Elior remained standing, watching them all. No one dared to speak. No one could.
The atmosphere was heavy with suffocating tension, as if uttering a single word would trigger an irreversible mistake.
The aura emanating from Elior was crushing.
Even Hina, Lia, and Aramis felt instinctive fear as they looked at him.
The only sound was his ragged, uneven breathing. His lungs had not yet recovered from the exhaustion or from the unnatural cold of Death's domain.
"If no one is going to say anything…" he murmured, "I'm going to take a shower."
His voice was low and dry.
Elior could barely make out the silhouettes in front of him. The excessive strain on his body had pushed him into a state close to temporary blindness. He could not clearly see faces, expressions, or even what was directly ahead of him.
As he turned to leave, he lightly bumped into the table, almost losing his balance.
Seraphine was the first to react. She instinctively stretched out her arms, as if to catch him…
but stopped immediately.
Her body did not respond.
Elior leaned on a chair as he limped toward the hallway. Then, his instinct activated.
A sound.
Behind him.
Without turning around, he threw a knife from the table with the strength he had left.
The movement was impossible to follow with the naked eye.
A second later, the weapon was embedded in the wall, next to a piece of fabric that fluttered in the air.
All eyes locked onto Elior.
Fear became tangible.
"Sorry for scaring you," he said, shaking his head. "I guess I'm a little paranoid."
He sighed.
"Mrs. Aurora," he added. "I apologize for the inconvenience. I'm too tired to explain anything right now. Kael will fill you in. Don't be afraid. No one here will hurt you."
Without waiting for a response, he continued toward his room.
Kael watched him in silence, noticing how Elior's hand made small involuntary movements, as if his body were trying to realign each bone on its own.
The door closed.
The sound of the shower started almost immediately.
The tension that had been held back burst into heavy breaths.
"Kael…" Aurora murmured. "We'll talk about this later. If anything happens, let me know.
Seraphine, we're leaving. Now."
Hina quickly approached Seraphine.
"Please… don't be afraid of Elior," she said. "I know what happened was terrifying, but he's not bad. I promise I'll explain everything to you tomorrow."
Seraphine smiled faintly, her concern evident, though her gaze remained fixed on the hallway. Something had happened to Elior. She felt it. But she did not know how to approach him.
For now, she knew there was nothing she could do, so she obeyed her mother and left.
The house fell silent again.
Lia was still scared…
"Don't worry," Kael said. "He just needs rest. You have nothing to fear."
"I'm not afraid of him," Lia said immediately. "It's just… he still smells like the thing that took him."
Kael looked at her carefully. He knew Lia had a special connection with Elior, but he did not understand how she could perceive something almost imperceptible to him.
Hina sighed and looked at her phone. She had nearly twenty missed calls.
"I have to go," she said. "My parents must be worried about the tremor. They won't stop calling."
She did not want to leave. She needed to see Elior, to make sure he was okay. But her mother's call was insistent. So, biting her lip in frustration, she said goodbye and ran out.
Meanwhile, the water flowed in the shower.
Blood slid down Elior's body as he replayed every moment of the fight. The blocks, the strikes, the way she moved.
If she comes back… I have to be ready.
He repeated it over and over.
As his body relaxed, the wounds began to close. Cuts disappeared. Bruises faded.
He remembered the moment he had pushed Death away with a single movement of his hand.
I still don't know how I did it… I don't understand anything.
But he had to understand it. Practice it. Discover how far his body could go.
When he stepped out of the shower, he was already walking normally.
He got dressed and, before opening the door, rested his forehead against it.
He did not know what to say. He had no strength left to explain anything.
But the children were scared. He had to find a way to calm them.
He took a deep breath and stepped out.
A single glance was enough for Kael to understand. Elior did not want to talk.
They both fixed the living room in silence, covering the broken windows as best they could.
Then, needing to ease the tension, Elior went to the children's room and sat in front of them.
The room was completely silent.
"I don't want to think you're afraid of me," he said with a tired smile. "Aren't you going to hug me?"
Lia was the first to move, without hesitation.
