The Last Breath Of Darkness

After the guards had taken Noirelle away, a silence fell over the hall. Only the footsteps, gradually fading into the distance, echoed against the cold stone walls.
When Noirelle finally fell, everyone present regained their memories – everyone realized they were no longer under her influence. Aiko was still holding young Akihiko in her arms, who had finally come to his senses.

She stood motionless, her teary eyes glistening in the light. Her breath was quick but deep, as if she were trying to contain the emotions that overwhelmed her. At that moment, Akihiko turned toward her.

The wind, slipping through the broken stained glass, gently ruffled Akihiko’s medium-brown hair and simultaneously brushed against Aiko’s reddish curls. Both stood still, the distance between them vast – yet it felt as if they were closer than ever before.

Akihiko’s blue eyes locked with hers. There was no trace of hostility, no icy emptiness – only warmth, pain, relief, love. All at once. It seemed as though every spark in his eyes told the story of how close he had been to losing her, himself, their future.

Aiko felt her heart pounding wildly, and her thoughts kept repeating: I almost lost you… I almost would never have had you by my side again.

Akihiko took a single step toward her. Then another. Each step was quiet, slow, yet filled with determination. Aiko held her breath. The gap of several meters between them still loomed – yet every step he took seemed to crumble the wall that separated them.

As he got closer, his voice cracked as he spoke her name.

"Aiko…"

Her name sounded like a promise, like a prayer.

Aiko did not move. Only tears began to stream down her face even faster.
Akihiko stood there, his steps bringing him nearer, yet the distance between them remained. His eyes occasionally caught the light in the shattered hall, and in them was nothing but pain and relief.

Aiko held her breath; her hands trembled at her sides, her heart pounding so fiercely it hurt. At that moment, she could no longer restrain herself.

Tears sparkled on her cheeks as she suddenly ran forward. Her footsteps echoed through the hall, faster and faster, until she simply sprinted toward him, guided by instinct.

Akihiko froze, his blue eyes widening for a moment, then he spread his arms even before realizing what she was doing.

Aiko collided straight into him with all her force. As if she would shatter if he didn’t catch her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her head buried in his chest. Akihiko held her tightly, firmly, as if guarding something most precious in the world with his body.

Silence fell over the hall. Only their racing hearts could be felt through the tight embrace. No one spoke. Words were unnecessary.

Akihiko closed his eyes and pressed his face into her hair. The scent, warmth, touch – everything was real. Finally.

Aiko quietly sobbed, yet did not loosen her hold. It seemed he would have had to tear her away if anyone tried to separate them.
Their bodies still trembled in the embrace. Akihiko drew a deep breath, as if relearning to breathe. Then he pulled back slightly, just enough to look into Aiko’s eyes.

"Aiko…" he whispered in a broken voice. "Your voice… your words… they woke me. Without you, I would have been lost."

His blue eyes were full of pain and love at the same time, reddened from tears he had allowed himself for the first time in a long while.

Aiko did not answer with words. Instead, she lifted her face and kissed him – gently, yet decisively, as if in that kiss she sealed all: love, despair, longing, and a promise to never let him go again.

Akihiko froze for a moment, then deepened the kiss, his hands wrapping around her even tighter. The world around them vanished – no hall, no shadows of the past, only the two of them, proving that even the darkest power could not destroy what they had built together.

As they slowly pulled back, Aiko still held his face in her hands, tears shining on her cheeks, now softened by a warm smile.

"Never again…" she whispered. "…I will never let you be lost again."

Akihiko rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "Now I know… you are my truth, Aiko."

When Akihiko and Aiko kissed, complete silence fell over the hall. Even the wind, which had fluttered between the pillars before, seemed to pause for a moment, giving space to that moment.

Young Akihiko watched Aiko and Akihiko from a distance, knowing they had succeeded. He smiled. Akihiko then looked toward him. In his heart, a new feeling had arisen, one he could not describe. Aiko saw him looking at the boy and led Akihiko to him. The boy bowed to him. Akihiko looked at him with teary eyes, then hugged him. He then looked at Aiko, standing beside them, and said, "You both saved us."

