Omniphage of Apathy

Adelasta felt the weight lift from her arm as Vastarael gently touched the sapphire cast encasing it. The crystal shimmered faintly, then dissolved into fine blue dust that scattered into the air. Despite the aching in her body, her orange eyes were drawn to him as he leaned closer, focusing on her broken arm with utmost care.

His curly white hair fell lightly over his forehead, streaked with traces of ash and soot. The flickering remnants of light from the burning city illuminated his bronze skin. His golden eyes, shimmering faintly even in the shadow of the collapsed spire, held a warmth and intensity that was difficult to ignore.

Adelasta watched as he worked. His fingers hovered above her arm, a faint glow of sapphire essence emanating from them. The bones in her arm began to knit together, the sensation more uncomfortable than painful, but her focus wasn't on the process. It was on him.

His clothes were a mess—singed and torn in multiple places, the fabric clinging to him from the sweat and heat of his frantic escape earlier. Soot clung to the curve of his neck and jawline, a streak crossing his cheek, only enhancing his rugged, battle-worn appearance.

Yet, somehow, even in his disheveled state, he looked impossibly perfect.

A gentle smile graced his lips as he finished with her arm, the glow of his essence dimming as he checked her wrist with careful precision. His touch was steady, even after everything they'd been through.

Adelasta's chest tightened in a way she couldn't quite explain. The cold, emotionless mask she always wore felt uncomfortably fragile in that moment.

Her heart, usually as steady as her demeanor, skipped a beat as she took in the sight before her—a boy who was supposed to be just her betrothed, yet looked like something out of a celestial dream.

"You're healing well," Vastarael said softly, his voice smooth and soothing, as though the chaos outside didn't exist. "But you'll need to rest for a while. Your body's been through a lot."

Adelasta didn't respond immediately. For once, her mind wasn't calculating or sharp. It was overwhelmed by the unexpected wave of emotion she felt. Her orange eyes lingered on him longer than she intended and a faint heat crept up her face.

She turned her gaze away, masking the unfamiliar sensation as irritation.

"You look ridiculous," she muttered coldly, though her voice lacked its usual bite.

Vastarael blinked, surprised by the comment, before laughing softly.

"If I look ridiculous, then you should see yourself."

For a fleeting moment, a part of her wanted to smile. But she suppressed it, returning to her stoic mask as her eyes closed again. Yet deep down, she knew. That sight—his disheveled beauty amidst the destruction—was something she wouldn't easily forget.

Vastarael's Boon was active.

"Want some water?"

"..."

Vastarael summoned sapphire essence from his hands before a sphere of water began to materialize above his palm. On his other hand, a crystal glass materialized and he easily levitated the water onto it.

"Mmm. Seems that I've gotten better in making sapphire shapes."

"Sa... pphire?"

"It's what I call my crystal," Vastarael revealed as he gave her the glass. "It's durable but not strong enough, according to my father."

Adelasta took a few sips of the water before gulping it down. Vastarael was already creating more water. The second she finished, he levitated the water onto the glass again.

He did this eight more times before Adelasta was fully sated.

He didn't need a glass. He easily levitated the water to his lips a few times before he was satisfied.

Adelasta looked at the sapphire glass she was holding and tried to break it with her uninjured hand. To her shock, the crystal was so strong that she didn't even dent it, even though she used all her strength and essence onto it.

"Can I... ask you something?"

"Mmm?"

"If you can create this crystal, you could have had an easier way of deflecting my attacks in training."

"..."

"And with the runes and the circles, I'm sure you would have defeated me. So... why? Why don't you use these in our duels?"

Vastarael leaned back slightly, resting his hands on his knees, his golden eyes softening as he looked at Adelasta. He didn't answer immediately, his gaze drifting momentarily to the sapphire glass in her hand—the very one she had tried and failed to break. A small, thoughtful smile played on his lips as he finally looked back at her.

"Because," Vastarael began, his golden eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip, "our duels aren't about winning for me. They're about growing, about learning from you."

Adelasta blinked, her grip on the sapphire tightening as his words sank in. He leaned closer, the warmth in his expression nearly disarming.

"You're my equal, Adelasta. My Betrothed. How could I truly learn from you if I relied on powers you don't use? That wouldn't be a duel. It would just be me hiding behind my abilities. And... I respect you too much for that."

For a moment, the world around her seemed to fade. His golden eyes shimmered faintly in the dim light, his expression so genuine, so gentle, it completely shattered the cold wall she had built around herself.

"I lose to you because I want to," he continued. "Because there's something beautiful about how you fight. Your focus, your strength, your precision. Every loss is a lesson and every lesson makes me stronger. You're helping me in ways you don't even realize."

She turned her head slightly, orange eyes lowering to the sapphire glass in her hand.

"You…" she started, her voice quieter than usual, almost hesitant. She didn't know what to say.

