Luminous panted heavily, kneeling to the ground as the teleportation have drained his mana to a great extent. Lania helped Luminous as she took the bag full of books.

"Penny! We're home!" Lania shouted in yet another excitement. She had to drag the bag since it was too heavy for her. Luminous didn't take another step and sat on the grassy ground instead, too tired to even wipe his own sweat.

She placed the bag on the small staircase that led to their front door and walked backed towards the tired man, pulling out the white handkerchief with an embroidered image of a Daffodil from her pocket. She kneeled beside him and gently wiped the sweat off his face.

"We could've just walked home instead. Look at you!" the young lady scolded Luminous and continued to wipe his sweat from his face and his arms.

"Being taken care of feels good. It makes me feel like a child."

"How you feel right now is basically what I've always felt whenever you have take care of me, Lumi."

"Is that so?"

"You didn't know?"

"No."

"Now you do."

Lania has grown. He's taken care of her for nearly 6 years now and he's proud of how she has become. She has learned how to be a great cook, learned how to make garments, how to fix herself to look simple yet elegant, learned how to have good manners and the list goes on. He didn't really credit himself on how she's grown. He's merely a supporter and a teacher, everything else was because of her.

"Your father must be proud right now."

"And which part of this young clumsy woman would he be proud of?"

"Everything, Lania."

"Really...?"

"Really."

He gently brushed back the fringes of her hair, closed his eyes and leaned forward towards her to give her forehead a tender, steady kiss. Her skin felt smooth like a baby's with the touch of his lips, reminiscing how a woman's skin felt within his touch for the first time.

"Ah, the delight of simple kiss", he thought. Somehow the kiss felt different from the usual kisses he gave her. The sudden desire made him want to do more and began to search for her temple and kissed her again, creating a faint ingressive click.

He kept gently kissing her. She stared into the blank space, not knowing what to do in this situation. Her body wanted to move her head away out of shock, but her mind betrayed her by not making even an inch of a movement.

But the man felt too exhausted, he grew more tired and couldn't control his body any longer. His lips parted; his head slowly dropped downwards her cheeks. With their lips nearly touching, she felt his breath brushing against her face, giving her a slight hint of warmth. The unconscious Luminous rested his head on her shoulder, making her tense slightly. Everything happened so fast that it staggered her, eventually painting her face bright red.

"What… was that?"

It took her a moment to snap and realized he already felt asleep and started to think that he must be really tired from their first journey together. She then dragged him into a position where he would be able to sleep comfortably on her lap.

The afternoon sun helped her to gaze at him while he slept peacefully, looking like an innocent child.

"How I wonder… this feels so different."

She gently moved the strands of his hair that slightly covered his face. She noticed how peaceful he slept, looking like a child finally resting after a whole afternoon worth playing in the field. From the bottom of her heart she smiled. It was another kind of smile, a smile similar to how she would feel fluttered from reading romantic novels. It was as if she was one of the heroines she knew, the scene that described where the heroines spent their time with their loved ones while it made their hearts beat fast as they looked as they studied their faces.

She thought the feeling would be the same when she would read the novels, only to realize that being the one in that scenario would feel much more intense, passionate. Getting immersed in that very moment, she began bending her back and kissed the side of his forehead. Remembering the way he kissed her just a few moments ago, a sudden urge within her wanted to do the same, wondering how it would feel like. She began to feel her heart beat fast along with the birds chirping in the background, she stooped over him, closed her eyes as her lips wandered through his cheeks like an adventurer finding its way to the end of the rainbow. She pulled her head back a little, she realized how handsome and charismatic he looked despite being able to see him almost every day for the past 6 years. Her eyes then wandered through his lips and traced them through the tip of her fingers.

"Why do I feel like… I've kissed him before?" she thought.

She leaned further as she tried reaching for his lips with hers but a sudden memory flashed inside her mind. A memory when she was younger, a memory where the first two years of her life with the man began. She snapped and pulled back her head.

