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High above the Okheman streets are the Prince of Castrum Kremnos and the Deliverer of Amphoreus – or simply Mydei and Phainon, free of the weight of their titles, for the time being at least. Their world has been saved, and now all its people, including its saviours, can enjoy a time without strife until their world joins the rest of the universe.
With no obligation or responsibility now, the pair watch over the people enjoying their lives from the edge of a rooftop: a popular dating spot, though even before they confessed their feelings across cycles they found themselves visiting the spot together often, usually to spar. Not the most romantic thing on paper, but for these two equals it’s special, a part of their own language of love. But today, after enjoying a private morning bath together, they sit side by side in comfortable silence, hands resting close to each other, ghosting each others’ bare skin. They still wear their usual clothing, Phainon clad in dazzling white coat and his blue cape, and Mydei in traditional vibrant Kremnoan red, but do without their armour. A sight Phainon is still adjusting to, having only been graced by the vision of Mydei’s arm markings in the baths or in even more private and domestic moments. Seeing them out in the open with the rest of his skin makes him smile. A sign of Mydei being able to be at rest. And Mydei shares the same feeling: Phainon, a hero whose blade rests unneeded but preserved safely at home, able to relax without the weight of the world on him. The pair return their gazes to the people below, and pinky fingers interlock.
People from different backgrounds go about their newfound routines with no worry of impending doom, finding lost loved ones living once more and forging new connections with people they never met in all those cycles. Families gather, celebrating finding each other, friends who’d parted tragically in past lives embrace each other, and lovers meet each others’ lips in wishes to never be torn away from each other again. It’s all so perfect. Peaceful.
Almost unreal.
Like it could all burn away in an instant and destroy the delusion.
But before the saviour can dwell on his paranoia, a comforting hand fully envelops his with a light but grounding squeeze. ‘You with me, Phainon?’
Phainon turns his head to face Mydei. Any vision of fire or death is banished thanks to the sight of his warm and soft gaze. He hums. ‘Yeah. Still getting used to all this. It’s hard though, worrying it could all be ripped away…’ He shifts his hand, and Mydei loosens his hold so Phainon can have his palm face up and interlock with Mydei’s, squeezing it back. ‘I know it won’t though. Besides, even if something goes wrong, I know I won’t be alone anymore.’
‘Yeah. No more premature partings.’
Phainon leans in to kiss Mydei’s cheek, only stopped from parting by Mydei’s free hand holding him in place to kiss his lips, slow, soft and sweet.
They stay at their spot a little while longer, watching the people live their lives, before they leave to join the crowd. Despite being Chrysos Heirs, they weave through the crowd with barely any attention drawn aside from the rare citizens who recognise them wishing to express their thanks for saving their lives in countless cycles and winning their world’s freedom and right to life. While it helps reinforce this reality to hear, Phainon can’t help but squirm a little at the attention as well as the lack of stimulation, too subtle for citizens to notice, but not Mydei.
‘Do you want to leave?’ he asks quietly.
Phainon remains quiet for a moment, then nods. ‘It’s just a bit overwhelming. I just want to be with you today.’
Mydei smiles and gives his arm a comforting squeeze. ‘I know where we won’t be disturbed.’
The training grounds haven’t been used as much by anyone in the Eternal Page. Of course, Kremnoans enjoy keeping themselves in shape and battle ready even in times of peace, but even they are spending less time doing so. They have the whole area to themselves, plenty of wooden weapons at their disposal to hone their skills.
They begin with what they’re used to: Phainon with a wooden greatsword, and Mydei with his bare fists, though he dons leather bracers to protect his arms at Phainon’s insistence. They clash just as fiercely as ever, Phainon swinging large arcs that would be deadly were it not a harmless blade, and Mydei delivering powerful blows in turn with just enough restraint to not cause any serious damage, only enough to have the great hero fall to his knees.
Their second round has them swap roles. Phainon has enough experience battling for his life when he’s been disarmed, and Mydei is sufficient in all weaponry. However, after years of relying on his fists, Mydei falters with the blade. It’s a close call, but Phainon manages to emerge victorious, knocking the weapon away and pinning Mydei to the ground with a boyish grin.
