Weeping Dream

Prologue

(27 Years Ago...)

 The hill was drowning under the reddish hue of the seven blood moons. Three figures were positioned there– one standing atop the hill, and the other two holding their ground at the bottom.

"This is it, Noah," Vincent shouted, fingers laced with a dark-haired woman. "Soon you'll be gone, and the world will be free from your terror."

"Terror?" The tall figure pulled their long hair back and released it again into the wind. "Well, that's disappointing. I was under the impression that we were all just starting to get along... alas," they focused their sharp gaze onto Vincent, then slowly shifted it to the woman. "I should have been more careful about who I trusted." A head shake. A smile, a laugh.

Vincent didn't return the smile. "We're going to take you down. I will be Lunae's hero, the greatest savior in the land of the moons."

"Such boring last words," Noah released a sigh of disappointment. "I expected more from you, hero." They chuckled to themselves before straightening their posture. "Well then, I'm ready. Take me down."

The warrior hesitated. Was this a trick? Certainly not. His free hand tightened into a ball of fury. For my family, he thought, for my life and my future and my glory. There was no way he was going to risk his kingdom for a simple bluff. He turned to the girl next to him. "Alright, my love. Do it now."

The girl looked from him to Noah with her sharp blue eyes and nodded. They both turned to Noah with fierce stances, knowing they would finally silence the monster. She slipped a light green stone out of the pocket, dropping Vincent's hand and stepping forward.

"Azora," Noah emitted a warning tone, but didn't move from their place. "You're not really going to do this, are you?"

"I don't remember telling you to talk. We're done. You're trapped. You're standing in my domain now." Azora smiled up to the moons that glowed down, staining her skin with their crimson light. "It's so nice, being in the presence of all of my glorious moons. The moons only line up like this once every 27 years, you know..." She advanced forward calmly. "It's been far too long since I've felt so... powerful."

"Darling, I'm not sure if you have all the knowledge you need in order to understand. They've hurt us, these people. They see us only as witches. Demons. They don't want us to be good; they just want to control us. Use us as weapons of war just so they can tear each other apart. You're choosing them over me?" Noah took a step forward towards her. "You're choosing him over us?"

"Of course I am," she replied. "What makes you think you can change my mind?"

"Absolutely nothing," Noah mused back. "Although, you can still persuade yourself. Think about it, for but a moment. We could become the strongest power in all of Lunae. We could reunite the kingdoms once more. We could be at peace again. We can resist. We can rule."

"Azora, don't listen to them!" Vincent cried, pleading. "They're just trying to manipulate you!"

She turned only her head back and offered him a smile. "I know, dear. Don't you worry." She followed her eyes back to face Noah. "You speak of these murderous roles we're forced into, but yet here I stand, facing you, a will of my own. There will be others like us someday, you know. Younglings born with powers greater than anything they could ever dream of." Silence. "If they're raised in a world of rage, they will grow into the weapons you fear."

"I believe I'm taking the wrong message," Noah let out an annoyed breath. "Because right now it seems like you're actually about to give up on me."

"Noah," She shook her head. "I tried to save you before, but I can't if you don't want to be saved. I don't hate you. I never have, and I don't think I ever can. But I can't trust you." She raised the green stone into the moonlight.

"Azora, no--"

The moonlight drizzled up and away from the grass, embracing Noah in a tight hug of restraint. They shouted out in protest, fighting the bindings.

"It's so much stronger..." Azora breathed in the scent of the woods, letting the light flow through her. "I feel so alive." She exhaled, shaking the evergreen trees around them. "But this power cannot control us. We must control it. I don't think you're wicked; just lost."

"Stop it!" Noah roared in anguish. They fought the restraints as if they were being burned. Warm blood fell from their newly grown wounds, meeting the moonlight's swirling pattern around them.

Azora shot them an apologetic look. Not a torn one, not crumbling with sorrow or regret, but an understanding one. "Noah, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Then they fell into the stone, the green prison in Azora's hand shone with a magnificent fury. It burned and raged, but the jewel did not shatter. Like a dying flame, the glowing object gave up as if it accepted defeat. The moon's burning red faded, finally the night of power was over. The hill was still as it was, trees and grass left to swaying slowly in the dark.

Azora turned around to face Vincent. "It's done," she spoke softly. "We're safe."

Vincent hid his widened eyes and shook his head to the grass. "Not yet. We must hide it. Hide it in a place where no one shall find it. A cage, perhaps. A box. We could destroy it. We can send it to a stronger kingdom, where they can look after it and lock it up, guarded, so Noah will remain captured for eternity."

"No," Azora clutched the green cage in her fist. "We can't trust anyone else with this. We should hide it among our people."

"We are of the weakest kingdom. How do you expect our people to defend themselves?"

"If we guard it, it's only destined to be retrieved. Danger is attracted to the most protected things. So, we shouldn't guard it."

"I'm not sure I follow, love."

"We need to hide it. It can become a legend at most, but the power of the sky should be forgotten." Azora pressed, "We'll make sure it's hidden in the place everyone should least expect. The gentle river in the calmest kingdom. Even our own people need not know."

Vincent had other questions, and Azora could see them in his eyes. But she shot him a look that said, not here, not now. So he kept silent, and he waited. And he waited a very long time.

He was afraid, yes, to leave such a dangerous spirit unguarded, but his trust in Azora was stronger than his fear. 

The stone was tossed to the mercy of their river. They were great heroes, greater than many before them, but they not recognized as such. Vincent continued serving the king, and Azora swore never again to use her power to harm others, no matter ರ_ರ what. She learned to conceal it, and lived on as if it were forgotten. Years passed, memories made, lives lost, but the world carried on, unaware of the monster they were saved from.

Then one bitter night, leaving nothing but a note, Azora disappeared.

Vincent read it and wept for a very long time, each word left lingering in his dying mind until he was called by the royals to fight as general of the Green River army. He came home when he could, bruised and stricken with regret, always hoping to see Azora standing by the front door with a warm smile on her face. Always met only with her unmoved possessions, and now bitter memories. He traveled to the hill where they defeated Noah as often as possible wishing to see her lying there, gazing up at the golden moons.

When Green River was at war with the kingdom of East Wind, he fought.

Every time he was wounded, his pain was both numbed and strengthened by the thought of Azora. He wondered where she was. If she needed help. If she still cared about him. If she was planning to return. If she had moved on. Yet still, he waited.

He waited too long, however; He lost his life on the battlefield and went down in history as the hero of Green River before he ever saw his love again.

First post, yes! I've been waiting so long to be able to post this story. I've been dwelling too much on details. Please enjoy my imperfect story, Weeping Dream, flaws and tears and all! :)

<3 LunaeBee