Years passed.
Eldoria flourished. The once-ruined kingdom now sparkled with new life—green fields, bustling markets, and songs that drifted on the wind. Peace had taken root, and magic no longer stirred fear, but wonder.
In the royal gardens, beneath the shade of a blossoming tree, Seraphina sat on a soft blanket, her long hair tucked into a braid, a book in her lap.
"Again, Mama! Tell me the story again!" a small voice chirped.
A little girl—barefoot, with golden curls and eyes that shimmered like embers—climbed into her lap.
"You want the one about the shadow beast or the one where Daddy fell into a thorn bush?" Seraphina asked with a smile.
"The thorn bush!" the girl giggled.
Behind them, Cassian groaned as he approached, a flower crown crooked on his head and a boy on his shoulders. "That story is exaggerated. I tripped with purpose."
Seraphina laughed, rising to her feet. "You screamed like a banshee."
He kissed her cheek. "You're lucky I love you."
The little boy climbed down and ran toward the roses, shouting, "I'm a knight like Papa!"
Cassian watched him go, then wrapped his arms around Seraphina from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Can you believe this is our life?" she whispered.
"I dreamed it," he said softly. "Every moment we fought for was worth it—for them. For you."
She leaned back into him. "I still feel the Everflame. It's quieter now, like it's at peace."
"That's because you are."
She turned to face him. "Promise me one thing?"
"Anything."
"No matter what happens… you'll never stop kissing me like you mean it."
Cassian grinned. "Never."
And with the soft breeze of the afternoon and the sound of their children's laughter, Cassian kissed her once more—deeply, fully, like a man who had everything he'd ever wanted in his arms.
Their story wasn't just about war and prophecy.
It was about love.
And it would burn—forever.
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The End. For real this time.