Part 1 

A few days later, inside a simple and neat office, we found Alex grinning foolishly as he struggled against a red ribbon, attempting to tie it on a small box.

His fingers, clumsily, turned the ribbon into a five-pointed mess, something weird as he was attempting only to tie it into a simple one.

However, his eyes seemed to reflect a prideful light as he observed the finished product.

“There!” He proudly presented the gift before his two guards. “My best work so far!”

Marco, the metallic fish and August shared a pair of uneasy glances, their teeths forming awkward smiles.

“We should consider requesting a robot with five fingers in the future.” Marco whispered.

“Five fingers… A robot with claws has more manual dexterity than the king.” August countered, unable to stifle a chuckle.

Alex, blissfully unaware of their exchange, continued to beam with enthusiasm.

He took the gift into his hands and walked out of the hatch of his ship/office.

His steps, steady because of his braces, took him into the lands of the Keepers of the flame.

A long, wide smile blossomed into his face as the sight of the church and the beaming kids playing nearby entered his view.

“King Alexander, you came to see Saint Aria?” A fidgety little girl asked Alex. “Are you going to marry her?”

Alex looked down at the little girl, his eyes twinkling with warmth as he observed the child with her vibrant purple hair. 

“Don’t worry.” He reassured her, gently ruffling her hair. “I won’t take her away from you guys.”

He continued his path toward the church, his steps steady, unlike his usual stiff ones. “I've brought a lot of food this time. Enjoy it.”

The girl, momentarily startled, soon erupted into joyful laughter. “Yes!”

Advancing forward with his loyal guards by his side, Alex could feel the happiness radiating everywhere he set his sight.

It was accompanied by the sound of the metallic barrels he had brought being deposited into the ground.

As they approached their destination, a chorus of delighted cheers erupted from the gathered crowd.

“The tasty food is back!” One kid screamed, prompting giggles and laughter from the others.

It brought a smile to his lips to hear how his every action was changing this world.

And so, under the dark expressions of the priests and the nods of the women of this place, he arrived at his destination.

It was the very same little office where Aria had sworn her loyalty to him, the only place safe enough in this little place.

“You are back!”

Before anyone could announce his arrival, at least in front of him, an excited Aria swung the door open.

Her smile was so dazzling that even all of the devouts stopped to gaze at her magnetic presence. 

Although some had the decency to look away as her breasts bounced inside her robes.

“I’m back.” Alex nodded with a confident expression.

“Come on! Let’s talk about the upcoming flame celebration!” Aria pulled his left hand with her hands, cradling his arms between her breasts.

“What’s the hurry?”

Alex laughed as he was led into a new couch he had ‘donated’ to the church so he could rest his aching back from the sadic chair they used to have.

Settling himself comfortable, he extended the gift he had brought to the Saint.

Aria's eyes lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight as she took the box.  

“For me? I haven't received a gift like this since I was just a child.”

Apparently Saints were expected to be only loyal to their God, so from the moment they were chosen, they were to renounce anything not given by the church.

“Really?” Alex chuckled, finding her childish face, so different from her usual pure one, quite endearing. “Well, now you have one.”

Aria clumsily opened the box, absentmindedly moving away a few strands of her golden hair that got in the way.

Inside it was a silver collar, something capable of harnessing and transmitting the fire elemental energy of this world. 

Such an accessory held great significance in this world, particularly for women who wished to openly display their husband’s loyalty.

It was a meaningful gift, not only in its material value but in the message it conveyed.

Aria's eyes widened in surprise as she examined the silver collar.

“So you remembered what I taught you about Elysian culture?” Aria said, her eyes wide in surprise. “It’s so beautiful. Yet, I can’t accept it.”

She tried to return the box back to Alex, but Alex held the box back to her.

“Don’t worry, I already gave a longer one to Ashlyn, like you said it was supposed to be.”

Aria's eyes widened in disbelief. “You did?” 