"This feeling is so peculiar." She thought again as she continued to caress his silver hair, remembering the time she felt it for the first time and how every stroke felt so smooth when she first met him.

The sun had already set the moment Luminous opened his eyes. The evening summer was about to come, numerous fireflies began to fly within the grassy field from where they rested, flashing their light in a blinking pattern. He wondered why the ground seemed elevated and firm, only to realize he slept on Lania's lap. He figured she must have also been tired and kept his composure as to not wake her up. He slowly turned his body into a position where he could directly look at her face and held her hand on top of his chest.

You've grown into a fine woman, Lania. You are kind, intelligent and creative with the willingness to learn even with limited resources. You've never complained but deep inside I know you were disappointed whenever I had to leave you alone, causing you to be stuck here forever, turning you into a prisoner in our own home. My pessimism has caused me to not have faith in you, causing you to be deprived of new discoveries in life. But you have proven yourself to be capable and I'm sorry that I have been selfish. I'm sorry if it took me this long to gain back my confidence. I was too frightened to lose you, frightened that the people I treasure might disappear again. Your father would have done otherwise, that I realized, giving you all the freedom you can receive. And this time I'm willing to support you and give you everything you hope and wish for. This is my mission.

He kissed her hand and stood from where he laid. He looked at her again and smiled as he finally took the resolve to take one step further to protecting this newfound happiness.

His stomach began to grumble while waiting for Lania to wake up. He didn't want to shout at her and called her name in a calm manner but after a few times of calling her name, she still couldn't wake up. Feeling irritated and hungry, he flicked her forehead.

"H-huh…? Where's Lumi?" the young girl slowly opened her eyes.

"Lania, I'm hungry." Said Luminous looking solemn.

Lania was dumbfounded as she heard the voice and started to blush as she suddenly remembered what she did while he was sleeping.

"Why do you look surprised? And why are you blushing?"

Lania touched her face with both hands as they felt warmer than usual.

"N-nothing!"

"You seem strange today, Lania." he stood from the ground and offered his hand to hers

"I'm not!" the girl protested.

"If that's what you say. Let's go." He replied and sighs as he grabbed her hand gently and pulled her to stand. As they walked towards the house, Lania continued to blush, feeling embarrassed of what she has done earlier. She never meant to do that, the whole sudden attraction was never planned and now she feels awkward with Luminous holding her hand like he used to. She blamed herself from reading romantic novels for feeling that way, but a part of her blamed him for being so mysteriously captivating.

After they have taken their baths, Luminous sat on the sofa while Lania went to prepare their dinner. The young lady couldn't take her eyes off him, and suddenly the memory flashes in her thoughts again. Her eyes widened as she turned her attention to the food she was making then squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

"Are we ready to eat yet? I'm really hungry… I used too much mana." Luminous groaned yet again. He never thought that his body would need a lot of adjusting given the fact that he hasn't used his mana too much for years.

"It's done! Get some plates, Lumi!"

Luminous stood from the sofa and approached the cabinet where the wooden plates were kept then placed the plates on the table with spoons and forks. Lania also called out Penny who was resting and waiting in front of the furnace.

"Meow."

"Thanks, Lania. I feel better now." He placed his hand on his stomach and released a sigh of relief.

Lania smiled and asked Luminous if he wanted some of the tea they bought earlier during their trip in Ellinia. He then stood and gathered the dirty plates, placed them on the kitchen and went to the living room to light the furnace and took a seat on the sofa.

Lania then placed the Jasmine tea leaves in two small pieces of cheesecloth and tied them with a short strand of thin rope. She took two cups for both of them to enjoy and poured boiling water over to brew the tea. After a minute of waiting for the tea to brew, she took out the teabag and squeezed them dry and placed two teaspoons of sugar for each cup.

"Here you go. Tell me if it's too sweet, there's still some hot water left." Lania said as she placed the two cups of tea on the table. She then sat on the sofa where Luminous was seated but maintained a few distance from him.

"Thanks. This is the Jasmine tea we bought earlier, right?" he asked.

