Akari stood tall on the stage, the crowd buzzing with excitement after the competition. Her mask was lifted, and she smirked as she surveyed the people around her.
"What is your name, girl?" Queen Asterin, the elf queen, asked with a sharp gaze.
Akari tilted her head, looking at the queen with an amused smile. "Hmm, I think three people already know that," she said, raising her mask slowly, revealing her face to the audience.
The reaction was immediate.
Kuro's father, standing among the royals, froze for a moment before recognition flashed in his eyes. "Impossible," he muttered under his breath. Beside him, the Mermaid Queen's eyes widened. "No... It can't be…" she said softly.
And then there was Orpheus, who was standing next to his sister, his expression shifting from boredom to full-on recognition. "You…" he started, blinking in disbelief. "That intruder?"
Akari simply smiled. "Yep, it's me, everyone's favorite intruder." She could practically hear Kuro groaning behind her.
"Well, I know you have potential," Queen Asterin said, her voice soft but intrigued. "My offer still stands, Akari."
"The one where you ask me to stay in the Mermaid Kingdom?" Akari asked, arching an eyebrow. "I'm good, but thanks. I've got my hands full with my very troublesome friends." She shot a playful glance at Kuro and Arnold, who were standing awkwardly to the side.
Kuro's father stepped forward, his voice booming across the stage, his hand firmly clasped behind his back. "Akari, so it is you. I should've known! How have you been, my doofus son?"
"Hey, I'm right here!" Kuro protested, stepping forward with a face that had clearly lost all its usual confidence. He looked like he regretted everything.
"Well, son, I'm sure you've been too busy having fun to remember that you are supposed to be training to be the future king," his father said, his voice thick with sarcasm. "But nooooo, instead you're gallivanting across the kingdoms like you're on a vacation, leaving your father to pick up the pieces." He threw an exaggerated glance at Akari. "And you—you—what's with the disguise? Are you trying to get extra attention, hmm?"
"Actually, I was trying to avoid the whole 'princess-worthy' thing, you know? No big deal," Akari said, trying to suppress a smirk.
Kuro's father rubbed his temples, clearly exasperated. "And don't get me started on that whole secret training. You were supposed to be learning how to rule, Kuro, not running around like a stray dog in the woods!" He paused dramatically before sighing. "I've always wondered what happened to you, Akari. You're... impossible to keep track of."
"Uh-huh. Like I said, good luck with that," Akari said, rolling her eyes playfully.
The exchange between father and son only got worse from there, with Kuro's father continuing to lecture him on responsibility and duty, while Kuro tried his best to get out of every corner his father painted him into. Arnold, standing to the side, was just... well, he was too used to this.
"Don't look at me," Arnold muttered. "I'm just here for the food and the adventure. I have no opinions."
Akari chuckled, nudging him with her elbow. "You're a man of great words, Arnold."
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of Kuro's father lecturing him, they were granted their prize—a large sum of gold and special recognition from all five kingdoms, and of course, the respect that came with it. It was finally time to leave the arena and head back home.
"Alright, boys," Akari said, now standing in front of Kuro's father, who was still giving Kuro a long, exasperated look. "Let's wrap it up. Time to head home."
"You can't just tell me you're all leaving, Akari," Kuro's father said, raising a brow. "Are you really going to disappear again and leave me with this idiot?" He pointed dramatically at Kuro.
Akari snickered. "You're stuck with him now. Just think of it as 'character-building.'"
"Great. Just what I need," Kuro said, rubbing his forehead. "I've got a lifetime of character-building ahead of me."
Kuro's father shook his head. "You think you've got problems? Try raising this one," he said, gesturing to Kuro.
"I'm standing right here, you know!" Kuro shouted in exasperation. "You're not making this any better!"
Akari patted Kuro on the back, trying to hold back a laugh. "Hey, at least you're finally going to get a proper talk from your father. Who knows, maybe it'll do you good."
"Do me good?" Kuro hissed. "I'm done for!"
Arnold, always the supportive friend, gave Kuro a big thumbs-up. "You'll be fine, Kuro! Probably."
Kuro shot him a glare. "Thanks, Arnold. That's really reassuring."
As they walked toward the teleportation doors to head for the Angel Kingdom, Akari, Kuro, and Arnold couldn't help but laugh at the chaos they'd left behind. Kuro's father still had his stern face on, but even he knew there was no turning back now. The journey home was going to be one full of laughs, lectures, and a lot of awkward moments.
