Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Chapter 34

CAELUM

My heart has never beat like this way before – so erratic and alive.

I cannot fathom how such a small organ can beat so strong inside my chest without damaging my ribcage; thundering as though it were a hundred hooves barreling against my chest. It is a mystery; a wonderful one, to be able to commit into memory every sound she makes, every touch she delivers.

It’s a wonder how I can feel every dip of her tongue, every caress of her fingers that are like feathers on my skin; I am absorbed by the very sigh that she lets out and her whimper, Oh! They sound so soft against my ear that it melts me. How can she sound so pretty like this? When every moan appears that she was begging for her life and every thrust felt like it was her last move.

I have wondered for years how humans can be satisfied of this kind of loving when I always find myself disappointed. I thought they end up miserable for they only know one kind, yet I am wrong. Every time I drew closer, I felt like I needed to climb more, reaching out to something I have yet to find out.

Heaven is more like a state of mind; confine into a place of safety, of peace.

The feeling that I have seems to flow in my veins, pulsing and I quite like how it temporarily drove me high, as though I were floating. It was overwhelming and I would love to do it over and over again.

The slight dazed look she has made me smile as I carefully lay her down on my side, having been finished with giving her the proper loving she deserves. The blush on her cheeks are pretty and I like how they turned her serene and beautiful.

She was asleep and thankfully, it gave me more time to contemplate about what had just transpired for the whole of the hour we spent at the field.

The fireflies drifted to and fro from us, their lights like twinkling stars, matching the one from above. I can barely see Rubin’s face as I leaned over her sleeping form, draping a blanket over the two of us and burying my face on her neck, my hand automatically resting on her naked stomach.

I huffed.

I wish I can just freeze this moment and never let her go. It will be very useful to manipulate the time and repeat the last twenty four hours – just a day of bliss, of perfection, happiness and the essence of normality; a day that is spent like how we should have had for the rest of our life. I frowned, sighing once again because I know it was impossible for Hades will not be swayed for the third time, no matter what bargain I shall offer to him. I rested my head on my hands, my eyes trained on her calm face.

It was a miracle that a human like her can make a god fall in love – twice!

Maybe if I am not a god and I am born a human -everything else would have been normal. We could have had our happy ending - a mortal life with difficulties and sadness, with happiness and love. It hurts to think that if that certain variable is changed, this life can present a better future for the two of us.

Rubin shivered slightly so I pulled the blanket over her, making her sigh. Not wasting any chance I have, I leaned down at her face and kissed her lips, gentle at first before deepening it. Rubin whimpered so I pulled back, gazing at her sad green eyes.

“I’m sorry I wake you.”

Rubin shakes her head at me and I wearily observe her as she covered her naked body with the blanket, averting her eyes away from my exposed manhood. I smirked, earning a rose thrown my way.

“We did it.”

She whispered softly and I nodded, taking the end of the blanket so I can use it to cover my waist.

“We have done it.” She said, louder this time – her cheeks tinted red while she bit her lip. I put my arm around her and kissed the sides of her forehead.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m –“ Rubin turns her head to look at me. She was smiling, her eyes twinkling in the dark, “I feel…complete.”

Her hands shot off to cover her mouth, hiding her smile. I laughed, lightly squeezing her shoulders as I tucked her on my side. We fell silent for a while, both lost in our own thought.

I can’t believe that she acted like this for she appears to be so timid back when we first met. She’s now a different girl; more confident compared from the one I just spent an hour, loving.

I burried my face on her neck, whispering, “I feel the same way too.” I sniffed at her neck, kissing it then pulling away.

“I wish we can be together, forever.” She whispered, her voice breaking. I rested my head on hers as she leaned closer, “I wish we won’t need to separate again. This is so…hard.”

My heart clenched as I hear her cry, her soft whimpers and tears falling as though she have no control over them. I let her cry on my shoulder and smooth my fingers on her locks. My hands would probably bruise her arms because of how tight I am holding her but she seems to not care.

I sigh – she was my everything.

I don’t care about my money, my property, my name – I will gladly trade it all just to have her next to me, forever.

My eyes prickled, and suddenly, they felt so warm as I felt tears on my cheeks. I wanted to tell her that it will be alright; that she don’t need to worry about anything and how I will gladly save her from Hades but, I can’t.

