They were housed in a basic room, good enough for guests, but none of these potential guests would have any sort of reputation. They had to pass through a number of Keford townsfolk downstairs to get to it. Yarro assumed Governor Illeid was housing the folks from the eastern side for the time being due to the Master Air Elemental wrecking havoc. “So, you’re really a Demideity now?” Kael asked once the Governor left the room. “Did you not know beforehand?”

Kael seemed nervous for some reason. They went over to sit on the one bed in the room. “No, I only learned just now of course. You ever see me fight with fire?”

“...Sorry. My mind must be up in the stars.” Kael paused.

Silence filled the room. On a hunch, Yarro opened his palm. It took a moment, but then a small flame was conjured in the palm of his hand. The heat was pleasantly warm at first. The temperature quickly rose and when it felt like too much, he closed his hand again to snuff out the fire. Now he knew why fire elementalists always wore gloves, or kept them on their bodies when they were fighting.

“Yarro, I was so, so scared. When that building fell on top of you, I thought you died. I was already thinking of ways to kill the King. But then I saw that phoenix rise from the rubble. It was like I could finally breathe.”

Yarro’s mind turned back to when he was under the rubble. The darkness that closed in on him. He could feel his own body start up with adrenaline again. His breathing got heavier and faster. Everything felt too close. It was like his mind was clawing to escape again. Despite sitting safely on the bed in a regular room.

A heavy hand clasped on his shoulder brought him out of his headspace. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. Concern clearly displayed on his face. After a moment, he said something else. “So what did you see? When you died.”

Yarro blinked and thought back. “I can barely remember it now. Just… the void of space. And stars, all around me. I remember it was beautiful. And then fire? The Fire Deity spoke to me, sort of. Told me—no, I felt a love coming from the fire. And then I guess I knew was the son of the Fire Deity.”

“The void of space? Our priest always said a star is made when a soul leaves the body.” Kael went quiet and got up to lean on the windowsill. “It really hurt me when you pushed me aside to destroy the factory all by yourself. You said you didn’t know you were a Demideity until just now, so that means…” Kael sighed. “Why would you have a death wish, just after you called me part of your family? I thought we talked through this after the Master Fire Elemental?”

Yarro watched as Kael’s face turned from nervousness to anger the more he talked. He felt bad, now that it was said out loud. “I wanted to save Keford. Because I couldn't save Dawic. I didn’t mean to push you away. I thought I was taking care of you.” His face heated up in embarrassment. Even saying it out loud sounded stupid. Taking care of Kael had nothing to do with sacrificing himself.

Kael frowned and turned away from him. He was silent for a long time as he stared out the window. Yarro knew he should apologize. It was only right. He didn’t mean to make him feel that way, but he still ended up that way. Yarro got up from the bed and gently placed a hand on Kael’s back. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly enough.

“Yarro, I don’t have anyone else. I was abandoned in an orphanage, too young to remember my parents, and was constantly escaping because I hated it there.” Kael finally turned to him. His brows furrowed, and the anger and nervousness from before were replaced with hurt. A glint of tears shone in the moonlight, threatening to fall. “Please don’t shove me away again,” Kael whispered.

Yarro's heart broke. What was he even thinking when he did that? Dawic, of course. So much adrenaline coursed through his blood at the that he honestly didn’t remember that much. Dawic has already fallen. But Kael was right there, asking to stay with him. That should be enough, right? “I promise. I promise to keep you by my side, as long as my star burns bright." An eternal promise.

Kael's eyes widened. He took his hand in his. Sweaty, and sort of jittery. "I was an asshole at the Midsummer Ball, but I assure you, I'm the one who sees the stars in your eyes, especially when the moonlight hits them just so, like now. You came into my life like a blazing comet, but now I see you for the northern star that you are. Yarro, may I be your star?"

Kael intensely watched him for any reaction to his love confession. Luckily for Yarro, he could finally indulge in his impulses. He wrapped his arms around his neck and planted a big fat kiss on his lips. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer. He could smell the lavender on him, just passed the smell of soot and dust. This kiss was much more deeper and intimate than what they did in front of the factory. So much so, that Yarro gasped for breath when they finally pulled away from each other.

Kael kept his eyes closed for a few moments longer than Yarro did. A slight smile on his lips. His arms still wrapped around him, keeping him locked in his embrace. “So, did it hurt when you died? What was it like?”

