‘Why would you want to do it? They will put you through hell… won’t give you a chance… I don’t want to lose you!’ Moira shouted the moment Lunara regained consciousness. Her voice a high pitch somewhere between anger and worry.

‘You could at least try to trust me a little. I know it will be hard, but…’ Elric answered sounding angry and desperate at the same time. Lunara asked herself what might have caused these two down-to-earth characters enter such a frenzy.

‘…I love you, you idiot. But that doesn’t matter you’re mortal… THEY will give you tasks even immortals will find hard to fulfil. Although most of the time they treat me like garbage, it doesn’t mean THEY don’t know my worth, especially since I am a judge at the High Council…’ Moira trailed off her voice sad and at the verge of breaking.

Lunara heard the sound of a chair pushed back, then Elric’s voice much softer this time, but full of determination. Lunara pictured him stroking Moira’s cheek, kneeling beside her as he said:

‘If they give me tasks only an immortal can hope to fulfil, I will become an immortal. I will do anything for you. Haven’t I promised that to you when I convinced you to be more than my teacher to me? Nothing has changed that… if anything my determination has only grown since then. I will give them a run for their money.’

Lunara was surprised to hear Moira utter something between a chuckle and sobbing.

‘What would I give for that to be possible…? But maybe you are right… we both have grown since that time… we even managed to make them lift their shackling Geas they had placed on me.’

‘Believe in me. I will make it come true. Just let me join you on the Ley Line… otherwise I would have to wait for Midwinter to enter Sidhe. Damn rules… I have a plan, you know, Manannan owes me one. He told me if I ever decided to officially woe you, I should come over to Tir-na-nog and

fulfil a task for him first…he offered immortality; you know.’ Elric stated proudly.

‘Just be careful dealing with the old trickster, my uncle is near as bad as the Morrigan. But at least one of the honest ones… just make sure he doesn’t change you too much…’ Moira cautioned.

‘Change?’ Elric asked in a surprised tone.

‘Of course, he will make you into one of his creatures, he has to, to make ya immortal. There is always a price to pay in Sidhe. I guess if you do it right you will end up as a real water dragon and lose your dwarven genes completely, replaced with Sidhe… a bit like me, only that I was born that way… just don’t let him turn you into some Kelpie or something… their eating habits are bound to be quite awkward…’ Moira explained in a worried tone.

‘I will keep that in mind.’ Elric said with a tinge of fear in his voice, seemingly less convinced of his own plan than he had been before. Lunara could perfectly relate to it. Being turned into a sea monster, bound to the aquatic element and eating people was not the most appeasing prospect. She pushed herself up causing the blanket that had covered her to fall off. In the process it caught the edge of a candelabra and caused it to fall of the table it had been standing on. The result was a loud clang.

‘I guess our sleeping beauty is up and awake. Though I think she has been for a while…’ Moira laughed as if they had never argued among themselves. Observing her eavesdropping but not bringing up the topic was a clear warning against bring up anything she had overheard. Lunara smiled in relief. The Sidhe and Dragons she had heard of in her childhood would have not been so easy-going. But she guessed those tales where either exaggerated or Moira was one of her kind.

Still a little shaky after her exhausting task she stood up completely and joined them in the neighbouring room. ‘You still look like death warmed up, though I have to say you did an amazing job back at the crystal cave. Hadn’t thought you would be this effected so soon after becoming a contracted. Seems like your time is running faster than we thought, faster than usual that is.’ Elric stated with a worried expression.

‘Yes…time is fleeting…madness takes its toll…’ Moira mumbled barely audible and added louder ‘we have to hurry. Lucky you, that we have already finished your weapon.’

Elric stood up and took an odd-looking weapon from a nearby table. It looked like the bastard of a slender sword and spear. Long blade with an equally long shaft. The blade shimmered in dark red as if coated with fresh blood. But even though it had a mean-looking appearance its aura was calm and friendly.

‘We called it ‘Friedenswächter’, which is German for ‘Keeper or Guardian of peace’. He will never fail you nor be turned against you. But his magic is bound to a Geas. It will not cut if it is used to hurt someone your heart is not convinced of hurting. That is a precautionary since you are on your way to become a demoness… the only thing that can’t be corrupted by infernal magic is one’s heart. Soul, mind, conviction no problem but never the heart.’ Elric explained proudly whilst Lunara looked at the weapon in her hands with awe.

‘Friedenswächter’ was oddly light and heavy at the same time. As if it, or rather he, was able to change his weight on the occasion. Lunara smiled as the blade’s confidence entered her heart and created a bond. She knew every thing Elric said was true. It had been no bragging, but a clear understatement… suddenly Lunara knew why the Sidhe had prohibited Moira from randomly forging weapons. This little brother of Excalibur was just too powerful. A blade to throw down nations. She shivered at the thought. Just like the power of the moonstone she had feared to wield. Now she had another weapon powerful beyond imagination at her disposal.

It seemed like she was not able to escape her fate. Even now she felt the calling of the moonstone. It nagged at her defences and tried to tug her over to its location. A constant strain to her mind. The other even more feared strain made itself more noticeable with every passing day. Infernal energy seeping in and corrupting her mana reserve. Even if she was able to stop the demonification entirely the damage would stay.

The moonstone, Friedenswächter and infernal energy a combination that could make her unstoppable if she had the heart and ability to wield them properly. A huge responsibility she would rather flee from than let herself be corrupted by it.