I do not want to give her false hope just like how I just did – feeding her the nectar, keeping her in the Lakhowt Island and bargaining with Hades.

I do not want to promise anything to her that I will not be able to fulfill.

I bit back a sob as I pulled her up from the blanket, sitting her on my lap. Her naked skin felt soft and smooth that I couldn’t help myself from trailing my mouth down on her upper arm, hoping that it will somehow serve her some comfort. She is still shaking quite hard from the sobs that is wrecking her body. I pulled at the blanket and use the sides to wipe her tears and snot, “Shh.”

“I have barely twelve hours left, Caelum, that’s only half a day!”

“I know, I know…” I kissed her forehead and whispered, “Hush now, ma moitié, stop your crying now. Sleep, love.”

“But I don’t want to sleep,” She pushed me away and stood, not caring the state she’s in as she stands before me – naked from head to foot. “I have barely half a day , Caelum, and you want me to sleep. Are you joking? Because it isn’t funny!”

Her outburst made me smirk a little – she looks so elegant standing in front of me with her exposed womanhood, her red hair like a flame framing her face.

She is so mesmerizing.

I licked my lips and stand next to her, wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her close so that I can rest my head on her shoulders. “Hey, stop being a grumpy pants and relax. Nothing bad is going to happen. You are tired is all which is why I want you to sleep. Note that we can still do a lot more with those twelve hours left.”

She abruptly turns at me, eyes wide and filled with fear, glistening because of her recently shredded tears. She pushed my hands away, crossing her hands over her chest which made them appear bigger than they should.

“But if I did sleep, I’ll reduce my time with you – is that what you want? Less time to spend with me? Do you really hate me that much to make me sleep for the rest of my limited time?”

“No, you are misunderstanding it all, Rubin. I don’t hate you – in fact, I love you so much that it hurts me when I see you suffering like this. I never wanted to hurt you in any way possible and would never wish for you to go.”

I forcefully yanked her back in my arms , ignoring her protest as she slaps my chest, “Rubin, if I could, I would trade with Hades again and ask him to take me. I will gladly trade my life for you, Rubin, as long as you are safe. It is all my fault, even in the past – it has always been my fault.”

She stopped hitting my arms, her hands falling limp on her sides. I leaned close and buried my head on her neck, sobbing. “I shouldn’t have fallen for you. I shouldn’t have taken you from your family in the first place the very first time. A Cupid like me should not have lusted over a mere human whose beauty is comparable to Venus herself. I regret it all. It is all my fault and I ask for your forgiveness.”

Rubin put her hand on my waist, her breath even. I stared down at her, noticing the fact that she has stopped crying, “I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess, Rubin. It is all because of my mistakes in the past.”

She sighs, her eyes droopy. I leaned down, kissing her forehead before her eyes closed. Rubin raised a shaky hand and latched it on my shoulder, “I don’t want to sleep, Caelum.”

“Hush, ma moitié, I will still be here when you wake,” She tried to push herself up but I just lower her down on the blanket.

“But I don’t want to waste my time sleeping.”

“You won’t waste your time, besides, I will be here. I’m not going anywhere so hush now, “ I watch her as she slowly fell to her dreams with her hands tightly holding mine.

I took her clothes from the bushes and carefully dressed her while chanting for her to continue sleeping. Her soft breathing tickled my ear as I pulled her jeans up her legs, fixing her halo of hair round her face.

“Pretty,” I whispered, resting my hands on the sides of her face. I caressed her soft skin and reluctantly refrained myself from staring at her body as I settled down on her side, focusing my gaze at the field.

This place has been the most memorable place for me ever since I have been vanished from the heavens and thrown down here on earth. This is where I was found and this is where I have devoted my time during those depressing years when I have longed for her.

Thinking back about the sullen days I have spent alone tending to the field – digging the earth, planting the flowers and waiting for them to bloom all the while imagining how I will take that certain girl in this majestic place. I used to imagine how she will explore the field and discover all the secrets; the blossoms of which are so beautiful that I am the only one who can raise such precious delicate things.

I have dreamt of things only to end up disappointed when after a hundred years, I cannot find her.

