Orion held her close, gently turning her around so she could sit on him as they settled on the wide grassy field adorned with flowers.

The Princess of the Garden stumbled backwards towards the ground, stunned by Orion's actions. She lightly hit him with her right elbow, for teasing her again before resting on his broad chest.

Orion smiled, enfolding her in his arms as he delved into the details of his conversation with Aegis of the Arctic Deity.

The Princess of the Garden listened intently, her expression morphing from surprise to disbelief as Orion recounted the events. She remained silent, absorbing every word as Orion continued his account.

....

"I promise to return tomorrow evening so we can have the night all to ourselves," Orion whispered, leaning in to brush his lips against the Princess of the Gardens before pulling back.

"Alright then, I'll be waiting for you," the Princess of the Garden replied, licking her lips with a sharp glint in her eyes.

A light shiver ran down Orion's spine at her response. "Ahem, I should be off," he said, swiftly regaining his composure before turning and leaping into the sky, vanishing from view.

The Princess of the Garden returned to her Garden with a smile that soon turned contemplative as she mulled over Orion's revelations as a weighty atmosphere gathered around her.

.....

Beneath the Divine lake essence

After several hours had passed since Orion and Aerialia returned to the surface, Aegis of the Arctic Deity sighed deeply.

He gently swept his right hand through the air, causing the space before him to ripple. Suddenly, a transparent, blood-red box materialized before him. Aegis of the Arctic Deity scrutinized the eerie box, his expression unreadable as he exhaled heavily.

"Do I really want to do this?" Aegis of the Arctic Deity muttered to himself, uncertainty tainting his tone.

In that moment, a fragmented memory from his past resurfaced, flooding his mind with emotions and questions. Unable to resist, Aegis of the Arctic Deity delved into the memory.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Flashback

Aegis of the Arctic Deity knelt, clutching a blood-red box in his palms, and stared at the ethereal figure hovering before him.

Without needing confirmation, Aegis sensed the immense pressure emanating from the hazy, distorted figure.

It suffocated even a powerful being like him. He knew instinctively that this figure was none other than the one who had saved him in an important moment, elevating him to the god he had become.

The figure could be none other than Naka!

The hazy figure parted his lips and uttered, "I've sealed your memories within that box. You will meet your death if you ever dare to unlock it and delve into the memories confined within it. Do not allow your curiosity and immense capabilities to deceive you into believing you can break the seal I have placed upon your memories."

"For if you do, your death will certainly trigger an unusual event within the Divine Mysteries, likely exposing your existence to the gods. And when they learn that the deceased is not a god but a Pixie with a transplanted body of an Omnithrallian, neither I nor my creations will intervene to save your race from its wretched fate."

His words reverberated through the air, enveloping Aegis of the Arctic Deity in a surreal sensation as if he could feel the words vibrating through every fibre of his being.

"I understand. I've already sworn to myself that I'll never revisit these memories again. So, there's no need to worry. My sole concern is protecting my race and everyone around me to the best of my abilities. I desire nothing more than to protect others from the gods who unleash their powers recklessly upon the world and whoever they please," Aegis of the Arctic Deity responded.

"Very well, then. I'm certain that god Aerendir should be proud to have a devoted Divine apostle like yourself. Farewell, Oberon, this will be the last time we meet," the figure said.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As the fragmented memories dimmed, vanishing back into a secluded part of Aegis of the Arctic Deity's mind, he gently waved his right hand before him again, causing the blood-red box to vanish like ripples out of existence as though it had never been before him in the first place.

"Before I decide, I will select the appropriate individuals to inherit god Aerendir's legacy. I hope that High King Eldric does not disappoint."

......

Garden

Pixie Kingdom

High King Eldric strode into the throne room with the two high elders trailing behind him. "Summon every one of my children to the throne room at once!" he ordered loudly, commanding both guards outside and within the grand chamber.

The palace guards nodded in swift acknowledgement and took to the skies. They dispersed into groups to alert the royal family's children and locate those outside the castle to convey the High King's urgent summons.

Meanwhile, within the throne room itself,

"High Elder Larken, inform the rest of the High Elders to convene in the hall immediately. Let them know that Mr Orion has resurfaced, bearing the message we've all been waiting," High King Eldric instructed, briefly meeting High Elder Larken's gaze before shifting his attention to High Elder Finn. "High Elder Finn, do likewise and relay the message to the elders."

High Elders Larkin and Finn nodded solemnly. They recognized the necessity of involving the most significant figures within the Pixie Kingdom in deliberating this crucial matter, prompting them to take flight and swiftly head toward their designated locations.

"No matter what, we cannot afford to let this opportunity slip away," High King Eldric muttered to himself, his voice filled with conviction.

....

Orion's manor

"Don't remove the blindfold until I tell you it's okay," Merida said, looking at Orion, who was currently blindfolded, as she led him towards their destination.

"I don't plan on ruining my surprise, so I won't," Orion responded. Though he was curious about the kind of surprise that his wife had planned for him, he didn't want to ruin it.

Suddenly, they abruptly came to a halt.