For once...
Kael Veyris wasn't sitting inside his Imperial Castle.
He wasn't watching the capital.
He wasn't reading reports.
He wasn't creating a universe.
He was traveling.
Beside him walked Aurelion Veythar.
Aurelion smiled.
"You know, Kael..."
"What?"
"You've visited countless worlds."
"Yes."
"You've visited friendly clans, ancient civilizations, dragon kingdoms, elven territories, and even places that technically shouldn't exist."
Kael nodded.
"That's true."
Aurelion stopped walking.
"But you've never visited my home."
Kael looked at him.
"That's true."
Aurelion smiled.
"So today..."
"You finally will."
Aurelion opened his hand.
A small golden light appeared.
It expanded into a doorway.
Kael stepped through.
The moment he emerged...
He stopped.
Before him was a vast world unlike anything within the central territories of the Veyris Empire.
A golden sun illuminated an enormous blue sky.
Floating mountains stretched across the horizon.
Crystal rivers flowed between ancient forests.
Massive golden trees covered entire valleys.
Cities were built into mountainsides, while bridges of crystal connected floating islands.
In the distance...
Kael could see an enormous white castle surrounded by golden towers.
Aurelion smiled.
"Welcome."
"This is Aurelia."
"My homeland."
Kael looked around.
"It's beautiful."
Aurelion nodded.
"I thought you might like it."
They walked toward the nearest city.
People immediately recognized Aurelion.
Children ran toward him.
"Elder Aurelion!"
"You're back!"
Aurelion laughed.
"Yes, yes. I haven't been gone that long."
One child looked at Kael.
"Who's he?"
Aurelion looked toward Kael.
"This..."
"...is my oldest friend."
Kael smiled.
The child stared at him.
Then whispered,
"He doesn't look that powerful."
Aurelion burst out laughing.
Kael simply smiled.
"I hear that often."
As they continued walking...
Kael noticed something.
Everyone respected Aurelion.
But it wasn't fear.
It was affection.
People greeted him.
Shopkeepers waved.
Children followed him.
Elders smiled when they saw him.
Kael finally asked,
"You're more important here than you ever told me."
Aurelion became quiet.
"I suppose I am."
They reached a hill overlooking the entire city.
Aurelion sat beneath one of the golden trees.
Kael sat beside him.
For several moments...
Neither spoke.
Then Aurelion finally began.
"I wasn't always like this."
Kael listened.
"Long before I met you..."
"I was the guardian of Aurelia."
"My people were constantly threatened by wars between powerful civilizations."
"Kings wanted our resources."
"Gods wanted our land."
"Ancient beings wanted the power beneath our world."
Aurelion looked toward the city.
"I spent thousands of years protecting everyone."
"But eventually..."
"I became tired."
Kael remained silent.
"I had power."
"But I had no one I could talk to."
"Everyone either feared me..."
"...or wanted something from me."
Then Aurelion smiled.
"Until I met you."
Kael looked at him.
"Where did we meet?"
Aurelion laughed softly.
"You don't remember?"
Kael shook his head.
"There have been many beginnings."
Aurelion nodded.
"That's fair."
"We met outside a dying reality."
"I was trying to save the last civilization there."
"You arrived."
"I thought you were another cosmic being coming to take control."
Kael smiled.
"I didn't."
"No."
"You simply asked me..."
Aurelion paused.
"...why I was trying so hard."
Kael looked toward him.
"What did you say?"
Aurelion smiled.
"You told me..."
"Because someone has to care."
Silence followed.
Aurelion looked at the golden city below.
"Nobody had ever said that to me before."
"You didn't care about my power."
"You didn't care about my title."
"You didn't even care about becoming my ally."
"You simply wanted to help."
Kael smiled.
"That sounds like something I would do."
Aurelion laughed.
"Exactly."
They remained beneath the golden tree.
Eventually...
Aurelion stood.
"Come."
"There's someone else I want you to meet."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Who?"
Aurelion smiled mysteriously.
"The people who taught me what friendship actually meant."
Kael followed him toward the city.
Behind them...
The golden leaves of Aurelia's ancient trees shimmered in the sunlight.
For the first time...
Kael wasn't showing Aurelion another part of his infinite existence.
Instead...
Aurelion was showing Kael his.
And Kael finally understood why his old friend had become one of the few people he trusted enough to call family.