He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter One Hundred And Forty Nine - Love And Life

Leif and Wulfgar said their official vows during a spring sunset, with the warmth of the day still lingering in the air and with similar hues from the sky reflected in the misty dome turning the normally silvery atmosphere red and pink. Music from Saewulf's flute floated about them as the Villagers came forward to offer their congratulations and blessings and even the sleepy trees seemed to indicate approval as they swayed and scattered their blossoms over the proceedings.

Elyas entertained the children with a festival of colourful flames bursting from his palms, while other magi toyed with creating sculptures of ice and stone or toyed with each other in mock battles. The warriors also sought to show off their prowess, causing giddy cries from several girls and the odd boy all coming of age.

Jasper shared in much of the joy of his new parents, basking in the attention as if it was solely his own, before running off to play with his friends under warnings not to stray too far. If ever anything was endlessly repeated and often tested, it would be the adults telling the children to stay in the borders of the village and the children ignoring them and falling a foul of the warriors who guarded them.

Watching the children play and dance as Saewulf began to serenade them, Elyas found himself in the company of Lewin. He and Jenefer had not taken vows as they had decided their relationship was far better as friends than of lovers. Jenefer was now wed to a warrior named Kennitz and Lewin did not appear in any rush to form a new attachment to anyone. "Never thought of having one of your own?" Lewin asked as he saw that Elyas was observing the children.

"What?" Elyas asked, not expecting company or the question.

"I wondered if you and Sae would one day have a child," Lewin said. "It is possible for you to produce one between you, remember."

Elyas nodded and in all honesty, having a child with the love of his life would be amazing, were it not for two tiny details. The first would be that they would eventually leave the child behind, they would leave this world, but would continue to exist elsewhere. This hadn't felt as if it were much of a problem when they had adopted their daughter in their previous life, but as much as they loved her and as much as it hurt to leave her, he could never imagine doing that to a child born from Sae's body. Charlotte had been as much Emma's child as theirs, it made all the difference in his mind.

The second lie in the fertility potion itself.

*The potion is the corruption in this world, a product that was not meant to exist and causes men to be able to give birth, something that also should not occur in this world. However, in saying that, the children born of a dual Male pairing are actually returning the world to its balance, preventing the corruption from spiralling, so the Master is content to leave this world alone.* That had been Yin's analyse of the potion. It also went on to say that they should not take the potion as it did not know how it would effect their connections to the systems and that they should try to prevent Wulfgar and Leif from drinking it as well. The two men were confirmed to be the people that they were looking for in this world, the ones who needed to return to the universe outside the archive.

"I am happy with the way things are now," Elyas told Lewin, who shared his smile. "What about you? How long will you be able to safeguard your single status?" He covertly pointed at the numerous girls glancing their way and watched satisfied as Lewin's face began to glow. "And of course if you are not into girls anymore..." as if on cue, a pretty boy appeared and was caught looking at them.

"You...!" Lewin said, flustered, as Elyas burst into laughter. Lewin's single status would end a couple of years later, after his twenty first birthday, when he was snagged by two rather stunning twin girls.