Disclaimer: 'Honkai impact 3rd' is the property of Hoyoverse, Singapore. I do not own any characters in this story except the minor OCs here and there.
Summer side Rhapsody: Side B
The next morning
Eden got up groggily at the incoming rays of the rising sun on her face. She sat up on the bed and rubbed her eyes to get the sleep away from them. She then yawned as she checked the time on the clock at her bedside.
'6:30. It's a bit early, but whatever.' she thought as she stretched a little and got off the bed making her way to the bathroom. Once inside, she looked at herself in the big bathroom mirror. A woman with Velvet red hair and amber eyes greeted her back. She had the figure that any woman killed for: a big bountiful chest, a tiny waist and wide hips. Added to the fact that she looked like a goddess described in various famous paintings and her heavenly voice, none could keep their admiration away. Many people in the world adored her, and many more were in love with her voice. She was the desire of many people and even the monarchs of various countries couldn't help but be simply seduced by her figure and womanly charms.
She however had eyes for only one of them. The only person in this world who treated her like another person and not like a glorified deity. The person who carried the entire world on his shoulders, without faltering.
Eden's face softened as she realized that they were all enjoying themselves here only because of him. She became sad at remembering all the sacrifices that he had to make to ensure this future. Her heart went out to him who had suffered again and again so that nobody else had to.
That was why she had decided today to attempt to repay him for all that he has done, even though she knew that no matter how much she does will never be enough. She also wanted to spend time with him and make him feel relaxed. Thus, she had come up with a brilliant plan to accomplish all of that. Eden giggled to herself as she went over her plan for today, and how she was going to make it special for both of them.
As she entered the shower and opened the tap she wondered when she started feeling this way. Was it when he listened to all of her vexations and encouraged her with his sincere words? Was it when he sent a gift card along with lovely flowers before her important performance in Paris? Was it when he saved her from that crown prince and that Cocoon agent two years ago in Bucharest?
Eden shook her head as she realised that it was even before that. He had caught her in his charms on that starry night when they first met. His pristine silver-white hair and hypnotizing sky-blue eyes had already enchanted her and trapped her in his chains. From then on, she dreamt of him every night before meeting in the Romanian capital.
"Haa…" she sighed as she stepped out of the shower. She then went to the towel rack to pick up a towel and wipe down her body. After drying her body, she draped a towel over herself and started to dry her hair with another one. She stepped out of the bathroom to go towards her cupboard to pick out the clothes she had chosen to wear today. As she opened her cupboard, all sorts of elegant clothes greeted her. Being the most famous artist of the century ensured that she always have a full wardrobe of only the best and exquisite clothes. She stood there tapping her chin, trying to decide what to wear for her date today. 'Date', the moment this word ran through her mind she felt giddy like a schoolgirl who was trying to impress her first crush. Technically it was half-true as she indeed wanted to impress her first crush and love. Suddenly her eyes fell on a set of clothes that she hasn't worn for a long time.
"This is perfect!" Eden exclaimed as she took it out. She then made her way to the mirror to get ready.
"Sigh… I think I grew again." she said in frustration to no one in particular as she struggled to put on the bra hooks. It was already getting hard to find the right size of undergarments for her, and now her bust got bigger again.
"I wonder if Kevin finds my company pleasant?" she wondered. She had never seen him get too close to anyone, not even Seele-chan. Sure, he responded to them and didn't show any hostility; however, she felt as if there was a barrier between them, like he was hiding a part of himself deep within him. And that part of him that he hid was the crucial piece of the puzzle that was needed to even start to understand the man known as Kevin Kaslana. Something that she, Ellie, Aponia-san, Mei-san, Mobius-san, Seele-chan, Griseo-chan and many others wanted so dearly. He knew everything about them and had comforted and encouraged them in their time of need. However, in contrast, they knew nothing about him, neither his past nor his origins. They didn't have any faintest clue as to the pain that he carried with him every day, the pain that threatened to hollow him every single day, the pain for which to ease he resorts to rage and recklessness.
All of them could see clear as day what the past that haunted him was doing to him. Yet how could they comfort him when they didn't even know anything about it? Hence her plan today. She wanted to know about him, all the little things that made him 'him'. Because only then could she hope to try to heal the wounds that didn't show, yet still tormented him.
Thinking such, Eden sat down in front of the vanity and began to put up her makeup. She had decided to make today special for the two of them, and that was what she was going to do.
As she stepped into the main area, she saw him standing with his back to a wall. He was wearing a black coat and black glasses. Eden felt her breath being taken away at how handsome he looked in those clothes. Although he looked handsome in everything he wore, somehow today he was looking more so. Was it the straight posture, the air of professionalism around him, or something else? She didn't know. What she knew however was that she was starting to feel hot and thirsty for some reason.
"You are here?" his stoic voice brought her out of those dangerous thoughts. She composed herself as she replied:
"A-Ah yes. How long have you been waiting for me here?"
"…" the man as usual remained silent. Thus, Eden decided to start their plans for today:
"So shall we go?"
"Have you eaten your breakfast yet?" Kevin asked.
"Oh, don't worry about that. I will have a light breakfast when we reach the opera house."
"Hmm." He nodded at her reply and took her hand. She blushed at this action as she stuttered:
"W-What a-are y-you doing K-Kevin?"
However, Kevin didn't listen to her at all and continued to drag her along somewhere. Soon she found herself being seated at a table while two waiters brought trays of food and a pitcher of orange juice with them. She saw Kevin dragging a chair and seating himself opposite her on the table.
"W-What?" Eden asked not understanding what he was trying to do.
"You are lying, Eden." He said nonchalantly as if he had known her for years. He then said:
"Either you eat a proper breakfast or we are not going anywhere today."
Hearing this, Eden's eyes and face softened. She was so touched at how he cared for her even though he hadn't known her for that long compared to some others. His kindness was making it impossible to not fall further for him. He was so strong, able to overpower even those Honkai monsters, yet he was so delicate with those he cared for and tried to do what was best for them. She didn't think it was possible to fall for someone even deeper, but here she was, falling head over heels for this man in front of her all over again.
"Thank you." Eden said as she took a piece of bread and spread some butter on it. Then she started to take a bite when she realized something.
"Kevin, are you not going to eat?"
