"Pretend that you didn't see it."
Elina stopped crying and gained her composure. She blamed herself for not controlling her emotions and slipped out the truth. Luna was too insightful as usual.
"I promise." Luna smiled to assure Elina. "Now then, do you want to hear the story or not?"
Elina nodded without a word. She didn't want to say that she wasn't mentally ready. Her mind was filled with uncertain questions. 'Should I tell Luciel? What if he couldn't take it in and run away?'
Elina then remembered how strong of a boy Luciel was compared to kids his age. He was more mature and capable than any other kid. She was proud of him.
Luna confirmed Elina's serious expression and started telling the story. "It was almost ten years ago. I still remember the date when that child was born. December 31, 3572. Most of the staff went home a day early to celebrate New Year's Eve, but I was trapped because of a special appointment..."
***
A week before New Year's Eve, 3572.
"My wife is expected to go into labor this weekend. I hope you'll stay by her side while I'm away."
"Of course. Both of you are good friends of mine. I have to be there for the birth of your child, right?"
In the coffee shop near the army base, two colleagues were sharing good news one by one. They had been good friends since the start of their career as Resonators.
"Did you know that I became an A-Class Resonator just a few days ago? How about it? Isn't that something worth celebrating for?" Luna exclaimed.
A-Class Resonators were considered a premium needed to combat high-level Hollow Creatures. They boasted extraordinary resistance to Hollow Energy, a deadly type of radiation emitted by all Hollow Creatures.
Luna Evangal, especially, had one of the highest innate resistance to this energy in the world. She was the diamond among all the treasures. She was projected to become S-Class in a few years.
"Congratulations. I'm happy for you."
"Thanks!"
"Even so, you still don't want to join the battlefield? You'd be a great addition to the White Fortress division, or any division for that matter."
"I appreciate your concern, Nova, but I love my work on the ground. When I first got my powers, I vowed that I'd use them to treat as many sick civilians as possible. I'm aiming to become a director of Tartarus National Hospital."
There was one thing that most people didn't know, but Tartarus National Hospital used to be accessible to the public. There was no need for a permit to get treated in the best hospital in the nation.
That all changed when the conflict between Noxio and Lumenpolis happened from 3568 to 3574. Noxio wanted to use Hollow Creatures for research while Lumenpolis argued that 'all evil should be repelled'. Both nations' Resonators often clashed to decide the monopoly of these monsters.
As two bordering nations, the conflict only worsened, and Lumenpolis decided to wage a small-scale war to spread their gospel about eliminating evil to the citizens of Noxio. As a result, District 1 became a restricted area and so was the national hospital. However, that wasn't the only reason behind its closure.
"Haha. I guess there's no chance of successfully persuading you from the start. Then I'll do everything in my power to support you," Nova fervently said.
Novalis Dunlinger. A legend among Noxian's Resonators. He contributed greatly during the Noxian Civil War and the subjugation of a Stratum Five Hollow Creature, thus becoming one of the five venerable Legion Commanders of Noxio. Luna had such a friend.
"I'll pray for your safety. You must come back with a win to greet your wife and child."
"It's useless worrying about me. You should pray for those fanatic bastards of Lumenpolis that they can die a peaceful death under my hands."
"You sound scary when talking about enemies as usual."
Nova laughed. His black hair fluttered among the cold winds of Noxio. "Do I? They are threatening the safety of my wife and child after all. I can't sit back and relax."
"I guess so. Well, I have to go. I have tons of paperwork unfinished."
"Okay. I'll be back as soon as I can. I leave my wife to you." Nova got up and left. The image of him walking away still haunted Luna to this day.
***
3:17 AM. December 31, 3572. New Year's Eve.
"Get her to the labor delivery room immediately!" Luna shouted while running to call the midwives on site.
"Yes!" the nurse hurriedly replied.