"And besides," Vastarael added with a playful glint in his eye, leaning back with a small laugh, "if I used all my Tethers, I'd just win too easily. And where's the fun in that? I'm very cheeky in combat you know. I'd win to you without considering chivalry but... I don't want to."

"..."

"I want to win against you using your weapon mastery alone. And when I finally win, our duels will end. Only then will I realize just how to move forward with my weapon training."

That final comment made her glance back at him sharply, her lips parting as if to respond, but no words came out. Her cold demeanor had cracked and for once, she didn't try to rebuild it.

Her hand unconsciously pressed against her chest, as if trying to steady the unfamiliar rhythm of her heart. How can someone be so… sincere?

He smiled again, a smile so kind, so radiant, it seemed to light up even the dark, ruined spire around them.

"Rest now, Adelasta. I'll protect you when you sleep. Fortunately, those monsters haven't found us and it's late evening. You've been unconscious for hours so we have time. Okay?"

For the first time in her life, Adelasta felt something warm—something she couldn't name—blooming within her. And she didn't hate it.

Adelasta stared at the sapphire glass, her fingers tracing its smooth, tough surface. Vastarael's words replayed in her mind, each syllable resonating more deeply than she expected.

'I want to win against you using your weapon mastery alone. And when I finally win, our duels will end.'

Her heart clenched unexpectedly at the thought. The duels—those endless sparring matches, the relentless exchange of blows, the thrill of pushing each other to the brink—had become a cornerstone of her life.

If he wins, they'll never duel again.

The idea unsettled her more than she wanted to admit. Her fingers tightened against the sapphire as an unfamiliar feeling surged within her—a mixture of fear and longing. She had never considered what life would be like without their battles.

Vastarael, with his relentless determination, his golden eyes that burned with purpose, and that infuriatingly gentle smile, had become a constant in her world. Someone who could challenge her, stand beside her, and, strangely, understand her.

And now, he was planning to end it.

Adelasta closed her eyes, trying to suppress the growing ache in her chest. She had always prided herself on her composure, her ability to remain unaffected. But now, cracks were forming in that icy exterior and she didn't know how to stop them.

'Why does it matter so much?' She asked herself. 'It's just a duel. It's just a victory.'

But she knew that wasn't true.

The duels had become more than that. They were a language they shared, a bond forged through countless hours of combat and mutual respect. And for the first time, she realized how much she would miss it.

Her orange eyes flicked to Vastarael, who was busy securing their hiding spot. His movements were methodical yet quick, his burned and soot-streaked clothes clinging to his form.

Despite the dire situation, his golden eyes gleamed with focus, determination, and that same unyielding kindness that had somehow unraveled her.

Adelasta let out a shaky breath, her fingers clutching the sapphire harder. She didn't want to lose this. She didn't want to lose him.

But how could she admit it?

As Vastarael finished his preparations, he glanced back at her, his smile softening as he caught her gaze.

"Try to rest, Adelasta. Tomorrow, I'll get us out of this mess. That is... if my plan works. None of us are strong enough to fight a Minor God."

She nodded faintly, her usual stoicism returning to her features. But inside, her thoughts swirled in chaos.

'If he wins... what happens to us? What happens to me?'

For the first time, Adelasta wasn't sure she wanted him to win.

°°°°°°°

Vastarael sighed in relief when he saw Adelasta asleep, her breath steady as it rose and fell gently.

"Seriously, she's too resilient. Thanks goodness I placed Sleep Runes too. Let's hope it keeps her asleep for a few hours."

Vastarael's plan was suicidal in his opinion. If it failed, he would die.

If it worked, he would be saved.

He noticed that the rubble was moving away from him. That's when he remembered Opera's words.

"The city will fix itself by morning..."

And she meant that. Literally.

Every few minutes, the spire they were on began to straighten. It wouldn't be long before the entire spire would stand erect and rebuild itself.

And to prevent them from finding them, he drew a few Concealment runes on top of Adelasta. He wasn't sure why the god couldn't sense them but he was glad that he didn't.

He wanted him, not Adelasta.

He straightened his white cloak and mask covered in soot and sighed.

"It's time to put what I leaned to practice. The only way to defeat a god is to use another god. And both of us don't count for the task. So... I'll summon one."

He gently walked out of the almost horizontal spire.

The ruins of Rise seemed to stretch endlessly before him, a crumbling wasteland filled with the eerie silence of destruction.

Vastarael moved swiftly, his white cloak fluttering behind him like the wings of a phantom. His golden eyes scanned the area, alert to any movement. The monsters that had been hunting them were still out there, lurking in the shadows. But they weren't his primary concern right now.

His mind was focused on the task ahead. Summoning a god.

The thought was absurd, almost impossible. But it was the only way. To fight a god, he needed the power of one. He had no choice but to call upon something far beyond mortal power. Something that could challenge the deity hunting him, something that could match that dark force.

"Let the plan commence."