Months had passed since the destruction of Marlik.
The world, once teetering on the edge of chaos, now breathed in peace.
The skies were clearer. The forests sang again. The Council had fallen, the elites were no longer hunted, and Seraphine and Alaric finally found the silence they'd fought for.
And Caelum, now taller, sharper, and more ethereal in aura, was no longer just their son—he was a being becoming legend.
The sacred forest had begun calling for him. The trees whispered his name in ancient tongues, and when he walked its paths, flowers bloomed beneath his feet.
Then, the hidden Elves—those who had vanished during the darkest eras—emerged from the veils of magic. They knelt before him without hesitation.
> "You are of the Vaelthorne look," the Elven Seer said, eyes glowing. "You carry our crown in your blood. The Forest calls you... not as a guest, but as our King."
---
Scene: The Farewell
Seraphine stood on the balcony of their home, staring at the treetops.
Alaric was beside her, quiet, holding her hand.
Behind them, Caelum stood in his ceremonial white robes, adorned with emerald leaves and ancient elven runes.
> "Mother... Father..." he said gently.
Seraphine turned, her smile trembling. "So it's decided?"
Caelum nodded. "The forest chose me... but I'm not abandoning you. I will always come when you call."
Alaric stepped forward and placed a hand on Caelum's shoulder. "You've become everything we never dared to hope for. The world needs a king like you... the forest even more."
Seraphine embraced him tightly. "Promise me you'll eat properly. Sleep at least a few hours."
He laughed, and so did Alaric, even as tears glimmered in his mother's eyes.
---
Scene: Caelum and Carlos – One Last Night
The stars were high when Carlos and Caelum sat on the rooftop, watching the moon in silence.
> "Do you remember," Carlos began with a smirk, "how you'd scream your lungs out if you couldn't sleep next to me?"
Caelum chuckled. "You were warm... and I didn't know what fear was until the night you left me alone."
Carlos smiled faintly, but then his eyes grew distant.
> "You've grown, Caelum. You've done more than I ever could. My mission... it's done."
Caelum's smile faded. "Carlos, what are you saying?"
> "I want you to grant me one last favor," Carlos said softly. "Let me go."
> "No."
> "Let me die."
Caelum froze. His fingers curled into his robes. "You're immortal. You're part of us."
Carlos shook his head. "I've lived too long. Loved too deeply. Lost more than I ever showed. I'm tired, Caelum... I want to be human again."
The wind grew still.
> "You'll forget everything," Caelum whispered. "You won't remember us."
> "Then let me forget. Let me fall in love without fear. Let me grow old. Let me laugh... as a man."
Seraphine and Alaric appeared behind them, having heard it all. They started to object, but saw the raw peace in Carlos's eyes.
He had already made his peace.
> "If this is your will," Alaric said at last, "then we will honor it."
Seraphine knelt in front of him, tears shining. "You've always been more than a friend. You were family."
Carlos touched her hand. "And forever grateful that I stayed on your side."
---
At the edge of the Elven woods, Caelum stood beneath the moon, holding Carlos's hand as the ritual of release began. Sacred light circled around them.
> "Your soul will be reborn," Caelum said, voice steady. "You'll live as the precious heir of the Velmore Clan named Lucian Velmore. You will have everything mortals envy—health, freedom, money, joy... and love. You will be free."
Carlos smiled, eyes closed, face glowing.
> "Thank you... my king."
With a soft breath, his soul left the body—dispersing like golden mist into the stars.
----
The marble mausoleum stood tall and silent, kissed by sunlight filtering through the ancient trees. Carved in golden vines and sacred runes, it was a monument worthy of the man who now rested within.
Inside, the chamber was filled with the scent of roses and wild lilies—Carlos's favorites, handpicked from the royal garden. Seraphine knelt quietly by the glass tomb, adjusting the collar of his coat, brushing a final tear from his cheek.
Alaric stood beside her, his expression stoic but his eyes darkened with sorrow.
Just then, the doors creaked open, and Caveen and Lysandra entered, dressed in solemn black, their eyes rimmed with red.
> "We came as soon as we heard…" Lysandra whispered, her voice trembling.
Caveen approached the tomb slowly, every step weighed by emotion.
He reached down and gently placed a small charm on Carlos's chest—a silver talisman etched with the ancient sigil of protection.
> "So you'll never walk alone. Not even in your next life."
Lysandra wiped her tears silently, then leaned forward to press a soft kiss on Carlos's forehead.
> "Thank you," she whispered. "For always protecting me and being my big brother".
Seraphine's voice broke the stillness.
> "He asked Caelum for one last favor. To be reborn as a human. To rest. And to love... freely."
Caveen blinked away tears, then looked to Alaric.
> "He gave everything for all of us. He deserves to live a life with no burdens."
Alaric nodded slowly.
> "He will. As Lucian Velmore, his new story begins. One not of battle and sacrifice... but of joy."
As the four of them stood in silence, the sunlight filtered through the stained-glass window, casting hues of violet and gold over Carlos's resting form.
Together, they stepped outside as the final seal was placed on the tomb. Inscribed in ancient elven gold:
> "Here rests the guardian of kings, the shield of the innocent, the soul of loyalty. Until the stars fall, you will be remembered."
They all looked back one final time.
> "Goodbye, Carlos," Caveen whispered. "We'll meet again. In a world where you are loved first."
And with that, the wind carried petals from the Sacred Grove, wrapping around the mausoleum like a final embrace—a farewell from the world he once protected with all his heart.
---
Caelum stood before the great Silver Tree in the heart of the forest. The Elven Crown, forged from moonlight and memory, shimmered above him.
He placed it on his head.
And from that moment, the Elves no longer hid.
They had a king.
-END-