Very small ode to Billy Joel in this chapter. I'm extremely happy I have 1017 views on this story in less than a month! I started writing this as a romantic comedy and the more I started….getting emotionally invested with the characters in my head the more….I could not. Sorry if it's melancholy for some. I'm happy for reviews! But with over 1000 views!, don't forget to follow it. Never know what the ending will be like ;). Thanks everyone for all the support.

It was odd to say the least, holding Ahri in his arms while digging through his pocket for this bedroom keys. He finally managed to get her on her feet while she put her arm around his shoulders and fumbled with the door know and key for a few moments. He tried to be as discreet as possible hoping not to make as little noise as possible. Bringing a girl home wouldn't only arise suspicions from his neighbors but from Leona, whose apartment was to the right of his. He knew it was late and even though, she did hurt him. He still loved her, and didn't want her thinking ill of him for bringing a drunk girl home. How would he even explain he didn't even want to entertain the thought.

After finally getting his apartment door open, he picked Ahri back up and slowly pressed his back onto the door closing it.
"Ahri, I'm going to lay you down on my bed. Okay?" he whispered

She, softly nodded with her eyes closed. He placed her on his bed and she started hugging his pillow tightly digging her face into it. He walked over and started taking her shoes off and she started giggling.

"Shh! You'll wake up my neighbors!" He spoke in a whisper from the edge of the bed.

Ahri, was a bit drunk but it wasn't more than she could handle, she decided to have a little fun at his expense. By having him carry her and tuck her in, but she secretly wanted to see how he would treat her. When she was vulnerable.

He walked over to a small closet a few feet away from the bed and started pulling blankets and extra pillows. She kept her eyes barely opened enough to see him move through his dimly lit apartment. She closed trying to look as if she was sleeping. She felt a blanket, being slowly placed on top of her. It was nice and warm, she felt so comfortable. She gave herself a small smile, she had to admit being carried in his strong arms and chest felt nice. A new feeling, a happy feeling.

She waited a good minute or two to feel his weight besides her, but with her eyes closed she could only hear him move around as quietly as possible. Her longing to be held gave way to her frustration as she pretended to be waking up from her stupor. She saw him there kneeling on the tiled floor. Slowly, placing a blanket and pillow on the floor getting ready to sleep.

"You, can lay next to me if you'd like." She spoke softly.

"uhm….no, you can have the bed. I'm fine here on the floor." He whispered back carefully, with his back to her.
"Please…stop being stubborn!" she changed her toned from pleading to annoy trying to hide that she really wanted him by her side.

She moved over and patted the empty side of the bed for him to lay in. He stood up slowly and walked over and laid down on the bed next to her. He was overly cautious and made sure to almost be laying at the edge of the bed, with his back to her. It, had been a long day and as he closed his eyes to fall asleep with a beautiful woman at his side. He felt her soft hand run around his over his shirt as she wrapped her arm around his chest and pressed her body against his. She could feel him shiver at her touch which brought a smile to her face.

Ahri, realized this had been the first time she had shared a bed with a man just laying holding each other. For all the shameful things she had ever done, this is the most intimate moment she could think of.

It's been such a long time…

Pantheon, realized it's been months since Leona had shared a bed together holding each other. He some how felt guilty, then he felt her face press against his shoulder. I can't remember the last time I've been this happy….
Was the last thing that ran through his mind until he felt sleep over come him.

….
"I need to go, no one else can stop them!" He spoke in an agitated tone.
She reached up, grabbing his face forcefully and forced a kiss on him.
"Pantheon! You are my protector! We spoke about this already….you'll always stay by my side. You don't need to fight anymore….no more nightmares. I love you Panth….I don't want to lose you, we finally got what we wanted." Angry tears running down her cheeks.

He closed his eyes tightly as if fighting off an angry rebuttal. He nodded in agreement after sighing.
"I love you, Leona. I'll never leave your side." He grabbed her face just as she did had his and kissed her passionately.

It was the middle of the night and he had waited for her to fall asleep, the sound of her soft breathing filled the quiet room. He silently fastened his armor grabbed his spear, shield and put on his father's helmet. As he closed the door he looked back at her and whispered.

"I'm sorry Leo…but I can't risk losing you."

The trip down the mountain had taken only an hour as he made his way to the foot hills. A small band of raiders, which had been spotted by young Rakkor hunters. With, most of the men out on campaigns only young boys too eager and ill-experience to fight would be left to defend the village. He promised her, he would never fight but if anything happened to her he knew it would be the end of him.

