Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

SEREN

1013 AF LIGHTMONTH

DAY 82

Seren was like another world compared to the Dukedom.

In the Dukedom, the air was mild, the summers not too hot and the winters not too cold. The autumn brought fresh crisp air and a change of pace.

In Seren, however, the hot sun beat down constantly, which led to the great architectural differences; due to the scarcity of wood, the people of Seren used sun-baked mud bricks and limestone to build.

Stone was generally reserved for tombs and temples, while bricks were used for the palace, fortresses and the numerous kingdom buildings.

Common folk built their houses using mud collected from the Mud River, placed in molds and left to dry in the hot sun to harden.

The walls of the castle of Eren were covered with Aerlich, the ancient language of Seren before the Common Tongue was introduced.

The castle itself was filled with carvings of animals, men and gods, and brightly colored wall hangings.

A popular theme throughout was fire, which the citizens seemed to have an obsession with.

A letter had arrived for Aries Vermont: The Dukedom had asked for their return.

Their names had been cleared, and Henry Palais had been exiled. It seemed Helve Zephyr had chosen a side after all.

Arial read his father's letter with a smile.

The exile of the Palais family had not been his intention, but their soldiers hadn't been lost, and soon Arial would need those soldiers. For the greater good.

His relationship with West surely will be strained. His father is exiled because of his family.

But his father started to play this game first. He should have feel grateful for not losing his head.

But at least West will still stay in the Dukedom. The Knights take no part in these kind of nobles squabbles.

And he is still the Knight of the Academy.

Arial and his family were planning to return to the Dukedom immediately. Their servants were packing their bags whilst Arial's parents thanked the Eren family for their hospitality.

Helia crept up behind Arial and hugged him.

"What are you thinking about?" she asks

Arial blushed. He still feels what happen a few days ago to be so sudden

"Nothing" he said. But his expression cannot lie

She stared at his face

"Nothing?"

Arial touched her hand and smiled.

Helia had arrived four days ago, rain-splattered and wind-swept.

As soon as Arial had opened the gates for her she had flung herself to him and kissed him hard.

Her cheeks were pink when she released him.

Panting, she had thrown down her armor, and embraced him desperately once again. When she spoke, her head was down but her voice was filled with passion.

"I love you," she had gasped. "I know, this must be shocking for you.I didn't realize before… but when I heard the news… I was so scared Arial, I had to find you. I never realized this feeling was love. I didn't believe in love. My mother died for love… and I pity those who are afflicted by it! But then I met you, and by God, whether the Light or the Dark or the Fire God, I want you. And I know this is unbecoming of me"

"Let's go inside," said Arial, glancing round at his parents who were staring at Helia proudly as they hug each other smiling.

"No," she replied, shaking her head frantically, "I must say it now, because I don't think I'll find the courage again'

She said her voice trembled either from the nervousness or the night cold air

He stopped on his tracks. And he listens. he knew her. She is a brave person and strong. But for some reason she couldn't look at his face.

'I love you…...now…at this moment, this I am certain. And I have loved you for several days now, and all the moment I was riding here I was worried about you, thinking about you, dreaming about you.'

Then she repeated it again like she forgotten that she already said it and Arial crack a smile. She would only do that when she is truly nervous

'The whole time I was riding here all I could think about was you. I felt what it's like to truly feel your absence, to think that you might never return to me, and that thought terrified me more than I had ever realized it would. We were always together in the Academy so maybe that's why I never realized. Maybe that's why it took me so long. Took me so long for me to realize what I really felt for you. Maybe it was always there. Or maybe it need something else….to make me realize…who I really like. We were always together. I thought what I felt when I was first went riding to seek you was the extent the penultimate of my feeling but now that I met you, that feeling is nothing compared to what I felt now'

She still couldn't look at him.

"It is nothing compared to then." She murmured under her breath.

"What do you want me to say?" asked Arial, dumbfounded. Helia was shivering, and Arial worried for her, protective of her.

"Tell me that I have a chance for your love," Helia said simply, finally looking up at Arial with pleading in her eyes. With that, she collapsed into his arms.

"What are you thinking about?" Helia asked, snapping Arial out of his daydream. He turned and looked at her beautiful face.

"Let's go for a walk," he said, and taking her hand, he led her out into the calm summer air.

They walked in silence, hand in hand for some time.

She holds his hand and he felt butterflies in his stomach

She walked and as she walks her hair fluttered in the summer air, the lights somehow made her more beautiful than ever. It's not like he didn't know her feeling towards him.

But he thinks it would be too unfair for her. She deserves better. One day he has to make sacrifices. he knew that from the moment he takes this path.

Arial knew there might be sacrifices to be made in the future. In order to stop the invasion his plan seems feeble now but day after day he began seeing a light at the end of that dark tunnel.

But every time he tries to reach for that light, he knew that darkness still resides in his heart. She deserves better. Because he is a coward. Was, he reminded himself.

She deserves a man that will make her happy, that would stay with her, that would make her their first priority. And that is not him

He just…... can't.

She can't be his first priority. His priority will always be stopping the invasion. And if he can't stop it, then he would lead this continent against the Dark Lands himself.

That life, the life he chooses for himself, this path is fill with murder and blood. She gripped him hand tighter. She smiles at him. A smile he knew only belong to him

"Today is a good day" she said nonchalantly

"It is"

"So?" she said more like a question

"What is your answer? Do you like me to? You never did say" she said hoping, her tone nervous

She smiled up at him, a deep, sweet smile, and all at once Arial realized he would lay down his life for her.

And he knew she would too.

And that what scares him. To think he could care for somebody this deeply even more than his own parents.

Could he also live with the burden of what's to come while still living in this present?

Because God, this.... right here, holding hand with her, feeling the summer breeze, felt right. It felt right, God. All of it.

If there is such a thing of a perfect day, then today is that day. If he said no to her, deny this feeling right now, would this be his greatest regret?

He remembered during his death, all of his regrets flashed by in front of him.

Now he has experience so many things then he had in his previous lives.

And surely there will be many more regrets he would experience. After all, the more you experience, the more regret you accumulate.

The regret of not saying something. The regret of saying something. The regret of doing something. The regret of doing nothing

So many regret in a lifetime.

But he knew what he felt for her. He loved her. He is in love with Helia. Even though he tries to deny it for a long, long, long time, it's there.

It has always been there…. beneath our friendship. But can he love her knowing what lies ahead. To love is to burn. He once remembers a quote in a book he reads in Seren

Arial turned and look into her eyes. Her beautiful eyes and he made his decision.

"I love you. There is no denying that" Helia smiles and she could not conceal her happiness

"Until when?" she said her tone excited.

"Till my last breath….and if there is a life after that…. I will love you still" And he smiles. And she smiles.

Smiling at each other, feeling the happiness that both of them feel right now…it is truly a perfect day.

And when the sun began to set he kissed her.

And by God, this felt right.

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"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."

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Fourth chapter for the mass release