And for Akari, it was just another chapter in her long, unpredictable journey.
Two years later, Kuro found himself buried under mountains of paperwork, trying to learn all the ins and outs of royal duties. His life had turned into a constant whirlwind of meetings, training, and discussions about laws and politics. "This is not what I signed up for," Kuro muttered, flipping through a stack of legal documents with a grimace. "I was supposed to be out there having fun, not dealing with tax laws and royal alliances."
Akari, despite her position as a favorite among all five kingdoms, was no better off. She was constantly being summoned for diplomatic discussions, sitting through hours of meetings with nobles from each kingdom, discussing politics, trade agreements, and alliances. Every kingdom had its own agenda, and Akari had to navigate them all, offering solutions, making deals, and managing expectations.
"It's like being trapped in a never-ending maze of words," Akari groaned, rubbing her temples after a particularly long meeting with some of the more demanding nobles from the elf kingdom. "I swear, they don't even listen to each other half the time. It's all politics and posturing. Can't I just… I don't know, escape for five minutes?"
Kuro, who had caught her on one of her rare breaks, grinned sympathetically. "I thought you liked talking to people, Akari. I mean, you are the master of diplomacy. I just didn't realize it came with so many royal meetings and annoying nobles."
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Akari said, flopping down onto a chair. "It's exhausting, you know? You think I enjoy running from one kingdom to the next, dealing with everyone's issues? I never thought I'd miss the days when my biggest worry was getting lost in a forest."
"Is that why you're always so calm in the face of everything? Because you used to fight demons or something in your past life?" Kuro teased.
Akari leaned back, giving him a deadpan look. "No, Kuro. I'm calm because if I lose it even once, I'll be stuck listening to more people talk about who should get more land or who deserves a better title. It's a never-ending circus. And don't get me started on the constant 'We need your wisdom, Akari, help us solve this issue' nonsense. Sometimes I just want to shout, 'I'm not a walking encyclopedia, people!'"
Meanwhile, Arnold was also stuck in his own chaos as captain of the knights. But instead of dealing with endless politics, his new role involved an infinite amount of training, soldier management, and, yes, more paperwork. "I didn't ask to become a knight leader, but here we are," Arnold said, tossing a stack of forms onto the desk with an exaggerated sigh. "Why is everything about paperwork? I never thought I'd miss the old days when the biggest decision was whether to steal Akari's snacks or not."
Akari, hearing Arnold's voice outside, shot him a knowing glance. "Oh, it's not just me dealing with politics, huh? Looks like you've got your own version of torture over there. I'm guessing your knights aren't exactly listening to you, huh?"
"Tell me about it," Arnold muttered, flopping onto the nearest chair. "How do you manage all of this? My head's going to explode from all the orders, drills, and discipline. I just wanted to learn how to be a knight, not lead them."
"Because you're so good at accidentally leading them, Arnold," Akari said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I swear, you became captain just by being really good at breaking things."
Kuro chuckled at the exchange, clearly enjoying the light-hearted banter. "Well, someone has to keep us entertained, right? I'm drowning in royal duties, and Akari's got everyone's problems on her shoulders. If I didn't have you two around, I'd be bored out of my mind."
"You know it's not just us," Akari said, half-smiling. "You're the one who gets to play king soon enough, remember?"
"Ugh, I'd rather not think about that," Kuro groaned. "The thought of being king makes my head spin. I can barely get through one of these meetings without wanting to fall asleep on the spot."
Akari snickered. "At least you have something to look forward to. Being the 'king' of *paperwork'." She dramatically flopped onto the couch. "Look, I get it. It's hard for all of us. But at least we have each other, right?"
Arnold and Kuro nodded, despite the frustrations of their new lives. They may have been tied down by duties, responsibilities, and all sorts of royal nonsense, but they knew one thing for sure: they weren't alone.
Akari smiled as she stared at her two childhood friends, the weight of the world seeming a little bit lighter in their company. "I know it's not easy, but we're all in this together, even if I'm the one who has to keep the kingdoms from tearing each other apart."
"Yeah, yeah," Kuro teased. "We'll just sit here and let you do all the heavy lifting while we struggle through our royal nightmares."
"You mean the kingly nightmares?" Akari shot back, raising an eyebrow. "Let's be clear— you signed up for that, not me."
