Naoki07 here again! Time has just presented me with another opportunity to update, and so here I go again! Plans are rocking back and forth like a roller coaster-it's intense, but a lot of fun. I enjoyed writing the 'Reunion' chapter, and I hope it was enjoyed by my readers. I hope this chapter turns out just as well!

Sit back, relax and have fun. We're coming closer to the finale-there are approximately five chapters left. The end will surely occur in January 2006. Thank you for stopping by!

I don't think I need to put up the 'THIS IS A SHOUNEN-AI STORY' banner anymore, do I? I don't think so...

Theme song of 'Heaven': Gentle Dawn and Bridge06 of .hack/sign, 'The Sending' of Final Fantasy X. In order for the experience of this chapter to be complete, you must know of 'The Sending' song. PLEASE LISTEN-IT'S SO PRETTY!

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FINAL FANTASY X, OR 'THE SENDING'. IF I DID, WOULDN'T I BE THE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE? I MEAN, IT'S SQUARE-ENIX FER CRYIN' OUT LOUD...

The embrace of night cradled the heavens, and bestowed a delicate, rich blanket of warmth upon the world. The winds were at peace; they were radiant with the luminosity of a golden sunset. They were the perfect accompaniments to the rays of translucent moonlight, which were tinted by soft, sapphire blue rivers of incandescence. Incandescent displays of stars were shimmering in the heavens, and they created a miracle none had ever seen before. The radiant gemstones had smiles about them, and the winds danced with a beauty that had never been dreamt of before.

The young advisor of Pharae's sovereign made his way into the temple, and found the two lovers locked in an ardent, passionate embrace. Marth was lost in peaceful slumber, covered in the warmth of his mate's arms...Roy was awake, but absorbed in the blissful beauty of his lover's heart. The events he had seen during his trip into the past were running throughout his mind, but he wasn't exhausted. Each thought tied his heart even closer to the heart of his lover, and increased the already-fierce devotion he had for him. Every thought made him realize that he had been foolish to doubt their bond; he had almost thrown away the most precious gift, and now he was determined to hold onto it.

The sovereign looked as if he were made of glass; the emotions flowing through his body were invigorating, but at the same time, they were heavy...for they shifted his life with immense significance. His eyes were still filled with the fires that came with the Principality bloodline, but they were radiant with delicate, fragile happiness. The grip he had on his sleeping star was a tight one-he wouldn't have released Marth if Kratos had asked him to. Soren looked upon the sacred miracle with a warm, motherly smile...and felt his heart fall into a realm of serenity.

Several seconds ago, all three of them had been lost in their own worlds of turmoil. Now everything was right again.

Soren pierced the calm air with his soft, gentle voice.

"Your Highness?"

It took Roy a moment to register his voice, for his soul was completely absorbed in Marth, but then he recovered and placed his attention on the young advisor. He looked as if he failed to recognize Soren for a moment, then a small smile bloomed on his face. There were a million thoughts running through his mind, and all of them led to one thing; a brighter future with the one he loved...more than anything. He spoke to his young friend, and was instantly surprised by how strange his voice sounded...

"You're all right. I'm glad to see you, dear friend."

Soren made his way over to the two, and gently draped an arm around his sovereign's shoulders. He peered into Roy's face, still bearing the warmest of smiles about him.

"Likewise, my lord. I-"

Roy's next two words sent a wave of warm shock through his heart.

"Thank you."

Disbelief instantly flooded Soren's eyes, and dragged his heart into the greatest of happiness. He had never seen his sovereign exude such warmth before, and he had been at his side for several years. It was easy to see that the experience he endured changed him for the better; he was no longer insecure and fragile. It was time to face the future, and he knew that well.

After Soren recovered from the initial shock, he molded the warmth of his heart into another gentle smile.

"I think it's time for rest. The two of you have been through tremendous experiences, so a night of peace will do you both a world of good. Your Highness, I must say that Marth was terribly worried about you."

"I know." Roy said sadly, and gave another gentle kiss to his angel's head. "I realized that as soon as I..."

The rest of his statement fell into nothingness, for his heart was overwhelmed by tears. Sobs shook his body, and pierced the gentle air with a frailty that brought Soren to tears. The young advisor quickly wiped his friend's tears away, unable to endure his dear friend's sobbing. He lingered in silence for a moment, and thought upon the passionate words of his friend. He knew of the bond his sovereign shared with Marth, but surprises presented themselves everyday. He had never seen a human being fall so deeply in love with another, and never really believed that a human could attain such warmth with another. The emotions of Roy's eyes were far beyond the powers of comprehension; he looked as if he had been made by the gods themselves, filled with the radiant luminosity of perpetual grace.