She ran to him.
Aramis followed.
The three of them fell to the floor along with the chair.
"Sorry for scaring you," Elior whispered, kissing their foreheads.
Aramis hugged him tightly without saying a word. He could not hold back his tears.
For the rest of the afternoon, the three of them just played. That night, the children fell asleep in his arms, listening to a story about Velmira. About a fountain, laughter, and his games with his little sister.
Later, Kael entered quietly.
"I'll stay here tonight," Elior whispered.
Kael nodded and closed the door.
With thousands of worries in his head, he left the house.
He needed to think.
He had not walked more than four blocks when he encountered Aurora, Seraphine, and Midas.
"We need to talk," they said.
"Not here," Kael replied. "Elior might sense you."
They had no other choice but to fly toward the outskirts of the city.
At the edge of the forest, far from human eyes, the four of them stopped.
It was time to face the truth.
Before Kael could say a single word, Seraphine spoke first.
"Is Elior… okay?"
She could not hide her concern. She did not even try.
Midas, standing a few steps back, smiled to himself as he watched her. Seeing his student show such clear, human vulnerability was rare… and yet he said nothing.
Kael answered a few seconds later.
"Elior is better now. His wounds healed," he said gravely. "He's almost like new."
He deliberately avoided going deeper.
"I suppose we'll talk about it when things calm down… but yes, he's back to being the Elior we know."
Seraphine released the breath she had been holding. Her shoulders dropped as the tension eased.
"Thank you…"
"What exactly happened?" Midas asked, frowning. "I'm not understanding anything."
Kael began to recount what had happened. With every word, Midas's expression grew more serious… until his eyes finally widened in disbelief.
"So you're suggesting that kid… fought Death herself," he said.
"The cold, egocentric Death?"
"That's what I assume," Kael replied. "Elior isn't stupid. He knows Death is an angel. And if he let himself be carried away by rage, like he always does in these situations… he probably confronted her."
"With all due respect, Master," Midas said mockingly, "you can't say the kid isn't stupid if he throws himself directly into a fight with Death."
"That's almost terrifying," Aurora intervened. "If they already fear the boy up there, if they find out about this supposed fight… they'll fear him three times more."
"That's why they can't find out. At least not for now," Seraphine said, running her hands along her neck.
Aurora quickly looked at Kael seriously.
"Kael, you know the longer you wait, the worse it will be for Elior. You have to tell him your true nature. That way you won't have to hide your power when things like today happen."
Kael grumbled.
He knew Aurora was right… but he was not ready.
How would Elior take it?
How would the children take it?
He did not want to think about it.
"I won't dwell on that topic for now," he finally said. "Let's talk about the real issue.
What did you discover, Midas? Are they planning something?"
"I don't know exactly," Midas replied, "but it's obvious they're plotting something.
Naor and a few other angels were summoned to a meeting with the Council."
"Naor?" Kael repeated.
"One of my students," Midas explained. "Practically the only one who can keep up with Seraphine.
He was raised under strict rules. He's not a bad kid, but if the Council orders him to do something… he'll do it without questioning."
The wind began to blow stronger than normal. Branches creaked as if something were moving among them.
"Shhh," Midas whispered immediately.
As he listened to every leaf and branch, something was wrong.
Then the others felt it too.
Presences with a completely repulsive stench surrounded them.
Several figures perched among the trees. Angels… but deformed, corrupted. Their eyes were completely black, barely reflecting the moonlight.
"Oh… I think we were discovered very quickly," one of them said, laughing. "But I expected nothing less from you, Midas."
"It's nothing personal," he continued. "But I'll have to take you with me.
Some of us need to feed."
The four of them took a defensive stance.
Kael stepped forward.
Just one step.
Even so, the fallen angels instinctively retreated. His mere presence made them tremble and doubt their actions.
"You were all rejected in Aetheris," Aurora said. "And you ran to take refuge with the demons of Gehenna.
For what? More power? You're pathetic."
"As I said… it's nothing personal, old lady," the fallen one smiled.
