Blue eyes flicked up to meet a truly flabbergasted expression.

“You’re... you’re King Adrian?”

He nodded.

“Of Nebrasia?”

“Yes.”

“The same king who formed the triple alliance at only twenty-one and rewrote the northern trade laws? The same one that led us out of war? That famous king?”

He blinked. “Yes.”

“You’re serious? I mean, of course, you are. I’ve seen the royal seal and everything...” He chewed on his lip. “Everyone knows you. You’re all people can talk about right now. I can’t believe I never put two and two together. No wonder those guards were fucking terrified of you. Just touching you requires some sort of prior royal permission.” He stepped back, running both hands through his hair with an exasperated exhale. 

“Jacques—” he began in a whisper.

“I always guessed you might be of royal blood, but this? Why did you even come here by yourself? If you’re the king, you could have just traveled with a royal escort and lived easily, not traveled with nobodies like us. Why the fuck didn’t you?”

“You’re not nobodies, Jacques. I told you before, I don’t want that life anymore.”

“Don’t want it?” His voice rose an octave. “I need a moment.” He turned from him, exhaling, then added, “You know people are literally starving out here, and you left a life of limitless luxury for this?” He gestured out at the town.

“I know.”

He faced him again. “Why didn’t you just tell me sooner?”

There was a pause. “Because I thought you wouldn’t see me the same way. I don’t want all the groveling and the titles and the attention. I just want a normal life, just like you wanted a normal life away from your assigned responsibilities as a magic user.”

He laughed humorlessly at that. “That is not in any way the same thing.”

“Isn’t it?” 

“No, it’s not. I’ve never had the power to control a nation or had to make the choice to leave behind an entire royal and political legacy... I was happy to leave my parents. It’s all I ever wanted.”

“Leaving Nebrasia was all I ever wanted. You think I wanted the throne? I was crowned king so suddenly at nineteen and thrown into this position where every decision I made affected thousands. I never wanted that.”

He searched his face. “So then, Regent Antoine is your brother?”

“Yes.”

“And his wife, Princess Madeleine... that’s the same Madi you almost married?”

He nodded mutely.

“Ian—er.” Jacques exhaled an exhausted breath. “I don’t even know who I’m talking to right now. Just tonight, I was sharing myself with Ian. Do you know how confusing that is for me? And now suddenly, I’m just supposed to accept that my best friend and lover is secretly the most powerful man in Elderian? I just... I can’t...” He turned again and Adrian gently, but swiftly took his wrist.

“I’m sorry, Jacques. I never wanted to deceive you.”

“Well, you did.” He frowned, unable to meet Adrian’s gaze. “We’re just commoners next to you.”

“That’s not how I see it. That’s not how I see you. Jacques.” He walked around him, so they were facing each other and took both bronze hands in his pale ones. “I’m in love with you.”

His mouth fell open. “What?”

“I didn’t reveal my identity because of this; because now you can never see me for who I am again. I’m this soulless symbol for people. I just... I was so tired of running the kingdom, I didn’t even know who I was. Everything was for my people, the kingdom, the alliance. It was never about me. My father died and I was given that journal. I saw that as my chance to finally leave and maybe think about what I wanted for once.

“I have lived in luxury and never had to struggle for basic things, but I don’t want that life. I know it sounds spoiled, but I don’t want it. I couldn’t even have real relationships with anyone without some ulterior motive being at play, especially romantic ones. How could I know anyone wanted to be with me just for me when I had the entire kingdom in my hands? Securing a marriage with the king of Nebrasia is the kind of prospect everyone at Court desired. It felt like they were all using me, so at some point I swore off all proposals and avoided Court all together. Why do you think I’m so inexperienced with love?”

There was a pause.

“Well, you’re not inexperienced anymore,” Jacques said, and despite everything, Adrian breathed out a laugh. Slight horror crossed the shorter man’s face. “Holy fuck...”

“What?” 

“I just fucked the king of Nebrasia.” His chest heaved in panic.

Adrian squeezed his hands. “Is that... okay?”

Brown eyes locked onto his blue ones and Jacques snorted. “You’re asking me if that’s okay? Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“I don’t regret it at all.”

Surprise crossed his face along with a soft rouge. There was a pause before he finally said, “So, are you returning to Nebrasia after we finish the quest?”

