The warm clinking of cutlery on porcelain had long ceased.
Ten plates sat half-finished, some untouched entirely as the members of the Seventh Enlightenment sat in stunned silence. He leaned back in his seat now, his shoulders slightly slouched, his fingers tapping once against the wood of the massive dinner table.
Across from him, Natalis' fork hung suspended in her fingers, her lips parted as if trying to find words. Denisia simply stared. Peroncerea had lowered her gaze, her hands interlaced tightly on her lap. Elyonari hadn't blinked in over a minute. Even Xander looked like someone had told him the universe was a lie.
Only Adelasta, seated beside Vastarael with a wine glass poised near her lips, remained calm, though her eyes glowed with a familiar chill. Vastarael exhaled slowly. He omitted the parts that related to his past life on Earth. Only Adelasta and Phaenora knew about it so he didn't want to cause more issues and questions already.
"I slept for seven thousand and seven hundred years. When I awoke, I found myself... changed. And the moment I did, I was brought here to Anqerise. Me, Shimmer and Runner and Erna—" he paused to correct himself, "—I mean, Asenane. She calls herself that now."
He smiled bitterly and it didn't reach his eyes.
"The moment I returned was the same time you did but in Richinaria Palace instead of the academy. The balance of power across Spheraphase had shifted violently. I learned the truth that had been buried. Two generations of Divine beings existed in this world and the world rejected the old ones. The Nexuses were expelled and forcibly removed all to prevent the unbalance of existence itself."
Elyonari softly asked, "That's… why you became Dynasty Monarch?"
"The second I returned, I was given the title. Everything we went through… it all unraveled the moment we were deemed successors."
He took a breath and then stood up.
"I wasn't supposed to interact with anyone for five years," he said, looking directly at each of them. "Fate made that clear. If I wanted my future rewritten, if I wanted to undo the cruelty that was baked into my existence, then I had to stay away. That's why none of you saw me."
His gaze flicked to Adelasta, who placed her wine glass down with a soft clink.
"She knew, together with my family and Phaenora."
Adelasta leaned forward lazily, one arm resting across Vastarael's chair.
"I share a Bane with him," she said coolly. "You can't not know someone's pain when you live with it inside your chest."
"She's the one who suggested we wait five years," Vastarael continued, "so the Seventh Enlightenment could come back ready to step into your own Divinities. So that when you go to the Islands of Inexpelcae, your path forward will be as fast as possible."
Denisia's eyes trembled. "You've carried this… all by yourself?"
"Adelasta carried it with me," Vastarael said. "And Phaenora and Asenane helped too. They're the only three who knew. I… I'm sorry."
He gave a full bow from the waist, his long white hair spilling forward, his body forming a line of absolute contrition.
"I'm sorry I vanished. I'm sorry I left you. I never meant to cause so much pain."
No one spoke immediately. Even Narisva was still. She stood up and walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Raise your head, Vastarael."
He obeyed, his golden-sapphire eyes meeting her starry gaze.
"You don't have to apologize for surviving. Your Fate was cruel. Your Destiny is even worse. But you changed it. That's more than anyone has ever done."
Xander grunted. "You went toe-to-toe with Primordials. You won. You're a monster."
Farrynelle smirked. "A hot monster."
Natalis crossed her arms but gave him a rare nod. "We buried you. We grieved you. But you came back not because the world needed a hero—"
"—but because we needed you," Denisia finished.
Peroncerea finally spoke.
"It hurt. But… we understand."
Elyonari wiped her eyes and elbowed him. "You should've warned me. I wouldn't have cried like that."
"You still would've cried," Adelasta said, stretching and yawning beside him. "And you all should cry more. It's good for your health."
They all laughed, even Narisva.
Vastarael remained standing. "Then… no resentment?"
"None."
°°°°°°
The table had finally quieted again but this time the silence was no longer somber. A breeze swept in from the cliff side mansion's open balcony.
Vastarael leaned back into his chair again.
"So, four of us hold the seat of Dynasty Monarch now."
Eldrigan grinned, propping his boot on the edge of a chair and tossing a grape into his mouth.
"Four, huh? Never thought I'd be sitting with three other heads of empires over roasted vegetables and bread."
Peroncerea raised her brow at him, lazily swirling her water in its glass.
"Vegetables are good for your skin, Eldrigan. You wouldn't want to lose that charm the vampires almost drooled over this morning."
Natalis and Denisia chuckled, nearly eerie in sync.
"Let's not forget," Natalis said, "we're not just ruling Dynasties. We're Divines now, the next generation of Nexuses. That comes with expectations."
Denisia nodded. "And threats. Especially with the gods of Mopheria starting to act up again. They smell change in the air."
Narisva sighed.
"Which is exactly why we're heading to the Islands. Inexpelcae wasn't made for casual training. It's the only place where Divine Ascension rates triple because of the Six Aquatic Goddesses ruling the process and tests."
"That place," Elyonari muttered, tapping the table with a finger, "is where we'll either fall apart or evolve."
Vastarael folded his arms. "Which is why we need to go now. Our Dynasties can function without us for a while."
Xander blinked. "Wait, you're okay leaving Richinaria just like that?"
Vastarael gave a soft smile.
"I have four Houses under the Dynasty, each led by someone with enough military, economic, and diplomatic experience to run a city on their own. My siblings can rule in my absence. They've been doing it for four years while we went to Erna Isles. Honestly, I think I'm the one they don't want in the office."
Farrynelle whistled lowly. "Damn. Must be nice having a built-in cabinet."
Eldrigan nodded. "Same for me. I was basically adopted into rule. My father's still alive and strong. He'll keep Hanabas together while I'm off."
Denisia, her expression always a little calmer than Natalis, added, "Our sister will manage the capital and diplomatic relations of Andelaris. We've trained them for this kind of contingency. Besides—"
Natalis finished for her, "—the gods themselves might try to test us soon. Better to be too strong than just ready."
Adelasta agreed. "Dynasty rule without strength is just a slow way to lose your throne."
"She's not wrong," Narisva muttered. "We're not the only ones ascending. The old gods of the Mopherian Pantheon aren't asleep anymore. Some of them still think we shouldn't touch Divinity."
"Let them come," Vastarael said, quietly but with certainty. "We'll be waiting."