"How much time remaining?" Aaric asked.
Luna's smile dimmed a little as she replied softly, "Two days…"
Aaric sighed. "I'm sorry… I left you alone for two days. Something…" He scratched his head, avoiding her eyes. He didn't want to worry her by telling her about Arkem.
Luna looked down. "It's okay, you can't just entertain me for a whole week whenever we enter the Dreamlands," she said, smiling at him but the loneliness she had felt still lingered behind that smile.
Aaric stepped closer and lifted her chin. "That's not true. I love exploring infinity with you," he said, his thumb brushing her cheek.
Luna wrapped her arms around his neck. "So… I'm not holding you back?" she asked quietly.
Aaric shook his head furiously. "No, not at all. It's just something happened that I can't tell you about," he said, hugging her waist as she leaned against his chest and hummed softly.
"It's my fault for making you think that," he said, kissing her forehead. Luna gave him a genuine smile that lit him up in return.
"That's the smile I was waiting for," Aaric said, smiling back, and she hugged him tightly.
"I stumbled upon something interesting," he said after a pause.
Luna looked up. "What is it?"
"The Sands of Morpheus you have, they can help manifest gods from here into our world," Aaric said, and Luna's eyes widened.
She glanced toward the tree. "Then we're fortunate to have found it," she said, and Aaric hummed in agreement.
"It might have saved us a lot of trouble by hiding your wings," Aaric added, looking at her delicate, fairy-like wings.
Luna leaned against his chest again, worry flickering across her face. 'I might be putting him in danger' she thought.
Aaric caught her expression and cupped her face. "Don't worry. You remember the goddess we met before, right?" She nodded.
"She'll protect you if any god finds out and I think you should have your own protection as well," he said, raising his hand as a silver scale manifested on his palm.
Luna gazed at it curiously.
"This will allow you to connect with a god you might be compatible with," Aaric explained.
Luna slowly took the scale and placed it over her chest, where it was absorbed into her skin.
She waited a moment, then looked at him questioningly. Aaric smiled. "It's not immediate, but your body's likely adapting, growing stronger right now." Luna nodded at the explanation.
Then she took his hand and led him a little farther from the tree. "I want to show you something," she said.
After stopping, she covered his eyes with her hands and tilted his head up.
When she removed them, Aaric saw a massive mechanical sphere floating above the golden tree.
'How did I not notice it before?' he thought.
"Velka said she's using it as a base for the protection of our island," Luna said, standing in front of him.
Aaric stared at the enormous structure in awe, his mouth slightly open. Luna giggled at his expression.
He sighed, reached out, and pinched her cheeks stretching and molding them into different shapes until she smacked his hand and pouted.
Then he noticed one of the fruits on the tree wiggle and fall. Moving closer, Luna followed.
They stood side by side as the fruit turned red, then burst into flames. Steam hissed around them, and the temperature rose.
Aaric instinctively stepped in front of Luna as a humanoid shape began to form within the smoke distinctly female.
When the haze cleared, a girl emerged seemingly two years younger than Luna. She wore obsidian glass armor and had crimson skin with pitch-black, coal-like hair.
Though her features were those of an eleven-year-old, she was as tall as Aaric. Her crystalline blue eyes shone with curiosity as she approached.
The heat faded as she consciously stilled her aura.
She smiled, raised her hand, and began gently patting Aaric's head.
Aaric looked mildly amused and let her continue.
"Can you give me a name too?" she asked after a minute.
Aaric glanced at Luna, who crossed her arms. "Don't ask me I'm no good at that."
Aaric shrugged. "Does Iggnesia work?"
The girl smiled brightly and nodded. "Iggnesia it is," she said, then glanced at the tree before looking up. "Is my sister there?"
Aaric nodded.
He scratched his head awkwardly. "I don't have a better way to ask… what are you?"
Iggnesia smiled and poked his nose. "I am an Ashborn Djinn," she said.
Aaric blinked. "So… you grant wishes?"
She tilted her head. "I can, some of them. If you command me, I can temper souls, burn away trauma… and your enemies too."
Aaric raised an eyebrow, glancing between her and Luna. "How does tempering a soul work?"
"Souls have fire," she said thoughtfully. "I can purify that fire in turn tempering the soul itself."
Then she looked at him again. "I'm not strong enough to do that for you yet. But I can do it for her," she said, nodding toward Luna.
"Will it be painful?" Aaric asked.
She shook her head.
Aaric nodded and, with a teasing grin, picked Luna up and presented her to Iggnesia like a doll. "She's all yours."
Luna blushed scarlet and covered her face with her hands.
Iggnesia nodded seriously. Aaric set Luna down. Luna tried to bite his hand, while Aaric dodged.
Aaric stopped when he saw golden fire bloom between Iggnesia's palms.
Aaric yelped when Luna actually bit his shoulder. He knocked her lightly on the head and pointed to the flame. Luna rubbed her head, blushing, and walked up to Iggnesia.
"Sorry about that," she muttered.
Iggnesia shook her head. "You were just showing affection to each other," she said kindly.
The golden flames flowed into Luna's chest, and she trembled slightly a blissful smile forming on her face.
Then Iggnesia turned and lightly bit Aaric's shoulder.
Aaric blinked. "Why are you doing that?"
"Isn't that how you show affection?" she asked innocently.
Aaric tilted his head. 'So that's why she was patting my head and poking my nose' he thought.
He sighed and pinched her cheek. "You've got much to learn," he said, before moving to check on Luna for any discomfort.
A/n: power stones and reviews.