"Well, interesting story..." Ayren sighed, feeling his rage growing, as he had no idea where Loon was going. "You gave me some answers, I won't wipe your village then."

"How lucky." the chief said laughing innocently and feeling a big weight off his chest "What are you going to do now with the Moon's Herald?"

"With Loon?" Ayren looked at the chief "I have no interest in keeping him with me, he's an immortal, he belongs to the nature order, nothing that matters to me." he replied with an obvious tone.

"Legendary swordsman... Have you thought about the fact... One of the reasons you're cursed, might be for him?" Ayren's eyes widened as he turned to look at the chief, who continued speaking. "It makes sense... Maybe he knows how to help you with your curse."

"No, my curse is my only... Everyone who had it, died by my hands.... Yet my sword can't kill me." he said with a crazy smile "I am not looking anymore for escapes or reasonable plans... I am the one who's going to bring death till I meet someone who's able to defeat me."

"And you walk along with a life bringer... How interesting."

"Not anymore, I am leaving him here."

The chief looked surprised as Ayren was simply walking out the tent like he had done what he wanted to.

"Oh? You're not going to... be with him? Haven't you thought of how many people will try to imprison him again? We can't protect him."

"He can protect himself without anyone's help if he really doesn't want to be chained again." Ayren said before leaving and opening up his eyes once he heard some people shouting.

"What's going on?" the chief called out as he rushed toward a group of villagers who had gathered, trying to see what was happening.

Ayren walked annoyed, he actually wanted to leave the village but wanted also to say at least a goodbye to Loon for some reasons.

"Are you the key to his strength?! I heard from my father just now! Why are you giving him strength to a demon like him?!"

Ayren's eyes widened when he heard Leo's voice and the sound of thuds. Pushing people aside to clear a path, he saw Leo and his group surrounding Loon, who had his back to them, his gaze fixed on the lively village camps in the distance.

Butterflies were flying nearby the plants; birds were singing, and the sound of the river was almost like it was listening to Loon's mind.

Leo and a few men brandished rusty swords, attempting to threaten Loon. In response, Loon slowly turned, casting a sidelong glance at them, calm yet unsettling.

"I made that mistake once... I won't do it again." he said calmly to then flinch as Leo came closer to him to then raise his sword.

"That demon, if you die, will he die also?"

"LEO!" the chief shouted his name and Leo gnashed his teeth.

"Father! I am not willing to fear him anymore! He's the reason he's so strong if what you say is true!" he shouted, and the chief sighed annoyed next to Ayren, who was almost amused by the sight of Loon being targeted by those villagers.

"It's almost cute to see you're trying to get any way to weaken me... I am sorry but I am strong with my own hands only, I don't need anyone else's power." Ayren commented with an evil smile, but Leo shook his head as if he didn't want to believe it was true. There had to be something that was making him so powerful.

He did hate the fact everyone was submitting to his presence, even his father was enjoying a tea when everyone in other villages did picture him as a true villain, a monster.

"Well, then you won't care if I hurt this outsider to check, right?" Leo taunted, his tone smug. Ayren glanced at Loon, who remained apathetic, seemingly indifferent to the threat. Loon's blue eyes were focused on his own hands, where a soft, blue mana flowed, pulsing to a melody only he could hear.

"Do what you want." Ayren said "It's not my problem". He smiled, he couldn't wait for Loon to actually counterattack, he did hope to see him fighting and show him some of the great power everyone thought he had, even himself.

But he wanted to die once he noticed Leo kicking him, making him fall on his knees to then raise his blue eyes, lost and apathetic towards the chief son, who raised his sword.

"He's not... going to fight even when threatened?" Ayren whispered to himself in disbelief at the scene "This is seriously..."

Leo swung his sword, aiming for Loon's shoulder, but both his and Loon's eyes widened in shock as they saw the blade pierce Ayren's shoulder instead. The swordsman had stepped in, placing himself between them to protect the immortal, his expression unflinching despite the pain.

"Are you really not going to do anything?" Ayren gnashed his teeth as his red eyes were locked on the worried ones of Loon, who sighed, looking away for a moment.

"Why have you stepped in...?" he asked and Ayren stood up, to then turn and extract the blade out of his shoulder.

"Do another of these useless attacks and I am going to murder you," Ayren said to Leo to then turn back to Loon "I told you I kill whoever tries to fight weak people, and what's making me mad is that you are not weak but you let yourself in these situations."

"I don't want to hurt..." Loon said to then lay on the ground under Ayren's puzzled stare. The swordsman noticed how the dragon still had his eyes teary and sore "It's not my role. Ah..." he covered his own eyes with the long sleeve of his hanfu "I even failed in my only duty... What is it then...?"

