Riven's hand brushed across Zephyros' cheek again, her voice softer this time, stripped of the battlefield's cold edge.
"Wake up… Zephyr, wake up. Hey… wake up."
Her fingertips tapped lightly, then lingered. His skin was pale, clammy, too fragile against her calloused hands. For a moment, looking at his closed eyes and slack expression, he didn't look like a "man" at all.
He looked like what he truly was: a boy trapped in a body that refused to grow, childlike in form, too small for the weight of the Hollow Realm.
She hated seeing him like this.
"Why did you fall unconscious?" Her whisper was more to herself than to him. "Wake up… you can't just disappear on me."
She slipped her arm beneath his shoulders and lifted him, gently resting his back against a smooth rock just at the cavern's edge...or what used to be the edge.
Where once there had been a yawning cave mouth shrouded in mist and dripping webs, now only a shimmering swirl remained. A portal, blue and endless, twisting like liquid light.
The Anchor was gone. In its death, the beast had left behind its prize.. a doorway back to Earth.
They had done it.
But one last task remained.
Riven's gaze flicked across the battlefield. Darius crouched over the corpse of the wolf-spider abomination, his sword sunk into its ruined chest. His face was expressionless, the mocking smile from before was gone, as though carving trophies from monsters was nothing more than sharpening a blade. With a careful hand, he pried apart the grotesque necklace that had been fused into the beast's flesh.
The crystals clinked as he separated them, dropping one after the other into his palm. Riven's sharp eyes caught the details even from where she sat. Half of the crystals glowed with a deep sapphire blue, cold and calm, like frozen seas. The others were green, not bright like emerald but muted, mossy, alive in a subtler way.
Darius didn't waste a second. He summoned two leather bags, rough but durable, stitched from beast fur and bound with crude straps.
Without ceremony, he split the gems — blue into one pouch, green into the other. He cinched the ties tight, slinging each bag onto his belt.
"Done.. " he muttered, wiping ichor from his sword before dismissing it back to where it came from. He didn't so much as glance at the Anchor's ruined carcass for the last time and spat on it in disdain.
Riven, however, barely spared him a thought. Her world had narrowed to the boy at her side. Zephyros.
She knelt, brushing stray strands of his hair away from his forehead. He looked so… small. Average height for a ten-year-old, maybe. His limbs were too thin, his face rounder than it should have been for someone who could wield a dagger and argue like a stubborn older teen.
She remembered the first time she had seen him, he was standing beside Darius back them... how wrong it had looked, like a child following a giant like a servant.
But she had also seen his eyes. That was where his true age lived. That was where his soul fought, even if his body betrayed him.
'.. Tough boy.' she smiled.
Her hand lingered against his cheek, thumb tracing the line of his jaw. "You always make me do this.. " she murmured.
".. Carrying you, protecting you… dragging you back when you're ready to vanish."
She lamented remembering every events she had to save him. Back at school before she had to transfer to the government academy after she was Ordained, she always came to save him after he had made useless claims to bullies.
'.. I wonder how he's faring in school now. Wait does he even go to school anymore.'
The swirling portal hummed behind her, faintly vibrating in the air, a reminder that their time here was thinning. But she refused to leave without him conscious.
"Zephyr.. " she whispered again, leaning close, her voice steady though her chest felt tight.
"... Wake up. Please."
For a moment, nothing. Now it was beginning to get scary...
Then, a twitch. His lips parted slightly, a ragged breath pulling into his lungs. His eyelids fluttered, fighting the weight of unconsciousness. Finally, storm-gray eyes blinked open, unfocused at first, then slowly fixing on her.
"…Riven?" His voice was hoarse, small, almost childlike in sound.
Relief flooded her so swiftly she almost laughed. Instead, she only allowed herself a thin smile.
"... You scared me. Falling unconscious in the middle of things. You really don't make this easy."
He blinked again, confusion clouding his expression. Then his gaze shifted past her, catching sight of the portal's glow.
"…We.. I mean.. You guys did it?"
Riven nodded. "It's over. The Anchor is dead."
Zephyros swallowed, shifting uncomfortably against the rock.
"I… I missed it. Darius' ability. I blacked out right before…" His words trailed, his small hands balling into fists.
"... I'm useless ."
Her hand caught one of his fists, uncurling it gently. "Don't say that, this isn't your first time in a portal with us and you've always survived without being Ordained. That kind of feat is greater than anything I know."
"But.. "
"No." Her tone left no room for argument. "You think I'd carry dead weight across half a nightmare forest if you were useless? You think I'd waste breath on you? You don't see it, but you… you make me fight differently. Stronger."
He stared at her, wide-eyed. For a second, he looked younger than ever, like a boy lost in a storm. "…You kissed me.. " he said suddenly, voice quiet, uncertain if it was real.
Riven's lips twitched. She looked away, pretending to check the straps on her blade. "You noticed. I mean I can't believe we shared our third kiss after two years of relationship."
"Three years?! What sort of person was Zephyr..i mean me.. What sort of person was I before?"
Then his voice became more tiny:
"Thanks for the um..for the kiss."
Her silence was answer enough.
Zephyros flushed, turning his head away. For someone who had seen monsters and blood, he suddenly looked more shaken by that than the Anchor's roar.
Behind them, Darius snorted. "If you're done making moon-eyes at each other, the door's waiting. Time runs faster here, remember? If we don't step through soon, dinner's cold back home."
Riven ignored him. She stood, slipping her arm under Zephyros again, this time to help him rise. He swayed, still weak, but his legs managed to hold.
The portal's glow washed over them, bathing their forms in blue light. It was beautiful in its own eerie way, rippling like the surface of an endless ocean. Riven's eyes hardened. She didn't trust beauty here. Everything beautiful in this place was designed to kill.
