He had to see her again. It had been ages since their first and only encounter, and he couldn't stand it anymore. No other woman he had known felt anything close to how she did, and he needed to hold her in his arms again. Even if it were for just a second, it would be enough to last him for the rest of his life. He just needed to know she was still there, she still remembered, and she still cared. That was why he had slipped into her cavernous home without telling anyone where he was going. Nobody could know where he had gone, and her safety would be at stake if they found out.

His journey came to an end when he reached the sweet-smelling spring. His eyes scanned the chamber until they focused on a nude brown-haired figure sitting on a flat rock. Kureha was quietly singing to herself, and her visitor wasn't surprised she looked exactly the same as when he left her, given her nature. As his armor made small clinking sounds with each step toward her, he caught her attention and caused her to suddenly bring her knees to her chest to cover herself. However, when she recognized the familiar man, she stretched her legs out again and shamelessly bared herself to him.

"You came back..."

Kureha's expression filled with happiness as she spoke to the swordsman she had met many years ago. She stood up from the rock she had been reclining on and ran toward him to throw her slender arms around him. The man slowly hugged her in return, finally ending his craving and bringing him back to his full senses. He quickly accepted a deep kiss she offered him, and when the embrace ended, he spoke out of slight regret.

"I... I'm sorry. I just had to see you again."

Kureha returned his apology with a playful smile.

"It's okay. I didn't expect you to stay away forever."

Her expression now turned to one of concern as she closely studied the features partially obscured by his blonde beard.

"Oh, you're hurt!"

She lifted her hand so her soft fingertips touched just above his left eyelid. She then traced a swollen mark on his face that extended down to his left cheek. It was a years-old war scar that had long since healed as far as it could on its own ability. With Kureha's mystical influence, however, the wound faded completely from his face, with the added benefit of restoring some of the youth to his features.

"There. Now you're more like how I remember."

Kureha smiled again as the man touched his face to inspect her work in amazement. He then turned his head toward a male voice calling down toward him.

"Hello, father."

He looked upward to see what he almost thought was a younger version of himself in his mid teens. The boy's hair was slightly darker than his, and his eyes were an odd purple color, but the resemblance was clear. This speaker was perched on a pulpit of rocks above the swordsman, with one arm sitting on his bent knee. He had a slightly sinister complexion, but, somewhere within that coy smirk, the visiting warrior could see a loving son smiling toward him. The boy said nothing after this, and only turned his head to look outward and return to his ambitious daydreaming.

When the grown man's eyes returned to Kureha, he noticed she was now blushing slightly. She then silently nodded, knowing his next question was going to concern the mysterious boy's parentage. Just before he tried to speak, the lone mercenary's attention was drawn to the sound of a large splash coming from another side of the spring chamber. He could barely make out another nude figure swimming away from a rock that was adorned by the pieces to a white and reddish-brown priestess dress. This girl had long black hair, and moved through the glowing water like an graceful mermaid. The swordsman realized this meant Kureha had found a friend to always keep her company, and a smile formed on his face.

He now placed his full attention on Kureha and thought of the matter at hand. He quickly realized he had been used by temptress to further her own goals the first time they met, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry at her. His soul belonged to her, and he couldn't think of anything other than seeing her happy. All he could ask was a simple question.

"Why me?"

Sensing her visitor's clever perception, Kureha answered honestly as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Because you were one of the only people who were kind to me. I could tell you really liked me even before I used magic on you. And it really helped..."

She moved one hand to his collarbone and began slowly caressing his armored chest as she spoke in a relaxed voice.

"...that you had such a great body."

The man nearly drifted to sleep on his feet due to her angelic touch, but quickly climbed back into awareness. He now realized, with his purpose in her scheme already fulfilled, there was no reason for her to keep him alive. She probably had the power to tear him to shreds at this instant, but he was surprised to find he felt no fear toward her. He questioned her on this new observation.

"Why haven't you killed me?"

Kureha removed her head from his shoulder so she could look up and show him her joyful smile.

"Because we're mates, silly. It would break my heart if I did that."

He blinked in confusion.

"Mates?"

The dark priestess nodded as she elaborated.

"Yep. That's how it works. We each choose one husband, and then we're linked for life."

Curiosity now sprung in the war veteran's mind.

"How will you know when I'm gone?"

Kureha rested her ear against the left side of his chest and pressed herself further against him while she replied.

"That's part of our connection. No matter where you are, I'll always hear your heart beating. I won't pick a new husband until after it stops."

The swordsman turned his head for a second to acknowledge the raven-haired beauty in the background, who was now busily traveling the surface of the spring in a doggy paddle.

"What about her? I only see our son here."

Kureha turned to the same direction before answering.

"Oh, you mean Ryuna? She doesn't have a husband yet. We each have different mating seasons, and it could take centuries before she starts looking."

The man nodded in understanding. He now questioned her on her more lustful activities.

"But what about all those monsters you've been with?"

Kureha giggled innocently before she replied.

"Oh, we only do that for fun. Those kinds of things don't mean anything."

Her tone gradually became more intimate as she went on.

"It's only when it's a special moment, like what you and I had, that it really counts as marriage. That's the only time we can have children."

The traveling soldier's lips pulled into a smile as he understood how important he was to the loving priestess. He then studied the spring chamber again, noting his son still looking into the air as he considered his inevitable rise to power and seeing Ryuna now contently paddling backwards in the deepest section of the hazy pool. He finally looked back into Kureha's brown eyes before speaking again.

"I can't stay here, can I?"

His lover shook her head sadly as she responded in a frown.

"No, this isn't where you belong. We need to keep this place pure. I'm sorry."

He dispelled her frown with a soft chuckle.

"That's fine. I just needed to see you again."

He then decided to leave his family with a parting gift before he gave his final farewells. He reached to his back and removed the largest of the swords he was carrying with him. He carefully presented the silver blade to his wife as he turned his head to acknowledge the boy perched above him.

"Here. Give this to him when he's old enough."

Kureha looked at her reflection in the blade as she blinked in uncertainty.

"Why do you want me to have this?"

The man replied with fatherly affection.

"Our boy is going to be strong enough to start his campaign soon, right? He'll need a weapon if he wants to succeed."

He knew exactly what Kureha had been preparing the child for, as the history of this place made her plans fairly obvious. The immortal seductress continued to stare at the sword as she questioned her mate again.

"You... know what this means, right?"

He simply nodded, resulting in her prying further into his thoughts.

"You really want to help us conquer your own race?"

The mercenary nodded again. His voice was void of all doubt when he spoke.

"Yes."

Kureha tilted her head curiously and spoke after a short pause.

"Why would you do that?"

The swordsman smiled as he quietly answered her final question.

"Because I love you."

Kureha understood how deeply attached her husband had become toward her, leaving her genuinely surprised. She finally accepted the weapon from his hands before briefly placing it on the ground. She then shared a prolonged kiss with him. When this embrace ended, the couple gave each other their final farewells before the swordsman began exiting the cave.

After her lover left, Kureha carefully lifted the blade from the ground and held it to her own heart. With a small cry of pain, she pushed the sword inward and absorbed it into her own being. She would incubate the blade for a few more years, and then it would be a fine magical weapon for her son.