

"To think a monster could give Captain Vira such a hard time." One of the knights muttered silently but my keen Elven ears caught it.

"What kind of monster is it?" The head priest asked.

Vira look up at the ceiling and tilt her head. The sorrowful expression never left her face. She then looks at the head priest. "I don't know. It is unlike anything I have ever encountered before."

"A demon?" Someone asked.

"No. Not a demon. I wish it was a demon. Things would have been easier if it is."

Everyone in the room froze at her words, so did I.

Demons are monsters with great power and always brought destruction in their wake. They are an existence that must be absolutely destroyed. Yet, Vira wished that the monster was a demon.

Just what did you face down there?

"But it's not a demon. It's something much worse than a demon. It is not of this world. Not even Fang could hurt it." Then she blinked while staring into blank. I recognized this habit of hers. She always does this when she remembered something she has forgotten. "Was there a weapon with me when I was found?" an abrupt question came from her.

"A weapon?" Naril looks dumbfounded.

"A lance. Two meters in length."

"No.... The girl who found you didn't see anything else but you."

"The girl?"

"She claims to be from the village near the river where you were found. She was the one who found you lying unconscious on the riverbank."

A faint smile spread across Vira's lips. She looks so beautiful with that smile. "I would like to thank the girl for her deeds, if I have the time."

"Actually...." Naril was stuttering.

"What is it?"

"The girl is actually right outside the room now. She insisted on staying by your side. "

"Oh? Why is that?"

"She said she is acquainted with you."

What? Acquainted? What's the meaning of this, Vira? Did you....

"She was very persistent about not leaving your side."

Vira noticed my glare and smiled. "It's nothing." She said and brushes my hair. She then turns to Naril. "May I see her?"

"Of course, Captain Vira." The female knight bowed and motioned the guard knight standing by the door. Seconds later, a girl around my age, in human years, walked into the room.

The girl has short and black bob-cut hair. It was the girl who made some boorish remarks of me.

She can't be said to be a beauty but the charm of her face can be consider a little bit above average. She wears a very typical one piece clothing befitting of a village girl. She's a bit shorter than my height.

"First you forced me into a double suicide," The girl has a very odd speech pattern and... wait... double suicide? What's the meaning of this?

I glare at Vira but she didn't notice. Her eyes are fixated on the girl.

Oh no.... is this.... no, it couldn't be....

"then I have to expend so much magic within me to save your ass. And now, I'm not even allow the grace to see you, milady?"

"Oi. Watch your tongue, girl!" One of the high priest warned but the girl splendidly paid no attention to it.

Naril seems amused by the girl's behavior.

Milady? Is she an attendant of Vira? But she doesn't look the part. Isn't she suppose to be just some villager?

Vira is still staring at the girl with an unfaltering gaze. I can tell Vira's judging the girl.

The girl sighed while posing like a noble girl would. "To make such a maiden like me to go through so much. Hai~ Why did I choose such a woman to be my -- milady." The girl shook her head like "it can't be helped".

All the knights in the room are on the verge of exploding with fury from the girl's crude speeches and conducts.

"Nyx?" Vira said an unfamiliar name.

"In the flesh, milady." The girl said and bowed like a noble lady.

"How?" Vira asked. "I wasn't aware you could assume such form."

"I wasn't either but you weren't waking up. So I resorted to this option at the expense of a tremendous of amount of Mana. Hmm.... Did I made my chest too modest or should I make it the size of milady? Yours are just perfect. Not too small, not too big."

The room went quiet from the girl, Nyx's last sentence.

WHO THE FUCK IS THIS GIRL?

Vira sighed. "Everyone. This here is Runyx." She introduced. "Nyx, if you don't mind, can you show them your true bare form?"

"Bare form?" The girl named Runyx tilts her head while repeating Vira's words.

B...bare f...form? Wh....what...?

Nyx wrapped her arms around her body and wriggles. "Oh my~~ Milady, I wasn't aware you're such a bold tease." The girl said in a very seductive manner.

What's with this girl?

In a second, blood lust floods the room once again.

Nyx shrieked and steps away from Vira. "Sorry, milady. Forgive me." She immediately bowed down.

And the room returned back to normal. "Now. Properly." Vira said.

Nyx nodded and her whole body shone like the sun. When the lights died down, in the girl's place is a two meter long lance, floating on the floor.

Wow....

Such beautiful and elegant design.... is the girl perhaps.....

"As you all can see, this is her true form. She is a sentient-living weapon. I found her in the dungeon. She helped me a great deal in subjugating the monster."