Ayren tilted his head having no idea how to take the image he had in front. "Are you seriously getting in an existential crisis? An immortal shouldn't behave like this, unless you're planning to look ridiculous in front of them." the swordsman pointed the finger at the villagers now staring at the two with puzzled stare.

Loon didn't even move the sleeve off his own eyes, but Ayren could notice the lips sealed for a moment showing off how grumpy he was at that comment "You talk about behavior when you don't even know how to speak without threatening people." he muttered to then sigh and try to calm his own heart, filled with regrets.

"Touché" Ayren couldn't help but let out a little laugh, surprised by that bold and direct comment.
"Are you going to stay there forever?" he asked, crouching down and almost reaching his cheeks to pinch him. The immortal's eyes were lost in the sky as if he wanted to simply shut everything around him..

Loon sighed "Why are you asking?"

Ayren rolled his eyes and leant closer to Loon, who looked at him surprised "Because you're an immortal, and you're letting a mere mortal step on you almost... I didn't bring you here to become someone's puppet again."

At those words, Loon clenched his teeth, pushing himself up until he was face-to-face with Ayren. Ayren smiled wickedly. "Oh? You're waking up?" he teased, his eyes glinting with dark amusement.

"I am not a puppet, and I won't... kill, I am a life keeper not destroyer." he then looked at his bleeding shoulder and sighed "You're wounded."

"Gods." Ayren was feeling mad. He stood up under Loon's curious stare.

"Old man." Ayren called the chief, while his eyes were locked on Loon's ones "Do you have a spare tent? We're going to stay for the night."

"Yay!" Meredith jumped on spot under the villagers' terrified stares.

"NO!" Leo shouted.

"Alright!" the chief smiled happily "Prepare a tent for our guests!"

Once the two entered the tent, Ayren untied his upper coat and let out a heavy sigh. He ran a hand through his long dark hair and then noticed Loon lying on the bed, which was nothing more than sheets spread out on the floor. Loon looked utterly exhausted.

"What's your plan?" Ayren asked as he sat in front of the dragon that had his tail moving slowly. Loon turned his head to look at the swordsman and closed his eyes.

"What's yours?" he asked and Ayren bit his lips, like that man even when tired was making him nervous.

"You know it already."

"Then why are you still here?" He asked as he locked his blue eyes into his ones.

Ayren glanced at the chains around Loon's neck. "I almost forgot." He stood up to retrieve his sword from its cover. Loon opened his eyes as he saw Ayren's ones glowing a terrifying red, the tips of his hair and the blade seemingly enchanted with his own mana..

"Do not move." He said with a scary smile as he positioned himself for a strong strike.

"Wait, no!"

Ayren tilted his head "What? I am not killing you, I just want to destroy the chains as I promised."

"No, don't do it."

Ayren felt confused and Loon looked at him as he did rest his position and let his sword back to its cover.

He sat again in front of the dragon. Ayren rested the chin on his own palm, as his eyes were locked on his figure.

"No." the swordsman said after some minutes of silence, shrugging at his own thoughts, making Loon raise his eyebrow, confused by that casual comment.

"No what?"

"I don't get what's wrong with you." Ayren replied, making Loon show a grumpy stare at that answer "Why don't you want the chains to be destroyed?" he asked confused.

"Because it means we're going to seriously part ways, I won't see you anymore." Loon looked at him, "I don't want to stay here."

"Where do you think I am going? Anywhere better?" He asked and Loon shook his head

"No, but you're the only one I trust."

"You shouldn't trust me either," Ayren replied, causing Loon to feel lost once more. "Why would you even do it?" He laughed, his red eyes glowing with an unsettling light.

"You didn't care who I was, and you never asked anything of me... Humans demand..." Loon stared into the distance, lost in thought. "Humans always take and rarely give back."

Ayren looked at Loon and laughed a little, "I am a monster but a human too."

Loon got closer to Ayren, who raised his eyebrow "Exactly, but you're different!" he smiled a little.

"Tell me the truth, you're an immortal, you've been living in this world for a long time, but why do you look so... naive towards humans?" Ayren crossed his arms and looked at him as if he wasn't believing he was truly that naïve or innocent. Loon's eyes and way to behave normally was looking so pure and clueless. Was it maybe his only way to be because he was a God connected to the pure nature so he wasn't aware of many of the despicable things evil people might have wished to do to him?

Loon looked at Ayren, to then lean closer to the swordsman who opened up his eyes when he noticed his hands on the shoulders and his face close.

"If immortals don't show mercy, who will?" Loon whispered. "I'm not naive; I just hope..." His eyes glowed a beautiful blue, and for a moment, Ayren felt as if he were being engulfed by magic, a sensation that made him feel light as a feather. It brought a cold breeze and the warmth of spring sunlight, momentarily lifting the weight of his dark past memories. His hands trembled as Loon reached toward the blood-stained piece of fabric where the swordsman had been hurt because of him.

