After enjoying the day with Maryl in another city, Arkhen and Grace returned to Twilight Valley.
At night, Arkhen and Cyrus sat at the table and had drinks and some talks.
"Are you not opposed to that? Don't you feel bad?" Arkhen asked as he looked at Cyrus.
"A bit, but that's mostly just a vain thing," Cyrus laughed. "Although I've been looking forward to marrying Grace, I have yet to develop feelings towards her.
"Moreover..." Cyrus looked at Arkhen and shook his head as he continued, "You two have unknowingly gone into a deeper realm of bonds that I've never seen or heard."
"It would be a sin if I become an obstacle between you two, haha."
...
After a week, Grace slowly returned to her peak state as she roamed with Arkhen and started training with Arkhen and Cyrus on her insistence under Elisa.
She was left behind in strength, so she wanted to catch up quickly.
In the end, she really returned to her peak condition after a week.
At night, Arkhen looked at Grace's smiling face as she slept peacefully in her room. After kissing her on her forehead, he left the room and saw Lorail, Rina, Loumil, Cyrus, and Elisa standing there.
"Arkhen... Must you leave?" Lorail asked as her eyes turned moist. "Why don't you tell Grace your feelings? I am sure she will realize it."
"It will not happen unless her curse is gone, and I can't say it," Arkhen said while shaking his head. "If I say it, the logic that you have put into her, the thing that happened to her aunt, and this curse will prevent her from accepting me."
"Arkhen is right."
Twilight Priestess's projection appeared and said as she continued, "She must be the one to realize it herself."
"And Arkhen," Twilight Priestess looked at Arkhen said with a smile, "You must visit all sacred places that other gods and goddesses have blessed. All of them will give you blessings and make you powerful just like the Twilight Goddess here did."
"Your passion and drive have given birth to the path you are treading, and this path is what everyone was looking for. Please, end this Nightmare."
...
The next morning, Grace woke up with a smile and energy like before.
"Feeling good, yes?" Lorail asked with a smile seeing her daughter's happy expression.
"Yes!" Grace grinned and got up as he walked towards the bathroom. "I am feeling healthy, so I will get some pointers from Arkhen today again, haha. He became so powerful, after all."
*clach*
Lorail revealed a complicated expression after seeing Grace enter the bathroom.
After Grace finished bathing and getting ready, she came out and saw that her mother was still in the room.
"Eh, what's the matter, mother?" Grace asked seeing her mother's unnatural expression.
"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that Arkhen left again for Origin Nightmare Land. He won't be returning anytime soon," Lorail said with a wry smile. "Guess you won't be able to get pointers from him anymore."
Grace's mind turned blank when she heard that Arkhen had left. She didn't even hear whatever her mother said after that.
"Grace?" Lorail walked towards Grace and shook her shoulders.
"Ah, wai- what? Why?" Grace snapped out of her daze and asked with an uncomfortable expression. "Why did he leave... He didn't even tell me."
"And why did he go to Origin nightmare land? That place is dangerous."
"Why didn't he tell me.."
Grace constantly mumbled as she felt weak and slumped on her knees on the floor.
*thud.*
Lorail was startled and quickly sat on her knees before looking at her daughter's expression, which was slowly changing.
"Mother, I... It's hurting me here," Grace said as she put her hand over her heart before tears soon started flowing.
"Why it hurts so much?" Grace muttered as tears constantly flowed from her eyes.
"Grace..." Lorail couldn't help but sob as she embraced her daughter.
"Mother, I-I want Arkhen. *sobs, I can't...I can't live without him," Grace started bawling.
With a tear-filled face, Grace looked at her mother and pleaded, "Can't Arkhen stay here? I-I really can't...without him. Everything feels bleak when he is not near me."
"Whenever he touches me, I feel...I feel something magical. He fills me with the energy to live. *sobs*... Please, bring him to me. I.. *sniff*...."
Lorail swiped her daughter's tears and smiled, "He will return, so wait for him. He went there for you, so you must stay strong and live for him."
"For me?" Grace was startled.
"Yes, dear. He went there with the goal of eradicating the Nightmare origin because doing that would remove your curse."
Grace was shocked to her core before tears once again started overflowing from her eyes.
...
Time passed as Grace stayed strong and waited for Arkhen.
She also clearly told Cyrus that she wouldn't be with him. Her heart and soul only longed for Arkhen, and she will wait for him.
On the other hand, Arkhen went around all sacred places and received blessings from all goddesses and gods before returning to the Origin Nightmare Land.
It was not like all goddesses and gods didn't want to bless other people to make them strong. The only reason they couldn't do that was that they couldn't find such a person that could take in all of their powers and still remain sane.
Arkhen's willpower was off the charts, and his Will-Singularity state was something that even the goddess and gods couldn't comprehend.
But they were glad that they finally found their savior.
...
Two years later...
In the Underworld Nightmare Capital...
"W-What should we do? That Slaughter God is finally heading to my duchy! Please, I need help."
All the high-ranking Nightmare Nobles had gathered. They were as strong as Paragon Knights!
Above them was Nightmare King, and he was said to be the strongest existence.
Thousands of years ago, he was sealed by a joint effort of thirteen powerhouses, and ever since then, his strength had weakened and always stayed in the deepest part of the Origin Nightmare Land.
Although Nightmare King couldn't come out, the other human powerhouses also couldn't enter inside to fight him because he was too strong.
"Should we awaken Nightmare King? If he reaches here, then everything will be over."
This content is taken from freewebnove(l).com