Yarro shook his head. “I don’t remember. One moment the ceiling was falling on me. Next I saw the stars. Then it felt like coming up from water after holding my breath for too long.” He opened his hand to see the fire again. This time the heat scaled up his fingers and he had to quickly shake his hand to free it from the rising temperature.

“Yarro! Fire is still hot, even if it’s magic fire! Let me see.” Kael took his hand in his and inspected the fingers. It was only a little red. No burn marks, luckily. “Hmm. I guess you got a bit of resistance to the fire with that awakening.” Was their relationship so easily turned back to normal?

"It's possible a Demideity of Fire is slightly more resistant than a regular fire elementalist."

Now finally apart, Kael began to change out of his armor, and put up his hair in a bun. Yarro simply stared at his own hand. The lingering warmth of his touch was still present. He smiled softly, imprinting the feeling into his mind. As he kept thinking about it, his hand caught on fire once again. It took him by surprise and he once again shook it out before his other could notice yet another burst of flame. This would take take some getting used to.

“I feel like fire is coursing through my blood. If I can hone it, I can protect Dawic this time. I can protect the people in it. If I can rebuild it, I can do better than last time.” He felt more confident now. Like he could do anything.

Stolen novel; please report.

Kael turned around, now shirtless. He blushed and averted his eyes to the ground as if he was some stupid love-struck teenager. “Is that what you want to do? Rebuild Dawic and guard it for as long as you live?”

Yarro looked back up and nodded. Determination lit up like a fire in his eyes. He could feel his body reacting to the passion of a new goal with the flames within him. Maybe literally, but he couldn’t tell, and Kael didn’t say anything so it must have been fine. “Yes. When this is all over, and we’ve found Seila, I want to rebuild Dawic.”

Kael nodded to himself. “Then I’ll help.”

Yarro blinked, caught by surprise of Kael’s own willingness. “Oh, you don’t have to”

“Didn't we just promise eternal devotion to one another?” Kael grinned as he walked to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Yarro’s heart quickened and he impulsively stopped Kael from pulling away too far by placing a hand on his cheek. Their eyes met, and this time it was silent. Yarro raised his other hand and gently pushed away the stray strands of hair that had fallen out of place. A soft smile played on Kael’s lips and he leaned in.

Yarro’s eyes fluttered closed and he leaned in to it. It was a proper kiss this time. Intimate and deep. He could fully relax and take in Kael’s scent. Musky with a bit of spice. His arms subconsciously slid around Kael’s neck and pulled their bodies closer together. Kael took one step closer, and he took one step back. Another step, and another, until Yarro tripped on the bed and fell back. He just now realized as to where this was going. “Wait!” he whispered and placed a hand on the other’s chest. “We’re guests. It would be rude, and who knows how thin these walls are.”

Kael pouted like he had just ruined his entire night, but stood up and shrugged. “Fine, fine. We shall hold back, until we can find some place more suitable.” Kael's eyes were bright with eagerness and what looked like an insatiable hunger. Yarro shuddered at the thought of how sore he would no doubt be in the future.

In the morning, after dealing with much pouting from Kael, the duo ate some bread and cheese, then headed back to Rylin to inform Queen Illa and the Lord Council that the situation with the Master Elementals were resolved. Over the road, they both agreed not to tell the Queen about the Fire Deity's warning. It would complicate things too much, and might tip off King Wen. Yarro also tried his best to practice conjuring a ball of flame more consistently, and without burning himself. He was unsuccessful.

They arrive at the castle around lunch, and was able to secure a meeting with the Queen and Lord Council for mid afternoon. The meeting was held in the Lord Council room for once, instead of the Queen’s office. It was made of stone, with arches to a balcony that let in the breeze. It was mostly bare, but still tastefully decorated in between the necessities that warranted it for a council meeting room. The duo did their best to fill in what happened.

“What do you mean you destroyed the Keford factory?” Queen Illa slammed her fist on the long table. The council sat around looking equally distraught and upset. Lord Marshal Eris looked like she was going to pop a vessel.

Yarro was the one who answered. “It was what truly caused the Master Elementals to run haywire and destroy all of those towns and buildings. When the factory came down—”

“The factory came down!?” King Wen had just entered.

