Mike opened his eyes again, he was still holding Julie close, she was still sleeping and he was still humming a slow tune, this was the sometime after he had told Marie to leave the mausoleum
'Actually it has probably already been a day's time since Julie has been awake a few times now… I still can't get through to her…'
Mike closed his eyes again as he breathed out slowly, his hands, however, were still firmly closed around her wrists
'What should I do..?'
Mike felt helpless, he really did but before he had a chance to wally in self pity he felt Julie stir slightly, a sign that she would soon wake up again
'She's having a nightmare…'
Mike unconsciously held her a little closer and then he began speaking
"Do you remember Julie..? When we first met… Man, I was so angry at you… I wanted to beat you up for the longest time… and you fell so hard for me, at first I wanted to twist your feelings to use you… I really am a jerk..."
Julie's eyes fluttered open, but this time she didn't struggle, she just listened to Mike that continued
"But then when we were taken and enslaved… And I think my perspective on life changed slightly because all the time I was making my way back I was only thinking of you… You are my guiding light… Hector will die for what he did to you, just wait… I'll tear his heart out his chest and shove it down his throat"
Mike zoned out slightly but then he heard Julie speak
"Jul...ie… Is that… My na...me?"
Mike gave a nod
"Yeah… you were named and raised by your mom… a nun in a temple…"
"Mother… Is it really not… Com...ing for me?"
"You are safe here in my arms Julie… I am never letting you go again…"
A red light shone in Mike's eyes as he spoke, he was not going to let Julie go again, she was his and his alone
"I reme...mber… Mother…"
Mike's face lit up as he gave Julie a little squeeze
"That's good… Why don't you tell me what you remember..?"
Julie began speaking, slowly at first as she stammered, she told Mike about how she was selected as a [Paladin] and chosen to guard a temple, from there on there was a lot of blood in her life as she was trained in the ways of the sword while she spent most of her day executing prisoners and slaves
"I didn't like… It at… First… but then I grew… Indifferent…"
Then she told him about how she eventually leveled up to level 3 at the young age of 14 and received the job of [Paladin] by the [Grand bishop]
"From… There I was… Transferred… to a temple…"
Julie then suddenly began coughing rather violently, Mike gave a sigh and let go of her one arm and brought his hand up to his horn and slit his wrist before he brought it up to Julie's mouth, he didn't have to say anything as she quickly bit into his wrist and began sucking his blood for a bit before she stopped and pushed his wrist away
"Is… This blood..? Why am I drinking��� Your blood..?"
Mike gave a wry smile and lowered his arm from her mouth and gently took her hand before he spoke
"It's the price for bringing you back from the dead… I hope you can live with it… Because I can't lose you again…"
Julie remained silent for some time before she asked Mike
"Can I… see your face again..?"
"Sure"
Mike let go of Julie's wrist and hand and shifted her in his embrace so she could see his face, she stared at him for a long time before tears suddenly formed in the corner of her eyes and she slowly spoke
"Mi...ke?"
Mike's face lit up with joy as he gave a nod
"Yeah that's me"
"Mike!"
Julie wrapped her arms around his back and hugged him with all her strength, that's when he knew that she had finally remembered him, after a long while she pulled back and asked with confusion visible on her face
"Why..?"
Mike gave a sigh before he spoke one word
"Hector…"
Julie's eyes were blank before suddenly it came flooding back to her, her eyes lost their focus before they suddenly sharpened and she slowly spoke
"I want to… Kill him!"
"Me too… but first, we have other things to do… Like getting some meat back on those bones"
Julie gave a nod and looked down on her own hands before she showed a wry smile
"I guess… being dead… is bad for your… skin?"
"Yeah… You still look beautiful in my eyes though"
Julie blushed slightly as she lowered her head, Mike's smile widened before he suddenly picked her up and lifted her in his arms as he stood up, Julie looked up at him and asked
"Where… Are we… Going?"
Mike gave a smile and answered with one word
"Home"
Then he carried her out of the mausoleum and up the stairs, when he reached the top of the stairs he saw the six servants lined up and kneeling towards the staircase before they spoke out in unison
""""""Welcome back master, mistress""""""
Mike gave a thin smile before he commanded
"Escort us"
""""""Yes master!""""""
The six servants rose to their feet before they all tapped their necklaces as liquid metal flowed out of the necklaces that quickly enclosed their bodies before it solidified and formed full armor around the servants before they all drew their oversized daggers and formed up on Mike, Mike gave a nod before he began walking out of the building towards the streets escorted by the six servants, as they walked down the night streets people parted way and looked upon the couple that was in the middle of the heavily armored and armed servants that were escorting them, as they walked down the streets he looked up towards the stars
"What are… You looking at… Mike?"
"The sky… and the stars"
Julie also looked up and snuggled into Mike's embrace… Eventually, they arrived at their old home, it looked just as it did when they had left it that fateful day 3 years ago, no doubt the six servants had maintained the house and garden waiting for their return, Mike and Julie spent a few moments gazing upon the house before Julie slowly spoke
"Guard… The ho...use"
""""""Yes mistress""""""
Mike looked down on Julie and showed a genuine smile before he walked into the house with her in his hands, he slowly walked up the stairs and placed her onto the bed before he laid down next to her, he looked up into the ceiling for some time until he turned to his side and saw Julie gazing at him, he raised his hand and stroked her cheek as she closed her eyes and laid her hand on top of his, then slowly she began breathing slowly and deeply as she fell asleep, Mike also closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep…
The next morning Mike awoke slowly, he felt lethargic but still, he slowly opened his eyes, when he managed to pry open his eyes he saw Julie laying right where she had been when he fell asleep, only now she was gazing into his eyes, her eyes were filled with longing that seemed to have been fulfilled when he opened his eyes, thus the longing was replaced with joy, Mike saw the joy and knew that she was the one for him, only him so he reached forwards to confirm it, that it was real and as he stroked her cheek and felt her leaning into his hand he knew that he was the only one for her, there was no need for words between the two of them, that is until Julie's stomach rumbled and a slight blush appeared on her face and she asked
"How about we get some food..?"
"Sure"
Mike rose from the bed and helped Julie on her feet, she stood, alas with trembling legs, but still, she stood as Mike supported her and she even walked down the stairs, still Mike walked next to her supporting her all the way before they reached the living room and Mike helped her down on her chair, then he called out
"Kathy"
Soon an armored person appeared silently next to Mike, her helmet looked like the screaming face of a demon
"Go get us breakfast"
"Yes master"
Kathy disappeared from view as she sped off to complete Mike's order, Mike looked back at Julie and found that she had a knowing grin on her face, Mike cracked a smile and asked
"What?"
Julie's smile widened before she spoke
"You really enjoy… having some...one to order around… Don't you Mike?"
Mike gave a shrug before he confessed
"Well, it's a new feeling… I was always the one that was ordered around after all… In school, at work even at home by that bastard I eventually ended him…"
"So you enjoy it?"
"Well… Yeah, I do, I want to be in power and have the power to order others around… But most importantly I want the power to choose my own destiny"
Julie gave a slightly lewd smile before she asked suggestively
"So when… Are you going to order me… Around?"
Mike cracked a smile and reached out and stroked her cheek before he answered equally suggestively
"Let's get some meat on those cheeks first and foremost"
The two of them looked their gazes for sometime before they both began laughing at the same time