Chapter 903: True Love
~VWUUUM!~
As Rey and Alicia appeared, the distortion of space faded, leaving them standing amidst the ambient hum of Lucielle's nearly complete spellwork.
Lucielle was at the center of the chamber, her wings drooped, her horns faintly glowing as she stood over an intricate Magic Circle. Its pulsating energy filled the air with a heavy resonance, the kind that made the skin prickle and the heart race.
Sweat glistened on her brow, and her breathing was labored. The Rune was nearing completion, but it was clear she was paying a price for its creation.
Rey's eyes widened, his usual stoicism breaking. "Lucielle!"
She glanced up at him, her crimson eyes glassy with exhaustion. A weak smile touched her lips. "You're just in time," she said, her voice trembling but laced with triumph. "The portal... it's ready."
The runes on the floor flared brightly, and the Magic Circle came to life with a thunderous hum. Lucielle staggered, her knees buckling under her, but before she could collapse, Rey was there. He caught her, one arm under her shoulders, his other hand supporting her head.
"Lucielle, you pushed yourself too far," he muttered, his tone heavy with concern.
She gave a feeble chuckle, her head resting against his chest. "Don't... start lecturing me now. Just... just get Alicia home. That's all that matters."
Rey frowned but didn't argue. Instead, he carried her to a quiet corner of the chamber, conjuring a cushion of soft moss with a flick of his hand. He gently laid her down, his movements uncharacteristically tender. Lucielle sighed, her eyelids fluttering shut as she succumbed to the exhaustion.
As Rey stepped back, he felt the weight of someone's gaze and turned to see Alicia watching him. Her arms were crossed, and though her expression was neutral, there was a spark of something sharp-jealousy?-in her eyes.
Rey blinked, momentarily thrown. "What?"
"Nothing," Alicia said quickly, too quickly. She shook her head, forcing a smile. "Let's just... focus on this, okay?"
Rey hesitated, but the urgency of the moment won out. He closed the distance between them, his expression softening. "Are you ready?"
Alicia bit her lip, glancing at the glowing portal. Its energy twisted and churned like a living thing, its pull both terrifying and mesmerizing.
"I don't know," she admitted.
Rey's gaze was steady. "You've been waiting for this moment, Alicia. A chance to go home. To Earth."
She nodded, her heart heavy. "I thought I was ready. I really did. But now..." Her voice faltered, and she looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Now it feels wrong." "Alicia," Rey began, but she interrupted him, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Just let me say this, Rey. Please." She took a deep breath, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I've thought about this over and over again since you told me about the plan. I thought going home would be the easy choice. But the more I think about it, the more I realize I can't leave you behind."
Rey's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
"I love you, Rey," Alicia said, her voice breaking. Tears streamed down her face, but she stood firm, her gaze locked on his. "I've loved you for so long, and I can't just walk away from you. Not now. Not ever."
Rey felt as though the world had tilted on its axis. Alicia's words hit him like a tidal wave, sweeping away the walls he'd so carefully built around his heart. He took a shaky breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "Alicia... you don't know what you're saying. Staying here... it's dangerous. You could get hurt-"
"I don't care!" she interrupted, her voice rising with raw emotion. "I don't care about the danger or the risks. What I care about is you, Rey. You're the only thing that matters to me."
He stared at her, his mind racing. Every instinct screamed at him to protect her, to send her home where she'd be safe. But another part of him, a part he had long buried, ached to hold onto her, to let her stay by his side.
"I've tried to push these feelings away," Alicia continued, her voice softer now. "I told myself I didn't deserve to feel this way about you, not when there was so much at stake. But I can't keep pretending. I love you, Rey, and I want to stay here—with you."
Rey closed his eyes, his jaw tightening as he fought to control the storm of emotions raging within him. When he opened them again, they were filled with a warmth Alicia had never seen before.
"I've spent so long trying to protect everyone, trying to shoulder everything on my own," he said quietly. "I thought that was what I had to do. But hearing you say this..."
He took a step closer, his voice trembling with honesty.
"It makes me realize I've been a fool. I've been running from my own feelings because I was afraid of losing you."
Alicia's breath hitched, hope flickering in her eyes.
"I love you too, Alicia," Rey admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I think I always have. But I was too afraid to say it. Too afraid to let myself feel it."
He felt his emotions get suppressed over and over, but the overwhelming emotions within him made it impossible for those feelings to evaporate.
All he felt within that moment... was pure love.
She took a step forward, closing the gap between them. "Then don't be afraid anymore." Rey hesitated for only a moment before he reached for her, his hand cupping her cheek. She leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering shut as tears continued to fall.
"I promise I'll protect you," he said, his voice firm. "No matter what happens, I'll keep you safe. I won't let anything take you from me."
"I don't need you to protect me," she replied, her voice filled with quiet strength. "I just need you to be with me."
He smiled, a rare, genuine smile that softened his entire demeanor. "Then I'll stay with you. Always."
Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away. The glowing portal, the hum of the Magic Circle, the weight of their responsibilities-all of it vanished, leaving only the two of them.
Rey leaned in, and Alicia closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that was both gentle and passionate, a silent confession of everything they had been too afraid to say.
Time seemed to stand still as they clung to each other, the kiss deepening as years of suppressed emotions came rushing to the surface. When they finally pulled away, they were both breathless, their foreheads resting against each other.
"I'm not going anywhere," Alicia whispered, her smile radiant despite her tears.
"And I'm not letting you go," Rey replied, his voice steady and filled with conviction.
They stayed like that for a moment longer, holding onto each other as if the world might crumble around them. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, they both felt a sense of peace-a sense of belonging.
Then-
~WHUM!~
All of a sudden, almost as if she was yanked away, Alicia was pulled away from Rey's embrace.
"Huh?!"
Her body floated away from him and towards a certain silhouette that had suddenly appeared at the entrance of the hall. It only took a fraction of a second-no, far less than that. Before even Rey could fully grasp the situation, she was right in the grasp of the intruder.
"Rey-!"