Swiftly, before Alex could react, Aria took the box back, taking the collar between her fingers.

“For God Ignitus, I love it!” Aria exclaimed, her initial hesitation replaced by genuine enthusiasm.

Seeing her beautiful smile as the light of the collar reflected on her face, Alex couldn’t help himself growing closer to her.

With trembling hands he embraced her by her waist.

Aria, feeling the sudden touch, jumped a bit.

Her eyes widened as she turned to meet his gaze, unsure of how to react.

“I've done quite a bit for your people, wouldn't you agree?” Alex whispered into her right ear.

Feeling his warm breath on her skin, Aria couldn’t help but blush.

“Wait… let me put on some music.” She hastily separated from him.

Her fingers glowed with an orange flame as she conjured a small, fiery spark and sent it to a corner of the room.

Soon, a soft and melodious tune filled the air.

The sound was harmonious, making Alex feel a fire in his chest igniting, filling him with a sense of anticipation.

Aria, with a mischievous smirk gracing her lips, turned to face him. 

She approached him step by step, a confident glint in her eyes as she closed the distance.

“Now, we can start.” She finally said as she hugged him tenderly.

Part 2

“This thing looks quite hideous.”

Alex held back a grimace as he held a round, brown pear between his muddy hands.

The texture of it was slimy, sticking the dirt to his hands and the shape of anus it had didn’t help either.

The women around him chuckled, finding his reaction quite cute.

“It’s an octalone. Our main source of nutrients.” Aria smiled and explained with an innocent face.

“I don’t think it’s that ugly though.”

She tilted her head, not understanding why the shape was weird.

“Eh? You've never seen a person's behind...”

Alex was about to explain his disdain for the fruit they raised, but stopped as he saw the women behind Aria waving their hands to signal him to stop. 

He tilted his head,  realization dawning upon him.

It seemed they have protected Aria’s innocence from certain aspects of the world, like pornography.

However, her recent behavior could only signify that she was a natural seducer, even without such knowledge.

“A person’s behind?” Aria asked, her eyes reflecting her doubts.

She was unaware of the world of innuendos and double meanings that existed beyond her sheltered existence.

Fortunately for Alex, before he had to explain further, a spine-chilling roar echoed through the tranquil surroundings, sending shivers down their spines.

“Arghhhh!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Alex sprang into action, moving swiftly to position himself at Aria's side.

His head, usually bare, was covered by a black menacing helmet with a transparent visor, akin to that of an astronaut. The only difference were the three horns resembling a crown in his head.

In his hand a long green elemental blaster staff sprang forth from his armor. It was a modification he had crafted from one of his wedding gifts.

“It’s a Shadowarm.”

Aria declared, her usually calm demeanor giving way to focused urgency as she assembled sections of a staff she had concealed somewhere on her back.

Confusion gripped Alex as he scanned their surroundings. 

“What’s that thing?” His eyes narrowed at the ominous sound that seemed to draw closer.

The women around them formed three pronged formations among themselves before one of them answered.

“It’s a local predator that likes to eat the birds of the mountains.” She glanced around, her eyes trying to pierce through the mist covering the mountains surrounding the fields. “It’s not usual for it to venture into these parts.”

“Yet it did.” Alex nodded.

His eyes scanned the surroundings for any sign of the elusive predator.

Before they could continue arguing, a red figure burst through the mist-shrouded veil, hurtling through the air like a sack thrown carelessly.

The figure crashed to the ground with a sickening thud, revealing a priest in a battered and bloodied state, bleeding from one of his sides.

Following closely behind, a long, monstrous arm extended menacingly toward one of the women

Alex, without hesitation, leveled his blaster at the center of the palm of the creature's outstretched arm. 

Oddly enough, his hands didn’t tremble as he shot a green ray at the creature's long furry arm.

“Wahhh!”

The shot connected with a sizzling sickening sound, followed by the creature’s scream of pain.

“Quickly, attack!”

