205 Chapter 205: Time To Say Goodbye.
[Ayami POV]
There he was, the man that drove her heart into a crazy state... His smile and body exuded an attractive aura for her.
Since that day she met the strange alien woman, her body suddenly became painful, as the thoughts and feelings of an abnormal man entered her constantly, yet they were not forceful...
His concerns and gentle affection were nothing like the feelings that Chu Feng caused her.
'I knew it was him, but he has changed so much and become more relaxed and manly... Is Himari still with him or not?' Ayami thought to herself as she peeked around the corner.
"Huh, he's gone?!"
Alexander was standing and speaking to a group, but now he was gone, and the people were talking normally! This caused Ayami to panic, 'What if he is angry? I was watching him?!'
'Damn it, what to do? I'm too scared to go near him.'
Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming from the corner of the room.
"Hey you, it's dangerous for a girl to be alone in these parts. Do you need help?"
Ayami turned to see Alexander's handsome face smiling at her with a wave, his silky white hair and alluring emerald eyes squinting slightly as he stepped closer, driving her heart into overdrive. His scent made her feel so soothed and relaxed.
"A-Ah... I was just a little scared to approach... because I've changed so much and become..."
"Become beautiful and lovely, like Himari." Alexander interrupted her, stepping forward and stroking her cheek, Ayami thought she might feel repulsed like with other men who approached, yet his fingers were cool, sliding across her cheek gently.
"After all, you sisters are beautiful."
The strange man didn't look disgusted at all! Instead, he seemed delighted by the change. This caused Ayami to feel confused, and her cheeks blushed red; looking away, she mumbled, "Th-Thank you..."
"No need to thank me, I have an offer to make. Will you come with me and reunite with your sister? I hope you can serve me alongside her if possible."
Ayami's voice trembled, but she asked, "As your lover?"
Alexander's eyes squinted as he looked down at Ayami with a smile, causing her heart to skip.
"Yes, you can also think of it that way, I won't force you, but you should choose freely, and I promise that your sister will be treated well."
Alexander took her hand and pulled her to walk beside him, leading her away from the dirty wall, her body falling against his chest, feeling his thigh and firm muscles while looking at the large hand grasping hers.
'His hand is so warm...'
Alexander kept a gentle pace as he walked down the street with Ayami.
"I'm sure Himari misses you; I know you miss her too," Alexander said gently.
"Will she not think I am a monster now?"
Alexander smiled at the cute girl's worries before she felt his hand tighten around her, maybe to soothe her, as his next words caused her to feel relieved. "Himari looks just like you, her horn is a little sparkly, but she became just like her sister and will probably be extremely happy about it."
There was something she wanted to know... but felt rude to ask, yet his soft face and gentle smile made it so easy, "Have you made Himari your woman yet?" A slight pause followed before he chuckled.
"Haha, I wanted to, but she asked if I would take her beside her sister, so if you never accept me, I will simply treasure you both like family, but if Himari might scold you. She's really strong now."
Ayami was silent for a moment, relieved before she turned and hugged Alexander's arm; the firmness of his arm caused her to feel safe and content.
"Thank you..."
"You don't need to thank me; I want to make you happy..."
"I am happy; please take care of me in the future, and treat us as family and if I fall for you... as wives...."
Walking towards the church together, Alexander didn't speak anymore, the gentle sound of their breathing and organised tapping of their feet the only sounds that accompanied them.
Both enjoyed the other's company before reaching the now haggard church to see a bald priest and beautiful dark elf nun followed by a group of female nuns who looked terrified and were all Denmer(Dark elves).
[Ayami POV End]
***
"Fei'lan! Paolo!" Alexander yelled loudly, waving at the two as he stepped closer and hugged the priest, who felt so nostalgic and small now.
"Woah!? Alex! You're Alex!? Fuck so tall and handsome!" While hugging his old friend back, Paolo cursed, sad that all the other priests had fled and abandoned this village, leaving it an empty husk.
"Ah, you look stronger, level 14? Amazing from the guy who was locked to level 1 forever! Haha!"
"Nothing on you... your bicep and hug almost took 90% of my life...!"
The two men began chatting while Alex noticed the empty church, ransacked and filled with graffiti and damage... "What happened...?"
Suddenly the faces of Fei'lan and Paolo turned pale, as did the other nuns following her... before Paolo finally spoke.
"The Old God... Exalted Father Kayne... He Perished..."
For a moment, Alexander stood in silence, his body swaying before Fei'lan and Ayami helped keep him up, the act shocking all present as Fei'lan normally refused to touch males in any form, even the sick and wounded...
