Chapter 56 - Finally Back (1M special Advance)

(A/n) We are just a breath away from 1M reads on WN. In TBATE community, despite being a crossover with one of the most famous verse, these views are quite a lot since TBATE isn't that well known. Thanks for reading. And because we hit 100k on Wattpad too, here is an early update. No update on saturday though. 

After getting Sylvie and Ethan and telling them to remain in there human forms, me and Arisu made our way back to the Council's Floating Castle. Right now, I had just finished telling them about the Retainer fight and the fight with Nico and Cecelia. Sylvie had retrieved the Retainer's corpse that Virion suggested to put on display. However, Aldir's expression shifted with alarming suddenness from that of quiet contemplation to a visage twisted with absolute fury when he heard about the asura named Grey and his intervention to save his friends. 

According to Arisu, he was a reincarnate too. That would make sense since Asuras are least likely to call lessers as their "friends." 

"This matter would be reported to Lord Indrath in the earliest." Aldir's voice travelled through the thick air like a blade. as Virion slumped back into his chair, gripping the bridge of his nose and letting out an extended, tired sigh. The bags beneath his eyes had swollen to the size of a ripe fruit, and his once-fresh visage was now bearing the weight of ages, as if he had lived a hundred years in the span of a mere few days. 

"You should meet your family now, Arthur. You too, Arisu. You never what happens next. This was a close call." Virion said and waved his hand, prompting both of us to leave. I stood up from the chair I was sitting in and Arisu did so too as we got up and started to leave the room. I could feel Aldir's constant gaze on Ethan as if he had its doubts but couldn't tell since the feather that hid his signature and identity was enough to overdrive his sight. 

Aldir bowed in Sylvie's direction, and she just turned around, holding me by my hand. As we made our way towards my family, I felt Sylvie's excitement drip through our bond. The feeling of happiness was a pleasant experience --- a wave of giddy euphoria that was at once foreign and exhilarating. Although, the happiness wasn't my own, feeling emotions through Sylvie was somewhat of a refreshing experience. 

"Arthur?" I heard Arisu's voice as I stopped and turned around. 

"You should meet your family alone. I will go and meet my own family." She said as I looked at her and then at Ethan who was looking at Sylvie. 

"Sure, if that is what you want. Ellie would've liked to meet you." I replied. 

"She needs to meet her brother right now. Not me." She retorted, swinging her index finger in the air. 

"Well then, take care on your way back." I spoke. 

The corners of her lips turned up in a mischievous grin, "Aww, already worried about me, huh?"

"Maybe." 

I could feel her face flush with embarrassment in a near instant, painting her cheeks with a rosy hue. The delicate tips of her ears, once pale, now seemed to pulse with a deeper shade of crimson, as if echoing the rapid beat of her audibly racing heart.

"W-Well, you take care too. I will take my leave now." With a shy and bashful smile, she bid me farewell, her movements as stiff and mechanical as a clockwork automaton as she turned around and started to bolt away from there. 

"Well, well, well, aren't you just a little Casanova," Sylvie quipped with a mischievous glint in her eye, as she placed her hand on her mouth to stifle a laugh. Her snicker quickly turned into a full-blown guffaw, as if she had been keeping this punchline on standby for just such an occasion. 

"I was just being nice to her." I replied and tucked my hands into my pockets, walking in the direction where my family's rooms were. Due to my stature as being the one who was trained by asuras, my parents were given a discriminatory treatment as they were let to stay inside the floating castle just like other Royal families and commanders. 

Sylvie just shrugged at my reply, "You might want to explain them about my appearance first." 

"Will do." 

As I got closer, my path was suddenly blocked by the looming figure. Looking up, I saw a huge bear with a really agitated look at its face. He was above 6 ft tall, a mere inch taller than me. He looked down, a certain disdain in his eyes. However, the look changed as he looked at me again, recognising me as I was the one who placed him by Ellie's side. His face lowered, his nose sniffing my face as his expressions visibly brightened up. 

"Looks like it remembers you."

"It seems like it does." I replied. 

"Brother?" A voice spoke as the source of the voice emerged. Her voice was quite different from before. There was an element of familiarity, yet it felt a bit foreign. I looked up and saw a young girl --- Ellie, dressed in a long comfy dress, her ashen hair tied in a braid that was let loose on her back while her brown eyes seemed to glitter under the flashing LPA's --- glimmerring like pools of finest coffee. (Light Producing Artefacts)

I walked past the guardian bear that I had placed by Ellie's side all those years ago and stood in front of her. Her shoulders were trembling, and I could see her biting her own lip, trying her best not to cry. While the guardian bear was enough to protect her from physical harm, it couldn't do anything about the emotional wounds. I had left Dicathen on a quick note, not even meeting my little sister once. 

