Chapter 50 - Acceptance

Not even five minutes later, Daniel stood in front of the old house. 

He'd been running through the academy halls like a madman to reach a window, startling several students who pressed themselves against walls as he'd sprinted past. Then he launched himself out of it using his momentum magic.

That wasn’t a great idea since he ended up falling helplessly through the air, but no one could deny it was effective, moving him way faster than any public transportation could. Luckily, creating a makeshift set of wings around his arms and a long golden tail had allowed him to float rather nicely along, gliding over rooftops and market squares.

He didn’t land as elegantly as he’d like, but at least he didn’t fall over. And he was lucky enough to have avoided any onlookers in the immediate vicinity, landing on the grass below the Grifantes Tower in a relatively secluded spot. People had definitely seen him flying through the air, though.

Let’s hope those guards don’t find me again.

He walked toward the entrance of the old fence-gate, and could sense the formation recognizing him as he put his hand on it. The barrier opened with a soft exhale, letting him through for the first time in over a thousand years.

The emotions he had felt last time were less intrusive now, calmed by the knowledge that his sister lived a good life. A hint of guilt still remained, as well as a well of sorrow that might never run out. But it was no more than he could handle.

The pathway leading to the house had barely changed since his last visit, neatly trimmed and well-trodden along the middle. Surely that was due to the preservation of the formation rather than Elania’s constant visits. At least he hoped.

He reached the door and knew Elania would be waiting for him inside. But it was so hard to open it. Even reaching out and grabbing the handle, even calming his breathing or his beating heart…

How am I still this nervous? We already met!

He asked himself while knowing the answer. He was in love. Hopelessly so.

And that clashed badly with the decision to tell her about his life on Earth. How could he explain in any way that he created this world? That he was two people merged together in one body? That everyone she'd known—including herself—had been characters in a story he'd written?

Was honesty the right choice? He hated the thought of hiding anything from her, but the thought of hurting her scalded even more.

“Open the door already, Art.”

His thoughts were cut short by her lovely voice coming through the door, warm and amused and so achingly familiar. All he could do was reach out and open it, leaving the decisions open for now.

The door swung inward on well-oiled hinges, revealing Elania. 

She looked as beautiful as he remembered, with her signature ponytail and an amethyst necklace. She wore an armored green dress, which fit the warrior image perfectly, even as she tried to dress nicely for the occasion. And her sword still hung on her hip, of course.

But everything paled in comparison to her smile. Two small dimples at the sides of her mouth, barely visible but completely captivating. And those warm purple eyes looking at him, filled with affection and joy.

Daniel cleared his throat awkwardly, suddenly aware that he was staring. "You look… amazing."

As an author with a tiny hint of pride, he should be able to come up with better words to describe her. That one was painfully inadequate, and so were all the others that came to mind.

But she didn’t seem to mind. Her smile widened, brightening like sunrise. "You don't look bad yourself. Though your hair looks like you decided to fly here.” She stepped to the side, gesturing him in with a graceful sweep of her arm. “Come on in."

His hand was up in his hair before she finished speaking, trying to pull the windswept mess back down to a more normal look. The strands were completely disheveled, sticking up at odd angles from the wind and his hasty flight. 

Then he followed after her, crossing the threshold into the house that used to be his home. He stopped briefly just inside the entrance, taking in the scene of his old home with a mixture of nostalgia and melancholy.

It had changed, but not more than he expected. The walls had been repainted at some point, colors slightly different from those he remembered. Some of the furniture had been replaced with newer models, but nothing fancy—just functional and comfortable, like everything had always been.

Of course, Lyra had lived here for many years after he disappeared, so it made sense that some things had been moved or replaced.

The family portrait was unchanged, though. At least the oldest one, hanging in its place of honor on the wall. Where even his father had still been alive, standing tall and proud in formal robes. 

His mother had the same warm expression she always had in his memories, but without the tint of grief that always colored it later in her life—this was before loss had touched her, when the family was still whole. 

Lyra looked so young there, barely ten at the time. But so full of life.

I’ll never stop missing her…

A sorrowful sigh escaped him as he looked away from her, lingering a few seconds longer than with his parents.

Then there was himself. Or Artorias, which he now counted as himself just as much as Daniel. A young lad in his prime, captured in paint and preservation magic. 

He remembered standing and waiting for that portrait to finish, even though that had never been part of his book.

It was something he should have realized much sooner.

I didn’t create this world. At best, I provided a baseline from which everything else was created later. Whatever gods or creators decided to make this world in my image, they must have wanted me to experience it myself… But why?

Elania remained silent, simply watching his reaction from the side. Her smile had dimmed, replaced mainly with empathy.

"...Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Daniel asked, hoping some levity would make it easier to talk. The words came out lighter than he felt. He was struggling at the moment, drowning in nostalgia, confusion, and overwhelming affection. 

Luckily, it was a great joke.

Elania's expression brightened immediately, catching his tone and matching it. “Meh, it was a boring millennium. A few hundred wars, dozens of new countries and empires rising and falling, three global conflicts that ended up ruining large parts of Kyalerun and Emanum, two dragon invasions ruining much of the eastern parts of Javos, and a disaster with beast experiments ending up making large parts of Garuni uninhabitable.”

…Holy shit. I really should have read up on some history.

He knew a thousand years was an eternity, but it suddenly felt more real after hearing all those events. Still, he played it off. 

“Nothing big, then?”