Soren spoke to his dear friend, and grasped his hand gently. The voice of the advisor was warm, soothing and refreshing, like a tender touch of buttermilk. It was tinted by shock, but the shock came forth in the form of warm happiness. "There, there. It's all right now." he said to the sovereign, speaking the way a mother would to a frightened child. "There's no need to trouble yourself anymore. Everything's all right now, Your Highness. Please bring an end to your tears."

The young advisor's eyes fell on Marth, and then he noticed his shreds of clothing, which were no more than a few inches away. Scorn flashed in his eyes, and caused them to temporarily become flames of cobra poison, then he shook his head and allowed the warmth to return. He opened his mouth to speak of Marth's condition, but his sovereign cut him off before he could emit another word.

"Thank you for finding me. I would have been lost without you."

Soren frowned. "That's not true. You would have found a way out on your own. You had the strength within you, my friend. I just made my way to you because I was worried. You mean a lot to me, Your Eminence, and I am your faithful advisor."

"...Soren?"

The young one couldn't see what was coming. "Yes, Your Grace?"

Roy's question almost brought his heart to a complete stop.

"You love me, don't you?"

It was as if Roy had asked him to strip off every piece of clothing.

His heart almost lunged out of his chest. After it had failed to do so, it began to pound like a madman against his chest. His eyes widened to their limits, and filled themselves with the highest amount of shock. Soren spent most of life as a calm, collected and stoic advisor-he rarely ever threw off his composed figure. He looked like a child that had been accused of the greatest crime imaginable, and that was a new look for him.

"Wha-Your Highness! How-when-what...I didn't...who-"

"Nobody told me, Soren. I figured it out on my own." Roy told him amidst warm laughter. "I realized that when you came to my rescue. You've looked after me for such a long time, and you've been such a wonderful friend. That little journey of mine made a lot of things clear. You've always been so kind to me, and...I'd like to thank you...for putting up with me."

Soren's face was a vibrant shade of red. He looked like a shocked child that had just been relieved of his garments. "Ummm...Your Eminence...I-I d-don't think we should be...you know...discussing this right now. It's...not...really...important."

Gods, I feel like an idiot.

"I'm sorry, but there are a few more things I'd like to say before we head back. I thank you for the kindness you've given me, and I'm sorry I can't return your feelings. You mean a lot to me too, and you'll be in my heart...always. I just can't love you back, for my heart belongs to someone else. I'd like to thank you for being so kind to Marth too. You're a godsend to both of us."

"Don't worry about me, Your Eminence. It's true-I do love you, but I'm glad your heart is bound to Marth's. I've seen the smiles you've exchanged with each other. I know the depths of Marth's devotion for you. I know how strongly you feel about Marth. I bear no ill will against either of you, my friend. I'm going to make sure the two of you have a happy, prosperous future with each other. I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure a safe future for the both of you. Before I escort the two of you back to our quarters, I'd like to share some knowledge with you. Marth delivered a few statements to me regarding his Soulbond. He told me that he'd cast off his name and lineage for the chance to spend an eternity with you. He also told me that his heart would endure every obstacle imaginable to protect you."

He'd cast off his lineage...his very name...

"Now, I think it's time to take the two of you from this place. We've been here long enough."

The night skies watched over the three souls as they made their way back to their haven. The sleeping Marth was in Soren's vigilant arms, and Roy was on his own two feet. The young advisor bore the desire to carry both of them; his maternal instincts caused him to frequently hit 'overdrive'. He sadly accepted the fact that supporting both of them was impossible, and the three of them went down their starlit path...under the scintillating skies of serenity.

There were no other souls about, and that fact bestowed a great amount of relief on Soren's heart. There weren't any garments on his charge's body-that would have created a severely high amount of chaos, since the Altean's body was crafted by the hands of the gods. The young advisor had no desire to fend off foolish spectators, and the two lovers didn't need to be bothered by any crowds.

The young advisor and his sovereign returned to the hotel in warm, blissful silence. The silence was anything but awkward-it brought the two of them closer together, and tied them in a union of undying friendship. Soren felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders, thanks to the secret his sovereign had uncovered. For the longest time, he felt like a child that had kept a box of treasure to himself, but now things were out in the open...and everything was right. Roy felt as if a huge burden had been removed from his shoulder as well; the trip he had taken had done him a world of good.

