Third Person's P.O.V
E5, M3 Origin. Earth, a world where humans have thrived for thousands of years.
But something stirred. A phenomenon, born from a single act, had captured the gaze of the Higher Beings, the Gods who govern the endless expanse of the Universe.
The Darkness, an ever-consuming force meant to swallow the planet whole, halted its advance once more. It hesitated. It failed. Just as it had before, across dimensions, across timelines, across every attempt to erase this singular world from existence.
The question remained: Why?
"First Mage?" Achan's words barely left his lips, a breath more than a question.
He could only stare, frozen in place, his body refusing to move, too stunned, too overwhelmed upon learning the identity of the man before him.
"You've seen nothing. You're drunk. This is a dream. Go get Uther- or you'll be alone, forever."
Khein's voice echoed, fading into static, unraveling in the depths of Achan's mind as sleep pulled him under.
Then.
"Uther!" Achan jolted upright, the name ripping from his throat as his breath came fast, uneven.
His apartment surrounded him, familiar yet foreign, the weight of the dream lingering like something more than just a dream.
"What's going on?" He whispered, staring into his hands, wondering what dream he was having.
"Why? What's happening?" Uther burst from the bathroom, soap dripping down his body.
Achan froze. Was this real? His mind wavered—Uther, standing there, alive and well, reaching for him as if nothing had changed. The thought unraveled further, slipping through his grasp.
Had it all been a dream?
"What was my dream?" The words left his mouth before he could understand them.
The answer never came. The dream, whatever it was, had dissolved, leaving only a blank space where a memory should have been.
The fear he felt was it just from a nightmare?
Uther touched the back of Achan's head, fingers wet, yet warm, grounding. The gentle curve of his lips, the soft reassurance in his gaze, was enough to make Achan stop searching. What had he been worrying about anyway?
"You okay?" Uther's voice was careful, familiar.
Achan could only stare at him.
"Your head must be killing you from the hangover. Let me get you something for it." Uther turned to leave, heading for the kitchen, but before he could take a step, Achan's arms had already wrapped around him, pulling him close, holding him tight at the waist like he might slip away if he let go.
"Achan, I'm wet, you'll mess up your sheets!" Uther giggled, his voice light, relieved.
He's happy to see that Achan is showing him affection, despite what happened last night.
"I don't care, I can change it. Just stay, stay for a while!" Achan pleaded, his voice was heavy from the fear he felt.
Silence filled the air, not awkward, not heavy, but warm. A silence that spoke more than words ever could.
Nothing was said, yet their hearts carried a conversation only they could understand.
"He's married with two kids?!" Achan squealed, his excitement bubbling over as Uther explained Ricco's sudden leave, his father's most trusted man, the Manager.
"Yeah," Uther chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.
"That's why he filed a three-month vacation, his wife just gave birth to their second child." He glanced at Achan before continuing breakfast.
"I heard he's returning today. Want to greet him?"
"No thanks, we're not that close after all." Achan's excitement faded, his voice quieter now.
Uther sighed, the shift in energy unmistakable. He knew Achan was still uneasy around Manager.
"You're right, he's still scared of you, after all!" Uther teased, trying to lift the mood.
"Excuse me?" Achan scoffed, crossing his arms.
"It's not like I wouldn't defend myself. He's the one who abducted me, remember?" He added. Recalling the time when he was forcefully taken from his place of work.
Uther tilted his head, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.
"But think about it. Without Manager, we wouldn't have met." He said, reminding the moment where Ricco introduced him to Achan.
Three days after Achan had snuck into Uther's balcony, unbeknownst to them that it would be the start of their story.
"Hmm, I thought Manager was supposed to stay at your branch overseas after his leave. Why is he coming here today? Shouldn't he go straight to-" Achan never finished his sentence.
Before he could process it, Uther had already crossed the table, closing the space between them in an instant. His lips met Achan's, cutting off the rest of his thought, replacing it with something far more distracting.
"You're asking too much about him. Are you trying to make me jealous?" Uther smirked.
The stunned look on Achan's face was all the answer Uther needed.