Their final round determines the overall winner. They decide to use the same weapon this time, choosing wooden lances. While Mydei has an advantage in skill, Phainon more than makes up for his lack of it with his childlike competitiveness, dodging Mydei’s jabs and slashes and retaliating with his own. But it doesn’t last long; Mydei finally smacks Phainon’s lance out of his hands and smirks at him, as if he’s already won! Phainon can’t have that. So, he lunges at Mydei, ripping his lance out of his grip and throwing it away to join his own before pinning him down.
‘I win,’ he declares with a feral smile.
Mydei’s brows pinch. He may be a proud prince, but none of his subjects are here, so it wouldn’t hurt to indulge in a little bit of underhandedness in his refusal of the outcome of their duel. He wraps his legs around Phainon suddenly and then swiftly flips their positions, now straddling him. Phainon fights back in earnest, kicking and tugging and pinching at any part of Mydei he can get to before unceremoniously poking at his weak point to gain the upper hand once again, laughing jovially at Mydei’s affronted expression, as if such a use of his weak spot were more of a betrayal than the millions of stabbings he dealt him through all the cycles. He pulls at Phainon’s flyaway hair in retaliation, interrupting his laughter with a dramatic yelp, and Mydei laughs just as much as Phainon had.
Such a display is more becoming of children on a playground than of two grown heroes. But this is just what they need, as two men forced to grow up much too fast. To both test their strengths as equals, and let loose and have all the fun they could and should have had when they were younger.
But it’s never too late to live and enjoy every phase of your life. That’s what they quickly found with each other every time they met and grew close, even if in the end their responsibilities meant they had to hold back on their own wants and joys.
Their duel ends with them laying on the dusty ground on their sides, panting in each others’ faces with small laughs escaping every other breath, still clinging to one another as if torn whether they want to continue the fight or simply just be for a while.
‘A draw,’ Mydei decides.
‘A draw,’ Phainon agrees.
They kiss again before they let go.
After getting so muddy and bloody in their tussle, the pair found their way to the bathhouse, booking a private space for the second time that day. They lean shoulder to shoulder in the hot heat; though even having spent so long burning with the heat of millions of coreflames, even to this day, Mydei still notices how Phainon flushes and becomes even hotter to the touch in the bathhouse. The outer heat must still feel foreign enough to affect him, he figures. But even so, neither make an effort to pull away. Phainon enjoys Mydei’s touch far too much to deprive himself of it, even if it means he’ll be as red as Mydei’s clothes by the end of their booked session.
Phainon lets out a long, hot breath and sinks lower into the water, closer into Mydei until his weary head rests on his shoulder. Mydei smiles and reaches up to card his fingers through his dampened hair, untangling the small waves. Phainon hums, turns his head closer into Mydei’s skin to press a kiss to his shoulder in thanks.
‘Tired?’ Mydei asks.
‘Yeah.’
‘Not from that pitiful duel, surely?’
‘As if,’ Phainon rolls his eyes, nipping at him.
Mydei only laughs, a low rumble that soothes Phainon. ‘What’s on your mind, then? You only get quiet like this when you’re in pain or your mind is elsewhere.’
Phainon chuckles. ‘Right. Well… Sometimes I just remember some things clearer than others. Sometimes it’s all the fun we had even on harsher missions and the time together in between, other times it’s all the killing and dying… But there’s one memory that’s been playing in my mind today. One you might remember, too.’
‘Oh?’
‘Cycle 2691.’
‘...I’m afraid you’ll have to specify for me. I can’t remember by number…’
‘You really are terrible with numbers,’ Phainon teases.
‘HKS,’ Mydei mutters.
‘It’s the one where we nearly reached Era Nova… together.’
Mydei swallows. ‘I see… Is that why you were watching all those couples in the crowd so intently earlier?’
‘You noticed?’
Mydei chuckles. ‘Of course. That explains why you wanted me all to yourself too, I suppose.’
