Ah, that sweet Methelian salty sea smell. That’s some good stuff. We were pretty damn homesick after spending a year in Ulanos. They finally had their shit together so we could afford to leave. Solomon took the helm of the government as Sword Sovereign. August had removed and reworked many laws and policies. You no longer had to be the strongest to be the head of state. It was now a vote-based decision, giving the masses the true power. He and several other people governed Ulanos. Salaries of the soldiers were drastically cut and a lot of that was redirected towards stimulating their own economy. Their major exports ended up being produce and housing materials.

Tacari, that cute bastard was dearly missed. The folks that made him were missed too but he was clearly a lot more important than they were. August as well, couldn’t wait to see his family again. After our experience in Ulanos, family became way more important than it already was.

Unfortunately, our duty dictated that the first person we speak to was the king, Farron Maxwell. Our zephyrs glided over Endathal. Man, this place is smaller than I remembered. We landed in the courtyard of the castle, which, again, was smaller than I could remember. The king, having a conversation with a nearby guard, stopped in his tracks when he noticed us. Donna giggled a little. She knew my location at all times because of the Light Resurrection connection, but chose to keep her mouth shut about our arrival.

August and I looked at Donna and Farron. Nothing but silence bounced about the throne room. I figured I would’ve been able to keep my cool, but that failed horribly. I flew into her and gave a big fat hug. “You look beautiful. I really missed you. Oh, you seem sexier than usual. Did you do something with your hair? Wait,” I sniffed, “that’s a nice perfume.”

Donna chuckled again, “I missed you too, Eric. But there are people who miss you more. Make your report and let’s get ready to celebrate your return.”

“Nah,” I shook my head. “It’s only right that August does it.”

The king and queen both looked at me strangely, but I just let August explain.

“So, do you want the long version, or the short version?” August asked the king over breakfast.

“Short. I understand you must be tired,” Farron said.

“Eh, not at all really. But I’d like some time to really get a detailed account of what happened down onto paper, to make sure I don’t forget anything. With that said, here’s the short version…” he inhaled. “Went there, killed a bunch of people. Discovered a better way to weaken the military. Did that. Became their version of a king, changed certain laws and put things in place so they wouldn’t need to attack others again. And now we’re here.”

Once again, the king paused, his grape juice glass loosely entrapped between his fingers and his mouth slightly open.

“I’d like at least two days to put the report together,” August requested.

“O-of course, take the entire week!” King Farron Maxwell encouraged. After all, he was speaking to a man who saved the entirety of Methelia. “We have things to put in place as well.”

And so, we did. August’s mom and Melissa were relieved to see him. We stayed in Ulanos longer than our expected four to six months. We spent an entire year in Ulanos, so I would imagine his family’s worries got even worse. Alas, they could finally breathe now.

It was now time for me to visit my family.

“Hey, Lyn, B, what you guys wanna do?” I asked before leaving to go home.

“Hm?” Bianca tilted her head.

“I mean with where you want to live. You’re always welcomed at my place. If you’re not up for the company, I could get you the finest inn in Endathal.”

We’d gotten pretty close with them in our time together. “Uh, we don’t wanna intrude – though we are meeting your family one day – and we don’t wanna be freeloaders. There’s gotta be another option, dude.”

Bianca could be such a pain. “Alright, alright. Here’s what. I’ll put you two in an inn right here in Aquan until you decide what you want to do. I’ll get you some allowance so you aren’t bored. August and I will probably be busy this week.” I set them up with enough for a month, just in case.

When I went home, I heard joyful gibberish from Tacari. He was walking about on his little stompy legs and froze in his motions to stare at me. I could never tell what was going through his head, but I tackled him anyway. We roughhoused, because that’s what brothers do. His extended and ridiculous laughter made mom walk in from the kitchen. She gasped and dropped the kitchen knife.

My eyes almost popped out. “You freakin’ crazy woman! Don’t drop the knife like that! That’s how you get stick in the foot!”

Her eyes began watering and she hugged me tight enough to probably suffocate me. “I can’t believe you’re back!” she sobbed, making Tacari cry as well. Poor kid didn’t know what was going on.

“Sheesh, so dramatic,” I hugged her back. “Ah, you smell so homey.”

After our loving reunion, she took to the kitchen once more to prepare something for me. Her excitement turned to disappointment when she learned I’d already eaten at the castle. “Hey, you know where exactly May works?”

“Yeah, a big white building on the same street I work at. Tell her I said hello,” Mom said.

I gave her an affirmative nod and soared towards said place. Thankfully, she was just walking out.

“Well, don’t you look diligent?” I complimented.

A couple of her colleagues immediately began suspecting her of being in a relationship. Quite the gossip-loving duo it seemed. They giggled and ran off. “What ar–you know what? Welcome back, Eric. It’s really a weight off the shoulders to see you again.”