"What are you doing?!" Achan yelped, scrambling to cover his face, embarrassment flooding through him.
"What?" Uther giggled, resting his chin on his hand.
"Didn't we already talk last night? Don't tell me you don't remember our little confession?" He added.
"Little?!" Achan practically screamed, his mind grasping at blanks, trying to piece together the fragments of a night he clearly didn't remember.
Uther laughed, shaking his head.
"You were way too wasted from your partying. That Khein really knows how to throw a good one." His smile lingered as he thought of the young man, the one who messaged him, the one who made sure Achan wasn't completely lost to the alcohol he drowned himself in.
"You know that guy?" Achan frowned.
He tried to recall Khein's face, but nothing came.
"Just a friend of an important business partner in Zeworld." Uther shrugged, keeping his tone light.
"There you go again with your 'important business partners'!" Achan scoffed as he starts to remember the reason for his drinking.
Uther hugged him tightly and gave a kiss on his forehead.
"Don't worry, Malrik's not my type, and they're already dating!" Uther tried to reassure him.
He knows he must tread lightly on these matters. That caution is precisely why Achan had nearly given up on them in the first place.
"Hmp! If you could have told me sooner that Beucraf's been investigating you, I could have helped clear up your name!" Achan sighed.
He was finally informed why Uther had to meet with the Security Company named Beucraf, a company of Craftsmen like him who focus on mysterious phenomena, such as Uther's sudden recovery from a very powerful Curse named Maiden's Remains.
"That's exactly why I didn't tell you, I can't let Maine know about you? They would only take advantage of your power!" Uther tried to explain once more.
"Aren't you gonna be late? Didn't they take Baby from your company?" Achan tried to change the subject.
"Right, Baby…" Uther smiled, his mind drifted to the moment last night. Achan's reaction when a Beucraf employee informed them of their withdrawal for the Mythical Flying Beast. The way Achan had responded, a little misunderstanding.
"That Mikah, why would he have to say OUR Baby? He made me think you two had-" Achan was silenced with a kiss once more.
"I really like it when you're jealous!" Uther whispered as he pulled away from the kiss.
With Uther's constant interruptions, Achan could only pout, arms crossed in mock indignation. But as the seconds passed, as Uther's teasing lingered, he couldn't help but smile.
"Then stop giving me reasons!" Achan answered.
"Are you done eating?" Uther asked.
Achan took a last bite of his food and nodded.
"Because I'm not!" Uther smiled before pouncing on Achan, carrying him onto the couch.
"What are you doing?!" Achan gasped, surprised by Uther's sudden advancement.
And there they go, Uther started to kiss Achan on the lips, down to his neck.
"Ori, do you remember Khein from the party last night?" Achan asked, phone pressed to his ear.
"Yeah, the dude had some good fucking drinks!" Ori answered from the other side of the line.
Achan frowned.
"Why are you cursing?"
"Sorry, haven't slept yet. Kinda having a hard time," Ori muttered, voice rough with exhaustion.
"What happened?"
"Nothing much. Just met some dude. Don't worry about me," Ori tried to brush it off.
Achan narrowed his eyes.
"Are you starting to date now?"
"Ew, no! Look, enjoy your little trip, I gotta go." And just like that, Ori hung up.
Achan stared at his phone, frustration creeping in.
"But I haven't even asked him about Khein yet!" He pouted.
"We're here!"
Achan barely had time to process before Uther pulled the car to a stop in front of the familiar resort. His attention snapped away from his phone, the question on his head already forgotten as his gaze settled on the place before them.
"Your family's first luxury hotel?" Achan asked after realizing where Uther had taken him.
Uther turned to him, catching the shift in his tone.
"You've been here before?"
Achan gave a half-shrug, pushing open the car door.
"Ori took me here after I resigned from your company."
Uther sighed, slightly bummed now that his surprise was a fail.
"Don't worry, we just stayed here for the night, I didn't even get the chance to explore the entire resort!" Achan kissed his cheek and went out of the car.
Uther's face lit up.
