16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Mia

Images flicker through my mind as I drift in the darkness. An enormous wall of water, covering the sky. A magnificent being riding the crest and commanding the wave. Blue skin glinting in the sun. Eyes as dark as the expanse of space…

I struggle to make sense of these visions, to piece them together into a coherent whole. Slowly, the memories sharpen. The tidal wave, surging over the island, engulfing everything in its path. The Aquarian riding it, more god than man, harnessing the power of the sea itself.

In that moment, I remember the awe that came over me, the relief that I would be saved from Vornas. I remember this otherworldly being, both beautiful and terrifying in his power… And I remember thinking…

He's my king.

Coughing and sputtering, I expel the water from my lungs, my vision gradually focusing on the face of the alien before me.

Krakenos.

Not just my king, but my mate.

"Mia," he breathes. "I thought I had lost you."

Tears spring to my eyes as I reach for him, my hands trembling as they find purchase on his strong, scaled shoulders. "Krakenos," I whisper, my voice hoarse from the seawater. "You saved me."

He holds me close as I bury my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent. In this moment, I realize the depth of my feelings for this alien warrior who has risked everything to protect me.

"I love you," I murmur against his skin, the words tumbling from my lips. "I never thought I could feel this way, but I do. I love you, Krakenos."

His arms tighten around me, and I feel the rumble of his voice as he responds, "And I love you, Mia. You have become my world, my reason for living. I can't imagine a future without you by my side."

We remain locked in our embrace, the rest of the world falling away for a moment. But then I remember that it's not over yet. Not until we cross that finish line.

I look around, taking in our surroundings. The tundra stretches out behind us, but in the distance, I see a shimmering archway.

"Where are we?" I ask, my voice still raspy from the seawater.

"At the end," Krakenos says, his gaze fixed on the archway.

As if on cue, the Host arrives in his transport pod, a fleet of drones buzzing around him, their cameras trained on us. The Host steps out, his metal claws clacking against the icy ground as he approaches.

"Congratulations!" he exclaims, his voice echoing across the frozen landscape. He strides toward us, his metal claws leaving deep gouges in the ice. The drones buzz around him like an entourage, their cameras zooming in to capture every angle of this moment.

"I must admit," he continues, his feathered eyebrows raised in exaggerated surprise, "I was convinced that Vornas would be the one standing here today." He chuckles, shaking his head. "But that display of power at the end, Krakenos… Truly remarkable, and like nothing we've ever seen before!"

He puts on a grandiose show of clapping, his metal hands clanging together. The sound grates on my nerves, and I clench my jaw. This is all just a performance to him, a spectacle for the masses. He doesn't care about the lives he's toyed with, or the pain he's inflicted.

Krakenos remains stoic beside me, but I can feel the tension radiating off him. The Host's surprise at his victory feels like a slight, an underestimation of his strength and determination.

"And let's not forget our lovely human contestant," the Host says, turning his attention to me. "Mia, you've been through quite the journey. How does it feel to be standing here at the finish line?"

I swallow hard, then glance at Krakenos, drawing strength from his presence. I won't let the Host rattle me.

In fact, I'm done with him. Done with this competition, this show. I'm ready to start my life with Krakenos. And I'm not about to give him the reaction he wants.

I meet the Host's gaze, my chin lifted in defiance. "It feels like the beginning," I say firmly. "The beginning of a new chapter, one you and your audience will never get to see."

Krakenos stands tall beside me, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist. "We're done with your games," he growls. "We've reached the end. Now let us cross the finish line so we can leave this place."

The Host steps into our path, holding up a clawed hand. "Not just yet," he says, his eyes glinting with mischief. "There's one more twist, a crucial decision that all the Mythos kings must make before returning home."

My heart sinks.

Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

"What decision?" Krakenos asks, his lips curled up in a snarl.

The Host grins. "Well, your world is suffering an awful plague, and our team of researchers have a cure. But in order to receive the cure, you must make a choice. You must choose between receiving a cure genetically crafted solely for the Aquarians, or you may pick a collective cure that will work for all races on Mythos."

Krakenos frowns. "Why wouldn't I pick the latter?"

"Well, the catch is, if one of you choose the single cure, the other two races don't get a cure. And if all of you choose the single cure, nobody gets a cure. And if, somehow, all three of you choose the collective cure instead, then you all shall receive it. So it could be to your advantage to pick the single cure, if you believe the other two kings are foolish enough to be charitable. Then your people will have the advantage, and could rule the entirety of Mythos."

