Chapter 93 The Balcony
The sun had long since vanished behind the jagged silhouette of the mountains, but the Terrarium did not sleep.
During the early days, the Iron Sovereignty night brought its residents the experience of terror. People could witness searchlights moving through the streets to catch lawbreakers who violated curfew restrictions while listening to the mechanical footsteps of Exterminator patrols and the distant sounds of wolves searching for food in the nighttime. The world became a dark space where all possibilities for hope vanished.
But tonight, the darkness was alive.
I stood on the private balcony of our apartment at the very top of the Spire, leaning against the warm railing. The wind brought to me the night-blooming jasmine scent along with the damp earth scent which created a perfume that replaced the permanent smell of smog.
The city below me showed signs of life.
The city below me showed signs of life. The harsh, industrial floodlights were gone, replaced by the soft, bioluminescent glow of the new world. The massive vines that hung down from the skyscrapers' steel structures produced a soft amber rhythm. The streets showed glowing blue moss that functioned as streetlamps of nature. I could see fires burning in the plazas which showed two types of fires. People were gathering. People from three different groups sat together to cook food while sharing body heat.
I heard music coming from Sector 4 at a low volume. The drumbeat created a rhythmic pattern which combined with the sounds of children experiencing their first sight of fireflies.
The most beautiful thing I had ever seen appeared before me.
A voice behind me said, ""You’re thinking too loud." I can hear the gears turning from the doorway.
I didn't turn around. I smiled, leaning back as a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist.
Ryker pressed his chest against my back, resting his chin on my shoulder. He felt warm to me. He had no body temperature because he was neither Void infected nor Hollow King dead. He felt like a man. He felt like home.
I watched the scene before me while I held my hands above his hands. His fingers were rough, calloused from the climb and the fight, but his touch was incredibly gentle. "A week ago, we were running for our lives in the Deadlands. Now... look at it."
Ryker expressed his dislike of the situation through his grumbling voice. ""The vines are structurally inefficient. The street layout is chaotic. And that music is off-key."
I laughed, turning in his arms to face him.
"You love it," I accused him.
Ryker looked at the glowing city while he sighed. The golden light of the streetlamps reflected in his eyes, making them shine.
He accepted the situation but smiled slightly. ""Efficiency is boring, Elara. You taught me that. The highest existence can be found in the disorderly state.
He looked down at me. His expression transformed from soft to serious. He used his hand to move a loose strand of hair away from my face.
He asked, ""Are you okay?" in a quiet voice.
I blinked, responding to him, ""Me? I’m fine. I should be asking you that because I didn't transform into a biological robot.
Ryker closed his eyes for a moment. He conducted a deep breathing exercise to inspect his internal functions.
He stated his exhaustion when he said, ""I’m tired. ""Being human is exhausting, Elara. The relief and guilt and joy and fear all exist in my chest as a heavy weight.
I asked him, ""Do you want to stop?"" as I studied his facial expressions. "We can go inside. We can sit in the quiet."
Ryker opened his eyes to show his fierce determination. ""I never want to stop. ""I never want to be quiet again. The silence... the silence is the enemy. I want to feel the weight. I want to carry it.
He drew me closer by pulling me closer while maintaining his hold on my waist.
The weight makes me feel present. The weight makes me aware of your presence.
The man traced the metal band which I wore on my finger. The ring was a temporary item I discovered at the armory three weeks ago. The man twisted the ring with deep consideration.
Ryker said, "I had an epiphany. "We never had a real wedding.
I raised an eyebrow. ""I seem to remember a very public ceremony. In an arena. With a blood oath. And a thousand people watching us, waiting for you to kill me.
Ryker argued that their marriage did not exist because of their public wedding ceremony. His head moved from side to side. "The wedding had two functions to serve as a marriage contract and a political alliance. I was buying your magic, and you were buying your survival. The arrangement required both parties to sign a contract which featured blood and fear.
He looked down at his own hand.