"Yup!" Lania smiled.

The aroma of the tea mingled with the living room air and Luminous smiled as he complimented the smell.

"I'm glad we bought it." She said as she took her own cup of tea and took a sip.

"Yeah" He nodded in agreement.

The silence between them became apparent with only the sounds of the burning wood being heard. Lania stared at her cup of tea that rested on her lap and warmed her hands while Luminous observed the flickering flames from the furnace. It wasn't an awkward silence, it was a peaceful silence that smoothed their souls. It was comfortable and no words were needed to be spoken for them to let each other know that they were enjoying each other's companionship.

"It's been a while, isn't it? The day we met, I mean." said Luminous

"Yeah." She smiled.

Indeed, it has been six years since he had woken up from a deep slumber with no dreams. For him, it was all mere coincidence where this little girl whom he had met and how she reminded him of Lucia.

"About earlier…" he continued. She looked at him with confusion and surprise, reminding her of her sudden actions towards the man who had taken care of her, who watched her grow. The statement he gave made her feel awkward and she started to blush. He apologized as he continued to stare at the furnace, feeling guilty about his actions earlier.

"It's okay. I was really surprised." Said Lania.

"You… really look exactly like her." Luminous continued as he bent and rested his clenched hands on his lap. "I couldn't believe it but as you grew older, it is as if Lucia is right in front of me again."

She looked at his eyes that stared through the flames reflected sadness and guilt all over. How all the times she had seen him alone being so silent while staring deep into the distant clouds, as if he's in a world of his own that she could never see. She rarely saw him like this but now she's thinking if there had been more times he was like that whenever he was away.

"The Five Legendary Heroes you always talked about, I was one of them. It's funny how the legendary story didn't know our names. Perhaps it's been too long that the people have already forgotten. Mercedes, the Queen of Elves. Freud, one of the greatest mage during our time with Afriend, the last Onyx Dragon. Aran, one of the greatest warrior that wielded a powerful polearm possessed by the spirit of Maya. Phantom, the legendary Thief and I, Luminous, the Guardian of Light. With one goal, we have decided to help one another. For peace. People have lived in a world full of fear. Different places were getting invaded by monsters, and instead of different people choosing classes of their own to explore the rest of the world, they had to be strong in order to protect their homes and their loved ones. Peace back then was a luxury, especially for someone like me, a member of the Harmony, an organization dedicated to the Magic of Light. My masters blamed themselves for what the Black Mage had become. He was once the founder of Harmony and the Transcendent of Light, after all.

The Black Mage was too strong enough even with the five of us and the only way to stop was to create a seal. As I was about to completely seal the Black Mage, he managed to curse me and my other comrades. Until now, I still have no knowledge of what had happened to them but for me, I have become unconscious and when I wake I realize have always been asleep for centuries. It's strange. If I've only been truly asleep, there was never a dream I could ever recall."

"Luminous…" said Lania sympathetically.

"The day you took me with you, I once thought of having an ordinary life. I wanted to forget of it all. I tried my best. But in the end, I could not just forget about them. The memory of my comrades, my teachers, my friends, the one I loved bearing our first child, all covered in blood because of one man. He— "she quickly put down the cup of tea that had become cold and pulled him over to embrace him.

With much to his surprise, the tears he tried all his might to hold in, started falling down one after another, with no signs of stopping and squeezed his eyes shut. He held her back as he wrapped his arms around her waist, clutching onto her dress and soaking her chest. He snivelled like a little boy, with each sobbing broken apart by short pauses of recovering breaths.

The walls he tried to build, brick by brick, had crumbled into dirt and like a book, every pain he tried to hide between the complex metaphors, had finally become into something apparent that she finally understood. She held him dear, with every stroke on his hair meant that she's right there, right beside him and for every tear that slowly fell out of her eyes meant that he can share his pain with her. And with the acceptance she had shown him meant that she will carry, together with him, the weight of the sadness and sorrow that held him onto the ground.

