Chapter-8

"H-He is back!" Akeno whispered

Anger, pain, sorrow, and relief all boiled to a rise in Akeno's heart.

Memories of her past started resurfacing all at once. From the times they spent together, the time he protected her against the stray devils even at the cost of his well being to the day she somehow survived the blast.

However, while she was eternally grateful to the Gremory Clan, Akeno couldn't help but imagine what it could have been like if she had lived with Clark. When she thought about it, only bitterness and anger came to mind. How many days did she wish to wake up the next morning and find Clark coming to her rescue? Lamentably, her wishes were always shattered the next day when she woke up and found herself alone and afraid.

These were many questions that Akeno would never stop asking when she was younger. Had her supposed best friend forgotten all about her and continued to live on his life. Where he was? Is the only question she can think of every day

Now it seems to have a end, For years she had withheld her bitterness and now, she could finally get the burning, itching, and unbearable pain of words off of her chest. Unlike her father, who Akeno wanted to avoid, she wanted to confront.

Others were stunned by her reaction not aware of her past because she never Meantioned it.

"What happened Akeno?" Rias asked in worry

"Clark" she muttered under her breath before she bolted out of the doorway deciding to find him. She was gone within the blink of an eye.

"Holy crap, I've never seen fukubuchou like this" said a startled Issei. His sentiment was also mirrored by the little white-haired girl and his big sis next to him.

"Akeno, wait!" Rias tried to go after her friend only to be stopped by Kiba.

"Please wait Buchou. This seems to be personal for Akeno-fukubuchou. There is a chance that she has encountered this person before." Kiba presumed based on her reaction to Clark

"But shouldn't we go to make sure nothing goes awry. You saw how upset she was. Isn't there a small chance that she may attack him for something he did?" asked a worried Issei

"No, Akeno is not that irresponsible no matter what her emotional state is. She is my queen and I have the utmost confidence that she wouldn't do something like that." Rias immediately rejected that notion although it did not stop her from worrying about her best friend and former queen.

Then two blue Gauntlet materialised from Issei's hand

{Don't even Think about it} a Draconic voice said

Startling everyone on the spot.

"D-Dragoon? You can speak outside?" Issei asked

{Yes. Your stronger now and either way don't even think about following him} Dragoon warned again

"Can I know why? I know it's Strom dragon itself but I would like to know" Rias said impatient

{ Because he is a Freaking monster. Heck her mates are more than enough to fodder all of you present here, that Blond girl was Weakest one but all of Devils here combined can't match her powers} Dragoon said making everyone scared

"H-How can you tell?" Issei asked

{ I am old for a Certain reason. And on top of that I am dragon I feel things better than anyone here. Trust your friend I have a Feeling that he isn't a bad person just wait.}

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Clark and his girlfriends are currently in front of a Flower shop buying flowers

"So what kind of Flower should we buy?" Clark asked

"White one will be better " Elsha said knowing Clark is in pain.

"Y-You look sad Clark what happened?" Aria asked

"Oh you don't know, actually around 8 years ago I loved a girl around my age. She was maybe more valuable than my life to me. Yet she and her mother passed away in a Unfortunate accident. I was weak and unable to do anything prevent that from happening. So from that I am here standing now Stronger, better maybe so I can't prevent that to happen in future." Clark said in grif regret.

"I am sorry-"

"Don't! You did nothing wrong " Clark stopped her saying anything

"Now let's go pay them a visit " Clark said with a smile which in response she smiled back.

After buying a two Banquets of white Lilies they head off.

Unknown to them Akeno was able to track them and follow them. Her stealth skills are those of a S class assassins of Underworld's even Fooling Clark's senses she continued to follow them.

"T-That's Clark but who are those two women?" She asked herself. Jealousy and anger boiled in her veins but she calmed herself down and followed them .

She followed him to the place she did not expect to see again, her previous home.

According to Ddraig this place was rebuilt by fallen angels and is Secured by them

Upon they made their way up the stairs and entered the shrine until he stopped in front of two gravestones. Clark smiled and Placed a Banquet

"Hello Aunty Shuri." Akeno widened her eyes when she heard what Clark said. She could not believe that they had erected a grave for her mother.