And lunged forward.
The forest became a battlefield.
Seraphine fought evenly, but when she found herself at a disadvantage, she unsheathed her sword, eliminating enemies with precision.
Midas dodged and decapitated with clean movements.
Aurora fought three at once with her dagger, showing years of experience.
And Kael…
Watching him fight was understanding why he was once considered the strongest archangel.
Every movement was precise.
Every strike was crushing.
With one hand, he neutralized enemies.
With his daggers, he pinned them to trees.
Once he ran out of daggers, he approached the one who seemed to be the leader. The creature lunged forward desperately, acting out of fear, but its efforts were useless. Kael quickly struck every vital point in the demon's body, draining its strength. He dodged its final blow, grabbed it by the neck, and slammed it into the ground.
Kael pressed his foot onto the demon's knee and drove both daggers into its wings.
"AAHHG! DAMN SON OF A BITCH!"
"Now tell me exactly what you're doing here," Kael said calmly.
"What is your real objective?"
"You," the demon laughed through the pain. "But everything will come in time. Don't worry."
It tried to attack, tearing at its wings.
Kael slammed it into the ground again.
"This time, I'll let you live. So tell whoever sent you that I'll be waiting."
"Go. Quickly. Before I change my mind."
The fallen angel ran toward the forest, but instead of escaping, it grabbed a sword from another corpse and charged at Kael.
Seraphine intercepted it, slamming it against a tree before it could hurt him. The rage she had been holding back exploded. With the enemy pinned, she began to strike relentlessly.
"Seraphine, that's enough," Aurora exclaimed, worried.
"Yes… you're right, Mother. It's enough."
While the fallen angel was unable to react, Seraphine drove her hands into its chest, releasing her power. Her eyes glowed intensely as the demon screamed in agony.
"STOP! PLEASE, STOP!" it cried desperately.
Every cell, every nerve was being destroyed one by one, nearing total disintegration. It was not just a physical attack. Seraphine's power annihilated even the soul.
"You deserve to die," Seraphine said, staring into its eyes.
The demon screamed once more… and disintegrated, releasing a powerful shockwave.
"Seraphine… there was no need to torture it like that," Aurora said, annoyed.
"Sorry," Seraphine murmured.
"This isn't the time to scold her, Aurora," Kael said. "It was my fault for thinking it would really leave. You saved me, Seraphine. Thank you."
"Someone sent them," Midas concluded. "Without a doubt, someone is pulling the strings and doesn't want to be discovered."
"How do you know?" Seraphine asked.
"First, it somehow knew we'd be here. And second… the demons it sent were weak, even for fallen angels. Most likely, it was testing us."
"The best thing we can do now is leave. I'm not in the mood to keep fighting," Aurora said seriously.
As Aurora prepared to open a portal, Seraphine approached Kael.
"Master, please… could you let me know if anything happens with Elior?"
"Of course. Go without worry. I'll let you know," Kael said with a smile.
"Take care, and keep me informed of anything you learn."
As the three of them crossed the portal back to Aetheris, Kael watched the bodies of the angels slowly disintegrate. Then he headed home. He needed rest.
After a long walk, back at the house, Kael passed by the children's room.
Elior was sleeping between them. They clung to his clothes as if afraid he might disappear again.
Kael carefully closed the door to avoid waking them.
In his own room, exhausted, he collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
It had been many years since he had done this.
"God…"
His voice came out low, resigned.
"Please… protect them. Protect my children."
He closed his eyes.
"I don't understand why you put Elior through these trials. I know you must have a reason… but you're hurting him.
He's already suffered enough."
His breathing trembled.
"He deserves a peaceful life. A happy one.
I want to see him act like a kid his age… worrying about school, not fighting for his life."
He clenched his fists.
"I feel like I'm failing his parents.
I've never seen him with friends his age… not even with a girl or a boy. Just that burden of responsibility on his shoulders that doesn't belong to him."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"Just… please," he whispered. "Let him find his happiness. Let him find who he really is without these constant battles."
