"I choose my love."
Ronan voiced his final decision, standing unyielding before the tyrant. At that precise moment, no one noticed how the bright Red Gem resting upon Ronan's forehead vanished beneath a soft purple shimmer.
"N-No..." Liora wept, tears streaming continuously down her cheeks.
Darkan threw his head back, his dark, booming laugh echoing across the desolate courtyard. "You're smarter than I thought, little prince! First, I'll extract your Red Gem. Then, I'll tear out the Blue Gem. After that, no force in this universe can stop me!"
Gathering his wicked green energy, Darkan directed a beam straight into Ronan's chest, forcefully pulling at the core of the Red Gem. Desperate to intervene, the four guardians unleashed their combined magical powers, attacking Darkan from all sides. But their efforts were useless, if the combined strength of the two sacred gems couldn't harm Darkan, their individual powers stood no chance. The dark lord deflected their strikes with a wave of his arm, sending the guardians crashing violently onto the stone floor, badly injured.
As Darkan violently extracted the gem, Ronan let out a blood-curdling scream of agony that echoed through the ruined realm.
"N-No! Please, stop! Don't hurt him!" Liora sobbed helplessly, pulling against her bonds.
With a final, agonizing tear, Darkan ripped the blood-red gem from Ronan's chest. Ronan's eyes rolled back, and his body collapsed onto the cold stone floor, completely lifeless.
"RON!!" Liora screamed in absolute horror. She channeled every ounce of her remaining strength to break her chains and reach her lover's side, but the dark metal held firm.
Darkan stared in awe at the glowing blood gem hovering above his palm. A sinister, triumphant grin twisted his face as his shining eyes turned back toward Liora.
"Now... for the Blue Gem." Darkan sneered.
Directing his dark power into Liora's chest, Darkan began extracting the second gem. A sharp, unbearable agony ripped through Liora, making her scream in pain. Unlike Ronan, who possessed royal blood, Liora was inherently a fragile human. The combination of her existing injuries and the violent extraction of the gem proved too much for her body to handle. As the Blue Gem broke free, darkness consumed Liora's vision, and she plummeted into unconsciousness. With the gem removed, Darkan's green binding spell dissolved, releasing his limp body.
"Liora!!" Ronan gasped, forcing his eyes open as consciousness flickered back. Crawling desperately across the stone, he gathered Liora into his arms, pulling her tight against his chest.
"I-I'll fix you, baby... I-I'll make it all better." Ronan sobbed frantically, his trembling hands pressing over Liora's bleeding wounds. But without the power of the Red Gem, his touch offered no magic, no healing. He was completely powerless. Tears streamed freely down Ronan's face as he squeezed his angel tighter. "Please, my love... d-don't leave me. Please, angel... please..."
All Ronan wanted was to open a portal and take Liora back to Earth to save her life, but he was trapped. Across the courtyard, the battered guardians struggled to stand, still attempting to recover the gems despite their severe injuries.
Ignoring them, Darkan raised his hand, staring excitedly at the two brilliant gems floating in his palm.
"Finally... absolute power is mine!" Darkan declared triumphantly. Bringing the two gems together, he summoned his dark aura, attempting to force them directly into his own chest.
Richard watched in silent heartbreak alongside the wounded guardians. Ronan, however, remained completely oblivious to the villain. He sat on the bloodstained ground, weeping softly, cradling Liora's still body and whispering desperate pleas into her hair.
Darkan gritted his teeth, channeling immense dark energy as he shoved the two gems against his sternum. But instead of merging, the gems resisted, vibrating violently and pushing back against his magical force. Darkan's eyes widened in sudden, frantic terror.
"T-That's impossible! This can't be happening!! this is the Main Power!!" Darkan shrieked frantically.
He forced more dark magic into the gems, but the ancient artifacts flared with absolute defiance. A brilliant, crimson light erupted from the Red Gem, while a radiant azure light burst from the Blue Gem. Breaking free from Darkan's grip, both beams shot across the courtyard, surrounding the two lovers resting on the stone floor.
Ronan looked up through his tears, startled as a shimmering, purple barrier constructed itself around him and Liora. As the warm light washed over them, Ronan gasped, Liora's bloody gashes and bruises were rapidly closing, his pale skin regaining its healthy color.