I consider it my dark years to finally realize that she’s a fiction – a part of my imagination, someone that is unlikely to redeem me from my tragic fate. The anger follows after the sadness passed and I believe, I am poor and lacking with regards to dealing with that emotion for I almost resulted with ending my own life.

I’m glad I didn’t do it for I will not have the opportunity to spend some time with my other half, ma moitié, if I have perished back then.

The dark sky transitions to midnight blue as the surrounding life slowly wakes from its slumber, yet my other half remains dormant, breathing softly. I discreetly pulled at the sleeves on her wrist and stared down at the numbers, sighing – there’s only eight hours left.

I leaned back, remembering my promise of marrying her and I vowed that it will be one of her best experience here on earth.

I took a sunflower, and rested my arm on her sides, while I slowly traced her face with it. She stirred once before swatting the sunflower away, squashing it against my face. Pouting, I took a rose instead and ran it from the middle of her brows and down to her nose, leading to her lips, lingering on them. I leaned closer so I can replace the rose with my mouth. I let it rest there, purposefully kissing her – channeling my sadness on the kiss then pulling away.

“Wake up, Rubin. Wake up, ma moitié.”

She groans, turning on her side so that her hair covers her face.

“I’m gonna marry you as the sun rises up and the field will slowly wake up while the flowers began to open.” I whispered next to her ear, knowing how she hates that for it tickles.

Rubin turns away from me and resumed with her fetal position, hugging her knees close to her chin. I transferred to the other side, leaning my head on hers as I continue, “I’ll watch you as you walk the path leading to me, golden glow bathing the field, surrounding you. I will give you a bouquet of roses and tell you how much I love you.”

I smiled as she opens one of her eyes, the other one following afterwards making me raise an eyebrow at her action.

“You love me?”

I chuckled at her question, taking her arms so I can settle her on my lap, before snuggling close to her, “Yes, I do.”

“We will still marry?”

“Only if you want to. “

“But what should I wear?” She looks down on her red jumper and black trousers, her green eyes wondering as she glanced at me.

“I’m glad you asked,” I took her hand on mine and we made our way up the hill.

The dome is only a dark shadow with a dim blue background, looming large and menacing from afar. Rubin tightened her hands on mine as I plunge a hand in the thick tangle of vines, smiling as the two of us was swallowed inside.

I’m glad that Rubin can still access the dome with me even if she is a human now.

I guess, she isn’t entirely human.

She shivered next to me and I sigh, sitting down on one of the carousels and watching her as she puts her hand on top of it.

“I’ll never light it up again,” she whispered while looking down at her hands as though she was talking to them and not me.

“I can try,” I suggested, giving her a sad smile as I touched the carousel she previously held. It lit up and so did the rest of the dome. Some of the fireflies from outside has managed to enter the dome and I smiled, facing her before putting one of her hand on my waist as I held the other with my own.

I gave her a little sway and her eyes widen while I twirled her around to a song that is not heard by others; a music that is in sync with our heartbeats. It is a melody of sadness and happiness and of that desperate wish of having to extend her limited time.

Rubin giggled, her face filled with joy even if her eyes glisten with tears. I couldn’t agree more for she looks so beautiful in any emotion her face shows.

I spin her around, the both of us drowning in our imagination; both heartbroken to perceive what is real or faux as we laughed, ignoring the throbbing pain that is lingering in our hearts.

Soon enough, Rubin was so red in the face that I have to stop her from laughing, pushing her back on the carousel where she sat awhile ago.

I headed at the far side of the dome, rummaging for something that I have planned to take the moment we arrived here before we got distracted. The box was hidden under piles of books and trinkets I have chosen to forget and abandon yet the sentimental value made me hate the idea of throwing them away. I have no heart to dispatch these things for they have served me well for hundred of years, never failing to comfort my soul.

I touched the box; the cold surface is the only indication that it is the one I’ve been looking for. I took the box and carry it back to Rubin, her eyes alit and her cheeks flushed only to stop when I heard some whirring, something shifting – the both of us stunned into silence as we watched the carousel move.

The sight of her knocked the air out of my lungs, I wonder-

“Here,” I put the box on top of her lap and explained as she stared at me. “Aeon have given this to me, a hundred years back when the romans has started conquering the world. He figures that I will need it someday.”