"This is enough." Kevin said as he took a cup of extremely strong black coffee and took a sip. In front of him was a plate of fruits and an omelette. Eden made a sad face at this. While she couldn't refute what he was eating, she wanted him to eat something more nutritious and fulfilling. She had come to know that while he was adept at seeing the wants of others, he was equally oblivious of his own. He was also terrible at taking care of himself, making others worry about his health. Thus, someone had to always look out for him to ensure that he didn't do anything to make it worse. Nowadays it was something that Aponia had taken upon herself. She made sure that he ate a healthy diet and did not just binge on instant noodles and black coffee. She had also joined Mobius and Himeko to chide Kevin whenever he pulls off his reckless moves. The result of all that scolding was that Kevin now tended to avoid doing reckless tactics whenever the situation wasn't serious, only if to not hear them nagging at him again.
However, even all of this wasn't enough to make him stay safe when the time came. Eden found herself shuddering internally at the memory when she heard what happened in the fifth eruption. She still remembers how her breath got stuck in her throat and her heart stopped when she learned how he was inside the blast of that bomb that made an entire city vaporise. She knew that such a measure was necessary to stop the said Herrscher from destroying anymore; however, how could she accept the fact that he needed to be in the blast which could have very well killed him?
She, Ellie, Aponia-san, Mobius-san and the others were worried sick until he came back to the base. After that, they all combinedly had given him the biggest thrashing that he might have received in his entire life. She still had nightmares of that day, horrid what-if scenarios that made her sick to her core and broke her mind into oblivion.
She had to admit that she was scared. Scared for him. He always got headfirst into dangerous situations without ever thinking about the consequences. It also didn't help that he was reckless to the point of borderline suicidal. The situation was also made worse by the fact that he had that strange power that helped him to survive those situations, thus he was becoming more relaxed with the idea of throwing his life away. Moreover, the fact that often he did things on his own without telling anybody anything until it was too late to stop him, Eden feared that her lifespan was getting shorter just by constantly worrying for him.
"What happened?" a voice brought her out of her thoughts. Looking up she saw Kevin observing her while taking a sip of his black coffee.
"Huh?" she asked sheepishly.
"I ask again, what happened? You seemed lost in thought." Kevin said.
"O-oh. That was nothing." Eden stuttered. She mentally slapped her cheeks and cheered herself. Yes, this was not the time to think about such things. He was here and he was safe, that's all that mattered now. What she had to think about was how to make today memorable for both of them.
"Hmm." Kevin hummed and said nothing more, merely observing her as she ate the breakfast he had prepared. She found the experience of eating with him more pleasant than eating in any 5-star Michelin restaurant. She lightly giggled as she thought about how love changed the outlook in one's life.
"Thank you Kevin." she suddenly said catching Kevin off guard. He raised his eyebrows a little and asked:
"For what?"
"giggle… don't mind me." Eden said getting up after wiping her mouth with the napkin. She then moved over to his side and stretched her hand out to him.
"Now that I've eaten the breakfast as you've said. It is time to finally start our day." At her words, Kevin nodded and stood up without taking her hand. This made Eden pout a little which unfortunately didn't get noticed by him. He then turned towards her and said:
"Let's go."
At this, she smiled and nodded. And before he could blink his eyes, he found her latching onto his right arm while pushing it in between her bountiful bosom. If Kevin was a normal guy, he would've blushed up a storm at this suggestively bold move and the soft sensation enveloping his entire arm; however, being battle-hardened and his natural denseness along with his loss of sense of touch made him oblivious to her intent. She was disheartened a little but decided to leave it as it is. She had planned so much to do today, and the first thing she had decided to do was let him see her profession.
SALA CHALERMKRUNG ROYAL THEATRE (BANGKOK – THAILAND) – 2023(Previous era) (Four hours later)
The theatre was silent as a single melodic voice echoed off its walls. Even the emperor of Thailand who was the guest of honour here, and who was known to be a harsh music critic was silent as he simply closed his eyes and listened to the voice of the heavens. As the diva sang, the audience was enchanted with her angelic voice and wanted to continue listening to it forever.
Kevin stood there with his eyes closed as he now realised why Su had been so adamant about bringing him to her concert. Her voice had a soothing effect that he couldn't just describe in words. He felt himself relaxing in that velvety voice as it lulled him to let go of all his pain, loneliness, anguish and misery. If he had been a weaker man, he would surely have broken down into tears then and there, however he was everything but normal. Those scars that he carried made him who he is and reminded him of his oath. Thus, even though he knew that he could finally let go of all of it, he still chose not to. However, that didn't mean that he couldn't appreciate her voice and relax a little; hence he did exactly that. He stood propping against a wall and enjoying the art that was created by the greatest star of this century and this world.
…
Eden's eyes roamed across the auditorium, taking in her audience's reaction. As usual, they were enjoying the music that she had created and that filled her with pride. For her, music is meant to convey the progress of civilization, because only those civilizations that have matured enough could harness the power of sound and use it to create complicated melodies, verses, poems and epics. And that is where her pursuit lay, to take the domain of art to the next level and to forever etch their civilization into the annals of history. She believed that even when their lives would end, the art and music that they have created would continue, inspiring those who come after to pursue excellence and greatness as they did now.
Finally, her eyes landed on the man whom she wanted to hear her voice the most. He was silently standing there, with his shoulder propped against a wall and his eyes closed. She wasn't able to fully notice what expression he was making, but the way his eyes were closed and his relaxed posture, she could infer that he was soothed by her voice.
He liked her singing.
Butterflies churned in her stomach as she concluded this after seeing his reaction. He was soothed by her singing and was able to relax to her tune. She was able to take away his stress and relax his mind, even if for a little bit. The thought that she was able to make him feel this way made her ecstatic. She internally cheered at the positive effect she was having on him. This made her more determined to put everything into the piece she was singing and to make it even more perfect than it already was. Her voice responded to her desire by becoming even more compelling than it already was. It got to a point where the emotions conveyed by her singing made the audience feel as if they were present in the scene and were feeling those emotions themselves. Some of the people started shedding tears at the soft yet powerful voice that the golden Diva carried and even the emperor felt his eyes go moist at the feeling of heartbreak and anguish that the voice was conveying. He never thought that the brightest star of their time would be this talented in bringing the verses to life. He felt proud and content at what was possibly the best decision he had made to invite her to sing for them today.
The moment the piece ended; the sounds of claps burst out into the auditorium. The entire audience stood up and started giving a standing ovation to the most perfect opera singing that they had heard in their entire life. They stood there continuously clapping without meaning to stop anytime soon. Eden felt grateful for their heartfelt appreciation and was happy that they enjoyed her performance. She turned her head to see the response of the person that she wanted the most. She saw him opening his eyes and nodding at her while clapping himself. At this, she was overcome with joy and happiness that he approved of her singing and was praising it. She bowed down to the audience for their patience and positive response, the curtain slowly came down indicating the end of her performance. As the curtain fell fully, she could hear the crowd cheering.
"May the brightest star never fade away. May the Diva never fade away."
