Karlia felt the warmth of Lewis's body next to hers, their limbs entwined as they lay in the vast darkness. It was a sensation she'd longed for, dreamt of, and despaired of ever feeling again. The soothing rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear reminded her of a melody she had once feared was lost forever.
She nestled her head onto his chest, her voice soft, carrying the weight of a thousand emotions. "I've missed you. All of you."
Lewis's fingers brushed through her hair, sending a shiver down her spine. "I've missed you too, Karlia. More than words can express."
She shifted slightly to gaze up at him, her eyes searching his familiar features. "How... How do you look like your past self again? The last I knew, you were... Jared."
A rueful smile graced his lips. "Jared... He's me, or rather, I'm him. He reached a point where he realized he needed to make a choice, a decision that he found too daunting. So, he split himself into two."
Karlia blinked, trying to process the information. "Split? So, you're..."
"I'm a version of myself," Lewis interrupted, understanding her unspoken question. "A version that will never leave you, never abandon you. I promise."
Tears glistened in Karlia's eyes, threatening to spill. Her voice barely more than a whisper, she said, "I was so afraid this was all just another dream. That I'd wake up and you'd be gone."
Lewis tightened his embrace, pulling her closer. "This is real, Karlia. I'm here, with you. And I'm not going anywhere."
A genuine smile, one filled with pure joy and relief, spread across her face. "Being with you, living our lives side by side... That's all I've ever wanted."
He kissed her forehead, his voice soft, "And it's all I've ever wanted too."
In the comforting darkness, they held onto each other, two souls finally reunited, bound by an unbreakable love.
*******
[Moments Later]
Karlia and I lay side by side, the vast darkness around us feeling oddly intimate.
Her fingers traced patterns on my palm, a familiar gesture that sent warmth coursing through my veins. For so long, I'd been driven by a single goal - rescuing her.
And now, with her beside me, a tidal wave of emotion threatened to spill forth.
"I've missed this," I admitted, entwining our fingers.
She looked up, her eyes shimmering like the first light of dawn. "So have I, Lewis. So have I."
I took a deep breath, knowing there was more I needed to share. "Karlia, rescuing you was just the beginning. There's still so much I have to do, so much I need to show you."
Her eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Like what?"
I grinned, thinking of the adventures that awaited us. "There are places beyond this darkness, worlds of incredible beauty and danger, mysteries that I've uncovered and ones I've yet to unravel."
I couldn't wait to show her all the people I had met, and all the things I had been up to in her absence. Just thinking about all of them made my heart race.
"Plus, I made a promise to some people… I have to see it through to the end."
My friends in this new world, they were all counting on me.
Karlia raised an eyebrow playfully. "And you're telling me all of this now?"
"I wanted to give you a choice," I grinned. "While I have many battles to fight, and there remain many issues to resolve, I want you to be there by my side. But only if you choose to."
It seemed pointless to even ask, but I was a gentleman. I had to do this for courtesy's sake.
Karlia's smile grew brighter, her enthusiasm palpable. "Lewis, wherever you go, I want to be there with you. Every step of the way."
Happiness surged through me, and before I could think, I leaned in, capturing her lips with mine. The world seemed to fade away as we lost ourselves in that passionate kiss.
'I mean, we're engaged now. We're pretty much inseparable!'
Pulling back, I saw determination in her gaze. "So, what's our next move?"
I grinned, feeling invigorated by her spirit.
"First, we need to prepare. A war is brewing in the world beyond. I just hope we're not too late. Once we resolve that, then we can embark on the adventure of a lifetime."
"Another war, huh? Looks like everywhere you go, there's trouble." Karlia retorted in a grin.
Now that she mentioned it… she wasn't quite wrong.
"Well, I can't wait, Lewis. I'm sure you'll show me a good time."
Lost in her warm gaze and magical smile, I nodded playfully.
Of course, I planned on doing all that. A man had to do everything in his power to impress his woman, after all.