I wanted to say likewise. The way she looked even long after Dawn’s death, made me think she might’ve gotten suicidal. It was a weight off my shoulders to see her in fine health. “I’m going to grab a bite. Join me?”

We went along and I had my second breakfast. I didn’t have the heart to tell May I already ate. Mom would skin me alive if she found out.

“So, how was it?” May stole my thoughts away.

“Hmm?”

“Ulanos. Fighting them.”

“Oh. Easy enough. But the fighting everyday kinda gets to you. I’m really glad to be home again. How’re mom and dad?”

“Pops is still as stubborn as ever, but at least he listens to mom and exercises regularly. Hey, Eric,” she crossed her leg and looked down to gather her thoughts. “Is it true? Did Emily really die?”

“I’m afraid so. Donna told you?”

“Yeah, she did. That’s, really unfortunate. She didn’t deserve to die.”

I laughed at that last statement. “What’d ya mean? Of course, she did.”

May shot me some weird looks. “When you’ve lived since the creation of the world, death is kind of a nice thing. It’s like finally getting to sleep after a long ass day at work. Emily wanted to ‘retire’. So be happy for her.”

“Is that how it is? Then I guess it’s fine. Say, Eric, what do you plan to do now that you’ve returned?”

A few things flashed across my mind at that point. “Well, the biggest things are a secret for now. But really, I’m quite glad to see you doing well.”

“Yes well, life goes on, and I don’t want to be left behind. See you around, kid.”

“Later, young lady.”

Calla was next. She was up to her neck in work. Looked like Methelians weren’t worried about food and shelter anymore. Her employees looked like they were near death trying to accomplish their quota. Vivify brought them back in optimal condition. “Take a break, guys.”

They then looked at Calla and she shrugged. “He’s the boss. Go ahead.” They picked themselves up and went to get lunch. “Look who decided to come back. I thought you left me for dead.”

I smiled, looked around her bustling workplace, “You’re a big girl, you can take care of yourself. I believe in you, Bad Ankle.”

“Maybe I really should rob you,” she threatened.

“I don’t have a dime on me. Anyway,” I turned away, “later.”

Evening soon came around, catching me in Endathal. I really missed Anjali. I mean really missed her. Her elation in seeing me was endearing, but perhaps diluted because she basically talked with my clone every day.

The week back in Aquan was a nice and restful one. August and I wrote up our report in just a couple days, and eventually debriefed the king, and briefed Methelia by extension. The king though, would give us both quite the surprise. “I present to you, land fitting of heroes such as yourselves. Estates just as deserving will be built upon those lands.”

I didn’t know how they did it without my zephyrs, but they got Aerellis, Moken, and many more people to attend the debriefing. August gave them the full report, as he did most of the heavy lifting in Ulanos. Of course, our parents were there as well, with a myriad of expressions rummaging through their conscience. I could understand why, as well, especially when it came to the estimated kill count.

We didn’t die, so that was nice. But August, he, changed. I couldn’t quite place my finger on it, but he was a vastly different person from the man who sat in this same room with me before we went to Ulanos. Yet, he was still the same? It made me wonder if I had changed too.

A huge feast was thrown after to celebrate our victory. But Aerellis dipped, and so did Moken. I couldn’t imagine those guys at a party anyway. I should visit them sometime, I thought.

The party was quickly under way, and where there was alcohol and August, there was Eric spiking drinks.

~

I woke up, my face resting comfortably on someone’s ass. My head was spinning like crazy so I hit myself with Renew to treat that devastating hangover. When I came to, I realised I was on Violet’s butt. She was passed out on top of Volt, who was also passed out. Pyro was sleeping off his hangover in a corner of where I was. Gabrielle walked in right after with a couple glasses of water. I bet it was for Pyro but I took it anyway. Even if Renew did its magic, I still felt like I needed some water.

“That could’ve been poison.” Gabrielle rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“But it wasn’t, right?”

“N-no. Ugh!” she commanded that I wake everyone up and make them better. I didn’t realise she meant half of Aquan. What the hell did I do? Instead of Renew, I just cast Vivify for a few seconds.

Later that week, my focus turned to those estates the king gave us. They were near Endathal, and when the land surveyors showed us just how much we owned, we were blown away. Hell, it was enough to have a little community. I immediately told the king not to make any material purchases yet. I’d get all the stuff August and I needed with transmutation; we’d just need architects to guide us.

In one month, I was eighty percent complete in transmutation and two estates built. It was really good practice to make everything we needed. In two months, our bad ideas were revisited and fixed with the help of the architects. My buddy and I now had the King estate, and Archibald estate to feel proud of. We were homeowners now. Hell of a big step, but a much welcomed one anyway.

“So, what’d you think?” I asked Anjali at the end of my tour. We concluded in the master bedroom.

“It’s, amazing!” She turned to the huge window and looked outside, “To be honest, it’s a bit overwhelming.”

