369 CHAPTER 369: Freedom From The Veracity Of The Past

The king looked at her.

Maybe because of the way Saphira always ensured that she was looking at the eyes of the people she was judging. Nathalia got that trait and she could see in his eyes that sending her to the human world caused him tremendous pain that he felt his heart being torn apart.

"Na... thalia," he spoke.

"It was not easy for me. It was painful to live feeling that you are all alone. But I had people with me, I learned from Saphira and her companions and I realized that there is someone out there willing to sacrifice so much just to prove himself to me."

She looked at Jiro, who was silently watching her all this time as if still not believing that she was finally here by his side.

"He who had woken you all up. He who connected back to me and allowed you all to find me. I guess I had suffered but I also received a lot. So I plan to see this experience as me being given the chance to meet the human with whom I may not have the chance to meet if I was never sent down."

She smiled at Jiro before looking back at her father.

"I will never fault you for your decision. Or will I hate any of this for it had long passed. Instead, I wish to start living in this place with all of you and experience many more things with my family."

"Oh my dear child," the king approached her and pulled her into a hug.

Nathalia was smiling happily as she hugged her father back.

It was complete chaos, her life that is.

But just as Saphira had said, she should just put her trust in people as well. Surely things will take a better turn.

The king looked at Jiro, who blinked at the sudden attention. And was even more shocked when he was pulled into the hug with Nathalia.

"Thank you for being with my daughter and for the years to come that you will stay by her side."

"Father," Nathalia looked at her father.

"It was sad that the moment I got you back, was also the moment I am handing you over. But everything was because of him, the chance to wake up and meet you again."

Nathalia smiled and looked back at Jiro.

"Thank you," she mouthed.

"I love you," Jiro mouthed back.

Her eyes widened just as her father let them go.

He looked at the two of them before waving his hand to dismiss everyone, leaving the two alone.

Jiro may have been born a human but he was granted by the king's power to have the body of a light force.

"Did you just..." Nathalia trailed off.

"I did. Because I was always holding back before, I regretted not telling you."

He caressed her cheek, "I love you, Nathalia. I always will. From all those years back to the years that will follow. I will love you. You alone."

She smiled as she felt warmth spreading in her heart, "I love you too. And I will not hold back anymore."

Jiro smiled before pulling her into a hug.

That's right they won't hold back anymore.

They will love each other and show it every single time. They no longer wish to think about anything else but just to live their lives, enjoying the time they spend together.

"And if she could hear me. I wish to tell Saphira... Thank you. Thank you for being the person she is that pulled me out of my misery. Thank you for living despite everything."

Jiro smiled, "I feel the same. I wish to thank her for giving me the chance to reconnect with you."

Meanwhile, in the human world.

Saphira, who has finally recovered, was enjoying her time with her friends.

When a sudden feeling came to her while the wind blew.

'Thank you.'

Was the whisper she felt she heard, accompanying the wind that brushed past her skin.

She looked around but found no one.

They are by the ocean.

Their group decided to stay in this place while she recovered, a bit far from the kingdom where people continued treating them like heroes.

They have decided to leave the kingdom once it recovers, to find a life for themselves. But since she was greatly affected by the time she spent in the dark world, they decided to stay here for the time being.

Of course, after everything, Lily is no longer with her.

She is no longer the holder of the light ability user.

But the thought of that man who appeared before Nathalia before her friends arrived, she knew Nathalia would be fine.

The whisper she heard, she knew despite not seeing, she knew it was Nathalia who was thanking her.

"What are you thinking about?"

She looked towards Hunter and smiled, "I am just happy for the simple life we all are experiencing at this moment."

A simple life.

Hunter smiled, it seems that this is what they wanted. A simple life, away from people's worshiping and judging eyes.

Just them, enjoying the time they have together.

"Now that you have recovered, where do you want to go first?" he asked her, his arm placed around her shoulder.

They are watching the other five doing their own business around the beach.

Stormie and Nixon are playing by the water, like children splashing water on one another.

They are both laughing despite the silliness of their actions.

Drake and Willow are seated on a picnic cloth by the shore, they were simply talking but the smiles on their faces could not hide the fact they are happy right now.

Ridge is still Ridge, he is touring the vicinity to check for things that could be used to improve his experiments. Everyone was trying to tease him about finding a lover but he kept brushing it off, saying he will find her when the time comes.

Looking at them now, each has matured a lot as compared to when they all just reunited.

The pain of losing their precious people has subsided. No, it will never disappear but its intensity is no longer the same.

The hate for the misunderstandings and secrets that are kept has forged a stronger bond between the seven of them.

Saphira took a deep breath while leaning on his shoulder, "No particular place, I just want to roam. Not to look for enemies but to appreciate the world for once."

Being in the dark world strengthened her desire to appreciate the world she lives in.

To look at it closely and enjoy the beauty it offers to those who are living.