Nova's wife, Esther, stayed at the hospital three days prior so that the doctors could monitor her condition. She smoothly went through the first stage of labor and now was on her way to the hardest phase - delivering the child. All the preparations were done by Luna to ensure safe delivery for Esther. Luna wanted to see a happy new family amid the depressing war.
The snowstorm that day was particularly brutal as the wind kept howling ferociously. If it was this bad in central Tartarus, then it must be unimaginable in the north where the battle between Noxio and Lumenpolis raged on. Luna could only pray for Nova's safe return.
Esther was successfully transferred to the LDR, and Luna followed inside. Luna could see Esther's distorted face as she bore the biggest pain in a woman's life. Luna held Esther's trembling hand and calmly said, "It's going to be okay."
Esther tearfully nodded and started following the midwife's instructions. Amid the snowstorm, Esther's anguished screams at each push blanketed the screeches of the night's wind. Each passing minute was hellish for the mother-to-be, but she stormed through with her determination to see her sweet baby.
The screams gradually faded and the grip on Luna's hand loosened. Luna's complexion regained color at the thought of a successful childbirth only to whiten again.
"T-There seems to be complications!" the midwife worriedly said. "She's losing too much blood!"
"She's losing consciousness!" the staff yelled.
"W-What? H-How?" Luna held Esther's hand tightly before regaining her senses seconds later.
Luna activated her Echoing Stigma and channeled her energy towards her fingertips that were touching Esther's. The lighting slowly turned greenish as if an aurora appeared right in the middle of the delivery room.
She was an A-Class Resonator who specialized in healing. Her Motif could treat a fatal wound in an instant, yet something was eating her energy away.
"What is happening!? I can't channel my energy to her properly!"
Luna felt devastated as her flow of energy kept being obstructed and couldn't heal Esther properly. She sensed that Esther's life force was slowly withering away.
"Take her to the operating room now! Get the obstetricians, damn it!" Luna cried out in despair.
How did this happen? Luna thought she had prepared thoroughly, yet the goddess of luck struck like lightning, burning the hopes of this family. As Esther was taken to have an emergency C-section, Luna was on her knees with a lifeless face. She still hadn't lost hope, but it was a huge shock to her.
Luna couldn't hear the screams anymore. Only the wind howled in this dark hour. The eternal snow seemed to dye red as Luna's eyes became bloodshot. All the staff was monitoring the situation with great pressure and fear, but they still held on to the silver line of hope.
4:42 AM. New Year's Eve.
"Captain!" one of the midwives on standby called out to Luna, who was silently praying with her eyes closed.
"What is it?" Luna tiredly said. Her face looked haggard while her emerald eyes lost its shine.
"T-They... they..." the midwife stuttered, not wanting to convey what she heard. She didn't want to believe it was real. "They said it was uterine rupture, and... and it's serious."
"What the fuck...?" Luna fell to her knees again. She went down so hard that the floor seemed to shatter into a million pieces. Luna's tears fell on the cold marble floor.
'Please! Please let there be a miracle!' Luna's heart screamed and echoed in every part of her collapsing body. Esther and the baby were navigating the treacherous path of life and death alone. Luna wanted to hold their hands and guide them toward life, but she couldn't do anything but watch.
As the clock ticked away, everyone got their hands together and prayed. The air seemed colder than usual as the snow intensely rained down. Wasn't this God crying in despair? Why couldn't you do anything when we prayed earnestly for their lives? The world was sickening.
In the deafening silence, the wails of a newborn pierced through. Everyone came to their senses and started to rush towards the sound immediately. They stood at the entrance of the operating room, waiting for the good news.
'The baby's alive!' Everyone collectively thought so. They wanted to cheer out loud immediately, but the news of the mother was still shrouded in mystery.
Suddenly, one person ran out of the OR hurriedly. He shivered restlessly and collapsed to the floor.
"Julian!? What happened?" a midwife asked in distress while picking Julian up.
Julian couldn't say a word in front of these hopeful people, but he had to. He plucked up the courage and said the most heartbreaking words known to man, "She's dying."