“I already said I’d stay with you and Zuri and Andre but… I also promised my brother I’d return.” He sighed. “I’ll need to visit Nebrasia, yes, and sort all of that out, but as far as returning to the throne; no. I don’t intend to. Everything I want is here.” He looked down at their hands. “I also understand, however, why that may no longer be possible. I realize you probably can’t see me the same way as you did before, and if you need to distance yourself from me, I understand. I really do.”

“Adrian.” Hearing that name coming from that mouth made butterflies flood his stomach. Jacques rubbed a finger over the Nebrasian seal. “This doesn’t change how I feel about you and,” he exhaled softly, “it’s fucking weird that you’re royalty and the king no less, and I might never get used to that, but,” he took a step closer, looking up into his face, “I’m in love with you too.”

“You are?”

“Yes. You still want me, right?”

Adrian pulled him in closer by the waist. “Why wouldn’t I?” Their foreheads touched and he closed his eyes, saying more softly, “All I want is you.”

Jacques took his face in his hands and pressed his lips to the king’s.

 

🗲🗲🗲

 

The group of four ducked under the black pavilion out of the scorching sunlight. A hot, dry wind did nothing to cool them, even in the shade. They quickly made their way down the winding staircase leading into the windowless room.

The underground chamber was much cooler, and Jacques let out a sigh of relief. “S’fucking hot today.”

“Told you we should have gone last night,” Zuri said grumpily, fanning themselves with their hat again. 

“Too late now.”

Sweeping his blond hair over his shoulder to cool down his neck, Adrian looked around. It’d been several months since he’d been in this chamber last and yet it felt like mere days. He approached the leader bittersweetly with the glowing gem key in his hands and offered it to him. “Let’s not make a repeat of last time, shall we?”

Jacques took it with a grin. “What a waste of time that would be, huh?”

“You’d have to fracture your right arm the second time around, Ian,” Zuri teased, and he chuckled.

“So, we’re really doing this?” Jacques asked, turning the relic over in his hands, the green glow reflecting in his brown eyes.

“We already decided we would,” Andre said, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“We’re just waiting on you, Boss,” Zuri chimed in.

His eyes drifted over to Adrian who gave him a small nod and a smile. “Well, let’s get this over with then.” He stepped forward, facing the inactive archway at the end of the room. 

Everyone else stayed back, watching him from a distance. Jacques inhaled, saying the ancient Elden incantation he’d practiced with Adrian then he placed the rapidly beating gem key into the slot beside the arch. As soon as his fingers left the device, the entire archway lit up, filling with blinding green light. The accompanying otherworldly shutters that nearly made them all go deaf, filled the little room as the Totrium swirled and hummed with power. Jacques’s hair blew back at the force of it and Adrian could feel his own being swept off his shoulders.

Putting his journal and papers away, he rushed to Jacques’s side, wrapping his fingers around his upper arm. It was too loud to exchange words but as he searched the brown eyes, he didn’t need to be told what Jacques was thinking. The leader gestured to the glowing magic with his head before taking a step forward.

Adrian held him back, quickly shaking his head. Jacques searched his face, then giving a small grin, took Adrian’s hand and walked into the blinding emerald light. With no choice but to follow, Adrian braced for impact, slamming his eyes shut when his skin came into contact with the barrier. 

An electric sensation filled his body, but it didn’t hurt as they both entered a space that only consisted of the same glowing light. He glanced behind him to see more green and nothing else. Eventually Zuri and Andre appeared seemingly out of nowhere, hurrying after them.

“Seriously, Jacques?” Zuri breathed out, their voice echoing in the strange, now silent space. “You couldn’t have waited for us?” 

He let Adrian’s fingers slide out of his. “I knew you’d follow, so it’s fine.” 

The inventor huffed in response.

“Where are we?” Adrian asked, following the leader as he pressed ahead.

“Not sure. I believe it leads somewhere.” As he said it, his body began dissolving into green particles starting at his fingertips until he completely disappeared. 

Adrian gasped, running forward and he too found himself turning into the strange dust. 

Next thing he knew, he was on a wet black glass floor on his hands and knees, ocean sea spray hitting his face. The cool touch felt so soothing on his hot, dry skin, he sighed at it, glancing around at his surroundings. 

Jacques was standing, looking around a round room that had stairs leading up and outside at one end. This room was very similar to the one they’d opened the Totrium in, but it was much bigger and to one side was a massive inactive arch three times the size of the one they’d just come from. Adrian didn’t see any kind of place for a gem key though.