Zephyros leaned against her, eyes fixed on the swirl of light. His voice trembled.
"Are you sure this place leads to Earth?"
"Sure.. But if doesn't.. " Riven answered flatly. "We will be together. That's enough."
'What's that supposed to mean?'
He then immediately discarded the confusion and glanced at her, searching her face. She didn't smile this time, but her grip on his arm was steady, unyielding. He nodded, exhaling slowly.
"…Together.." he repeated.
Darius was already striding toward the portal, his hand tapping the pouch of crystals at his hip. He glanced back once, smirk tugging at his lips.
"Let's move, little brother. Don't make me carry you." he teased.
Riven rolled her eyes, but she followed. Step by step, she led Zephyros forward. The air grew cooler as they approached, the swirl pulling at their clothes, their hair. The portal wasn't just light... It was as if it was turning them into tiny bits of shards and making them reappear elsewhere.
At the edge, Zephyros paused, his small hand tightening unconsciously around hers. She squeezed back.
"Breathe... It's a portal home.. " she whispered, echoing her words from before.
He did. Then, together, they stepped into the blue portal leaving the remnants of the Decayed Forest behind.
Zephyros.. Le Wei's first time being in a portal. He was definitely lucky to be transmigrated as the boyfriend of a strong teenage girl and the younger brother of a...cocky, reckless idiot who hides his real self under a reassuring smile. But he was still strong.
Fair enough.
****
Back on earth, it was already dark and in the place of the sun was a bright moon. The cities illuminated with street lights and few night markets where still open.
.. Except for one...
Right in an empty street, with refuse flying around, an exotic car was parked with the driver having a worrisome look on his face.
"Why.. Why did he have to take Sir Zephyros with him.. Poor boy just is on his fifth amnesia." the man muttered, banging his head softly on the steering of the car.
He dare not bang it hard.
Then, just feet away from the car, the air itself splitted into two revealing a blue crack. The crack slowly turned into a swirling liquid and then it became faster. It then started taking the shape of...humans?
A wide smile appeared on the driver's face. He immediately came out of the vehicle, his whole body filled with joy.
"... Aah.. They're back.."
The driver rushed out of the car as three figures stumbled out of the portal, their outlines solidifying into familiar shapes. The portal gave one last hum before it collapsed behind them, leaving only the night air and the faint smell of whatever was smelling? If anything, it smelt bad.
"Sir Zephyros! Miss Riven! Sir Darius!" the driver exclaimed, almost tripping over himself in his hurry. "Thank heavens.. "
"Relax.. " Darius cut him off with a wave of his hand, walking past as if stepping out of a nightmare realm into the middle of an empty city street was the most casual thing in the world. His armor slowly dispersed from his body, returning back his normal clothes, making him naked for a fraction of second.
.. But he cared less.
"We're alive. It's just a C rank portal.. No need to cry about it."
The driver blinked rapidly, then nodded so fast it looked painful.
"O-of course, sir. The car is ready."
Riven still had her arm firmly around Zephyros, steadying him as he wobbled forward. She also dispersed her armor but when no one was looking of course..a fraction of second meant a lot for a girl.. Yet, deep down she would have loved Zephyr to see that fraction of second.
Riven shook her head, discarding the perverted thoughts.
Zephyros eyes darted around, adjusting to the neon glow of streetlights and the sound of a lone scooter passing in the distance. The Hollow Realm felt like a bad dream now.
Zephyros let out a low whistle. "...This feels weird. Like I blinked and the whole world changed clothes."
"You always say the weirdest things when you're dizzy or hungry.. " Riven muttered, but there was a softness to her voice.
Darius smirked. "At least he's consistent."
The driver hurried to open the back door. Riven guided Zephyros inside first, sliding in after him. She adjusted his seatbelt for him when his hands fumbled, earning her a mumbled... "I could've done it…"
"Sure.. " she replied flatly, pulling the buckle until it clicked.
Darius claimed the passenger seat with a stretch of his arms.
"Driver, home. And step on it... I'm starving."
"Yes, sir!" The car pulled smoothly into motion, the city lights streaking by outside.
For a while, no one spoke. The hum of the engine filled the silence, oddly comforting after the chaos of battle. Zephyros leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window. His reflection looked back at him, pale and too young.
"You're staring again.." Riven said quietly beside him.
He blinked, caught. "At what?"
"At yourself." Her lips curved in the faintest smile. "You'll get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that."
"I already look like a kid.." he muttered. "Wrinkles would be an improvement."
Darius chuckled from the front seat. "Don't worry, little brother. When you're eighty, you'll finally look twenty."
Zephyros groaned. "Not funny."
"It's hilarious."
The bickering made Riven's shoulders relax. For once, it almost felt like they were just three normal teenagers heading home after a long night out.
The driver peeked at them through the rearview mirror, his face still beaming. "It's really good to have you back. Dinner was ordered in advance.. your usuals, of course. Shall I have them warmed by the time we arrive?"
At that, even Zephyros perked up a little. "…Does that include dumplings?"
"You don't like dumplings sir.. But I'll gladly order for you immediately we get home.."
He sank back against the seat with a tired smile. "Okay… maybe today isn't that bad."
Riven shook her head, amused despite herself. She reached over and tugged his hood up so it covered his face. "Sleep. We'll wake you when we're home."
His eyes fluttered shut almost immediately, exhaustion claiming him.
The city rolled by outside, neon and moonlight painting the streets, while the car carried them forward. After everything, after monsters and portals and near-death, they were just three kids in the back of a car again, going home.
And for tonight, that was enough.