Rubin’s hand shakes with anticipation so I nodded at her, giving her the permission to open the box. She takes the end of the golden ribbon and pulled it towards her. She takes the lid and carefully lifted, her hand flying to her mouth as she gasped, “This is –“

“Yes. It is the dress Aphrodite have asked the river nymphs to weave using the riverbank foam. With the help of Anemoi’s east and west wind, they were able to harvest the foams and dried it with the aid of the southern wind.”

“Aunt Lilia have mentioned this to me when I was growing up as a child. Every little Erosian girls in Eros has dreamt about seeing this someday. I thought it was a legend, a story told for us to believe.”

“Nope.”

“It was lost – the Nereids, they took it for their mother, Doris, and it angered Aphrodite, promising them no love. So how did Aeon –“

“I didn’t asked him how he got it. I just took it because he keeps on whining about how ungrateful I am to receive such a treasure that even the goddesses are fighting because of it. After I have received it, I stuffed it inside the dome, like the rest of things I had, not knowing what to do with them but still refusing to throw them away.”

Rubin smooth her hands down on the dress, as though she was reveling at a diamond.

Well, the dress was worth more than a diamond.

“Come on, it is almost sunrise. I want to marry you as the sun glows and bless us with its light.” I took her hand and she carried the dress on her arms, her lips pulled in a smile.

*

The horizon was split with the golden line, a tell tale of the sun that is coming out behind the ranges.

“Go on, dress up. Pick your favourite flowers and meet me down by the river.”

“There is a river here?”

“Of course. You don’t expect me to conjure water out of thin air, do you? That is simply unacceptable with the rules of the realm.” Rubin shrugged her shoulders, her hand still caressing the dress. “It is behind the dome. You can easily spot it because of the lilies, it will be impossible for you to not see them. And oh! You never need to look for me, since I will be waiting there for you by the riverbank, as I have been in the past.” I cringed at how I sound so sweet and blushed as Rubin marveled at me, her eyes glazed.

“Stop acting like a fool that fell in love, my dearest Rubin.”

She snapped out of her trance as I clear my throat.

It is the Cupid side of me that’s working here and Rubin is vulnerable like all humans are as they couldn’t help but fall on my charms. I smirked at Rubin who she quickly marched down the hill, nervous at first before she relaxed, swaying slightly as though she was dancing to a song.

I sighed and headed at the opposite direction where the hill dips down to a river. I took some lilies and tie them together, settling them inside the baskets before letting them float on the water, using them to form a broken circle in the middle. The full bloom rose by the river bank swayed and I gingerly plucked a few of them and put it on a basket along with some wool where I can put the ring on.

Satisfied, I headed back inside the dome with the basket on my waist and took the worn out leather bag from the side of the carousel before going outside. I gulped as I headed down the dome, pushing the pots and vases and laying the bag on top of my work table. I opened the bag, pulling the light cotton-like material.

I have heard from Aeon that clouds can be manipulated in the ancient times and made into a garment. I ran my hands on it and smiled, sighing as I removed my clothes before draping it on my body, holding it in place with the loose thread from the golden fleece. I fixed the strings on my shoulder and rummaged for the small box from the depths of the bag, holding it in the palm of my hand. I opened it, smiling tenderly at the pair of rings.

The gold glistened against the lack of sunlight and the diamond in the middle perfectly fits the mouth of the carved rose. It was simple and perfect and I know that Rubin will love it. I caressed the rings before settling them inside the basket.

The hike down the hill leading to the river is quite short and I easily reached the edge where I lay the basket on a rock. I decided to wander to the other side, spying on Rubin as she gathered the ivies. I sneaked at her, interrupting her as I said, “I think that’s more than enough for a bouquet.”

Rubin frowns, turning so that she can glare at me, her wild ginger hair flying about as the wind blew. “Well, we have to make use of the flowers one way or another, don’t we? I am only going to be married once so, don’t spoil my fun, Caelum!”

I let out a chuckle, walking back to the other side of the river. I waited for her by the riverbank with my feet growing colder as I skimmed the soft pebbles that lined the edges of the river.

I took the rose basket, dipping my toes as soon as I see Rubin walking down the hill that leads to the river, golden veil now covering her face from me. She slowly waded through the water, giggling for she has stumbled a couple of times and by the time she has reached me, her clothes was drenched to her waist when in reality, the water is barely reaching my knees.

