Chapter 4 - The Hero bids farewell.

The days passed, and everything went normally.

Hiro and Exael lived in a small house in the village, not far from where they practiced. As mentioned, in that village—just like in most others—they opposed the current Demon King, who had destroyed the delicate balance maintained with humans for so long, all because of his stupid war.

"Here you go, Mr. Exael," said a kind woman of a certain age. "I know it's not what you used to eat, but I hope you enjoy it."

The woman had a skin tone and hair similar to Remi's. The house where they were belonged to the girl's family, and although humble in the eyes of many, it stood out for its table: a large stone cut and smoothed to serve as a dining table; which for the old demon, however, was a true work of art where he enjoyed eating.

Hiro was next to Exael, cooling the stew they had been served. At first, he had trouble eating, as the food from the demon continent didn't look appealing, and its taste, although acceptable, was difficult to get used to. Over time, however, he adapted to this new lifestyle.

He thought that, being human and not possessing demonic features, he would be rejected by the others; to his surprise, he noticed that they shared many characteristics, especially in behavior, and that appearance was the only thing that differentiated them: some had horns, others only exhibited the typical pupils of their race, and some could even pass for normal humans. At the time, Exael commented that having his heart could cause changes in him, although none had been noticed to date.

"Hiroooo!" someone exclaimed, throwing themselves at the boy.

The joy of the hug made our hero blush with embarrassment.

"Hey, Remi..." Hiro said, in an awkward tone.

Remi was a girl who was still growing. For Hiro, who was someone with no experience in that type of contact, he seemed overwhelmed by the situation. Exael, meanwhile, watched the scene with a smile, without intervening.

"Remi! Please, let Hiro eat in peace. Can't you see you've already made him all red?" said the girl's mother, with some annoyance.

She pouted, let go of Hiro, and, taking a chair, brought it over to sit next to him. He, with obvious discomfort, chose to continue eating.

Although the girl's behavior was excessive for him, he somehow perceived a warm treatment in Remi and those around him, very different from what he had experienced in the castle with the other heroes and nobles, although there were some who treated him well.

"Akoni..." he said, in a barely audible tone.

"Did you say something?" Remi asked.

"Huh?... No, nothing... I just remembered someone."

She pouted upon hearing it, but decided not to insist, knowing that Hiro was very reserved about his past. She could only watch him in silence, while occasionally observing the melancholic boy.

***

Day gave way to night, painting the sky with a beautiful starry mantle. As had become almost a custom since arriving in this world, Hiro was observing them from the roof of the house where he lived with Exael. He was so passionate about it that he had easily learned the constellations of this world; in his own world, he dreamed of being an astronomer, so understanding how the ones here were organized was not complicated for him.

While lying down, Hiro reflected on the differences between the stars here and those of his home, and remembering the past, Akoni came to his thoughts once again.

What is she doing now? he wondered.

"Again, watching the stars?" Remi inquired, appearing in his view.

Our hero's angle of vision not only allowed a glimpse of the girl's friendly face, but also more, as her attire included a skirt.

"You know that from here I can see more than I should," Hiro commented, embarrassed and trying to look away.

"If it's you, I don't mind," she replied, in a carefree tone.

The girl lay down and hugged Hiro happily. Feeling her closeness, he turned red with embarrassment. Remi, without hesitation or complication, expressed what she felt:

"Why are you like this with me?"

"Because I like you. There's no other reason," she replied, looking directly at him with a smile.

The sudden contact made Hiro pull away abruptly. Remi let out a soft laugh at his reaction and then added wistfully:

"You know, Hiro, today marks one year since that day, the day we met."

Remi remembered an event that had occurred a year ago, when, along with other young people, they had gone to collect medicinal herbs.

What they didn't count on was that they would be the hunting target of a beast from the depths of the forest, known as a Gubat Bear.

The girl's group had taken an opportunity to escape, but left her to her fate. She believed it would be her end, as she desperately tried to flee until she ran out of strength. Just then, someone—that person whom the old Exael had brought months ago and who remained isolated despite being the same age—came to her rescue, standing in the beast's path.

I won't let you touch her! he shouted with determination.

Hiro remembered that day too. The terror and despair he felt upon seeing the bear. His memories of that day when he was left to his fate were probably what prompted him to run in search of the girl whose name he barely knew at that time.