"Shall we do that then?" Hunter agreed to her.

Soon, night fell and the seven of them enjoyed a bonfire dinner.

"Where do you guys plan to go?" Saphira asked the others.

Willow and Drake looked at one another before answering at the same time.

"Hydra Kingdom."

Everyone instantly understood the reason behind it.

"Well, we don't know if plants have already grown there but we wish to visit the graves," Willow explained.

"Surely, there would be plants growing there by now," Saphira replied with confidence.

And when they all thought back, they remembered how she had burned everything in that place.

"Could it be that you used the light ability back then?" Drake asked her.

She simply smiled in return.

"How about the two of you?" she asked Stormie and Nixon.

"I guess we'll visit Felix first," Stormie replied.

"Adding salt to the wound," Saphira teased.

"No! He sent a letter about meeting someone. We are going there to meet her," Stormie explained.

Saphira laughed.

Then they all looked at Ridge.

"I'm heading to Atria kingdom."

The moment he spoke of Atria Kingdom, everyone's eyebrows were raised.

Elizabeth was in Atria Kingdom and they had heard from Ridge's family that he had been receiving and sending letters to Atria Kingdom.

"You will find her when the time comes," Saphira somehow enjoyed teasing them that night.

Ridge cleared his throat and looked away.

The rest laughed, seeing him feeling embarrassed.

"It seems that we all are already set as to what we would be doing next," Saphira started.

Each of them turned serious.

"We are once again departing, going our separate ways. But as compared to back then, we all have grown and matured. This time we are separating not with hatred in our hearts but instead warmth and love. Though farewell is sad..."

Her eyes widened when her voice cracked, she simply cleared her throat.

"We could meet anytime. But we will have our own lives. I just want all of you to be happy. Much much happier as if mocking the sadness and pain we have in the past."

She sniffed, she actually couldn't stop her tears from falling.

This was an inevitable truth when they all decided what they wanted to do after ending the war against darkness.

But it was not only her who was tearing up, Stormie and Willow were the same.

The guys all had solemn looks.

"Anyway, I wish that I will only receive news about your happiness from here on out, okay?"

Stormie chuckled as she wiped her tears, "You sound like our mother."

Willow wiped her tears as well. She and Stormie stood up and walked over to Saphira.

"We will meet from time to time to just talk about how mundane our lives have become," Willow said.

She reached out to hug Saphira, and Stormie followed.

Saphira laughed but her tears did not stop from falling.

The guys stood up and hugged the three ladies.

It is not like they will never meet again but they had been together for years. Overcame so many things.

And so, this farewell still fills their hearts with sadness.

And as the day breaks, they all watch the sunrise.

"I guess it is time," Saphira looked at them.

They are all smiling while looking at one another.

Ridge called out for Basilisk.

"I'll go ahead now," he waved his hand and bid them goodbye, riding on Basilisk, and heading to Atria Kingdom.

Stormie called out Roc.

"We'll head to Nembus Kingdom now, then roam around to check on the other kingdoms," Nixon waved at the others.

The two rode on Roc and the beast flew away.

Willow called out Azure Dragon.

"Let's enjoy a cup of tea when we meet again," Willow hugged Saphira.

"A cup of tea while watching those that walk by?" Saphira replied.

"While checking the couples and discussing how they end up with one another?" Willow continued.

"How was one able to stay despite what the other looked like? Or how do they carry themselves?"

"Enough you two," Drake massaged his temple.

Though they stopped doing it before, they would always have this type of conversation from time to time.

Remarks after remarks especially towards those who still try to flirt with the guys.

And when it comes to these two, the remarks are obviously on the negative side.

Willow and Saphira giggled before hugging one another.

Willow and Drake soon left with Azure Dragon.

"Shall we?"

Saphira turned to Hunter and saw that Qirin is already out.

She smiled and accepted the hand that he extended toward her.

They are going on another journey but this journey no longer hinders them from doing anything that they want.

This is now their freedom.

Freedom from responsibilities.

Freedom from pain and hatred.

Freedom from the veracity of the past.

^_^ FIN ^_^

@@@@@AUTHOR'S THANKS@@@@@

Wow... After a long arduous wait... finally get to the end of it... When I started this, I felt that it would be another wonderful story... But I encountered block after block and the ending was even postponed for so long... As I write these last chapters, I started wondering if it seemed rushed or not... But towards the end, I felt it was not...

I have given my all in writing it... Adding more ups and downs and surely our characters would be completely exhausted... I did not wish for that... For another long battle that will cause them pain and misery... So I ended it like that... And I felt that I justified things enough to say that it is fine for it to end this way...

I still wish to read what you all think so please do give me a review or a comment for this... I look forward to it...

And so, once again thank you for reading and finishing this novel... I love you all... I hope you enjoyed our story as much as I did... Thank you very much... ^_^

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