The Luna Destiny
Dying Star

Aran Luna stabbed Nevall through his heart, with her Celestial Blade, as he fell to the floor, she took the remainder of his Crystalla essence for her own. It had been a long and bloody battle, the Celestial Blade faded as Aran fell to her knees and looked at the skies above, cherry blossom petals blew past her, landing in the pool of blood that surrounded Nevall.

In the distance, the winds blew past the Dairyou Temple, a temple located on the coast of the nation of Inchaya. Abyssia was propped up nearby, by a spear that had gone through her chest, blood dripped from her mouth as she gazed at Aran.

"Aran..." Abyssia groaned. Aran snapped out of her daze, and struggled to her feet, she ran over to Abyssia.

"Abyssia... you're hurt..." She frowned.

"This, this is the end of the road for me, Aran" Abyssia smiled softly, as she brushed the hair from Aran's face.

"No, you can't die here, you're the Celestial Harbinger, you and Lumina are eternal, you can't die!" Aran reasoned. Abyssia nodded back, with a pained smile on her face.

"Lumina... died" Abyssia groaned.

"Died? How can you know that?" Aran asked, angrily, refusing to accept what Abyssia was saying.

"She died... two years ago now" Abyssia shook her head. Tears began to stream down Aran's face.

"I..." Aran began.

"I know, Aran, I've always known" Abyssia smiled, and stroked Aran's face. "I've always felt the same, I want you to know that, Aran. I loved you, wholeheartedly. Lumina did too. You awakened us" Abyssia nodded. Aran nodded, and kissed Abyssia, before stroking the hair from Abyssia's face.

"I don't know what I'll do without you..." Aran sniffed, as she cried.

"You do, Aran" Abyssia smiled, and winked slightly. "You have to replace... Roisin, join her, and fulfil your destiny" She groaned, in pain. Aran nodded, as she wiped tears from her eyes.

Abyssia smiled as the sun shone upon Aran.

"The skies have cleared and the sun is shining, I'm glad we got this moment..." She said weakly. Aran nodded and held Abyssia's hand tightly.

"I love you, I love you so much..." Aran cried, Abyssia smiled, before the life slowly drained from her eyes, and the aether of the Dark Crystal flowed into Aran.

Silence filled the area, as Aran stood alone in amongst the trees, she cast her eyes up to the sky and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry I failed you, Abyssia" She murmured. She cast her eyes to the temple, and took a deep breath, but the exhaustion got to her, and she collapsed onto the floor and passed out.

When she awoke, she was inside a small room, with bandages around her arms. A monk was sat nearby, cleansing a bloody cloth.

"Ah, you've awoken" The monk smiled.

"I... where am I?" Aran asked.

"Dairoyu Temple" He replied, with a polite nod. "We found you outside, after you fought that chaotic man, you collapsed in exhaustion" He explained.

"I see..." Aran sat up, and groaned as a pain shot from her ribs.

"You sustained some bad injuries, but you will live" The monk smiled.

"I need to bury my friend..." Aran said, as she struggled, to get up. The monk walked over to help her stand.

"We already took care of that, please rest" He cautioned.

"Then I need to go to the Eastern Continent..." Aran shook her head. "I can't rest" She added. The monk gave her a polite smile and shook his head.

"Please, rest for a couple of days, in the meantime we will arrange passage to the capital and from there you can get passage to Ishtall" The monk explained.

"Ishtall? I thought..." Aran began.

"My, how long have you been away?" The monk interrupted, as he helped Aran rest on a nearby chair.

"It's reopened?" Aran groaned as she sat back.

"It is part of the new nation of Aodhan now, joined with the city of Sanctuary" The monk explained. "However, that is all that remains of the Eastern Continent, or at least the rumours say" He added.

"She must be there..." Aran nodded.

"Hmm, you seek someone?" The monk asked.

"Yeah, my... ancestor... no, what's it called when it's the opposite way around?" Aran asked.

"Perhaps progeny, descendant?" The monk chuckled with a hearty laugh.

"Yeah, that" Aran smiled.

"I see, sounds complicated, and something that will require rest" The monk nodded.

"Right, I get it, I'll rest" Aran nodded, with a laugh.

"Good" The monk smiled, as he walked back to the other side of the room. Aran looked outside and watched the cherry blossoms blowing in the setting sun. Images of blood and petals from the tree flashed violently in her mind as she did.