1338  Back in Kera

Rain and Sapphire resolved to gain the trust of the sand thieves, hoping to get their help in saving Sourna and Valeria. In the meantime, Sweetbriar Town became infested with love.

At least for Diana and Arthur.

Arthur awakened the next morning in their bed, feeling the soft fabric on his skin. Beside him was a sleeping Diana who, for some reason, acted like a heater to warm him. It might be an innate trait of the phoenix.

As he pushed her blonde hair back, Diana rolled toward him. He got to see her peaceful, sleeping face as he caressed her face. Her shards for ears reminded him that she was not human, but a half-ice spirit. And for that reason, he began to imagine their children.

“Ah, too soon,” muttered Arthur as he ruffled through his hair. Diana stirred in her sleep but did not awaken. Arthur smiled as he picked up a coat and threw it over his naked skin before walking outside on the balcony.

Although it was still February, Sweetbriar seemed to be warmer than the rest of the world. Arthur stood atop the balcony as he felt the scars on his eyes tingle. He frowned as a fear bubbled in his heart. After finding a mirror inside the suite, he looked at his face.

Gone was the youngster with average features. Arthur was now a man with a dignified appearance. His golden eyes with scars lining them, fine cracks running through his skin, and sharp features made him look menacing.

“As I expected, the scars are glowing. I don’t have a lot of time before I lose my sight again,” muttered Arthur with sadness as he placed down the mirror and stared at the sleeping city. “I just wish this vacation lasts forever.”

“That can be achieved,” said Diana from behind him, prompting Arthur to turn and face her. “Are you losing your sight again?”

“It should happen soon, but I think we have a few more days. What do you want to do now?” asked Arthur as he gave her a hug and stared into her saddened eyes. “Let’s enjoy the time we have first before getting sad.”

“I know,” she said as her smile returned. “I want to visit your hometown. If your house is still there, I want to see it. I want to see where you worked and struggled, and where you played as a kid.”

“That sounds better than staying here,” replied Arthur with a nod. “I will contact the jet. It shouldn’t take long before it arrives, so let’s start packing.”

Diana agreed and the two went back inside. After gathering their luggage, Arthur received a message that their jet has arrived. They checked out of the hotel before leaving the town behind. Their memories in this town were nothing but peaceful and loving, marking this as the best vacation they could have possibly had.

Arthur sent a message to everyone he knows about the engagement. The first to congratulate them was Julia, and Oren followed soon after. Oriole was rather livid that Arthur didn’t tell him about his plan to propose, but everything has been too hectic recently.

Diana laughed as she read the messages, and smiled with tears when the people they know and loved wished them a happy life together. The two then spent the rest of the ride to Kera playing cards. Diana turned out to be quite the competitive and pouted every time she lost.

Arthur had to shower her with love to win her back before moving to a new game. She was a fast learner, and only needed one explanation to understand the game and the tricks involved.

It was a few hours before they could reach Kera. The reason was not the distance, but the wars happening at the moment. The pilot explained that they would need to take a roundabout way just to avoid conflict zones.

Arthur felt a little weird that he was playing cards while wars were happening everywhere in the world. Even his guild was in the middle of such war, but it wouldn’t be long before he returned to them.

This time, there would be no mercy to his enemies. Deluge and the rest can scheme against him as they desire, but he was going to show them what it means to have both the power of creation and wrath. Arthur was not going to show mercy in order to protect those he loved.

“I win!” shouted Diana as she placed her cards on the table. Arthur was shocked as he examined them, and saw that all of her cards were paired. Fifty-One was rather a complex game, but Diana won against him after a couple of tries. “You look rather shocked,” she said with mock anger. Arthur laughed as he shuffled the cards again. “Where did you learn to shuffle like that?”

“Oh, this? I used to love cards as a child. My dad bought me a deck once with ducks instead of kings and knights. It got stolen, though. I developed a love for them ever since, but never had the time to play.”

“Then we can play as much as you want,” she said with a smirk. “I love these games too. We don’t have things like that in Alka.”

Arthur smiled and nodded, feeling nostalgic at the feeling of cards filling his palms. The pilot then broadcasted that they would arrive to Kera in a few minutes, and he dealt the last hand.

Kera was rather chaotic at the moment, so the pilot dropped them off in a special base of the Nightroad Company. From there, the company gave them a private car to drive them around the city. The moment they entered it, the two could see the crowds of people.

“These people are here for the Divine Selection,” the driver answered their confusion. “Kera has become the most visited city in the world because of the selection. Even those who aren’t awakeners are seeking jobs here because the economy is booming.”

“A few months ago, Kera was still recovering from Amelio,” muttered Arthur with surprise. “Please take me to this address.”

Arthur showed the driver his address, and was surprised to hear the driver tell him that he already knew the address. As he drove them there, Arthur began to see the changes that happened to Kera.

The fight against Amelio has split the city in halves, but that did not prevent it from thriving. Skyscrapers were in the works, belonging to major guilds who wished to make a base close to the Divine Selection.

Arthur used to live in a rather unknown district, but it has also changed. For some reason, many restaurants opened in the neighborhood, and Arthur could even see countless souvenirs vendors.

“Please wait a second, sir,” said the driver once they arrived. Arthur looked out of the window and saw knights and awakeners guarding his old house. Although Oren said that it was destroyed in the fight, it was somehow restored.

The driver was wearing a black suit and glasses, and showed something to the knights at the gates. After a while, they allowed them to drive the car inside while leaving the premises.

“Excuse me,” called Arthur when the driver parked outside his house. “What are all these people doing outside my house? Is there a nearby dungeon?”

“Dungeon? No, sir,” said the driver with confusion. “You don’t know what happened to your house after you left?”

“I haven’t returned until now,” said Arthur with confusion. “Was it seized by the kingdom?”

“The kingdom tried before you killed the previous king,” said the driver with a grin. “After you saved Kera, the people fought against the Temple in order to protect your house. They called mages to restore it the way it was and placed guards around it.”

“What?” muttered Arthur in shock as he looked out of the window. His house was truly as he remembered. “Who was the person behind it?”

“No one in specific. The people all agreed that it had to be done in case you return to Kera. Everyone is proud to have you as a member of their city.”

Arthur couldn’t say anything to that. The driver got off to open the door to them, and Diana held his hand. Arthur sat in the car without leaving, smiling to himself.

“Is something wrong?” asked Diana. “Do you not want to go inside?”

“No, I’m fine. I just have a complicated relationship with this city. It was the source of my misery for a long time, but now, I am treated like some sort of hero.”

“You are a hero, sir,” said the driver while staring at them from outside. “No one can state otherwise.”

“The past is the past,” said Diana with a smile. “The world had yet to learn of your existence then.”

Arthur nodded as he got off the car and helped Diana get off. As he stared their old home, memories came back flooding. Two years ago, he was here without anything. And now, he had everything.