The two of them approached the hotel, and were swiftly met by their two companions, Wolt and Allen. Both of them would have made the perfect pair of parents; Wolt bore the behavior of a worried mother, and Allen had the behavior of a frantic father. The advisor and sovereign exchanged glances with each other before they were assaulted by a stream of chaos-

"Soren! Your Highness! Where were the two of you! What happened? And by the gods, what happened to Marth?"

"Are you and Marth all right, Your Highness? The three of us were worried sick!"

"Your Highness! Where have you been? You've got a lot of explaining to do, my friend!"

Soren released a heavy sigh of frustration.

Roy shrugged and gave him a playful smile of acceptance. The words 'oh well, that's the way they are' were stamped all over his gentle features.

The young advisor brought Allen's tirade to a halt before it got even further. His eyes were closed, and that gave him the aura of a frustrated, annoyed mother-he would have made a perfect parent as well. "Cease your prattling, you half-witted idiot." he snapped at him, looking like he wanted to explode from frustration. "I've got to get Marth into bed, before he freezes to death. And leave Lord Roy alone. The two of them are exhausted, and they need their rest. Allen, I thank you for being so respectful. You need to share your manners with your companion."

Without another word, Soren made his way over to an empty bed, closely followed by Roy. Wolt passed a fearful look to Allen, who looked as if he had been caught off guard in the midst of a war. The two of them shared a moment of silence with each other, then they placed their attention on their friends. For them, the silence of the night was tense and excruciating; their sovereign had vanished into thin air, Soren had bolted out of the door after him, and Marth had spent the entire night worrying over his mate. Their three companions were back, but the reunion wasn't a tearful, joyful celebration-it was a reunion that increased the high amount of tension.

Soren, with Roy's assistance, placed the sleeping Altean into the empty bed. Both of their hearts soared out to the sleeping angel, who released a few soft moans when he came into contact with his new shelter. For a moment, he looked as if he was on the verge of awakening, then drifted back into a peaceful slumber. The sovereign and advisor spent an eternity gazing upon the sleeping angel...bearing their own thoughts and emotions. The mind of the advisor was filled with relief, sorrow and happiness; Marth looked like a soul that had just been rescued from an eternity of pain. Roy's heart was filled with thoughts of hatred and regret-and he directed every thought on himself. He thought of how much he wanted to get rid of his dearest angel, and how much he wanted to end their sacred Soulbond...several hours ago, he would have been ready and willing to end the bond he shared with Marth, but now he felt as if he were looking back on a different person.

You never know what you have until you come dangerously close to losing it.

"I'm going to retire now, my lord." Soren said softly, after an eternity had passed between them. He gave a gentle wink to his sovereign, and turned away without another word. He bore the look of an excited matchmaker about his eyes; he wanted to give his sovereign the chance to spend the night with his soul mate, and he never passed an opportunity to give his sovereign a chance to be with the Altean. Roy said nothing to his dear friend; he watched him vanish into the night...with a gentle smile.

After a few minutes, the sovereign was alone. Soren had asked Wolt and Allen to return to their area, and so the two lovers could have some time alone. The young advisor had gone off to bed, and the duo had gone off to their room. An indescribably warm wave of sunlight flooded Roy's heart, and filled his body with a passionate blend of...

It was too hard to describe.

Happiness...warmth...passion...relief...the promise of eternity...

All of those were simultaneously flowing throughout his body. They were warm, rich and immortal concepts...concepts he had never seen before the arrival of his soul mate. His body became immeasurably warm-every inch of his soul was filled with the radiance of a thousand sunrises. He was like a baby, lost in a mother's delicate embrace.

He looked upon the face of his heart's mate, and the warmest of smiles bloomed on his face. His eyes became luminous pools of evanescent eternity. The radiance of the night gave them a touch of resplendence, and brought forth even more waves of serenity. The fragile voice of his soul mate touched his heart a moment later.

"Roy?"

Happiness flooded the Sovereign's heart, and filled his eyes to their rims. It was as if a priest had delivered the holiest of blessings upon an entire nation.

Ten seconds placed the Sovereign of Pharae right next to his angel. More waves of immoderate complexity soared through his heart...as he brought himself close enough to brush his forehead against Marth's. The brightest smile was on his face; he was a broken soul that had been presented with the holiest of blessings. The warm contact caused Marth's face to become a gentle shade of red, and his ethereal eyes glimmered with a delicate, passionate blend of relief and sadness. His voice was barely above a whisper, and it was still filled with tears.

"Is it you? Have you truly returned to me?"

A moonlit ocean filled Roy's eyes. He placed a hand on Marth's face, and began to stroke it gently. His voice was no different from the voice of a comforting angel.