Jacques offered his hand to him, helping him up as the others came through the Totrium and ended up on the ground as well.

“Where are we?” Zuri asked, lifting themself up. “Hey, wait, I recognize this place.” They stood, looking around.

“You do?” Adrian questioned.

They nodded. “Only one way to be sure, though.” They started into a sprint, crossing the room to make it to the stairs. Peeking their head out and around the corner, they began laughing. “Yup, it’s just as I thought!” They motioned for the others to follow.

The men made their way over, stopping at the top of the stairs to look out as well. They were in the middle of the ocean, save for a wooden path that led out to a shoreline.

“This is the sea pyramid on the shores of Elden Town,” the inventor said proudly.

“The sea pyramid?” Jacques repeated. “That’s at least a day’s journey from where we were a few seconds ago.” He let out a quick exhale, running a hand through his hair. “This is the site where the Alchemists opened a portal to the old world.”

Adrian nodded. “The Totrium teleported us here. Does that mean we can also access the portal to the old world?”

“I’m not sure.” 

“Well, let’s go and see,” Zuri said, stepping away to return indoors. 

The others followed, and they all made their way to the enormous archway. When they approached it, or more accurately, when Jacques approached it, the entire thing lit up immediately, filling the room with different, less ear-splitting but equally gut-wrenching sounds. 

Adrian glanced back at the Totrium which was still lit, its light funneling through glowing cables on the ground that fed into this new humming portal. The powerful magic reverberated through Adrian’s body, and made his hair stand on end. This portal looked and felt more sophisticated and more powerful than the Totrium.

They all stared at it in awe.

“After two centuries,” Zuri began, “we figured out how to finally open the portal between worlds. People have been trying desperately for decades, and we... we just solved it.”

Something clicked in Adrian’s head. “Zuri, the limit the power plant mentioned... the one about how the Totrium would close if a limit was reached? That must have been why the portal closed on all those people during the great crossing.”

Their eyes widened. “I think you’re right! Once the max was reached, it shut off and could only be turned on again by a magic user with a gem key via the Totrium.”

“Wait, so what’s the Totrium exactly?” Jacques asked, looking perplexed. “Is it this portal, or that portal?” He pointed between the two glowing doorways.

Zuri pointed to the one they had come through. “That’s the Totrium. It’s not just a portal. It powers everything having to do with teleportation I assume. It basically feeds energy from the powerplant we visited in the Incendio dunes all the way out here and into the main portal. So, only through the Totrium can this portal to the old world be activated.”

“So then, what the fuck was that green place we were in?”

“I believe it’s the realm in between,” Adrian said, remembering reading a bit about such a thing in one of the journals. “It’s neither here nor back where we came from, but instead, somewhere between the two.”

Andre frowned at this answer. “Let’s try and not get stuck in there if at all possible,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t want to be trapped in a green abyss the rest of my life.”

“Agreed,” Zuri said.

Adrian bit his lip. “Why did my mother want to open this so badly? How is this helpful in any way?”

 “Ian, we can access a whole other world now!” the inventor exclaimed. “Do you know how much we can learn and how much new tech there is to explore?”

“We could risk invasion too, though,” Jacques said seriously. “I now understand Aveline’s reluctance.”

“Oh, come on, Jacques. Why do you have to see the worst in everything?”

“Zuri, this is so much bigger than any of us. Crossing worlds would have an impact on all of Elderian. Do you really want to be responsible for that? You want to carry that kind of burden on your shoulders?” They opened their mouth and he cut them off. “Of course, not. I’m shutting it off right away.”

“Jacques, wait,” Adrian placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’re not thinking this through.”

He shrugged out of the grip. “No, you’re all not thinking this through. We need to close this before something, or someone comes through. There’re too many uncertainties.”

“But we hold the knowledge to opening this portal. Are we really going to hide that from all of Elderian? Is it really our choice to make for everyone?”

“That’s exactly my question. This shouldn’t be our choice.”

“But what about all the people who were trapped on the other side, including some magic users?” Zuri added.

“That was two centuries ago. No one is waiting on the other side anymore.”

“You don’t know that, Jacky,” a sly female voice cut in.