"He... How do you know, a-aren't you wrong? Right?" Alexander's eyes suddenly filled with a hopeless and childish light as if he looked to Fei'lan for reassurance.
'Hey, old man... these useless believers think you're dead.... hurry and throw a miracle or punishment their way... quick... They are leaving your church....'
[...]
Alexander's mind became slightly imbalanced as there was no sound, despite feeling a clear connection with a divine being... was it, not him!?
Who could it be?
"We performed the grand ritual of the divine sun...." Paolo's face looked bleak as blood dripped from his nose, clearly not doing okay and unsteady himself.
"What's that... it sounds occult...."
"Our lord Kayne was said to be born with the power to create and manage stars... the Divine Sun is his alias when we praise and pray to him..." Paolo felt his heart tighten; when Alexander left, he could speak freely with the lord... and knew that the relationship between him and Alex was something beyond special and they were related...
"Alex..."
"That... how does that mean he is gone?" With his hand covering his face, Alex suddenly felt isolated, and the entire world became bleak with darkness...
The moment he chose his class, he lost... back in that moment.
He looked around, but nobody was there; Ayami, Stella, Valu, Kaliara... even McAlister and Paolo were gone as he rushed around in the darkness, screaming their names.
Suddenly... a tired, old voice sounded.
"Idiot... why are you shouting so loud..."
The voice caused his body to stop, filled with many emotions as he quickly turned around to face the ghostly, ethereal image of the familiar old man...
"K-Kayne..."
"Why are you looking like that... a snotty face with tears... are you a loser?"
"Haha... I know, stupid me..." Alex wiped his face, the first embarrassment since he last met Kayne in this world... suddenly he felt at ease... they were wrong. He wasn't gone.
"Those idiots... they said you were dead.... that you were gone."
"..."
Alexander walked towards Kayne, but he couldn't reach him no matter how fast he ran or long his strides!
Frustration began building up in his chest as he reached out, "Come on, let me come close. It's hard to talk like this... I can barely make out your face."
"That's because I am..."
A long pause sounded, and Alex froze on the spot. He looked bewildered, eyes wet with tears as if he were trying to assemble the words in a way that changed the meaning.
"W-what.... no... You spoke..."
"Alex, my dear friend. I cannot join you in this life... May we meet once more in the next."
"No, don't do that, Kaynel! You promised to help me save her!"
"!!!"
"So you remembered... ah... the god of death must have given me one last parting joy..."
"Kaynel!"
"Take care of Saphy... I don't know how, but she knows it's you... and her love has returned even after you coldly rejected her in the last life..."
"She's being so broken about acting like me to stop you from breaking down."
His figure began to fade... like a mirage on the water's surface...
"Don't go... I finally remembered about you, our promise and that drink together we never got to share..."
"Aha... you idiot, remembering such silly things... I wish..."
"I wish I could remain..."
"You can! ENTER MY SWORD! It can save Vesta. Why can't it save you!?"
"..." The old image of Kayne smiled bitterly, his face one of appreciation and affection seeing his old friend after thousands of years apart and knowing he hadn't changed...
What more could he desire?
"We both know its grade is too low; those two girls would instantly disintegrate from my presence."
"Kaynel... It can't end like this... How... Who killed you!?"
Once again, the old man's figure became more see-through and vague... but the tears on Kaynels cheeks and his trembling lips were all too visible for Alex, who felt like he was losing his best friend for the second time.
"It was Asmodeus, daughter of defilement and deprivation. Mother of Demons. Goddess of Chaos."
"..."
"How could it be her.."
"I know, right?" Kaynel laughed before a loud crack sounded; part of his figure snapped away, turning into golden dust as thin cracks spread through his figure like a spider's web.
"Alexander, she is searching for you. In any way or form, she will find you... be prepared."
"Her love for you was twisted and broken from the moment you died..."
"Ah..."
He didn't care; his eyes fixated on Kaynel's figure, not blinking or breathing, watching as his body slowly faded like a dream vanishing when you wake up...
Slowly...
Without the power to stop it.
"See you again, Alex. Don't cry."
"Ah... See you again, my friend... my brother..."
The final twinkle of golden light faded, the darkness now enveloping his entire soul... before a soft sound entered his ears, like the gentle waves flowing along the golden sands of a warm beach.
A cool feeling of two arms wrapped around his shoulders, warm droplets of rain dripping down his back... It was raining today...
"I will support you in his place... I won't leave you, I promise." The true voice of the one supporting him for the longest time after he vanished... Saphira, goddess of the ocean, and Sarian.
"Do not break that promise..." His words were quiet... hoarse but sincere, "I beg of you."