Orion and Elliott stepped out of a portal, leading them into the Elemental Shrine.

There, two giant crystals holding his parents in their core gleamed peacefully.

"This place, it is full of magic particles."

Elliott looked around. He stared at the contraption at the center, which was emitting a constant ray of magic toward a vortex through a glass roof.

"This is where the path to the elemental realm was created. This is most likely the reason for this massive concentration of magic."

While answering him, Orion approached the crystals. On his left, Orianne, his mother. On his right, Reon, his father.

'I haven't learned of a way to bring you back yet. I'm sorry.'

He closed his eyes, before glancing at the bracelet.

"Is it possible to revive them?"

Placing his back on the nearest wall, Elliott asked while crossing his arms.

"I believe so. Using the void element as a spatial type magic, it should be possible to move the soul back into its original body."

"Since their soul hadn't suffered damage, protected by the device, it should proceed smoothly once I find a way to do that."

Understanding the principle behind his idea, Elliott nodded.

"What about the crystal itself?"

"It should break the moment they awaken. In a way, it should be similar to the seal placed on you. Not that I really know, since I haven't seen it."

Elliott moved from the wall and walked to the nearest crystal, Orianne's, and lightly tapped his fist against it.

*Tink*

The glass-like sound echoed in their ears, until Elliott opened his mouth.

"This is the same seal. I think it has weakened in the same way mine did over the years, so once they open their eyes, it might be possible to break free using magic from within."

"As I thought. That's one worry I can forget about."

Orion moved away from the crystals, and opened another portal.

"Alright, follow me. I'll introduce you to the place you will live in."

"I'm right behind you."

Elliott was expecting a simple place, somewhere secluded in the plane. Even sleeping in a forest around here would be fine.

So when he walked through the portal, and he saw a house capable of holding dozens of people inside it, he blinked.

"That's the guest house. I built it with the help of many others in case we needed to receive numerous people at once, or in case of emergency.

The portal closed behind them, as Orion opened the door of the finished building. Elliott followed closely behind him, bewildered.

It was completely refurbished, upgraded, and more spacious than before. The furniture was brand new too, with everything made of wood built by Orion and Karteira themselves.

With light steps, they entered the central room. It was a large area which turned out to be the living room, dining room, and kitchen in one place.

On the sides of this room were the bedrooms, and past the kitchen, through another door, were the showers and toilets, separated between men and women.

The showers were not as splendid as the ones in Orion's home, though.

After showing everything to Elliott, who was completely overwhelmed by the treatment, Orion looked at him.

"I will let you choose any room you want. We also made a rule that if you want something, you can request it at any time."

"But honestly, I suggest you do your groceries yourself. If you want to eat seafood, go talk to the sirens. Fresh vegetables, the arachnea are your friends. For anything else, take the portal to Albriar."

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

While blinking wildly, Elliott nodded. Orion took pleasure in seeing his bewilderment, shown by the mocking smile on his face.

Still, it was very strange for Elliott, which made him ask involuntarily.

"Why are you kind enough to give me a room?"

"You aren't my enemy anymore. Since we're helping each other in dealing with Miasma, it's the least I can do. I believe you haven't rested peacefully in quite some time?"

"Let me guess? Since the destruction of your home country?"

Elliott, for the first time since losing everything, sincerely smiled.

"I can't remember when was the last time I relaxed."

"Well, in that case, you can finally relax. Drop your stuff in a room, take a warm bath, eat a meal, and go rest in your bed. That's all I can do for you."

"That's plenty enough. Thank you."

Orion nodded, before walking past him.

"When you're feeling better, I hope to spar with you. I can't wait to learn what secrets you're hiding."

With a smirk, Orion closed the front door, and returned to the others.

"..."

Frozen on the spot, Elliott thought for a moment, before he closed his eyes and nodded, a smile on his face.

"Heh. Sure thing."

...

"Orion, you're back!"

"Papa! Where did you go?"

Everyone welcomed his back, while Stella ran to him to hug his legs.

"I had to welcome someone. Don't worry, I'm not leaving anymore."

He crouched and patted his daughter's head as she hugged his neck.

"Alright. We still need to finish the castle."

Orion stood up, removed his clothes, and picked up Stella. He looked around to find his brother, who had just returned.

'Nylon.'

