CHAPTER 245: CHAPTER 244 - THEIR THANKSGIVING.

Arietta’s form wavered slightly where she sat, the once-blazing glyph on her palm now no brighter than a dying firefly.

The divine realm, for the first time in two hundred and twenty-four days, trembled like a song nearing its final note.

Raven placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "That’s enough."

Arietta blinked. "Huh?"

"You’ve done more than anyone could’ve asked," he said softly. "This realm—this time you gave us—it changed everything."

Selena, calm and composed as ever, stepped forward, her black-and-blue dress swaying like a shadow in water. She wrapped her arm around Raven’s waist.

"We would’ve been dead if we faced what’s out there in our old state. But now?" She smiled at Arietta, her blue eyes shining with warmth. "Now we have a fighting chance. You gave us that."

Clara followed, nodding gently.

"You’ve always acted clingy and obsessive and tried to yeet the rest of us out a window..." She paused.

"But you also never once let that affect our training. You gave us your realm, your time, and everything else—just for us to grow. Thank you, Arietta."

As soon as Clara’s words ended, Siris bounded forward, one eye twitching as always. "I wanted to stab you so many times, especially when you stared at Raven like he was a dessert—still kinda do—but..."

Her voice wavered. "You let us get strong. That means I can stay by his side and keep stabbing things. So... thanks."

Lia walked forward, a gentle smile marring her face. "I didn’t know how to treat you before. You were a goddess, after all."

Her eyes gleamed. "But soon, I found out how humane you were. And without you, I wouldn’t have reached the point I have now. So, thank you. Really."

Graye was next, as she practically tripped over her own armored boots, crashing in like a rocket with too much enthusiasm.

"ARIETTA YOU’RE AWESOME!!" She squealed, grabbing the goddess’s hands.

"You made me super strong! Look, I can literally crush boulders with my thighs now!!" She flexed proudly. "I love you! Not as much as I love Raven—but still a lot!!"

Jessy adjusted her metal gauntlets as she stood behind the others. She didn’t speak at first... but then, in her quiet, focused tone, said, "I didn’t trust you. Still don’t, honestly."

She gave a faint smile. "But what you did earned my respect. You’re crazy... but the good kind. Thanks."

Rufus gave a slow, theatrical bow. "Goddess Arietta, allow this humble genius to say: you are, by every metric, certifiably divine. We owe you our lives and power—also maybe my abs."

He flexed. "Thank you, O gracious sparkly goddess."

Jake, ever quiet, simply walked up and placed his hand over his heart, nodding with sincere respect.

Alex came bouncing up next, flamboyant as ever. "Goddess~! I thought you were just the jealous stabby type, but you’re actually amazing."

He wiped a fake tear. "You’ve changed this lava-loving lunatic’s heart."

Nibbles jumped onto Raven’s shoulder, raising a paw with a dramatic squeak!

He flipped a tiny sign that read, "You’re scary but cool. We’re square now. Thanks, Sparkle Lady."

Arietta stared at them all, her eyes glassy. Her lips trembled.

"You guys..." She murmured.

She didn’t even care about them before.

When they had met, she wished they would all die so she could spend her time alone with Raven.

Yes, her thoughts weren’t healthy, but that was how she was.

Now, however, it was different.

She still didn’t like them—there was no denying it.

But she didn’t hate them either. Above all, she didn’t want them to die anymore.

For a goddess like her, two to three hundred days were nothing. They could pass by in a blink, but the last two hundred days were different.

Because in the last two hundred days, she had observed and supported the growth of her lover and his teammates.

Raven’s presence alone had made all the difference.

It was then that Raven leaned closer and whispered, just for her, "You don’t need to push yourself anymore. You’re not alone. You’ve already done more than anyone else ever could."

Her golden eyes turned slightly red as if tearing up, but they didn’t.

Maybe it was her control over her emotions that made it possible, but she wasn’t crying. Really.

It was probably some dust in the air that made her eyes turn red.