As I saw her little figure shake like that, I could suddenly feel my heart beating with an emotion that I could not quite put my finger on, despite my impassive exterior there was a deep-rooted feeling that made me feel weird seeing her like this. It felt like a heavy, crushing weight had been placed down on her shoulder, as she struggled to hold on the threads of self-control so desperately. And I could feel a tinge of remorse bubbling up inside of me. 

Extending my one hand, I placed it over her head. She recoiled, leaving my hand in air as I coiled my fingers and extracted it back, my arm now dangling to the side. 

"Ellie, I am sorry." I apologised for leaving her just like that and not informing her. 

"You left for all those years and now all you want to say is sorry?" Her words came out like a dagger with an intent to take someone's life. There was a stark differnce between her former and current tone, a reminder of how much I had missed about Ellie's life. I knew that my apologies would never be enough to erase the sense of betrayal that she felt, nor would they ease the pain that she had endured in my absence. But even as I stood there, face to face with her, I could sense that my explanations and justifications would fall on deaf ears. It was natural for her to feel like that but telling her about the optimized choice of decisions would make little sense right now. When a person is fueled by emotions, logic is the last thing on someone's mind. 

"But you're back now, right?" She said as I looked up at her face, the bitter frown on her face replaced by a sad smile, "You won't leave again like that... right?" She asked again, taking a step forward. 

I lowered myself to my her level, my eyes fixed on the ashen locks that cascaded down her back. As I wrapped my arms around her trembling form, the thin dam that had held back her emotions for so long finally gave way, unleashing a river of tears that soaked my shirt and left her gasping for breath. I held her close, feeling the heat of her tears against my skin and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest as she cried. I gently patted her head, my fingers tracing the curves of her hair as I whispered words of comfort in her ear.

"It's okay," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere for a while now."

As she peeled her face away from my shoulder, her brown eyes shone with a mixture of relief and fear. The grip of her hug around my waist tightened as if she were afraid that I would disappear like a crisp leaf on a windy day, leaving her alone once again.

"For a while?" 

"Don't think too much about it." I replied. 

 "It means that I'm not going anywhere for a while," I explained.

"But what does 'for a while' even mean?" she pressed, her brows furrowing in confusion.

Ellie's nose scrunched up in annoyance as I pinched it. Despite the earlier sadness that plagues her seeing her suddenly smile again was a comforting feeling and it was also good to see that she still had some fight left in her.

"Hey, that hurts!" she protested, jerking her head away from my grip.

"Well, I can't have you getting too emotional now, can I?" I tried to ease the mood earning myself a playful punch on the arm.

"You know, for someone who is always stoic, you sure know how to be annoying," she quipped, her brown eyes shining with amusement despite her best at acting like she was annoyed.

"Maybe that is my actual talent." I replied, thinking whether I am actually annoying or not. However, it felt like she was enjoying it. Well, I guess it doesn't matter.  

"So, what's up with the rags you're wearing? Did the asuras not have a fashion sense?" my sister quipped, eyeing my torn clothes with a raised eyebrow.

"I had a small altercation on my way back to the castle. Just a minor disagreement," I replied nonchalantly.

Faking a shiver she spoke, "I pity the fool who picks a fight with you."

"They're not dead, if that's what you're thinking."

"Only major impairments, then?" she asked with a mischievous glint in her eye.

I tightened my grip on her arm, "Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"Ow, ow," she yelped, pretending to be in pain. "I'll tell Mom!"

I let her go, sighing at her theatrics. "Where are they?" I asked.

"In the room. They told me to go play outside for a while," she said with a shrug.

"Ah, I see," I said, realizing it would be best not to interrupt whatever business they were conducting. 

"I don't have anyone to play with though." Ellie said sadly, looking at me and indirectly prompting me to play with her. 

*grrrr*

The guardian bear let out an angry growl. 

"I meant except you, Boo." 

"Boo?"

Ellie explained her unusual name for the guardian bear, "Boo? Like the sound you make when someone scares you?" I asked, tilting my head.

Ellie nodded earnestly. "Exactly! He looks so grumpy all the time, like he's about to jump out and scare you."

"Well, I suppose it's better than calling him Grumpy Bear," I joked, earning a playful swat from Ellie.

But as I watched Boo wag his tail happily at his new moniker, I wondered, Who knew a fearsome guardian bear could have such a silly name?

"Um, brother, I wanted to ask for a while now but... Who is that girl behind you?" Ellie asked as she pointed at Sylvie at my back. 

"She is my new and better sister. She is quite strong." I replied, trying to tease her but it seemed like it had an opposite effect as instead of taking it as a joke, my sister's face contorted with a mix of confusion and fury. Her cheeks puffed up like a blowfish as she shot me a death glare.

"New and Improved? What does that even mean?" She asked, taking an aggressive step towards Sylvie. 