"I never left you. I've always been with you. You just had a nightmare, aya'cha."

A smile bloomed on Marth's face, and fell into his eyes. He took Roy's hand in his, and then squeezed it. He knew that the nightmare had been a piece of reality. The intention of his mate was to confirm that the turmoil of the night had come to an end. "I'm glad it's over." he whispered, his eyes melting into the warm eyes of his soul mate. "I thought...I thought you had been taken from me. I missed you, shia'ra."

Their glowing hearts met as they fell into a fervent embrace. Warm arms wrapped themselves around timeless harmony, and their foreheads met as they drifted into an ephemeral dream. Soft moans rose from the angel's heart as he soared through the skies of endless incandescence...and felt tidal waves of joy flood his shivering soul. Their embrace drifted into the night...and carried them far beyond the deepest chambers of heaven.

Midnight arrived.

Marth slowly exposed his eyes to the drifting night. His eyes immediately met with a radiant miracle-the heavens were putting on an unforgettable display of unbridled bliss. Vibrant rays of orange and blue were streaming across a soft purple sky, and shards of silver crystal were shimmering amongst the incandescent oceans.

Their angel had found his soul mate, and they were celebrating.

Roy was still with him, lost in a blissful world of never-ending, silent rhapsody. He bore the look of a sleeping child, and his face was moist from the rivers of tears he had shed. His head was now on Marth's shoulder...and he couldn't have looked happier...

The Altean gave him another kiss, which drifted throughout time for several minutes. After the soft embrace came to an end, he brushed his forehead against Roy's, and felt strands of his hair mingle with his own hair. Even the most simple of gestures filled their hearts with sunlight-a mere stroke of the hand or a glance caused the two of them to fall into a blissful utopia. He sat up after what felt like an eternity, and placed his eyes into the heavens.

They were smiling at him.

All of those that came before him...were smiling at him.

His heart fell into a world of peace. It began to glow with a radiance that surpassed the radiance of the stars.

He had found his angel...and now it was time...to meet the future.

He closed his eyes and fell into a world of thought. Thoughts of his destiny flew through his mind, and drove him closer to the light of the future. He was destined to be the Savior of Altea...and because he had found his mate...it was time for him to gain his wings.

He had spent a million eternities waiting for the arrival of destiny, and it was finally upon him.

There were many Altean legends and prophecies about the savior. The savior, a wielder of purity, was destined to become an angel and save the lost souls of the broken kingdom. Only the strongest Soulbond could give the savior his wings. Without them, he would forever remain incomplete...lost in obscurity. Marth had found his mate...and was ready to fulfill the destiny he had been given.

He gave another gentle kiss to the sleeping sovereign, and then realized he was fully clothed.

Soren must have clothed him. There was no other way around it.

Relief struck him as he silently made his way from the bed. After he had placed himself several yards from the bed, he took one long look at his sleeping soul mate...and felt his heart soar. He loved him, loved him with every ounce of strength in his soul. His love grew with every breath he took, with every step he made...and its growth would never cease. His heart ached with ardent happiness whenever he thought of him.

"Tei-tarnuh meikah, shai'ya."

You've given me my wings, precious miracle.

The heavens called out to him...and brought him even closer to the steps of the future. A melody of distant memories pulled him even closer to his destiny. He could hear the voices of long-lost legends...the voices of his ancestors...the voices of his family...

Ieyui...

Nobumeno...

Renmiri...

Yojuyogo...

Hasatekane...

Kutamae...

They were the words of destiny. The path he needed to take.

Pray...

Saviour...

Dream...

Child of Prayer...

Bring us peace...

His soul went out to Roy's, and bound itself to the sovereign's heart. Whispers drew themselves from his heart, and pierced the ethereal melody.

"I'm coming."

He silently made his departure...and left behind his dreamer once again...

The path to eternity was about to be taken.

-HEE HEE HEE! I'm so proud of this widdle chapter, I'm in ecstasy! THANK THE HEAVENS FOR DELAYS, EH? YIPPEE! HEE HEE HEE! I DEARLY HOPE THAT MY WIDDLE REVIEWERS KNOW OF 'THE SENDING' SONG-IT'S GOING TO PLAY AN EVEN BIGGER ROLE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!

The finale is almost here! I hope you're as excited as I am! I couldn't be more excited! If another delay in my trip crops up, I'll update again tonight! But just in case, I'll take this time to say 'Merry Christmas' again, and HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Once again, if I'm unable to make another update before tomorrow, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! BEST WISHES FOR THE YEAR 2006! HAVE FUN AND TAKE CARE!