Divus and the team wandered around the shore, questioning the demons they came across for information. The information they gained led them to believe that Abyssus really might be in the sea.

The Elven warrior had also wanted to go in the sea anyway, he figured that it might have been where the second prince, being a mermaid, had gone after becoming a demon. So for once, he quietly worked cooperatively with the rest of the team to see what they could do to go under the water.

“I’ve brought some water repelling crystals with me just in case.” The Dwarf snorted as he took out a pale blue crystal that reflected the light. “It can repel all water at a 10 metre radius for 12 hours at a time. I’ve brought five with me, so that gives us about 2 ½ days of underwater exploration.”

“I’ve also heard that there is a special grass that grows on the shores of the demon sea.” Divus spoke up, not mentioning who he heard it from. “They let you breath underwater for 72 hours which would give us another 3 days to search the sea. We can also split up and look at that time.”

“In that case, let’s use those water stone things first and get the cramped days of searching over and done with.” The Beastman suggested with annoyance plastered on his rough face.

“…Indeed.” The Dwarf ignored the Beastman incorrectly naming the crystals and couldn’t help but agree when thinking about how stifling the days of being cramped underwater with no escape from the smelly men beside him.

The Elven warrior, of course, had no issue either. Using the crystals would help them get deep underwater without worrying about the currents as it allowed them to just walk along the seabed. Once he used the special grass after that, he could move freely and conduct his own search for the prince.

Divus shrugged and just wanted to get on with it already, so, he took the lead in searching for the special grasses.

As Divus went foraging for grass, the Dwarf and Beastman walked up to the Elven warrior.

“Once we have that grass, it’d be best to use that time to search for the heart of the sea.” The Dwarf whispered.

“I was intending to anyway.” The Elven warrior rolled his eyes.

“I’ll help out the heart’s fiancé in beating that Abyssus.” The Beastman spoke, with a grim expression. “I don’t like having to do this bull crap even if it is for the sake of my homeland.”

“….Be thankful that the prince became a demon then.” The Dwarf sighed. “Or else we’d have to kill an innocent man.”

“….” The Beastman grit his teeth thinking that after the mission was over, he’d retire and never fight again, instead, he’d try to help the people of the alliance and orphanages as much as possible as a form of atonement. He maybe a simpleton and a brute, but he still had honour, and this mission was the least honourable thing he had no choice to do in his life.

What the three whisperers didn’t know, was that a certain general was looking at them like they were lifeless corpses as he heard what they said with his inhuman hearing.

After a few hours, they had finally found the special grass and packed it into their storage pouches before gathering on the shallows of the beach, the salty waves lapping at their feet.

“You lot ready?” The Dwarf asked as he took out one of the crystals and used his magic to activate it. The crystal glowed a pale radiance as a translucent sphere surrounded them.

The other three just nodded silently.

“Let’s go then.” The Dwarf said as he and the others walked into the sea step by step.

*********

2 ½ days later the translucent dome dimmed as glitter like particles leaked from it as it began to breakdown.

The team took one last look at the aquarium like view from within the dome before taking out the special grass from their pouches and consuming it.

With a sound like shattering glass, the translucent dome dispersed, and the crystal dimmed and became dull.

As agreed, the team split up to look separately, they had discussed that should they fail to find anything within 62 hours, they would swim back to the shores before the effects of the special grass ran out.

Divus watched the Dwarf and Elf swim in different directions with a sneer, he ignored the Beastman and concentrated on trying to sense even a little bit of Lupa’s presence.

After 2 more days of searching, whether by fate or curse, the team reconvened at the entrance to the colossal cave by sheer coincidence.

Seeing the looks on the Elf and the Dwarf’s faces, Divus could tell they had no luck in finding Lupa and was relieved. He looked into the dark mouth of the cave with a sliver of hope surging in his heart. He really hoped that Lupa was in there somewhere, maybe under the protection of Abyssus.

As they swam into the cave, the waters were cold and eerily still, other than a few dregs of seaweed, the area felt lifeless. Avoiding the naturally formed obstacles within the cave’s dark passageways, the team swiftly made their way deeper into the cave until they exited the passage, only to see a cavern of colossal scale expand in front of them. At the centre stood a magnificent castle in ruins. Throughout the cavern many crystal lanterns dotted the area, lighting it up as if it were daylight.

Seeing the place just as the old Dark Elf had described, Divus didn’t want to waste anytime and was the first to swim forward, entering through the barrier and placing his feet on dry land. He found that the barrier was even better than the water repelling crystals. As soon as he had entered, his body and clothes had become bone dry!

Seeing that Divus had no problem entering the barrier, the other three men shortly followed, equally amazed by the barrier after entering it.

“Let’s go.” The Elven warrior presumed to take the lead as he spoke. “And be careful. Watch out for traps.”

“You didn’t need to tell me that.” The Dwarf grumbled.

“….Stop yappin’ and get to it.” The Beastman snarled as he walked ahead of them.

Within the chambers of the castle, a giant figure in front of the floating crystal ball smiled mischievously as he waved his webbed hand over the crystal ball. His fin like ears twitched as the sound of mechanisms reverberated through the castle walls.

*********

As they explored the castle, the team had managed to set off a menagerie of traps.

The Dwarf had put his hand on the wall, triggering off a trap that gave him the illusion that any precious metal or crystal he touched would instantly become wasted and defective. Another time, he triggered a trap that stripped his trousers as a blunt pike planted itself in his rear end.

The Beastman didn’t know what he did to trigger it, but the traps he triggered were guaranteed to release a disgusting stench of some sort, crippling the man’s highly sensitive nose and made him faint several times. One trap even pinned him down as he was humped by a mechanical puppet that looked like a giant dog.

