The Revival: Epilogue 2 - Worries
Five steps to the left, five steps to the right. Five left, five right, back and forth.
Just how long has Zhaetorus paced around the room, and how come he didnât become dizzy? Well it mattered not.
Way past nine in the evening, only us â I, Zhaetorus, Ellieros, Neirin and Amalthea â waiting in the Meeting Room for Tzidkiya and Mikaelâs return.
Naturally some were more patient than others.
-I was sitting near the mosaic mural, simply cleaning my sword.
-Neirin and Amalthea on the couch, the former lying upside-down -somehow- and the latter sitting cross-legged.
-Ellieros on his rather decorated armchair, looking as if heâs been disturbed from his sleep one too many times.
-And Zhaetorus... Pacing around the room impatiently, with each step becoming increasingly faster as time went on.
â... Careful there. You might cause a dent on the floor.â He ignored. Typical.
âTime wonât pass faster if you continue like that.â Only then did he glare at me.
âYou think I donât know that?â He snapped. Nothing new.
âI knew that rascal was up to something, I just knew it! I insisted we make a search party, but did anyone listen?!â
âWe did, loud and clear. But it was Tzidkiyaâs choice to go on his own. Donât tell me youâre that worried about a rival?â He rolled his eyes at my statement and didnât answer my question.
â... Thatâs what I thought.â Of course he was worried, Mikael was one of the few who offered him a challenge in a fight.
âWhy even bother with them both anyway? Itâs not like they would work out as a couple on the long run.â Ellieros scoffed, pessimistic and surly as ever. Though I knew he was merely disheartened by how things turned out... Perhaps the truth is that he put a lot of faith in it.
âEeey, if that was the case, fella Mika wouldnât have saved Tzidkiya the other day! If thay ainât love, whatzit then?â Neirin flailed dramactically on the couch to make her point known, and Amalthea only nodded. Being childhood friends, they had the most trust in Mikael.
âAlso, do us a favor and at the very least, speak at a lower volume. Youâll wake the young deities with your rants, Zhaetorus.â He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and his eyes widened, and he relented. From an angry Storm God to an ashamed man, in the blink of an eye.
â... Well, that doesnât change anything. How long are we going to wait until the doors open? And if they donât come back?â I shrugged slightly.
âKnowing those two, theyâll be fine. Perhaps even learning a few lessons out of these events. Cerys is on lookout outside the room, so it depends on her.â
The doors of the Meeting Room opened, and Cerys appeared.
âMikael and Tzidkiya have returned.â
âTheyâre back?!â Everyone (except me) asked in unison.
âLike I said.â I spoke up. Less than two seconds after, they all gathered in front of her.
âWhere precisely are they?â
âDid they break up?â
âAre they hurt?â
âDid a Nether Beast attack them?â
Zhaetorus, Ellieros, Amalthea and Neirin all asked at the same time, surrounding Cerys. What a mess.
âUm, for all thatâs sacred, let me finish before you ask!â The Demon Queen stepped back and frowned at the four, displeased. They stopped pestering her.
âThank you. Now then.â She cleared her throat.
âMikael had successfully slayed the Nether Beast he was after, and Tzidkiya found him shortly after the deed. Theyâre both at the Infirmary, Mikael is resting and Tzidkiya is taking care of him. He told me to inform you all that he doesnât want visits tonight.â Everyone looked disappointed at best.
âHeâll be more than glad to see everyone by tomorrow, however. And may I add... Zhaetorus?â
âMikael said you may replace him on the front lines. In other words, congratulation on being promotedâ She smirked at his confused face. The others were just astonished.
â... I beg your pardon?â
âYou heard me right. Go ask him tomorrow if you donât believe me.â She turned around to leave.
âNow if you excuse me, I have something important to attend in Hell. Come by if you need me~!â
âWait, hold on.â Ellieros intervened.
âHow about that issue of theirs? Did they split?â
She remained silent for a moment, then smiled.
â... Theyâll be alright. Itâs only a matter of time.â And with that, Cerys left.
The four kept talking to each other, but by then I no longer paid attention and returned to cleaning my sword.
... Yes. Only a matter of time indeed, and perhaps a matter of understanding. Iâve known for the longest time that they were good for each other, but what they lacked was a proper mutual understanding of their issues.
Then again, who were we to blame or judge them?
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Part 2 of the Epilogue, Part 1 is here, and The Revival can be found here!