Chapter 1153: Until Death Do Them Part [Part 3] Tiona lightly brushed Zion’s hair as she watched him sleep on her lap. He was a heavy sleeper, and he usually wouldn’t wake up unless he sensed that his life was truly in danger. The young lady had been with him since the first time he appeared in Solterra, and the two of them had fought many battles together. Right now, Tiona had the strength of a Throne. Her strength brought her level to that of a powerhouse among Wanderers. Any of the Monarch Clans or the Prestigious Families would want to have her part of their faction, though it went without saying that her loyalty would never change. She would always be Zion’s most loyal supporter until death do them part. Tiona didn’t know it happened, but during her long hibernation, memories that didn’t belong to her surged into her mind. It belonged to a young lady with long silver hair, who commanded a legion of snakes and served a Demon Lord. That lady also had the name Tiona, and she was accompanied by a system named Thirteen. They had been together through thick and thin, and even in Tiona’s dying moments, her one and only friend called out her name, his voice filled with sadness and pain. As her life slowly faded away, she wished that there would come a time when the two of them would be reunited and live the rest of their life happily. Tiona believed that those were the memories of her past life. She was ecstatic to realize that her wish from the past had come true, allowing her to be by Thirteen’s side in this lifetime. But deep inside, she felt a little anxious. ’Would he still remember me?’ Tiona thought as she caressed the young man’s face, who had overworked himself in creating Cranky’s Armor. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips, though her eyes carried a trace of melancholy. Zion’s breathing was steady, untroubled by dreams or the weight of the world, at least for now. Tiona envied that. The battlefield would call for him soon enough, and when it did, peace like this would vanish like morning mist. She brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead, her fingertips lingering for a moment longer than necessary. Her mind drifted back to the silver-haired woman from her visions, the one who had died with regret and longing. "This time, I will be the one to protect you," Tiona said softly. Although she had been seriously wounded during her battle with Lucan, her determination to protect Zion only grew stronger. She wasn’t aware that through her eyes, the Fallen Angel of Death had gotten to know the young man named Zion Leventis. Apollyon had not left the Valley of Death for hundreds of years, but his consciousness was split among the limited number of Domini Mortis that traveled the world. It was also for this reason that anyone who killed them would suffer his wrath, for they were his eyes and ears. Since the day Tiona started traveling with Thirteen, Apollyon knew of his existence. Taming a Domini Mortis was a feat that nobody could pull off so easily. And yet, Tiona followed Thirteen as if she were born to be by his side. And through the years that they had been together, Apollyon felt something he thought he had forgotten. Excitement. Entertainment. Expectation. Those three had sustained Apollyon all these years—being with Zion, there was never a dull moment. Fighting and scheming against opponents who were stronger than him. Learning how it was to love, as well as a myriad of other things that made the Fallen Angel remember a time when he, too, had traveled the world and lived among the humans. He had learned warmth, friendship, and even love through them. But since humans were short-lived beings, Apollyon also understood what heartbreak was. As the years turned into decades, decades into centuries, and centuries into millennia, his heart had become jaded. Because of this, he left the human world and settled in Death Valley, where he had stayed ever since that day. However, he felt lonely, so he created the race of Domini Mortis. The most venomous snake in the world. It was a creature with potential so threatening, The One was forced to put restrictions on it—a Rank 9 Domini Mortis would’ve been an undefeatable existence. After all, these creatures bore the blood of Apollyon, who had reached the pinnacle of the world. They were his sons. They were his daughters. And every one of them was precious to him, including Tiona, who had evolved into a higher race. Gladius Domini Mortis. The Sword of the Deathlord. That was the name of Tiona’s new race. A mutated species born with the help of one of Thirteen’s Valkyries, Hildr. This allowed Tiona to break free from her Shackles, allowing her demi-human form to reach the Rank of a Throne. But when Tiona was in her snake form, she would return to being a Rank 1 Monster. Laplace Demon and The One had conveniently turned a blind eye to the changes in Tiona’s body since they needed her to protect Thirteen. Especially during this very dangerous time, when the veil that protected Solterra and Pangea was almost gone. An hour later, Thirteen finally opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a beautiful face, which was looking at him with an affectionate gaze. Although he was still half asleep, a distant memory rose from the depths of his mind, which made him look at the young lady in disbelief. The color of her hair and her eyes were different from what he remembered, but how could he not know her? He truly believed that the lady before him was the very same person he had cherished greatly. "Tiona?" Thirteen asked, his voice almost a whisper. The young lady looked shocked at first, but this shock didn’t last long. A sweet smile graced her lips as she tenderly looked at the teenage boy, who felt his heart beating faster than normal. "Yes, it’s me," Tiona replied. "I’m Tiona, the stupid girl who attacked the base of the Hero Party as per the orders of the Demon Lord. We finally meet again, Thirteen." ——— After her words sank in, Thirteen felt as if a lump was blocking his throat. His chest tightened as he reached out to touch the side of her face, wanting to confirm if he was dreaming or not. "Ouch..." Tiona looked at the teenage boy in disbelief because the latter had pinched her cheek. "You’re not dreaming, okay?" As if to prove her words, she pinched Thirteen’s cheek as well, making the latter grimace in pain. "You’re right, this isn’t a dream," Thirteen replied after Tiona used some kind of healing magic to heal his cheek. "Tell me, do you remember everything?" He was looking straight into her eyes, wanting to know if she truly remembered what happened in the past. Tiona’s eyes softened. "Every piece of it." She caressed his cheek, her fingers warm and trembling ever so slightly. "Even the ending." Thirteen’s gaze dropped for a moment, feeling sad and guilty at the same time. "I should’ve protected you better back then," Thirteen said softly. "You did protect me," Tiona countered, her tone firm but gentle. "You stayed with me until the end. It was my foolishness that led me to my demise." As Thirteen rested his hand over Tiona’s hand, something that had been dormant for years started to stir inside his soul core. The walls he had carefully built to protect his heart cracked just a little, allowing him to feel the emotions that he had buried in the past. Tiona’s eyes widened when she saw a single tear fall down from Thirteen’s eyes. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦 But as if a dam had been broken, more tears came. Zion propped himself up before hugging Tiona, holding her tightly. Tiona closed her eyes and returned the hug. Her eyes also started to tear up a bit, sharing the teenage boy’s pain. But unlike her, Thirteen had gone through far more heartbreaks. He had seen far too many tragedies. Some tragedies so painful, he couldn’t bear the pain anymore. All he could do was forcibly erase these memories, lest he cease to function. Princess Aracelle was one of these cases, making him nearly forget about her. If not for the fragmented memories of her that remained within the deepest part of his soul core, Thirteen might have forgotten her completely. As the two hugged each other, reuniting after a thousand years, a Monkey King from the Celestial Realm raised his wine, as if to offer a toast for this miraculous reunion. "Tiona.. I... I’m sorry," Thirteen said as his body trembled due to the overflowing emotions that were rising up to the surface. "I’m sorry." "It’s already in the past, Zion," Tiona replied, while patting the teenage boy’s back. "What matters is the present." Thirteen understood what she was trying to say. He just couldn’t do anything about the pain in his chest that refused to go away. After all, this feeling had been bottled and kept in the deepest corner for a very long time. And now that it rose to the surface, it was like a geyser that was impossible to stop. Tiona didn’t back down and embraced the person whom she cared for the most in the world. There was pain and even suffering, but she knew that after their tears had finally ended, a fresh start in life would take its place. ————— A/N: Will post 3 Chapters tomorrow. Sorry, and thanks for your understanding.