"Hey, everything aside, have you found your partner?" Akari asked, her tone light but with an underlying seriousness. She wanted to make sure they didn't get tangled in the same feelings they had in their previous lives—feelings that, in the end, only led to pain and loss. She wanted them to find someone who wouldn't end up being the reason for their deaths, someone better.
Kuro and Arnold exchanged a quick glance, both of them visibly uncomfortable with the topic.
"Hey, not that topic again," both boys said in unison, avoiding her gaze. They knew exactly what she was getting at, and neither of them wanted to confront it. Akari had made them promise a long time ago during their journey that no matter what, they would not fall in love with her.
"You're not even pretty," Kuro had teased back then, joking to deflect.
"I'm going to be single forever," Arnold had said, equally trying to brush off the issue with humor.
But that was then, and now? It was clear things hadn't changed. They both harbored feelings for her, feelings they kept buried deep, knowing it was too complicated and dangerous.
Now, in the present, they responded in perfect sync. "We're not gonna marry, Akari. Anyone is not our type."
Akari raised an eyebrow, not buying their words. "Who is your type then? You both have to choose someone. It's important, politically and for yourselves too."
Kuro groaned. "Hey, we said no."
"I agree with Kuro," Arnold added, crossing his arms and looking anywhere but at Akari. "You can't make us do this."
Akari's expression softened, her eyes narrowing slightly as she stared at them. "Will you guys just choose someone already? Don't end up dead because of your poor choices again." She held their gaze for a moment longer, her voice trembling slightly as she added, "Please."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she turned away quickly before they could see. She wasn't sure if she could handle watching them go through the same mistakes as in her previous life. Losing them again… it was a fear she couldn't shake.
"I'm sorry, I'll meet you later," she muttered before walking off, the weight of the unspoken words hanging between them.
Kuro and Arnold stood there, silent for a long while.
"I think we both were in love with her in the previous life too," Arnold said quietly, the truth hitting him like a wave.
"And I guess we somehow ended up dead, and she blamed herself," Kuro replied softly, his words heavy with regret. "She's been carrying that guilt for so long… we don't want to add to it, but…"
There was a long pause, the weight of their feelings for her pressing down on them. They both knew what she wanted. They knew she was trying to protect them from the same fate. But it didn't make it any easier.
In the end, both boys were left in a complicated silence, torn between their loyalty to her promise and the emotions they couldn't ignore. The promise they made to Akari, not to fall for her, had been for her protection. But now? It felt like a promise they couldn't keep, no matter how much they tried.
Akari, walking away with her heart aching, knew the same.
For quite a while, Akari, Kuro, and Arnold barely crossed paths. Kuro, now king, was buried in his royal duties—endless meetings, paperwork, and the pressure of ruling. Akari's responsibilities were just as demanding, managing delicate diplomatic matters across the five kingdoms. Arnold, promoted to the highest rank in the army, was consumed by leading troops and strategy. They were all busy, the weight of their roles pulling them further apart.
Their interactions became brief and formal, nothing like the carefree days of their youth. Akari, overwhelmed by her duties, longed for the simpler times when they could laugh and share moments of adventure. Kuro and Arnold, despite their rising statuses, missed her too, but they were trapped by their responsibilities and the promise they made long ago not to fall in love with her.
Though they were all changing, the bond they shared was undeniable, yet unspoken, each one feeling the silent distance growing between them.
By the time they were 32, many years had passed, and their lives had become a whirlwind of responsibilities and expectations. Kuro, as king, had transformed into a wise but weary ruler. Arnold, now a legendary general, had led countless campaigns. Akari, still involved in the delicate politics of the kingdoms, had become a symbol of strength and diplomacy. Despite their success, none of them had married.
They met occasionally, mostly during official gatherings or rare moments when they could escape their duties for a fleeting second. Akari, looking at the two men who had been through so much with her, couldn't help but shake her head, a mix of exasperation and affection in her voice.
"You guys are really something," Akari said with a smile, her tone light but carrying a deeper meaning. "You've both had endless opportunities, but here you are—still single, still stubborn."
Kuro, ever the deflective one, chuckled, brushing it off. "You know, maybe we're just too busy saving the world. Who has time for love?"
Arnold, grinning in agreement, added, "Yeah, love's overrated. We're way too focused on the important things."
Akari just smiled, her eyes softening. "And what happens when those important things are gone? You'll still have each other, but I hope you don't end up regretting it."