Ayren closed his eyes for a moment, like he was totally getting into his beautiful magic, but he then reacted and opened up his eyes, seeing blue mana moving like sea waves around them and once Loon did distance himself he got back to lay on the bed sheets, yawning.

Ayren looked at his shoulder, and sighed "Did you really use your mana to heal me?"

"Yes, it was because of me so I felt in debt." Loon explained with an obvious tone, curling up a little, like he wanted to somehow rest a little..

"What... was that?" Ayren muttered, his gaze fixed on the lingering traces of Loon's mana still swirling around his wound, accelerating his regeneration. The sensation was overwhelming—an intoxicating blend of ecstasy and madness, stirring a ravenous hunger for more. His cursed nature responded violently, pushing him to the brink, threatening to unravel the fragile grip he had on his sanity.

"My mana, it's what the Emperor felt when I healed him from his sickness... If that night I..."

"You did... And I understand why he went insane for you."

Loon flinched once he saw Ayren getting his sword again to then strike in a fast movement the chains on his neck with just the powerful pressure of the hilt..

"No!" Loon felt a pang of hurt as he saw the chains shattered. Ayren crouched down and laid a finger on Loon's forehead. Loon met Ayren's gaze, which was calm yet serious. The swordsman's red eyes appeared frightening, yet Loon was unexpectedly moved by the gesture.

"Do not be attached to something that makes you go back to what hurt you in the past." he tickled his front like he was a child "You do not deserve chains, and I dare you to get imprisoned again, I would seriously think to kill you if that happens again."

Loon crossed his arms annoyed and Ayren laughed a little, recognizing the dragon he had to tag along with back to the forest.

"Are you bored of your task?" Ayren asked as he couldn't understand why Loon looked sad.

"My task is something I do with pleasure, but I have been used to meditating and keep doing it in my sanctuary, near a beautiful evergreen forest and a waterfall... That place now is forbidden to me as I do remember too much of my past."

"You have no one chasing you down, you can do whatever you want."

"Can I?" Loon smiled "Then I am coming with you, I am sure I will be entertained considering what happened in this village."

"Don't even think about it."Ayren laid his back against a little bookshelf as he was holding his sword and his eyes were still looking at the dragon.

"I want to see if the... territories are getting better, I want to see if my freedom is restoring what I destroyed with my mistake." Loon said and Ayren looked annoyed.

"You can see it without me, you may keep yourself away from me, and troubles hopefully." he said and Loon laughed a little.

"But with you it's more entertaining."

"I don't feel like being a babysitter as I fight... I get into fights easily during my travels." Ayren looked at Loon "I get you're feeling in debt that I did free you, but you're actually an immortal and you might have power, endless mana, whatever... But you haven't what I seek for.."

"What?"

"Money." he answered with an obvious tone, under Loon's embarrassed face "I live by the day and I can't take care of you... I don't want to take care of you."

"I never asked." Loon said with an annoyed tone, and Ayren laughed, teasing him a little.

"What did I do in the last few days?"

"Oh, shut up" Loon sighed "I was just... Ugh, I want to sleep. Will you sleep there?"

Ayren looked out the tent, seeing the night sky full of stars and the moon up high.

"Why do you want to follow me, Loon?" he asked after a moment of silence between the two "You should be afraid of me or even terrified. The fact you even see me as a knight makes me insane." he confessed as he laid a hand on his own head, frustrated.

Loon looked at him with a neutral stare "It's hard to change the way I see you, you helped me, you didn't kill innocent as far as I know... I usually feel it... The evil aura, everyone has it, every human has it, but yours is... My eyes see more than what those humans see, your aura is somewhat noble... nice."

"Nice?" Ayren asked, confused, feeling even a little offended, and Loon nodded.

"It's entertaining for an immortal like me." he said and Ayren looked at him, having no idea how to feel.

"Noisy." he mumbled under Loon's amused smile with his tail moving happily. "Although...." Ayren looked at him "When you gave power to the Emperor... Do you know what he could do?"

Loon raised his eyebrow "I don't know much... When he started to abuse my mana, I was forced to stay in the sanctuary till he imprisoned me."

Ayren looked at Loon's neck getting healed completely, and sighed heavily "Why this question?" he asked and Ayren shrugged.

"Nothing, tomorrow morning I will go, so I guess I am going to say goodbye now." Ayren said and Loon shook his head.

"No, I will say goodbye tomorrow."

"What if you oversleep like this morning?"

Loon looked at him with a smile before falling asleep under Ayren's surprised stare:

"I will wake up for sure."