Superior Vessel

A Reunion of Hearts

Well ladies and gentlemen, uh I mean gentlemen since there will not be any girls here... probably.... 

Trump won, are we cooked? Or cooking? Who knows, who cares, anyway new chapter today.  Had this one in my drafts for a few days but feel like I should release it now. 

I am finally figuring out the plot, but while I believe the plot itself is advanced, the text itself needs some improving, especially with details, but that can come with time, i'm here to improve after all.

Anyway enough about my dumbass and hope you enjoy the chapter!

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Arthur Leywin

Stepping through the purple portal with my bond, the crisp air instantly transformed into a soft, welcoming breeze. The environment twisted and turned before coalescing into something far more regal, confirming my suspicions that I had been transported to the floating castle.

''Brother! You're back!'' A short girl with ashy brown hair barreled into me like a hammer striking an anvil. Her hair caught the room's soft glow, making it shimmer like brushed pewter, with the faintest hints of copper dancing at the edges.

I let a soft smile creep onto my face. Leaning down, I gently brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, gazing into her bright eyes that sparkled like the light of a star.

''El.'' I took a moment to observe her features, and one thing stood out almost instantly. ''You've grown so much.''

Looking at her now, it was obvious. Her eyes held a slight determined edge, and her form was defined by a subtle stream of muscle that shone along her back and arms, evidence of her archery training. It was clear she had grown slightly taller, too.

All the signs were there, and it was to be expected; I had been gone for over two years. Yet a small part of me still wasn't prepared for just how different she had become. So grown up. It felt like I had missed a major chapter in her life...

''Yeah, I know!'' Ellie replied with a beaming smile before softly stepping back two paces. In that moment, something unexpected happened. My parents moved toward me and then hugged me as well.

I froze in slight shock and a twinge of fear, but for the first time in a while, my mind felt wonderfully empty—no thoughts of the war, no worries about the future, just the present. And it felt... it felt really nice.

"I... But I thought?" I trailed off, confusion washing over me as Alice and Reynolds tightly hugged me. Before I left for Epheotus, they had been absolutely disgusted with me, and I couldn't blame them. 

Even aside from the sins of a life long forgotten, the mere fact that I could have killed their actual son had fueled their hatred toward me. It was justified, despite everything I had done. They probably thought I was just pretending to be their dream child or something like that.

While I was training, they had most likely spent countless sleepless nights drawing conclusions and reminiscing about everything I had done, trying to understand me, to judge me. So why?! Just as my thoughts began to race, something interrupted them.

''You thought what, Arthur? You're our son. We raised you and took care of you when you were an infant.'' My mother paused for a moment, and then a soft, warm smile wormed its way onto her delicate features, causing a nervous tightness in my chest.