They all knew it was true. Despite their teasing, there was an unspoken understanding between them—a connection that transcended time, politics, and unspoken promises. But for now, it was enough.
The sky above Akari turned a deep, unnatural shade of purple as the world seemed to shift. A powerful, glowing figure appeared before her with an aura that radiated malice. Before she could react, his presence overwhelmed her, and she lost consciousness, slumping to the ground.
When Akari woke, she was tied up tightly, her limbs restricted and raw from the forceful bindings. The strange sensation of cold air against her skin told her she was no longer on the ground but in the midst of something high above, somewhere far removed from the world she knew. Her head throbbed with the remnants of the sudden force that had knocked her out. She struggled to regain control of her mind.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice hoarse but defiant, as she scanned her surroundings. The glowing figure stood before her, his presence so overwhelming it felt like he could bend the world to his will.
"Your end," the figure spoke with a voice that reverberated through the air. "I was feeling bored, looking at your peaceful life. No conflict, sadly... no death for you. Now, it's time for your reckoning."
Akari's heart began to race. "Who are you?" she repeated, trying to steady her breathing.
The glowing figure didn't answer directly. Instead, he waved his hand towards the sky, and with a sinister smirk, he pointed downward. Akari's eyes followed his gesture, and her heart stopped when she saw the destruction below.
The Angel Kingdom was burning. Flames engulfed the towering structures. Smoke choked the air as the once-thriving city was reduced to rubble. Bodies littered the streets, and the people who had once been her friends, her family, lay scattered and lifeless. But the most shocking sight was Kuro, barely standing, bloodied and broken, struggling to keep his balance as his face twisted in pain. The weight of the scene crushed Akari's heart.
"What did you do?" Akari gasped, her voice breaking as her worst nightmare unfolded before her eyes.
"I kept him alive," the glowing figure said coldly, his voice dripping with malice. "If I killed him, you would die. But now, he'll suffer for you."
Akari's chest tightened with terror and disbelief. "Why are you doing this?" she shouted, trying to break free from her restraints, but they held firm, keeping her trapped in place.
The figure smiled cruelly. "Because I can. And because it's your fault, Lior. You think you can have peace, that you can build a life without consequences. But look at the destruction. It's all because of you. All your choices, all your connections. You should have never existed in this world."
Akari's breath came in short gasps. The weight of his words hit her like a physical blow. Her life as Lior, her decisions, her connections, everything she had worked so hard to build—it had all been for nothing. She had been warned that her existence was cursed, but she had hoped that this time, things would be different. That she could escape the cycle.
"I will torture him slowly, in front of you," the figure said with a sickening calmness. With a flick of his hand, Kuro was lifted into the air, suspended above her, and brought closer to the cloud where Akari was trapped. The torture began immediately, and Kuro screamed in agony as the figure manipulated his body with cruel precision.
"Please, no! I beg you!" Akari cried out, her voice filled with desperation. Tears filled her eyes as she helplessly watched Kuro suffer. She couldn't reach him, couldn't help him. The cage around her prevented her from doing anything.
Kuro couldn't even see her. His eyes were squeezed shut in pain, unaware that she was watching him suffer. But Akari could feel his pain—every scream, every shudder that coursed through his body. She could feel it in her own soul.
The figure looked down at her with an expression of twisted satisfaction. "It is all because of you, Lior," he said, his voice like a cold wind cutting through the air.
Akari felt a cold knot form in her stomach. She couldn't believe it—everything she had built, all her efforts to make things right, all her connections—had been shattered in an instant. And the one person who had always been by her side, the one person who had suffered alongside her, was now paying the price for her existence.
The figure's malicious grin deepened as he continued his torture, and Akari felt herself slipping, her will to fight draining away with each scream from Kuro. Everything was falling apart, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Akari's heart shattered as she knelt beside Kuro, who was barely holding onto consciousness, his body broken and bloodied. The torment he had endured was unbearable, and it twisted her insides to see him like this. The man had made her watch everything, tortured Kuro in front of her, and she had been powerless to do anything but plead.
"Please, I beg you, stop! I can't watch this anymore. Do this to me instead. Please, no more! I can't bear it," Akari sobbed, her voice cracking with the weight of her helplessness.
The glowing figure stood coldly, his face expressionless. "Yeah, love is always like that," he replied, his voice chilling in its detachment.