“Just in time…” Kael mumbled. In that moment, he had daggers for eyes, and very obviously moved closer to Yarro. He took a slight protective stance. One that the Lord Marshal noticed.

“The entire structure, but—”

“You had no authorization to completely demolish a royal factory, not to mention destroying the tanks as well,” Lord Marshal Eris said.

Yarro was tired of being interrupted. “But the Master Elementals are gone now, the Fire Deity told me.”

“We haven’t noticed any difference, really. I think they’re lying to you,” Lord Marshal glared.

“The Fire Deity told me—”

“I don’t care what they told you!” Yarro sighed, once again interrupted. he was beginning to get angry and he hadn't had time to master his emotional outbursts. “You’re under contract with me, not the Deities,” Queen Illa said.

“We overheard that King Wen had ordered extra turtle tanks for the Lacrussian Revolution,” Kael's eyes were still glued to the King. Yarro couldn't help but do a double take. This wasn't part of the plan. The King didn’t look the least bit worried either, which in turn made Yarro worried. What was he up to? Did he hide the evidence and that’s why he was able to keep a cool head?

“Extra tanks? We don’t even have the resources for that. King Wen knows this,” she said with a glance towards the King. A minor gesture, but he was easily readable, in addition to her nervous look. Lord Treasurer May faked a scoff. She was also in on this. Yarro frowned at the realization.

“Exactly my point! This kingdom took too many resources from the land and made technological progress too far forward for the Deties’ comfort,” Yarro said.

“Technolo—What? That’s absolutely ridiculous. And even if they were destroyed, things can’t be un-invented. There’s always the blueprints, and the inventor. Not to mention the basic knowledge that such a thing is possible to exist,” Lord Treasurer May said. As she voiced her concern, others around her also murmured their agreement with it. It seemed ridiculous when he said it out loud, sure, but it was the truth. Who are they to say what the Deities do and do not want? How can they interpret the wishes of the divine? Yarro certainly wasn’t going to try.

“And more importantly, why aren’t you already halfway to Obraria?” Secretary of State Arnold asked. He had just walked in and seemed to completely miss the explanation from earlier.

Yarro groaned. The point was getting away from them. He rubbed his temples and tried to think of a response. Chatter erupted within the chamber with complaints and arguments against the Deities and the plausibility of King Wen's orders.

“Hold on,” Queen Illa interrupted the rising conversation volume. Silence descended all around her as she eyed the duo with suspicion. “If the factory fell, how in all the stars did you two escape?”

Guess the cat’s out of the bag. Not like he could hide it from the Queen anyways. “Funny you should word it like that. Um. Well, Kael made it out safely before the factory collapsed. But, I didn’t. Turns out,” Yarro took a gulp of breath and steadied his heart for what he was about to say. “Turns out I’m a Demideity. Of fire.”

The Queen and her Lord Council had no time to react. A flash of light blinded them all and the guards in the room became ready for action. He heard some of them even brandish their swords. Wait, swords?

Before all of them stood the four Deities. They all looked rather displeased, but the Earth Deity looked downright furious. They stepped forward and pointed at King Wen. “Your overreach with the earth has gone too far! You turn a land that is not yours into weapons for a battlefield that you will fail. We will allow it to happen no longer!” The Earth Deity spat out.

“Are you ordering us to stop making tanks? How in the stars are we going to fight those barbarians?” Queen Illa asked. Why was she still trying to fight the Deities on this? Why couldn’t she just play along for once? He internally sighed.

The Air Deity zeroed in on her. Their hair floated all around them and a rush of wind blew past the Queen to silence her through force. “Obraria is not the enemy, and it never will be.” It was the first time Yarro had heard the Air deity spoke. They echoed in a way that almost seemed like speaking into an empty room, though still no louder than a whisper, and at the same time like they were speaking directly into one’s ear. It sent a shiver down his spine, and a glance at Kael told him that he was equally uncomfortable.

Queen Illa opened and closed her mouth, flabbergasted. Yarro knew that to her, the idea of not warring with Obraria wasn’t even an option. Everyone around her was silent, eagerly awaiting her answer. They dared not speak in front of the Deities. King Wen looked especially ghastly. Good. Finally she spoke. “Fine. But I’m still sending your ‘chosen one’ over there to find Arnold’s daughter.”

The Fire Deity looked to King Wen. “If you ever start those war machines ever again, there will be a divine punishment that rivals the death of a star.”