The ashes of the Dragon King's downfall still clung to the winds of the Green Continent. It had been months since the battle that had shattered mountains, split clouds, and bent the skies to the will of titans. The scars were everywhere — charred plains where firestorms had danced, cracked valleys where Beast Fang had torn space itself, and cities half reduced to blackened rubble.
The once-proud Human Empire, which had stood for centuries, had nearly fallen with it. The Dragon King's greed and Aizen's desperate, god-tier battle had erased entire districts in mere moments. Half the capital was nothing but ash and skeletal ruins of homes. Only the heart of the empire still stood — the Castle of the Royal Human Family, its walls shimmering faintly with the power of its Divine Relic.
That relic — an ancient ward said to have been forged by the first Archmage to ever walk the continent — had activated during the battle, protecting the castle from the heat of dragonfire and the raw spatial distortions Aizen had unleashed. But its gift was not eternal. The relic could only repel five truly catastrophic attacks before its magic unraveled. That day, four of those precious protections had been consumed. Only one remained. And every noble in the capital knew: if the relic was ever used again, their city's ultimate shield would be gone forever.
The humans wasted no time. They rebuilt their homes, but not as they were before. Stone replaced wood. New walls rose, taller and thicker, reinforced by runes etched into their very foundations. Every archway, every watchtower, every gate was designed with defense in mind. Blacksmiths worked day and night to forge spears and swords, while mages embedded magical seals into the streets to disrupt invading forces.
But the spirit of the people was not broken. If anything, the tragedy had united them. They had survived the battle of gods. And now they would ensure they never again faced such unprepared vulnerability.
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The Year of Celebration
Time passed in uneasy peace. The ash faded from the wind, and the scent of rebuilding replaced the stench of ruin. It was the 22nd year of both Aizen Arcime and Lyra Subaru's lives — their shared birthday month.
The kingdom celebrated in a way it had not in years. Lanterns floated into the night sky. The streets overflowed with music and food stalls, laughter carrying into the starlight. Lyra's beauty shone more than any lantern. She was radiant, elegant, intelligent, charming, kind, thoughtful, strong, courageous, creative, brilliant, gentle, humble, generous, passionate, wise, funny, loyal, dependable, graceful, confident, warm, compassionate, witty, adventurous, respectful, magnetic, bold, articulate, inspiring, honest, patient, powerful, uplifting, classy, reliable, ambitious, intuitive, talented, supportive, grounded, determined, charismatic, trustworthy, noble, dignified, perceptive, innovative, refined, considerate, balanced, composed, imaginative, mindful, optimistic, noble-hearted, quick-witted, deep, philosophical, fearless, affectionate, expressive, emotionally intelligent, resourceful, delightful, sharp, selfless, authentic, vibrant, playful, observant, skillful, comforting, brave, enthusiastic, tactful, enduring, mature, joyful, genuine, brilliant-minded, encouraging, dynamic, radiant-hearted, insightful, justice-minded, tender, persevering, devoted, angelic, golden-hearted, clever, harmonious, loyal-minded, beautiful-souled, easygoing, respectful-minded, imaginative-hearted, confident-souled, wise-eyed, loving, serene, inspiring-minded, and absolutely the soul that pulled Aizen's gaze every single moment he looked her way.
She wasn't just beautiful in form — she was beautiful in spirit. And tonight, with silver moonlight framing her and the faint blush in her cheeks as she greeted well-wishers, Aizen could only think of one thing:
I will marry her. She will be my queen.
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Aizen's Hidden Plan
Aizen had been secretly working for weeks, forging the ring himself from a fragment of the Dragon King's shattered horn. The black-gold material shimmered with faint magic, almost alive, humming with the victory and struggle of their past. He planned to propose under the night sky, before the floating lanterns, in front of the very people they had fought to protect.
But he wasn't the only one holding a secret.
Amethyst, the boy who had been training under Aizen, had awakened… something. It wasn't magic in the normal sense. It wasn't beast energy either. It was unknown. A pulse of raw, ancient force that even the gods themselves could feel. He told no one — not even Aizen — but Lyra noticed. She noticed the flicker in his eyes when he focused too hard. She noticed the way the air bent around him in certain moments.
And far above, in the shifting planes where Divine Beings observed the mortal world, (???) — the same shadowed figure who had once offered Aizen godhood — watched Amethyst with cold interest.
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A Family Reunited… Almost
Lyra's father had thought her dead. For years he had believed the rumors — that she had been taken by monsters, lost in war. When she returned, alive, standing beside Aizen, her father wept. He embraced her like a drowning man finding shore again.
But Lyra's joy was not complete. Her mother was not there. She stood before her father, her eyes sharp, her voice like steel.
"Where is she?"
Her father hesitated. His eyes slid away, shame flickering there.
"She is… gone. I am with someone else now."
The celebration dimmed for Lyra in that moment. She remembered her mother's smile, her warmth, her stories before bed. To see her father without her mother at his side — and worse, to know he had replaced her without searching harder — made her chest ache with anger.
"You call yourself a father," she whispered, turning away before the tears could fall. Aizen's hand found hers, steady and warm. He didn't speak — he didn't need to. His presence was enough.
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The Gods' Council
In the higher realms, the Divine Being (??) gathered her vassals. Her voice, smooth and endless as the night, filled their minds.
> "No battles. Not for now. Let the mortals play at their kingdoms and wars. We watch. We wait. The board is not ready for the next move."
Her command spread like wind through the divine hierarchy. The Seraphim in the Sky Continent bowed their golden heads in agreement, their Lordship's will unquestioned. Even the Demon King, now ruler of the Dark Continent's armies, nodded with calculated patience. The world would rest… but not forever.
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Nightfall
By the end of the celebration, the city was glowing like a constellation fallen to earth. Families gathered on rooftops and in open courtyards. The lanterns rose, drifting toward the heavens. Children laughed, couples held hands, old warriors told stories of battles past.
Aizen stood with Lyra at the highest balcony of the rebuilt keep. The night sky stretched endlessly above them, a sea of stars unbroken by clouds.
"How beautiful it is," Lyra whispered.
Aizen smiled. "The stars? Or you?"
She laughed softly, leaning against him. "Both."
The sky glittered, vast and eternal, and for a moment, even the gods were silent.
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(END of chapter 36)