Once the curtain was fully down, she turned and walked towards him while smiling. Once she reached him, she got a little bit closer to him and asked:
"How was the performance?"
"It was good." He replied.
"Is that all?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you have something more to say?" Eden said knowingly. At this, he stood there until he realized what he was meant to say:
"Yes. I liked your voice."
"Oh, why?" she asked coyly. She wanted to make him show any reaction other than the stoic face they he always showed. However, she wasn't ready for what answer he gave.
"Your voice is beautiful." he said sincerely. Eden was taken aback at his reply, not able to respond. She felt her cheeks getting hot and the blood rushing up to her head. Seeing her face getting red, Kevin put a hand on her forehead and asked:
"Are you all right, Eden?"
At this Eden squeaked. She separated his hand from her forehead and said stuttering:
"Y-Yes. I-It was j-just u-unexpected."
"What was?" Kevin asked curiously.
"What you said…" she stopped as she licked her lips in nervousness before continuing "… did you… did you mean it?"
"About your voice?"
At this Eden nodded meekly. God the effect this man was having on her. She was more nervous than she was for her first performance.
Suddenly she felt a hand land on top of her head. She looked up to see Kevin patting her head gently. He then said in the same sincere voice.
"Yes, I meant what I said. Your voice is beautiful, just like you."
At this Eden went still as her eyes widened at what he had said. Did this guy just call her… beautiful? She looked at him trying to find whether he meant what he said. However, she only found honesty and truthfulness in those otherwise frozen sky-blue eyes.
"I'm… beautiful…" Eden said, the uncertainty in her voice clearly showing. However, his reply was unchanged.
"Yes." Kevin stated again. She had a beautiful and gentle soul unlike many other Moths members and certainly unlike himself. She was nurturing and gentle like Elysia, Aponia, Griseo, Seele, aneki and many others. He realized that she was much stronger than he could ever be.
She could create… while he could only destroy.
As Kevin was thinking such thoughts, suddenly he found himself being embraced by the said woman. Odd, he could clearly sense others' presence, even on a raging battlefield but why when it came to hugs from these women, he couldn't react in time?
"Thank you." he heard Eden say while nuzzling into his chest. The faint scent of her shampoo lingered in the air as her hair brushed past his nose. She smelled of lavender. As she kept hugging him, a voice suddenly interrupted them:
"Miss Eden it's already time for merchandise… signing?" one of the staff members started to speak only to become silent as he saw what was happening.
"I-I'm s-sorry. I will tell the others that you need some more time." the person squealed as they ran away from the scene before she could stop him. She then quickly separated herself from him and spoke as her face went beet red:
"Le-L-Let's g-g-go."
Kevin silently nodded as he sensed if he said anything at this moment, it was going to not end well.
"Here you go." Eden said while handing over a signed copy of a vinyl record that had one of her first published songs.
"Thank you so much. I'm going to cherish it forever and will pass it down to my family as an heirloom."
"Ahahaha…" Eden forcefully laughed along; her face was twitching at the uncanny words said by the man. Once he got off the line, a young girl was next.
"Onee-chan, Onee-chan." she exclaimed excitedly "I loooovee your voice. Will you please sing a little for this recorder?" She then brought out a small recorder and looked expectantly at her.
"Hehe… of course." Eden said smiling. She then started humming a familiar tune that she loved as a child. As she sang, the girl became starry-eyed with awe and admiration. The people standing behind her also started to push themselves just to hear that heavenly voice again. In this pushing and crowding, the tape recorder sipped from the girl's hands and got lost in between the crowd.
"W-wait, my recorder. Please wait." the girl pleaded only to be ignored.
"Uuu…" the girl whimpered as she teared up at the thought that she will not get to record her idol's voice anymore.
"Please refrain from crowding and pushing each other." Kevin's cold voice sounded from the side. The people turned their heads to see a tall and stout boy in his late teens standing there with his arms crossed. He wore the standard uniform for a bodyguard and was wearing sunglasses making it difficult to make out with what eyes he was looking at them. However, the aura he exuded was enough to make them calm down instantly. Those near him even shivered a bit at the seemingly cold atmosphere that his presence gave.
"Umm…" the girl shivered at the oppressing atmosphere that the Onii-chan beside them was producing. She was about to apologize to him when Eden cut into her rescue.
"It's okay Kevin. They just wanted to listen to my humming."
Kevin however did not reply, continuing to stare down the fans.
"I said it's okay Kevin." Eden said a little bit more forcefully this time. Really this guy had one track mind to anything he does. While it was true that she had asked him to play as her bodyguard today, still he was too rigid. However, she was still touched by the fact that this showed how much he cared. He could've simply refused her by giving an excuse, but he accepted her selfish request by not only accompanying her but also taking the role of her bodyguard for today. With him, she knew that she was the safest that she had ever been. Thus, she had refused to bring any additional guards, as she knew that he alone was enough.
Kevin continued to stare down the fans for a while before he spoke in a professional tone:
"Wait for your turn. No unnecessary crowding or cutting the line."
The other fans quickly nodded their head, seemingly getting the message at once. They quickly reformed the line and stood in perfect attention waiting for their turn. After making sure that there would be no more repeat of this situation, he turned towards the girl and handed her the tape recorder that had fallen from her hand. He then said:
"Please continue Miss. Nobody will disturb you now."
"Thank you so so much Onii-chan." the girl beamed happily. At this Kevin simply nodded and took his position again with his arms folded. Seeing the situation play out, Eden's smiled softly at his display of kindness.
'Oh Kevin.'
The girl finally got her recording and left the place thanking Eden once again. She however, did not leave before giving a hug to Kevin. He was surprised at the action of the girl and stood still not knowing what to do. Seeing this made Eden giggle lightly. This boy really had no idea how to respond to people's kindness, didn't he? But that was okay, she was going to spoil him until he understood that there were more feelings in this world other than he knew.
As she was thinking this, she heard a commotion going on at the back of the line. Looking in that direction, she saw a man surrounded by many bodyguards yelling at one of the fans standing.
"Get out of my way, you plebians." the man shouted in irritation and anger making the one being shouted cower in fear.
"All of you blocking my way when I have more wealth than all of you combined here." he snorted as he shoved the fan who fell on the ground and yelped in pain. He then snapped his fingers as he said:
"Move them."
His bodyguards were quick to take action, moving the others who were standing in the line and making a way for the man to reach Eden. Once the others had been pushed aside, the man walked towards her in a confident gait as if he owned the place. Some of the fans seem to recognize the man and were whispering in hushed tones.
"Hey isn't that the third nephew of the emperor."