Please…
After speaking with God, Kael could not fall asleep. Despite lying there exhausted, sleep would not come.
Something would not let him rest.
He turned over again and again as the hours passed, until he finally gave up. He slowly sat up and checked the clock.
05:00 a.m.
"Tch…"
He sighed. There was no point in trying anymore.
He got up to make coffee, but when he opened the door to the backyard, he froze.
Elior was there.
Sitting at the entrance to the garden, holding a steaming cup in his hands, staring at the enormous moon hanging over the house.
Elior turned his head when he heard the door and smiled faintly.
"Can't sleep either?" he asked.
Kael shook his head.
"Honestly, no… and from what I can see, neither can you."
"You guessed right," Elior replied calmly. "I left more hot water in case you want some coffee."
Kael said nothing. He simply smiled tiredly and went to make himself one.
When he returned, he sat beside Elior. Neither spoke right away. Both stared at the moon in silence.
"Yesterday was a pretty chaotic day…" Elior murmured after a sip of coffee.
"You can say that again," Kael replied. "But the good thing is that nothing truly serious happened."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
There was a brief pause.
"Hey, Kael…" Elior said. "What did you tell Seraphine and her mother? It must have been hard for them to see all that."
"I explained what was necessary," Kael replied. "They were scared, but I think they understood."
He lied.
"That's good," Elior said, staring at the moon. "I hope she doesn't distance herself…"
He lowered his voice slightly.
"I sent her a message a while ago. She didn't reply… but maybe it's because I sent it at three in the morning," he added, forcing a smile.
"Yeah… that's probably it," Kael repeated.
Elior tightened his grip on the cup.
"I need to talk to her. I don't want her to be afraid of me. I was going to do it as soon as I got back, but… I couldn't. I was too exhausted."
Kael sighed.
He stayed silent for a few seconds… until he finally spoke.
"What happened back there, son?"
Elior froze.
He set the cup aside.
"Long story short…" he said, letting out a nervous laugh. "Death is almost invincible. At least for now. No matter how many times I tried, she was just playing with me.
She hits harder than you can imagine… and I'm sure she didn't even use half her power."
He clenched his teeth.
"It was frustrating. I was fighting seriously and she was just laughing. The difference in strength was… humiliating.
There was a moment when she said she wanted to talk to me… but I didn't let her. I attacked again."
Kael listened in silence.
Everything he had suspected was real.
Elior had fought Death.
Part of him had hoped that difference in power would make Elior stop. That he would understand there were beings far stronger than him.
But no.
What he saw now was something else.
Frustration. Anger. Determination.
Elior turned toward Kael.
"That's why… please," he said bluntly. "Can we train again? Like when I was a kid.
I need to be stronger. At this level, I won't achieve what I want."
He looked straight at him.
"I need you, Kael. Please."
Kael closed his eyes for a moment.
That small hope, that Elior would stop, shattered.
"No, son," Kael finally said.
Elior blinked, surprised.
"This time… I can't help you," Kael continued, raising his voice slightly. "I don't want to keep training you just so you can throw yourself at others looking for an end.
Honestly, I think this fight is just an excuse to die."
Elior fell silent.
"Tell me I'm wrong, son," Kael insisted. "Tell me you don't plan to keep throwing yourself at stronger beings."
Elior clenched his fists.
"It's true," he finally said, his voice trembling. "For years I've been looking for an ending. But not for me, for them.
I just want to be with my family. I miss them every single day."
He raised his voice, upset.
"I can't even bring myself to go to the cemetery. It disturbs me to think they're under the ground.
I've suffered… and I'm still suffering."
His eyes reflected anguish.
"They took everything from me, Kael. EVERYTHING. And I… I will take everything from them. There will be no half measures.
And yes, I'm human. I'll die anyway. What difference does it make if it's sooner or later?"
He took a deep breath.
"But be sure of this… I won't die without at least taking down the one who murdered my family and the people of my village.
If I fall, I'll take them with me. I swear it."
He looked at Kael firmly.
"So if you don't want to train me, I understand. But don't ask me to give up the only thing that keeps me out of autopilot.
