Calguas stood there, perplexed and unable to comprehend the intensity of the argument that had unfolded before him. His brow furrowed in confusion as he questioned Suman, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and concern. "What does he mean, for her own sake? What the hell is happening, Suman?" Suman, consumed by anger, began to throw objects around Ixartxist's room, his voice filled with a potent mix of frustration and desperation. "You're willing to throw away all those years, aren't you, Ixartxist? Quart's life will be in jeopardy once again, and this time, who knows what could happen to her? What about planning to marry her"
Ixartxist met Suman's gaze, his eyes filled with a profound sadness. "Does it truly matter if she marries me?" he responded, his voice tinged with resignation. "Quart is now human, and if she marries me, she will be condemned to hell. We all know that, Suman." Suman approached him, their faces mere inches apart, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and determination. "There's an easy solution to that, Ixartxist. Let her go. If you truly wish to save her, to protect her, then you must leave her be." Ixartxist's voice trembled as he responded, his words filled with a deep sense of longing and conflict. "I can't leave her, Suman. I would if I could, but can't you see? I can't do it. I don't even think I'm capable of doing so." Suman turned his back on him, his voice filled with a mixture of resignation and determination. "Then bring her back to the Infinite Night, Ixartxist. Tell her everything. It's the only way to save Quart. And if you're going to do it, do it now." With those final words, Suman left Ixartxist standing alone in his room, his heart heavy with the weight of his choices.
Meanwhile, Calguas watched as both Suman and Ixartxist departed, leaving him alone in the room. A wry smile played on his lips as he muttered to himself, "I may not understand what Suman and Ixartxist meant by 'for her own sake,' or what is truly happening, but I must hurry to save Quart." With a determined glint in his eyes, he let out a soft chuckle and swiftly left the room, his footsteps echoing through the empty halls.
Back at Calguas' house, he wasted no time and immediately called out for Nia'le. As his voice reached Nia'le's ears, Vilyn, his ever-attentive so called wife, rushed downstairs and enveloped Calguas in a tight embrace. "Darling, Calguas, honey, I've missed you so much," she whispered, her voice filled with longing. Calguas gently removed her hand from his arm and inquired about Nia'le's whereabouts. Vilyn, sensing his urgency, called out to Nia'le, her voice firm and commanding. "Nia'le, your father is here. He wishes to speak with you. Come down immediately. Or else, I'll have no choice but to reveal your misdeeds to him. Our son has turned into a delinquent. Do you understand?" Nia'le emerged from his room, his gaze meeting Vilyn's. "Speak of the devil," Vilyn remarked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Nia'le retorted, his tone equally sharp, "Speaking of yourself." Vilyn's anger flared at his response, but Calguas intervened, gently placing a kiss on her forehead. "Vilyn, please excuse us for a moment. There is something I need to discuss with him," Calguas requested, his voice calm and composed. Vilyn reluctantly agreed, her voice tinged with impatience. "Just be quick, alright? We'll be having supper in ten minutes." With that, Vilyn left the room, retreating to the kitchen to prepare their meal.
"What is it, Ayamani?" Nia'le asked, his voice filled with curiosity. Calguas, taken aback by the use of his old name, couldn't hide his frustration and swiftly retaliated, striking Nia'le. "I thought we agreed not to call me by that name, Nia'le?" he snapped, his voice tinged with irritation. Nia'le, not one to back down, retaliated with a hit of his own. "It's not my fault. I didn't know what the hell your stupid name is," he retorted. Calguas, his anger simmering, responded sharply, "It's Calguas, you pinhead."
As the tension between them subsided, Calguas's expression turned serious, his voice filled with a sense of urgency. "Nia'le, Tassa is now free in the Infinite Night. Ixartxist freed her. But I still can't understand why. Why would he do that? And what do they mean by 'for her own sake'? Moreover, I've never seen Suman so furious with Ixartxist before. I don't understand why they would fight like that." Nia'le, equally perplexed, sought clarification. "What you're saying is that Tassa is finally free from the Infinite Night, able to see the world. Isn't that good news? She's no longer blind. That's all she ever wanted."
Calguas's expression turned grave, his voice filled with a sense of foreboding. "I don't think so, but I have a feeling that freeing Tassa from the Infinite Night was not a good idea," he responded, his words laced with concern. Nia'le, growing increasingly confused, pressed for an explanation. "Why not? I don't understand, Calguas. We all know that freedom was her deepest desire. She wished for it upon every dandelion and every star in the night sky. Now, tell me, Calguas, why is freeing Tassa not a good idea?"
Calguas locked eyes with Nia'le, his gaze filled with a mixture of worry and determination. "We need to act swiftly, Nia'le. We need to make Tassa remember you. Otherwise, she will soon marry Ixartxist. And it.." Nia'le listened intently to Calguas's words, his expression shifting from confusion to realization. "It's better than that," he began, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "What I mean is, Tassa marrying Ixartxist is all she ever wanted. She had only just begun to love me because she believed that Ixartxist didn't have feelings for her. But the truth is, Ixartxist and Xart are the same person. If Ixartxist was the one who pursued us and trapped Tassa in the Infinite Night, it can only mean one thing: Tassa is all he ever desired. He is deeply in love with her, and the feeling is mutual."
Nia'le's voice grew softer as he continued, his words filled with a sense of acceptance. "That's why you're afraid, isn't it? Afraid that Tassa will marry him because she was so in love with Xart, who is actually Ixartxist. Even if Tassa were to discover their true identity, she would still forgive him. She was deeply in love with him, just as Ixartxist was with her. He even freed her from the confines of the Infinite Night. Tassa deserves him. She deserves someone better."
Nia'le's words hung in the air, a bittersweet realization of the complex emotions entwined within their tangled love triangle.
Just then, Vilyn, Calguas's ever-attentive wife, emerged from the kitchen, drawn by the commotion. Sensing the tension in the room, she interjected, her voice firm and commanding. "But you are much better, Nia'le. Ixartxist is just a bit handsome and cute, with a dreamy quality. Not to mention his dimples and those enchanting angelic eyes. Oh, heaven take me! I swear my soul left my body when he looked at me like that. He's such a heartthrob." Nia'le and Calguas exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of how to respond. Vilyn, realizing the awkwardness of her statement, smiled awkwardly and continued, "But you, my husband and son, are the most handsome people in the world. I can guarantee that." Vilyn embraced Nia'le, attempting to lift his spirits. Nia'le returned the hug, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Moon." To his surprise, Vilyn's eyes welled up with tears as she exclaimed, "It's the first time you called me 'Mom.' I can't believe it." Nia'le quickly corrected her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I didn't say 'Mom,' I said 'Moon.' It's like our secret code."
Calguas, unable to contain his composure, pulled Vilyn away from Nia'le, a serious look on his face. "Enough of that, will you?" he interjected. "And what do you mean by 'secret code'?" Vilyn, caught off guard by Calguas's sudden closeness, smiled at him affectionately. "Are you jealous, honey? There's no need to be. You're my husband, and Nia'le is our son. You have nothing to worry about." Vilyn leaned in and kissed Calguas, right in front of Nia'le. Nia'le, rolling his eyes, couldn't help but comment, "You know, it's horrifying to witness your parents kissing in front of you. It's utterly disgusting and utterly horrible, yuck!" Calguas retorted, his tone lighthearted, "Vilyn don't do that again. Wait, parents?"