Chapter 311 - THUNDER READY FOR A FIGHT (1) (2/2)

So, he shuts off that possibility.

So, he only answers with those three words

'I don't know' he replied after a while.

He pondered about the question seriously. He tried to guess but he couldn't think of a reason why.

Truth be told, he could think of a couple of reason.

She might be disoriented, or she might have encountered some nightmares in her unconsciousness but he did not say it.

Because it doesn't seem like it. If it is, Erika would have told him. She said it means something. But what does it means.

Erika only smiles and then she said

'I close my eyes and in that darkness the only thing I think about is my home' she smiles wistfully

'Your home?' Antonius is puzzled

'Yes' she nodded

'In Athens?'

Erika looks at him and then covering her mouth she try to stifle her laugh.

'He is so lovable' she thought silently in her mind

She shakes her head and said

'No, dummy. You.' She pointed at Antonius

'Me?' Antonius was shocked as he pointed at himself

'Yes, my home is you. It has been like that for a long time' then she continued, her face is full of smiles

'I didn't notice it but it seems you have become my everything. I used to walk alone in this path until you accompanied me. I used to dream my dream all alone but you also dreamed it with me. Now, we are walking the same path, dreaming the same dream.'

Then she blushes as she looks at Antonius. It is quite embarrassing to say these words in public. If not because the crowds are far away she would choose another time to say these words.

But she also doesn't waste any more time. Because if there is one thing she doesn't have the luxury of wasting, it is time

On the other hand Antonius was frozen in place before he finally registered the words coming out from Erika mouth in his mind.

'Wa..Wh….at do you mean?' Antonius was like a child stuttering in his word. Either it is because of extreme happiness or extreme shock, his word sound like babbles of a baby.

It was like he accomplished his lifelong dreams.

Erika blushed even harder.

'Idiot. This is a confession'

Then she added like she wants him to understand why she is feeling like this.

'I see the future with my eyes but I realized my Time did not move even one step. I see other people times moving forward but not my Time. I was always afraid what the future holds and I fear to make even one wrong step. I was wrong. Sometimes even when you know how it ends, you still have to have faith. You still have to take that one step forward regardless of the future. Because as long as you don't take that one step forward, nothing would change and nothing would start. I need to step forward and brave it all head on'

Then smiling she said

'So, I don't want to wait another day. When I wake up and I see you beside me I know right away. I know my heart was right all along. You are different from other people in my life.. I think….I'll regret it if I lose you'

'You mean….I mean that…Umm..' Antonius seems to lose any ability to speak another word, like he has forgotten how to speak.

Erika looking at the flustered expression on Antonius face chuckles and she said

'Dummy, I am saying I love you' Smiling she said

'You ask what that kiss means didn't you? That is the meaning. I love you' And then she repeated it again, a little bit slower and with a cute expression on her face

'I love you'

Erika looks at Antonius, and she notices for the first time that his face is really handsome. She never notices it before. He looks like a manly Greek god sculpted to perfection.

It is a perfect balance of beauty and manliness all packaged into one. As she admires him, she hears the Song of the Sea and this time she only smiles.

She enjoys the melody of the Sea, no longer feeling overwhelmed by the secrets she holds now.

Her eyes are green and no longer seem misty with white clouds swirling in her eyes. For she did not need to see the future right now.

Well, she did not have to see the future for a few years until that time comes. She learns that sometime it is alright not to know everything.

Sometimes it is alright for her to enjoy her time. It is a hard lesson for her to learn. But thankfully she learns it now.

And she has a new dream now. And that dream becomes her hope. As long as that hope persists, she will never break down and she will never give up.

They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.

Shed had all three. Though the thing she must do is not entirely happy but the thing she hopes for is certainly happy.

Antonius on the other hand was flustered by the confession

'I didn't think… that… hmm…you..I mea- ..I…Hmm…What was I to say what you fee-' Erika laughs cutting off Antonius nonsense babbling.

Antonius now is like a broken robot, his words are not making sense and his face is red but he is smiling happily like an idiot.

Well, he might be an idiot. But he is now her idiot.

'Are you thinking about rejecting my confession?' Erika playfully asked

Antonius hurriedly shakes his head.