"Yeah. I heard that he was a nasty man and a woman collector."
"I heard that he forces the women that catch his interest to marry him, and then throws them away when grows bored with them."
"Waa. Such a disgusting person."
"Shh… Keep quiet. If he hears you, then your entire bloodline will die."
"Is he here to force Lady Eden to marry him?"
"As if he could do that."
"Don't underestimate him. The women that have rejected him, their families have met a grim fate."
Eden's anxiety grew as she heard the whispers. While she was sure that this… healthy man would not be able to force her into anything, it was still uncomfortable to be treated as an object of possession by him. He was like those persons with nefarious intent who wanted her for her body, and this disgusted her to no end.
'These pigs.' she cursed people like them in her mind. She hated those sorts of men and would refuse them straight on. Moreover, she already had someone in her mind to whom she wanted to devote herself to.
As the man approached her, she inched back a little. When he was in front of her, she found herself flinching a little inwardly at the stench of alcohol on him. Even though she was a connoisseur of the finest wine, this stench was somehow unbearable for her. She then saw the man's face, clearly intoxicated to the point that he could tip over any moment now.
"Hey woman…" the man began (with Eden scrunching her nose a little at the offensive odour) "… become my concubine. And I promise you wealth and fame beyond your wildest dreams."
"…" Eden remained silent not wanting to converse with such a disgrace of a man. He was a fat burly looking man with pimples all over his face. His face was sweaty and fat hung off his cheeks and chin, making it look like his head was joined directly to his body. He had a big belly and the buttons of his clothes barely held it in as they were on the verge of snapping. He was also stout, reaching only up to Kevin's chest at maximum.
The overall impression she got was that this man was a pig.
"Oi answer me, woman." The man said getting irritated not getting an answer. He was not used to being made to wait. All the women he had met thus far paled in comparison to the one standing in front of him. He wanted her, desired her and he could do whatever it took for him to get a taste of her body.
"I'm sorry sir. But I cannot accept your proposal." Eden replied coolly.
"What?" the man quipped seemingly not pleased with her answer.
"Breaking the peaceful line of my fans. Pushing them aside rudely and adding to the fact that you want me as a sort of possession, what made you possibly think that I would accept your proposal?" Eden replied gracefully, yet her intention was clear. She then continued:
"Moreover, your… impressive figure makes it impossible to find any redeeming qualities about you."
"Snicker…" an anonymous snicker could be heard at the impressive figure part. Hearing this threw the man into a fit of rage.
"You wench, how dare you refuse to become my woman. Do you know who I am?"
"No." Eden tilted her head, leading to more giggles being heard. At this, the man shouted while his spit flew from his mouth.
"I'm the great Pravat Kaewburesai, the third nephew of the great emperor Thanarat Pimolkittikool. And you wench, if you know what is best for you, you will become my woman. Refuse and you will regret this decision for the rest of your life."
"Is that so?" Eden replied while making a thinking gesture. She then smiled and said:
"Thank you for the offer, but my response remains unchanged."
"Y-You…" the man shook in anger and stretched his hand to grab hers but another suddenly grabbed his hand and stopped in mid-air. The man shouted in anger:
"Who dares to touch…" the remaining word died in his throat once he saw who it was. cold sky-blue eyes looked down on him like he was an insect. The man tried to pry his arm away from the grip of this boy only to find himself powerless to move even a finger off his arm. As he struggled to free his hand from the boy's grip, he heard the boy say:
"Please refrain from making a scene here."
"W-Who are y-you?" the man tried to sound brave, but his stuttering gave away his brave façade. The boy then replied coldly:
"I'm her bodyguard."
At this the man became furious. How dare this measly boy tries to stop him? He then said the same thing which was on his mind:
"How does a lowly dog like you try to stop me? Know your place dog."
Eden frowned at Kevin being insulted. Her opinion of the man just got lower. She then heard Kevin say:
"It is my job to make sure that lady Eden is unharmed during her stay here."
"Haa... So do you mean to say that I'm harming her?" the man shouted.
"Your intentions tell me so."
"What did you say, you dog? I'm going to gut you alive. Guards, get him." The man shouted again. At this, the bodyguards of the man sprang into action surrounding Kevin. He looked around judging their physique. They were well trained but still, he could see gaps in their stances. However, he didn't want to make this mess bigger than it already was; thus, he let the man go. The man drew back his hand as soon as it was free. He then massaged his arm as he said:
"H-How dare you to try to hurt me, the third nephew of the great emperor of Thailand. I'm going to make you regret it. Hold him." He commanded the guards, who obeying the man held Kevin. Kevin didn't try to escape as if he did anything wrong, it could negatively impact Eden's reputation. He had to remember that he was not a Colonel of the Moths here, just a normal bodyguard.
Seeing him surrender without even saying anything made Eden frown in worry. She understood why he did so, but still, she couldn't accept it. That was when the noble nailed the final nail in the coffin.
SLAP.
The man slapped Kevin, hard. And although Kevin could dodge that terrifyingly slow slap any moment, he chose not to do so; if only to preserve Eden's image. As the hand met his face, his head turned to the side and he could taste something metallic in his mouth. It seemed that one of the rings that the man was wearing had cut his skin a little too deep at the corner of his mouth. For him, it was less than an injury; however, it wasn't for someone else.
"STOP!" a voice reverberated. Turning his head Kevin saw Eden looking at the man with a hint of anger in her eyes. Hearing the voice that was supposed to be soft and smooth now laced with anger, the pompous noble turned his head and saw the woman looking at him with an expression of anger.
"What?" the man began "I was just teaching your dog how to be more obedient."
"He. is. not. a. dog." Eden said angrily, punctuating each word for emphasis. She stood there seething with anger. How dare this pig hurt her Kevin?
As she furiously glared at the man who had dared to hurt him, there was another commotion at the back. Soon they all heard a booming voice call out:
"What is happening here?"
The noble turned his head ready to scold the one who had dared to raise his voice, only to find his own voice dying inside his throat. He started trembling at seeing the one who had asked the question, and before he knew it he and his bodyguards were on their knees.
"G-Greetings Your majesty the Emperor." the man said trembling. However, the emperor ignored him and went towards Eden who was beside Kevin, putting her handkerchief on the cut on his cheek to stop the bleeding. Once he reached them, he bowed to her lightly and said:
"What seems to be the problem, lady Eden?"
However, Eden ignored the man and focused on tending to Kevin's wound. Seeing the emperor being ignored, the noble tried to lash out:
"Answer him, you-"
"SILENCE!" the authoritarian voice of the emperor caused the man to shut up in fear. The emperor then looked at his nephew with cold eyes and said:
"I'm talking to lady Eden here, so be quiet."