His tears had subsided and finally looked at her. She rubbed the tears away with her fingers and the beautiful eyes she saw wasn't sore and swollen. To her, it was the beautiful eyes that held the galaxy, where millions of stars glittered across the galaxy. She smiled with what she saw and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. She held him close again as he rested on her chest. With all the tears his body allowed to release that carried all the pain and burden deep inside his heart, his soul finally soothed. She brought him peace and balance. She moulded him into a person capable of healing where before there was only degeneration inside.

She needs him, but he needs her more. He can no longer deny his true self, and the only step to moving forward was acceptance and Lania provided her that.

"I'm scared." Luminous finally spoke again.

"Of what?" asked Lania. She pulled back her head away to see a glimpse of him. At first he saw a sorrowful man, but now all she can see is concern from the look on his face. Luminous couldn't answer right away. Now she's wondering what his fears are. The questions she had earlier during the day simply vanished and now it's replaced with something more profound, how can she be his strength?

"That someday I might lose you." He finally answered.

"I guess… we have the same fear." She started to cry. She released him from her embrace and wiped her own tears. "I wait for you for all the days you are gone. You always write measly letters and I can't help but sit and wait for your return. Keeping myself occupied with all the house work can only do so much and I would always wonder where you are and how you are doing. I cannot do anything but sit by the porch all day and when the night comes I would feel so exasperated. Despite how much I tried to shout and cry, it didn't make me feel any better even in the slightest. I always feared that you will never come back. Only by simply seeing your face makes all my fears vanish."

He moved her arms and held her face with both of his hands. He rubbed the tears away using his thumb as she placed her hands on his. It's strange for him to think that he was the one seeking comfort from her and now it's her turn. He gave a melancholic smile, realizing the sadness and loneliness she caused her during his absences. He always thought she would be fine, that's she would be strong enough to live without him but the words she had told him made him realize that he is just fearful as she is. When one becomes weak and fragile, he realized that they become each other's strength.

"I'm sorry." He didn't say another word or even think of excuses just to make her feel better. It was all he could ever say, an apology. She finally felt relief, as if she was finally able to let go of a huge baggage. She didn't need another word from him, all she needed for him was to listen to her and that's all that mattered. After the tears had stopped, he placed his arm around her and the other under her legs. He then carried her and gave Lania a moment of shock, blushing and wondering what he's going to do.

"Luminous?"

He kept silent and walk his way through her bedroom. As they entered the room, he set the blanket aside and gently placed her on the bed. He then covered her with the blanket and kneeled beside her from the edge of her bed.

He caressed her hair as he looked at him, giving a smile that finally seemed happy. "I won't leave you, Lania. I may not be able to forget the past but I'll try my best not to linger. Because you are here, at the present, with me. You hold a very special place here in my heart."

Lania squeezed her eyes shut and clutched the blanket that covered her, trying to hold a tear made out of joy. The moonlight that tenderly illuminated her face helped Luminous see her cheeks turn bright pink. There must have been something about he said that her face turned like that, he thought and gave a slight chuckle.

"It's time for you to sleep, my dearest." It was time for Luminous to go as he stood. And as he was about to turn around, Lania grabbed his hand, stopping him from going anywhere else.

"Stay with me, Lumi." Said Lania. He was glad and relieved from the nickname she called him. It meant to him that everything will be fine despite her finally knowing that he's no ordinary person. It meant to him that she didn't treat him any different and for her, it was still the Luminous she knew, after all. The same man she met deep in the forest, the one who took care of her as she grew up to be a woman, the one whom she played snowball fights during the winter, the one she could no longer live without. And with the name Lumi, like she always called him, was another sign of acceptance for him.

She moved her body to give space for him, inviting him to spend the rest of the evening with her. Luminous smiled and finally laid beside her. She held his hand while facing each other. They didn't feel strange, albeit it was the first time for them to share the same bedroom. All they could ever think of was how happy they felt and how they're still in each other's minds even though they're already so close to one another. And finally, they closed their eyes with smiles on their faces. It felt like a happy dream.