Maeve was speaking with three other Ravenours, the few who weren't all muscle and destruction. Vin interrupted, telling the young royal, "We need to talk."

  Upon his word, the three associates closed their journals and began dismissing. Maeve's eyes traced the men as they packed up, a hint of displeasure on her face. She was their ruler; they were to leave on her command, yet these subjects adhered to another figure.

  Vin held out his palm, compelling the three aides to stop moving. He then looked to one winged woman, telling her, "Not here. Let's talk in private."

  He walked ahead, proceeding into the dim, unlit Elven bedroom, his silhouette disappearing into the shadows. Moments later, Maeve followed, her presence cautious yet composed.

  Her pointed ears twitched slightly as Vin turned and closed the door behind them, the quiet click of the lock echoing. Her ruby eyes lingered on him, studying his every move with silent suspicion.

  "What did you want to speak about?" She asked, forcing an authoritative tone. The poorly-mannered Human stepped closer, and she took a pace back, saying, "I asked you a question, Vin..."

  "Relax," he said, growing closer until within arms reach. At this distance, he could sense her amber soul mixing with pinkish-red tints. A new ability allowed him to discern that her mind was active, processing numerous thoughts and emotions. He tried calming her, stating, "It won't take long."

  The dark-haired royal swung her crutch up and held it in a guarded stance; the tips of her ears were faintly blushed, and her stone expression began to crumble. "Wh- We have work to do. There is no time to delay."

  Vin tilted his head, peering at the uncharacteristically flustered princess. He hadn't fully shaken the damage from seeing his entire life within an instant. So, his violet eyes were intense, seemingly devouring everything they laid on.

  "I understand," he said, aware something was off about the young woman but not quite sure what. Whatever the case, he jumped to the matter at hand. It took some time for him to channel the Astral Ichor accordingly, but there was a subtle flash, and a single book appeared in the air.

  The tome, "Settings," unfurled, spanning hundreds of pages, each describing a specific place in great detail. He reasoned that the same book would act as a two-way door, allowing him to enter and exit his alleged sanctuary- as long as the item remained intact.

  "This is no magic I have ever seen before," She stated, gazing at the floating book. "What is this all about?"

  "I met the deity that created this dimension," Vin replied. "She reconstructed my home on Earth and summoned me to tell me I was too powerful for this quest."

  "You- what, how is that possible?" She questioned, her tone level to mask her bewilderment.

  "I know," Vin said calmly, eyeing the floating tome. I didn't believe my own eyes at first, either, but if you touch this book, I can show you."

  There may have been other ways to prove himself. However, part of him also wanted to physically enter the garden sanctuary and show Maeve what he saw when he dreamed.

  The half-elf hesitated, but Vin carelessly grabbed her petite hand and raised it to the book, murmuring, "Trust me."

  She examined his sharp, confident eyes, and soon she stopped resisting. Vin pulled her hand to the title, and upon touching it, they both disappeared in a weightless flash of pure white light.

  <>

  When the brilliance faded, they stood in a quiet home of pure fiction. Vin's expectations were shattered, and he found himself standing inside his literal sanctuary. He remembered that as a child, he reimagined the classic cabin in the woods, sketching pictures and describing a new scene to his mother as "a cabin at the center of the galaxy."

  The floor and windowed walls were made of dark oak wood. However, the triangular roof above them was completely glass, allowing a view into a beautiful, dark expanse of outer space and twinkling stars.

  A fireplace bathed the home with a warm glow, contrasting the cool shades of space. The cushioned furniture in the living room resembled his house on Earth, which was both gratifying and bittersweet. Sure, everything about that place was childish and impractical, but it was safe... Whenever something terrible happened to him as a child, he closed his eyes and visited this place to calm himself.

  It was the first time Vin had seen Maeve utterly awestruck to the degree she could not speak. She gazed straight up at the glass roof, overwhelmed by the otherworldly display.

  Vin saw she was overcome by the world-shattering setting, so he placed his hand over her eyes to block the view and said, "Let's sit."

  The two sat on the cozy rug before the fireplace, digesting everything. Maeve occasionally looked up at the glass roof but soon returned to staring at the cackling flame. Her voice was a whisper when she finally asked, "Where are we..."

  "That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about," he responded.

  He looked at her and stated bluntly, "My powers were sealed by the creator of the Archival Dimension."

  She snapped her head at him, the warm light intensifying her ruby eyes. "Our God's flame? That's impossible."

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  Vin held his hand out and concentrated. Moments later, his book of items appeared in his grip. "It's true. This power is supposed to be a replacement."

  She was still perplexed, but Vin explained the best he could. He omitted the dark Phoenix from the retelling but explained that he was summoned after killing a company of Elves. There, the librarian shackled him with golden bracelets that blocked his ability to create flames. Since Maeve already had a lot to process, he summed up his new skills as "Powers of Archive."

  The disheveled royal rubbed her head, clarifying, "And you claim that the deity created this place from your memory?"

  Vin glanced around, replying, "This place never existed in reality, I think she designed it using the pictures I drew a lot as a child."

  "This is a lot to grasp," she replied, pulling her uninjured leg to her chest and staring idly into the fire. A long minute passed before a faint yawn escaped her lips. "An entity able to seal the everlasting flames..."

  Vin leaned toward the fireplace and placed his hand inside the red blaze. It wasn't hot, but warm, so he hadn't returned to a simple Human, nevertheless... "It's all true. I'm no longer the Eternal."