He spotted the camp it seemed as if no more than 25 men, gathered around a fire. He creeped closer, to listen into their conversation. A large burly man spoke in a ruthless bitter tone, Pantheon only assumed he was the leader.
"The town is barely defended! In and out, I want to start fires! Kill any Rakkor in sight!
The man yelled out in excitement.
"Do, not harm the solari woman! She is the lover of the one they call the Artisan…" His voice became serious as he scanned the faces of his troops.
"I want to make the son of the man who took my eye suffer! We, will make her our whore! When, we are done with her she'll be broken in and will make a fine concubine for my son!"

Pantheon, blood began to boil. He wanted to run in there and break his neck plunge his eyes out. He watched as a young boy no older than 12 years of age stood next to the leader. The man, had been the same man who had mortally wounded his father and now he wore a patch over his left eye as a reminder.

He waited for what seemed like an eternity in the cold, dark night listening to them all of them. Desecrate his father's name, and Leona's honor. The only thing that kept him from rushing in was, fear. Ever since the night he and Leona had, proved each other's love…the night before her trial. Now that she was the Solari and he was her Protector. He was scared to die, not seeing her again was too much for him to bare.

Like a wolf he circled the camp stalking his prey. He took note of where the sentries were stationed. The majority of the group could be seen drinking copious amounts of mead from their goat skin canteens. It would only be to Pantheon's advantage. He took off his sandals to insure reduce the sounding of his steps on twigs. His feet were aching, as the cold night frosted over the ground. But he had been born for these types of situation. Digging his hands into some dirt he rubbed it between his hands and smearing it on his face and helmet to camouflage his face from the large fire pit in the middle of the camp.

He notices how undiscipline the sentries were, some are dozing off and some walked around not staying in pairs. He easily dispatches each sentry one at a time making sure to pick them off with silence. With everyone else drunk in their tents he walks quietly from tent to tent. He helds his spear with the pointed tip down, walking up to the sleeping man like an angel of death. A soft groan of pain as their last words as skewered everyone one of them in their sleep with slow and merciless precision.

By the time he made it to the leaders tent nervousness took over him. He's tent was a large yurt structure he walked in expecting him to be awake to put up a fight but he just laid there snoring. This is not what he had dreamt not his version of vengeance. He kicked the sleeping man as hard as he could stomping him with his heel right in the stomach. The man woke up gasping for air in pain, vomit and blood flowing from his mouth. Pantheon was relentless kicking stomping on him. The gurgling sound of blood and coughing of vomit filling his ears. This death was too simple for him, the yurt was dim, he wanted his father's murderer to see his face before he died.

Pantheon, grabbed him by his legs and dragged him out towards the fire pit. The old warrior was dry heaving in pain. Pantheon, took his helmet off placing it on the ground. With his one good eye he glared up at him trying to beg for forgiveness in between panicked moans. Pantheon looked down at him.
"I'm Pantheon, son of Halmicar. Lover and Protector of the Solari"
The old man's breathing became quicker as he spoke.

Pantheon raised his spear with both hands.
"An eye for an eye!"
He struck with all his might towards the man's good eye, the sound of bone crunching as it crush his skull. Blood, and brain matter escaped from the cavity. The pain and anguish of losing his father the man's words of making Leona his personal whore fueled Pantheon into maddening rage, he wasn't finished. He wanted to make an example of him, so no one would ever consider attacking Mount Targon. So he and Leona could be safe, no more fighting just peace.
He knelt next to the man and he reached for his hip pulling out a long knife and started eviscerating him. He reached inside the man's chest and with all his might pulled with both hands as apart until he heard the snap of his chest cavity snap open. It looked as if he had been ripped from the inside out he had mutilated his body.

In the fire light, Pantheon sat there alone his hands covered in blood wanting to feel remorse pain self-hatred. But the only thing he could feel was vindication.

Suddenly a sharp pain struck his back and arms were wrapped around his neck from behind in blind rage and adrenaline he tossed the attacker over his shoulders. His attacker's leg dislodged a knife from his shoulder blade. He reached for the nearest object which was his helmet and he started plummeting the helmet as his attacker's skull over and over until it turned into pulp. By now Pantheon's face and body was covered in blood. He looked at his attacker and he started yelling in anguish!

"You! You! Stupid! Stupid! Fucking kid! You should of ran! This wasn't your fight!""
There laid the limp body of the one eyed man's son. Pantheon, sat there on he's knees what should have been his moment of redemption had now been tarnished. Tears of rage and blood washed over his face. "What have I done?"

By now a group of 30 Rakkor youth had made their way to the camp before dawn and came upon Pantheon. The eldest boy spoke to a younger warrior.
"Run back home tell them what you saw here! Pantheon saved us all!"
The young boy looked at the dead child with a crush skull and eviscerated man on the ground almost wanting to puke and nodded and he ran off back up the mountain.

Pantheon, was greeted a hero's welcome in one swift scoop he had killed one of the Rakkor's fiercest enemy and his heir.

