CHAPTER 112: CHAPTER 112: BREAKING BONDS

Calithar woke up to the sound of knocking again.

He had lost count of how many times the guards had come to his door in the last two days. But he did not need to count to know it was too many. Ever since he returned from her world, he had remained on the cold floor, leaning against the wall with his wings pulled close to his back as if he could hide inside them. He had not eaten. He had barely slept. His body was divine, but his heart felt so human in the worst way.

The knocking continued. Light at first, then firmer. Someone called his name from the other side. Their voices were always polite, always respectful, always careful, yet they never stopped trying.

Calithar finally dragged himself up after two days of remaining in his kneeling posting, his muscles stiff and his body complaining. His wings twitched behind him. It felt like someone had stabbed his chest and left the blade inside. The pain did not go away. It only spread deeper.

It was strange how heartbreak hurt more than physical wounds. He once fought a creature that tore through his shoulder with its teeth. He barely remembered that pain. But this one stayed. It sat inside him like a stone.

Two full days had passed, yet it still felt like the moment he realized the truth all over again. He had walked into her world with hope. He had returned carrying nothing but emptiness.

Calithar flicked his fingers and the door unlocked with a soft click. Before the guards could open it, he spoke loudly enough to reach them.

"I am fine. Do not enter."

There was silence for a few seconds. Then the guards answered respectfully, accepting his words. They always did. He was the king, after all. Even when they doubted what he claimed, they obeyed.

"We will resume our posts, Your Majesty."

Their footsteps faded down the hall.

Calithar waited until their presence moved far enough away that he could no longer sense them. Only then did he step out of the room. His hair was messy. His face looked tired. His silver eyes, usually cold and sharp, were dull. Everything about him felt heavy.

When the guards outside the door straightened at the sight of him, he lifted a hand.

"Tell the maids to prepare a bath."

They bowed instantly and scattered to follow his order.

But before the maids could even reach his chambers, Calithar descended the stairs. When he reached the last step, he vanished from sight like a shadow.

He needed to get his mind off things for a while.

He appeared in the mystical garden on the borders of Eryndor. The air was ever so light there, filled with a magic that did not exist in the mortal world. It was a place that only divine beings could see.

He missed this. He missed feeling like himself. The longer he stayed in the mortal world, the more he felt like he was losing pieces of what he was and becoming well like them.

Calithar spread his wings. They unfolded beautifully, stretching out with a soft hum of power. In his mind, he pictured Seraphine’s kingdom. The moment the image solidified in his thoughts, he shot into the sky, disappearing with a burst of bright light.

When he appeared again, it was in front of the long stone bridge that led to Seraphine’s palace. The palace stood across the water, its tall pillars glowing faintly under the sunlight. The bridge was carved with precious stones and two keepers stood at the entrance, guarding it.

The moment they sensed his divine energy, they bowed deeply and opened the gates without hesitation.

Calithar walked through them. His steps made light sounds against the ground, but the rest of the palace was silent. Too silent. For a moment he wondered if she was away on duty.

Seraphine’s moon palace was always dead quiet but this was just...

He entered the throne room first, expecting to find her resting or reading as she often did. But the room was empty. The large windows let sunlight pour across the polished floors, yet there was no sign of her.

He frowned slightly.

Perhaps she had gone to the human world for her responsibilities. It would not be unusual. Still, something nudged him to keep looking, so he stepped out of the room and walked through the halls of heaven.

Not like he had anything better to do.

It had been years since he last took a slow walk here. His fall had cut him away from this place. Even when he returned occasionally, he rarely took the time to simply look around. Now that he was here, the memories flooded him. Memories of who he used to be. Memories of times when things were simple.

After several minutes, he reached the area near the lake. He recognized it immediately. The air around the place shimmered softly. The water glowed in a way that no lake in the human world ever could. It was serene, calm, untouched.

Before he stepped closer, several sprites and fairies flew in front of him. They were small, glowing creatures with delicate wings and bright eyes. They buzzed and chirped loudly, forming a tiny barrier that blocked his path.

Calithar lifted his brows.

"I cannot go any further?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.

The sprites chirped louder and shook their little heads as their wings fluttered fast.

He sighed in understanding. Seraphine was bathing. No one was allowed near the lake when she was.