"Stop pulling her leg, Arthur," Sylvie interrupted as she introduced herself, "Hi Ellie. It is our first time meeting in this form but we've been together all our childhood," She said with a smile and grinner, revealing her flashy white teeth. 

"Sylvie?" Ellie immediately asked, looking at me and then at her. 

Sylvie didn't reply but instead spread her hands sideways as Ellie ran up to her and hugged her. "How did you got this form? You look so pretty!" She exclaimed with an excited squeal, "Oh, your hair is so good." 

"Hehe, you look pretty good and mature yourself, Ellie, as compared to last time." 

"Thanks."

"Brother, brother, Can I play with Sylvie? Pretty please?" 

I looked at Sylvie as she nodded with a smile, "Sure. Go ahead." I replied as Ellie and Sylvie hopped away, hands in hands. As I watched her hop away, I could feel something in my chest. Was it happiness or a sense of fulfilment that nothing happened while I was away. I never liked letting things be decided by uncertainty. If something happened to her while I was away, I was unable to control it. 

But the question still remained --- was it a feeling of genuine happiness or a sense of relief that everything was going on as I had wished?

Guess I will never know. 

I turned around and was about to go to my room when I felt someone around me. 

"Aya." I spoke as she emerged suddenly. 

"Howdy?" She greeted with a grin, her long luscious hair --- as black as the darkest night, draped down her shoulders and then her back. A few lock of them fell on her face further complimenting her sharp features. Her lips were curved out like a pout and there was an air of allure around her, tempting to pull in any man. 

"Just arrived. How are you?" I asked back as she smiled and came closer, wrapping her hands around me and pulling my face down towards her chest, but I rested it on her shoulder, escaping a death trap. 

"Oww, I miss the days you were shorter than me. I could show all the love I had for my little brother," She spoke as she pouted even further but even as she spoke, the subtle thrum in her voice was amplified by Sound Magic, adding an element that could send a shiver down not just the spine but a lot of things. 

"I never agreed to being your little brother." I replied as I peeled myself away from her. The mischievous grin on her face never left as she pulled me closer by my shoulder, "Well then do you prefer to be called something else?" Her voice bounced off the insides of my ears, making me take an instinctive step back.

"Stop teasing him, Aya." A familiar sweet voice spoke as I looked back. She had shoulder length blonde hair with a mint-ish hue in it while her eyes were a brighter shade of teal. I looked at her and focused at her core. Her core was completely stable now while she was at a stage that could be called the middle stage of white. Her progress after the events in Widow's Crypt seem astronomical given that she had next to chance of surviving. She stopped in front of me, her eyes gleaming because of the tears she had been holding back. 

"You're doing fine now." I spoke up, breaking the silence. 

"I've seen worse. And I'd say right now I am at my best," She replied with an enthusiastic look over her slightly chubby and round face, "All thanks to you, Arthur." 

"I just happened to find you there while I was strolling. No big deal." I replied. 

"Yeah. Strolling into a dungeon that was in one of the deepest parts of Beast Glades. Your lying skills didn't improve at all, Arthur," Aya interjected. 

"The dungeons were linked." 

"Suuuuure," Aya rolled her eyes as Alea giggled before placing her hand on my shoulder, "Princess has been thinking about you all this time too. Give some time to her if you're free." Alea spoke with a tight-lipped smile. I nodded my head in response as I heard Aya snicker. 

"I thought you'd have a cheeky comeback saying "Which one" but I guess I expected too much, little bro." 

"There is nothing of that sort. And I am not your brother."

"Oh come on Arthur, why would you hurt my fragile heart like that?" Aya faked a tear with one hand and placed her other hand on her heart, her long ears sulking in a dramatic fashion. 

"Fragile? Do fragile hearts flirt with fellow lances?" I said and I could feel Aya's confident demenor fade away in an instant, her face as pale as it could get. 

"Fellow lance?" Alea asked, tilting her head innocently. 

"And the man in Elshire which you left after 2 nigh-"

"AHHHH, enough, enough. Alea and I have a patrol mission now. We will talk later," Aya said, pushing Alea away. Shooting a death glare at me she mumbled in my ear via sound magic, "This would be due on your side."   

I shrugged my shoulders, too tired to take part in any more banter. It felt nice to be back and feel normal for a while. The first 12 years of my life in this world were much better compared to my old one. While I made some enemies, it was the first time I found living life this much enjoyable. I never felt bored. There were always so many things that I could learn. The things to learn had ceased for me on earth, but here every day was a new revelation. A new boulder to conquer every day. For some reason... I could feel the hibernating adrenaline in my body wake up and spark a fire. 

Feeling a bit tired, I made my way to the room designated for me. It had been a few days since I have slept. The closer I get to integration, the less sleep and food I needed for my sustenance. As I moved towards my door, I felt a familiar presence inside. 

This can't be good.