On the blanket, Nylon was telling his journey to his father, while Eliza hugged him while crying, probably relieved to see her son safe and sound.

'I'm glad. If anything had happened to you...'

If those emotions Orion was feeling could be described, they would be similar to what a big brother felt when watching their younger siblings grow up.

His gaze switched to Stella, who was happily humming on his arm, while swinging her legs back and forth.

"Right, let's go build that castle. It needs to be a gorgeous one worthy of this princess."

"But I'm not a princess?"

"You're not?"

Orion happily exchanged with his daughter as he walked toward the sand castle.

...

The picnic came to an end at last.

Stella had so much fun, her energy ran out before the sunset. The big sand castle on the beach was proof of her incredible imagination and hard work.

While she fell asleep on the blanket, the same could be said for Orion, as for once, he also felt incredibly tired.

For a rare moment in his life, he played with everyone at the beach, unfairly used his warping ability to catch everyone during a tag game. He also won a beach volley game with Drania and May against Amelia, Karteira, and Olivia.

During a swimming competition, he lost against Deveralna and Senia. Thereafter, he dragged Dramia, who was reluctant at first, to the water and dived with her to explore the bounty of the sea, and walked with his lovers on the shore at the end of the day.

They all managed to spread their wings, and spend some time with him.

Florian and Kamala spent their time together swimming, strengthening their new bonds in the process.

Dylan and Eliza both spent the rest of their day with Nylon, who had many incredible stories to tell them. Since they weren't very interested in swimming to begin with, it was also a good way to relax.

For Eric and Caroline, they disappeared at some point as they walked the whole shoreline together, peacefully and quietly, only to return at sunset.

Tetra and Henrietta both laid on the sand to sunbathe, even though there was no sun in Horizon, with no way to get a tan whatsoever. It's the thought that matter, right?

It was now time to pack up and return home. Orion led the guests back to their home, before returning to his house.

He sat on the couch, and sighed, exhausted.

"I've laid Stella in her bed. She seemed too tired to be able to eat dinner, so we've let her rest."

Said Amelia, with a smile.

"Thanks."

As he looked at the ceiling with no particular thought, he slowly began to close his eyes.

Orion felt warmth on his lap, before opening his eyes to look down.

"I'm tired."

"Same, sis."

Then, someone else pressed her shoulder to his, sighing from exhaustion too.

Dramia, without feeling embarrassed about it, laid her head on Orion's lap, while Drania rested her head on his shoulder.

"That's rare of you two to stay this close to me."

"I'm just too tired to bother."

Dramia shrugged with a faint smile.

"..."

"Drania?"

Orion glanced at the energetic fairy, realizing that she had fallen asleep already.

"To make the great Drania fall asleep is an achievement not many can achieve."

"That's to show how much fun she had. How about you?"

Slowly, Orion placed his left hand on Dramia's head, and caressed her green hair.

"Hnn."

Feeling the gentle caresses, she closed her eyes.

"I had fun too. I had no idea so much life there actually was in the sea."

"Was there something you liked?"

"The turtle."

"I see."

"..."

With a smile, Orion closed his eyes.

'She also fell asleep.'

As he kept stroking her hair, he enjoyed this little moment of peace, until he looked toward the doorway.

"..."

He silently glared at the women who hid around the edges of the doorway, staring at the twins with amazement.

Choosing to ignore them, he closed his eyes again, pampering the fairy Queens at the same time.

They stayed like this until dinner, when Orion had to wake them up.

After dinner, everyone returned to their room, only to instantly fall asleep the moment their head touched the pillow.

A picnic, which was at first prepared for Stella, became a significant memory for everyone. As they closed their eyes and drifted to the dream world, they internally thanked the little girl for this opportunity.

...

The next morning.

"Deveralna- No."

Dramia and Drania approached the lamia Queen first thing in the morning. She froze up the moment she was called out, and quietly listened.

"Queen Deveralna. Tiohr-nam, the Remnant of Life, as an important matter to discuss with you. Would you mind following us later today?"

'Finally...'

As her gaze fell toward the ground, she remembered the feeling of emptiness in her soul.

She looked straight into Dramia's eyes, before nodding.

"Gladly."

Following her awakening to magic, and the words her creator spoke to her, she knew it was only a matter of time.

A matter of time, before she became the next Remnant of Strength.