Realm Lord

Arthur and Aziel stood staring at what lay before them. The roses ended abruptly, almost like there was an invisible wall stopping them from growing any further. The transition was jarring—a perfect line where the dead petals surrendered to barren earth. It was as if some ancient power had drawn a boundary that even nature dared not cross.

And past these roses now lay a vast field of... nothing. There was no grass, no plants, no trees. Just bare stone-like ground stretching into the distance, cracked and dry like the parched lips of a dying man. The horizon wavered in the heat, creating mirages that danced and shifted with each passing moment. Overhead, the sky seemed different here—paler, as if the very color had been leached from the atmosphere.

But it didn’t matter to them. To be honest, the end of these roses could have led them to hell itself—they were just glad to be rid of that godforsaken field and what lay within it. The memory of what they’d faced among those blooms was still fresh, the wounds both physical and mental still raw and throbbing.

Aziel had a smile on his face as he walked forward and touched down on this new land. His shoulders visibly relaxed as he crossed the boundary, like a man who had been carrying an invisible weight that suddenly lifted. His footsteps echoed against the hard ground, a sharp contrast to the muffled steps among the roses. He walked a couple feet before letting himself fall to his hands and knees and then roll to his back. The hard stone pressed against his spine, but he didn’t seem to mind. It was real. It was different. It was, in its own way, glorious.

"Finally!!!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing across the empty expanse. The word hung in the air, the first sound to disturb this lifeless plain in what felt like eons.

Arthur was a bit surprised by his friend’s excitement. He stood at the boundary line, leaning heavily on his good leg, observing the peculiar joy on Aziel’s face with bewilderment. Blood had dried on his temple, and his body was covered in wounds but despite all that he seemed oddly happy.

"I thought this place was like a paradise to you? You seem quite excited to leave paradise," Arthur said, a smirk growing as he struggled and limped towards his companion. Each step sent shooting pain up his injured leg, but the sight of his friend’s relief was worth the effort.

Aziel’s eyes remained fixed on the colorless sky above. "Yeah, but I was desperate for a change of scenery..." His voice trailed off momentarily as a cloud drifted lazily across their field of vision. "And as much as I don’t really mind our situation, I still want to get back home just like you."

Aziel’s tone got dimmer, making Arthur momentarily halt. The smile vanished from his face as realization dawned on him.

’Crap... I’m so dumb. Of course he wants to get home. I mean, he’s got a family and friends and plenty more reasons to go back than I do,’ Arthur thought, self-reproach washing over him. While he had left behind little of consequence, Aziel had a life—a real one—waiting for his return.

Before Arthur could vocalize an apology, Aziel’s somber expression transformed, replaced by his characteristic mischievous grin. "I mean, home is where all the hot chicks are, you know!"