Alethion woke up the next morning to the sound of birds chirping, their melody drifting through the window, carried by the fresh morning breeze. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling his body lighter than it had been in the past days, as if his strength was beginning to return. Sitting up in bed for a moment, he recalled the memories of the previous night, then exhaled deeply and decided to start his day.
He rose from his bed, walked toward his wardrobe, and selected a comfortable yet elegant robe, putting it on with deliberate care. After ensuring his appearance was in order, he stepped out of his room, making his way to the dining hall.
As he entered the corridor, he found several of his soldiers lined up on either side, greeting him with respectful bows as he passed between them. He responded with a calm nod, his eyes gleaming with appreciation for their loyalty. Continuing on his way, he encountered a few maids and servants who momentarily paused their tasks to bow respectfully. He acknowledged them with a faint smile before proceeding toward the dining hall.
When he reached the grand doors of the dining room, he gently pushed them open and stepped inside, greeted by a warm sight that made the corner of his lips lift into a smile.
At one of the tables, his four male generals sat with his son, Kaylor, enthusiastically discussing the appearance of the angel Alethion had summoned in their last battle, The War of a Thousand Swords. Kaylor listened intently, his eyes shining with admiration as Ragarath described—for the tenth time—the sheer size of the angel's wings and the power of his golden aura.
On the other side, his wife, Meralin, sat with Velaria, both occupied with his daughter, Elora, teaching her about hair care techniques and other matters concerning ladies. Elora beamed with joy as she tried to follow her mother's instructions, while Velaria occasionally interjected with playful remarks.
Alethion took in this heartwarming family scene and felt something rare—a moment of peace. For an instant, he forgot everything—the battles, the secrets, the scar that refused to fade, and the black book he had promised himself to investigate. In this moment, he was simply a man among his loved ones, enjoying the sight of their smiles.
With a quiet smile, he stepped forward toward the table, ready to join his family in this morning that felt unlike any before…
As Alethion approached the table, Kaylor noticed him and immediately left his seat, running toward him with excitement, his bright eyes reflecting his usual curiosity. He grabbed his father's hand and looked up at him eagerly before asking:
"Father! Is it true that your angel is sad? Why is he sad? And can you summon him before me so I can see him with my own eyes?"
Alethion smiled, placing his hand on his son's head, gently ruffling his hair before answering in his calm voice:
"Yes, Kaylor… My angel always carries sadness on his face, and beneath each of his eyes, there is a tear, as if he bears a burden we cannot see."
Kaylor's eyes widened further as he listened, then he asked another question with enthusiasm:
"But why is he sad? Did something happen to him?"
Alethion sighed slightly, then replied while patting his son's shoulder:
"That is a mystery I do not have the answer to, my son… But perhaps, one day, I will find out why."
Kaylor then looked at his father pleadingly and said:
"Can you summon him now? I want to see him!"
Alethion chuckled softly, then shook his head:
"No, I cannot do that now. He is near the kingdom, and if I were to summon him here, he could cause destruction we do not want. Summoning an angel like him is not something that can be done at will; it must only be in an emergency."
Kaylor looked slightly disappointed, but he quickly regained his excitement and asked:
"But Father, are his wings as big as Master Ragarath said? And is his golden aura as magnificent as he described?"
Alethion answered while giving Ragarath a sly look:
"Well, Ragarath last saw my angel during the War of a Thousand Swords, and he hasn't seen him since… so everything he tells you is true."
Kaylor glanced at Ragarath, then at his father, then back at Ragarath again, as if trying to picture the scene in his mind. But before he could ask more, Alethion suddenly burst into laughter, remembering how Ragarath had acted when he first saw the angel.
"And I remember when Ragarath saw him for the first time, he started jumping around and laughing in awe of his beauty, thanking his colors and everything!"
A moment of silence filled the room before Ragarath suddenly shouted in protest, pointing at Alethion with annoyance:
"That never happened, Alethion! Why do you do this to me every time?!"
Before Ragarath could defend himself further, Valinor leaned on the table with a smirk and said:
"Actually, I was there, and I saw everything… You were like a six-year-old child; I even thought for a moment someone would give you a piece of candy!"
Laughter erupted—Meralin, Velaria, the other generals, even Kaylor and Elora—while Ragarath's face turned completely red, struggling to find a response before finally shouting in mock fury:
"I will get my revenge on all of you one day for mocking me! Mark my words!"
But instead of calming the laughter, this only made the atmosphere even more lively, filling the hall with the warmth of humor and the camaraderie that had always bound them together.
After the laughter in the hall had settled, Elora approached Alethion with quiet steps, her hazel eyes carrying a mix of worry and childlike fear. Without saying a word, she climbed onto his lap and sat there, resting her head against his chest, as if seeking comfort in his arms.
Alethion felt the warmth of her small body and gently ran his hand over her head, threading his fingers through her soft hair, trying to soothe her. Her breathing was calm, but she was holding back tears, which made him whisper to her in a warm voice:
"Elora, my little one… don't worry, I will never leave you. I will always be here for you."
She lifted her head to look at his face, her eyes brimming with tears, but he continued with his gentle smile:
"What happened to me was nothing more than exhaustion… I was just fighting off fatigue, all so I could see your beautiful smile and hear your laughter."
Elora couldn't stop her tears from falling, but this time, they were not tears of sadness—they were tears of relief and happiness. She smiled, then leaned in and gave him a small kiss on the cheek before giggling and saying:
"Daddy, I want to eat while sitting in your lap!"
Alethion chuckled as he gently wiped away her tears, then teased:
"Well, it seems someone has lost their usual seat!"
Meralin had been watching the scene silently, but upon hearing his words, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a mock-angry look before saying in a playfully exasperated tone:
"Alethion… you will regret saying that!"
He looked at her with a faint smile, seeing how she tried to remain serious, but her expression couldn't hide the warmth she felt at seeing him in better condition.
"It seems you've regained some of your strength today," she said, raising an eyebrow mischievously.
Alethion smiled as he looked directly at her, then spoke in a quiet but deeply warm voice:
"How could I not? I have the best wife in the world, the most wonderful friends, and an amazing caretaker… I'll be fully recovered in just two days!"
Everyone exchanged glances, then smiled, feeling that Alethion was slowly returning to his usual self. Yet, despite this warm family atmosphere, there was still something lingering deep within him… that scar, and that voice…