-----
"Come here… I know how it feels." Faylen quickly hugged Arafunn from behind. He didn't wanted to be hugged, but ultimately he lost against Faylen's grip, and sighed.
"I've never really had any aim in my entire life until I meet him. Until I meet all of you guys…" Sighed Arafunn. "But since that day… that day we lost him, I've… I've been endlessly wandering aimlessly, nowhere. I lack the motivation to do the bare minimum now…"
"I know how that feels, I also once lacked motivation to do anything at all. I guess my kids and Allan were the ones that changed me." Faylen sighed. "To our race we are still young, but to me, these six hundred years… It has been so much time. So much time where I didn't even knew who I truly was."
"I guess we always have clicked because we are similar at the end." Arafunn sighed. "You dedicated yourself to learning magic and mastering alchemy all those years, immersing yourself on it because you couldn't face the world, me too, but with music and songs. Songs and music are beautiful, they bring life to the world I always saw to be colorless…"
"You're right. Your songs and your music have always been inspiring, Arafunn. Julian loved them, he always said you inspired him in battle, and that you always brought him to new heights." Faylen said.
"He always liked to exaggerate…" The beautiful elf sighed, smiling faintly.
"I'm pretty sure his love for you wasn't an exaggeration though…" Faylen smiled.
"Sigh… He was always so embarrassing sometimes…" Arafunn said. "Remember that time when… we were staying in a camp back in the demon continent and this… idiot just proclaimed to everyone that he loved me more than his mother? Gods, I felt so embarrassed back then…"
"Ahahaha! Yeah that was so hilarious, he always said funny things when he was drunk." Said Faylen.
"Yeah…" Arafunn said. "Well… I guess I shouldn't be just remembering the past all the time when I just told you to not care about it, huh?"
"I think it is fine. As long as you remember all the things you lived with him, he's still alive. Right here with you, he's always accompanying you, Arafunn, always." Said Faylen. "You didn't simply became alone the moment he… passed away, much like how Allan affected my life so much I will never be able to go back to being the same I was, it is the same for you. These changes you've gone through, your life, your memories, your emotions… everything is thanks to him in a way, right?"
"Well, if you put it in such a corny way I guess." Arafunn said. "Never thought you would talk this way at all, Faylen, you've surprised me…"
"Alright don't tease me now…" Faylen said angrily.
"Hahah… Well, I guess we should go back, I don't want to worry that kid of yours. She's always so bright and filled with energy. You know? She reminds me of Julian. She has… like the same exact personality, doesn't she?" Arafunn asked.
"Yeah, you've noticed too? Sylphy is just like him, reckless, filled with energy, always lifting everyone's else spirits, proposing completely insane ideas and strategies… That girl is always evolving too, growing stronger and all… I am barely trying to catch up with her, but I feel like in any moment now, she's just going to surpass all of us." Laughed Faylen.
"I agree… And her little friend, Aquarina, that girl is also pretty amazing…" Said Arafunn. "Though for some reason she reminds me of you sometimes, she got some temperament compared to your daughter."
"Yeah, Aquarina has grown to become Sylphy's protector in a way. She's always worrying and all, but I guess someone like my daughter needs her at her side." Said Faylen.
"Hmm…" Arafunn sighed, remembering what Sylphy told him some time ago.
"Are you… You're okay with her getting with Sylphy, right?" He asked.
"Oh…"
Faylen quickly fell silent for a bit, but then she nodded.
"Y-Yeah. I mean… If it really happens I will just be happy about it." Said Faylen. "I've already kind of realized, Allan too. We both… kind of already know there's something going on between the two. Since the moment they met that they clicked and, I don't know. It feels as if destiny itself for those two to end together in a way…"
"Is it?" Arafunn wondered. "Well, they're so young still, I bet they have no idea about these things we are talking about anyways…"
"Yeah, I guess." Faylen laughed. "I'm purposedly ignoring these things for now, I don't want her to feel awkward with her mother ogling over her relationships or something."
"That's the sign of a good parent." Said Arafunn. "You might be grumpy, and all… but you're a good mother Faylen. Better than your own mother and better than my own mother too."
"Yeah, I've been just trying to be the opposite of my mother, it has been working well. Although I sometimes… have little patience with that little bratty girl." Sighed Faylen.
"She's really bratty for her age." Laughed Arafunn. "Don't force her to do things she doesn't want to do though, okay?"
"I… Fine, but she's still going to the academy." Said Faylen.
"Hah, it feels like you didn't even changed your mind." Arafunn sighed.
Both quickly decided to fly down back to everyone's camp, as they suddenly found Zack and Ninhursag there.
.
.
.
(Sylphy's POV)
Suddenly my mother and Arafunn finally got back to us, just in time because Zack and Ninhursag ran towards our side just when I wondered where they were.
"Well, by the way, where's Zack?" I wondered.
"Zack is- Ah, look, he's coming with Ninhursag." Aquarina pointed at the distance.
Zack was panting as he ran here with Ninhursag, the two seemed to be coming from Celeste's tent from all places!
"Guys! Celeste woke up!" He said, at the same time as mom and uncle Arafunn got here.
"She did?!"
We were all caught off guard, so we all asked the same question in unison…
I guess its finally time to give that girl a piece of our mind.
-----