“It is quite slippery,” she whispered and I grabbed her hand, taking us to the middle of the circle made from the basket of lilies.

“The river is enchanted to maintain the same depth – it won’t go deeper as we wade through, nor dry up, so don’t you worry about anything at all,” I tightened my hands on hers and we glanced up at the sun as it shines at us, the sweet morning air blowing her hair.

I tucked her hair beneath her ear and took a deep breath.

“I , Caelum Eros Rouen, First of the Cupid, a marked Dieoublie, take thee, Rubin Francesca Hearthrowe to be my significant half, forever – in this life and the next , thee, the sister of my soul, my light and my love. To thee, I promise to share my life, my difficulties and happiness, my sadness and joy, my moments of peril, of damnation and vow to protect thee from any harm that may come – this, I declare to the gods, with the mountains and the river as the witness of my love – my salvation,” I bowed my head in front of Rubin, dipping it so low before I raised it, looking at her as I slipped the ring on her right ring finger.

I felt her hand caressing my cheeks and I looked up to see the shadow of her smile from the veil, “I, Rubin Francesca Hearthrowe, Cupid the seventeenth, transformed human, take thee, Caelum Eros Rouen, to be my significant half, forever. In this life and the next, thee, the sister of my soul, my rock and my strength. To thee, I promise to never forget, whatever happens –“ Rubin’s face is almost visible as her tears stained the veil, and she tightened her hand on mine, her voice breaking. “To share my dreams, my hopes and my wishes, to spend the rest of my days with moments of happiness and sadness. I vow to Hades that I will come back to you, my Caelum, in whatever means, in whatever time – to love and to cherish, forever. This I declare to the gods, with the sky and the sun as witness to my love, my salvation.” Rubin shakily pushed the ring on my right hand, her shoulders trembling.

I never wasted a moment more as I moved the veil and leaned in close so that I can kiss her, fervently, anxious that her hours has finally come to an end and she will be snatched away from me.

I felt restless as I take her; my lips probably bruising hers, my hands roaming around her body – shaking so bad that I have to breathe in and out, slowing them down while I pulled away from her.

“Come on.”

She quietly followed me up the hill and we settled by the meadow where the violets and daisies bloom. I caressed her face and pulled her down so that she was sitting on my lap. I wrapped my arms around her.

“You’ll never forget me?” I asked her, knowing that it is lame and pointless for all souls that Hades has taken will not remember their past as he possessed their memories, eventually making them forget about their loved ones.

“I won’t.”

Her voice sounded so sure that I want to believe it, however unlikely as it seems. I want to hang to that false hope – that Hades will forget about the bargain or just ask for seven white cows and seven white lambs instead. My tears fell and I cried harder as she held out her hand to wipe my tears – revealing the number of hours etched on her wrist.

An hour.

An hour at most. What shall we do with that remaining time? Cuddle? Kiss? There’s so many things I wanted to ask her, too many things I wanted to know about her – why does she prefer the colour green over red? Why does she open the fridge slowly and close it fast? How can she manage not to snore even when her mouth is wide open when she sleeps? And how can she even manage to tolerated certain heights but be afraid of riding the plane?

There is a lot more that I wanted to ask her – an hour is simply far too short to ask these questions for me to figure her out more. I felt like I would need a day – no – make it a month, or a decade or better yet, a millennia for me to feel like I have really spent some time to know her better.

I cannot speak.

I cannot even open my mouth as she looks at me, her hands on the sides of my face asking, “Why are you crying, Caelum? Please, tell me, please. Stop crying, please, I beg you…” She pecked my lips, putting her head on the hollow my neck, making me cry harder, “Please stop crying, Caelum, I don’t know what to do!”

I smooth her wild red hair and threaded my fingers through them, thinking about how I will miss it, miss her, the untamable rouge that took my breath away. I nuzzled my nose in her hair and sniffed – how can I let her go when her scent alone resembles the smell of the flowers of the field?

I’ll never survive a day without her, I swear.

I tried to compose myself, wiping my tears furiously, willing myself to stop crying so I can speak,” What do you want to talk about, Rubin?”

Sge lifted her head off the side of my neck and adjusted herself so that she was leaning on my shoulder, looking up at me with her puffy green eyes, “Can you tell me how our future will be if we were normal?”

