The gateway had shattered the barriers between universes, and for the first ti since he ascended to Oynstar's throne, Igaris stood once more within the realm that was truly his. His inner cosmos stretched endlessly, its skies painted with swirling galaxies, nebulae blooming like flowers, and stars burning in radiant harmony. The very worlds he had devoured shimred like jewels in the infinite tapestry, no longer prey but creation itself under his will.
But none of it mattered.
For before him stood the won who had carried his heart through countless battles, betrayals, and lifetis.
Evernight, her black gown trailing like flowing shadows, stood tall yet trembling, her crimson eyes filled with an emotion she could not contain. Shirley, the gentle yet unyielding fla, pressed her hand to her lips as tears glistened in her eyes. Diva, once fierce and prideful, broke into sobs the mont her gaze t his, her hands clutching her chest. Seraphina, radiant as a goddess, stood still as though frozen in disbelief, her golden hair glowing like sunlight. Lilya, quiet and serene, covered her mouth as her shoulders shook, unable to stop her tears.
And beside them, the others—all twenty-six of his wives, each a beauty who could topple empires, each bound to him not by title or power but by bonds forged in fire, blood, and love. Their gazes locked onto him, wide with awe and trembling with longing.
For a mont, no one moved.
Then a small voice broke the silence.
"Papa."
Igaris's world stopped.
He turned, and there she was—Celestara. A little girl, no older than seven or eight, with silver hair cascading to her waist and eyes that reflected both starlight and void. Her presence was gentle yet undeniable, as though she herself were the embodint of the cosmos he carried.
She stood shyly, her small hands grasping the fabric of her dress, but her eyes never left his. They were wide, trembling, filled with tears she tried to hold back. She had waited for this mont, for the father she had only known through the stories her mothers told.
"Papa," she whispered again, her voice cracking.
Igaris, Overlord of a universe, conqueror of laws, bearer of infinite power, felt his chest constrict as though pierced by the simplest arrow. His dark eyes softened, his lips trembled, and before he realized it, he was kneeling, arms open.
Celestara ran.
Her small footsteps echoed across the starlit ground of his cosmos. She leapt into his arms, and he caught her, pulling her close against his chest. Her little arms wrapped around his neck as she sobbed, her tears soaking into his robe.
"I knew you would co back! Mama said you would… Everyone said you would! And you did! You really did!"
Her words tumbled out in broken sobs, her small body trembling against him.
Igaris held her tightly, his hand cradling the back of her head, his chin resting gently against her hair. For the first ti in ages, the invincible Overlord closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel the warmth of the child he had yearned to et.
"My Celestara," he whispered. His voice cracked in a way none of his wives had ever heard before. "My daughter."
The Infinite Law Tree above them pulsed in harmony, its branches glowing with galaxies, as if it too rejoiced in the reunion.
---
Evernight was the first to step forward. Normally composed and aloof, she now trembled as she placed her hand on Igaris's shoulder.
"You fool," she whispered, though her voice broke. "You left us waiting, but… you ca back. You really ca back."
Shirley, unable to hold herself back, rushed in and hugged both Igaris and Celestara. "You don't know how much we prayed for this. Every day, we told her about you. About how her Papa was the strongest, the kindest, the most unstoppable man in all creation. And now she gets to see it with her own eyes."
Diva wiped at her tears angrily, as if ashad to show weakness, but when she spoke her voice betrayed her heart. "Don't you dare disappear on us again. I would rather face the whole army of outer beings than endure that wait one more ti."
Seraphina knelt beside him, her golden hair glowing faintly in the cosmos's light. She cupped his cheek with trembling fingers. "We endured, because we believed. You… you never fail to return to us, Igaris."
Lilya, soft and gentle as moonlight, bent down and kissed Celestara's forehead. "See, little one? We told you. Your Papa always keeps his promises."
Celestara looked up from Igaris's chest, her eyes glistening. "Mama said you'd co back, but sotis I… I was afraid you wouldn't."
Igaris pulled her closer, his dark eyes fierce with unshakable resolve. "I will always co back to you, Celestara. No matter what I face, no matter where I go, nothing in existence can stop from returning to you and your mothers. You are my eternity."
The words carried a weight that made even his wives' hearts flutter. His honest words drew them closer to him like honey.
One by one, the wives ca forward, adding their voices to the reunion.
Evernight leaned close and whispered, "Our nights were empty without you. Now, they are whole again."
Shirley placed Celestara's tiny hand in Igaris's, smiling through her tears. "She has your strength, even if she doesn't realize it yet."
Diva chuckled shakily, though tears still stread down her cheeks. "I trained her myself. She may be small, but one day she'll punch as hard as her Papa."
Celestara giggled softly at that, burying her face against Igaris's chest.
Seraphina kissed Igaris gently, her golden hair brushing his cheek. "We are complete again. That is all that matters."
Lilya only smiled, her silence more profound than any words, as she rested her hand over his heart.
And so the circle grew, his wives surrounding him, embracing him, and together they wept and laughed as a family reunited.
Later, when the storm of emotions cald, Igaris sat with Celestara on his lap beneath the shimring branches of the Infinite Law Tree. His wives gathered around them, watching with tender smiles.
Celestara looked up at him, her small fingers tracing the edge of his cloak. "Papa… are you really stronger than all the monsters in the universe?"
Igaris smiled faintly, brushing a lock of silver hair from her face. "Stronger than all of them. But do you know why?"
"Why?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Because I have sothing they don't," he said softly, his gaze sweeping across her and her mothers. "I have you. My family. That is my strength. That is why no one can ever defeat ."
Celestara's eyes sparkled, and she threw her arms around his neck again. "Then I'll beco strong too! I'll help you protect Mama and everyone! And then no one will ever make us cry again!"
"Haha.."
His wives laughed gently, tears still glistening in their eyes. Shirley whispered, "She's your daughter through and through."
Igaris kissed the top of Celestara's head. "Then we will fight together, my little star."
The Infinite Law Tree blazed brighter than ever before, its light spilling across both universes, as if declaring to all creation that the Overlord's heart was whole once again.
---
That night Igaris had fallen asleep not as an emperor, not as an overlord, but as a husband surrounded by the warmth of his wives and the soft weight of Celestara curled against his chest.
He was in his own heaven. The place he always he yearned to return.
For the first ti in ages, the cosmos felt quiet.
But dawn was relentless, even in a realm of eternity.
---
Celestara was the first to wake. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and blinked at her father's face. A shy smile tugged at her lips as she whispered, "Papa's still here."
She nestled closer, unwilling to move, her tiny fingers gripping his robe as though afraid he would vanish if she let go. The simple trust in her touch carved deeper than any blade.
Soon after, Shirley and Lilya stirred. Shirley sat up slowly, brushing her hair from her face, her gaze softening as she watched Igaris hold their daughter. Seraphina only smiled, her gentle aura spreading like calm water.
Evernight remained awake the whole night, her crimson eyes never closing. She had sat at Igaris's side, silent but unyielding, her hand resting near his. Now, when he finally opened his eyes, she t his gaze with a small, tired smile.
"You slept," she murmured. "That alone is a miracle."
Igaris shifted slightly, careful not to disturb Celestara. "For the first ti, I felt at peace."
Seraphina, already combing through her golden hair, spoke with quiet amusent. "Peace, and yet you've brought with you a storm. I can feel it."
Diva stretched with a yawn, her fiery eyes still damp from last night's tears. "She's right. We need to hear it, Igaris. What happened? What is waiting for us outside this cosmos?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)