Chapter 169: Echoes of Forever
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But their reaction didn’t stand out too much, as many others were overwhelmed by similar emotions, some even breaking down into tears. A few men tried and failed to hold them back, while others wept quietly with the rest. Among them was Prince Aden, who, despite his earlier eagerness to leave, now found himself wiping his eyes in silence.
Edward and Cece clasped each other’s hands for support. Cece, with her ability to sense the emotions and intentions of others, was especially affected; the weight of sorrow and love in the room pressed down on her until tears finally spilled down her cheeks. Ivan and Evelyn, however, stood apart...caught in an experience far deeper, far more extraordinary than the rest could fathom.
Damien and Dante, for once, had fallen completely silent, while Mr. Doran was already busy dabbing at his tears, sniffling quietly into his sleeve.
No one moved, no one spoke.
The silence stretched until Eve took a shaky step forward, as if drawn toward the golden rings lying ahead, still casting their soft, warm glow. She had forgotten that her hand was still entwined with Ivan’s, and as she moved, she unintentionally pulled him along, snapping him out of his reverie.
Realising what she was about to do, Ivan snapped back to his senses and instinctively reached for her. His hand closed around her gently and pulled her back before she could take another step. She stumbled into him, her breathing hitched to feel his warm embrace.
The world seemed to still around them. Eve’s heartbeat pounded in her ears as she slowly turned her tearful gaze over her shoulder to look at Ivan.
Her wide, tearful eyes blinked, snapping her out of her trance as she met his over her shoulder. It was only then she caught it...a tiny shimmer of wetness, the faintest hint of a tear he hadn’t let it fall. And in that instant, words were no longer needed. She knew. He had seen it too...the heartbreaking vision just like she did. The deep ache in her chest was mirrored perfectly in his gaze.
She couldn’t bring herself to speak, but her devastating, tearful eyes said more than words. Turning fully towards him, she threw her arms around him, holding him as tightly as she could, and he returned the embrace just as fiercely. Their hearts thudded in tandem as they communicated in a language only they could understand, finding solace in the comfort of each other’s arms.
Her tears fell harder, though she bit her lips in order not to let any sound escape her lips. Ivan continued to hold her close to him, his hands shook slightly as he consoled her.
No one around them could begin to grasp the state of their hearts...the depth of the storm raging quietly within them. All they had in that moment was each other...and the unspoken understanding that silence was their only refuge.
Mr. Doran had expected a reaction like this. No matter how many times he had entered this chamber, it always affected him the same way, so he understood all too well what the others might be feeling. His brown eyes swept across the room until they found Ivan and Evelyn on the other side of the circular basin, locked in each other’s embrace.
To him, it looked as though the young vampire was trying to console the beautiful girl, who trembled silently in his arms. Her quivering shoulders were the only sign of the tears she tried to hide. His gaze softened, and he sent a quiet prayer into the air. ’May the gods never drift them apart, unlike the sorrow that fills this place.’
He then cleared his throat gently and spoke, "I think we should all move along now. As you can see, the remnants of this place’s power tend to affect everyone deeply. King Zevran himself often spent time here, and each time he did, he too was struck with grief, just as you all are now. That is why this section has been closed to the general public."
One of the female students wiped her tears and asked softly, "Mr. Doran, what was that light we saw earlier? Does that happen often?"
Now that Doran thought about it, he realised he had never seen the artefact react in such a way before, and the realisation left him surprised as well. "No," he admitted slowly, "I’ve never seen or heard of anyone experiencing such a phenomenon."
This immediately caught the others’ attention, and another student spoke up, curiosity lacing their voice. "Then...what does that mean?"
"I-I’m not sure myself. The world works in mysterious ways," he replied sheepishly, clearly unsure how to explain something he himself didn’t understand.
He then added, "Let’s all move on to the next section, shall we?" Turning toward the two silent professors, Doran caught Dante’s eye. Dante gave him a subtle nod before addressing the students. "Come now, everyone, that’s quite enough waterworks for one day," he said with a faint smile, though the heaviness in his tone betrayed that he too was still affected by what they had just witnessed.
One by one, the students began to leave the chamber, their footsteps echoing softly against the marble floor.
Soon, only Ivan and Eve remained behind.
He moved his head down and whispered, "We need to go, Eve."
Her hold on him tightened as if in silent refusal to leave. She was breathing ragged, and she whispered shakily, "I-Ivan.."
"Shh...I know, baby," he held her tighter and continued to murmur against her ear. "I know, but we have to leave. We cannot attract attention, not here. He leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss on her hair, "Too many people around. You understand me, don’t you, Eve?"
She nodded slowly, understanding his words and reluctantly pulled herself back. He saw how her eyes filled with sorrow, yet the way she looked at him shook him to his core. There was so much emotion he could barely fathom in her eyes as she traced his features. She swallowed hard against the dryness in her throat from too much crying.
He looked into her eyes deeply, lovingly and raised his hands to cup her face, his thumbs brushing away her tears with gentle care. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he leaned in and captured her lips in a fervent kiss, pouring every raw emotion he felt into that single, desperate moment.
Eve welcomed him wholeheartedly, her arms winding around his neck as she pulled him impossibly close, their hearts beating in perfect rhythm.
As if responding to their unrestrained emotions, the rings pulsed once more with golden light, and a soft breeze swept through the chamber, caressing the two lovers in its tender embrace. Though their kiss lasted only a few seconds, it was enough for their hearts to feel whole, content, and utterly at peace in that fleeting moment.
Reluctantly, Ivan broke their kiss and gently wiped away her fresh tears. "Let go before they come looking for us," he whispered softly.
Eve gave a small nod. Ivan pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped her face again before she took it from him, dabbing away the traces of her tears herself. He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, then wrapped an arm around her waist and slowly led her toward the exit.
But before stepping out, he turned once more to glance at the golden rings. A brief vision flickered in both their minds...two figures standing in each other’s embrace, just as they had seen moments ago.
With heavy hearts, they finally stepped out of the chamber. The heavy curtains closed behind them, sealing the rings away once more.
The rest of the tour passed in subdued silence, the group far quieter than they had been before. That single room had left them all shaken, an emotional storm none of them would soon forget.
After leaving the museum, Eve and Ivan remained deep in thought. It wasn’t just them; Damien, too, stayed unusually quiet, sensing that they all needed time to collect themselves and let their minds settle.
Later, the group stopped by the busy market district for lunch at one of the high-end restaurants before heading out to explore the famous streets of Demos, filled with shops selling local goods and souvenirs to take back home.
Eve and Ivan strayed away from each other as they walked alongside the Silver siblings, Edward, and Oliver. None of them spoke about what they had seen at the museum, as if the silence between them carried unspoken understanding.
The bustling market, with its limestone buildings and colourful storefronts, offered a welcome distraction, especially for Eve and Cece, who flitted eagerly from one shop to another like curious kittens.
Their group, which was a striking mix of vampires, lumens, and humans, drew more than a few stares from the locals. The refined way they carried themselves, coupled with their fine clothes and otherworldly charm, had the vendors practically rubbing their hands together in anticipation. It wasn’t every day such exquisite-looking customers graced their stalls, particularly the vampires and lumens, whose beauty was near impossible to ignore.