At this, the noble nodded vigorously and bowed his head down. The emperor then turned towards Eden who was still gently tapping the wound with her handkerchief to clear off the blood. Seeing this the emperor commented:
"I see what has happened."
At this Kevin reacted by pushing Eden's hand away. He then said to her:
"The emperor is talking to you. It is rude to not answer him."
"But Kevin-"
"I'm fine. Answer him."
"Sigh…" Eden sighed as she dropped her hand. This idiot said that he was fine when his bleeding lip said otherwise. However, she knew what he had said to be true. Thus, she turned around to face the emperor and greeted him coldly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty. However, it seems that the sentiment is not reciprocated."
At this reply, the emperor's eyes narrowed as he asked in a stoic voice:
"What exactly do you mean by that Lady Eden?"
The tension in the room was so thick that it cut be cut with a knife. The people standing there started sweating bullets because they knew that as much as the emperor loved the arts and peace, he could be equally ruthless to his enemies. And now the golden diva was quickly approaching the 'enemy' criteria. Eden to her credit however wasn't fazed as she stood straight and spoke with full confidence:
"Your nephew here made a commotion by pushing off my fans who were waiting patiently. Proclaimed that I become his concubine-" Eden said the word 'Concubine' with vitriol in her voice as she looked at the still kneeling noble. She then pointed towards Kevin and said "-and he dared to injure my bodyguard when he tried to reason with him and was not even defending himself."
She then stood to her full height (which was quite high for a girl) and said:
"If that is not disrespect to me and my talents, then I don't know what is. You may be favourable to your family and relatives, but I abhor people who treat me like an object of possession and refuse to stay at that place."
"Is it your musical standard?" the emperor asked.
"It is my standard. I don't care for a place where I'm not wanted. So if you will excuse me, I will take my bodyguard and leave this place. And I'm not coming back here again, no matter what." Eden finished what she wanted to say passionately. She then approached Kevin and started to drag him away from the place. When he tried to protest, she gave him a look and mumbled:
"I don't want to stay at a place where they don't give the respect you deserve."
"…" Kevin was silent as he could not find the right words to reply. It was an odd feeling having someone stand up for him. The only others to do so were his comrades at the Moths. However, it was not a bad feeling he decided. Thus, both of them made their way out of the opera house and towards the car in which they had come. He could hear someone's voice scolding in Thai, which was followed by a scream, but he couldn't care less. That noble brought it upon himself, making the woman who seldom gets angry this furious.
An hour later
Both of them were sitting on a bench in central park. Eden was softly applying a healing ointment on Kevin's skin where the ring had cut it open. And although the wound was comparable to a flea bite, she was still tending to it very cautiously as if it was a big wound. Every time she touched the wound, her eyebrows frowned in sadness and she made a pained face as if it was she who was wounded.
Finally having enough of this useless charade, Kevin grabbed her hand and said:
"That is enough."
"But your wound-" Eden tried to protest.
"I said that is enough." Kevin said with a tone of finality. Hearing that Eden sighed and said.
"Fine. But at least let me put a band-aid on you." She then looked at him pleadingly "Please."
"Do as you wish." Kevin said while taking a cold breath. He didn't need the sense of touch to know how gingerly she was tending to his wound. He couldn't understand her, why did she care about him that much? Even though they are acquaintances now, apart from that they are still practically strangers.
After being patched up, Kevin and Eden sat in silence for a while before she decided to ask the question that was on her mind the whole time:
"Why?"
"…" Kevin looked at her questioningly.
"Why didn't you protect yourself?"
"Because if I had done that, your reputation would have been tarnished."
"Just for that reason."
"Yes."
"Is my reputation more important than your safety?"
"Yes."
"No Kevin, it's not." Eden refuted. Turning his head, he saw her looking at him with those same challenging eyes that she gave to that noble "No amount of my reputation is more important than my closed ones' safety."
"…"
"Look. While I appreciate your thought, you must not forget to defend your own honour for my sake."
"It's not the same." Kevin replied.
"How so?" she challenged.
"You are the star of our era. I'm just a soldier."
"Would I have lived long enough to become this star if not for you?"
"Yes."
At this, they both become silent again. Eden sighed in frustration at his depreciating nature. Did he really think that he was just another soldier? Another forgotten name in the long list of casualties against the Honkai? Another disposable pawn? As if hearing her thoughts, Kevin replied:
"Yes, I'm disposable. As a soldier, we have to be prepared to be ready for disposed whenever necessary for victory. Even Welt-san and the General himself are not spared from this."
"…" Eden was too stunned to respond. Is this what he really felt about himself? How horrible! This was not the way any normal human should see themselves.
"I'm a tool, and a tool is meant to be discarded when it has run out of use. In this war against our greatest enemy, this is the only way to win. My predecessors have made the way for me to move forward with their own blood and I am prepared to do the same."
"But what about you comrades? What about Ellie, Aponia-san, Mobius-san? What about Seele-chan, Griseo-chan?" she asked with a cracking voice "What about me?"
"It is what it is, Eden." Kevin said and became silent. Hearing this, Eden could not stop shaking. She couldn't calm down. If this was how he really thought, then…
"No." she whimpered and embraced him tightly. She then sniffling said:
"Don't say that. Please don't say that. You are irreplaceable. Everyone is irreplaceable. Everyone one of you has so many stories, so many memories, and so many emotions. Winning a war cannot justify sacrificing them. It cannot justify sacrificing you."
"Yes it can."
"Why?" she sobbed.
"Because it is my oath… and my promise to them."
At this, she just hugged him tighter while tears finally fell from her eyes. It hurt. It hurt so much hearing the one she cares about the most say that. She wanted to stop him, wanted to help him, wanted to make him feel needed, feel wanted, feel loved. She wanted to make him understand how much they all would be devastated if something happened to him. She didn't want to lose him. She finally found someone to spend the rest of her life with, and now the Honkai threatened to take him away from her. She wasn't going to accept it no matter what.
They sat there silently until Eden finally let him go. She then wiped her eyes and looked at him. Kevin was surprised that even though her eyes were red and puffy from crying, the glow of determination only grew stronger to the point that it reminded him of ***. She then said in a steady voice:
"You are wrong, Kevin. And I will prove it to you. I will not give up on trying to save you from this path that you are walking. I will make you realise the folly in your own words and make you treasure yourself."
"…" Kevin remained silent knowing that all of this was futile. He had already prepared to walk down the path he has chosen and he will not get swayed, no matter what.
"And to that end, let's begin." She said standing up and stretching out her hand to him.
"?" Kevin looked at her in confusion.