"Then, let me show you around!" Uther ran up to him, excitement overriding any sense of decorum.
Staff members instinctively stepped aside, offering polite greetings to their boss, but Uther barely acknowledged them. His attention was fixed entirely on Achan.
"I never thought you'd surprise me with this. Thank you for taking a day off to spend the weekend with me!" Achan turned to him as they both continued to walk around the hotel's garden.
"This isn't my only surprise for you, I... we have been working on this for months now!"
Uther smiled, his heart so full it felt like it might burst. Happiness surged through him, uncontainable, spilling into his voice, his expression, every little movement.
He never thought he'd get this chance to bring the love of his life here, to this place, the place where it all began.
"This is where Silvia died?!" Achan jolted off the grass upon hearing Uther's story.
Uther giggled and walked towards him.
"This is why I want to take you here, to help me end Silvia's hatred…"
"Silvia? But I already took care of that, didn't I?" Achan mumbled, rushing to Uther's side, scanning him with quiet urgency, checking if Darkness still lingered around him.
"Yes, but I know you still blame yourself for my father's death!" Uther held on to Achan's face, and slowly he pressed his forehead to his.
"I won't say it anymore, you'd just shut me off if I talk about that again!" Achan sighed. He knew it was best to stop talking about his father's death, for Uther had already accepted it.
And maybe, it's best if he did it too.
"I just want to say it to you once more, I never blamed you for his death. And I will never!" Uther gave him a warm smile before grabbing his hand and leading him somewhere else.
After a few changes of scenery, they were both greeted with the lush greenery and a bunch of local tribesmen ready to invite them into the forest.
"Meet Sir Andok Serafina, former Chief of the Tai Zein tribe and Sylvia's adoptive father—now a Senior Agent at Beucraf Integrated Security Solutions!" Uther introduced the elder man with a proud smile.
"It's an honor to finally meet the Babaylan who helped my daughter find peace." Mister Andok's voice trembled slightly, his grip firm as he shook Achan's arm, eyes glistening with emotion.
"The pleasure's all mine. Please forgive our sudden visit!" Achan replied, doing his best to keep his posture formal.
Mister Andok chuckled, his laughter deep and knowing. Achan was trying, but the stiffness in his movements, the overly cautious tone were too endearing to ignore.
"Don't worry about that!" He assured, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Uther already informed us about today, it's an important one, after all." The words hung in the air, settling somewhere deep in Achan's mind.
Important?
A question formed, pressing against his thoughts.
"This is where it all started, the first Moral Ez. And this is where it should end."
Uther exhaled, taking in the land around them.
"This is what I've been working on. We're finally letting go of this place, returning all the properties to the locals, to Sir Serafina and his tribe. We also fought to appeal this as a protected area, making sure it stays untouched, preserved. And in exchange for my tests at Beucraf, I made sure to track down every tribesman, to bring them back, to give them back their home, and I want you, Achan, to be the witness to this end!" Uther smiled as he explained it to Achan.
"As a fellow Craftsman, thank you for saving Uther from Sylvia's curse, and thank you for doing all this just for us!" Mister Serafina thanked Achan.
Yet he could only look at Uther with questions in his eyes, and Uther could only nod with a smile, saying to just go with it.
"You made them think this was all my idea?!" Achan sighed, the disbelief melting into something quieter as he rested his head against Uther's chest.
The day had been long, overwhelming, heavy with decisions and farewells. And now, inside the hotel, this place that held so much history, they had chosen to stay one last night.
Before it was gone.
"Do you remember the day we fought?" Uther asked as he played on Achan's fingers.
"Which one?" Achan chuckled, recalling almost all the times they had argued.
"Back in my father's island? At the Villa, the cave incident?" Uther tried to remind him.
Then it hits Achan, the words he said, the feelings he felt.
"After you said those words to me, it stuck, and it made me realize, returning their land would be the first step I'd do, which I did!" Uther proudly stated.
"First step?" Achan raised his head to look at Uther's face.
"Yes, you said I should change my view towards unfortunate people, right? I'm beginning to understand them now!"
