Five Years Later

Nothing seemed to have changed. The human heart remains the same, a maelstrom of emotions—a fragile vessel of chaos as unpredictable as life itself.

Before I left to complete my training, I had believed in her. I had loved her, deeply and without restraint. I still do, even though I control myself not to end her life for she hurt me.

Spending a whole year in a forsaken land, devoid of human presence and filled only with crimson-leafed trees, charred rocks, and relentless monsters, had forced me to confront myself. I had questioned everything—why I was there, why I demanded so much of myself, why I endured endless suffering. What was I striving for? What lay at the end of this grueling path?

In my darkest moments, when the line between sanity and madness blurred, she was one of the people that appeared in my mind. Her image—the pure, gentle girl at the inn—reminded me of how warmth felt, of how her touch and voice had once brought me solace.

But now that I had returned, my dream of peace lay in ruins. I felt alone in my own apartment, I felt betrayed by the person I let inside my heart with much difficulty.

Lifting my hand, I looked at the small, black box sheltered by my fingers, its content mocking me. I found myself crushing it, the delicate wood snapping like my heart.

The life I had envisioned seemed like a distant memory when I heard her moans coming from my bedroom, offered to another man. Broken splinters of wood fell to the floor as I opened my fist, the only thing intact being the ring I had planned to give her.

The green crystal on top, chosen to mirror her eyes, was obtained during a perilous raid. The silverwork, woven with masterful intricacy, had been crafted by a jeweler most could only dream of meeting. The runic carvings, etched painstakingly over a winter season, imbued the ring with unparalleled power.

For my love, I wasn't going to propose with a simple ring, but with the most powerful artifact I could get my hands on at this time.

For me, it wasn’t just a proposal. It was a vow, a promise of love, protection, and devotion. Yet, that vow shattered alongside my dreams as her voice—soft with laughter—cut through the walls, entwined with another man’s.

Each sound was a dagger, carving through my soul.

It hurt. It hurt so profoundly that tears fell unbidden, splashing onto the cold kitchen floor. I sank into one of the empty chairs, the room trapping me in solitude. Yet, I chose to stay. To endure. To listen to my punishment. To hear her voice for one more day.

Nothing had changed. Yet nothing is as it once was.

. . .

"Have you prepared tea?" her voice floated from the bedroom, casual and unworried.

The vile symphony of their affair had ended minutes ago. What followed the climax was only a short kiss, then the silence heavier than their earlier breaths. I watched through the walls how he just laid on his back. No afterplay, no whispers of passion, nothing. That wasn't love, it was just an animalistic act with no depth or meaning to it.

I honestly don't know what she saw in him. But it's her choice.

"What? I thought you did," came the man’s response, nonchalant and indifferent.

"No, I went to the bathroom, not the kitchen," she replied.

I smiled bitterly as I poured tea into three cups, anticipating their approach. I leaned against the window, holding my own cup, waiting for the confrontation.

When they appeared in the doorway, her expression shifted instantly. Surprise flickered, then shock, and finally tension locked her body in place. She froze, stiff as stone, even as the man behind her bumped into her, oblivious.

I smiled, amused by her behavior. She always made me smile with the expressions she made and the country accent she used.

"Hi," I greeted casually, raising my cup in mock salute. "I made tea." I gestured to the table, letting my composure do the talking.

The man’s expression hardened, his confidence faltering. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" he demanded, stepping protectively in front of her.

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I chuckled softly, savoring his ignorance. "I tend to not take walls into consideration—especially since this is my place."

"Your place?" he echoed, confused.

My gaze roamed over him with cold calculation. "Not bad. You’re well-built, a 3rd Sky mancer. Decent."

He glanced at me, then at her, searching for answers.

"H-he’s my boyfriend," Naria stammered, her voice trembling as she stole a glance at me. "The one I told you about..."

"Ah, so you’re the boyfriend," the man said with a faint smirk. "Casius Olesta, firstborn of the Olesta family, and a disciple of the Una-Den-Taro Clan. I deeply regret meeting you under such… unfortunate circumstances. But we assumed you were dead."

"Dead?" My lips curled into a smile, cold as winter frost.

Naria took a hesitant step toward me, her voice faltering. "Azy, you’re alive."

With a flick of my wrist, I sent her flying back against the wall, my patience for her audacity wearing thin.

"Hey, calm down!" Casius barked, his tone laced with authority. "There's a reason for this."

I turned my gaze to him, meeting his command with a silent snarl. Before he could react, my kick struck his stomach. He barely moved, his body absorbing the force—but the real damage was internal.

