Chapter 35: Bonds of Eternity

In a distant universe, Umbra called forth all his wives, each arriving with a mix of anticipation and concern. Akari, Selene, Seraphina, Aeloria, and Nyxara stood together, their hearts heavy as they sensed the gravity of the moment. Umbra, with a solemn expression, addressed them.

"This time, I can't make any promises about returning," he began, his voice steady but filled with unspoken emotions. "But I'm not leaving your sides. I'm about to go into a deep sleep, and I need you all to guard my body."

The words hung in the air like a storm cloud ready to burst. The silence that followed was thick with emotion.

"No," Selene was the first to break, her voice trembling. "You can't do this to us. Not again."

Akari's eyes welled up with tears, her face a mask of despair. "We just got you back. How can you ask this of us?"

The others echoed similar sentiments, their voices a blend of sorrow and anger. The weight of Umbra's request was too much to bear. And then, as if the tension could no longer be contained, it snapped.

Akari clenched her fists, turning toward Seraphina with a fierce glare. "You were supposed to be strong, to protect him! This is your fault!"

Seraphina's eyes flared with draconic fire, her anger boiling over. "How dare you blame me! You were the one who let him go in the first place!"

The others tried to intervene, but soon they, too, were swept up in the rising tide of emotions. Aeloria, her staff glowing with arcane energy, stepped between them, her voice sharp. "Stop this! We should be united, not tearing each other apart!"

But the plea fell on deaf ears. Blame turned into accusations, and accusations into a full-blown argument. Nyxara, her demon eyes burning with a mix of guilt and sorrow, could no longer hold back her own feelings of inadequacy. "If only I had been stronger, maybe he wouldn't need to leave us at all!"

The fight escalated, not with weapons or magic, but with words that cut deeper than any blade. Each wife poured out her fears, her regrets, and her desperate need to hold onto the one they all loved so fiercely. The universe around them trembled as their emotions surged, their voices carrying the weight of millennia of love and loss.

Umbra watched in silence, his heart aching as he saw the pain his decision had caused. He had known this would be difficult, but the sight of his wives turning on each other, unable to cope with the thought of losing him again, was more than he had anticipated.

Finally, with a heavy sigh, Umbra stepped forward. "Enough!" His voice reverberated through the cosmos, a command that brought an abrupt end to the chaos. The wives fell silent, their anger giving way to exhaustion and sorrow.

"I love all of you more than words can express," Umbra said, his tone softer now, filled with the love he felt for each of them. "But this is something I must do. And I need you all to be strong, not for me, but for each other."

The words sunk in, and slowly, the tension began to dissipate. Akari, her tears still fresh, took a step back, wiping her eyes. Seraphina's flames dimmed, her anger replaced by a deep sense of regret. The others followed suit, their heads bowed as they realized the truth in Umbra's words.

One by one, they approached him, offering their silent apologies, not just to Umbra but to each other. The bond they shared, forged through countless trials and battles, was too strong to be broken by fear.

Umbra embraced each of them, his touch a reassurance that even in his absence, his love would remain. "I'll return," he whispered, though he couldn't promise it. "And when I do, we'll be together again."

As he prepared to enter his deep sleep, his wives gathered around him, their hands intertwined, forming a circle of protection. The universe around them seemed to hold its breath, as if acknowledging the significance of the moment.

And as Umbra's eyes closed, his body slowly succumbing to the deep slumber, his wives remained vigilant, their love and determination unwavering. Though they had fought, their bond was stronger than ever, united by the one they all loved and the promise they silently made to each other: to protect him, no matter the cost.