Max could not have been more thrilled to return home!
He was imprisoned straight towards the end of the dimensional war and could not enjoy the luxury of returning home as a war hero alongside his faithful troops.
He had a pregnant wife and eager subordinates waiting for him to return and take on some of the administrative duties that he had so selfishly imposed upon them for all these months.
More importantly, now that Asiva was slowly approaching the more difficult months of her pregnancy, he could take care of her and allow her to fully focus on nourishing the child.
The judgement from Hades allowed him to roam freely and without the need to wear a mask as finally for the very first time, Max could return home as his true self and embrace the love of his people.
He did not waste a single second once the trial was over and he was returned to his cell by the queen, as the moment the guards were forced to release him as per the courts judgement, Max shrugged off the chains and began racing towards Ixtal's teleportation centre.
As he walked out of the prison, for some reason the other werewolves in the dungeon began howling in joy, as the Aurelius guards felt goosebumps running down their spine as they felt deja-vu from the event a day ago.
The guards tried to escort Max and give him nasty looks, they even tried to intimidate him by foolishly drawing their weapons and making empty threats, however, not sparing a glance at the Aurelius clan soldiers who eyed him with immense hatred, Max walked straight into Ixtal's teleportation centre and entered a private teleportation pod while setting the location to Dombivli.
His dual-hearts began beating faster at the thought of returning home to his pregnant beautiful wife and his boring administrative job, as somehow, after all this mess that had went on for months, his heart seemed to ache for a bit of normalcy and peace.
The teleportation gate shimmered with an ethereal glow, the swirling vortex of light pulsing like the light of a dying star as the process of teleportation began.
As he stepped through the gate, he felt the cold pull of Ixtal fade away, replaced by the warm, familiar energies of home.
Emerging on the other side, he found himself in the private chamber reserved for his clan's most important individuals as to his absolute shock there was someone already waiting for him in the room.
His eyes met those of Asiva, his pregnant wife, who stood alone to receive him as a wide grin appeared on his face.
It just so happened that hers was the first face he wanted to see and somehow she was just there to receive him!
Max had no idea at this point as to what ordeal Asiva had suffered just a few hours ago or how she knew that he would return home today?
However, boy was he glad to see her.
"Max," she whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief, as if afraid he might disappear again.
"Siv," Max breathed, rushing towards her and holding her gently, mindful of her condition. Her scent, the feel of her skin against his, it all felt like a lifetime ago, yet also as if no time had passed. He felt vindicated, triumphant, but also humbled by the reality of his wife's growing belly—a stark reminder of the life he had missed and needed to catch up on.
The two kissed passionately as a stream of tears went down Asiva's eyes.
Max was finally home, not as Ravan Bloodfall but as MAX! and the nightmare of a separation that she was facing since the past few months finally seemed to be over.
She found a sense of security around him which she felt around no-one else as her entire persona of being a strong warrior crumpled as she went limp in his arms.
For a few moments, Asiva did nothing but enjoy the warmth of Max's body as she breathed laboriously against his chest.
Max said nothing, but after the initial kiss he began observing his surroundings patiently and the first thing he noticed was that there was no Zippo in Asiva's shadow which was odd considering he gave him a mission to protect her.
He also noticed that there were hundreds of thousands of people gathered outside the teleportation centre, probably in anticipation of his return and had been probably waiting for him to come back ever since the broadcast ended.
However, despite all his questions he stayed silent, letting Asiva enjoy the moment as he was sure that if anything were wrong then she would tell it to him herself.
"You're home," Asiva murmured, tears of joy and relief in her eyes.
"I am," Max confirmed, "and this time, as my true self."
Breaking their embrace, Asiva wiped her tears and steadied herself as a stupid grin appeared on her face that made her look incredibly cute in Max's eyes.
" I love you- " Asiva said unabashedly as she looked into Max's eyes with a myriad of different emotions on her face.
Her eyes, which had just cried a lot, seemed gentle yet fierce as she made this admission while her facial expressions were those of fear mixed with relief.
It was the first time that she had said those words to Max so brazenly and Max absolutely loved it.
" Me too siv " Max replied as he patted her on the head which made her very happy.
" Stay close to me for now then…. Okay? " Asiva pleaded without worrying Max as Max grinned and nodded his head.
" It's a promise " he said as he offered his arm to Asiva for her to tug onto as the duo then walked out arm in arm to face the crowd outside.
As they neared the exit, Max could hear the distant murmur of a crowd growing louder, their anticipation palpable as one of the guards who was monitoring the teleportation centre had already alerted the crowd that the lord would be out any moment.
As he finally emerged from the Teleportation Centre, a deafening roar erupted from the sea of people gathered outside. " Lord Max! Lord Max! It's really the Lord! " they chanted, their faces a mixture of awe, relief, and uninhibited joy.
Flags bearing the emblem of the Bloodfall clan waved energetically in the air, and children perched on their parents' shoulders to catch a glimpse of their returning lord.
" LONG LIVE LORD MAX "
" OUR HERO AND PROTECTOR IS FINALLY HOME "
" THE GLORY AND PRIDE OF DOMBIVLI HAS RETURNED "
" WE NEVER DOUBTED YOU, MY LORD, WE KNEW THE CHARGES AGAINST YOU WERE BOGUS FROM THE START "
" MAY GODDESS BENIOGRE BLESS THE LOVELY COUPLE "
" KING REGUS MADE A MISTAKE, HIS OPPRESSIVE ACTIONS DISGRACES HIS POST AS A MONARCH "
Chants in support of Max were shouted by the thousands as the love of the people of Dombivli for their Lord was apparent from their enthusiastic receival of him.
It was important for Max to witness this scene and know that the support for him extended out of the military men whom he led in war and into the common man's life too, as the time for war was over and now his time as the Lord had resumed.
Yet, as Max scanned the crowd, his eyes met a few that held a trace of scepticism, even mistrust. He understood. His imprisonment had cast a long shadow, and not everyone would be quick to forget the stain that had, for a time, marred his honour. It was a wound in the collective psyche of his people, and it would take time to heal.
Many felt that there was no smoke without fire and since Max was imprisoned by King Regus, there must be some crime that he was guilty of, even though it was proven in court otherwise.
Still, as he stood there beside Asiva, Max felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. He was back where he belonged, against all odds. The path ahead was long and fraught with challenges—both seen and unseen—but for now, he relished the moment, drawing strength from the love and hope that radiated from the faces before him.
Asiva squeezed his hand, pulling him back to the present. "They missed you," she said softly, "We all did."
"All I've suffered is for them, and you…." Max replied, his voice tinged with a complex blend of emotions: joy, relief, a hint of caution, but above all, an unshakable love for the people and the land he was sworn to protect.
"Let's go home, Sebastian and the rest are waiting " Asiva said, her eyes meeting his, reflecting the tapestry of feelings that bound them together, now more than ever.
"Yes," Max nodded, "home at last."
—---------
/// A/N - A new month, and I'd like to thank you all for the incredible support you have shown the book in the month of August as we have seen the HIGHEST GT count ever and broken past multiple records in .
I have no words to describe how amazing you all have been and how fortunate I feel to have incredible readers like you.
It all feels surreal and in my own way of expressing my thanks
A mass release is scheduled for 7th this month ///