The guards of the Watch stared at the scene in horror; the strange inhuman Arylos standing above the broken and defeated Lord Commander of the Watch. The soldiers were not prepared for such a site as it tugged at what courage they had. Courage then led to fear as they began drawing their weapons and shouting as they ran towards Arylos.

The Titan turned towards the soldiers as his eyes shone red. “Enough,” he growled in a voice that rang through the air as a wave of energy erupted from him that knocked the soldiers to the ground.

Iris scrambled herself back to her feet, knowing what Arylos would do. She ran over to him and grabbed his arm tight. “Arylos please,” she called out while holding her Titan tight.

Arylos released a growling sigh while closing his eyes. Iris held onto him tighter and found that his muscles were relaxed and his hands unclenched. He fought Bellona and knocked her down. Threatened the soldiers with his otherworldly powers as they wanted to charge him. He watched her get cut down and risk dying.

And yet he was perfectly calm and relaxed.

Iris felt afraid of the Titan as she realised this, unsure of what to think. To know that Arylos was more than ready to fight here and now made her afraid of just how far he was willing to go right now.

“Arylos, can we not do this?” Iris asked softly while pulling Arylos over to look at her. “This isn’t the time nor the place, and not with the right people.”

Arylos let out a growl as he lowered his head. He looked over to the group of soldiers but Iris grabbed his chin and pulled his gaze back to her, insisting that he not turn away as she looked at him with soft eyes. As he looked into her eyes, he felt his anger slowly fade as if she was pulling it from him. He reached up and grabbed her hand, savouring her touch as if he would never feel her again.

“Let’s go home,” he whispered with a soft nod.

Iris let go of the Titan and he turned towards the beaten Bellona. Arylos knelt down to Bellona and rested his hand on her chest as dark shadows emanated from his body. Iris watched as the shadows reached out like tendrils and began stitching Bellona’s wounds like Arylos did with Iris. Within a few minutes, Bellona was whole again albeit still gasping for air.

Arylos closed his fist, satisfied with her healed state and pulled her by the arm and draped her over his shoulder. “Can you walk?” he asked softly.

“A little,” Bellona returned in an exhausted voice.

Arylos nodded and made his way towards the gate as Iris picked up Bellona’s large weapon, shocked by how much it weighed. She pulled it close and followed Arylos as he walked through the stunned guards to return to the city. Iris rushed to walk alongside Arylos yet the two remained in silence as they walked past curious onlookers who were confused by the injured Templarian.

“I’m sorry,” Bellona finally whispered under her breath.

“No, don’t apologise for something I did,” Arylos returned while continuing forward. “I didn’t acknowledge how you felt and how I hurt you, and I should have been more understanding of you.”

“No, that’s what I did,” Bellona returned while tightening her hold on Arylos. “Everything you said the other day, you really meant it. Yet I ignored it; I couldn’t believe any of it. It hurt to hear.”

“And it hurt to say, and I should have not said any of it,” Arylos returned in a soft voice.

“Yet it’s how you feel,” Bellona whispered in a shuddered voice and Iris could see she was on the verge of crying. “I didn’t acknowledge that. I’m your friend and I couldn’t be a friend to you. Not since…”

“Shush now,” Arylos returned with a laugh. “Enough of that; you’re still a friend to me, and sometimes that hard love of yours is what I need.”

“It’s not hard love; I was inconsiderate,” Bellona returned, actively crying.

“Enough of that,” Arylos answered in a stern yet soft voice.

“Arylos is right,” Iris cut in while rubbing Bellona’s back. “You two are still friends. If removing your wings didn’t change anything, then this certainly won’t. Arylos was just venting emotions that hurt to hold just like you were. We’re all at fault here.”

Bellona tried to stifle her crying as her legs started to go weak. “Are we really friends?” she asked softly.

“Yes, we are,” Arylos answered. “Do you think that any of this makes a difference? What I did to you was my way of protecting you, even if it did scar you.”

Bellona started to steady her breathing as the trio approached Arylos’s house. Iris rushed forward and opened the front door as Arylos guided the broken Templarian inside and set her down on the sofa. Before Arylos could move away, Bellona grabbed him by the arm to keep him from leaving as she started to cry again.

“I’m still really sorry,” she whispered as her tears choked her. “I attacked Iris to make myself feel better and injured her badly.”

“I enjoyed it actually,” Iris voiced with an interested voice.

Arylos raised an eyebrow and quickly turned to Iris in disbelief like he had heard the strangest thing ever.

Iris blushed and slapped Arylos’s arm. “I meant the fight, you big idiot!”

“Exactly my point; that’s the second time you’ve been in a fight and said you enjoyed yourself,” Arylos voiced as if disgusted and concerned.

“I got the chance to use my power; that’s all!” Iris voiced while puffing up her face. “I got to stretch my legs and breathe a bit and make use of my power and fight a real Templarian.”

“But I injured you to the point where you stopped healing,” Bellona confessed with shame in her voice while wiping tears away. “You’re not full-blooded; if you stop healing, you don’t reincarnate like the rest. You just die. Had Arylos not shown up when he did, you would have died and that would be on me.”