“Oh, and… your son wants to meet you.”

!?!?!

Daniel's mind stopped working. Completely flatlined. The words didn't make sense, couldn't make sense. She was joking, obviously. Of course she was. This was simply a justified prank after leaving her alone for so long, payback for a millennium of absence. Though…

We did… not long before I vanished... But elves take forever to... Do I have a thousand-year-old son?!

Thankfully, she burst out in laughter soon after, unable to hold it in. The sound filled the room, completely delighted with herself.

"Ahahaa! Oh, you should see your face!" She was nearly doubled over, one hand pressed to her stomach.

"Oh my GOD, woman!" Daniel's heart was still racing, but he couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips.

She wiped tears of laughter from her eyes, still grinning. "Sorry, I just had to!"

"...Well, I can't blame you." He shook his head, running a hand through his hair again. "I would have done the same in your position, probably."

He hadn’t heard that laughter in… well, weeks, technically. But it felt as long as it really was, like it had been centuries upon centuries. The sound of it unwound something tight in his chest, made the world feel right in a way nothing else had.

“I had no idea how much I missed you…”

The words came out before he could stop them, too honest. And too selfish, above all. He had waited weeks—a month at most—which was laughable compared to what she had been through. She'd waited a thousand years while he'd barely had time to process everything.

But it was exactly what he was feeling right now, like an empty space he never knew he had was finally filled. Like a missing piece of himself had clicked back into place.

Elania didn't seem bothered, though. More flattered. "It's hard to put into words, right? Maybe you can show it through actions?" 

She held her arms out, and Daniel wanted nothing more than to embrace her. But he had to be honest first. At least about himself.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Her arms lowered slightly, and her expression changed from joy to something closer to fear. "What's that?" 

"It's going to sound crazy, though." He forced himself to hold her gaze, even as part of him wanted to look away. "So it's up to you if you want to believe me."

"...I probably will." She straightened slightly, squaring her shoulders like she was preparing for battle. "At this point, anything seems possible."

Here goes nothing.

"Okay... I'm not just Artorias."

Her brows furrowed, but she remained silent, giving him space to continue.

"I have the memories of two people. One is Artorias, and the other is Daniel. Daniel is from a different world than this one."

"...That's even crazier than I expected."

"Well, I'm not at the worst part yet..." Daniel took a breath, steadying himself. "From my perspective, I was originally Daniel, and suddenly one day I woke up here, in this body. Then all the memories of Artorias appeared in my mind, and I thought that's all they were at first. But it's not just memories, it's emotions as well." 

The words were coming faster now, spilling out. "The grief from leaving everyone behind, the relief of seeing you again, the intense love, unlike anything I've felt before... I can only conclude with the fact that I am both of us."

Elania was very still now, with an expression he couldn’t read. 

"Then... but... Why?"

"I don't know." He spread his hands helplessly. "But this is the crazy part—"

"Wha—really?" Her eyes widened. "That's not the crazy part?"

"Eeh, I can leave this one for later. It's not really important for our relationship." He offered the escape route, giving her an out if she needed it.

"...How much crazier can it get?" She sounded almost afraid to ask.

"It would probably take us from an eight on the scale to an eleven."

"If I believe you?"

"Yes, you can also take it as the crazy ramblings of a lunatic." He tried for a smile. "I wouldn't blame you."

"Then... leave it." She shook her head slightly. "I'm already having a hard time digesting the first piece… But you're still Art. Right?"

The question carried so much weight. So much hope and fear wrapped together.

"I am." He stepped closer without thinking, needing her to understand. "I have his emotions, his memories, his body, his life… And his brilliant mind, of course." He allowed himself a small smile, trying to lighten the moment even as his heart pounded. "But I also have another set of memories."

"...And those memories also influence your emotions?" She was watching him carefully, searching his face for answers.

"Of course. I have happy memories, painful regrets, proud moments, and all kinds of feelings attached to that life." 

He thought of Earth, of his apartment, of writing late into the night. Of loneliness and cigarettes and the satisfaction of a good chapter. "They're part of who I am."

"...But did you ever… How does Daniel feel about me?" The question was almost whispered, vulnerable in a way he'd rarely seen from her.

“Daniel feels like he didn’t know what real love was until he saw you. You’re the most perfect woman he can imagine.”

Because that’s how I wrote you.

Elania's face twisted into a smile filled with emotion, most notably relief. "Lucky him, then." She held her arms out again, wider this time. "Now can I have that hug?"

"...You don't mind at all?" He couldn't quite believe it was this easy. That she was accepting him, both of him, without hesitation.

She thought for half a second before giving a slight shrug. "It's a bit strange, but I can tell you're still you. And I've been waiting too long to care about minor details like that. I'm too grateful to have you back."

She really was the most perfect woman, removing in a few sentences everything that held him back.

Daniel closed the distance between them in two quick steps, then he melted into her embrace, holding her like he would never let go. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. 

It was so warm, so healing, so intensely good—like every problem in the world just vanished to the far corners of his mind, becoming distant and insignificant.

She held him just as tightly, one hand coming up to cradle the back of his head. Her fingers tangled in his hair.

The smell of winter flowers ripped his defenses apart.

It was her scent, uniquely hers. It surrounded him, filled his lungs, made him dizzy with how right this felt. His eyes burned, throat tight with emotion he couldn't name.

Now the world could do its worst, because he felt invincible.

Ch.49 --I-- Ch.51