“Oh.”

Her question caught me off guard that I choke back on a tear. Rubin rubs her head on my neck and whispered, “It would’ve been nice to live in a cottage here in the field.” I let her talk, committing her voice in my memory as I listened to her, “The river bank is a good place to spend the afternoon summers and maybe then, you would teach me how to swim.”

She smiled at me and I love how it made my heart skip a beat.

“Would you like to have a child with me, given the chance?” I whispered, my chin resting on top of her head. “Yes, but not after the wedding. I would like us to live like a couple and enjoy ourselves for two years before committing ourselves to a snot that looks just like me but acts like you.” I chuckled, glad that she is cheering me up when it should be me who is comforting her.

“And maybe, we’ll get a cat and name him Ripple because he will be better than Aeon’s cat. Stupid Gust!” She exclaimed before yawning widely, tracing her fingers on my hand as she slowly grew silent.

“What are you thinking about?”

“The heavens – the gods – of how they are so cruel; how they have punished us greatly in the past and let us meet again to suffer the same tragedy.” I felt her tears on my chest which made me pull away slightly, lifting her chin up with my finger.

“I wish you were human, Caelum. I wish we were normal.”

“I wish so, too.”

“Will they give us another chance, perhaps, to meet as normal humans for the third time?”

“I don’t know.” I replied, not wanting to give her some false hope because I don’t want her to wish upon something that won’t happen.

“I wish they’ll be able to hear me, Caelum, because my love for you will never fade – even if Hades takes me, I will never stop loving you.” Her body shakes as she sobbed on my shoulders. I pat her back, trying to comfort her as I tried to distract her away from this thoughts.

“It’s never good to dwell to this depressing thoughts, Rubin. Let me tell you some good things instead so you better listen to the story I am about to tell.” I felt her nod on my neck so I began.

“There was a girl, with beautiful red curls like yours, untamable and true with eyes that drive me crazy, making me loose my sanity. She was very pretty and every night, I wish to see her again in my dreams. Soon, I was driven impatient with such a strong desire of seeing her, of talking to her, of holding her. I lost the thrill of seeing her only in my dreams and I longed to see her in flesh and bone and so, I set out to search the earth for hundreds of years, upturn any remote places that she might be hiding in – all the while begging the heavens, the gods, to grant me the most beautiful gift which is her. I may have end up unfortunate for my prayers fell to deaf ears and my attempts remain futile – it made me frustrated. Though, when I finally decided to stop my search and ignore my beliefs about her existence, she has arrived, knocking on my window. She showed me how great it felt to be loved and –“

“Caelum?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you,” I looked down, not believing how soft and sensitive her words are, driving me mute.

Rubin’s eyes were open but they are not seeing – it remains open, unblinking. Her face is contorted with sadness but her lips are slightly pulled in the sides as though she have tried to smile, knowing that it is futile.

My vision became blurry all of a sudden before the sound of a wounded animal filled my ears, making it almost impossible for me to believe that the sound came from me. My heart felt so heavy as I cried over her, my hands caressing her face, “No, no, no!”

Her body started shimmering until she started to fade away.

“Rubin? Rubin, please, stay!” I hold unto her wrist, trying to stop her from fading away but I couldn’t. “No, please. Please!”

Half of her body has already faded with the wind and as I blink, she was gone.

“No! Rubin, no…no, please. Rubin!” I got to my feet and impatiently searched the field, calling out her name.

Maybe she’s just hiding.

“Rubin!” My throat is sore as I sobbed, crying my heart out.

The sudden change of dawn to morning promising a beautiful day, felt like an insult to how I am feeling right now. How I wish it will rain so that it can wash my tears away and let the cold air numb the pain in my chest.

My tears halted as the sun was high up, my shadow not to be seen and I have resigned myself to just lying down on the meadow where she has left – still hoping for her to go back here and tell me that she was just joking. I felt the hush of the wind as it blew on my cheeks, his presence familiar to me even before I see him.

“Aeon,”

“Caelum – why?” He watched me as I scrambled to my feet and crawled towards him, eyes wild and hands shaking as I held at the ends of his coat.

“Help me find the arrow, Aeon, help me.” Aeon bites his lip as he assessed me with his bright purple eyes. He touched the top of my head before he sighs, pulling his hand away so that he can plunge it inside the depth of his chest pocket.