"What are you planning next…" Achan squinted his eyes, wondering what was going on in Uther's head.
He's aware of the changes in Uther since they left the villa; he's been kinder to his colleagues now and more understanding.
"I have lots of them, but for now, I want to focus on us!" Uther smiled.
A sudden chill prickled against his finger.
Achan's breath hitched as he glanced down, his eyes widening at the glint of silver wrapped around his skin.
"A ring?" He stood up.
"Achan Allare, will you marry me?" Uther stammered, his voice cracking on the last word as he held onto Achan's arms.
"I'm not gonna say anything else, of course! Yes!" Achan jumped into his arms, embracing him physically and emotionally.
"Then, let's get married tomorro-" Uther tried to rush him, yet Achan pulled away from their embrace.
"NO! I won't let you do that!" Achan's words are strong, yet his tone is warm.
"Why? I don't want to let you slip off my hands again!" Uther kissed him on his forehead and held him in his arms.
"I wouldn't marry you unless I reached my goal!" Achan murmured, firm in his resolve.
Uther pouted, staring at the eyes of his beloved.
"Why? Am I not your goal?"
"After I graduate top of my class, we'll get married!" Achan declared, certainty ringing in his voice.
Uther sighed.
"Are you trying to let me down gently?"
Achan chuckled, tilting his head.
"Oh? You don't think I can be top of my class?"
"I know you're smart," Uther admitted, eyes softening.
"But why push our engagement another four years?" He added.
Achan exhaled, searching for the right words.
"Well, I wouldn't want people saying I'm only marrying you for your money, right? I still want to-" Before he could finish, Uther silenced him with a kiss.
"Since when have you ever cared what people think?" Uther murmured.
"Since I started loving you." Achan's gaze lingered, his voice quieter now, but certain.
"We don't have to listen to what people say. As long as we have each other, none of that matters, right?" Uther's voice was steady, his arms wrapping around Achan as if sealing that promise.
Achan exhaled, the weight of his hesitation loosening just a little.
"You know what? You're right." His smile grew, the kind that carried certainty rather than fear.
With Uther's affirming words, he's finally choosing to face his insecurity!
"How about next year? I want us to have proper preparations, after all!"
"But I already prepared everything?" Uther pouted.
"Well, I am not! You asked me so suddenly." Achan giggled before grabbing a pillow and hitting Uther with it.
Only a week had passed, yet the news about a famous C.E.O. of a luxury hotel and a pharmaceutical company wearing an engagement ring had already exploded on the internet.
"Do you see this, Achan? Damn, your former Boss is indeed already engaged!" Achan's sister, Rechelle Allare squealed as she read the news on her phone.
"Yeah, right!" Achan laughed nervously as he tried to drink his cold brew.
"Anyway, why are you back in town?" Rechelle turned her phone off and turned her gaze to Achan and to his drink.
"No-Nothing, I just want to meet you and Ma!" Achan tried to avoid her gaze and looked at the café's entrance, waiting for the arrival of their mother.
"Hmm, I thought you'd never speak with Ma ever again. But I guess someone had urged you to change your mind, huh?" Skeptical, his sister tried to poke fun at him.
Rechelle stopped for a moment after seeing a shiny ring on Achan's fingers, and a smile formed on her lips as she reached for it.
"'Te? What are you doing?"
"Damn, this thing's very expensive, I thought you're keeping your savings for your education? Why are you buying such an expensive ring?!" His sister started nagging him.
"'Te Rech, I didn't buy this!"
As the two of them started teasing each other, a familiar figure stood at their table.
"Ma?!" They both said in unison.
"I'm glad I came, it's nice seeing you together!" Their mother, Cecille, almost cried at the scene before her.
"Hi Achian!" Rechelle greeted the young boy behind their mother, their half-sibling.
Silence fell after. They are aware of what Achan felt before, and seeing their half-sibling must have made their reunion sour.
"Son, you should go back in the car, I won't be long!" Their mother tried to take Achian back, yet Achan held on to his mother's hand.
