The Next Day

The early signs of morning light filtered into the room, soft and quiet. Vi slipped out of the warm bed, careful not to wake King. She looked down at him and smiled. Then she leaned in, pressing a gentle morning kiss to his lips.

She needed to get back to her own room to change. Her cheeks burned with a sudden flash of shyness. What if Mr. Eli, the butler, was already awake? The thought of running into him in the hallway made her nervous.

She did not want an awkward look or a knowing smile. Vi quietly opened the door and hurried back to her quarters.

King stirred as the door clicked shut. He lay in bed, his eyes opening to the clock sound and staring at the ceiling. His mind felt hazy, caught between sleep and the memory of the night before.

And in a brief moment, as if waiting for Vi to leave...

Ding.

A bright glowing screen popped up in the air.

A message notification floated in front of his face. It was a live chat request.

The sender name read: The Almighty.

King groaned. He did not want to deal with this right now. He reached out to close it, but two more messages flashed in quick succession.

Answer please.

ITS URGENT.

Huh. With a long sigh, King sat up, stretching. He looked at the notification one more time, brushed his eyes, and tapped the screen.

The blue light shifted.

A live video feed appeared, and the view before King took him by surprise.

It wasn’t what he expected.

The Almighty was not sitting on a grand throne. Instead, the beautiful divine Goddess was lying on a bed.

She propped herself up on her elbows, and a few pillows, staring at him with lazy, seductive blue eyes.

She wore a loose, semi-transparent nightgown. Her long white hair framed her face, and neat fringes covered her forehead.

Even though she was lying on her belly, King could see the shape of her wide hips curving out through the sides. And right in the center of the screen, her massive breasts pressed against the pillows underneath, struggling to be contained in their own clothing.

King took a deep breath. He forced his eyes upward and shook his head, trying to maintain a stoic frame.

"You said it was urgent," he said, keeping his voice flat. "What is it?"

"Reallyyy?" The Goddess pouted. "Is this how you treat your most valuable fan? We have not talked for months, King."

"...and this is how you welcome me?, you clearly didn’t care if I was gone" she finished in a light tone.

King rubbed the back of his neck. A look of embarrassment washing over him, she was right afterall.

"Okay, fair enough," he said, loosening up. "How have you been?"

Her playful look faded into something softer. "I have been okay," she murmured. Her eyes looked sad. "Just bitter. I hated that I could not help you during the Second Woe. It hurt to watch you shoulder all that weight alone. I wanted to help you so badly."

Her voice sounded genuine, and her eyes told no lies.

"Don’t worry, I am good now," King replied gently. "Do not interfere so much. I do not want you to get banned again."

The Goddess giggled, her mood lifting instantly. "Oh? Are you starting to care about me now? I thought you didn’t like the Allgods."

"Maybe you are different," King replied shortly.

A bright pink blush spread across her cheeks. She cleared her throat and smiled wide. "Well, I have good news."

"What is it?" King asked calmly.

"My ban has been lifted!" she allowed herself a short cheer.

And king just watched her interestingly, he couldn’t help but chuckle at her sense of humor. Before him, a divine goddess displayed a social character many humans lacked.

At first he throught it was a front. But no he was convinced, this side of her was natural.

Her mini celebration soon came to an end and she continued.

"You proved yourself to the Allgods and the Game Maker. You showed them you are the very best. I always knew you were."

King smiled and gave a slight nod. "Congratulations. That is great to hear."

The Goddess leaned closer to the screen. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Annnd, I will let you in on a little secret,"

King’s expressing turned a bit serious, as he drew in closer.

" I know you are angry at how the world is right now," she continued " I know you only play because you have no choice. But here is some motivation. If all of this destruction was done, it can be undone. Nothing is impossible."

King sat up straight. His heart hammered. "How?"

"Calm down tiger, you just focus on making it to the end game first," she said with a mysterious wink. "Goodbye for now, King."

The screen vanished immediately.

Later that day, King finally walked out of his room.

The air in the castle felt different. The heavy mental weight that usually crushed his chest was gone.

He felt light. He felt a surge of fresh energy.

He walked into the common area and found Mr. Eli. The butler smiled and handed King a fresh glass of water.

King drank it down, then looked at the old man. "Sit with me, Eli," King said.

The butler sat down, curious.

King looked him in the eye. "Thank you. For everything you have done for us up until now." The weight of his gratitude evident in the very words.

Before Eli could reply, Tap Tap Tap ...a small blur of motion came from the hallway.

Maya had spotted King.

Her face lit up. She ran across the room and threw her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as she could. King laughed and held her close.

Then the door opened, and Vi walked back into the common room.

She looked at King, her eyes warm and full of affection.

King looked at the three of them.

And, for the first time in a very long time, he felt whole.

The losses from the past were terrible, and the scars were deep. But looking at his friends, King felt nothing but gratitude. He was glad he had them by his side.