He said, ""I broke that contract when I became the Hollow King. "I used to see you as my wife. "I saw you as a business resource. That broken oath became my reality because I made the promise.
I argued, ""You were sick, Ryker. ""You didn't know.
He knows everything now.
He created distance between us by stepping back. He extended his hand into the pocket of his tactical pants.
"I don't want a transaction, Elara. I don't want a political alliance. I want a promise."
He went down on one knee.
My heart pounded in my chest. Ryker, the Alpha of the South and the King of Balance, and the man who fought gods and monsters, knelt in the concrete balcony area. The man who fought gods and monsters knelt with a gesture of submission which he had never shown to any person, including his father.
"Ryker?" I breathed.
He didn't take out a diamond from his possessions. Diamonds existed as formed carbon which belonged to the ancient age of industrial power and materialistic desire.
He showed what he had through his hand opening.
A ring rested on his palm. The ring contained no gold or silver elements.
The object consisted of Star-Metal which matched the sword's unbreakable dark gray substance. The metallic structure contained a vein which glowed with blue iridescent crystals. The blue crystals emitted a soft pulsing light which resembled a heartbeat.
Ryker told me, "I created this with Vane." Ryker spoke with his usual confident demeanor, which became uncharacteristically apprehensive. The melted weapon represents a part of my sword, which I no longer need for fighting. I need something to ground me.
He looked up at me. His golden eyes revealed his inner vulnerability, which he shared with complete honesty.
Blue crystal exists as a seed which he explained to me. The seed comes from the middle section of the Avatar's garden. The life force which exists with Elara continues to grow with us.
The city lights below me made my eyes water and created a vision of blurriness.
The new world requires us to stop giving away yellow metal valuables according to Ryker's statement. We offer our gift of life.
He took a breath that trembled throughout his entire body.
"Elara Vance. My enemy. My savior. My Queen. Will you marry me? Not to save the world. Not to stop a war. Not because the Council says it’s 'efficient'.
He reached for my hand.
"Will you marry me just... because you love me? Will you be my anchor?
I looked at him. His face showed all of his facial scars. I saw the fear in his eyes—the fear that he might not be enough, the fear that the Void might come back. The love that he felt protected him from the approaching darkness.
I dropped to my knees in front of him. I wanted his eyes to stay on my face. I wanted us to be equal.
The tears spilled out of my eyes when I whispered. "Yes, you stupid, wonderful Wolf. I will.
He let out a breath which sounded like a sob. Because I need to wear my ring now, he put the ring onto my finger. The ring fitted me perfectly. The Star-Metal appeared cold to the touch, while the blue seed emitted warmth, which made contact with my skin, producing a humming sound.
He grabbed my face in his hands and kissed me.
The kiss lacked any form of urgent need. The kiss showed no signs of desperation. The kiss tasted like war and survival.
The movement took place across a slow time period. The method stretched back deep into my body. The flavor combination created a taste which mixed hazelnut coffee with the fresh chill of a nighttime experience. The flavor represented a promise that I kept.
He pulled back, resting his forehead against mine. We maintained our position as we kneeled on the balcony while watching the city below which celebrated.
The Void Heart remained silent inside the apartment, which secured it within its safe lock. The Origin Stone inside my chest emitted a consistent light which pulsed with regular intervals of warmth.
The moment arrived for me, as I discovered that my life now existed without any countdowns. The gates remained unguarded because no enemy forces existed. The only presence in the room belonged to the man I loved as we planned our life together.
Ryker whispered, "I love you" to me through his lips. I will repeat it each day to ensure the Void hears my words.
I told him, "I love you too." "And if you ever forget again, I’ll just scream it louder.
He laughed when he saw her response. He stood up while holding me before he began to spin me around.
I had never experienced such intense warmth because the night air maintained its coolness. The Terrarium served as our domain, which granted us authority to govern. Our existence balanced all things in life.
At this moment, we achieved the ultimate state of being home.