"Jay! Jay!!"

I could hear Asthia's desperate cries as I let out a long sigh. I used the last of my strength to forcefully close the link, kicking Asthia out of the spiritual plain.

"Jay, no!"

Her screams were silenced. My body was only able to remain in this dimension due to my link with the Elder Wyvern, and because he had never been killed in the first place.

I fell to both knees, retracting my arm from the Elder's chest. His eyes glowed a bright purple as his body disintegrated, unleashing the massive shadow that had been restrained by the mortal vessel.

"It seems," growled the Elder Wyvern as he returned to his original form, the towering giant appearing before me in all his glory, "you managed to fulfill your end of the deal."

I chuckled sluggishly. The sweat, blood, and tears that were scattered all over my body felt like a culmination of my entire life here on Auroria, and I could feel the liquid drops stop flowing as the journey came to an end.

Fifteen years.

I had managed to live fifteen full years in this new world.

"..."

Words wouldn't escape my mouth no matter how hard I tried. I wanted to respond to the god, but all I could do was tick down the seconds before I would inevitably lose consciousness. The Elder Wyvern seemed to notice my struggles, approaching his head with his long neck.

"Jay Cadmium, Royal Knight of the Dragonkin, you have proven both your strength and resolve, as well as the foothold you have given to Lares on this continent once again," said the Elder Wyvern.

"Well," I managed to croak, "it wasn't easy."

The Elder Wyvern laughed as he retreated his head.

"It would've been simpler to eliminate the human S-ranks. Instead, you went through the trouble of facing me in an attempt to prove your ability. I will never understand why you mortals are so weakminded."

"I... used to think the same way as you, but I think I've changed, even if just a little.""Do you believe that change to be for the better, half-breed? Answer me this, and I will let you go."

I thought about the question for a while.

My thought process and emotions had definitely changed over my life here on Auroria, but was it a positive change? Some might be quick to spring at the answer, exclaiming that feeling sympathy and love towards others is obviously better than what I had, but was that necessarily accurate?

Many challenges I found myself in arose from a moral obligation to not abandon others. Where had I first started to feel that way?

Maybe it had started when I met Katherine, or maybe even before that.

"I think so..." I muttered finally, "my perspective changed, everything felt full of life when I was void of it, and I want to believe that change was the root of my new perception."

"I see," said the Elder Wyvern.

I felt the dimension begin to fade away. I closed my eyes, sensing my consciousness drift away towards an eternal slumber. My heartbeat slowed, nearing the point of no return.

"I'll grant you your wish, Jay Cadmium," boomed a voice in my head. "Though let it be known that you may never attain the peace you've been searching for. Conflict never ceases to follow those who have been plagued by it."

A burning fire arose within me, and then I felt my spirit reconnecting with my body.

Warm rays of sunlight hit my skin as my mind finally returned to the physical world. Everything was unusually silent. The only audible noise in the entire area was the low cries that originated from right above me, and I could already piece together the position I lay in.

I opened my eyes slowly, revealing the face of the Dragon girl that lay above me. She sat on the fresh grass, her legs sprawled out in front of her in a relaxing position. I felt her hand caressing my hair as tears fell from her eyes, dropping onto me as my head lay on her thighs.

I briefly scanned the area with my weak aura, realizing that there was nobody else in the grassy plains. The battle had ended many hours ago, and all that was left was the hundreds of swords implanted in the ground, representing the lives that had been lost during the fierce clash.

Wet tears trickled onto my face as a small gasp echoed from Asthia's mouth. I smiled, meeting her eyes.

The girl began to laugh amidst her tears, not believing what she was seeing. The boy in front of her had stopped breathing momentarily, and yet somehow, he was

"Welcome back, Jay," she whispered."Sorry," I muttered back.

I had kept my deal and plans with the Elder Wyvern a secret from everyone, and due to this secrecy, Asthia had believed me to be dead. My only response was a bright smile from the Dragon Princess.

"All I can do is thank you, Jay. Thank you for everything you've done."

"I killed thousands of innocent people. I don't deserve gratitude."

"Well, I'm still giving you mine, whether you think you deserve it or not," replied Asthia. I chuckled, feeling my entire body stiffen from the laughter. I winced, relaxing my muscles once again.

I could still feel an empty void deep within me, a place that had once been occupied by the spirit of the Elder Wyvern. He had most likely returned to Lares, where he would lay dormant until the next crisis that would require his attention. Did that mean I was free?

"Everyone went back?" I asked softly. Asthia lifted her head, scanning the area before nodding.

"I think so. Time operates differently in the spiritual dimension. It could've been days since the fight for all we know."

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath for exhaling slowly.

"You can finally rest now," said Asthia, her eyes still wet from the tears.

"Well, peace negotiations will still need to take place," I admitted, but Asthia silenced me with her finger.

"True, but let's leave that for tomorrow."

I said nothing, agreeing with her statement. I was completely drained, and thinking about the upcoming negotiations made my head hurt.

"Thank you, my hero," whispered Asthia.

I opened my eyes to disagree with her choice of words, but all I managed to see was the ruby-eyed girl tucking her shining white hair behind her ear as her lips delicately touched mine.

We remained still for several seconds as the final rays of dusk illuminated the last scene of my journey.magic

My time as a violent warrior had come to an end, and yet so much remained unresolved. I didn't know how to live if not through violence, but I had a small hope, a hope that this girl could guide me through it.

A chapter of my life filled with bloodshed had come to a close, but I felt as if it had acted as a stepping stone to get me where I was now. Maybe there was a way to escape the violence. I didn't know if I was only being optimistic, but it felt as if maybe, just maybe...

This was a new beginning for me.