"You didn't think that going to the performance was everything I had planned for today, did you? Let's go, we have so much to do, so much to enjoy." Eden said while smiling. At this moment he felt as if she shone brighter than the sun.
"Yeah." he replied taking her hand and letting himself be dragged by her, accepting his inevitable fate for today. After all, it was her day today, and he will fulfill all of her wishes.
The Vacation Resort (Around the same time)
"Hehe… here, here."
"Hai. Here. You. Go."
"Whoa. So cool, Su-Onii-chan."
"Oi, Where did a nerd like you learn to play volleyball?"
"Why don't you find out, Mr. Kalpas."
"Oh you are so on, Su."
"Hey you boys, don't make so much ruckus. This is supposed to be a vacation for all of us."
"Let them have their fun, Yada. Here, come help me put on my sunscreen."
"Gladly, my love."
"giggle… why are you flirty from today morning itself?"
"Well, if someone has a hot wife like you, they tend to get flirty."
"Eheheh…"
"Whew, it's getting hot for some reason."
"Go eat an ice if you're that hot."
"Now, now don't say that Tesla. How about we move somewhere more private?"
"Welt, y-you idiot."
"Hooo. Tell all about it later, Dr. Tesla."
"Shut up, mophead."
General Alexei observed the primary members of the Moths enjoying themselves while drinking a cocktail, sitting on a beach chair under a big beach umbrella. He had a slight smile on his face and was feeling content that they were able to enjoy themselves. He was really grateful to everyone to make this plan a success; even if only to soothe their exhausted minds.
All of the primary members of the Moths along with their associates were enjoying this so-called summer vacation after Himeko's wedding. This was another reason for the wedding being held in a tropical resort instead of somewhere more traditional. After the fifth eruption, morale amongst the soldiers had been lowering due to the heavy casualties among the soldiers and civilians. And added the fact that they have lost an entire continent to the eruption, it was hard to maintain the spirit.
Thus, General Alexei decided that a vacation is needed for the rest of the soldiers to unwind, grieve for their lost ones and rest themselves. As if understanding his predicament. Himeko and Yada approached him with this proposal when he was pondering on what to do. The moment they said that they wanted to hold their wedding in a tropical resort, the General understood that it was a perfect opportunity to have the vacation that he was planning. Hence, he approved the proposal and decided to have the wedding as well as the vacation afterwards at one of the tropical resorts in one of the Southeast Asian countries.
Now the problem was to plan and fund the said trip. As if it was divine intervention, the Golden diva approached him and proposed that they leave the costs and preparations to her. In return, she wanted to spend a whole day with their greatest soldier without interruptions. The General was skeptical at first because he didn't know whether the other women who were vying for his affection will agree to it. However, the diva assured him that she will get the consent of both the women and the said man himself. Thus, he really didn't have any problems with accepting this offer and left the preparations for the wedding and the vacation entirely to herself.
He wasn't disappointed in the least with how things turned out in the end. He didn't know how the diva managed to get Kevin to agree to her demand, but he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Thus, he kept his quiet and left the youngsters to figure it out themselves.
'Oh to be young and naïve.' he thought to himself as he sipped his cocktail. Seeing the newlywed couple getting lovey-dovey reminded him of his own youth. As he was reminiscing about his past, he felt someone standing near him. Turning his head, he was surprised to find it to be the most unexpected person ever.
"What brings you here, Miss. Kiyome."
"O-oh nothing. It's just that I'm not good with sun and tropical weather." Mei replied.
"Hmm." The General nodded. He then said:
"Miss. Kiyome, you said that you are graduating this coming spring. How is it going?"
"It's going fine sir, my thesis on how quantum vibrations influence natural phenomena is quite interesting for fellow professors. And added the fact that it serves as an indication that other basic forces than gravity and strings that we are familiar with do exist and can be manipulated."
"Hmm?" the General nodded at her reply. Then he asked:
"What are the chances of these said basic forces being used by the Herrschers."
"Very likely." Mei said without hesitation "the power of Herrscher of ice has made me further believe that they have some sort of strange connection to those unidentified forces."
"Can you discover those mechanisms which the Herrschers use?"
"I don't know." Mei replied unsure "it would take a lot of research and experimentation. Not to mention a large amount of personnel and equipment that had to be designed from scratch."
"Hmm." The General nodded and then said:
"What if you had them all."
"Pardon?" Mei asked confused.
"I meant research opportunities, technology to build that equipment you mentioned, and like-minded individuals with whom you can work and share ideas as you make them into reality."
"General, you don't mean-" Mei said alarmed, understanding the direction that General Alexei was taking this conversation.
"Yes, Miss. Kiyome. I'm talking about exactly what you are thinking. Even if I didn't know him personally, I made a promise to Dr. Ryoma to give you a chance to prove yourself at our place once you get your PhD. That is the reason why the Moths sponsored your studies up until this point. I'm also equally impressed by your genius and inventiveness, and would like to have you on our team as well."
"I-I'm not sure if-" Mei tried to protest.
"Will you leave him alone?" General asked. He didn't want to bring him up in this conversation, but he couldn't afford to lose out on such a genius researcher. Thus, he had to get every weapon out of his arsenal if he could.
"Eh?" Mei was confused.
"You must know what happened to him during the fight against the fifth Herrscher."
"Ah!" she exclaimed now understanding whom the General was talking about. General Alexei seeing the realization dawn on her face continued:
"You might already know this, but he possesses some sort of strange power due to the mark on his forehand. The exact nature and the potential of this power are still unknown, but from what Dr. Welt has concluded from his research is that it gives him superhuman abilities along with extreme regeneration." he sighed as he continued "and because of this he has become more reckless and stubborn. This time we were lucky that his powers protected him from the blast of the Honkai fission bomb. But the next time, luck may not be on our side."
Mei became silent as she let the words of the general sink. What he had said is indeed true. This time he was extremely lucky that he was able to come out unscathed from the aftermath, but will the same could be said for the next time?
"We need you, Kiyome Mei." The General stated with a serious tone "we need every able-bodied genius mind that we can afford in the war against Honkai. The fighting and the consequences of failing are becoming much bigger than ever. And in the center of it all is him who still tries to carry the whole world on his shoulder. At this point, we cannot dissuade him, but we can help him to the best of our abilities, and for that, we need all of you. Dr. Welt, Dr. Tesla, Dr. Einstein, Dr. Mobius, you and even that boy named Su. The Moths need all of you. Kevin needs all of you."
He then took a long breath and said in a grave tone:
"Otherwise, I don't know for how long will I be able to protect that boy."
