#139

The emotions submerged in memory still flickered, but at the word ‘shrine,’ his mind slowly cleared. What they had come here for came to mind first. After that, the precious days he had spent with Kiyen flashed by.

Cullen steadied his ragged breathing and gazed at Kiyen. He felt as if he had returned from an endless cold and wanted to hold him tight and never let go, but he couldn’t do that anymore. They were no longer lovers, and he had said himself that it would be difficult to touch him again.

He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his still trembling fists. Gradually, his mind cooled, and he fully grasped the situation. Then, worry for his companions in the fog arose.

“Where are the others?”

Kiyen lightly gestured towards the fog.

“They are inside. I’ve confirmed they are alive but haven’t woken up. I told Kia to gather the group, so that child will watch over them for now.”

The mention of Kia brought a slight unease. He had observed Kia enough to confirm he was a Young Dragon with no intention of harming anyone, but the suspicious things he had mentioned sporadically weighed on his mind.

Especially, the one called mother. Isn’t a child’s innocence sometimes a poison?

“Just in case, it would be best to bring them here entirely.”

He spoke cautiously, but Kiyen shook his head. He was quite firm.

“It would be more helpful to them to dispel this fog. You were lucky to escape from the memory.”

At the words ‘escaped from the memory,’ Cullen blinked.

“Did you experience it too, Kiyen sir?”

It was strange that this fog affected even Dragons. He had never seen Kiyen fall victim to anything.

“Yes.”

Kiyen’s expression darkened. He closed his mouth, scanned his surroundings, and then spoke.

“It seems to be a trial sent by the god, so trials were inflicted upon me, His creation.”

“A god’s trial?”

“This land is filled with the goddess’s power. But at the same time, I can feel Akesis’s power as well. Rather than pushing each other away, their energies are mixed. I can’t be sure what the situation is, so it’s best to go inside. This situation seems to be a mechanism. If we satisfy what the god desires, the fog will disappear.”

Kiyen stood up and lifted Cullen with him. It had only been a week, but it felt as if they hadn’t touched each other for a very long time.

A moment of silence fell. Kiyen’s hand still held Cullen’s arm. The right hand that had tried to cut his throat with a sword.

“……If it hadn’t been for you, Kiyen, I would have died.”

As Cullen uttered those words, he recalled Kiyen’s expression from earlier. His surprised eyes and urgent voice sounded as if he didn’t wish for his own death. If he truly wanted to break free from his restraints, my death would have been an opportunity.

Then again, Kiyen is a kind soul who said he would wait for the day I died of natural causes. How many times has he saved me? Just like now, whenever I’m in a moment of mental fragility…… so I can lean on him.

The moment he felt that, a fervent tenderness welled up. He truly cannot live without Kiyen. He can smile because Kiyen is there, he can endure, and he is happy just by Kiyen’s presence. Even in the most horrific memories, didn’t Cullen ultimately think of Kiyen?

With an indescribable heaviness, Cullen quietly pulled away from Kiyen. If he stayed like this, he felt he would cling to him and beg. He couldn’t grasp what he might blurt out with his weakened heart.

“You called me. I merely came because of that.”

Kiyen gazed at Cullen, who was slipping from his embrace, with a subtle expression. Before the same silence from before settled again, Cullen spoke.

“Then it would be best to go inside. We must resolve this phenomenon as quickly as possible.”

Kiyen blinked his long eyelashes slowly, then nodded.

“Let’s go in.”

Slowly, they stepped back from each other. With a gap of exactly two steps between them, they walked into the darkness.

The temple was dark. The scent of water, the sound of dripping water, and the smell of old moss lingered everywhere. Thanks to the sparse red or silver-tinged plants emitting a strange light, Cullen quickly adapted to the darkness.

“How did you know this was a temple?”

Cullen asked, breaking the silence.

“The ancient script carved on the pillars was the word of a god. It said the moon and sun overlapped.”

“I didn’t know there were other temples of the gods besides the Aksha Temple.”

Kiyen’s nod was visible due to the faintly flickering plant light.

“I didn’t know there was a god named Akesis either, so it’s plausible.”

His voice was heavy with mixed emotions. It must be an even greater shock to Kiyen, who perceived himself as knowing all knowledge. Especially since he is also the closest being to the gods.

Then, the conversation died down again. Cullen considered asking him about Kia, but the lingering emotional aftermath made him too tired to speak.

The silence continued. Only the sound of each other’s breathing could be heard in the darkness. What they had just experienced was so horrific that Cullen felt this moment was rather peaceful. He even felt like resting like this for a little longer.