It's hard for me to find another reason to live."
Kael felt a knot in his throat until he could finally speak.
"Sometimes… I truly feel like I'm disappointing your parents," he said quietly.
"There are nights when I still see them in my dreams. I'm sure they wouldn't have wanted this life for you."
He lowered his gaze.
"And the worst part… is that it's my fault."
Before he could continue, Elior interrupted him.
"I know they wouldn't have wanted this for me either," he said. "But it was my decision."
He stepped closer.
"And don't underestimate yourself so much. Even if you're not my father… you raised me.
And you're still raising Aramis and Lia."
He looked at him with absolute sincerity.
"For me, you've done more than an excellent job.
You're like my father too."
Something broke inside Kael.
"So… good night. Or good morning, I don't know," Elior added. "I'm going to sleep a bit more.
There are no classes today anyway because of yesterday's earthquake. They're going to inspect the school."
He began to walk away.
"We'll talk in the morning."
Kael remained motionless.
The words echoed over and over.
"You've done more than enough."
"You're like my father."
Tears flowed freely.
"Rest well…" he managed to say, his voice breaking.
Elior didn't turn around.
And Kael watched him walk down the hallway, understanding that no matter what happened…
That boy, even without blood ties, was his son.
Elior, in his room, was unable to fall asleep again, so he got ready to go out for a run.
He moved forward at a slow pace, letting his body move almost by inertia, while observing the state of his neighborhood after the tremor from the previous day. Some houses had visible cracks, windows covered with improvised boards; the city had not fully awakened yet.
The more he ran, the clearer his mind felt.
He reached the school, almost on the outskirts of the city. The sun's rays still did not dare to fully appear, so he continued a bit farther, until he stopped at the bridge. Not on the bridge itself, but in the small park beside it, a place where the view was beautiful and where one could see the sun slowly emerging between the mountains.
It was there, breathing somewhat heavily, that he saw her.
Seraphine.
And Seraphine saw him.
She did not know how to react.
Neither did he.
Elior smiled automatically when he saw her.
"Hey… how are you?" he said.
Seraphine paused, blinked a couple of times.
"Hi," she replied in a somewhat weak voice, her exhaustion evident. "I'm fine… and you?"
"I'm fine."
Elior's mind was completely clear in front of her. Calm and silence took over the place.
"What are you doing around here at this hour?" Elior asked. "Your clothes don't look like workout clothes. Are you sure you're okay?"
She held his gaze, but not for long. She felt a slight nervousness.
"Yes, I'm fine… I might just be a bit shaken by everything."
Elior immediately looked away, assuming she meant because of him.
Seraphine noticed it instantly and corrected herself.
"I don't mean because of yesterday. I'm just worried about school and other things."
Elior smiled faintly. He had nothing else to say.
"Sera…" he said after a few seconds. "Do you feel like sitting for a while? Maybe talking will do us some good."
He extended his hand toward her.
Seraphine hesitated for a moment… but she took it.
They walked along the edge of the park, still illuminated by the streetlights. The silence was part of the moment; neither dared to break it.
"Here we are," Elior said. "This is the best spot."
"The best spot?" Seraphine asked, incredulous.
"Yes. From here you can see the perfect sunrise. It's not like in my village, but it's almost just as beautiful."
They sat down.
The breeze was cold, announcing the closeness of winter. The wind messed up Elior's hair as they both glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes.
"Tell me the truth," Seraphine asked, unable to hold back. "Are you really okay? Yesterday you didn't seem like it."
"It was just a difficult day. You don't have to worry," he replied. "I'm fine, Sera.
I'm worried about you."
She looked at him.
"You saw things that few people ever see. It wouldn't be the first time someone is left scared after something like that. Believe me, I know how bad it is. And finding you here at this hour worried me even more. I'm truly sorry."
"Elior," Seraphine intervened. "Really, don't worry. I'm fine.
But I won't lie… I was very worried about you when you disappeared and came back covered in blood."
"Look at me, Sera. How do I look now?" he asked. "I have no injuries. And this won't happen again."
