Silence entered the air after Paimon had asked her question. Everyone's gaze turned to you as you had been the one to defeat the goddess.
What was going on?
Even you yourself didn't really know what had happened. One moment you were talking to Tomo and all the people that you had met throughout your life and the next, you were back in Khaenri'ah with the people you cared about alive once again. It was a complete nightmare but when you had come back, the nightmare seemed to have passed as if it had never existed. However, you knew it was real when you saw the disappearing body of the unknown goddess.
You looked at your hand, contemplating everything that had happened. How would you explain what happened to them? Dain and Kazuha died and Aether and Lumine were knocked out and about to die.
Clenching your fist, you gulped as you relived the nightmare of Dain and Kazuha dying in front of you.
Seeing your reluctance and fear, Kazuha stood up and opened his hand for you to hold it, "Why don't we leave Khaenri'ah first? I think we all need time to process everything that had happened."
"Paimon agrees," Paimon floated up when she saw your devastated face.
"It's fine," you steeled yourself in preparation to explain what you understood from everything that was happening.
"But this is our homeland," Dain placed his hand over the blackened ground. "We finally return and right after the battle we leave? It may be a complete wasteland but, there are still many memories we made here."
"We can come back," Lumine comforted Dain.
"We can't," you sighed. "The moment that there are no more lifeforms here, the portal to Khaenri'ah will close and our home will disappear from the books of history. The creation of Khaenri'ah was supported with the core that I had destroyed. The only reason it still remained until now was that it had been absorbed into my body. The last attack that I had used had killed everything in this realm and the core is now gone. The remaining power is completely gone. As the guardian, Khaenri'ah recognizes me and is staying as is but once I leave, it's goodbye to our home."
"Then what do we do," Dain looked at you, waiting for your reply. "I will follow you wherever you go and whatever you do."
"It's time we leave," you decided, standing up with the help of Kazuha. "It's time we step forward and write a new life for ourselves more so because the curse that had plagued us is now gone."
"Gone?" Kazuha questioned.
You nodded as you gave him your hand, "My power is now gone. The reason for the powerful curse was that it was circulating through my power."
"So the reason why Lumine was more affected was that she was more powerful?" Aether asked.
"Exactly," you continued your explanation. "The curse originally circulated around the residue power of the core that was absorbed into my body and spread to those around me and now that my power is gone, the curse on Lumine and Dain is gone too. Painfully though, the lives of the people of Khaenri'ah had already run out so they are now gone. Dain and I are the last living beings of Khaenri'ah."
"So our curse of immortality is gone as well," Dain added on to what you had said.
"Yes," you held your hand to him which he gratefully accepted. "That's why I said we should write a new life for ourselves. Without our immortality, we have a normal lifespan and with that being the case, we should finally enjoy the things that we took for granted when we didn't have an end to our lives."
"My lady," Dain took his sword which lay by his side before making it disappear. "Whatever you say, I will follow."
"I didn't mean for you to follow me, Dain. Live your own life. Explore, experience, do whatever you want without me holding you back."
"But-"
"No but's Dain," you smiled. "It's time for you to live your own life like how I will be doing. You have served me for a long time and think of this as you finally retiring."
"Then I will accept and offer my utmost gratitude, my Lady," Dain knelt on his knee, his fist over his chest.
"So what are you going to do now," Paimon asked.
You giggled, covering your grin with your hand before looking towards Kazuha, "Someone confessed to me and I intend to spend the rest of my life with him."
"I- I-" Kazuha stammered, his face turning incredibly red, as red as a tomato.
"What do you plan to do now?" you returned the question to the twins and Paimon.
Aether and Lumine looked at each other before making a wordless agreement, "We plan to leave this world now. We've overstayed here."
"Paimon wants to come along!" Paimon flew towards the two, face pure of blissful excitement. "Can Paimon go with you?"
Aether and Lumine smiled at each other before approving for Paimon to go with them since she had been the longtime companion of Aether in his adventures.
"What about you Dain?" Kazuha turned the question towards your cherished knight.
"Where the world plans to lead me to," Dain replied. "I have always wanted to explore the world and now that my lady had given me the opportunity to, I will take it."
You smiled at Kazuha after hearing everyone's future plans. Now, it was time for you and Kazuha to decide what your future would be together. Heart pounding with excitement, you didn't need to think about your curse anymore and you would be able to live peacefully. You couldn't ask for anything better.
"It's time to say goodbye," you said as you reminisced the memories that you had made in your homeland.
Leading everyone to the portal, everyone had stepped through until it was just you and Kazuha left.
"Thank you for everything Kazuha," you pushed your hair over your ear as the wind made your hair gracefully dance around.
Hand over his cheek, you placed your lips over his, and at that moment, it was just you and Kazuha. You felt warm with love as he hugged you closer to him. A first kiss from one lover to another. What could be better than that?