The woman who was about to be attacked ordered quickly to her fellow devouts.

Her hands remained steady as she summoned her elemental power, shooting orange flame blasts from her palms directly at the menacing creature.

“By the holy flame, punish my foe!”

Blast after blast of intense flames rained down upon the black-furred creature, until they turned its once-threatening form into a lifeless, charred husk that now lay motionless upon the ground. 

“Auhhhh!”

Another two shouts from similar creatures sounded around.

“They are coming.”

Alex's heart pounded fiercely against his chest, but his eyes remained wide open. 

His fingers rested firmly on the trigger, ready to shoot at the first sign of the enemy.

However, the creatures did not make a single sound.

The silence, however, grew oppressive with each passing second, and Alex's nerves became increasingly frayed.

Just as he was about to order the others to fall back, two clean energy shots pierced the stillness, followed by two resounding thuds as something fell to the ground.

Alex’s chest relaxed as the metallic and hideous maws of Marco and August, his loyal guards, appeared among the mist.

They held a triumphant pair of smiles as they approached them.

“You should have warned us, I swear I almost had a heart attack.”

Alex chided them with a warm chuckle, his hands working to deactivate his blaster.

His momentary relief, however, proved to be a great mistake as a long row of yellow teeths appeared from his right.

His eyes went wide in terror as his mind worked tirelessly to save his life. 

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the impending threat closed in on him.

He could feel every muscle on his body strain to jump back as the disgusting spittle from the creature stained his visor.

“By… the… holy… flame… burn… down… my enemy!”

Aria's voice entered his ears, word by word punctuated with a sense of urgency.

Then, time resumed its normal flow as his armor reacted with lightning speed. 

His muscles strained as he was forced to leap backward, putting a considerable distance between himself and danger.

Turning his sight to the creature that almost killed him, he managed to see a pillar of fire erupting from the ground and engulfing the two-legged, dog-like Shadowarm.

“Guahhh!”

The creature emitted a sickening scream as its once-shiny black fur was reduced to a charred, smoldering crisp.

After a long second, it fell to the ground and crumbled to ash.

Alex turned his head to Aria.

She was heaving, her face pale, clearly shaken by the recent ordeal.

“I hate unnecessary violence, but I’m entirely capable of protecting what I love.” She declared, her hands trembling as she leaned on her staff for support. “Though it is painful to do so.”

She staggered, so Alex rushed to her side without hesitation, with a speed unlike anything he had shown until now.

“Silly, I’m not so easy to kill.”  

Alex grabbed her into his embrace, whispering softly to her ear.

“I’m just so glad you’re okay.”

She hugged him deeply, burying her head into his chest.

Yet, amidst the endearing scene, Marco and Alex held a telepathic conversation.

‘Shadowarms are sentient, it was not a coincidence.’ Marco conveyed.

‘I know.’

It was troubling how one of their enemies had caught them unaware.

Part 3

‘A new enemy huh.’

Alex settled into the plush couch inside Aria's office, his mind couldn't help but churn with thoughts of the fight they had had just an hour ago. 

The appearance of the Shadowarm's had caught him unaware.

He had grown too complacent as his taker over as king had been going smoothly.

‘I have believed I was the one chosen by the universe until now.’

He shifted in his seat, trying to shake off the lingering unease. 

His gaze drifted towards Aria, who sat beside him, hugging his chest in contemplation. Her usually serene demeanor had been rattled by the recent encounter.

‘That creature... it shouldn't have been able to find us with the Boys guarding me.’ Alex mused silently in his thoughts. 

It was as if it knew what it was doing, as if it was following orders of someone else. 

Until now, the Atraliths had protected him from the worst of this world, but that seemed to be coming to an end.

“Alexander….” Aria interrupted his thoughts, her words hesitant. 

Her devout facade faltered, revealing the insecurities that lingered beneath the surface.

“This whole ordeal has shown me how important you've become to me.” Her eyes shone with a sinister flame. “So you have to promise me that you will never leave me alone.”