"How sure are you of that?" she replied, raising her voice slightly. "What I saw yesterday is not normal at all. How can you know it won't happen again, Elior?"
When she finished, she looked away, upset.
"Okay, okay, sorry," Elior said immediately. "You're right. I don't know.
My world stopped being normal a long time ago. At this point I don't even know what normal is anymore."
"Why do you say that?" Seraphine asked, looking at him from the corner of her eye.
Elior looked toward the horizon, where the sun was beginning to appear.
"Well… I don't think I'll sound crazy or scare you anymore," he said with a nervous laugh. "It's boring. Do you really want to hear my story?"
"Elior," she replied, moving a little closer. "Your story could never bore me. It's your story. I would love to hear it."
He smiled.
"Alright… I'll tell you."
As he spoke, Seraphine's expressions changed completely. She already knew the story, but hearing it in Elior's voice was different. Heavier. More real.
So much pain.
So much anguish.
She wondered what she would have done in his place.
She thus grasped the deep hatred Elior held toward demons and angels. She could not stop the tears from falling.
"Now," he continued, "the worst part is learning to balance my strength. If I hit a human with everything I have… I would kill them. When I was a child, it was horrible."
He paused.
"No one ever believed me. My anger grew… not only toward angels, but also toward humans. They always said angels were protectors. I couldn't disagree more.
We're just cannon fodder. Shields in front of their insignificant wars. They never cared about us."
Seraphine listened without interrupting.
"I live with the anguish of wondering when my last day will be," he continued. "Everything keeps getting worse. And an hour ago I argued with Kael. He doesn't want to help me train. I need to be stronger… or I'll never avenge my family."
He leaned back against the bench.
"Sorry… I talked too much. I couldn't stop."
"Elior…" Seraphine whispered. "I'm so sorry. Truly."
"Why are you apologizing?" he asked, confused.
"I don't know," she replied. "I just am."
She lowered her gaze.
"How can you carry all of that?"
"If I hadn't had Kael… Lia, Aramis, Hina… my world would have fallen apart. Maybe I wouldn't even be here."
Seraphine looked at him in silence.
Both leaned back against the bench.
As they both breathed after the heavy story Elior had told, the sun began to cast its first rays, shining directly onto Elior's face. Feeling the annoying light on his skin, he slowly opened his eyes.
Seraphine could not look away.
The scene was so beautiful it almost seemed like a sign meant only for her. In that instant, she knew it clearly: she had to protect that man, no matter the consequences. Seeing his eyes shine as they met the sunlight was something unique, almost sacred. A sign that everything would be alright.
But that feeling was not shared.
For Elior, the sun was just that: the sun.
It meant nothing more.
The simple fact that the light touched him was a coincidence, nothing relevant. There was no warmth, no comfort, nothing.
Quickly, so as not to get trapped in his pessimistic thoughts, he spoke.
"So… what about you, Seraphine?" he said. "We've only talked about me. What's your story? Why are you so stressed? Maybe talking about it will ease your burden."
Seraphine looked ahead and smiled.
"Alright," she said softly. "It's my turn."
But before she could continue, the moment broke.
Elior felt something.
A presence.
Mysterious. Dense.
Seraphine felt it too, but she could not react near him. Elior immediately closed his eyes, tracking through his senses every movement, every fluctuation… until he found one in particular. Far away. On top of a building. Someone was watching.
Elior stood up from the bench and looked at Seraphine.
"It's best if we leave this place."
When he looked back at the building, the figure was gone. The presence had disappeared.
For a moment, he doubted.
Had it been real… or just his imagination?
"Seraphine… I'm really sorry for interrupting you," he said. "It was super anticlimactic. I don't want to scare you or anything…"
"Elior, it's okay," she replied with a smile. "I understand. Besides, knowing that what exists beyond Geheris is real… I'm at least glad to be here, by your side, and not somewhere else."
As soon as she said it, she regretted it.
She blushed immediately.
"I-it's better if we go," she added quickly.
