Diana went into Rayla's hut as fast as she could. She desperately needs to speak to Rayla. She started to see more and more of the truth by the minute. Diana and Callum had found and hatched the Dragon Prince in a hidden fortress. The king was killed by the shadowy elves summoned by Viren. Rayla's parents haven't run away from their line of duty, they were captured inside of a pair of cursed coins. These truths were making her feel dizzy and she desperately need advice from Lujanne.
Diana headed towards the Moon Temple, guessing that Lujanne will be there. The building was all silver, with a half dozen sparkling spires and grand gazebos nestled into the grounds. Everything was surrounded by a moat and waterfalls.
She went up hundreds of shimmering stairs, across the moat. She entered the temple through central atrium, where light shone through moon-shaped windows illuminating green garlanded archways. Butterflies glided gently along. The towering walls of the atrium were made of granite, and hundreds of runes had been etched into them.
The ethereal beauty astonishes her, and she slowed down her pace at the beautiful sight of the temple she's inside.
Diana soon found Lujanne sitting in the atrium, mediating.
"Umm... Lujanne?" Diana looked at her uncertainly. "I'm sorry for interrupting you."
"If wisdom is what you seek, I shall do my best to fake it," said Lujanne. Then she giggled and stood up. "That's an old illusionist joke."
"Right." Diana didn't have time for joke. "I need some advice. I have a friend that I think mixed trust towards me. But I've been keeping secrets from them. Hiding the truth."
"Diana, look at the moon," Lujanne said.
Obediently, Diana gazed out a window at the partially covered moon.
"Light only falls on half its face right now, but that doesn't mean the other half isn't there," said Lujanne. "And it is the same with — there are parts you keep hidden."
"But if I want my friend to trust me, don't I have to stop hiding the truth?" asked Diana.
"Real trust is about accepting even the dark parts we will never know," Lujanne replied.
Diana looked down. "No, I don't think that's right. Lying and hiding the truth aren't different. Strong bonds needed honesty — the complete truth."
Lujanne chuckled. "Oh, now you sound like my first four husbands."
Diana looked at Lujanne in the eye, bathed in the moonlight. "I'm afraid of hurting her, but I owe her the truth. I can't leave Rayla in the dark any longer — I have to tell her what happened to her parents."
"I'm glad my wisdom helped," Lujanne said with a wink.
Diana decided to spare her feelings from saying that some of Lujanne's wisdom didn't actually helped her and said, "Thank you." Diana started walking away from Lujanne to speak to Rayla.
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Diana started searching for Rayla after her talk with Lujanne. She felt guilty for not telling Rayla anything yet. But now, she has finally worked up the courage to track down Rayla and started looking for her. Diana finally found Rayla, sitting on a broken marble and polishing her two sharp blades. She's deeply impressed by Rayla's courage and kindness from the first day they both met in the dungeons. Rayla was speaking to a smiling Callum and an eager Ezran before the two boys went back to their huts.
Once Rayla was by herself, Diana stepped into a patch of silvery moonlight. Rayla looked up to meet Diana's blue eyes and noticed the eerie, almost mysterious, air surrounding Diana as she looked at the human girl. Her expression was very hard to read and yet readable like a regal painting. Though, Rayla could see that in her blue eyes was very hard to read and seems to be hiding secrets.
"I need you to follow me." Diana's voice was calm, but shook slightly.
"What is it?" Rayla looked at Diana warily.
Diana bowed her head and looked up, her eyes illuminated by the moonlight. "You will find out."
Diana soon led Rayla away from the others, keeping her expression well-hidden from Rayla. She led Rayla up hundreds of shimmering stairs, across the moat. Diana led Rayla towards the top of the Moon Temple. She smiled at Rayla's sound of amazement at the sight from the Moon Temple.
"Rayla." The elf girl looked at Diana, whose expression was firm and full of mystery. "Remember when told me and the boys about your parents?"
Rayla's face concealed sadness and pain at the reminder of her missing parents before she strengthened her resolve and replied warily, "Yes. I remember telling you about them."
Diana closed her eyes as she lifted her face to the moon and mentally prayed to the Moon to give her the strength to reveal the truth to Rayla. As if answering her pray, the silvery moonlight shone down on her.
"Before we left the fortress, Viggo gave me something and important information," explained Diana.
Rayla was almost afraid of what Diana was about to reveal something lost to secrecy from forbidden magic. She sensed that the human mage had discovered something lost to the past.
"Viggo told that Viren had trapped a pair of elves who were the only ones protecting the Dragon Prince's egg." Diana took out a leather pouch and poured out a pair of coins onto her hand. "These are the two elves who are both captured inside of the coins. Do you recognize them?"
Rayla glanced at the coins and did a double-take. These were no ordinary coins. They were powerful, magical, and cursed. Rayla's heart twisted in agony when she saw the anguished faces captured on the surfaces of the coins, the faces of people she knew and loved. Brave elves whose disappearances had made no sense to her, until now.
"Mom! Dad!" Rayla's voice was full of horror and love as she looked down at the coins. Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at the cursed coins. She looked up at Diana, a faint look of gratitude. "Thank you for finally telling me what happened to my parents."
"You're welcome Rayla." Diana looked down, feeling guilty. "But I'm sorry for holding this off for so long."
"You've placed more faith in my parents and gathered more facts about my family than half of my village had attempted to do," said Rayla reassuringly, her eyes bright and full of joyful gratitude. She smiled at Diana and surprised her by hugging her, but Diana hesitantly returned the embrace.
After Diana told Rayla about her parents, they returned to their huts and rejoined the others. Rayla soon showed the coins to her adoptive fathers and everyone was shocked what Diana had told them the truth.
But they soon heard rustling from the marshland and they looked at it. Callum thought he saw a figure jumping from branch to branch. Startling everyone, some of them stepped back and the others took out their weapons in a swift instant. After they realized it was Orion, they calmed down and slipped their weapons away.
"Guys!" Orion was panting from his hurried jumping and climbing as he stood in front of everyone. "We have a problem." He looked at everyone with a panicked look in his gaze. "A Dark Mage and some guards are heading our way! We have to get out of here!"
Everyone gasped at this news, but they looked at each other uncertainly. Callum gently held onto Zym in his arms and met Runaan's gaze determinedly.
"Claudia is the daughter of Viren," said Callum. "She's loyal to her father to a fault." He sighed and gently tightened his grip on Zym. "We must leave to bring Zym home and warn the Guardians of the incoming war."
Everyone looked at each other as new determination has wash over them from Callum's strong words and his love for Zym. Runaan couldn't help, but feel proud of Callum. At times, he wishes to have a son like Callum; respectful, compassionate, protective, moral, and values life.
"You're right." Runaan nodded to Callum as everyone started gathering supplies to continue their journey.