  He was prepared for Maeve to renounce him. After all, their alliance arose from her need for power and a way to sway her people. The title of the renowned warrior from their planet, Volcorath, was what she required, not a Human with various magic tricks.

  Vin still believed he was strong enough to fight in that world. However, Maeve knew he couldn't wield a sword properly. As far as she knew, he could only bat enemies over the head with a club like a caveman and cast non-lethal spells.

  Vin took his hand from the fire, leaned back, and looked up at the galaxies above them. It calmed his spirit to the point he could just fall asleep, and like the young royal, he began to yawn.

  Maeve was quiet. In fact, it was detestably silent after he told her the truth. He had wished she would just call him useless and leave rather than sit there wordlessly. It would have been easier that way... Not that he cared about her opinion of him. She was just- just a temporary part of his journey.

  A discomfort built in his chest, an anxiousness unlike anything he had ever experienced. Vin stared at the rug, a growing unhappiness deepening his frown. It wasn't as if he liked her. She was just one of the many brutes he'd been forced to live with.

  Yet, for some reason, he wanted her to need him, to beg him to always stay by her side and trust him enough to show her genuine emotion.

  "What, nothing to say?" Vin said, his tone bitter to mask the gloom he felt inside. "Are you so shocked that you can't speak?"

  "Going to fire me from your little squad?" He taunted.

  He glanced over at the royal, prepared for whatever tasteless mug was on her face. Only, she wasn't making any kind of expression. Maeve's eyes were closed, and her head lay on her knee motionlessly. Maybe even asleep.

  The fire illuminated her gorgeous face, long black hair, and fiendish horns to dangerous degrees. And, once again, he found himself watching her rest. 'This girl, I swear...'

  Vin knew she had slept less than ten hours in the past few days. So, this cozy sanctuary written from a child's dream acted as a natural sedative. The mere sight of her relaxing and the absurdly comfy rug below them made Vin yawn again, and his eyes began to flutter.

  He knew there was a lot to do still, so he grabbed Maeve's shoulder and shook her awake. The young woman lifted her head from her knee, opened her ruby eyes slightly, and gazed at the nodding Human. Somehow, when it was just the two of them, they were both so vulnerable, so- ordinary. Then again, Maeve was a half-elf, the people who enjoyed simple things like music and delicious pastries. And Vin was just a lonesome skateboarder whose life was ruined by the assimilation.

  "Vin..." Maeve mumbled, shaking her head. "I do not care that you lost your power..."

  'She was listening?' He thought, confused as to why she didn't reply sooner. Or, perhaps, she only heard the first half before falling asleep.

  The one-winged royal slothfully scooched closer to Vin and rested her head on his shoulder. The feeling of another person leaning against him was still so bizarre. It was as if he, a hooligan, wasn't meant to support someone other than himself. Yet, it was a pleasing sensation.

  After a brief intermission, the royal spoke again, her words as warming as the fireplace before them, "From the moment you entered our town, you never stopped amazing me."

  "You never showed fear of anything, learned magic in seconds, and became fluent in Vulcan within a week. Tristen spoke of you often in town, saying you were brilliant but blind to your own talent."

  Maeve dug her face into the sleeve of his hoodie, whispering, "We were both happy to meet someone who didn't treat us differently because of our appearance or standing. Someone we could be ourselves with."

  "That's enough," Vin scowled. He knew if his heart was washed with any more affection, he could do something that could ruin what they had.

  "I just wanted you to know that you were so much more than just the Eternal," she voiced. "Thanks to you, I could take leadership of my people and prove that intellect could prevail over a culture ruled by physical strength."

  "Many have died as a result of my coming to power..." She paused and gripped Vin's sleeve. "But, I will ensure their deaths were not in vain. Their spirit will guide me and Ravenours to a promising future."

  Maeve lifted her face, gazing into Vin's conflicted eyes. Who knew what she searched for inside his violet irises. She finally concluded, telling him, "Eternal flames or not, I want you to remain by my side."

  Seeing the mighty royal with such an affectionate countenance was mind-blanketing. It drove Vin crazy.

  Everything about that moment was just... Perfect. Her tender gaze, the fireplace inside that cabin in the galaxy, the silence. His entire body felt hot, and his heart was beating wild and screaming at him to act. Yelling at him to do better with his second chance at life and not let it end with more regrets. Vin succumbed to temptation and did something he knew he shouldn't have.

  Vin drew his face closer to hers.

  She pulled away, and the ends of her pointed ears reddened, "Vin?"

  The closer he got, the more she stumbled over her words, "I- I can't. We can't afford to be distracted right now."

  He continued to lean in, grabbing her waist, saying, "Then don't be."

  At some point, she had run out of room to flee, "There you go, telling me what to do again..."

  "You can punish me later," Vin whispered. Maeve's eyes narrowed as if accepting of the subsequent moment. All the stars above them seemed to shine brighter in blessing. The fireplace felt brighter and warmer as Maeve's delicate lips planted against Vin's in a timeless moment. They weren't joined long, yet it felt like a blissful eternity.

  Perhaps even fate was astonished. After all, he was just a kid who wanted to be a pro skater, and she was the half-elf princess who aspired to be a queen. Regardless. Vin was happy with this outcome.

  Right now, more than ever, Maeve began to feel like a home, away from home. Tristen and Gideon, too, were becoming irreplaceable members of a new family.