"Agapius! Agapius!" A cherry tone of a familiar voice woke up Agapius sleeping at the top of a tree branch.
Agapius looked down to see a white haired girl grinning up at him. The sight made him smile back and leaped down from the tree.
"What are you grinning about? You seem excited." He said in a sing-song voice.
The girl let out a chuckle and took a deep breath. "I'm going to participate within the trial tomorrow!" She exclaimed.
Seeing how happy and excited she was made Agapius chuckle as he place his hand on top of her head, patting her gently.
"I'm finally able to catch up with you!" She exclaimed.
The two sat down within the grassy ground under the shade of the big tree. The woman's head leaned toward's Agapius's shoulder as they stare within the grassy meadow's horizon.
"I can't wait to be blessed by the world tree." The woman muttered, her head tilting upon the tree.
Agapius rested his head to towards her head, guiding his hand as he patted her. "Let's held a celebration after your successful blessing."
"You must aim to be higher deity as well, Agapius!"
"After me, then you should too!"
Both wishing a happy and smooth life, where two of them can be by each other's side. However, fate likes playing games.
"By decree, I hereby strip off your representation within the trial for bringing disorder within the realm of time and space and is hereby executed from the Arcadia!"
"Deity Celeste of Stella, you who broke the orderly peace of this trial shall be sealed for eternity!"
The judges of Arcadia looked at the white haired deity slumped into the floor as they bell chimes echoes through the place.
The words reverberated, a haunting echo in Agapius's mind, as he stood frozen, watching the unthinkable unfold. The woman he cherished, his heart's sole desire, was being hauled away, her once vibrant figure now marred by chains and disarray. Her divine aura, which once shimmered like the morning sun, was fading, dimming like a star. A poignant reminder of the divine power she once held was no longer there. The chains that bound her were not just physical, but symbolic, a testament to the fall of a deity.
Suddenly he flinched as their eyes met. Agony and pain was apparent on his, holding his urge to run up to her and save her. He wanted to break the order, but he couldn't. He can't.
The vivacity that once danced in Celeste's eyes, full of spirit and life, had now been replaced with a dull emptiness. Her golden eyes, once radiant, now held a vacant look, devoid of their former glow.
Agapius stood there as he watched her getting taken away from who knows where. His hands ball into a fist, nails digging through his skin, fighting this swelling urge to take her away.
He needs to. He had too. He wanted for that urge to take over himself. He wanted to disobey the order. He needed to save her.
Even if that means eradicating his position on Arcadia or getting executed. He doesn't care.
'Don't. . .'
Agapius heard a mellow voice in his head, staring at Celeste who was now on chariot, her aura totally vanishing.
'I beg of you, don't do it. You shouldn't sacrifice your hard earned position for someone like me—I'm sorry, please, forget about me and live your life as the deity you are.'
"Earth to Agapius? Hello~!"
Aella snapped her fingers at her companion who had been in a daze for quite a while now, with sadness and longing plastered within his face.
Agapius flinched as his focus was back on, looking at Aella who was looking at her with a frown.
"What's up with you?" She asked.
Agapius looked at her for a while then just lightly shook his head in response. "It's nothing, just remembering a certain past."
It then clicked to Aella what Agapius was referring to. She had the urge to tease him, but one look at his current expression made her feel a pang of guilt. Instead, she could only let out a sigh of resignation.
"Ugh, whatever, let's go to Dizian, I wanna know what they're up to."
***
"Is it even possible to finish this? It's already 10 o'clock and we haven't had lunch yet," Luna voiced out, stretching her arms and placing a hand on her rumbling stomach. "Don't you know the meaning of a break?" She teased Shiki.
Shiki, however, merely cast a brief glance at Luna before returning to his task of tidying up the scattered papers on the table.
Turning to Ezryn, who was sitting on the floor tying his long hair, Luna proposed, "Hey, how about we just leave him and go eat?"
"Uh, is that okay?" Ezryn responded, looking puzzled as he glanced at Shiki.
Luna shrugged, "Maybe, I don't think he'll mind...?" She said uncertainly, casting another glance at the blue-haired boy.
Just as Luna was about to pull Ezryn up to leave with her, Shiki stepped in between them. Without uttering a word, he simply stared at Luna and then began to walk towards the shack door.
Ezryn and Luna were left in confusion, exchanging puzzled looks. Despite their bewilderment, they quickly caught up with their silently departing companion.