Part Two - New World - Chapter [032]

At that moment it was like I surfaced from a deep pond of water. And I woke up. 

I slowly opened my eyes - everything was fine.

I could move my arms and legs and all ten fingers and toes. 

"Arslan-" I tried speaking but nothing came out - just a tiny whisper - not big enough to wake him. He had fallen asleep in the chair, his body slumped over forward. 

I noticed a glass of water next to the bed, and a little white pill, I smelled it - it smelled minty and fresh. 

Two and two together, meant for me to place the pill in the water. 

It dissolved and I chugged the water down. It gave the water a fresh spring feel and made it even clearer. My bad breath had gone away and it was like I had brushed my teeth. I guess that was convenient. 

I tried again. 

"Arslan," this time I could speak properly.

With a jolt, he raised his head, and I noticed the bags under his eyes. 

With one look into my eyes - the big guy suddenly broke. His eyes watered up and he started crying like a big baby. 

"Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiddddeeeeeeeeeeennnn…." He cried in a way only a child could.

My gaze softened and a smile crept on my face. 

I offered him a hug and he just jumped into my arms - his whole weight on me. 

I couldn't do anything, I couldn't move, but my arms reached behind his back and I pampered him. 

He started apologizing, no words came to my mouth, but tears streamed down my face. 

"I shouldn't have given you the EB!" He cried and screamed in between sinuses flaring up and his voice cracking up. 

"I'm sorry! I was selfish!" He shouted as he hugged me even tighter. 

So I just kept soothing him. 

"Come on tiger, cheer up," I said my arms not leaving his back. 

Suddenly he stood up on his knees on the bed. 

"Tiger?" He questioned. 

I took a breath not realizing just how much weight was being pinned down on me. 

"Sorry - you don't like it?" I asked. I thought it could be a cute nickname I have for him, don't know why - it just occurred to me at this moment. 

"No - I like it," he said cleaning his face like a big cat. 

He was very much like a tiger, that golden wavy puffy hair full of volume did wonders for his face.

"But I don't have one for you -" he continued. 

I curled my legs towards me, making enough space so he could sit comfortably in the bed. 

"I like shorty -" I said a little shy. 

He blushed as well.

I noticed now he was only wearing a blue sleeveless T-shirt and some black shorts. 

Daybreak was coming in now. 

"Did you wait for me all night?" I asked. 

"I tried -" Finally a sheepish smile came through. 

"Thanks - I appreciate you taking care of me," I decided it was best to just rip off the bandaid. My compliment perked him up. 

"And that thing you gave me," 

"The EB - The Emetic Bezoar - " the name just rolled off his tongue. Like he had said a million times before.

"Yeah, that -" I responded. 

I placed my head on my knees, not sure if what I was going to say next was going to sound psychotic. I hesitated a moment. 

"I - uhh - I don't think I could have killed all those demons without it," I said not meeting his eyes, but finally looking up at the last second. 

He sat with his legs crossed and his hands on his knees. 

He got really serious for a second. 

"What are you saying - would you have protected the demons?!" he had gained his normal composure again. 

I jolted up!

"Of course not! I'm on your side, I decimated a small army for you…"I felt like there was a fight coming for some reason. 

"But you said it was only because of the EB - are you saying you could only kill again if you had the EB!?" He looked flabbergasted, astonished. 

"Agh! I don't know!" I pushed back against the pillows. He moved in close to me. Resting on his side, his right hand supporting his head. 

He looked at me like he was expecting an answer. I looked at him and felt the pressure. 

"Agh! Maybe?!"

I moved to my side my back facing him. 

I heard him scoff. 

So his hand wrapped around me. I became the little spoon. 

It felt nice being in his arms like this. 

"You're making it sound like it's a highly addictive drug or something…" I mumbled. 

His grip got tighter. He pulled at my shoulder, and with just one arm he had me pinned down - even though it felt kind of nice.

My shoulder cracked and some pain started settling in. 

"That's because it is -" his tone was dark. 

"A lot of healers depend on it - like how you overdosed yesterday," I tapped his hand. 

"That hurts you know!" He instantly softened his grip, but his interlocking arm didn't move.

I just grabbed his forearm. 

He burrowed his face into my back. 

"I didn't want to lose you -" he stated. His voice was high pitched like he wanted to cry again. 

"I couldn't let the demons give you one - and I couldn't risk you not having one! That's why they were probably here anyway - since you're The Shepard now and everything."

I managed to slitter my way to meet him face-to-face again. 

"The Shepard?!" I questioned. His hand holding my back, he started playing with my hair. 