"How have you been? In case you were wondering, I've been doing alright and so have my parents but I'm sure I did not need to tell you that considering that they came by to visit you before I did. A long time has passed since you had been unfairly taken away from us. We were teleported in other universe filled with strongest beings a person can imagine and from last last 8 years training with everyone to become stronger so that something like this never happens again. It was so grueling that it felt as if I were in the worst pits of Hell."

He let a small giggle

"hmhm although I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. I still remember the time when you came by to visit one time during my training with my dad and reprimanded him for training me way to hard. I also haven't forgotten all of the lessons you taught me. From tables manner to the time you even taught me how to dance. All the times you spent teasing me and Akeno. All of the days we spent together as a family were the most memorable moments of my life and I will always remember them." 

"As you know, we recently moved back to our old house here in Kuoh. Although it hurts to walk in and out every day because this place reminds me of everyone I lost. Thankfully, I've had a lot of support over the years and although I'm not sure what to expect from life I'll do my best to move forward just like I vowed to you all those years ago. I also enrolled into Kuoh academy and getting an education just like you wished for me. Now there are two women names Elsha and Aria who likes me for who am I. Please give them your love"

His tone suddenly turned somber.

"Uncle Barakiel is still as serious as ever but… ever since you died, he has gotten a lot more sullen. He spent every day crying over you and Akeno and there was nothing I or my parents could do to help him. He no longer laughs like he used to with my dad and he no longer smiles. Even worse, due to his grief, he attempted suicide and if it weren't for my dad, he would have succeeded… It broke my heart to see him like that and even though we managed to stop him, he hasn't been the same since. I'm so sorry auntie that we cannot help him find closure. Only you can." Issei put his hand on Shuri's gravestone and made a request with tears dropping from his face unable to hold his sadness anymore.

"Please help uncle Barakiel, auntie. He is slowly and slowly becoming a machine. His words do not seem to hold much emotion anymore so please… help him." Clark prayed to his aunt as both his girlfriend payed their respect.

Wiping away his tears, he moved towards the other grave. Akeno was wondering who they could have buried next to her mom.

"Akeno…" he spoke glumly. Akeno gasped and widened her eyes in surprise at what she heard. This has been the least of her expectation. "Did Clark think I died. Is that why he hasn't been looking for me?" she thought to herself now quickly paying the outmost attention to what he was saying

" I miss you very much, not a single days gone by that I didn't remember our days as children. I missed playing with you and I missed spending time with you. I still remember, to this very day, the moment you and aunty Shuri were taken away from us. Everyone tried to search for you. When uncle Barakiel and other Fallen Angels came to look at the Shrine…they found nothing. The whole shrine got reduced to nothing. Even my parents secretly went in to search for you two but with no success" Clark said which soften Akeno's heart

"I'm not sure if you remember but today is my birthday… Quite the irony is it not? A day meant for celebration and happiness has turned into one filled with nothing but misery and sadness. There are so many things I never got to tell you which I regret every single day." He paused taking a moment to breath before continuing

"I never got the chance to express how much you mean to me. You were always there for me when we were kids. You may know this but… you saved me back when we first met. You were a ray of light shining at the end of the tunnel, piercing the darkness and saving me from a life of sorrow and loneliness. You accepted me as a friend when no one else would even take the time of day to look at me. I'm so pathetic. You've done… so so much for me and I couldn't be there when you needed me the most. I never got to tell you how much I loved you. That is why I can never forgive myself for failing to protect you like I promised." Akeno gasped when she heard that. "Clark still loves me!" Akeno's head started to spin as any feelings of anger within her quickly dissipated as her old romantic feelings for him suddenly surfaced upon seeing that they were reciprocated. However, watching Clark heave and cry was very heartbreaking. To see him blame himself over something that was beyond his control… was not right.

There are times when I can't help but think that what happened to you was… my fault. Dragons are beings of power and power attracts both allies and enemies towards us. I can't help but think that the only reason such misfortune hit you and your family was because you associated yourself with me." Akeno could tell that he was clearing sobbing further breaking her heart as he continued "You did not deserve this… none of you did. I… some part of me, sometimes wishes that… you never met me in the first place. Perhaps then… you would still be together with your family. Aunty Shuri would still be alive and uncle Barakiel wouldn't be grieving the loss of his family every day" he said rubbing off his never-ending tears.