So that's the reason. Wow.... Thank the Nines. That boy was enough.

"Which reminds me, what happened to Aedrox?" Vira asked a odd question at Runyx.

"Um.... Not sure. I was also out for a while when you attempted that double suicide." In her true form, voice came out from wherever the voice is coming out from.

"Then it could still be alive?"

"That is a hundred percent possibility. If it died from just that, then we wouldn't have needed to seal him in the past."

"I see." Vira said and went quiet. She is looking down at where our hands intertwined. Tears dropped onto our hands.

"Vira?"

She was crying. Even I, the closest person to Vira, had never seen her cry before.

"Hyx.... He...."

"Hyx? What... what about him?" Is apparent that Hyx is also a victim of the dungeon but the way she said his name, something is off about it.

Hyx Atlas, an exiled noble from a Duke house. The Valerius household is a long line of prominent mages and knights. The rumor was that Hyx is a blank from the direct line and which was why he was exiled, to prevent him from tarnishing the good name of the family.

Only few knows this privilege information. I didn't know of it originally but Hyx easily answered me nonchalantly when I asked him nonchalantly.

With no where to go, the boy came to the Nines to find a sense of purpose or maybe a family.

Despite being denied a bright future, he was always smiling. He always has a bright perspective at the darkest times. It was him that made me understand what kind of person Vira is.

Personally, I enjoy his company but we would have been best of friends if he wasn't aiming for Vira too. His advances were subtle, in a certain sense, and calculated, in a certain way, as oppose to mine but in the end, I was the winner. Sometimes, I felt like he let me win but I might just be feeling pity for him. Although I won, he didn't change in any sort of way with how he acted around Vira.

And I also know that Vira is quite fond of him but I wasn't sure Vira holds the same feeling. It couldn't be, right?

I was surprised when Hyx made Vira burst out laughing at one occasion. It infuriates me so much but I also come to respect him even more. To made a person like Vira to laugh, truly an oddball.

"What happened to Hyx?" I asked.

"He died but.... he didn't find peace."

Vira's voice.... it feels like it could break at any moment. Her grip on my hands even tightened.

"A Mimic has taken his appearance and voice. A Skinwalker, most likely." Vira told me with a trembling voice.

And this is another closely guarded secret. Only me and a very few people knows of Vira's tragic and dark past. And even fewer people knows that Vira's dark past is made darker by a Mimic.

He may be my love rival but he is still a good person and someone I respect. Like Vira, I can't stomach the fate that befell on him.

"Vira...."

"I know. I know." She assures me.

After those words, she gently shoves me aside and tries to get off the bed. The knights around her immediately tried to stop her.

"Captain, please, don't get up yet. You're far from being in a moving condition. The alchemist said you need at least two day's rest before you can walk."

With heavy breaths, she said "This is not the time for me to rest." She steeled her voice. That's the Vira I know.

With just her glare, the knights flinched away and make way for her. None of them dared to oppose her when she's this angry.

"Vira, please." but not me. "You're still...."

When I tried to implore her to stay in bed, she turns around and kiss me on the lips.

EH???

Everyone in the room wore the same expression as me.

It was never a secret regarding my relationship with Vira but we have never openly show it in the public. Until now.

It wasn't just some light kiss on the lips. It is a deep one with tongue contact filled with passion.

When our lips parted, a gleaming silver string formed between us.

"Forgive me, Luna but this is important." She then shifted her eyes to the head priest. "I need to speak to the Cardinal."

"Wh...."

"Now."

"But...."

"A simple magic link will do. I just need to speak to him. It's important."

As Vira was about to leave the room, I grabbed her hands. I feel like she would disappear again, which is why I grabbed her hands.

"Vira.... What's going on? Why do you insist....."

"I'm sorry. This is important."

More important than me? Is what I want to ask that but I know it's just simply pathetic if I did. I cast my gaze down as tears gather on the edge of my eyes.

The firm and long fingers of Vira, they touched my chin, she lifted my face up. "Forgive me but this is truly important." She said as she wiped the tears away with thumbs.

"How important?" I asked.

"The fate and future of the Sagax race depends on it. That important."

The whole room gasped at her words.

"No way...."

"How...."

"Impossible....."

Such words are tossed around.

"And a great war is imminent." Vira said and walked out of the room as she shoulders the lance on her back.

Before she went out from my sight, she graced me with her brightest smile.

And she was gone.

At that moment, I didn't realize that this would be the last time I would ever saw a genuine smile from her.