But although he fought bravely, the difference in power was abysmal: he couldn't stand up to the enormous animal, which measured about six meters.

Remi, for her part, recalled her helplessness at seeing Hiro fight unsuccessfully; however, seeing how he got up fall after fall. Until, when it seemed that all was lost, something impacted the bear's side, sending it flying: it had been Exael who arrived to the rescue.

Upon seeing the old demon, Remi just burst into tears.

"Do you remember what you told me when I arrived to check on you?"

Hiro barely remembered what happened after Exael arrived, as the battle had left him in very bad shape.

"The truth is, I don't remember much of that day," he confessed.

Remi smiled, as she had those words engraved in her heart:

I'm glad you're okay.

Even in that critical situation, Hiro only had her safety in mind. That moment was the one that marked Remi.

"Even if you don't remember it, I will for the rest of my life," she added.

With emotion running high, Hiro looked back at the immense starry sky. His eyes lit up as he spotted a constellation, and he pointed with his finger, inviting Remi to observe it:

"That constellation isn't seen very often; it appears randomly a few times a year."

Excited, Hiro remembered something and turned to look at Remi to tell her:

"That constellation is called The Union of Hermonis. It is said..."

"It is said that when you see it with the person you love, you will be together forever," Remi interrupted, sketching a beautiful smile.

A brief silence took over the place; at that moment, only the beating of their hearts could be heard.

"I love you, Hiro," Remi said, maintaining her smile.

Hiro blushed intensely and, speechless, just looked at her, marveling that she, who had always made sweet comments, had just told him I love you, making everything feel different.

They both sat down, Remi placing herself next to him; the moonlight illuminated her face, accentuating Hiro's shyness, who wondered if she had always been this pretty.

"What you feel for me isn't love, it's just admiration for trying to save you..." Hiro said, standing up and continuing. "Besides, if you knew who I was, I doubt you'd even speak to me."

He had to tell her: they were from completely different worlds. He had lived many experiences in this town, but in the end, he wasn't a demon.

"If you're saying that because you're human... I've known that for a long time," she replied.

Surprised, Hiro felt even worse for having hidden his true identity in the village. Remi, understanding his feelings, let out a small laugh, as everyone in the village already knew he was human.

She stood up and approached until she was just inches away from him:

"You say I don't feel love, only admiration. Then I want to admire you for the rest of my life. I want to be by your side and watch my admiration for you grow every day, regardless of whether you are human or demon..."

Before Hiro could answer, Remi kissed him shyly, the kiss of two inexperienced young people. When they parted, she smiled and said:

"Whoever you are, that won't change the fact that I'm in love with you."

Remi was noticeably blushing, and before quickly walking away, she told him she would see him tomorrow.

For his part, Hiro was in shock. When he calmed down, he looked back at the sky, noticing that the constellation had disappeared.

If I can no longer see the stars, something must be blocking their light. A dust nebula, perhaps? he thought.

"The love of young people is so pure."

At that moment, a voice interrupted his thoughts. It was Exael, as usual, smoking his pipe and observing the stars.

Hiro turned red and asked him if he had seen them.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha," the old demon laughed naturally and cheerfully. "Of course not. Although, judging by the look on Remi's face when I saw her, I can guess."

In a serious tone, Hiro spoke:

"Hey, old man, do you really think I'm the one the nymphs of origin are waiting for?"

"I thought you were going to ask me if Remi was the right one to be your wife," Exael joked, but noticing the seriousness in Hiro, he replied firmly. "I have no doubt about it."

That answer reassured Hiro, who sketched a small smile.

"You'd better go to sleep. Tomorrow will be an important day," Exael commented, looking at the sky.

Hiro remained silent and obeyed the old demon's order.

***

The next day, Exael and Hiro set off for their usual place of entertainment. What always fascinated Hiro about that place were the remains of an ancient temple, perhaps an altar, evidenced by the enigmatic engravings on the ground.

"Let's go," said the demon.

Exael began the ascent of the immense natural wall, taking great leaps with surprising agility. Hiro, still inexperienced in the use of his power, chose to climb in the traditional way. The summit was about a hundred meters high, and in a few minutes, Hiro also reached it.

"What is this place?" he asked, marveling.