"Azy!" Naria screamed as Casius crumpled to his knees, clutching his abdomen and gasping for air.

"Silence. You’ve lost the privilege to call me by name." My voice was cold, sharp as a blade. The weight of my words seemed to freeze her in place, her eyes wide with terror as my expression bore down on her.

I shifted my gaze to Casius, lying on my floor, staining it with his blood. "I understand the animalistic behavior of men far more than you can imagine, boy," I said, my tone cutting through the stillness like thunder. "I don’t blame you for sleeping with her, falling for her, or even caring for her. But let me make one thing very clear—do not mistake me for one of your subordinates. Should you ever dare to act with arrogance in my presence again, I will obliterate you from this existence. Your lineage, your so-called prestigious background, means nothing to me—even if you were the king’s brother."

Casius coughed violently, blood and saliva spilling from his lips. He didn’t dare speak another word.

Turning to Naria, I softened my tone, a cruel echo of the care I once held for her. "The lies, the feigned ignorance of my return—it’s not the same you I left behind." I looked into her eyes, as if searching for the woman I once loved. "I’ve been here for a while, Naria. I listened to your moans, endured the torment of every sound, even as I longed to reveal myself. Do you know with how much joy I returned to you?"

I opened my fist, revealing the exquisite ring I had prepared. Its green crystal shimmered in the sunlight, the intricate silver threads and runic carvings pulsing with life. "This was meant for you," I whispered, my disappointment weighting heavy in the air.

"Azy, please—" she began, but I raised my hand, silencing her. Her voice was gone, her body frozen under the force of my mental power. She no longer had the right to speak, let alone touch me.

"I gave you freedom," I continued. "I taught you a technique to master your desires, to cultivate discipline. Do you remember, at the start of our relationship, what I told you? That if we were ever to part ways, and you found love in another, I would let you go—on one condition. Honesty. To tell me before doing it. I left without binding you to any vows, yet you made a promise of your own: to wait for me. You broke that promise, Naria. You shattered my trust, you betrayed me, and you lied to my face. Why?"

I released my hold on her, allowing her the chance to answer.

Tears spilled down her face as she stammered, "I was alone, Azy. I felt so alone. The pressure at work, the stress—it was unbearable. I couldn’t reach you. You didn't tell me where had you go or when will you return. All that your friends said was that you were alive, but they gave me no hope, no answers. I simply couldn't trust them. I didn’t know how long I was supposed to wait. Then I met Casius and… and—"

Her sobs overtook her.

"I made it very clear to you that I will return. All you had to do was to believe in me."

"Azy, I’m sorry," she pleaded, trying to move toward me. "Please forgive me. It was just this once."

"If it were just a moment of weakness, just infidelity born of loneliness, perhaps I could forgive you," I said, my voice devoid of warmth. "But you lied to me. That I cannot forgive." I turned away from her, staring out the window. "I know the truth, Naria. You’ve been with him for over a month. I know how many times you’ve brought him into my bed. I know every sordid detail of what you’ve done while I was away.

"You lack the strength to stand beside me, Naria. If one year was enough for you to lose faith in me, how could I ever hope you’d endure a lifetime, let alone an eternity?"

I let the silence settle before delivering my verdict. "You have one week to vacate this house. After that, I will sell it. Any damage done in your tantrums will be billed to your family and your… lover." My gaze shifted to Casius, whose face was pale with fear and pain. "And you—Casius. Mind that she doesn’t damage anything. I won’t hesitate to collect the debt from your precious family if she does."

"Azy, wait!" Naria cried, reaching out to grab my arm.

I sidestepped her easily, my hand snapping to her throat. In one fluid motion, I pinned her against the wall. Her blue robe loosened, revealing the skin I once cherished—the curve of her collarbone, the softness of her flesh that had once been my haven. But now, her terror-stricken eyes only disgusted me.

"You spat on everything we built," I growled, my voice a low, dangerous rumble. "You disrespected me, trampled on my feelings. From this moment forward, we are strangers. Consider yourself fortunate, Naria—if I didn’t have respect for your mother, I would've ended you here and now. Perhaps I should’ve chosen her instead. I suspect she would have valued what we had far more than you ever did."

I released her, letting her crumple to the floor. My composure returned as I drained the last of my tea. "Farewell, Naria del Habir. Live your life as you see fit, but learn from your mistakes. Others might really do what I just said."

Without another glance, I stepped forward and vanished from the room, leaving behind two half naked people in pain and two cups of tea to alleviate their suffering.