The four of them whipped around, not one of them noticing Carnadine and a dozen or so of her soldiers coming through the Totrium. Jacques held his head painfully in his hands as Carnadine pushed something on the device she held containing.

“We’re going to try this again,” she mused. “Seize them and take all of that one’s toys away.” She gestured to Zuri who glared at her menacingly.

 The soldiers surrounded them, quickly placing each of them in shackles, spending extra time searching all of Zuri’s pockets and carefully extracting several dozen bombs, grenades, and different gadgets and devices.

“If you break any of my stuff, I will personally blow you to pieces,” they threatened, narrowing their eyes at the soldiers who just scoffed.

“How did you get here so fast?” Jacques demanded, still fighting the effects of the gray element.

Taking her time swaggering up to him, Carnadine grinned, her head held high. “You thought with all that was said in Mermortiva, I wouldn’t be interested in this world-changing device that even magic users fear? You may want to check all parts of your ship before thinking you’re safe, especially when I’m the one on your tail.”

“What?” Zuri’s eyes widened. “You snuck onto the ship back then? In Mermortiva?”

She glanced over at them. “I’d have thought an inventor such as yourself would have checked those little crystal chambers on the side. They’re quite roomy, you know.”

Their jaw dropped. “You sat in there for how many weeks like some kind of sewer rat? Mad bitch.”

Zuri received a smack across the face by the soldier holding them causing them to wince.  

Carnadine appeared unphased by the comment. “I never dreamed this Totrium you were obsessed with would be the key to reopening the portal to the old world.” She gave a big, content sigh. “You don’t know how long my ancestors from the other side have been waiting for this moment to return to Elderian to finally reclaim our homeland from magic users.”

“Your homeland?” Jacques sneered. “You mean, the land Spillers lead a conquest through a peaceful land?”

She laughed. “If you think the magic users are in any way peaceful, then you’re just proving my point further. Hans Fox and his following knew exactly who the enemy was. A Spiller’s purpose was and always has been to make this land ready for those from the old world to journey across. Don’t you see what a wonderful thing you’ve done for us, Jacky? I will reunite them all and destroy the last of your pathetic line.”

“You won’t be hurting any magic users,” Adrian asserted, and the Spiller stepped in front of him now, a coy look on her face as she traced a finger across his cheek. 

“Fair starling, I wonder, why would the king of Nebrasia want to help lowly commoners like these? Have you no royal obligation or duty to your kingdom and what of your noble status? Surely, you don’t think you’re one of them?”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Zuri cut in. “King? What are you talking about, Lady?”

“Zuri, not now,” Jacques hissed.

The inventor blinked, looking at the blond next to them. “What is she talking about, Ian?” Adrian considered them silently. “Ian?”

Carnadine laughed. “You didn’t even put effort into that alias. It’s literally the last three letters of your name, Adrian.”

Zuri made a high-pitched distressed sound. “Adrian? You don’t mean King Adrian of Nebrasia, do you?” They pointed at their teammate with their head. “This man next to me who swoons at the sight of pomegranates? You’re saying he’s the king?”

“I am, Zuri,” Adrian affirmed, unable to maintain eye contact.

“Oh, shit,” Andre muttered.

Jacques struggled slightly against his restraints. “Okay, okay, we’ll discuss this later.”

Zuri exhaled quickly, shaking their head slowly. “Yeah, sure. A minor topic for later, I suppose.”

“Wanted to skip right to your death, Jacky?” Carnadine placed her finger over a button on the device in her hand, causing the magic user to cry out. “That can be arranged.”

“B-bitch,” Jacques managed to curse, only making the Spiller smirk further.

“Your magic makes you weak.” She pressed it again, and Jacques’s body went limp for a moment from the outlet of power, so that the soldiers holding him had to support his dead weight. “I pity you for holding such a cursed bloodline.” She leaned down, holding a knife up to his face. 

Jacques’s chest heaved up and down, and murderous brown eyes glared up through strands of black curls that’d fallen out of his ponytail. “I don’t need my magic to best you.” Leaning forward, he clamped his teeth over the hand that held the knife, causing her to shout and drop it.

The shackles around Jacques’s wrists fell to the ground with a clang as he drew a sword from his captor as well as the soldier next to him in such a quick manner, Adrian was barely able to follow the movement. He wondered when he’d found time to pick the lock on his bounds, the leader now beheading both of the men he’d stolen from in one wide swipe with both swords, ripping the now inactive Teptrite device from Carnadine’s hand.