Krakenos shifts his weight before asking, "What did Draven choose?"

The Host shakes his head. "Ah, but that would be telling. Draven's choice will remain unknown until Vornas makes his own. It is only once all three kings have chosen that the outcome will be revealed. It is quite the dilemma, isn't it? Can you trust your fellow kings to be honorable, or will they make the selfish choice just to ensure their own peoples' future?"

Krakenos falls silent. I know how much his people mean to him, how desperately he wants to save them from the plague that has ravaged their population.

But I also know that he is a fair and just ruler, one who wishes to see a future of peace on Mythos.

"Then Vornas still lives?" Krakenos asks, breaking the silence.

The Host nods. "He's already in the medical bay, recovering for the next season."

I watch Krakenos's chest rise and fall, his gills fluttering slightly. My stomach twists into knots, knowing that the fate of not just the Aquarians, but all the races on Mythos, hangs in the balance. I bite my lip, grateful that I'm not the one who has to make this impossible choice.

He turns to me, his gaze softening. "Mia, you have changed me in ways I never thought possible. Your strength, your compassion, your unwavering spirit… They have made me a better king, a better man."

Krakenos then turns back to the Host, continuing, "I have faith in Draven, and that his female has had a similar effect on him. And I suspect that the remaining human female will straighten Vornas out as well." He squares his shoulders as he declares to the Host, "I choose the collective cure."

The Host's eyebrows shoot up, a hint of disappointment in his expression, as if he had been hoping for a more dramatic outcome. But he quickly composes himself, nodding in acknowledgement.

"Then we will see what happens next season," he says, his tone laced with menace. "Let us hope it wasn't all for nothing, hm? Now, you may use one of our shuttles to return to your home planets. Farewell."

I hesitate at the threshold. The finish line stretches before us, a glowing ribbon of light that seems to mock everything we've been through. Krakenos's hand tightens around mine, his webbed fingers cool against my clammy palm.

"We have to," he murmurs.

I grit my teeth, hating that we're playing into this game, but knowing we have no choice. With a sharp nod, I step forward, and we cross the line together.

I don't give the Host or the cameras the satisfaction of looking back. Instead, I tug Krakenos toward the waiting shuttle. Its doors slide open with a soft whoosh, and I pause. This is it—we're leaving this nightmare behind.

Krakenos's reassuring squeeze pulls me from my thoughts. I meet his gaze, seeing my own determination reflected there. Without another word, we step into the shuttle, done with Paradise Loop once and for all.

The shuttle's interior is surprisingly spacious, with plush seats lining the walls and a large, circular platform in the center. Krakenos guides me to one of the seats, and I sink into the soft cushions, my body suddenly feeling heavy with exhaustion.

A light catches my attention, and I look up to see a holographic galaxy map materializing before us. The map is breathtaking, a swirling kaleidoscope of stars and planets, each one labeled with names I've never heard before. I scan the map, searching desperately until I find a tiny blue marble nestled in a far corner of the galaxy.

Earth.

My heart clenches with a sudden pang of homesickness, and tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. It feels like ages since I've seen my home, and the sight of it now, so small and fragile in the vastness of space, makes me ache with longing. I wonder what's happening back on Earth, if anyone is searching for me, if they've simply assumed I've packed up and left yet again…

But then I look at Krakenos, and I know that my place is by his side. I know that my pattern of running away is a thing of the past. I've finally found where I belong.

"Mia," Krakenos says softly, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Would you prefer to return to Earth, or… would you like to rule the oceans of Mythos with me?"

I can't hold back my laughter. The sound bubbles up, surprising even me.

After everything we've been through, the bond we've forged, how could he possibly not know my answer?

I lean closer, our foreheads touching. "You don't really think I'd choose to go back, do you?"

Krakenos' smile is warm as he pulls me into an embrace, and together, we choose Mythos as our destination.

As the shuttle hums to life, a peace settles over me. I know it won't be easy. Hell, the Aquarians might not even accept me as their queen. I'll have to navigate new customs, learn their language, and adapt to a completely foreign world.

But instead of intimidation, I feel a rush of excitement.

Because for the first time, I have something worth fighting for.