Alvin, Allen, and Arken moved on instinct, stepping forward to tightly embrace their respective parents once more, as if wanting to imprint every detail of that warmth into their immortal souls.
Feeling her son's incredibly tight embrace, Sylvina gently rubbed Alvin's back. She could feel his heartbeat.
"Alvin... you do not belong here." Sylvina said softly, trying to calm her son's mind. "Return to where you belong. Are you not married?"
"What your mother says is true, Alvin!" Atlasion chimed in, advising his son with a firm, fatherly tone. "You now have a family and—"
Before the High Elf man could even finish his sentence, Alvin loosened his embrace and immediately cut his father off.
"I am not sad at all, Father, Mother!" Alvin replied in a very firm and resolute tone. The golden-yellow-haired High Elf youth lifted his face, looking straight into the eyes of both his parents in turn. There were no longer any sobs of despair there. "I have no intention of holding you back, nor do I want to stay here. I just... I just wanted to feel the warmth of your embrace for the very last time before I return."
Hearing such a mature and sincere answer from their son, Atlasion and Sylvina were stunned for a moment, before the two of them finally carved incredibly relieved smiles.
"Goodness... I thought you were finding it too hard to leave us here." Sylvina said, her tone implying guilt over her own assumption. She affectionately stroked Alvin's cheek. "Forgive us both for briefly doubting your fortitude, Alvin."
The High Elf youth did not answer with words. He only shook his head slowly and hugged his parents tightly once more, absorbing the remaining time that continued to tick away.
The exact same reaction was shown by Allen and Arken in another corner. The two of them were completely willing to walk away from the divine realm and part with their beloved fathers for all eternity.
They were very aware of their current identity and destiny. They had become the spouses of Kazien Altavis. And forevermore, their place was nowhere else but by the side of the husband they loved the most.
The parents and children enjoyed the silent yet profoundly meaningful moment of togetherness for a while. Until finally, a door manifested once again from nothingness and began to open slowly.
Seeing the door, Sylvina tightened her embrace for a moment before slowly releasing it.
"Take good care of yourself, Alvin." Sylvina said while looking at her son's face with deep love. "Live happily with Kazien and the others in your eternity."
"You don't need to worry about us here in the slightest." Atlasion added, his baritone voice soft yet reassuring. "We are already living in peace here."
Alvin nodded firmly, forming the most beautiful smile for his parents. "Yes, Father, Mother. I am so incredibly grateful and happy for this meeting!"
On the other side, Allen and Lordius hugged each other tightly for the last time, pouring out all the remaining longing in their chests before the separation occurred between them.
"Father... goodbye!" Allen said, his voice trembling yet full of sincerity against his father's chest. "This meeting has truly made me so happy. There are no more regrets in my heart. Thank you... thank you so much for being such a great father in my life."
"Yes, Allen." Lordius answered softly, proudly patting his son's back. "You will surely live a very happy life with Kazien and the others there. Remember my message... if you ever miss me in the future, just look at the keepsake photograph Goddess Nirfelia just gave you. I will always be smiling for you there."
Allen nodded in his father's embrace, inhaling the scent of Lordius to store in his deepest memories. "Yes, Father."
The hug between father and son tightened for a few seconds.
"I love you so much, Father..." Allen whispered hoarsely.
"I love you too, Allen. Forever."
On yet another side, Arken and Borris were also hugging tightly. However, unlike the emotional atmosphere around them, there was not a single trace of sadness or tears on the brown-haired youth's face.
When Arken released his embrace, he looked at his father's face with sparkling eyes, radiating overwhelming pride and spirit.
"Father!" Arken exclaimed in a very enthusiastic tone, his wide smile not fading in the slightest. "Look at me! I will definitely live a happy life with my husband, as well as with Brother Alvin and Brother Allen!"
Seeing the blazing spirit in his son's eyes, Borris chuckled softly. "Yes, I am absolutely certain you will live happily with them there. Keep moving forward no matter what obstacles stand in your way later, Arken."
"Yes, Father!" Arken replied with a nod full of conviction. "And... thank you so much. Thank you for bringing me and Kazien together. If it weren't for you, I could never have had such a beautiful life!"
Borris's chest warmed. An unbearable sense of pride swelled as he heard the words of his son, who was so resilient and full of gratitude.
"You've grown so much more mature, haven't you?" the middle-aged man praised, rubbing the top of Arken's head with utmost pride. "You are truly my proud son, Arken!"
After a few moments of pouring out all their profound longing for each other, the embraces of the three families were finally released simultaneously.
Atlasion, Sylvina, Lordius, and Borris stepped back. They gazed intently at the faces of their respective sons for the last time, imprinting their children's beautiful smiles into their souls.
Before them, Alvin, Allen, and Arken stood side by side. The three youths forced themselves to smile brightly, radiating immense pride toward their parents, while fighting with all their might to hold back the tears threatening to spill.
They knew that if they let even a single tear of sorrow fall now, it would only make their parents leave with heavy hearts, constantly worrying about them. This was the final form of maturity and love they could offer: letting their parents go with a smile.
As the door opened wider and revealed a blinding white light, Atlasion, Sylvina, Lordius, and Borris began to step slowly toward the dimensional boundary. As they walked, the four spirits raised their hands, waving as a gesture of farewell to a meeting that could never be repeated again.
Seeing this, Alvin, Allen, and Arken raised their hands in unison, returning the wave to accompany their parents' departing steps.
Alvin's defenses finally crumbled in the final seconds. Tears streamed down, wetting his face, but his smile did not fade.
"Father, Mother... I love you!" Alvin called out in a loud voice. "I will definitely live a happy life, just as you said!"
Hearing Alvin's cry, Allen's defenses broke as well. He could no longer hold back his tears, which immediately flowed heavily.
"Father!" Allen exclaimed just as loudly, his hand continuing to wave in the air. "I love you, and I am so proud to have a father like you! Watch me from up there! I will absolutely live a happy life with Kazien, Alvin, and Arken!"
And beside them, Arken still stood tall with his wide smile. He fought with all his might to hold back his tears, though his voice could not hide the violent trembling of suppressed sobs.
"Father, goodbye!" Arken called out, his voice shaking slightly. "Once again, thank you for being the greatest father in my life. I love you so much!"
Hearing the vows and cries of love from their sons echoing behind them, Atlasion, Sylvina, Lordius, and Borris smiled with immense relief. Their steps felt so light. However, from beginning to end, the four parents continued walking steadily toward the door of light without looking back even once.
Not because they did not care, but because they did not want their parting gazes to make their sons' steps heavy and hesitant to return to their world.
The moment the four parental figures stepped inside and were completely swallowed by the brilliantly bright holy light, the door immediately shut tight and vanished without a trace into nothingness.
The place returned to silence. Only the three youths who were still standing side by side, continuously waving their hands at the empty space, letting go of the longing that had now transformed into an eternal strength within their chests.