As for the Elven warrior, from the first trap he’d triggered, he’d been ravaged by tentacles, had his nipples forcefully pierced by a mechanical puppet and was very close to having his male appendage being chopped off if not for his fear driven reflexes.

Divus on the other hand, only had to face traps that put women’s clothes on him, slapped his butt or in the end, simply stripped him down bare. As a being with no shame and having confidence in his physique, Divus didn’t care about the lack of clothing as he marched forward. With the way the traps aimed at the Elven warrior, Divus felt that his dear wife must’ve had a hand in it. After all, he knew very well just how much his wife couldn’t stand Elves.

As the team stumbled along, they finally reached a wide arena like place. They cautiously walked along, three of them in particular were paranoid about the possibility of another trap. However, there was no mechanical sound for a while, causing them to think that perhaps there wasn’t a trap this time. That is, until they stepped on the centre area of the arena and a very loud sound of cogs turning filled their ears.

“What is it this time!?” The Elven warrior’s voice was crackly after screaming too much on the way, his lower half lacking any coverage.

“I don’t know!” The Dwarf, who was in no better state, snapped back. He gulped as he stood back to back with the other three and saw the wall of the arena in front of him open up as what looked like a huge metal beast head protruded from it.

“Wah! What is that thing!?” The Beastman flinched as he also saw a metal beast head approaching them in front of him.

“….Hungry hippo?” Divus blinked as he saw the metal beast head rise up as it kept moving forward before lowering again on top of them, one head for each person.

Divus didn’t want to be ‘eaten’, so, he simply ran as fast as he could whilst there was still a large enough of a gap. Once he got to an area that the heads couldn’t reach him, Divus stood still as he listened to the fearful yelps of the three men that were ‘eaten’. He looked on indifferently as the heads disappeared back into the walls along with the three men.

Divus: Finally, I can find him by myself!.... Though I’d probably best find Abyssus first. What should I do if he protects Lupa from me too? …Hmm, would that make Abyssus my father-in-law?

If Lupa knew the thoughts his man was having, he’d be laughing for decades to come as he would kindly remind his man that he was married to his ‘father-in-law’.

Seeing the result through the crystal ball, Lupa smiled as he left the chamber and headed back to the throne room, with effort he returned his tail to legs and strolled back.

Upon entering the throne room, Lupa saw three small and ragged looking men were tied up and being observed by Trainie.

“Dear Host!” Trainie looked to Lupa and smiled. “What do you want to do with these guys?”

“Hmm~.” Lupa sat on the throne and gazed at the three small men, causing them to shudder. “I don’t know yet, just leave them there for now.”

“Dear Host.” Trainie blinked as he caught the subtle smile in Lupa’s eyes. “What’s got you in such a good mood?”

“He’s nearly here.” Lupa spoke with a soft tone, not revealing his nervous heartbeat.

“It’s about time.” Trainie pouted. “He took so long!”

“It’s not his fault this time.” Lupa shook his head as he swept a cold gaze over the small men.

The Elf, Dwarf and Beastman all flinched at the look, it had felt as if a shape blade scraped their skin.

“…True.” Trainie sighed.

Lupa swayed his feet as he stared at the entrance of the throne room, waiting and yearning for the person that could appear at any moment. Yet, he also wished that Divus could take longer. He wasn’t sure what face Divus would make seeing him like this, in his true form.

*********

Divus walked through a hall that would’ve been splendid and grand in the castle’s heyday, his steps were steady as he approached the arched doorway leading into the throne room. He was both excited and worried. Excited that he might find Lupa with Abyssus, but worried that the trip was all for naught and that Lupa wouldn’t even be there.

Just as he got to the doorway, Divus’s footsteps came to halt. His fists clenched and he took a deep breath before finally, taking a step into the throne room.

As soon as he entered the throne room, Divus came to a stand still as he saw a giant figure with coloured streaked snow white hair, crystal dragon like horns, wings and tail. Upon the chest that was bare were three scars that looked as if they were engraved by a beast’s claws and on the beautifully handsome face he knew all too well were the scars that he was painfully aware of how they came to be.

“…..L..pua?” Divus stared blanky as several things he’d ignored over his long lifetime before and after meeting Lupa started to connect in his mind.  The equal strength, the similar hair, the lonely back, there were so many things that pointed to what he saw in front of him that he hadn’t noticed. He remembered that Lupa had said he didn’t remember how he came into existence, just that he had woken up in an ancient cave that lay behind the sacred tree.

But once the realisation dawned upon Divus as to who Lupa really was, his heart panged with pain as he remembered his own actions towards the other. Even if it had been with good intentions and his love for him.

A tear trickled down Divus’s face as he burst into a run, his initially small figure compared to Lupa grew with each step until he too became a giant.

“I’m sorry.” Divus ignored Lupa’s shocked wide eyes and pulled him into his embrace as his voice trembled. “I’m so sorry I left you alone for all those years. I’m sorry I didn’t take you with me. I’m sorry Lu, so sorry… I love you Lupa.”

Lupa felt the warm tears fall on his skin and felt burned. Hearing the man’s sincere apology and pain as he wept, Lupa felt the anger that had been simmering in his heart finally was extinguished with each tear that fell from Divus. His eyes reddened and stung as his own tears quietly fell. He wrapped his arms around Divus and indulged in his embrace as he released his own emotions.

“I love you too, you idiot.” Lupa’s voice sounded pampered and spoiled despite choking on his tears. “So…. Don’t ever leave me alone again.”

“I won’t.” Divus hugged him tightly and landed a cherishing kiss on Lupa’s forehead. “I won’t. Not ever again.”

Trainie looked at the reunited couple with a soft smile on his face, not noticing that a tear also slid down his cheek.

 

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Hope you enjoyed it.
（づ￣3￣）づ╭❤～