His words had caused something In Akeno to finally snap. She couldn't help but cry as well when she heard the truth of his past and his feelings. For so many years, she thought that Clark and the others had merely forgot about her. Ever since the day her mother died, her mind had convinced her that people detested and mistreated her because of her half-human, half-Fallen Angel heritage.

Almost immediately, any negative thoughts about Clark evaporated. It was surprising that it was so easy but when Akeno sensed the truth and emotion in Clark's confessions, she was overridden by her heart.

"Although my parents would murder me for saying this; if I could trade my life to give you back both of your lives so you could live happily with uncle, then I would do so in a heartbeat. I would happily die so you and your mother could live again."

This was the last straw for Akeno. Her heart could no longer bare to hear his self-destroying words anymore.

"If you weren't in my life then it would have been meaningless." She said bursting out of her hiding place.

Clark, Elsha and Aria jolted by her voice behind. At first, he believed that he was simply hallucinating, that this was a result of his accumulating despair and regrets, wishing to see her once more. However, his senses suddenly came back online and his instincts told him that it was indeed the love of his life standing right in front of him. Her scent, her aura, her presence, everything about her points to the inevitable conclusion that he so desperately prayed for all his life, that she was alive and well. A shower of tears, that he was barely holding in came tumbling down his face as he called out to her still not processing that this is reality.

"A.. Akeno, is… is that really you?" he said weakly, still deeply afraid that this was all a hallucination and nothing more but his worries were immediately relieved when she looked at him with the beautiful smile that made very single light in a room look dim and weak.

"Y-Yes Clark, it's me!" She said as tears ran down from her beautiful cheeks.

"H.. How?" Clark was extremely shocked that he could barely speak properly

"I do not know how but I survived the blast."

At this point he did not care how so, with a sudden burst of speed that she didn't know he had, he quickly embraced her into his chest.

"Thank the heavens that you are alive." She could hear him crying on her shoulders as he continued "Words can't even begin to describe how happy I am right now that you are OK. If this is in fact a dream, then I never want to wake up" Even though it was not possible, he tightened even more Akeno into his embrace as if fearing that should he let her go, she will vanish once more from his life and that is not something he would be able to handle.

"This is not a dream Clark. It really is me and I am so happy to see you again, to hold you in my arms. I missed you so… so much" reassured Akeno as best as she could emphasizing how happy she was to see him again.

"I heard everything you said Clark." This caused a massive blush to appear on Clark's face. He said so many things and to think she was right beside him. If Ddraig were here, he would both laugh his ass off and smack me for letting his guard down. Akeno stepped forward until she was face to face with Clark. She finally took noticed how much he grew since the last time she saw him. He is a lot taller than he once was, almost being a head bigger than her. He is also a lot more robust then he used to be causing a blush to surface before recomposing herself since this was not the time for that.

"I don't blame you for anything anymore. It's true that I thought, at first, that you and everyone else abandoned me due to my fallen angel heritage but after seeing your confession, I knew I was wrong. I now know the truth Clark and… I don't blame you. I can't blame you for something that was clearly beyond your control and now that I think about it with a clearer mind, my anger was misplaced. I guess… I just needed an outlet, somebody to blame or I was going to go insane from my mother's death. So, let me say this. I'm sorry for letting you suffer for so long. I was so bitter about everything that I started to hate all of you but now I don't hold anything against you because it was not your fault so please…" she dug her head into Clark's chest, looking up to him with tearful eyes.

"Please don't say that you want to die. It hurts to hear the man that I love say that. If you died, I'd want to die too. So please, for my sake and for my mother's, don't let go of life." Akeno confessed to Clark, who was stunned and flabbergasted.

"You, what?" Clark could not believe what he just heard and needed to reconfirm it. He was afraid that his sorrow had affected his mind and he was simply hearing things.

However, Akeno gladly repeated herself. "I love you, Clark." She then kissed him on the mouth. Surprised, Clark lost himself as he became entranced by the soothing passion that Akeno transmitted to him. He gave in to the kiss and returned it with as much passion as he could, embracing her with the same warmth she did with him.

He was happy that his First mate is Alive. And even after years she loves him like she did 8 years ago

"So, Darling you were having affair while I was Gone?" Akeno asked in a Curious tone.

Then he remembered that he has two Girlfriend Behind him who were equally shocked as him.

"Imma Die early"

TO BE CONTINUED