My Soul card is a Reaper

Azzy chuckled quietly, swirling his tea. "I'm married. Had a son."

Mia leaned in with a sparkle of curiosity. "You married Claire?"

There was a brief pause of silence.

Azzy's eyes softened but didn't falter. "No. We… broke up."

Mia blinked, then chuckled, a mix of surprise and disappointment. "Huh. What a thread of destiny…"

Azzy sighed, giving a faint smile. "Indeed."

In the quiet corner of his mind, Claire's spirit whispered, "Thank you."

Claire doesn't want Mia to be disappointed by her death. Since in Mia's eyes, she has gone away without return, Claire requested Azzy to lie to her, and Azzy said the same, saying the truth but not the complete truth.

Mia took another sip, studying him. "Well, all's well that ends well," she said after a pause, "Some relationships aren't just meant to be."

Azzy didn't say anything and smiled gently.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, as old friends do, before speaking about the affairs of the country or about Azzy's family, etc…

*

An hour later;

The ever-twisting winds of the Arcana world struck him heavily as Azzy descended near the colossal structure of Abel Tower, although those winds couldn't do anything.

The barrier at the gates parted the moment he stepped forward, as if they were afraid of his strength or respecting his divinity.

The halls were quieter now. Less bustle, more reverence.

As he walked through the gleaming corridors, lined with floating orbs of light and translucent guardian spirits, he was guided by a young attendant with wide eyes after he asked for the name.

At the topmost floor, the grand doors opened without a sound, revealing a large circular chamber filled with gently hovering books, crystals, and astral maps in motion.

At the center of it all sat Gideon in meditation, now exuding a dense, calm presence that almost made the air feel heavier.

"Hey, Gid," Azzy spoke aloud before the attendant even got to inform him.

Gideon opened his eyes and turned, and the second his eyes landed on Azzy, they lit up. "You haven't changed a bit," he grinned. "Still looks like a 17-year-old kid. Damn, time's afraid of you, huh?"

Azzy laughed, waving him off. "Stop it. I'm not that young anymore."

"Sure, tell that to your baby-smooth face," Gideon shot back, walking over and pulling him into a brief, firm hug. "Been a long time, Bro."

"Yes, it was, Brother…"

They moved to the side alcove where two hovering seats materialized, and a steaming pot of blueleaf tea poured itself into two cups.

"So," Azzy started, glancing around, "I heard that you are the Tower Master now."

Gideon took a sip, then nodded. "Yeah. The old man finally retired. Lives somewhere in the mountains, trying to break through to the demigod realm."

Azzy nodded and then casually asked. "So, how's life? Any children?"

A softer smile came to Gideon's face. "Life is complicated. But good, I guess."

Azzy leaned back. "Hit me."

"I convinced Estella. We got married. Had a daughter together," Gideon said casually, watching Azzy's expression.

Azzy blinked. "Wait, Estella? You and her?"

"Yep."

"Seriously? The last time we went there, you broke up with her, right?"

"Well, after that day, I basically gave up on her and focused on myself and Abel Tower. But, then over the six months after your departure, stuff happened and we kinda met in the wilderness, you know, spent some days together and our love rekindled itself," Gideon smirked. "But yeah. She's in Moon Clan now, raising our twin daughters. I live here with Zora and my son. Do six months here, six months there. Can't do anything about it as Estella is the Matriarch and wants me to live at the Moon Clan, but Zora doesn't move from the Abel Tower. Not to mention, I'm also the Tower Master."

Azzy took a moment, nodding. "Guess you figured out how to balance the whole 'one man, two lives' thing."

"I try." Gideon looked at him a little closer. "What about you?:

Azzy looked down at his tea. "Long story short, I broke up with Claire. Fell in love with another woman. Married her and had a son."

Before the conversation could turn melancholic, Azzy stood. "Anyway, I've still got people to meet. Just thought I would stop by. I'll come again to visit you, some day."

As he turned toward the exit, Gideon called out, "Wait."

Azzy turned his head.

Gideon had a mischievous grin again, the glint of the younger man he used to be shining through. "You didn't think I'd let you leave without sparring, right? I've been dying to know the difference between us now."

Azzy raised a brow. "Seriously? You really don't want it, Gid."

"Oh, come on, Bro. When have we ever properly sparred? Now, I'm already a Supreme Being. I can atleast put up a nice fight, right?"

Azzy paused. A part of him wanted to mention that he had crossed the demigod realm. But instead, he just smiled and said, "Alright. Let's see what you've got, Tower Master."

Gideon clapped his hands together. "Knew you'd say yes."

Gideon then took out a skill card and poured his soul energy into it. A portal bloomed open beside them, swirling with violet and gold light.

"Private dimension. No audience, no interruptions."

"I didn't expect they could be made with skill cards too," Azzy commented as they stepped through.

"No, it is just Abel Tower's creation." Gideon smiled, adjusting his round glasses.

The battleground inside was serene, an endless flat expanse of marble-like ground, under a false sky with fake stars. Gravity felt normal, but the silence was total. Magical runes carved into the invisible edges of the pocket realm shimmered faintly, absorbing pressure and impact.

Azzy couldn't help but whistle, "I'm impressed."

Gideon cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders. "You wanna go all out?"

Azzy shrugged off his coat and flexed his fingers. "You first. Let me see what you look like when you are your peak."

"You'll regret that."

In a flash, Gideon surged forward, his body covered in blue crystalline energy, a lance forming in his hand out of pure condensed energy. He shot across the battlefield like a comet, the ground splitting behind him.

Azzy raised a hand. With a gentle motion, a translucent barrier of death energy swirled out, catching the lance mid-strike and dissolving it instantly.

Gideon's eyes widened. "What the…"

Azzy grinned. "This isn't your peak, Gid. You can go all out."

Gideon narrowed his eyes, but his smile widened. "Alright, I need to go all out, after all."

BOOM.

Purple lightning erupted in every direction as Gideon's form blurred with speed. A storm brewed instantly in the artificial sky above them.

His body was nearly unseeable now, wrapped in streaks of violet light. Even time itself seemed to shudder with each of his steps.

"Raaaa"

With a roar, he struck.

The first blow came from above, a downward chop so fast it split the air. Azzy tilted his body slightly, and Gideon's lightning-coated fist brushed past his shoulder, missing by a breath.

CRACK!

The ground beneath them shattered.

Azzy's palm glided forward and pushed Gideon's second attack aside, like parting water.