His gaze was extremely relaxed. 

"That's right - officially recognized by yesterday's events - from HQ at L'reus and everything - my inamorato. The Shepard himself," he said that last part with a half devilish smile. 

I touched his face. He was taken aback, but then he leaned into the touch.

Liking it and getting comfortable with it. The more I did it - the more he liked it. 

It was a gentle touch - soft and sweet. He even closed his eyes.

"They don't ever work this fast you know -" 

I couldn't help but smile at how cute he was. 

I curled my hand close to me, he used the hand that was holding me and carefully pulled it toward his lips. 

Kissing my ring finger. 

"So what's next?" I asked. 

"L'reus sends an official quest tonight by sparrow - whatever it is - we'll set out in the dead of night, we'll take my bike and go off to wherever we need to go - do the quest and hopefully they keep giving us one job after another - until you're job as The Shepard is complete!" 

"And when will that be?" I asked. 

"When there's no longer miasma in the world - of course. That's always the job of a Shepard." He stated nicely. 

"Right, of course, you're right," I said. 

There was a beat, his hand was playing with mine. 

"Can I ask you something?" I broke the silence. 

"Sure thing -" he looked curious. 

"You used another word yesterday - instead of inamorato-" he suddenly interrupted me. 

"You remember that?!" He asked with a big smile. I was visibly confused. 

"Of course - I remember that - I pushed you away - I'm sorry -" he looked quite content with my apology. 

"This is going to sound silly -" he started.

"I know most people don't see it the way I see it - but I think - and this is just my personal opinion - that The Ritual of Nuptials is sort of like a ritual for life - many healers don't see it like that - none do - they just see it like a means to an end - but I feel differently. I feel like it's a bond deeper than friendship - like you want that person to be your family," he blasted his heart out. It was quite romantic. I blushed a little.

I thought for a bit. 

"You better put a ring on it then," I said sweetly. He couldn't hold himself any longer and kissed me, it was a soft kiss, gentle even, lovingly and peacefully, with great tenderness and care, he pressed his lips against mine in a fraction of a second.

"I sort of already did -" he said playing with the onyx ring we had picked out, he showed me his still on his hand - as they got closer they changed color into an intense azure hue.

I couldn't help but laugh. Blushing a little bit.

He caught my laughter. 

"What?" 

"Nothing - nothing," the kiss ended but our gazes looked at each other.

"I liked it…" I said in a whisper. 

He was positively beaming. Radiating with a shining glow. The morning rays helped him a lot. 

"You look tired tiger," I said like in a dream. 

"I am tired - I waited all night for you to wake up, wanted to make sure you were safe. I chuckled a little. 

"Thank you -" I mumbled. 

It seemed everything was fine now - he even yawned. 

"Come on let's go to bed -" I said turning around and making more space for him, I got under the covers and he did so too. Then I grabbed his arm and made him hug me tightly, he pushed his chest against my back. And I was the little spoon again. 

He played with my neck for a moment giving me little kisses, his thumb curling my hair back and forth. 

There was a deep silence between - only the rising and falling of our breath's.

Then he spoke.

"You remember the tracking spell I asked the alchemist to place on the rings?" he started.

"I remember," I mumbled with my eyes close.

"The spell is called Trackers of True North1 - when we are miles apart - if you ever need me - you'll have to hold that ring close to your heart - and the spell will only activate if our love is true - only then will you be able to find me - a blue line will spring from your heart and into mine - you'll have to follow that line due north and only then will you find me," he explained in between mumbles.

"Only if our love is true, huh?" I said half asleep.

"Yes - only if our love is true," he said back.

Once again silence broke through us - I had a bunch more things to say - but then his breathing became constant and there was a little bit of a snore behind it. Not enough to distract me, just enough to be like white noise. His arm still around - his grip softening as he slowly drifted into dream land.

Until he fell asleep in the blink of an eye. 

I decided to get some rest again. 

And we fell asleep in each other's arms for at least a couple more hours. 

It was heaven. 

Yet I still had one more question - but wasn't sure how I would even bring it up. 

I needed to have a serious talk with Everett.

I remembered the places he kicked Arslan, how violent it had been, Arslan using his arms as a shield, I remember how they healed him. I remember he's still alive. 

Arslan had gone limp, so I turned around his arm to notice there were no bruises. 

I think Daybreak of Heaven2 might have healed him as well.

Apollo explained that it was a spell to remove impurities from the world 100% in effect in a 500-mile radius for 20 seconds. 

That's why the EB stopped working right after. 

Apollo also explained how the EB was made. 

My stomach churned in disgust at the thought.