Evening was settling like a soft sigh over the world. Vastarael and Narisva sat atop Biolumine, the shapeshifting pet that currently took the form of an enormous, elegant manta ray. They glided above the highest clouds, sailing gently through the cold upper winds with only the fading sun to guide their way. Narisva's expression was one of mild amusement, her arms folded as she leaned into the warm breeze brushing her cheeks.
"If this is just some romantic sunset view above the clouds, it's beautiful but not exactly a surprise, Vastarael."
"You're halfway right."
At that moment, Biolumine let out a soft hum and began to descend into a patch of thick, glowing clouds. Vastarael stood up first, moving toward the edge of the manta ray's back. Before Narisva could ask what he was doing, he stepped forward onto the clouds.
He didn't fall. Narisva blinked, surprised by the puffy clouds.
"Wait are you okay?"
He turned and offered his hand. "Trust me."
She hesitated, then placed her hand in his. The moment she stepped forward, the cloud held her like solid ground. Her eyes widened in awe. It was warm and soft underfoot, like stepping on a cloud-shaped dream. With a puff, Biolumine shifted, shrinking into a small white house cat that perched itself on Vastarael's shoulder, yawning as if the climb had been routine.
They walked a few steps across the cloud field and sat down at the edge where the clouds opened to a glorious view of the endless horizon. The sea below sparkled with faint reflected hues from the sky, the sunset painting it in watercolor strokes of tangerine, gold, and deep crimson. It was breathtaking. Just as Narisva opened her mouth to ask if this was the real surprise, Vastarael spoke first, his voice quieter than usual.
"I came here five years ago with my mother."
She looked at him gently but said nothing.
"She took a huge risk leaving her dimensional exile but she said she had to see me. Before the Nexuses were forced to leave the world, she wanted to give me something."
He gestured to the space around them.
"This place was her gift."
"It's… beautiful. But why here?"
"Because this was where she used to come with my father. During the Destras Cataclysm, when the wars were tearing the world apart, they came here just the two of them. It was their escape, more like a sacred space where nothing could reach them."
He turned to her fully.
"She said I'd love many women. She wasn't upset about it. In fact, she was happy. She said… 'Love isn't meant to be small when your soul holds the weight of stars.' She told me I could only bring one person here. Just one. And I've had five years to think about it."
He gently reached over and took Narisva's hand.
"I chose you."
Narisva's eyes widened. The wind carried her silence like a feather on air. She didn't blink. She only looked at him as if seeing the man behind the legend for the first time.
"I remember what you said about the bones and how seeing your dead family calms you. I didn't judge you then, and I won't now. But if you ever want a different kind of peace with warmth, not just vengeance, you can come here from anywhere in the world. You just have to think about it."
Narisva finally found her voice, though it was smaller than usual.
"Why didn't you bring Adelasta? Or Elyonari?"
Vastarael smiled, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
"You ever tried balancing four women who could annihilate cities when they get jealous?"
She actually laughed. He added, looking her in the eyes again.
"But honestly? It's because this feels like something that was meant for you. I can't explain it. I just know."
Narisva stared at him, emotions rippling across her face. Then she leaned in, pressing her forehead gently against his shoulder.
"I don't deserve this."
"Yes, you do."
Vastarael looked at Narisva beside him and reached into his inventory with a flick of his fingers. A sapphire light shimmered around his arm as he pulled out something long, something heavy-looking, wrapped in a seal of Divine Energy. He gently placed the massive box on her lap. It was about two and a half meters long, glowing faintly in a soft, sapphire hue. Narisva blinked in surprise. Vastarael leaned back and nodded toward it.
"Your gift. I made it myself."
Narisva looked at him and then slowly turned her attention to the box. She unlatched the seal and as it hissed open with a breath of radiant light, her breath hitched in her throat. Inside lay a two-meter-long, double-bladed scythe.
Its twin blades curved in opposite directions, forged from black star-metal that shimmered with galaxies. The curvature of the blades was smooth and divine, both ends radiating with faint trails of constellations. The central handle was pure onyx, wrapped in faint glowing glyphs of Xinoraci Runes.
It was beautiful.
Narisva gasped softly, her fingers trembling as they hovered over the weapon.
"This is… this is mine?"
"Took me a month. I spent the last five years learning forging under the Viaca House. I figured… if I'm going to give the woman I love a weapon, I should be the one to make it."
He scratched the back of his neck, trying to act casual but the small smile he wore was far too soft for that.
"It's a Divine Weapon forged using Divine Metals I harvested myself. The Viaca Matriarch told me it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever made."
Narisva gently lifted the scythe. The moment her fingers touched it, it pulsed with recognition. She poured her Spatial Energy into it instinctively and the entire weapon gleamed with prismatic light. The constellations on the blade shifted and responded to her essence.
It felt like it belonged to her.
Her eyes widened. She didn't say anything for a moment. She just looked at him, her eyes softening. Then she lunged forward and hugged him tightly, pressing her face into his chest.
"Thank you."
Before he could respond, she kissed him. It wasn't delicate. When she finally pulled back, her lips were curved into the brightest smile he'd seen from her in years.
"I've been using Spatial Manipulation because all my scythes keep shattering. I focused so hard on improving my control, my skill… but I missed this."
She turned to the horizon, her silhouette framed by the fading sunlight. She looked radiant, and yet so very vulnerable in this moment of happiness. Her expression softened as she stared at Vastarael, who was smiling gently, resting an arm on one knee, just watching her. And when she caught sight of that smile in the dying sun, when his golden-sapphire eyes shimmered with the light of the very weapon he made for her, her cheeks flushed uncontrollably. She laughed quietly and shook her head.
"I swear, sometimes I wonder if the world gifted me the most attractive, most infuriatingly caring man to ever exist."
"Well, I am the son of two Nexuses."
She rolled her eyes and leaned into him again.
"And I'm the most dangerous woman in the world with a brand new scythe, which means I own you now."
They leaned into each other as the stars began to appear as the sunset faded.
"I love you, Veneri."
"And I do too. But don't get used to hearing it from me. I like showing it through my actions. I actually made it as an apology gift for not saying anything about being alive."
"I know. Doesn't change what I said though."
"Well, I am also in love with you, dear Narisva."
"Hahaha, why are you being official all of a sudden?"