Before him stretched a canyon inside the plateau, a landscape that, despite his efforts to remember, resembled nothing from his world of origin. Dense vegetation covered the bottom, adding an air of mystery.

Exael advanced, and Hiro followed him, descending calmly along a winding path.

"This place is considered holy ground," Exael declared. "It is known as the Origin of Life."

Hiro felt a unique atmosphere: the flora and fauna, so foreign to what he had seen before, ceaselessly amazed him.

Finally, Exael stopped before a lake in the heart of the site. The water, of a dark tone that contrasted with the vibrant landscape, housed in its center an enigmatic structure that was accessed by a narrow path from the shore.

"This lake possesses strange properties," Exael commented, submerging his hand in the waters. After a few seconds, he slowly withdrew it. "See...?"

Hiro felt a pang in his heart as he observed Exael's hand, which seemed to brush the limit of becoming just bones, although little by little it regained its shape. The old demon indicated that he should stand on the structure; despite his fear, Hiro accepted. In the center, a magic circle was drawn.

"This is the end, kid. From here on out, I have nothing more to teach you," Exael declared with a face full of melancholy.

Hiro, confused, asked:

"What will I do?"

"Fulfill your destiny."

With a gesture, Exael invoked magic, and a barrier materialized around Hiro.

"I just found out that Afístole's army found my location. So I will try to damage their forces as much as I can..." he began to say, but stopped.

"No... That means!" Hiro interjected, with eyes full of tears.

Exael smiled upon seeing the mixture of sadness and determination on the young man's face.

"As always, you're a very intelligent boy."

"Don't tell me you're planning to die," Hiro said, his voice trembling.

The old demon turned without answering and began to walk.

"Don't forget to keep training, have more confidence in yourself. And remember that there's a girl who will be waiting for you; you can't let her down," he added, without turning to look at him.

"Wait!" Hiro shouted, trying to stop him. "This can't end like this, why are you going to such extremes?"

Hiro tried to intercede, but the magic barrier prevented him.

"Destiny is very capricious..." Exael said, making an awkward pause. "It didn't give me a son to carry my blood; but perhaps one who will inherit my will."

Exael stopped and, finally, looked back at Hiro. The sadness of an old man on the verge of tears was noticeable on his face.

Hiro, resigned but encouraged by those words, wiped away his tears and looked at him with determination:

"I swear I will be someone worthy of your pride. I will become someone worthy of what you just said. I promise you... father."

Exael, surprised, sketched a smile.

"I want you to take my last name. Become a King whom everyone will want to follow. I hope that one day it can be heard: 'Long live Hiro Vlad...!"

"No!" Hiro shouted, interrupting what he was going to say. "The one who will come out of here will be Exael Vladmoore IV. Son of the great Exael Vladmoore III."

Exael was surprised and laughed, stating that nothing could make him happier.

"This will be the last time we see each other in this life. I hope that when we meet again, you will tell me about your achievements as the next Demon King."

Hiro nodded and, after Exael left, burst into tears. Although it was brief, his time with Exael had become the best moments of his life; for the first time, he felt a fatherly affection, someone who looked out for him. And now, it seemed he was leaving forever.

That power...

Hiro quickly opened his eyes upon hearing a voice that arose from nowhere in his mind. As he did so, he realized that he was inside his soul; however, his Elit were not present.

"Who are you?" he asked, nervously.

"Throughout all, I have been considered in different ways," replied a deep voice, barely intelligible. The only certain thing was the fear that began to invade Hiro. "I am a simple vestige of what I was, a speck of dust of my true being. I am what you, the current ones, have called... Life."

Without time to respond, Hiro felt a sharp pain in his right side. A cry of despair escaped him as he realized that his entire arm had been severed.

Falling to the ground, Hiro crawled backward, without taking his eyes off the shadow that approached him. Its body, similar to that of a slug, seemed to envelop the place; its rough skin showed sections covered in slime, while long limbs, similar to tentacles, extended along the void. The tip of what appeared to be its head opened into five folds, resembling a flower: of colossal size, with slime falling from them. Inside, the flesh of the folds could be distinguished, centered on a large mouth full of sharp, lipless teeth.

It was something he hadn't imagined even in his worst nightmares.

At that moment, Hiro understood that the voice came from that creature, identifying it by the movement of its mouth. Terror prevented him from thinking about his missing arm.

"And you, emperor... are something that should not exist."

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