IN WOMAN’S EMBRACE

Lynne was currently panting deeply, holding onto the shaft of his scythe as one of his knees was pressed heavily against the plain floor. All around him flames burned like waves, and his entire appearance was ragged. Several dozen cuts ran rampart throughout his body with scarlet blood slowly filling tiny ponds around him.

“Good, you’re getting better,” a voice said laughingly. “Ten or more years, and you can finally meet my other brothers and sisters.”

“Aii Senior, ten years? I may as well gray out dry.” Lynne said, smiling bitterly, looking at the cheerily smiling Rygone.

“Ha ha, you little brat, don’t be disheartened! Flames burn for all eternity, after all! When in the world can they be doused off?”

“… when someone pours water over them?”

“… it’s a figure of speech.”

“Forgive my rudeness, Senior, but you’re terrible at them.” Lynne smiled cheekily.

“Aii, and to think I was going easy on you.”

“You what now?”

“See you next time, little Junior!”

Rygone kicked him firmly onto the chest area, causing Lynne to immediately run out of breath. As he came to, he realized he was in the vast patch of land, in front of him seven gates. He smiled lightly and let himself lie still on the ground, staring into the sunless sky.

“Aah, this is exhausting…” he said.

“Isn’t it?” a childlike voice replied; Lynne strained his neck slightly, looking sideways, and spotting the scarlet-haired child smiling at him.

“Like you would know,” Lynne sneered. “You were born strong.”

“Hah, are you jealous?”

“Of course I am!” Lynne exclaimed. “The Path of a Magus… ah, it’s too tiring. I really just want to pick up Thalia and elope elsewhere.”

“Oh? You’ve really grown to like her, huh?” the Spirit suddenly joined the conversation. Lynne had stayed almost an entire month in a Tower, most of which he had spent training, so the three of them would talk often.

“Aye,” Lynne said, smiling brightly, almost like an innocent child. “Want me to be honest?”

“… for a change? That would be a miracle!” the Spirit exclaimed cheekily.

“The only reason I’m so persistent,” Lynne said somewhat somberly. “Is because I know she’ll be dragged into whatever is to happen. How can I live with myself if I just stand at the side and watch?”

“Aii, your motivations are paper-thin…” the child said, shaking his head. “No wonder you’re making practically no progress.”

“How the hell is that thin? That’s as noble of a motivation as you can have! To protect the woman you love, is there a grander gesture?”

“To save a world?” the Spirit said.

“To destroy a world?” the child said.

“Aah, talking to you two is like talking to two extremes, except both are so narcissistic I’m ashamed of my own narcissism.”

“How’s the progress with other Laws?” the child asked suddenly.

“It’s moving,” Lynne finally smiled contently. “Especially with the Law of Infinity. That shit is way too strong… why the hell is not everyone training in it?”

“Aah, because not everyone is insane enough to willingly suffer backlash each time they dabble into the Law,” the Spirit said. “Although it’s true that Law of Infinity is perhaps one of the best battle-suited Laws, it’s also one where life expectancy is so low that you’d think those practicing it are actually ordinary Mortals.”

“… and neither of you bothered to tell me that beforehand?” Lynne creased his brows slightly.

“What the hell for?” the child sneered. “You’re practicing five Laws. With your big sis around, she’s probably gonna teach you another one or two. By the time the two of us know what’s going on, you’ll become World’s Avatar and just fling around every Law imaginable.”

“Aii, it’s cute you think I’d bother…” Lynne said. “Ah, someone’s calling me. Gotta go.” he suddenly disappeared from the patch of land, his consciousness warping back into his body.

“Do you regret it?” the Spirit asked the child, smiling.

“Regret?” the child smiled back. “I only regret not meeting him sooner.”

“To think that, three years ago, nobody knew of the child that would become a centerpiece of everything.” the Spirit chuckled.

“Aah, if only we were given a bit more time,” the child said, sighing. “We could have actually turned him into a World’s Avatar.”

“Do you really want to deal with his ego if that happens?”

“… yup, just got shivers. Huh.”

“Ha ha…”

* * *

Outside, Lynne’s gaze was fixed at Thalia who was currently holding two bottles of Heavenly Ale. Throughout the month, Thalia spent most of her time reading her books and training silently, while Lynne was cooped up in the specially built room atop the tower.

“… you really want to drink with me?” Lynne asked.

“Yeah? What’s wrong with that?” Thalia asked back, tilting her head lightly.

“… I mean, me. If it’s wine, sure, we’ll drink ourselves silly. But you can’t handle that shit.” Lynne said casually. His room was relatively small, consisting only of a simple bed and table.

“Hah, you underestimate the blood of the determined woman!” Thalia smiled widely as she sat onto the bed next to him and dragged the table toward them, putting both bottles onto it.

“No, no, I underestimate your blood.” Lynne said, smiling, as he picked the bottle and opened it; sweet fragrance quickly invaded the small room, causing their cheeks to flush slightly red.

“I just figured that we didn’t have a moment to ourselves in a while,” Thalia said, smiling as she leaned back onto the wall. “With you being infatuated with your big sis and all.”