Mei was silent the whole time. What could she say, when all that the General had told her was the bitter truth? It was the truth that the war against Honkai was raging more than ever. That the flames had reached so high, they threatened to destroy all that she held dear. That the one she loves with her heart and soul was standing in the middle of that inferno, burning himself away to protect everyone else.
She knew that she had to do something, anything to protect him, otherwise she will lose him like her father. This was something that she can never accept no matter what. She had only left him now and if something happened to him, she wasn't sure if she could live anymore. She thought that it was a godsend for General Alexei to extend an invitation for her to join the Moths, where she could directly protect him who was her entire world now, in her own way. Yet a problem still remained.
Was she ready? In a place full of geniuses like Welt-san and Mobius-san, was she really needed? Was she wanted? Did she have a place there amongst the brilliant minds of the world? She had so many questions, yet there was no one to answer them.
"P-Please let me think about it." Mei finally said, unsure as to how to process all this information and the General's offer.
"Of course, Miss. Kiyome" General Alexei said empathetically "take as much time as you need. You can give us your answer after you've graduated and got your PhD. However…" he then looked straight into her eyes. Deep Silver eyes with countless years of wisdom and experience pondered over the bright yet inexperienced electric purple eyes of the timid girl "… time is something that we are running out of."
Mei could only gulp at the implications.
A hidden cove near the outskirts of Bangkok (Four hours later)
Kevin watched on as Eden played in the water of the oncoming waves. She ran as water sprinkled off her steps. She was wearing a white two-piece swimsuit with a sarong tied around her waist. She was also wearing a straw hat to protect herself from the sun.
"Kevin, don't just stand there. Come here, the water feels cool." she shouted while having a big smile on her face. Being called out made him snap out of his thoughts. He sighed and shook his head as he started walking towards her while thinking of the prior events that led them here.
…
Four hours earlier
After the heartfelt talk, Eden had practically dragged him to every part of the city intending to enjoy it to the fullest. They had been to an aquarium, an amusement park and then a popular lake where they went boating for some time. After that, seeing that the sun reached high in the sky Eden decided that it would be a prime time for lunch. So, they made their way to a secluded enough family restaurant. When he asked why he chose that place, she dodged that question by saying that it was her wish.
After having a full meal of local Thai cuisine, they both made their way to one of the secluded coves that Eden had managed to secure for themselves. After reaching there, Eden decided to change into her swimsuit while Kevin set up the beach chairs and umbrellas. As she put on her swimsuit, she found it to be a little restricting on her chest area.
"Geez, they got big again. At this rate, I'm going to have to buy new underwear soon."
She then looked over to Kevin and found herself being unable to take her eyes off him. He was simply wearing a white shirt and blue shorts, yet the open buttons gave her an ample view of his toned chest and abs. she had never seen someone with such a defined physique. To be completely honest, he was hot, very hot. He had the body of a Greek god and those muscles only made it harder to resist his charms. Eden felt her face grow hot at the lascivious thoughts that were creeping into her mind.
Dammit, it was not fair, why was he so physically fine along with his personality. Now she had fallen harder for him. She laughed to herself as she thought how the most popular artist of the current time, Eden Gräbner had fallen head over heels for a boy she only spent little time with. However, it was the truth no matter how far-fetched it sounded. Maybe love did really take away a person's rationality. Yet, she did not find it apprehensive at all, only happiness. She couldn't be happier to have fallen in love with a knight, even though his facial expression left a lot to be desired. He was brave, considerate, loyal to a fault and extremely kind. All the qualities she sought out in a man, he had tenfold.
The only problem was that thick skull of his. Eden sighed in frustration at his density that could rival that of a black hole. How can a man be that dense? It was practically not possible. Not only he didn't pick up any hints that they throw at him, but also he doesn't respond to any of their more physical approaches. She had heard stories of how much Ellie had tried to get a reaction out of him, only for her to end up being ignored. It seemed that this man only had fighting the Honkai in his mind. It was getting to a point where she was starting to get jealous of those Honkai beasts that drew his attention that much.
Well, she had to change that; she hoped the date and her swimsuit could help her achieve that. The swimsuit was a lot bolder than what she usually wore. She had never shown this much of her skin to another man, and thus was getting nervous. However, she had to do it if she wanted him to see her as a woman.
Thinking this she approached Kevin who was still arranging the chairs. Seeing her approach from the corner of her eyes, he stopped doing what he was doing and turned around. He then said:
"You have completed changing your clothes?"
"Yes." Eden replied bashfully. Gosh, this was so embarrassing. She was feeling extremely self-conscious about being in this revealing swimsuit. She felt her heartbeat quicken when she saw his eyes roaming around her body, taking in her form. She licked her lips, finding them dry for some reason. Finally, after some time, she asked nervously:
"Kevin?"
"Hmm?"
"How… How do I look?"
"Good."
"R-Really?"
"Yes. The swimsuit suits you." Kevin replied without a hint of falseness. Hearing this, Eden's face burst into red. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, but she will take whatever she gets.
"T-Thank you." she said shyly.
"So, what do you plan to do now?" Kevin asked.
"Oh…" Eden said unsure. She hadn't thought that far ahead. However, her eyes landed on the bottle of sunscreen on the beach table nearby, and she formulated a plan. She was here to enjoy, and she will to the fullest. Today was her day to monopolize Kevin, and she was just going to do that.
"Well, how about we start by you applying the sunscreen on my back?" she said as she lay down on the beach carpet while opening the strings of her upper portion. Kevin hummed in response and took the sunscreen, squeezing it on his palm. He then spread it on both of his palms by rubbing them and said:
"I'm going to begin."
"Please do." Eden said nervously. She waited anticipatedly for those muscular hands to touch her. The moment those firm and calloused yet gentle hands touched the bare flesh of her back, Eden felt a jolt of pleasure run down her spine. It was so stimulating that she couldn't stifle the moan coming out of her mouth.
"Nnnnghh."
"Is everything okay?" Kevin's voice came from behind.
"Y-yes." Eden answered trying her best to speak amongst the intense sensation of a man's hands on her bare back "please continue."
"Okay." Kevin said and continued to apply sunscreen on her entire back. All the while she tried her best to stop the strange sounds coming from her mouth.
…
A while later
The sun was setting on the horizon as the stars had come out to grace the night sky with their presence. Today was the day of the new moon, which meant that the stars and the milky way should be clearly visible in the night sky. A perfect night for star gazing, and a perfect end to their today's date, Eden mused.
