"I’ll give you a call before the sun goes down. Just to check up on you."The whisper came from none other than Seraphis, who held a communication device in her hand.
And before her stood none other than Isha, whose communication device dipped as she reached for Seraphis, giving her a tight hug.
"I’ll call you every night, Seraphis. And trust me, I’ll come down to check on you sometimes, too. I promise..."
"I believe you."
_____
"I can’t believe I’ll ever say this to a Beasttamer but..."Elder Celine’s voice rang out as Ryuk took his attention away from the two girls, turning to the frost-scaled lady before him, raising an eyebrow.
"We Frostwyverns will always have our door open to you, if you’re ever in need of it," Elder Celine confessed as Ryuk waved her off.
"Of course, of course. You still need Isha to get the map back to your true world, so the door will, of course, be open," Ryuk said, as Elder Celine opened her lips to say something—she briefly closed them and clasped her forehead.
"You’re an idiot," she said, before disappearing from the area as Ryuk heard a giggle come from none other than Queen Snowardo.
"You know, Ryuk, Elder Celine might just mean it for real this time. Not just because of Isha."
"I know she’s very cold, especially to you."
"But I swear she’s thawing already and has decided to bury the past hatchet you both have," Queen Snowardo said.
But then she watched Ryuk grin as he leaned towards her.
"I know. I just pale at saying goodbye to my previous enemies," he whispered to Queen Snowardo, who giggled.
But then his gaze dropped when he turned his head to the side, and there was Elder Celine grinning mockingly at him.
"Yep. I heard that too," she said, and it was Ryuk’s turn to grow red in the face, as he turned to look at Isha and found her walking towards him.
"See you soon, Queen Snowardo. And that reminds me, thank you for your hospitality. Especially that cold juice that was served—it was surprisingly good," he said, as he rose into the air.
Isha followed after, rising farther into the air before...
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A blizzard of frost energy exploded out from her, momentarily blinding all.
A gale wind howled—and when next she was revealed, Ryuk saw a hulking 15-meter Frost Wyvern in the air, her four wings 10 meters each in length, flapping with a power that sent massive snow gales with every beat.
Immediately, he blinked out of existence, appearing above her as he gave one last respectful bow to the trio who waved back, before Isha flapped her wings, becoming a frozen light that easily shot into the distance, disappearing into the clouds.
"SNIFF!"
The sound of sniffing rang out as Queen Snowardo held the body of her daughter, Seraphis, in her arms, gently patting her back.
"Don’t worry about Isha. She’s forever part of us, Nagas. I’m sure she knows that and will return soon," Queen Snowardo said to her, as Elder Celine looked at the snow-haired lady before her, before an evil idea appeared in her head.
"Or maybe her tears are those of regret," she said, drawing Queen Snowardo’s attention.
"What regret?" she asked.
"That she didn’t get to tell her first crush just how much she had fallen for him..." Elder Celine said, and immediately, the blinding roar rang out.
"ELDER CELINEEEE!!!"
Seraphis screamed as Elder Celine cackled devilishly.
"What? It’s all over the blush on your face," she shot back at her as they watched a blue vortex open in space—and in a blink, Seraphis was gone.
"Tsk. Young girls. Always so prideful, yet when the One comes... they fall in so easily..." she mused under her breath before turning to look at Queen Snowardo, who gave a smirk before turning her gaze toward the path where Isha had blazed on their exit.
"What? You’re not against her courting feelings for the kid?" Elder Celine asked, as Queen Snowardo shrugged her shoulders.
"I don’t care about that."
"Seraphis’ father was but a commoner—the son of a blacksmith, remember?"
"But he was the one I chose, against all of the handsome and stronger royal males I could have gotten along with."
"I don’t care what she chooses at all. It’s solely her choice."
"But do you not think there’s something a bit... different about the boy compared to all?" she asked, as Queen Snowardo furrowed her gaze, turning to look at the same path.
Their eyes both flashed when they saw the sun’s rays of light suddenly bloom out from where Ryuk had left, golden remnants of sunlight shining down onto their faces.
"I feel he’s just like these sun rays."
"An illumination in this gloomy world..." Elder Celine whispered as Queen Snowardo silently nodded her head.
"I feel it too. His fate is special. And that of those around him too..."
_____
"Ahhhhhhhh..."A deep exhale left Ryuk’s lips as he sat on Isha’s back, his hands pressing against her cold scales, which held flickering snowy white light.
The sun rays rained down upon his face, his snow-white hair ruffling behind him, and he allowed their passage.
This was one of those rare moments when he felt absolute peace radiating through him.
’Just when I think things are hard, or things are gloomy looking, I try my hardest to push through—and when I do...’ Ryuk thought, as he opened his eyes, seeing Void who sat behind Isha’s head, pointing its claws and seemingly giving it directions amidst various scoffs and eye rolls.
A smile found its way onto his lips as he completed his thought.
’It always seems more than worth it,’ he thought to himself as he silently sat down, weaving through the clouds.
He had gotten back both Isha and Void, and what’s more, he had deepened the bond not just between himself and each of them, but within all three of them.
It took hard work and pain to be here...Back on Endearth.
But it was all well worth it.
And when his thoughts drifted to Elder Celine and his decision to forgive her...
He realized—he was the one who had been hurting by hating her.
And letting go of the past and embracing the present was like setting himself free.
"It Is All Worth It In The End..."