Becoming A God In Another World With My Crush
Chapter 34: Leaving Them Behind

Chapter 34: Leaving Them Behind

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Alyhana sat with her hands folded in her lap, her eyes steady despite the tremble in her voice.

Xander was the first to speak. "If this is what you want... I won’t stop you."

Alyhana nodded, her shoulders squaring slightly. "Thank you, Kaehli. I want to make her proud," she said. "And I want to help you, I’m not afraid."

Vimea leaned forward, her fingers laced together on the table. Her voice was calm, but there was something searching in her gaze. "Are you sure about this, Alyhana?"

Alyhana didn’t hesitate with her response, "I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life."

She looked around the table, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "I know I’ve hardly ever left Iasora. I know I’m not a warrior or a strong fighter and I’m only good at healing magic. But I believe in what Maia believed in and I believe in Xander. And I believe this is where I’m meant to be."

Eli let out a slow breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You’re still grieving, Alyhana...this isn’t the time to make rash decisions."

"I...it’s not rash," Alyhana said gently. "It’s right."

Gaea scoffed, pushing her chair back slightly. "You’ve never even seen the world outside these walls. You don’t know what’s out there."

"I know what’s in here," Alyhana said, placing a hand over her heart. "And I know I can’t stay behind and... wonder what I could’ve done."

Vimea glanced at Gaea, then back at Alyhana. "You’ve grown," she said softly. "More than we realized."

Alyhana’s voice wavered, but she didn’t look away as Eli sighed, rubbing his temples like the weight of the world had settled there.

"This path is dangerous," he said, his voice low and tired. "You’ll see things you can’t unsee. You’ll lose things you can’t get back."

Alyhana didn’t flinch as her eyes softened. "I already have."

Her voice was soft, but it landed like a stone in water and Gaea slammed her hand on the table, the sound sharp and sudden.

"You’re not ready!" she snapped. "Travelling across the Realm isn’t a joke! You could die!"

"So?" Alyhana said, her voice trembling but firm. "At least I died for a good cause!"

Gaea opened her mouth to argue again, but Vimea reached out and placed a hand on her arm. "She’s old enough to choose, Gaea." Vimea said quietly. "And Xander needs all the help he can get, Alyhana can provide that...since we can’t."

Gaea looked at her, then at Alyhana. Her jaw clenched, but she didn’t...Vimea looked at Alyhana, and for the first time, her expression softened. "You’ll always have a place with us. Just... don’t forget that."

Alyhana nodded, her eyes glassy. "I won’t. I promise."

There was a pause.

Then Gaea stood, walked around the table, and pulled Alyhana into a tight, sudden hug, Xander was shocked that someone as harsh as Gaea, was so affectionate.

"You better come back to us in one piece," she muttered. "Or I’ll drag you back myself."

Alyhana let out a shaky laugh, burying her face in Gaea’s shoulder. "Deal."

Vimea smiled faintly, her eyes shining.

"She’s ready," she said.

The table was cleared in silence and no one said much since there wasn’t much left to say.

Alyhana stood slowly, her chair scraping softly against the stone floor. She gave a small nod to the others, then turned and walked out of the hall, her footsteps echoing down the corridor.

Xander watched her go, his brows drawn with something unreadable in his eyes. Iris leaned toward him slightly, her voice low. "Did you see that coming?"

Xander nodded his head. "Kinda."

"She’s so strong ," Iris murmured.

Vimea watched the doorway long after Alyhana had disappeared through it. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, but her fingers were tense.

The morning came too quickly, the sky was still a deep blue color, the sun barely cresting the horizon. Mist clung to the temple grounds and it kept curling around the stone steps and drifting through the trees like breath.

Alyhana stood at the gates, her satchel slung over one shoulder, her robes freshly pressed, her hair ties back in a half up half down style with a single blue ribbon, Maia’s ribbon.

Vimea, Gaea, and Eli waited for her there and no one rushed the moment. She hugged Eli first and thanked for bringing Xander to them. He held her longer than she expected.

"You’re going to be alright," he said as he slipped a small pouch into her hand. "Dried herbs. You’ll need them for injuries."

Next was Gaea. She didn’t say anything at first—just pulled Alyhana into a fierce, bone-crushing hug. "You better come and visit us," she muttered. "And if you get yourself killed, I’ll find a way to yell at your ghost."

Alyhana laughed through the tears. "I’ll be careful."

"You better be."

Vimea stepped forward last. She didn’t hug her. She just took Alyhana’s hands in hers and looked her in the eyes. "You carry her light now," she said. "Let it guide you."

Alyhana nodded, her throat too tight to speak. Xander and Iris waited a few paces behind, packs full of supplies slung over their shoulders, the forest stretching out behind them like a living wall of green and gold.

Alyhana turned to the temple one last time. "Goodbye," she whispered. "I’ll come back, I promise."

Then she walked toward them and Xander gave her a small nod and Iris smiled a little when she approached.

"Hey," Iris said, then she touched Alyhana’s hair. "...Nice hair do."

Alyhana smiled timidly but her eyes where trained on Xander’s, "O–oh ...um, thank you."

Iris glanced between Alyhana and a silent Xander awkwardly before she said again, "We’re so glad you’re joining us, hopefully our chances of dying will lessen."

Iris bumped Xander on the elbow, knocking him away from his thoughts, "Right, Xander?"

"Huh? Oh! Right..."

Alyhana chuckled in response as Iris leaned in to whisper to Xander harshly. "God, could you be anymore of a weirdo?"

With that they ventured towards the city gates, leaving once great city of Iasora behind with it’s ghosts with the hope that one day, the people of this city would be avenged.

𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯’𝔰 𝔯𝔞𝔪𝔟𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰

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