The night was as cool as water, and the moon was bright.


    The starry sky was dazzling and boundless.


    The waning moon was hanging over the sky, and several big stars in the starry sky were shining brightly.


    Alex could not sleep; he strode toward the balcony and watched the stars.


    ''''You couldn''t sleep either?"


    He asked suddenly, his tone soft and calm. Maria walked out of the darkness and stood next to him; she stared at the stars in the sky as he did. Her ck hair seemed to shine under the moonlight, and her ice-blue eyes shone beautifully. She was dressed in a see-through purple negligé that clung tightly onto her body, showing her beautiful curves.


    ''''The stars are beautiful; she loves them,'''' she said.


    There was no need to ask who she was talking about.


    ''''Don''t she will be able to watch the stars together with us soon.'''' Alex dered, there was a certain feeling of assurance deep in his voice that made the listener automatically believe his words.


    ''''Hmm!" Maria nodded softly before leaning her head on Alex''s shoulder; in silence, they watched the stars when suddenly a star fell.


    Chuckling, Alex asked jokingly.


    ''''Have you made a wish?"


    ''''I did.'''' Maria nodded and immediately asked.


    ''''You did it too, right?"


    ''''Naturally, but first tell me what you asked,'''' Alex asked, his eyes locked onto her beautiful face.


    ''''I asked for eternal love between us.'''' Maria calmly responded. Alex nodded; he knew when she meant eternal love between us, she meant between all of them, not only her but between his women and his friends.


    ''''That''s a good wish. As for me, I asked for endless determination, determination to always look forward, to never falter, to charge, to love, to live, and to conquer every obstacle in my way. That''s my wish. Prettyme, isn''t it?"


    Maria shook her head; she didn''t believe Alex''s wish wasme; on the contrary, it showed how smart he was; if you don''t have determination, you can''t do anything. Be is to live, to fight; you would need determination to do it, so Alex asking for such a wish could be considered for asking for a good thing.


    ''''How is Gracier? Has she finally slept?" Alex asked because a few minutes ago, his sister was unable to sleep; she was having nightmares; among them, she must have been the most affected, because she was closer to Luna than the others. They often sleep together, so naturally, not seeing her as she went to sleep must have made her remember that she was not here; she was captured. All of those things made the little devil lose her sleep, and the nightmares followed.


    ''''Yes, she slept. Sakuya and Sera are together with her, even that fox, I meant Kuina and Eris are there. You don''t have to worry.'''' Maria exined, as she was talking about Kuina, her gaze turned sharp; it was almost instinctual. She overheard what happened in Dragone''s City; although she had expected it somehow, reality hit her hard, and she had trouble swallowing it.


    For a moment,plicated emotions shed through those clear ice-blue eyes. Alex had seen them, but he acted as though he saw nothing. In certain situations, a case like this one''s better off pretending than jumping into the pit.


    Silence descended on the balcony; the two seemed to be lost in thoughts until Maria broke the silence and asked.


    ''''What do you think she would be doing? Is she fine?"


    Her voice shook as she uttered those words; for Maria, who was always rational, tonight under the moonlight, under the stars, she became a little bit emotional.


    ''''Don''t worry, I know she is fine. I can sense it.''''


    Alex dered and immediately summoned the Eternal Chain; like a child, the tip of the chain flew out his hand and gently wrapped around Maria''s wrist, she felt a cold sensation.


    ''''It''s cold yet warm at the same time. So, this child is the one that told you that Luna is fine?" Maria asked while caressing the ck chain.


    Alex nodded and exined how he left a pierce of the Eternal Chain inside Luna''s body.


    ''''I see, that''s good. What is this child''s origin?" She asked, looking at the ck chain wriggling around her wrist.


    ''''I don''t know everything, but from what I can tell, it must be a weapon used by one of the supreme beings,'''' Alex exined. Maria was shocked by the revtion.


    ''''What a background, no wonder it was so powerful. Did this little child help you to acquire that form? I mean the one that changes your hair and makes you stronger physically.''''


    She was talking about the Asura''s Form, but Alex was sure it was not because of the Eternal Chain he got that form. From Silveria and Nyx''s words, the apparition of this chain made Alex assimte the previous drop of blood he got when signing that contract with the crimson-haired woman in the crystal coffin. Well, in a certain sense, it could be said it was this child that made what should have taken a few months to be reduced instantly; this could be taken as helping him. Therefore, Alex nodded.


    ''''That''s good then; you should treat him fairly then,'''' Maria said before letting go of the ck chain.


    Alex''s lips twitched, but he said nothing; he called back the ck chain, it immediately disappeared into his arm in the form of a ck tattoo.


    ''''A silver cross-shaped earring, tattoo on the chest, now tattoo on your whole arm, you''re slowly moving toward a full-body tattoo, it seems.'''' She teased.


    Alex''s body shuddered; he didn''t dare to imagine such a day, a simple tattoo is good, but a full-body one is not his liking.


    ''''Rx, I''m just joking. You don''t have to be so stiff. By the way, what is your first n to deal with the empire?" She asked, bringing the subject toward something more interesting.


    Alex chuckled, and his eyes changed previously; they were peaceful as he was enjoying his time with his woman, but at this moment, they carried a touch of iparable devilishness and chill that made one''s skin crawl.


    ''''Don''t worry, you will know soon, but first I must talk with Sera.''''