Kiyen walked ahead without hesitation, as if he could see clearly in the darkness. They passed through a long corridor and descended further. Invisible stairs continued in a spiral.

At the point where they felt they had walked for quite some time, they reached the end of the stairs. The moment they thought they had stepped on the floor, something strange happened. Silver light began to spread across the floor from where they stepped.

It was a color that resembled the moon. The red plants they had seen while walking through the corridor raised their heads here and there, and the silver plants spread small sparkles. It was like an underground field.

“This place is maintained by Magic.”

Kiyen’s pale face shone brightly, reflected in the silver light. He looked mystical, as if he belonged here.

“Are you referring to your Magic, Kiyen?”

“Magic is not my power. It is one of the goddess’s authorities. Just as I spread a little of the principles of Magic in the human world, I have merely inherited a part of the divine power.”

Saying so, Kiyen stepped onto the plants barefoot. The silver light began to deepen. Following him, Cullen surveyed the surroundings. It was a space that didn’t feel like it was underground. The air was cool and dry, unlike other places, and there was no moisture.

It was then.

You found your way here, I see.

A voice echoed in Cullen’s mind, just as it had when he was in the fog. He flinched and looked around, but saw nothing.

“What is it?”

“I heard a voice. Before being enveloped by the fog, a hallucination-like sound in my head……”

The voice cut off Cullen’s words.

The goddess awaits you who have passed the trial. Forge a sword.

“What kind of sword are you talking about?”

Kiyen stopped Cullen, who was muttering to himself.

“Cullen.”

The moment his wrist was grasped, Kiyen’s gaze shifted to Cullen’s chest.

“Take out the compass.”

Cullen lowered his head. The light seeping from the compass he had tucked in his chest was dyeing his clothes yellow. He hastily took it out. At the same time, the environment began to change.

The darkness began to recede. The plants were still silver, but light like the sun began to fill the vast pupils. A sky that shouldn’t be here rose up, and stars were clearly visible even in the clear sky. A gentle breeze blew through the scene, which felt wondrous. It was refreshing.

“An artifact… seems to be here.”

Kiyen stepped forward. As he walked, the plants parted to make way for him.

With every movement they made, something rose. Golden leaves, beautiful flowers, crystals sparkling like jewels scattered.

As they walked, they discovered a vine-covered wooden chair slowly rising.

Unseen flowers bloomed on the chair. One of them was a flower Cullen knew. The Kiercharus Flower. The one Kiyen used to call by Cullen’s name…

“Here it is.”

Kiyen approached the chair and stopped. Cullen slowly stood beside him. On the chair was a round piece of metal that looked like a crown.

Its sharp edges, visible at a glance, overlapped in a semicircle, with a fist-sized circle pierced in the center. Intricately decorated gold patterns twisted like vines, encircling the rim.

“It resembles the shape of a Chakram… but it’s slightly different. It seems separable.”

Kiyen observed for a moment and reached out without hesitation. While thinking nothing would happen to Kiyen, Cullen stayed close to him, preparing for any eventuality. Kiyen’s pale hand gripped the part of the metal that was not sharp.

However, Kiyen didn’t move after that. His blinking eyelashes froze, and then something strange happened. The scattering wind stopped. The scent of flowers, the flowing clouds, everything…

Stopped.

“Kiyen?”

His body felt it. That the wind had stopped. Not paused, but stopped. And Kiyen seemed to have stopped with it. He was motionless.

“Kiyen!”

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet gave way. Startled, Cullen grabbed Kiyen. But he didn’t budge. It made no sense for something like this to happen to Kiyen, of all people. Fear washed over him. Kiyen is a Dragon. He cannot die. It’s okay.

But, but… what if something happened? What if he lost Kiyen now?

Calm down. I merely stopped time for a moment.

At that moment, a voice echoed in his mind again. No, this time it was different. The form of the voice, the way it was conveyed, was different. It sounded as if it filled the entire space. Yet, it was not loud, but elegant and clear.

Cullen raised his head. He saw nothing, but the voice came from far above.

It is not my concern to kill the last Dragon, so you may speak with me with peace of mind. It is later than I thought. It must be because the children outside are plotting all sorts of self-destruction.

The voice sounded similar to a woman’s, but it did not sound human. Just receiving it made his insides tremble.

Cullen instinctively realized. This being was not human. No, he couldn’t even dare to call it a being.

“Goddess Aksha…?”

At Cullen’s murmur, the voice laughed.

You are as bold as Ria. As expected of the child I created.