Khan kept laughing, unbothered by the recent events, the environnt, and his situation. He only wanted to dwell in that still-unbelievable achievent, experiencing it in its entirety.
As much as Khan had yet to accept it fully, the truth looked undeniable. He had truly done it. He had completed that impossible mission, finally getting rid of the nightmares that had afflicted him since he could recall.
The change was subtler and more unnoticeable than Khan had expected it to be. Still, it was there and grew stronger with each second spent hugging Liiza and hearing her happy laugh. The realization was slowly taking root in Khan’s brain, changing him in ways even he couldn’t predict.
After all, despite Khan finding and building a life outside his curse, the latter still existed and affected part of him. It had lost relevance and space inside his mind over the years, but had remained present.
Yet, that curse was a thing of the past now. It was gone, leaving a massive empty spot in Khan’s mind, which he would have to fill with sothing else. That demanded personal developnt, which he couldn’t wait to dive into.
Of course, the ti wasn’t right yet. Khan had fixed the issue on his end, but still had a universe to take care of. His nightmares were gone, but they were about to afflict everyone now, being far more real than anything he had ever witnessed during his sleep.
Gradually, Khan’s almost-frenzied laugh quieted down. He fell silent, rubbing his head on Liiza’s hair and shoulder, the coziness of her cold body making him sleepy. He needed to rest and absorb his recent gains, but politics were about to interrupt that private mont and ruin his ideal schedule, so he decided to make the best out of it.
"[What kind of good dreams can I have]?" Khan wondered.
"[There’s no real rule]," Liiza chuckled, joining her husband in that more silent, affectionate mood. "[They can co in many shapes and for a variety of reasons]."
"[What was your last]?" Khan asked.
"[My last good dream]," Liiza muttered, a faint blush rising through her cheeks as her lower lip fell between her teeth.
"[After Yeza was born]," Liiza revealed, slightly pulling herself back to whisper into Khan’s ear, "[We didn’t have much ti for ourselves. I hardly slept, either, but you always appeared in my occasional naps, doing things I very much liked]."
Khan laughed, a proud smirk appearing on his face. He would usually tease Liiza, but he felt too cozy, happy, and in love to ruin that mont.
"[Those are called wet dreams]," Liiza explained, "[And I did have more than a few of those after you left Nitis]."
Khan felt powerless against that additional explanation. His self-restraint failed to do anything against the joke rising through his throat.
"[I definitely noticed the wet part]," Khan comnted. "[It seems this Niqols can’t resist my exotic beauty]."
"[I can’t and won’t]," Liiza played along, pulling herself back even more, adding another word when she was face-to-face with Khan. "[Stupid]."
Khan kept smirking, but peculiar details soon captured his attention, making his glowing eyes go on them to study them better.
Khan wasn’t the only one who had changed after the recent experience. In so ways, Liiza had transford far more than he did, displaying different features he couldn’t help but notice.
Liiza’s red strands were now gone. Her hair was completely white, going back to the shades from when Khan had first t her.
Sothing similar had happened to Liiza’s face. She had never gained any real signs of her older age, only acquiring a certain maturity during the ten-year gap. Yet, she looked slightly younger or youthful now, putting her closer to how she was back on Nitis.
The most aningful changes involved Liiza’s aura. Her presence had always been vast and powerful, making her an existence similar to Khan. Still, that aspect had now taken a more solid shape, expanding her being past the limits of her physical form.
That presence was also different. Liiza didn’t grow any colder. If anything, she was slightly warr. She wasn’t quite as warm as she had been on Nitis, but Khan noticed that change and welcod it since he knew what it ant.
The words Liiza had spoken while Khan had been imrsed in the azure planet’s absorption and naps ca back to him, giving him clues that could explain that transformation.
Other clues ca from Liiza’s aura itself. It was still cold, albeit less so, but had beco more profound and intrusive, as if existing on a deeper level of existence, capable of affecting more than simple matter.
Khan recalled the scene of Liiza freezing ti during the battle against the two scouts, but sothing else ended up attracting his attention. His glowing eyes fell, partially forgetting about Liiza’s face to stare at her other seductive traits.
Liiza was still naked, and the happy mood moved Khan’s thoughts to more passionate topics. His cells had also finished absorbing all the stored energy, sending raging vitality to every corner of his body, which he knew how to use.
Liiza giggled, pulling Khan’s hair to make him lift his gaze back to her face. She tried to muster a scolding look, but her smile ruined her best attempts at that, forcing her to use her words.
"[I’m still mad you let that Nak die too easily]," Liiza stated, her face not matching her angry tone at all.
Khan didn’t feel like teasing Liiza there. He heaved a sigh, pulling Liiza closer to place his forehead on hers. He had never seen himself as a wise man, but so emotional maturity managed to seep into his following words.
"[I’m finally free]," Khan whispered, "[Free to have all my life be about you and our family. I don’t want either of us to be dragged down by what it was]."
Liiza felt pleasantly surprised. Despite still hating the Nak for what they had done to the person she loved the most in the world and wanting to punish them, Khan was right. Now that the Nak were completely gone, they could finally move on, unburdened by all the suffering and grudges they had caused.
Nevertheless, Khan stealing the role of wise partner didn’t sit right with Liiza. That was her job, and being correct would earn him a victory in that conversation.
Liiza couldn’t allow that to happen. Her whole marriage would be at stake otherwise.
Khan was imrsing himself in that loving mont when a violent force pushed on his shoulders, slamming him down. The dense ground broke, and cracks expanded from Khan’s back, but he couldn’t mind that when looking at the intense white light above him.
"[Perhaps I can make an exception today]," Liiza suggested, sitting on Khan’s lap, her hand planted on his exposed chest while her black fingernails attempted to pierce it. "[We have sothing to celebrate after all]."
Both Khan and Liiza were about to forget the outside world to dive into what they did best, but the space next to them suddenly twisted, replaced by two sets of dark-red clothes and a hoarse voice that spread through the air.
"[The Emperor issued a Feast]," Lord Envoy’s voice resounded through the area. "[The banquet is awaiting Lord Blue Shaman and his wife]."
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