She had to admit that she had the most fun today in a very long long time. She also got to see Kevin's surfing skills first-hand. And to say it was flawless would be an understatement. The boy looked as if he was gliding over the water, like a dolphin and this only made him more attractive to her. When asked where did he learn to surf, he told her that he learned surfing when he was deployed for a long mission in the Pacific area. She could see the tint of fondness in his eyes when he recounted how Ato had taught him to swim and to do surfing during the deployment. She could see that it was one of the sports he had a liking towards, and he definitely seemed to enjoy doing it. She mentally cheered to herself when she realized that she had seen a side of him that nobody else did, not even Ellie.
After they played some more beach games like volleyball. She surprised him by showing that she was as athletic as she was graceful. He seemed to be genuinely surprised that she was able to handle some of his throws (even if he controlled his strength to a great extent) and even counterattack on her own. They also cooked and ate the fish he had caught by spearfishing. Eden was again surprised at how resourceful Kevin was. it would seem that he would have no problem surviving on a tropical island; if he happened to be stranded there.
So now here she was, totally exhausted but content. They were both sitting on a large rock nearby. Their feet were dangling off the edge and she felt nice at the gentle breeze and the little splashes of water when the waves hit the rock. As she gazed at the sinking sun, she thought about their date today and found how fulfilling it had been. Kevin was certainly pleasant company and someone who could be fun to have around. She was able to forget all her worries and responsibilities that she had and just have fun as a normal girl.
'Normal girl.' she thought to herself. She was pleasantly surprised at how he made her feel like a normal girl, yet someone special at the same time. To be honest, she didn't want today to end. She thought how blissful her life would be if they could both stay here forever, free of their duties and pains. However, she also knew that she couldn't have him all to herself. He was sought by so many women, and that he deserved so much more love than she could alone provide. She grew despondent at the thought that from tomorrow on, he will again be surrounded by the many women who vie for his heart, and after this little vacation ends, he will be thrust again into the flames of war.
She shuddered at the feeling of the cold breeze on her skin, courtesy of only wearing a swimsuit.
"Achoo." she sniffed. Hearing this, Kevin turned his head. Cold, yet beautiful sky-blue eyes looked at her in what she believed to be his expression of concern.
"Are you all right?" he asked in his usual voice.
"Yes, it's just a little bit cold." she said, wrapping her hands over her body in an attempt to warm herself. She then suddenly felt a hand going over her shoulder, and then she was pulled closer. She then felt her head leaning against a toned chest. The smell of sea breeze and the morning dew wafted into her nose and made her relax. Yet at the same time, she found her heart thumping hard, as if it would burst out of her chest. When she turned her head upwards, she found herself being reflected in those sky-blue eyes she oh so loved.
"T-Thank you." she mumbled, nuzzling a little bit more into his chest. As usual, he remained silent; even if he realized it, he didn't give any indication. They sat silently like this for a while until the sun fully went down and the stars came out into the night sky.
"Beautiful." Eden said, completely in awe of the starry night. The stars were clearly visible, and even the milky way was visible with its iconic white strip. As she watched on, she suddenly heard Kevin say:
"There is the Orion." he pointed his hand in a direction, and Eden followed it. The constellation looked like a man holding something in his hand and trying to beat something else held in another "in ancient Egyptian mythology, he is also called Osiris, the god of death and the afterlife. It was said that as long as he resides in the sky, the noble souls will find their way to the Field of Reeds and finally have peace for all eternity."
He then stopped for a while and said in a very soft voice:
"I hope that all of them found their peace there, and when my time comes, I will see them again there."
Eden looked at the man with a frown on her face. The pain in his voice and the longing in his eyes did not escape her. She then realized what was happening. Kevin was finally allowing her to see a glimpse of what lay beneath that icy exterior of his. She could now see that beneath all the titles of hero, Godslayer and strongest warrior, there was just a boy who was hurting badly and who blamed himself for everything bad that had happened.
"Don't say that, Kevin." Eden gently hugged him again. It seemed that now the conversation from earlier that day will continue. She then continued:
"You may not believe me when I say this, but you truly are a hero. Because only a hero would grieve for their fallen comrades, only a hero would try their best to protect them, and only a hero would carry their memories with them, engraved in their heart and soul."
"Yet, I failed them." Kevin said depressingly.
"Being a hero doesn't mean that you are a god, Kevin. And I'm sure that all of your comrades would never hold it against you."
"…" he remained silent, not accepting her words. Eden then sighed a little and brought his face nearer to hers. They were so close that she could practically feel his breath upon her lips. A little more and then…
'No.' she mentally chided herself. What he needed was comfort, not that. Thus, she controlled the part that was telling her to do it and spoke with a voice full of kindness:
"Always believe in yourself, Kevin. Because I and the others know that whatever path you take will only lead to a brighter future."
"How can you say that?" Kevin asked.
At this, Eden smiled a warm smile and said:
"It's because I believe in you."
Kevin's eyes widened slightly when he heard that word. 'Belief.' Wasn't it the same thing that had powered him in the third eruption, the emotion that dove him even today in some form or another? To think that somebody else believed in him as well.
After saying what she needed to say, Eden lowered her head and tightened her embrace around him. She fully nuzzled her head into his chest, trying to memorize the way it felt and burn his scent into her memory. She then suddenly felt a hand lying on top of her head, and a soft voice said:
"Thank you… Eden."
"Mhmm." she said and nodded her head while still nuzzling into his chest.
Kevin looked towards the sky as the light of the stars shone down upon two individuals who belonged to societies that couldn't be more different from each other if they tried. Yet at the same time, they were more similar than he had initially imagined.
Kevin frowned a little as he felt that odd sensation again in his chest that he felt when he saw Elysia that night in Aponia's Nursing home. It was a tingling sensation that went up his spine, even though he shouldn't be able to feel anything.
'Wonder what was that?' he wondered as the sensation faded as quickly as it came, and the feeling of cold that he was familiar with his whole life returned.
And sat there, the Diva and the Warrior below the starry sky, being blessed by the same lights that shone even in the dimmest nights.
To be continued…
Hello everyone, welcome back to 'A Warriors Destiny'.
Well, that wraps up this little vacation arc. Hope you have enjoyed reading these past two chapters because it is time to turn on the depresso grinder with the start of the Sixth eruption arc. We are going to see the start of the downfall of the previous era and the choices that Kevin will have to make that are going to be his damnation until the current era. So be prepared for blood, death, sacrifices, and all the good stuff.
On one hand, this is going to be a lot depressing; but on the brighter side, we are finally going to see what made the previous era so special. Yes. It is what you guys think it is.
Divine Keys.
And boy do I have plans for Kevin's Divine Key construction. You see the Seventh Divine Key is going to be a lot more special compared to others. As for how it is, you will have to read and find it on your own.
As always if you like the story please leave a follow, favourite, and/or review.
Thank you for reading, until next time.