‘Don’t I always?’ Phainon laughs lightly.
‘Mm. Can’t say I feel any different.’ He frees Phainon’s hair in favour of circling his arm around his shoulders, and Phainon wraps one of his arms around Mydei’s waist.
‘I could just stay with you like this forever,’ Phainon mumbles into his skin.
Mydei smiles. ‘Me, too. But… time’s almost up, and if we stay much longer you’ll melt away.’
Phainon grumbles. ‘Just a little longer?’
‘Only if you’re coherent enough to use that silver tongue to sweet-talk the owner out of being mad at our elapsed time. Which I doubt you will be,’ Mydei chuckles, earning another grumble of protest. ‘Hey. It’s not like we’ll be parting either way now that we share a home. Besides, I have an idea of what will help you cheer up, and it requires leaving here.’
Phainon whines, but he removes himself from Mydei’s shoulder and nods.
Far up a long stairway, Mydei leads Phainon by the hand to the Dome of Stars. A glimpse into the universe they’ll be part of one day. So similar to the Vortex of Genesis the vastness of the space around it, yet in contrast is so promising in its beauty and vibrant life of the cosmos shining down on them. They stop in the middle of the floor and gaze up together, hands still entwined.
Mydei shifts his gaze to gauge how Phainon is doing. His eyes sparkle as he looks up at the future to come, practically lighting up with visions of dreams of his very own to pursue. Mydei smiles. But then Phainon turns his gaze back to Mydei. That light is still in his eyes, but there’s something bittersweet there, too.
This time, Mydei doesn’t need to pry for Phainon to speak his mind. ‘I truly am excited for our new lives to begin. To find and chase my own dreams, see what’s out there, forge new bonds, but…’ He clutches Mydei’s hand like a lifeline. ‘I can’t bear the thought of parting from you.’
Mydei is silent. Truthfully, the thought pains him greatly, too. Every time he had to return to Castrum Kremnos, never to see Phainon as he knew him again, and every time his life was taken by the very man he entrusted his weakness to, mourning that he couldn’t fight by his side longer, it broke him.
But… even when he wasn’t aware of it, every time he met Phainon again in the next cycle warmed his heart. No matter how bitter their partings had to be, the sweetness of their reunion would always be worth it.
He clutches Phainon’s hand back, and his other hand cups his cheek, making sure Phainon’s attention is fully on him. Then he removes his hand and sinks to one knee.
‘Phainon of Aedes Elysiae. I propose to you a promise to find you again in our next and final life. No matter what enemies I face, I will always rise triumphant and survive, all so I can come home to you, and be your home in turn. Then, our final farewell will come only after a long life, one so full that even the parting of death will only leave happy memories to carry forth until we meet one last time in the afterlife.’
Phainon’s hand trembles in Mydei’s gentle grip, and his eyes begin to water and his lip wobbles as the words sink in. But then, he smiles shakily.
‘You must be joking… Who’s the real HKS here? You’re the picture of reckless self sacrifice!’
Mydei chuckles as Phainon sniffles from his words. ‘Well… I’ll be much more careful without my immortality. I’ll have to survive to fight another day… and to be with the one I love.’
Phainon laughs lightly. Then, he sinks to his own knees, facing Mydei once more on equal ground. ‘Me too. Titans, I want it all. To travel, to fight, to be with you. Is it really okay for me to want so much? Am I not… selfish?’
‘No,’ Mydei says with certainty. ‘You’ve carried so many dreams for so long. It’s about time you chase your own.’
Phainon sniffles again, stifling a sob. Mydei patiently remains still as he regains his composure. Phainon wipes away his unshed tears and takes in a deep breath before meeting Mydei’s warm eyes, and he nods.
‘Now then, Phainon… Let me ask you what you wished of me all those cycles ago. Would you witness the Era Nova with me?’
Phainon’s eyes light up again, and he smiles just as bright. ‘Yes, Mydei.’
With the universe as their witness, they both lean into each other and meet with a kiss to seal their vow.