Elior was struck by how lightly she took everything. What happened yesterday, what happened today… it was as if she had lived through it before. He thought about asking her, but decided to keep that thought to himself so as not to overwhelm her.
"Let's go," he said. "I'll walk you home."
"Are you sure? It's not very far…"
"I don't want to leave you alone."
The walk was calm, in a way. Elior remained alert because of that presence, but Seraphine distracted him with questions and jokes. Everything flowed normally.
"So, Elior," she said, walking backwards. "You said you're strong… and you bragged about it earlier. But how strong are you, really?"
"Don't you believe me?" he replied, smiling.
They stopped near a car. Elior looked around to make sure no one was nearby and, without any effort, crouched down and lifted the vehicle above his head.
Seraphine was left speechless.
"You really… lift a car like it's nothing?"
"Yes…"
"Okay, I admit I'm impressed, but now I'd like to see how you put it down without damaging it," she said, laughing.
"I hadn't thought about that," Elior replied, somewhat scared.
Carefully, he managed to lower it, and they kept walking.
When they reached Seraphine's house, both stood in front of the door, unsure how to say goodbye.
"You still owe me your story," Elior said.
"That's true," she replied, smiling. "I didn't get to tell it."
"Maybe…" he said, "…we could go out for something someday, and you can tell me then."
Seraphine blinked several times, incredulous.
Is he asking me out?
"Y-yes," she replied. "I'd love that."
"Ah, I almost forgot, Elior, about your message," Seraphine said in a lower voice.
"You don't have to worry. I don't think there's anything about you that could scare me, and please… you don't have to distance yourself," she said, lightly gripping the sleeve of his shirt. "Just stay closer…"
Elior did not know how to act or react.
Both their hearts began to beat faster. There was something pulling them toward each other, bringing them closer than they expected. Each took a step forward, without breaking eye contact.
"Elior…" Seraphine whispered.
But suddenly, a part of Elior shut down completely. The memories returned. The pain. The losses. He stepped back abruptly.
"Are you okay?" she asked, worried.
"Yes, yes… I'm fine. You should go inside, Sera. I should head home."
Before leaving, Elior stepped closer and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.
Seraphine closed her eyes and smiled softly.
The moment was interrupted by Aurora, Seraphine's mother, who opened the door. Elior bowed slightly.
"I'm sorry about yesterday… I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble."
"Don't worry, Elior," Aurora replied with a smile. "Kael told me everything. You can rest easy. I'm old enough not to be scared by that."
"Thank you… It was a pleasure to see you. Take care."
Elior ran off with his headphones on.
The morning passed slowly, replaying the fight over and over, searching for information about Death in ancient books. Nothing. Then he remembered Alice.
She must know more.
He extended his hand, but nothing happened.
"How did I do it before…?"
He remembered Alice's words. He breathed. He meditated. He let himself be carried by the shadows.
The realm responded.
When he arrived, everything was repaired. There was no trace of the fight from yesterday. As he observed everything, he ran in search of Alice.
"Alice!"
"My lord, what are you doing here?"
"I need your help."
When he mentioned Death, she grew worried.
"I'm not going after her," Elior clarified. "I just want to be prepared."
"Please, you must know those who trained the ancient king. I need to become stronger," Elior said firmly.
"Yes, I know who they are, but my lord, are you sure about this?"
"I'm very sure of what I'm asking, Alice. Please, help me."
"Alright… I will bring those who trained with the ancient king. Please wait in your residence."
Minutes later, Alice returned with four elders, who knelt as soon as they saw Elior.
"Please, stand up," Elior said. "There's no need to kneel before me. I don't like that."
"I assume Alice told you why you were called, correct?"
The four elders nodded.
"Perfect. I need to train and become much stronger so I can better protect the realm and the people I care about. So please, show no mercy. I need to become far stronger."
The elders smiled.
"Then let us begin, my lord," they said. "It will be lethal. And as you wish, there will be no mercy in your training."
"That's exactly what I expect," Elior replied. "At this point… there is no turning back. And I am more than ready to train."