Aria’s grip on his chest strengthened, her face raising up and her gaze meeting his eyes.

Alex felt a cold chill run down his back, but he steeled himself and met her gaze head-on. 

Her vulnerability both surprised and touched him.

“I already told you I'm not going to die from something as weak as that.” Alex deflected with a chuckle.

He tried to change the direction of the conversation.

He had always found them burdensome, reluctant to commit to something he couldn't guarantee.

‘I'm not going to promise something I don't know I can do.’ He reminded himself.

Aria's gaze dropped, her hands trembling slightly as they remained clasped to his chest. 

His nonchalant response had momentarily left her disheartened, her insecurities cracking her confident mask.

“I understand your reluctance.” She began in a soft tone, her eyes trembling. “But Alexander, this world can be unforgiving, and we've just seen a glimpse of that. Promises... they can be a way to hold on to something, to find solace in places devoid of flames.”

She sighed, her gaze now fixed on her own hands, which were tightly intertwined. 

“I don't expect you to promise me that you'll never face danger. You are a conqueror. But... I need to know that you'll always try your best to return to me. That you'll fight for what we have now."

Her words weighed heavily on Alex’s consciousness.

Here was a girl willing to go against her people’s doctrine to devote herself to him. Something he had always dreamed of.

And he was hesitating to take the opportunity.

With that in mind, he looked up his mind running at hyperspeed.

He realized that this was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.

“Fine.” He conceded with a smile. “I promise to return here every fifth day of the week.”

Aria chuckled in happiness,her grip on his chest weakened as she reveled in his promise.

“It’s the fifth day of the Flame here in Mantra, silly!” She corrected him, her eyes sparkling with affection.

Apparently, she found an unusual delight in teaching him about her people's culture.

However, Alex found it exasperating.

“That’s a mouthful.” He rolled his eyes. “Why do you have to add flame to every day? Friday is better in my opinion.”

Aria glanced at her with an incredulous look, her mouth open wide. “No way, Friday sounds like the day of giving free things to people. I hate it; your people are just weird.”

Alex couldn't help but chuckle at her playful retort. He tightened his embrace, holding her close to his chest as he continued to tease her.  

“Well, I have to say, the Californian Monarchy raised someone amazing like me, so they obviously were good folk!”

Alex paused remembering that girlfriend he had that tried to throw him off a gazing cliff just because he pulled down her skirt by accident.

“Well, most of them at least.” He finally corrected it.

Aria, on the other hand, had her cheeks flushed with a hint of embarrassment. 

Her upbringing as a devout had often warned her away from romantic entanglements, making this moment feel even more special.

She looked up at him with a soft smile, her eyes reflecting a mixture of affection and amusement. 

“Well, I suppose I'll have to admit that the Californian Monarchy might have some redeeming qualities if they produced someone as charming as you.” She replied, her voice warm and sincere.

In that moment, she allowed herself to enjoy the affectionate moment between them, even if it went against her devout upbringing.

“You know.” He changed the issue. “They actually taught me to shoot. Some even say we Californians are born with a gun in our hands.”

Aria held her cheeks twitch, knowing how corny his next words would be, but she decided to not burst his bubble and let him continue.

So, she smiled and nodded, her lips twitching in amusement.

“And they taught me quite well." He continued, his voice a mixture of pride and flirting. "Because I shot right here.” He pointed at her left breast, where her heart was. “And I nailed it.”

Aria, not wanting to laugh at him, decided to plant a quick and light kiss on his lips.

However, Alex had been waiting for this moment all along, and quickly held her head with his left hand.

His tongue quickly entered her mouth, deepening their kiss.

His hand ventured boldly, tracing along her leg as he searched for her shorts.

A purple spark passed through his eyes, emboldening his simmering lust.

It was something Aria noticed, but decided to ignore it in favor of enjoying the moment as her hands held his head to deepen the kiss.