“Yeah, I agree. It’s way too big for me alone. So, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind visiting from time to time. Y’know, like after work, every day. Maybe you can sleepover every day? You can even bring all your stuff here to make it easier.”

She turned around with a malicious grin on her face, “Eric, are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Yeah, I guess I am. But,” I smiled, “that’s not my only question.”

“Huh?” her head tilted in wonder. “What else could you want?”

“Well, you may call me a bit of a coward for this but, while I was over there,” I hinted at the general direction of Ulanos, “I saw death literally every day. It got me a bit scared to be honest. I told myself when I got back home, I’d do the things I was hesitating to do. But even when I told myself that, I wondered if I was so fragile a partner that fear of death had to be the driving force of my question.”

As I explained, she became even more perplexed, which only made me smile and realise I was going off on a tangent a little. I snaked up to her and held her hands gently, then tightened my grip a little. “Anjali.”

She giggled, a little nervous, “What’s the matter with you today?”

“Marry me.”

She froze. Her eyes were quite busy switching between mine though. “I, just remembered our first date.”

“When you wore that sexy red dress to seduce me?”

“Maybe,” she giggled. “I’d have never thought I’d be here, right now, being asked a question like that.”

“Is that a no?” I inquired.

“Hmm, I dunno. You’re seventeen. I’m twenty-nine. You’re a mage. I’m a negotiator. You’re from Aquan. I’m from–”

“Aquan as well, don’t think I don’t know. Anyway, is that a no?”

“Of course, it isn’t!” she hugged me. “Give me time to properly tease you, dammit!” she pinched my cheek, then kissed it. “I can’t wait.”

“Good. Sorry though, I didn’t get a ring or anything.” It was something I wasn’t sure how to proceed with. “Just transmuting one feels, wrong.”

“Forget the ring. There’s something I want more than a dumb ring.” Her hand rested gently on her stomach.

“Wow, uh, you’re moving kind of fast.”

“Well, women have a biological clock,” she shrugged, “but, I understand if you don’t want to.”

A kid, huh? To be honest, I still viewed myself as a kid, so the thought of having one felt rather, foreign and unnatural. There were so many things I needed to do first, so many places I wanted to see. But even as I thought about all of that, I tried to understand her perspective. Hmm, most women get knocked up mid-twenties to mid-thirties. I guess she feels it’s about time. I thought of these things, and to be honest, having a kid scared me. “Give me some time to think about it, okay?”

She wasn’t as disappointed as I envisioned. Must’ve expected that answer from me. We didn’t set a date, but the big day would definitely happen once I was eighteen, and I was just a few months from turning eighteen anyway.

“Anyway, who’s coming here with us?” she asked. A brow of mine raised at that question. “Baby, this house is way too big. This bedroom alone is half the size of my house. I don’t wanna be spooked at night. I’ll get a couple live-in servants. For August too.”

“Wait, on that note…” I’d totally forgotten about Aaralyn and Bianca. I really should get some people here. It’d be creepy when it’s empty.

I went back to Aquan and kidnapped them, then made a detour back to my parents. When we dropped by, Flynn was feeding Tacari, and mom just came home from work. “Impeccable timing, Mary,” I took her coat and ushered her inside.

“My name is Mom to you,” she corrected.

“So, listen. The house is finished. Come live with me.”

They looked at each other, then asked, “Why?” in unison.

“Why not?” I asked.

“Dude,” Flynn picked Tacari up to burp him, but the bastard insisted on walking his stumpy little legs over to me, “you’re going to live in your own house with your own family. You can’t have your parents hogging your space.”

“Dude, I’ve got fifteen bedrooms, about the same number of bathrooms, two actual bath rooms just for bathing, three kitchens, a big ass dining hall, and some other stuff I can’t remember. You get my point, though. The ‘come live with me’ thing wasn’t a question. Don’t make me kidnap you.”

“And what about our jobs?” Mary folded her arms.

“Quit them. You can do whatever you want now.”

“I can’t,” Flynn complained, “I have a duty to the Order.”

I palmed my face, “Sure, okay then. Bianca or August will teach you a flight spell. Easy transport to and from Aquan.”

“Who in Hydra’s ass is going to clean that ‘castle’?” Mary asked. She did the cleaning in this house, so it’s only right she’d be curious.

“Not you. Not any of you here. Servants will handle everything. They might even sing you lullabies and read you bedtime stories.”

“Are you saying I won’t have to cook?” Mom asked.

“No mom,” I chuckled, “you don’t have to cook.”

“I’m cooking!” her arms folded even tighter, somehow. Guess she liked cooking.

“Okay then, great! I’ll leave a clone with you to carry you there and give you a tour. There’s something I need to do.”

“Damn right, there is! This meeting has been put on hold for too long now,” Donna argued.

Alright, alright. I calmed the impatient Donna. We’ll get there. You Apostles sure are hasty.