He freed Andre of his bonds and tossed him the left sword, then surrounded the Teptrite in magic, causing it to float upwards out of reach. The Spiller swung her red mace at Jacques in an unadulterated fury while Andre removed Adrian’s bonds. He pressed the handle of a sword into his hands soon after.

“I’ll cover you,” he breathed out before swinging his weapon and gutting an approaching soldier. “Go help Jacques.”

Adrian nodded, darting past him, registering for a split-second Zuri picking up their things from the big pile in the middle of the room. “Oh, you fuckers are gonna get it now,” they murmured.

Slashing through an oncoming soldier and quickly stepping over the downed body, Adrian found Jacques and Carnadine amongst the chaos that’d broken out. The leader had gotten a hold of a second sword again while the woman sported a gash across her cheek. 

She swung her mace fiercely, her expression vicious, almost animalistic. That red mace made Adrian hesitate for a split second, his left arm experiencing tingles of phantom pain at the remembrance of those jagged spikes and the sheer weight of the metal ball.

Shaking his head, he rushed forward.

Jacques managed to back the Spiller up in front of the glowing portal. If anyone had been paying close enough attention, they would have seen a young girl with waist length, snow white hair and tawny brown skin slipping out of the wall of green magic and darting away from the fight undetected.

“Join your kind,” Jacques grunted, landing a kick to Carnadine’s stomach, sending her through the portal, but not before she managed to get a handful of his black ponytail.

Adrian watched in horror as both the Spiller and his lover disappeared into the wall of magic to the old world. Only waiting a moment, he rushed forward, jumping in after them.

This time, the in-between realm was much smaller and in only a few seconds, Adrian nearly ended up on the ground again when he appeared on the other side. 

Salt still hung in the air, but the new thick, hot humidity was disorienting. There were no walls surrounding them, and all that kept them from being swept away in ocean waves was the raised stone platform they stood on. In the distance was a sandy shore and a beachside town with wooden docks leading all the way out to their location. The large village was covered in lapping flames, most of the buildings already destroyed.

What had happened here?

Adrian’s heart stopped. There were people on that shore, many of them making their way across the bridge, all wearing bright red clothing and sporting unnatural crimson hair just like Carnadine’s. They’d be at the stone platform in only a manner of minutes; all brandishing weapons.

Carnadine lay on the ground, with Jacques on top, placing a blade against her throat. “I’m going to make sure you don’t get up again,” he hissed. “You’ve been chasing me practically my whole damn life and I’m done running.”

“Don’t…be…so sure.”

“Jacques,” Adrian shouted hysterically. “They’re people coming. There’s no time!”

They both looked up, and Jacques paled.

Carnadine cackled. “I’d recognize my people anywhere.” Using Jacques’s distraction to her advantage, she threw her knee into his ribs and ripped the sword out of his hand. 

He would have lost his head as she swung the stolen weapon had Adrian not run forward and yanked him down by the arm. “You need to close the portal,” he shouted, raising his own sword to block the incoming mace.

“I know, I know,” he barked. “Give me a moment.”

“Oh, Jacky,” she condescended, “you of all people should know the portal can only be closed and opened on the Elderian side. You’ll have to fight through me if you want to get back through.”

Adrian felt before he saw Jacques’s magic light up. “Fine, if that’s what you want.” 

The red head darted out of the way as the leader sent a wall of green lightning her way.

Adrian barely got out of the way as well. “Jacques, you almost hit me!”

“Sorry, Sweetheart! Go back through the portal.”

“No, I’m not leaving y—” 

A bronze hand grabbed the front of his shirt and forced him to the side as another wave of green lightning spread over their heads. “You’re a liability right now. Do as I say.”

For a brief moment, brown eyes met blue, then Adrian’s body was suddenly encased by glowing waves of green. He could not move or escape the prison and watched in horror as he was lifted off the ground and sent in the direction of the portal.

Before slipping back through to the other side, Adrian watched the fight continue, the old world Spillers moments away from the stone platform. The last thing he saw was the glow of Jacques’s eyes and the town still alight with fire.

The king fell hard onto the black glass floor, the magic that had been holding him disappearing instantly. He scrambled to his feet quickly to return from whence he came, but his breath caught in his throat.

The portal was no longer lit. The archway was silent and empty.