“… aii, you’re probing where it hurts. Turns out, she actually sees me as her lil’ bro!” Thalia laughed joyously, causing Lynne’s heart to stir lightly; her black hair, as per usual, was tied into a knot, strands falling back, while her slightly tanned skin shone underneath light coming from the window, her black eyes like the most precious gems, seemingly eternal in profoundness.

“That must have hurt your confidence.” she said.

“Ah, you have no idea,” Lynne sighed, taking a few gulps down like a heart-stricken man would. “And to think I believed we had something special…”

“You seem to be dealing with it well.” she said as her laughter stopped.

“I have to,” he smiled bitterly as he looked through the window. “I have a feeling that the days of secrets being exposed aren’t over yet, and far bigger things await me. If I can’t even deal with this much, how can I expect to survive in this world?”

“Are you excited to see your dad?” she asked, smiling.

“What am I? Five?” Lynne smiled cheekily. “Of course I am! I seriously need to ask him how he wooed my mom…”

“Eh, considering how his son managed to woo a heavenly beauty like me, you can see it runs in blood.”

“Ho ho,” Lynne laughed, stroking his chin like a wise sage; a few traces of black subtle appeared throughout his broad jaw, giving him a slightly older appearance. “I do know my way with the maidens’ hearts, that much is for certain.”

“Aii, I actually forgot I should never stroke that ego of yours…”

“Well, you can always stroke something else…” Lynne winked as he smiled widely.

“… aah, you really are pitiful,” Thalia smiled, leaning over lightly. “Do you want me so badly.”

“…” Lynne swallowed a gulp of saliva as her sweet fragrance invaded his nostrils. “Holy shit yes!”

“… ha ha ha,” Thalia burst out in laughter as she pushed her head onto his chest; Lynne smiled gently, stroking her hair lightly. “Could you at least pretend to be a gentleman?”

“Hey! What the hell do you think I’ve been doing for over half a year!” Lynne grumbled.

“Holy shit, has it really been that long?!” Thalia looked up, her eyes exuding a strange sense of wonder. “Wait… you actually endured for over half a year?! Are you even a man?!”

“… aii, screw you woman! How am I not a man! Do you know how many times I wanted to just bail and run to the brothel to just finally release everything?! But, low and behold, I just had to be a gentleman!”

“You really are.” she said in a low tone as she raised her head abruptly and kissed him. Her lips were slightly warm, and sweet taste of the Heavenly Ale invaded Lynne’s mouth as their tongues intertwined. His hands quickly abandoned the bottle and found their way on her back, grazing gently as he pushed down. Hers replied in kind as she sat onto her knees, inching closer. As their lips separated, both were panting lowly as their foreheads pressed against one another.

“Looks like someone grew bold.” Lynne chuckled lightly.

“Aah, do you think it’s been easy for me?” Thalia replied as they began kissing again, room quickly being filled with soft moans. “Holding back… it’s not like I’m dead down below, you know?”

“Then why’d you hold back?!” they conversed in-between more and more forceful kisses while catching their breath.

“I… I was scared…”

“… wait… you’re not actually a virgin, are you?” Lynne said in a somewhat shocked voice.

“Ah, no I’m not you idiot!” she slapped him lightly as she smiled. “Scared that… this would be all that happened between us…” Lynne’s sly smiled quickly disappeared as his expression became somewhat solemn.

“Sorry…” he whispered, pressing his lips against hers again; one of his hands had already found its way to the front. “I didn’t realize…”

“How could you?” she said. “I’m the older one here. I should have known better.”

“Your heart is beating really fast…” Lynne said softly, his hand on her chest. “Are you nervous?”

“… like you’re any different…” she said lowly.

“I rarely get to see you like this,” he said, smiling lightly. “Foul-mouthed, aloof beauty sitting in front of me with her cheeks as red as a rose, lips trembling, heart beating faster than lightning in the sky…”

“Heh, you like it?” Thalia chuckled as she slowly took off his robe and shirt, revealing a relatively muscular and toned body beneath.

“… love it.” Lynne said as he replied in kind; her slightly tanned skin shimmered like gems. Here and there, Lynne’s hands ran across a few scars; some merely inch long, with one running down her sides, from ribs until her thigh.

“What about now?” she asked, strange sensation tingling from her scars.

“Even if the thunder strikes my head and I turn into a fool,” Lynne said, smiling warmly. “To me you’ll always be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever – and will ever see.”

“You ain’t half-had either.” Thalia smiled back as the two slowly began undressing each other. Lynne’s hands ran across every inch of her body, free and unrestrained, while Thalia slowly pushed him down and sat up top. His view caused his lips to tremble and his throat to dry. His eyes expanded wide open; Thalia’s smile caused his heart to boil as one of his hands slowly reached over and gently stroked her cheeks.

“You put even my dreamed-up Paradise to shame…” he said slowly. “Rather… you are it.”

Moans and groans of pleasure slowly filled up the small room as they echoed out through the window into the endless desert. In that moment, Lynne finally understood the simple saying: in woman’s embrace, the world ceases to exist.