Aiko only smiled and embraced them both. The king and queen stepped closer. The king, with tears in his eyes, asked, "Is this really our grandson?" The boy lifted his shirt briefly, and near his navel shone the crest of the Miyahara kingdom. The king and queen smiled, pride shining in their eyes. Then the boy slowly began to disappear. Aiko’s eyes filled with tears… "No… don’t disappear."

The boy added, "Don’t worry, we’ll see each other soon. My mission is complete."

Akihiko asked, "What’s your name?"

The boy mischievously replied, "You’ll have to figure that out between yourselves." And he vanished.

Silence remained in the hall.
King Kaito and Queen Hanae stood a few steps away. Hanae placed her hand over her mouth to hold back tears welling in her eyes. Relief and pride interwove in her chest – her son had found his way back, not because of royal power, but because of love. Kaito, who usually hid his emotions, lowered his gaze and nodded slightly, acknowledging that it was Aiko who had succeeded where he might have failed.

Mika leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, a genuine smile playing on her face. "Finally," she murmured, almost jokingly, yet she felt an indescribable relief that Aiko was alive and Akihiko had returned to himself.

Naoru adjusted the hair falling over his eyes and said quietly, "I thought it was over…" His voice was soft, but contained respect for both – because they had proven their bond stronger than any darkness.

Mika glanced at him, her smile softening. "We made it… together."

He met her gaze, a faint warmth in his eyes. Without thinking, their hands brushed briefly—a fleeting touch, simple yet grounding. "Yes. Together," he replied.

For a moment, the chaos of the battle felt far away. Mika felt a deep sense of relief, her body relaxing for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Naoru too exhaled, a quiet weight lifting from his shoulders, his mind finally at peace knowing they had survived. Standing side by side, they shared a silent understanding—a bond forged through struggle, a promise that whatever came next, they would face it as one.

The guards, who had previously stood as soulless figures under Noirelle’s control, now exchanged uncertain glances. It was as if a weight had finally been lifted from their hearts as well.

As Akihiko Jr. vanished back into the future, Aiko and Akihiko exchanged a fleeting, knowing glance. Without a word, Akihiko pulled her close, holding her as if to make up for all the time they had been apart. Their hearts beat in unison, a quiet reassurance that, no matter what had happened, they were finally together again.

Then, softly, they kissed—an unspoken promise, a culmination of relief, love, and the bond that had carried them through so much. For a moment, the chaos of the world outside ceased to exist, leaving only the warmth and certainty of being in each other’s arms.

As Aiko and Akihiko slowly separated, everyone watched them – not as a princess and prince, but as two people who had walked through fire and darkness and returned stronger. The hall still remained silent, as if everyone were breathing together with them. Naoru let out a slow sigh, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow slightly:

"Well, nice that you found a moment for a romantic scene… right in the middle of the hall where five minutes ago weapons were flying everywhere, energy bolts were crackling like fireworks, and the walls were shaking from the sheer force of the battle."

Mika laughed and rolled her eyes. "Naoru…"

Queen Hanae laughed through her tears, even King Kaito’s lips curved into a faint smile. Aiko and Akihiko turned to Naoru, Aiko still slightly flushed, Akihiko shooting him the look of, if you were my brother, I’d hit you on the shoulder right now.

Naoru just smiled innocently and shrugged. "What? Someone has to make sure we don’t forget to breathe."
His remark still hung in the air as Aiko and Akihiko stepped back slightly from each other. Akihiko winked at Aiko, then turned to Naoru with a slight smirk:

"That’s right… but at least we don’t hide our feelings, like some do."

Naoru froze, and Mika shot a look at Akihiko, her cheeks flushed to her ears. "Akihiko!" she exclaimed, her voice more embarrassed than angry.

Naoru tried to remain calm, but the corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. "You really don’t know how to keep your mouth shut, huh?" he replied, deliberately turning away so it wouldn’t be too obvious how Akihiko had struck him.

Aiko leaned slightly toward Akihiko and whispered softly, almost in a hush, "Naoru and Mika… together."

Akihiko’s blue eyes sparkled with mischief as Mika and Naoru froze, simultaneously blushing to their ears. Akihiko’s lips curved into a sly smile, the expression that hinted he now had a small new reason for playful teasing.