Chapter132: A Dream Within the Mist and the Edge of Estrangement
Memories Within the Scent of Hearth
It was a new morning, but for Diyari, it felt like an endless extension of that same long night where his heart had been shattered. Sunlight filtered gently through the broken window panes, yet it offered no warmth to the hollow of his chest. He sat in a corner of the room on an old chair, his crimson eyes—now dimmed by exhaustion and grief—fixed upon the small kitchen.
Rina was there, moving like a swift, white shadow. She was preparing breakfast, and as Diyari watched, an old film began to play in his mind. He remembered mornings just like this one, where he wouldn't let her work alone. He would go to her, wrap his arms around her slender waist from behind, and rest his head on her shoulder. He would breathe in the scent of her hair and press a warm kiss to her neck, while Rina, with a laugh full of love, would say: "Diyari, leave me be so our bread doesn't burn!"
Now, he could only watch from a distance. There was no bridge left to cross. Rina worked with a cold, mechanical precision. Diyari noticed her hands tremble as she reached for the ingredients for "Dolma." Her body, her veins, her very cells... they all knew this was Diyari's favorite dish. Her physical self was compelled to make it, yet her mind remained a void.
Rina: (Whispering to herself) "Why did I choose this? Why do I feel like I must make Dolma today? It is as if my body is accustomed to this, but why?"
A hot tear rolled down Diyari's cheek. He knew Rina was trapped in a colossal internal conflict. Her body was faithful, but her soul was under a dark shroud.
The Child's Laughter and the Angelic Melody
The little angel in the cradle beside the kitchen sensed the heavy atmosphere. When Rina drew near, the child erupted into a loud, joyous laugh. The infant felt that the mother was preparing something for the father. The child began to hum a strange, serene melody that filled the room like white light. This tune forced Rina to stop for a moment and close her eyes, as if a lost echo was trying to find its way home.
A Lethal Confrontation
The table was set. Rina turned and saw Diyari still gazing at her with those eyes full of sorrow and love. She couldn't take it anymore. Those looks felt like daggers because they evoked a weight she couldn't understand.
Rina: (With sharp coldness) "Enough, Diyari! Truly, you are an irritating man. Why do you look at me like that? Have you never seen a human before? Your stare feels like it wants to pierce my soul. Understand, I am only your comrade. I am here for war, not to be a painting for you to contemplate!"
Diyari stood up and took a gentle step forward, but Rina instantly manifested her radiant sword as a threat.
Diyari: "Rina, I am only looking at the person who gave me life. You cannot stop me from hiding my love in my eyes. Even if you kill me, the last image I want to see is your face."
Rina: (Voice rising) "Love? What love? You claim to protect my child and the world, but you only think of yourself! I want to protect the innocent. I want to save the world from darkness, not destroy it. But you... you are like a wounded beast that might burn everything just to keep me for yourself. Know this: anyone who seeks to destroy the world or hinders my mission is my enemy. Even if that person is you!"
Diyari crumbled inside. "I am not destroying the world, Rina... I just don't want a world that doesn't have you in it."
Magic and the Flight to the Great Tree
As if refusing to hear his answer, Rina vanished in a flash of white light. With supernatural speed, she flew outside and perched upon the high branches of the great tree in the courtyard, taking the child with her. Diyari remained in the dark room alone. He watched from the window as Rina sat on the branch, tenderly talking to the child about the beauty of the world and his duty to be a great guardian. She was merciful to the child, but that mercy had died for the father. He was becoming a stranger in his own home
Written by: Dlin_myth