He turned to leave, intending to wait somewhere else, when a familiar voice echoed from the water.

"Let him pass."

Calithar paused, then followed the voice. He stepped around the trees until the lake came fully into view.

She was there.

Seraphine was waist deep in the glowing water. She had loosened her long white hair that was in a bun, allowing it to flow around her like liquid moonlight that shaped her personality. Her skin reflected the shimmering surface of the lake. She looked ethereal, more beautiful than he remembered. Her presence felt soft and gentle, yet powerful at the same time.

If she weren’t a god, it’d take a miracle for any man or woman to hold themselves from rushing her.

Her helpers quietly left the lake, leaving her alone with him.

Calithar’s eyes swept over her small frame. He had seen countless goddesses in his existence, but Seraphine always had a different kind of beauty. A quiet beauty that did not need to be announced. It simply existed.

She looked at him calmly. Her voice was soft when she spoke.

"Why are you here, Calithar?"

He did not answer right away. Instead, he crouched near the edge of the water and dipped his hand into it. The liquid rolled off his skin like mercury. None of it stayed on him.

He gave a small, amused chuckle.

"I see you still forbid anyone from bathing here except yourself."

Seraphine sighed. She always sighed around him.

"You would not come here without reason. What do you want?"

Calithar lifted his eyes to her.

"Should I always have a reason to visit a friend?" he asked gently, playing with the lake water.

"Calithar." Seraphine said in a somewhat warning tone.

Calithar said nothing for a moment. A moment of silence passed between them. Then he stood up, pulled his shirt over his head, and stepped into the water with her.

Seraphine gasped.

"What are you doing?"

Calithar raised a brow.

"Am I not a god too?"

He moved deeper into the lake. His muscles flexed beneath his skin as the water reached his torso. The lake glowed brighter around him. His wings faded into a light mist, hidden away.

Seraphine crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him with irritation.

"This is not about you being a god. Your brother already caused trouble. Now you want to do the same?"

He did not look offended. Instead he gave her a small, tired smile. A real smile, but a sad one.

"That’s my brother. I’m me."

"So your plan failed?" Seraphine asked, trying to remain as calm as ever.

If Xavriel had been in that lake...

It was blunt, but she had always spoken to him that way. She knew him too well.

Calithar sighed and nodded.

"Mm."

That was all he said.

After a while of doing nothing but sit quietly in the lake, Calithar reached for his shirt again, already stepping out of the water.

"I will wait for you in the throne room," he said quietly before disappearing.

Seraphine watched the space where he vanished. For a moment, she simply stood there, the water shining around her legs. She could tell he was not pretending. He always pretended he was fine. He always hid his pain. But this time, he could not hide it.

She moved through the water and stepped out. As she walked onto land, a soft purple and lilac dress wrapped around her body. It draped beautifully over her form, like the ancient garments of Greek goddesses. Her hair fell freely down her small back, giving her the aura of a calm, gentle but powerful goddess.

Golden bangles slowly formed around her wrists, glowing faintly as they wrapped around her skin.

She was about to head toward the palace when a loud trumpet echoed across the sky.

The sound was powerful and deep. It vibrated through the ground. The air lit up with a blinding white glow. A strong wind swept across the lake, shaking the trees and sending ripples across the water.

The fairies and moon creatures scattered Helter skelter.

He was coming...

All through this Seraphine remained as calm as an owl. It wasn’t the first or second time he had visited her even though it had been years since he last came.

With her hands folded over her dress in front of her, she walked closer to the sound of the trumpet and then saw him.

A figure descended slowly from the sky, surrounded by light so bright it forced even the sprites to hide behind leaves. A pair of enormous wings, vicious and strong, flapped with incredible force as he lowered himself onto the ground.

His armor was white with gold accents, similar to ancient god armories. The plates fit his body perfectly, shaped with sharp lines and elegant curves. It looked divine but not overly decorated. It fit him like it was made for war and ceremony at the same time.

Seraphine adjusted herself and walked forward with calm steps.

When she reached him, she lowered her head respectfully.

"Welcome, Zeres."

The wind settled from his powerful wings died down and everything fell silent.

Zeres looked at her with unreadable eyes.

Whatever his arrival meant, it would not be something small.