Karlia squeezed my hand in response, and together, we faced the future, ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.
'I won't let you down!'
*********
[MEANWHILE…]
~RUMBLE!~
The ground shook with a terrible rhythm as the Giants, their colossal forms looming menacingly against the horizon, made their advance.
Each footstep was a mini-quake, each growl from their throats akin to thunder.
~RUMBLE!~
Their massive hands wielded gargantuan weapons, from crude clubs to sharpened spears, each capable of causing unprecedented destruction. Enslaved by the Triumvirate's Magic, the Giants were a force of raw power and terror.
In a war where power was everything, the Triumvirate was wise to employ these save creatures, taming them for the destruction they were birthed to wreak.
"ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!"
Their terror-inducing roars caused the entire air to vibrate, and the ground to tremble in their presence.
However, just as they were intimidating, so also were their adversaries.
Facing off against these behemoths were the Fairy Kingdom's most elite creations: the Mecha Knights.
Crafted from the rarest metals and infused with the most potent fairy magic, these towering mechanical defenders glinted under the sun, ready for battle.
Their sleek bodies bristled with weaponry, from glistening blades that could slice through the toughest armor to ranged armaments designed to shower their enemies with powerful projectiles.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!~
The clash began with an explosive roar.
Giants charged, their sheer numbers seeming to blot out the sun. But the Mecha Knights were no pushovers.
With practiced synchronization, they let loose a barrage of energy beams, their luminescent arcs of magic cutting through the ranks of the Giants.
~VWUUUUUMMMMM!!!~
"GROOOAAAHHH!!!" Many of the towering behemoths fell, their mighty roars echoing in agony as they tumbled.
Yet, the Mecha Knights, for all their firepower, were significantly outnumbered. As the Giants neared, the mechanical warriors switched tactics.
Blades sprang to life, gleaming with deadly intent. Energy shields materialized, deflecting the devastating blows dealt by the Giants.
~FWISH!~
~SWOOOOSHHH!!!~
~WHOOOOOOMMMM!!!~
It was a dance of chaos and precision.
A Giant would raise its weapon, aiming to crush a Mecha Knight beneath its heft, only for the nimble machine to sidestep at the last second, counterattacking with a swift and devastating blow.
But for every Giant that fell, another two seemed to take its place. Their swarm-like assault was relentless, putting the Mecha Knights on the defensive.
One particular Mecha Knight, its armor a brilliant shade of emerald, leapt into the fray, its twin blades spinning.
It carved a path through the Giants, its every movement precise, efficient.
A nearby Giant, its eyes glowing an unnatural shade of red, swung its massive club. The Mecha Knight narrowly evaded, using its boosters to launch into the air before letting loose a torrent of energy missiles.
~BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!~
The Giant roared in pain, the missiles' impact leaving craters across its rugged hide.
But even as the emerald knight engaged its foe, more Giants converged on it. Two, then four, then six. The Mecha Knight found itself surrounded, its once fluid movements restricted.
Just then, a squad of Mecha Knights rushed to its aid, their combined firepower forcing the Giants to retreat.
It was a pattern that played out across the battlefield—swarms of Giants attempting to overpower individual Mecha Knights, only for reinforcements to arrive, tipping the balance.
Neither side could gain the upper hand.
The superior firepower and agility of the Mecha Knights were offset by the sheer numbers and raw strength of the Giants. The battlefield was littered with the fallen from both sides—mechanical parts strewn amidst giant footprints.
It was a stalemate, a grinding battle of attrition, with neither the Fairy Kingdom's technological marvels nor the Triumvirate's enslaved behemoths able to claim a decisive victory.
The war raged on, the outcome still hanging in the balance.
Watching all of this from the Fairy Headquarters was Oberon, the Fairy King.
A grim frown played on his face, depicting his dissatisfaction with the current sight that he witnessed.
"This… isn't good."
*
*
*
[A/N]
The Arc is reaching its climax… slowly but steadily.
Thanks for reading!