'No! That is not what I am saying? I do' And Erika burst into laughter.

'This is not a wedding little Anthony.'

'No..I.. 'Erika only smiles and her hand touch his cheeks and he shivered. That brings a chuckle in Erika

'We have time. We still have a lot of time. After we get out of Pandemonium, let us enjoy a few years of peace.'

Antonius was so happy that she did not truly hear what Erika was saying. There is a hint of finality in her tone when she said let us enjoy a few years of peace.

Like she knows something.

Well, considering she is the Oracle, she always knows something that other people don't know.

She then moves away her hand and then looks forward at the vast horizon of water in front of him

She then takes a deep breath and shakes her head. She still remembers what she needs to remembers but she also forgotten some things.

Not because it is not important, but that memory is unnecessary.

Important but unnecessary memory.

Because if she chooses to remember that important but unnecessary memory she knows she would not have the strength to do what she must do.

This is her destiny.

To witness everything until the bitter end.

Antonius took a little time to calm himself down after Erika bold confession. The winds of the sea bringing the smell of the sea pass them by.

In that short few moments, Antonius becomes the happiest man alive in the world.

The person she loves…loves him back. That is not an easy feat. Finding love is never easy. Sometimes you find it.

Sometime they find you. But sometimes you found someone you love and you know it would never be.

Life…always gets in the way.

Antonius stays beside her all this years, hoping she would feel for him as he felt for her.

He only dares to hope. He never said it to her. Because he did not want to add him as her burden. Because he knows that she did not think of him like that.

He is mistaken.

Because she always loved him, from the first moment he blocked a spear for her.

But she never said it to him too. Because the future she saw….is too terrifying. She has been walking all over the Earth trying to prevent what is going to happens.

She made it her life mission.

So, she never told him. Life like always get in the way

Then she fall unconscious. And she was shown something by her future self. And she learns something from that one eyed version of her.

Time will not wait for her. It is alright for her to want some slice of happiness. It is alright for her to be happy and still do what she must.

She doesn't necessarily have to choose.

It took her that near death experience to realize her home isn't a place. It is a person. And she is finally home.

To say to someone you love them and to hear them reply they loved you too…..what are more joyful words that could rival it in this world?

The wind passes them by again and if not for the crowds looking at them Antonius wanted to jump and shouted to the world how happy he is.

He wanted to hug her and kiss her like she has never been kissed before. He wanted to tell her how much he loves her, and how happy to hear the words she said to him.

Because he could not do that now, he only looks at Erika smiling like he got all of his heart desire.

He stands there beside her, looking at the same direction she is looking.

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AUTHOR NOTE

Part one of the chapter. You all said last time the last part of the chapter is too short right? Well, this time I write a ten thousand word chapter. This is the first part and it is about Erika and Antonius and it is already reaching four thousand words

After all we are near the end of this Arc.

Need to solve this vague relationship between Erika and Antonius. And if by now you couldn't see this coming, then you must have read a different story.

The attraction between them is subtle but it is there each time I wrote about them. And Erika must have seen something in her dreams. There is things she forgotten but there is also things she remembers.

For now it seems her interest seems aligned with Loki plans. Anyway this chapter is not all lovey dovey. If you read the title of this chapter it is Thunder Ready For a Fight. That is hardly a title suitable for a rom com moment.

But hey, i'm not going to spoil the end of this chapter to you all.. hehehe. Anyway if you want to read the entirety of the chapter faster you could be my patron. five bucks and you get unlimited access and for those that have a lot of money and want to support this pitiful author you could cough up ten bucks as a sign of support.

Oh and for this chapter I recommend listening to Huh Gak and Zia - I Need you. Find a video with the translated lyrics. I will post the link in comment section for people who wanted to hear it while reading. It is just a suggestion but if anyone have better suggestion do tell me.

And below is my obligatory promotion time for my story

And guys and gals( Thought I don't think many girls read this kind of story)do check out my other novels Age of Adventure and Song of Heroes. Song of Heroes is kind of stopped for a moment since I am editing Age of Adventure and writing Lord Shadow at the same time.

But do check it out.