“We’re not putting that on you,” Iris returned with a cheery voice. “It all worked out in the end. Plus, I’m sure you have some healing magic or something in the end; I don’t think you would actually kill me.”

Bellona looked up at the two as if in disbelief herself and confusion heavy on her mind. “So, neither of you are mad?”

As if in sync, the duo shook their heads with warm smiles.

“But I could have killed Iris,” Bellona called out as tears began welling up again.

“And I could have killed you during our fight; both all those years ago and today,” Arylos answered with a smile while wiping away Bellona’s tears. “Instead, I had to speak to you in the only language you can understand. All of us came out none the worse for wear.”

Bellona bowed her head and slowly nodded, acknowledging the Titan’s words. “I’m so–”

“I swear, if you apologise one more time I’m going to hit you with my shoe,” Iris cut in with a frustrated voice.

“The girl’s right; you’ve apologised more than enough,” Arylos followed up with a laugh in his voice. “You had to get some emotions out; I had to do the same thing and that hurt everyone.”

Bellona slowly nodded, deciding to keep quiet for now.

“We need a vacation,” Iris sighed while resting her hands on her hips. “We’re all emotional wrecks right now and it’s been a bit since we’ve done something.”

“I would have a mind to agree but what would we even do?” Arylos answered while stroking his beard.

Bellona thought for a moment before having a thought come to her mind. “Wait! Arylos, do you still have that money I gave you from that street fight?”

Arylos turned to Bellona with confusion on his face. “Yeah, what about it?”

“Why don’t we use that as my contribution and go somewhere; the four of us,” Bellona suggested as a smile came to her. “Somewhere to get away from all of this; Eikons, fighting, everything. Take a vacation to the south or something.”

“Where would we even go?” Iris asked while considering the suggestion.

“Why not the Kadahn region?” Bellona suggested with a wide smile. “It’s just off the southern ocean and has a great selection of places to go to to relax. It has beaches, restaurants, and even old spiritual sites.”

“I don’t know; Kadahn is pretty hot and I’m not a fan of the beach,” Arylos protested while rubbing his neck.

“I have to agree with Arylos; I’ve never been to the beach, but I don’t like heat,” Iris returned while crossing her arms.

Bellona’s smile went big and wild. “Then we can go to the town of Inamura where they have volcanic hot springs.”

“DID YOU SAY HOT SPRINGS?” the duo asked simultaneously.

Bellona chuckled nervously, shocked by their response even though she was expecting it. “Y-Yeah. Kadahn is volcanically active and Inamura is along the southern mountains and has a series of bath houses along the mountainside.”

Iris’s face went red as she turned to Arylos. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“You bet your ass I am,” Arylos returned with a smile of his own. “I’m thinking about relaxing baths, massages, new cooking, relaxation in a cottage while watching the coast and sipping on a mixed fruit cocktail.”

“Exactly!” Iris returned while practically leaping for joy. “That will be the best way to get away from everything and enjoy life a little! And if we bring Eir along, it will be the best way for her to get out of her shell!”

“Are you sure you want to bring her along?” Bellona asked cautiously. “Are you not mad at her for what happened?”

“Uh-uh. I’m mad at Odin; Eir was just the sorry tool that got used,” Iris answered with a confident voice.

“You’ve accepted that? You’ve forgiven her?” Bellona asked in confusion.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; it’s not about forgiveness, it’s about doing the right thing,” Iris answered with a smile.

Arylos let out a sigh and rubbed Iris’s scalp. He couldn’t help but to feel happy for her. He was watching her grow up before his very eyes and follow through on her promise to be better.

“I’m really proud of you, Iris,” he told her in a soft and happy voice as he continued patting her head. “You’re growing into your own and becoming more than I ever expected, and I couldn’t be more happy for you and proud of you.”

Iris blushed and took in the praise and affection as it made her heart happy to hear. “Thank you~,” she responded in a high-pitched and loving voice.

Arylos chuckled and turned his attention back to Bellona. “Well then, when are we heading out and how long are we staying?”

Bellona rubbed her chin as she thought. “I didn’t think about that but I’m sure we can think of something.”

“Why not a month?” Iris suggested in a cheery voice. “It’s almost the end of spring so we can get some of the springtime air and cool right before the hot season begins. Then we can be back here before the summer goes full on hot so we can cool off.”

“Wouldn’t going to the beach during the hot season make more sense?” Bellona asked.

“No, it will be hot there; way more than we would like,” Arylos responded while shaking his head. “Iris is right; if we go during the tail end of spring, we get the coming summer’s warmth without having to put up with the extreme heat of the south.”

“Don’t you love it when I’m right?” Iris asked with a smile, wanting more praise.

“Yes, little girl,” Arylos returned with a chuckle.

“Well, I’ll bring it up to Eir then and plan on a month-long trip,” Bellona answered while slowly returning to her feet, trying to regain her balance. “I take it the actual scheduling, preparation, and planning can be left to you Arylos?”

Arylos smiled and returned a nod. “You can count on it.”