"L-Liora? Baby...?" Ronan whispered, breathless.
Darkan and the guardians watched in absolute shock as the two gems shot through the purple barrier, diving straight back into the chests of their rightful hosts. The impact jolted Ronan and the unconscious Liora, lifting them slightly off the ground. The glowing diamond symbols reappeared on both of their foreheads, blazing brighter than ever before.
The surrounding purple sphere exploded into a brilliant wave of pure energy, clearing the dark haze and scattering dust across the courtyard.
Darkan recoiled, clutching his chest in agony as the shockwave threw him back. "NO!! THIS CANNOT BE!! I-I will return! I will come back and claim the Main Power for myself!!"
With a furious roar, Darkan summoned a cloud of shadows, vanishing into thin air along with his surviving minions.
The guardians stood frozen, speechless. As the dark magic vanished, the swirling black clouds that had blanketed the Mo Kingdom for years began to part. Warm, brilliant sunlight broke through the horizon, bathing the entire realm in golden light. Across the lands, thousands of enslaved citizens paused, looking up at the clear sky in disbelief before erupting into ecstatic cheers.
"It... it happened." Maya whispered, tears of joy spilling down her cheeks. "The Mo Kingdom is restored."
Overcome with emotion, Maya threw her arms around Ethan, hugging him tightly. Nearby, Michael and Sophia embraced each other in sheer relief before gathering the rest of their companions into a shared hug.
"L-Liora, wake up, honey... please." Ronan sobbed softly, gently stroking his girlfriend's smooth cheek and showering her face with tender kisses.
The guardians turned, watching the lovers with soft, sympathetic eyes.
Suddenly, Liora gasped softly, coughing as air filled her lungs, and her eyelids fluttered open.
"Oh my god, Liora! You're awake!" Ronan cried out in pure happiness, pulling her into a tight, protective embrace. The guardians and Richard looked on, warm smiles gracing their faces.
Two Weeks Later
"Has Liora still not talked to you?" Michael asked gently.
Sitting behind his desk at the Vante corporate office, Ronan slowly shook his head, fresh tears brimming in his eyes.
Following the events in the Mo Kingdom, Maya and Ethan had opted to remain behind alongside Richard to rebuild the realm and prepare for Darkan's eventual return. Ronan had been aiding their reconstruction efforts from Earth, but a heavy cloud hung over his head.
For the past fortnight, Liora had been distant, completely shutting Ronan out. She refused to speak to him, choosing to sleep alone in the mansion's guest room. Ronan, who adored Liora more than life itself, was breaking down inside from the cold silence. Every time he tried to ask what was wrong, Liora would simply turn away.
"I'll ask Sophia to stop by the mansion and talk to her tonight." Michael offered, patting Ronan's shoulder reassuringly. Ronan offered a faint, silent nod.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
By 8:30 PM, Ronan was utterly exhausted. Sighing heavily, he rubbed his tired face and began gathering his things.
"Please go home and rest well, sir." Mia said politely from the doorway. "Tomorrow is going to be extremely busy with back-to-back meetings."
Ronan offered a small, tired nod in acknowledgment. Mia blinked in subtle surprise, it was the first time in weeks her boss had responded so pleasantly to her. Taking his briefcase, Ronan headed out to his car.
When he arrived back at the Brown estate, he found Sophia waiting comfortably on the living room sofa.
"Hey, Ron. You look completely worn out today." Sophia said with a sympathetic smile.
Ronan managed a faint, weary smile. Usually, Liora would be the one waiting at the door to greet him with a hug, and the painful shift in their routine was taking a heavy toll on his heart.
"W-Where is Liora?" Ronan asked, trying to steady his trembling voice.
"Michael asked me to come over and chat with her." Sophia explained gently. "She's taking a shower right now. She actually spent the evening preparing dinner for you, everything is set up on the dining table. Go wash up and eat something. I'll head upstairs, talk to her, and figure out what's going on."
Ronan nodded softly. Stepping into the dining room a few moments later, a soft, genuine smile finally touched his lips. Arranged neatly across the table were all of his absolute favorite dishes, cooked just the way he liked them.
She still loves me. Ronan thought to himself, his heart aching with deep longing. She's still taking care of me. Please, my love... come back to me. It hurts so much when you push me away.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Upstairs, Liora stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in comfortable clothes, only to find Sophia sitting patiently on the edge of her bed.