“You need not to find it, Caelum, for it is here.” I quickly stood on my trembling legs, snatching the arrow from his hand as I look at it.

“Will it still do what it os intended to do, just like in the past?”

“What do you mean?”

“Will it end me? Kill me?” Aeon stared at me, hard; his purple narrowed. He shakes his head.

“No. I am afraid it won’t. It will just make you human is all because of the trade.” My heart thudded fast in my chest as I hear his words.

Does it mean that I’ll be able to –

“I know what you are thinking about, Caelum, and I won’t let you. I cannot let you risk it for Hades has taken her!”

“Yes, he did, but he took her body, Aeon. He did not even leave a single hair -it was as though she has ceased to exist! He took her –“

“Then, you are betting on her being alive and well? That she was brought somewhere, made to forget, just like all the other banished? That all of this was a hoax?”

“Yes!”

“So, what do you plan on doing, exactly? Tell me.”

“I’ll take the arrow and pierce my heart with it – like I did in the past. Yet this time, I asked for no one to interfere – let my Cupid side and Dieoublie part, die.”

Aeon’s hands twitched at my word that he barely nodded his head as he trained his eyes on the ground, grumbling under his breath.

“I will find her, Aeon. Once I succeeded and I ended up alive, please find me and provide me anything that I would need – but! Yes, there is a but. Please, be discreet about it. I want to live like a human, not a god.”

Aeon nodded once again, before he interrupted.

“But what if your plan has failed, shall I intervene?”

“Of course, but not too soon.” I tightened my hold on the arrow, fixing my eyes at Aeon as I raised the arrow, “Remember what I told you, Aeon, and heed my orders even if it is for the last time.”

With those words, I plunged the arrow on my chest.

It felt like a thousand elephants has stumbled over me, each of them weighing over a ton, trampling over my body but mostly my chest. I gasped. The torturr was soon replaced by the white hot pain blossoming from my chest, licking my skin.

It was all I could ever think of until my mind shifted to her – her smile, her face, her laugh.

I am being pulled out of the suffering and slowly, I began to feel, being conscious of my surrounding.

I can feel the cold air on my skin – it felt gentle and comforting, soothing my tortured body.

The smell of the earth getting wet, infiltrated my nose as a few drops of water wet my face – was it raining?

My hands moved upon their own accord as I groped around like a blind man. I gasped as I felt the soil under me – where am I?

Am I still back at the field, surrounded by the numerous flowers I had grown and cultivated over the years of my suffering?

I stretched out of my fetal position and opened my eyes, noticing the red bushes that is in front of me - pretty little peonies blocking my vision.

Huh?

“Ohayo gozaimasu!”

My ears tingled at the foreign language I have heard. Did I just transported myself in a field back in Japan? But then, I am pretty sure that I have pierced my chest with the arrow.

Did I die and this is the heaven I ended up with? If it is, then gods can have an afterlife? I frown, another question bubbling inside my mind – if this is heaven then, they speak Japanese in heaven?

I tried to rake my brains, preparing a phrase I shall say. I wonder if I can ask them about how I can go back to earth and find my Rubin. Shaking my head, I decided to sit up, noticing that the rain was actually getting stronger.

“Hayaku, Hayaku, let’s go!”

My heartbeat picks up as I hear her voice. Oh Zeus, I think, I really am in heaven.

Bracing myself, I turned at the direction of her voice, facing her, quite surprise as she is.

“Rubin?”

“Ah! An outsider,” I quickly pushed myself on my feet, aware of my barefooted stance and wild eyes. Rubin screams once again, taking a step back as she screams, “Ah! Baka, baka.”

“No, Rubin, I am not baka. I am not crazy, look-“ I tried to hold her arm but she only takes a step back, eyes wide as she crossed her arms, glaring at me.

I almost laughed – she is definitely my Rubin.

She held out her hand, trembling as she speaks, “Stay away, don’t touch me, yamate!” she turns and ran the opposite direction.

I chased after her but soon, I moved out of the way as a couple of guys started to chase me.

Well, it might have been an awkward encounter but I’m pretty certain that we will have so much fun as the days go by.

I just have to find a way to make my Rubin, mine again.

계속

When arrows fly 끝