(Author note: from now on, the story will go on from Ep 1 AP to Ep 3)

The Heir of Covenant dissapeared along with the Archdemon. Many said he has returned to the Godness, now that the Archdemon has been defeated.

But the gloomy atmosphere between the Heirs told a different story.

Krau glanced at the unconscious Mercedes, he let out a heavy sigh. The fact that Arky was still there with Mercedes that day put some relief in their mind, thinking that Ras is still good and alive.

But the Guardian was crying like a child, and Ras was no where to be seen. Yuna tried to calm him down, asking him questions of what happened during the battle. Despite her effort, Arky refused to tell them anything about Ras for days, which worried them even more.

Then suddenly, after asking him a favor to watch over Mercedes, Arky ran off to who know where just last night.

Krau wondered if Arky found Ras, Guardian can sense their Heir whereabout anyway. But the lack of Arky's usual cheerfulness was suspicious and Ludwig made a fuss over how persistent Arky was, and how Ras just went missing without telling them.

The situation was a mess. Iseria searched for anyone else around that night, but caught no one in sight. That is even weirder, Krau thought, since Ras and Vildred probably got into a fight against each other. Vildred shouldn't be able to escape, Arky was there, and an archdemon as a bonus.

"Where the heck are you, Ras?" Kayron's brows furrowed in distress. He might burn all his brain cells at this point,

...

When the night descended, Vildred got lost in the sea of memory again and again, mourning for the person who adorned his heart and soul.

It felt like he was suffocated in the illusion he made whenever he closed his eyes, Ras still right beside him, never left his side.

Or maybe he never did. Their soul became one, and in a way, Ras would always stay with Vildred.

(Isn't that right, Ras?)

Still, Vildred would wake up in the middle of the lone nights, chest swelling, cold sweats pouring from his head, his lips muttering Ras name in despair.

Vildred took a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he let his tangled thought running one more time, relishing in the scenarios of all the world they walked pass together.

It was a tragic story, a simple miscommunication between them grew into pain and betrayals. His hatred and blames toward the Heir now seems like a joke to himself.

Then finally, this wretched journey ended with Ras's life.

Multiple scenes popped up, the swordsman could saw both their point of view after receiving Ras soul fragments, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Oh how he wanted to hold him tight again, wipe away his tears, tell Ras what he couldn't finished...

That he too, longed for Ras, despite the feeling of betrayal fuelling him, telling him to forget all those feeling and crush the Heir of Covenant, to revenge the Goddess and break the endless cycle of destruction.

(I forgive you already. And I would do anything for your forgiveness)

In Ras scattered memories, he felt Ras's regret, his guilt. He was destroyed mentally, his mind full off doubt, confusion, self-loath. He saw Ras woke up in countless nightmares, horrified, tears soaked his eyes, gasping for air like a drowned man.

The final piece stopped at Diche's hazy image, a difficult sigh left her lips.

Fate was cruel to them. When Vildred finally able to voice the feeling he locked up for so long, when just a little more and he would return to Ras side, fate decided to play a trick on them. It was ridiculous the more he think about it, like something or someone pulled them by the strings like puppets, playing around with them, then purposefully teared them apart.

Vildred chuckled darkly, hand gripping the hilt of his sword. The sword's appearance hasn't changed, but it's energy did. Dark aura emitted from the sword in waves, but Vildred hardly sense any ominous feeling within the black mist.

It was pure darkness, like an endless abyss where no light can get through, matching with Ras's sword which filled with life force. Their aura corresponded, creating a full cycle of creation and destruction. Anything in this world fall into this spiral, one cannot exist without the other.

"And I guess so are we." Vildred whispered under his breath, his gaze became more gentle.

If it was fate that wanted to seperate them, Vildred would cut a way through it. He feared no gods nor acolytes by this point, as he lost his trust in the Goddess and had went against the whole world before.

The only thing he felt grateful to the Goddess is that she managed to save Ras' soul and damaged body and sealed him on his hand. The seal act like a shield, preventing futher damages.

Vildred couldn't understand the seal's mechanics yet, but it gave him some relief knowing Ras still have hope. Though the fact that he didn't know how to open it so he can sneak some glances at the white haired boy and ease his longing was dissapointing.

Just when his mind started to wander elsewhere, the tree shrubs outside rustled wildly, putting Vildred on his guard. His hand instantly clenched the sword, eyes narrowed, focusing on where the sound came from.

A few more rustling noise, a blue and white fluffy tail popped up, followed with two cat ears...

"Kuu, don't just go ahead and slice off Arky, or Arky will tell master that you bullied me in his absent."

The Guardian voice caught Vildred off guard, he gave Arky a confused look, loosening his hand on the sword. Two pair of eyes were locked on the each other.

A minute of awkward silence that just them staring for the whole time, Vildred cleared his throat and fibally found his voice:

"Why are you here? I thought you are with Mercedes by now"

"Arky ran off to find you"

Arky said bluntly as he looked around and got into the tent. He quickly found his place and rolled up on the mat, the continue the story:

"Master soul is within Vildred now, so in some way Vildred is Arky master too and Arky can find your whereabout. But Arky will just accept this as temporally" The guardian huffed, eyes were red and puffy. Maybe he cried too much recently.

"Master asked Arky to find a way to seperate the Archdemon and Meru's soul at the ancient ruin, so Arky thought Arky would drag you along on the way. Vildred won't turn down master's wish right?"

Vildred stand there watching the guardian for a while, hearing out his request. Their atmosphere was quite tense and akward, he knew that already. Because even with Arky's easy-going personality, it would be hard for them to go back to what it used to be.

Separate Mercedes soul that tangled with the Archdemon's? Are there any ways?

But Ras mentioned the destination cleary to his Guardian, so maybe there is a solution somewhere.

"Of course I won't turn it down"

He helped Kayron do something so horrible to her. She was an important person to Ras as well, someone who believed and trusted him when Ras needed the most. Vildred wouldn't turn down any of Ras wishes, as he sought for Ras's forgiveness.

And maybe he could find useful informations on the way and find a method to compose Ras's soul fragments inside the seal.

"If it's about information and recorded ancient knowledge, maybe we should head to the infinite library first..."

Though it would be troublesome, he would have to put on a disguise in order to avoid any bloody, nasty situation. He could already see people chasing after the traitor of the Goddess, the murderer who killed their Queen.

And there also the twins who work in the libraby, he afraid that they would be sharp enough to see through his poorly made cover.

Though all this plan could be done by tomorrow morning. Arky already yawned, curling into a ball as he closed his little eyes, ready for some rest.

Maybe he should try and give his weary eyes some sleep too, although Vildred would even more tired out by the nightmares that kept haunting him.

But he has to sleep, or else it would be difficult and inefficient tomorrow. They have a long way to go.

So he tried to think about any happy memories.
Think about Kise and Ruelle. Think about master...
Think about Ras, he loves you.

But this method may backfire him, he felt his eyes teared up.

"We will be reunited"

Vildred chanted that one sentence over and over, until he felt himself composed, his shaking hand stopped, his mind enchanted with a false moment of peace.

He gently caressed the seal on his hand, he did that whenever he woke up from the midst of his dreams, it's warm and faint light pulled him out of the dark abyss for a while.

Chilly winds passed through the thin layer of fabric, Vildred welcomed the coldness on his skin, his whole being already lost his final warmth the day he lost Ras, wanting to give up on everything.

Yet, he couldn't dare to give up on his life, on Ras's life.

Laying down once more with messy thoughts and plans for his next journey, he fell asleep at one point.

The blurry figure gave a pure, relief smile, his form slowly dissolved in the pale moonlight.