"I-I didn’t do it for you all," she stuttered. "I only did it for Raven!"

"Yeah, yeah," Siris waved her off. "Cry later, rest now."

Clara stepped forward again. "Raven’s right. You’ve given too much already. Let yourself fall."

Arietta, lightheaded and trembling, finally nodded.

The divine glyph in her hand faded like a sunset—slow, soft, and beautiful.

The realm—though still intact—dimmed into a gentler version of itself.

She slumped forward.

Only to be caught by Raven.

"I’ve got you," he said softly.

The goddess, exhausted but smiling, let herself fall asleep in his arms—surrounded by those who once saw her as a threat, but now...

...saw her as the friend who had helped shape the warriors they’d become.

As she lay in Raven’s arms, she whispered. "The thing about you staying with me alone for a while still stands."

Raven merely chuckled. "Alright. I’ll stay."

Arietta nodded and snapped her fingers before anyone could say anything, and they all, except Raven, vanished.

They were still mid-speech. It was as if they had objections, and they wanted to present those protests.

Too bad for them, they were dealing with Arietta.

"You could’ve let them finish what they wanted to say..." Raven sighed helplessly.

"Hmph," Arietta snorted. "I still don’t like them."

"Sure, sure," Raven shook his head, patting her head, and letting her sleep.

................................

Some hours later.

Arietta woke up.

Her golden eyes fluttered open slowly, greeted not by blinding divine light but the soft warmth of someone’s chest.

Her fingers curled instinctively, brushing against fabric and firm muscle. A slow smile spread across her face.

He was still here.

Raven.

Her head rose slightly, chin propped against his chest as she gazed up at his sleeping face.

His raven-black hair, tousled and messy, fell over his eyes, and his breathing was slow and even. There was no tension in his jaw. No battle on his mind.

Just peace.

She blinked, then whispered smugly, "I win."

Then she gently—very gently—pressed her lips to his jaw.

Raven stirred, eyes still closed. "I felt that."

Arietta froze, then narrowed her eyes. "You weren’t sleeping?"

"Trying to. Someone keeps kissing me when she thinks I’m unconscious."

"I’m... expressing gratitude," she huffed.

He cracked one eye open and smiled. "Sure. Let’s go with that."

With a dramatic humph, Arietta climbed up and straddled him, her long silver hair cascading around them like moonlight. "You promised to stay. No running away."

"But wait." She paused, tilting her head. "Why am I worried about that? You can’t go anywhere unless I want you to. Everyone in this realm is under my control, after all."

"I’m flattered and terrified," Raven muttered, placing his hands gently on her waist. "Mostly flattered."

"You should be." Her fingers traced along his chest. "I’ve waited over two hundred days for this moment."

Then, with zero warning, she leaned down and kissed him fully.

Warm. Deep. Hungry, but not desperate.

Raven, surprisingly, kissed her back with equal warmth, his hands pulling her down into a soft embrace.

"You’re not as scary when you’re not threatening to incinerate my friends," he murmured against her lips.

She blinked. "They’re not incinerated yet."

"Progress," he chuckled, wrapping his arms tighter around her and flipping them over so she was lying beneath him now.

Arietta let out a flustered gasp, blushing faintly. "You...!"

After all, it was the first time he had made a move on her.

He lowered his forehead to hers. "Thank you, Arietta. Really."

Her blush intensified, and she pouted slightly. "I told you. I only did it for you."

"I know," he whispered. "That’s why it means so much."

The goddess, for once, said nothing. She just pulled him closer and buried her face in his neck.

Despite being a goddess, she felt more at peace when she was hugging him than she had ever felt.

As Raven stared at her, snuggling closer, he smiled.

’She has changed, and so have I.’

With that thought of Raven, the realm—tired and quiet—watched its mistress cuddle with the man who’d unknowingly changed her forever.

In that stillness, no battles raged, no enemies loomed, and no time passed.

Just the soft sounds of cuddles, sleepy kisses, and the rare smile of a goddess who—for once—had exactly what she wanted.