The Dragon King's Heart

But even he did not have enough energy to bring her in. The love curse and the injuries he suffered from the Celestial Tribulations were weighing down on him. He was stretched to the limit. 

Cecilia was not about to let her son die either. She ordered her guards to pull him away from the realm gate. At first, they were hesitant to move. 

"What are all of you still doing here! Pull him away from it!" she yelled at them. 

Not wanting to incur her wrath, the guards went forward to pull Dante away. Laina's hand was already making it through the realm gate when they did so. Dante tried to fight them off while still holding on to Laina's hand. But as his energy was sapped from his body, he grew weaker and weaker. 

Regardless, he refused to let go. 

Laina, on the other hand, could feel it too. She could feel Dante's temperature dropping drastically as time went on. She also felt her energy slipping away. She gritted her teeth as she pushed herself even harder. 

But all their effort was for naught. Laina only had fifteen minutes and her time had run out. She could feel the energy slipping away as if it had been sapped away in the blink of an eye. The flames that covered and protected her were extinguished. 

A force of energy pushed her away from the realm gate. 

"No! Laina!"

"Dante!" blood spewed from her mouth as their hands slipped out of each other. 

Laina fell back. She was still reaching her hand out towards Dante. As she fell, the distance between them grew. He was further from her than ever before. Laina hit the ground with a loud thud. 

The rocky surface beneath her cracked. Pain shot through her entire body as blood spewed from her mouth. Every part of her body hurt. 

"Da...Dante..." tears began to flow from her eyes, blurring her vision and stinging the cuts on her skin. 

She was this close to getting to him. Yet all hope was lost. 

"Laina! NO!!!" Dante yelled in agony. 

The pain in his voice was felt by everyone around. He pushed away all of the guards that held him back. He crawled back towards the realm gate as tears welled up in his eyes.

Laina was dying. 

She was dying in front of him again. 

He reached his hand out towards the realm gate. The effects of the Love curse came in full force. He felt as if his body was about to freeze in place. But a warm fuzzy feeling enveloped his heart. 

It was the only thing that kept him going. Despite all the pain and agony he felt, he knew nothing could compare to what Laina was feeling. He did not care about anything else. There was only one thing on his mind. 

He had to get to Laina. 

Dante struggled to his feet and made a run for it. He took to his dragon form and leaped through the realm gate. Even if it would pulverize his body, he could not care less. Laina needed him and he had to be there. 

The realm gate emitted sparks of lightning as he made contact. It fought back as fiercely as he did. Dante's eyes began to glow. Harnessing his powers, he broke through it. He was the Moon Dragon Emperor of the Moon Kingdom after all. He was not about to let a realm gate stop him from getting to the woman he loved. 

The strength of his will was too great from the gate to bear. 

Dante made it through. His body moved through the realm gate, allowing him to enter Gaeia. Kol and Florin watched in shock as Dante descended in his dragon form. He circled Laina's body, before taking to his human form. 

"Laina... Laina! Stay with me, my love. Stay with me!" he called out to her as his heart ached. 

He held her tightly in his arms, caressing her cheek as he wiped away the blood. There was so much blood. He could see that her skin had turned ash grey. 

It pained him to see her in this state. She had done everything to save him. Laina was slipping in and out of consciousness. But the moment she heard Dante's voice, and felt his embrace, she struggled to open her eyes. 

"Moon... moon kiss... is that you?" her voice was weak, her throat was parched. 

Still, she reached out her hand to touch his face. She would give anything to have the energy to kiss him right now.

"I'm here, my love. I'm here. You're going to be alright. We're going to get you to the best healers..." 

"Dante... I'm tired... I just want to rest in your arms.." Laina said as she forced a smile.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. 

Dante shook his head, "No... I need you to stay awake for me. Please." 

He mustered all the strength he had in his body to stand while holding Laina in his arms. But he couldn't. He no longer had the strength to do so. All he could do was cradle Laina in his arms. 

"Dante... there's something I need to tell you." 

"No, love. Save your breath. You can tell me when you're better" he cried. 

He felt so helpless. 

Laina shook her head. She knew her own body better than anyone else. She was not going to make it. Her end was near. But before it takes her, she had to tell him how she felt. 

There was no time like the present. 

"There's no time. No more waiting...," Laina cupped his cheek, "You are the light of my life, Dante. I would not have it any other way.

Everything... all the memories we shared... all the challenges we faced. It is worth it. You're worth it."

Dante could not accept this. But he had to cherish what was in front of him. The last time they parted ways, they barely got a chance to say their goodbyes. Everything happened so quickly.

"I wouldn't change anything either," he said as he forced a smile, as he held onto her hand. 

He could no longer feel the warmth in her hand.

"I'll find you, in the next life, the life after that. We are together for eternity, remember?"

Laina smiled. 

"You are the love of my life, Dante. I love you.. With all of my heart."