As he made his way back up to The Temple Of The Solari, he started to feel dread. Knowing he'd have to explain himself to Leona. She, was sitting alone in one of the many dimly light corridors he could see her crying he walked up to her slowly. Although it was morning the day had a grey sad aura about it. He walked up silently up towards her. She didn't see him, her hands were on her face as she cried. He placed a hand softly on her shoulder.
"Leona…I'm so…"
She slapped his hand away before he could finish her delicate face was a mix of tears and anger!
"This was not your fight! You promised me! You are not the man I fell in love with! You are a monster! A child murder!" Leona, slapped him and ran away crying.

"Murder!" "Monster!" "child murder!" Her voice kept echoing in his head over and over he tried to speak explain himself but as if could not speak her voice tormenting him sophicating him. He kept trying to yell "LEONA! I'm SORRY! Over and over but the words would not come out!
…

Pantheon! Pantheon! Pantheon!

He was shaken awake in a cold sweat, he was hyperventilating.
Ahri, held him tightly cooing into his ear "It's okay… It's okay….i'm here. You're okay it's just a night mare"
Her hands started to give off a light pink glow as she release warm soothing force into him to calm him.

Pantheon, rolled over to meet her gaze. His eyes filled with tears and fears.
"I'm..sorry…I…I shouldn't" He spoke she could tell he was embarrassed she had seen this side of him.

Her, hands ran up to his face to comfort him, with the exact same warm pink glow.
"It's okay Pantheon. Tell me about it, it's just a dream"
He didn't know why but her presence calmed him and she was soothing and he told her everything.
"Why, don't you tell her..why you did it?" she ran her hands softly through his hair to calm him.
"I made a promise to her mother, she made me promise to keep Leona naïve of all evils in this world, to make sure she was happy and have a better child hood than she had. I'm doing it all for Leyna" He replied softly her voice and touch soothing him.

He closed his eyes trying to hold back tears "that's why I ware my helmet around her all the time. She's ashamed of me I'm just a monster…It's so hard being in the presence of some-one you loved and they are ashamed of you. I felt alone and cold in her presence…I would place flowers outside her door every day hoping she'd forgive me. But every day they'd still be there…withering away, like her love for me"

Ahri, hands pulse with energy as she saw, him start to shed tears. She'd never had to try and use it in small pulses enough to calm only to seduce. She accidentally used more energy than she thought and Pantheon, slowly wrapped his arm under her waist softly pulling her closer holding her tight up to his chest. His other hand softly ran a finger through her hair cupping her face and he leaned in and started kissing her. She was caught by surprise but she kissed him back. She didn't realize she had stopped using her charm when he caught her by surprise. Even at that small of a dose he wouldn't of been under her spell for that long. But neither of them stopped. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they both laid there kissing each other with feverous needing kisses. He rubbed the back of her neck softly which brought goosebumps up and down her spine. Caught up in the moment she felt his tongue part her lips and she moaned softly as she accepted. After a few seconds, both of them backed off both visibly flustered. Smiling and if it wasn't for the lack of lighting in the room both could of seen each other blushing.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have done that….I was out of line" He, whispered in an embarrassed voice.

"No, it's okay. It…was very sweet, I liked it" her voice matched her warm smile.

Although, both had back off from their kiss. Her arms were still around his neck and his around her waist and his hand on the back of her neck.
She looked him in the eyes, he nervously tried to avert her gaze as she leaned in and she reciprocated his advance. This time the kisses were slow romantic and both could feel had a deeper unspoken meaning. It was now Pantheons turn to moan softly as he felt her tongue, which brought a smile to her face. When, they backed off still holding each other she could see a smile on his face with a new sparkle of affection in his eyes.
"Ahri….I think I…" before he could finish she put a finger up to his lips "shhh, let's go back to sleep."

They both held each other closely as they welcomed sleep. Both secretly radiating and feeling warm inside. I want to savor this moment….forever… Ahri, thought to herself.

…...
A few minutes earlier, Leona had been awoken by a sound of coming Pantheon's apartment. She ran up and pressed her ear to the wall. She thought she could hear Pantheon calling out to her, calling her name. She remember how she would comfort him, when he was young and came home changed from his campaigns. She would stand by his door in tears hearing him call out to her in his sleep in anguish. But after what she called him and what he had done, she couldn't bare to feel his touch let alone comfort him, that night was the first night she didn't mend his battle wounds both physical and mental…. Maybe…If I go to him, now…I can talk and put everything behind us.

Her thought was cancelled and her heart sunk, when she heard a woman's voice softly cooing "it's okay…I'm here."

He was calling out to her! But now another woman was comforting him! Sadness and tears overcame her as she realized she was being replaced through her own doing. She fell asleep with pillows press tightly against each ear and tears on her face.