279 Before the end (1/2)

During that night, the last night before the final battle, after a long day of training, magic practicing, combat, and testing their skills with one another, it was time to finally rest and wait for the next day to arrive.

Naturally, many were having trouble falling asleep at that night.

As some assumed that the worse might come to happen and were not aware if they would still be alive on the day after tomorrow, they assumed it would be the best to close a few loose ends before the end.

Part 2

”Hey, bro...” Ashley whispered while dangling her brother who was now stuck in the body of a fur fro toy by his leg, ”How long were you planning to keep avoiding me...?”

”Ah... If it isn't my useless sister...” Xadi commented while trying his best to avoid looking her in the face, ”You came to mock me before your head gets bitten off tomorrow?”

Ashley just looked at him while memories started to flood in her mind. How he tried to kill her and Evlin many times with his lightning magic, how he tried to make her best friend turn into his slave, how he chased them all the way to Emerald Dawn, and how many times he told her that she was a useless bag of trash that he wishes would be just disposed of already.

Even after all this time, after finally getting a reunion, these were still the first words he had for her.

”I saw you finally got an apprentice like you wanted...” Ashley commented.

”Ah! Indeed! Despite your best efforts to completely ruin me, I still managed to find a way to come out on top! That kid will bring me a lot of fortune in the future after I properly nurture him!” Xadi boasted.

Ashley knew that after this whole Knucker thing was over, Joseph would have to return home, but she avoided commenting about that, ”He seems to really like you for some reason... I'm honestly surprised...”

”I treat people the way they deserve to be treated!” Xadi explained, ”He actually listens to my instructions, so I take care to teach him respect! While you are a waste of mine and everyone's time, so I do my best to just ignore you even exist... Sounds fair, right?”

Ashley glared at the toy, ”You know... I cried when I saw you die... Back at the south kingdom...”

”Good for you, I laughed after I heard about you having your body stolen by a demon!” Xadi replied.

”You really have nothing to say to me!!?? You're my only relative still alive... I'm your sister!! I know we had our differences but... Tomorrow might be the last time we see each other! Can't you show a little bit of affection for me at least once??”

The red-haired woman finally lowered her arm and released the toy on the ground. Xadi turned around and started to walk away but his sister began to respond while he was still close.

”I did not kill your wife... You ungrateful jerk... I tried to help her! I tried to help you many times!! I just wasn't able to!! I didn't ask to be born unable to perform magic!!”

”Then why were you born at all...?” he replied before finally leaving.

Once Ashley was finally alone, Evlin appeared from behind a tree and came closer to hug her sister who was now looking at the ground while sobbing non-stop.

”I'm so sorry...” Evlin whispered.

”You were right...” Ashley mumbled while cleaning her nose, ”He hasn't changed at all...”

”But you have! And tomorrow, he will see that!” Evlin replied.

”Thank you, Evlin...”

”Anytime, sis...”

Part 2

Marcus was sitting on a rock gazing at the bright light of the full moon while rubbing his hands when he suddenly heard a soft voice coming from behind.

”Hey...”

The lad turned around to see who it was and was met by Leona who was now wearing some casual clothing and had her wet for some reason.

”Hey...” he responded, ”Did you just took a bath...?”

”Your mother and I managed to improvise a bit with my fire magic and her ice magic while she trained me the ways of master-class magic... We managed to make a hot-spring!”

”That's nice! I think I will try it too!”

”All the women are taking it right now, so it might take a while...” Leona explained as she took a seat next to the silver-haired young man, ”You... Mind if we chat for a bit...?”

”Not at all...” Marcus replied, ”I don't know if I make it too obvious but I actually don't like being alone... But I feel awkward just asking for someone to make me company...”

”I know the feeling... I also have trouble showing people that I do not mind their presence... But many just look at me and assume that I rather be by myself for some reason...”

”Guess that make us fellow loners...”

”I guess!” she replied with a giggle.

The two stayed in silence for a moment gazing at the moon when Marcus suddenly made a comment.

”Feels just like that night...”

”The night when Hana arrived? After we had the war with Mia?” Leona guessed.

”Yeah... I'm sure you must be worried about your friends... The other east followers...”

”They... Are not really my friends... They feel more like co-workers if anything...” Leona corrected while removing her hair from her eyes, ”Honestly, you guys are probably the first friends I've ever had...”

”Seriously?”

”Fire magic is not a very popular skill to have... It's the easiest kind of magic to use to harm someone... I was not very popular among the other kids growing up because everyone assumed I would burn them...”

”Must have been rough...” Marcus commented, ”I didn't even know other kids when I was young... Fighting demons was all I would do all day, every day...”

Leona smiled at him, ”Looks like being alone is not the only thing we both share in common...”

Marcus lifted his face and stared at Leona's ember eyes, the natural color of fire, as she herself stared at his blue eyes, the natural color of water.

”Do you ever think about that night...?” Leona asked.

”You mean the night you sneaked into my room, kissed me, pushed me down, and then stood up with your face burning of embarrassment after realizing what you had done, followed by running away to your quarters like a teenage girl?” Marcus answered with a giggle, ”How could I forget?”

Leona began to blush and cover her face with her blond hair, ”That wasn't my proudest moment... Could you please forget that ever happened?”

”Why? It was cute!”

”It was lame!!!” Leona replied, ”I looked pathetic!!”

Marcus laughed and then removed her hair from her face again, ”It was cute! You're cute...”

Once he finished removing the hair, his palm began to hold her cheek.

”Are you going to run away again this time?” he wondered.

”Maybe...” She admitted, ”So... Please do it fast!”

And not wasting any time, Marcus moved closer to unite both of their lips to feel the blood rushing through her body and making her skin burn.

Once he backed off, he realized that Leona wasn't just burning from the kiss, her hair had somehow caught on fire while they were distracted, but it didn't seem like it was hurting her.

”Whoa...” he gasped, ”I think you got the hang of master-class magic already... You're on fire!”

Leone didn't notice the fire and before the lad could warn her, she just pulled his face to kiss him one more time.

”Indeed...” she responded.