Akari's hands clenched into fists as she tried to hold back her tears. "What did I or any of those people do? What did we deserve this for?"
"Nothing. It was your fault for existing and interfering," the figure replied nonchalantly. "And me, being bored—nothing else."
Akari could feel the blood drain from her face as she watched Kuro lying there, barely able to move, his eyes clouded and his body covered in bruises and blood. She couldn't believe what she was hearing—how had it all come to this?
The figure seemed satisfied, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I think that's enough for now. Have some time to talk, if that fool can still talk," he said with a twisted grin before disappearing into the air.
The cage around Akari vanished, and she rushed to Kuro's side, her hands trembling as she gently held him. He was unconscious, barely alive, and she felt her heart break anew as she carefully lifted him into her lap.
"I'm not even in a position to say sorry, my Kuro," Akari whispered, her voice strained with emotion, as she stroked his bloodied face.
Kuro stirred weakly, his voice barely a whisper as he blinked up at her, his vision clouded. "Hey, Akari... it's you," he murmured, a faint, crooked smile tugging at his lips despite the blood and pain.
"Yeah, it's me," Akari said, her voice thick with tears. She could barely speak as the relief of seeing him alive overwhelmed her, even though he was in such a state.
Kuro's eyes, though bloodied and swollen, seemed to catch the glimmer of her sorrow. "So, he was talking about you. So, you loved me?" he asked with a grin, even in his agony.
Akari couldn't help but smile through her tears, her voice soft. "Even at this moment, you can't stop being funny." She gently wiped away the tears falling down her cheeks.
"Shhh... don't cry. Your tears are too precious for that," Kuro said, his voice strained but sincere. His hand reached up weakly to touch her cheek, a gesture that filled her heart with warmth and sorrow in equal measure.
"Kuro," Akari whispered, her voice full of pain and pleading. "I... I can't bear seeing you like this."
Kuro's lips curled into another weak smile. "Why are you so sad? Don't you know you'll die with me? Aren't our souls linked or something?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood despite the heavy situation.
Akari's heart twisted at his words, and she gently placed her hands over his wounds, her powers flowing through him. "Yes, but still... you are in so much pain. I can only relieve it a little with my powers," she murmured, her voice trembling as healing energy enveloped him.
As the magic flowed, she could feel Kuro's pain lessen, though it didn't heal the brokenness of his body completely. But his breathing steadied, and the blood slowly stopped flowing from his wounds.
"I'm sorry," Akari whispered softly. "I should have been there sooner... I should've stopped it."
"Akari," Kuro murmured weakly, his hand reaching for hers. "You did your best... You always do."
Tears welled up in Akari's eyes again as she looked down at him, her heart aching with love and regret. She didn't want to lose him, not like this. She wouldn't let history repeat itself.
But for now, all she could do was heal him as best as she could, and keep him alive until they found a way to end this nightmare.
As Akari continued to heal Kuro, a sudden heaviness filled the air. She felt it first—his life force slipping away, his eyes slowly losing their light, the warmth in his body starting to fade. Her heart pounded in her chest as she held him tighter, as if her love alone could bring him back.
"No... No, Kuro, stay with me," Akari whispered, her voice a desperate plea, her tears mixing with his blood. But it was too late. His eyelids fluttered one last time before they closed, and his chest stopped rising with breath. His body became a lifeless weight in her arms. The light in his eyes—gone.
"Please... don't leave me," Akari murmured, her voice breaking. She held him against her, as though the very act of holding him could prevent what was happening. But even as she embraced him, she felt the fabric of reality around them tremble and shudder. A crackling, sharp sound echoed in the air, and before she could make sense of what was happening, her body began to feel weightless, as if the world was crumbling around them.
"Akari…" Kuro's name escaped her lips as a final breath, but it was no longer him who answered.
With the last flicker of light in her heart, Akari felt everything around her disintegrate. Her body and Kuro's dissolved into shimmering fragments of light and energy, scattering like shards of a shattered mirror. The world they were in, the destruction they had seen—it all blurred into nothingness, as if the fabric of time and space itself couldn't bear to hold them any longer.
They disappeared, leaving only a faint trace of the love they had shared, the bond that was now too powerful to exist in a world that had no place for them.
And as the last of their pieces scattered into the void, a final whisper left Akari's lips, "Kuro…" It was soft, like a promise, a prayer—before everything around them vanished completely.