"Oh... did you wait long, Sophie?" Liora asked softly, taking a seat beside her.
Sophia shook her head. "Not at all."
Liora looked down, fidgeting with her hands. "I-Is Ronan back yet?"
"Yeah, he's downstairs eating dinner right now."
"Oh..."
"Liora," Sophia said gently.
"Hmm?" Liora looked up.
Sophia let out a quiet sigh. "Why are you pulling away from Ronan?"
Liora instantly lowered her gaze, biting her lower lip to stop it from trembling. Her fingers tightened around the hem of her oversized shirt.
"Come on, Lio." Sophia nudged softly. "I came here tonight because we need to talk about this. You can't keep avoiding the question like you've been doing all week."
A single tear escaped Liora's eye, trailing down her cheek. She gave a tiny, hesitant nod.
"It's about what happened in the Mo Kingdom, isn't it?" Sophia asked knowingly. "You're upset because Ronan chose to save you instead of prioritizing the realm."
Liora wiped at her wet cheeks, her voice cracking with emotion. "W-Why does he care about me so much, Sophie? Why does he love me to such a dangerous degree? A single wrong move in that moment could have destroyed the entire kingdom, no, the entire world! His choice could have ruined everything!"
Sophia couldn't help but let out a soft, warm laugh.
"Oh, you sweet idiot." Sophia said affectionately. "Only the luckiest people in the universe get loved like that, and you're one of them. And for heaven's sake, it's because he chose you that the Mo Kingdom was saved in the end!"
Liora paused, wiping her eyes in confusion. "B-But it shouldn't have happened like that, Sophie! Nobody could have predicted the gems would react that way, definitely not Darkan. Ron didn't make that choice to save the realm. All those months we spent training... it felt like it meant nothing in that moment."
Sophia placed a gentle hand on Liora's shoulder. "You're looking at this all wrong, Lio."
Liora blinked, her wide eyes searching Sophia's face. "What do you mean?"
"Ronan is the true heir to the Mo Kingdom." Sophia explained calmly. "Even if he hasn't been officially crowned, he carries that responsibility heavily. When Darkan kidnapped you, Ron completely lost his mind. It took everything Michael and I had just to calm him down enough to build a plan. But deep down... Ron knew from the very beginning that we couldn't defeat Darkan through ordinary combat."
"W-Why?" Liora asked quietly.
"Because to liberate the Mo Kingdom, Darkan had to be destroyed completely. We all knew how massive his dark energy had grown."
"Right... that's why we trained so hard, so we'd stand a chance." Liora reasoned.
"Yes, but Ronan realized early on that our combined strength still wouldn't match Darkan's dark magic." Sophia clarified. "And deep down, I think you knew it too, even if you couldn't process it amidst all the chaos."
Liora frowned slightly, listening intently.
"Every single night you suffered in that dungeon, Ronan was going crazy on Earth, Lio." Sophia revealed gently. "Have you forgotten that he feels your physical pain through your bond? He felt every single cut, every chain, every bruise."
Liora's eyes widened in realization, a fresh wave of tears spilling over her lashes as immense guilt washed over her.
"He knew the power of the two separate gems wasn't enough to overpower Darkan." Sophia continued softly. "That's why he chose you. If he had chosen the kingdom in that moment, it would have been a meaningless sacrifice, he would have lost both his realm and the person he loves most. He made the only choice his heart could make, Lio. He chose his love. He chose his angel. Even if the entire world fell to ash, as long as he had you, he could endure it. You are his entire world, Liora. I have never seen anyone love as deeply as he loves you. You are so incredibly lucky. Please don't throw that away over a misunderstanding. He's been waiting for two whole weeks for his happiness to come back to him. He's breaking inside, Lio. Please... talk to him."
By the time Sophia finished, Liora was sobbing softly into her hands, entirely consumed by remorse for misunderstanding the vastness of Ronan's devotion.
"Sophia," a deep, quiet voice called out from the hallway.
Ronan stood in the doorway, having overheard everything.
"I'll take it from here." Ronan said softly.
Sophia offered a warm, encouraging smile, nodding as she quietly slid past Ronan and left the room, leaving the two lovers alone.