"It's okay, let him stay…" Achan gave them a reassuring smile.
He lowered himself to level up to the kid's height.
"Do you want a slice of cake?"
Upon hearing his big brother's soft and kind offer, Achian started to lighten up.
"Can I?" Achian turned to their mother.
"Of course!" Delighted, their mother agreed.
"Thank you!" Both his big sister and mother thanked Achan for finally talking to his half-brother.
Moments passed, and all of them finally managed to catch up. After a few laughs and tears, Achan finally took the chance to open up.
"Ma? Before I say the reason for my visit, I just want to ask for your forgiveness!" Achan sighed, steadying himself, preparing for the words that had been buried for too long.
His mother's gaze softened.
"'Nak, you don't have to. If anything, I should be the one asking for forgiveness, for leaving so suddenly, for leaving you both." She looked at them both, her heart heavy with everything unsaid.
Yet, Achian remained untouched by the weight of the moment, happily focused on his cake, blissfully unaware of the world unraveling around him.
Achan's breath hitched.
"I'm sorry... Sorry for pushing you away. Even after you tried to reach out, after you left... I just-I was too hurt, and I wouldn't let myself understand you back then." The words cracked, spilling out like something fragile and long overdue.
After a few more apologies, the burden they all carried for too long finally vanished, vanished along with the tears they let out.
"So, what's the big news?" His big sister finally broke the silence, the question lingering in her mind since earlier.
Achan hesitated, his fingers absentmindedly twisting the ring on his hand.
His mother's eyes flickered toward the movement, her voice instinctive, certain.
"You're getting married?"
Rechelle gasped.
"What? I knew it!" Their excitement burst the moment Achan gave a slow, unmistakable nod.
"Who's the lucky guy?" Their mother asked.
"Or a girl, if you suddenly turned straight..." His sister teased, as she always did—a familiar banter between them.
Achan smirked. "He's a guy… And you, obviously, know him." His voice held a teasing lilt, turning the joke back on her.
But before his sister could react, his mother stepped forward, her hands finding his arms. Tears shimmered in her eyes, overflowing with joy.
"Oh, my son... you finally found your happiness."
Achan's throat tightened. His smile wavered as warmth surged through him, impossible to contain.
"I did, Ma." He whispered, voice breaking.
"I finally did."
"UGH! Finally!" A voice, sharp with exhaustion, tore through the quiet morning.
As a family of four stepped out of the café- a mother, daughter, and two sons- across the road, a man with long black hair exhaled heavily, sweat clinging to his brow as he watched them.
Behind him, a figure in a black suit murmured, low but firm.
"No threats found. The Vessel is safe... for now."
The long-haired man barely spared him a glance.
"Good. Now go back to your life- be Ricco Diaz. I'll call upon you, my Puppet, when I need your help." His voice was edged with finality, dismissing him like a mere shadow.
"First Mage, Achan's going back. Shall we?" The woman stepped forward from the shadows, clad in a university's nursing uniform, her presence expected yet no less significant.
"Trail him!" He instructed, his tone measured, calculated.
"What about you?"
"I'll go back to the Uni. wouldn't want our benefactor growing suspicious!" He plainly answered.
She bowed slightly.
"Yes, Master. Malrik is handling your stubbornness too well- you should return before he starts getting suspicious. Be careful."
A smirk tugged at his lips.
"You too. You should be careful." His gaze sharpened, catching the slightest flicker in hers.
"I've seen the way you look at me too much at every Union meeting. You should act like we're strangers or Achan might catch something, right, Sherraine Valeria?" He smirked, and then, in an instant, she vanished into the shadows, slipping away before he could press further.
As the wind stirred, teasing strands of his hair, he turned his gaze toward the unseen horizon.
"Now, Darkness..." His lips curled into something unreadable.
"What methods will you use this time?" His smile lingered, cold against the summer breeze.
*****End*****
This is only the end of a Chapter.
My first completed story from.
[From the stories of Azuden0, Volume 3. Revelation, the Downfall. Chapter 2, The One That Mends a Broken Heart.]