The Battlefield

Riven barely slept that night.

The black box sat on the bedside table, wrapped in a plain shopping bag to disguise it.

He had absolutely no idea what was inside.

And he didn't want to know.

The Demon Lord's warning echoed repeatedly in his mind.

Don't open it.

Guard it with your life.

Beside him, Ethan stirred in his sleep before unconsciously reaching out.

His hand found Riven's.

"...Mm..."

Even asleep, he gently intertwined their fingers.

Riven smiled.

"He's always like this."

Every night.

Without fail.

He would somehow find Riven's hand before morning.

Riven carefully brushed a few silver strands away from Ethan's forehead.

"I'm sorry..."

He whispered so quietly that only he could hear.

"I have to lie to you again."

Then he closed his eyes.

---

The next morning...

Everything felt perfectly normal.

Ethan hummed softly while frying eggs.

Pumpkin chased his own tail around the dining table.

The television played the morning news.

"Meteorologists have issued a warning for unusual electrical activity across the northern district..."

Riven wasn't paying attention.

He was too busy trying not to look at the shopping bag leaning against his chair.

Ethan noticed.

"Is that a gift for someone?"

Riven nearly choked on his toast.

"W-What?"

"The bag."

"Oh..."

His fingers tightened around his coffee mug.

"It's... office documents."

"I see."

Ethan smiled.

"I thought you bought me a surprise."

Riven laughed awkwardly.

"Maybe next payday."

"I'll hold you to that."

---

After breakfast...

The couple left the apartment together.

Like every morning, they walked to the station side by side.

Halfway there...

Ethan suddenly stopped.

"I have to leave early today."

"Hm?"

"An emergency meeting."

Riven nodded.

"My office too."

They exchanged amused smiles.

"What a coincidence."

Neither of them realized...

They were lying to each other at exactly the same moment.

Ethan gently adjusted Riven's scarf.

"Don't skip lunch."

"You too."

"And..."

Ethan hesitated.

For just a brief second...

Something unreadable flickered across his eyes.

"...Be careful today."

Riven blinked.

"I always am."

Ethan smiled again.

"Good."

They shared a quick goodbye kiss before walking in opposite directions.

Neither looked back.

If they had...

They would've seen something impossible.

The moment Ethan turned the corner...

His warm smile vanished.

Golden light briefly shimmered beneath his feet before disappearing.

At almost the same time...

Riven entered another alley.

The illusion hiding his tiny black horns flickered to life.

The ordinary city disappeared behind him.

Both husbands vanished into different worlds.

---

The northern district was unusually quiet.

Too quiet.

Riven clutched the shopping bag tightly as he hurried through abandoned warehouses.

"This should be the place..."

According to the map...

The safe house was only another few blocks away.

Then—

A loud explosion shook the ground.

BOOM!!

Riven stumbled forward.

"What was that?!"

Another explosion.

This one much closer.

The sky suddenly darkened.

Not with clouds.

With enormous black wings.

Dozens of demons flew overhead.

Some were badly injured.

Others were carrying weapons.

"They're retreating!"

"Heaven's forces are here!"

"Run!"

Panic spread instantly.

Riven's heart pounded.

"Heaven?"

"Why here?"

He only wanted to deliver the package and go home.

He wasn't a soldier.

He wasn't a fighter.

He was just...

Weak.

A brilliant pillar of golden light erupted in the distance.

The sheer pressure made every demon freeze.

Riven couldn't even breathe.

"W-What..."

An older demon nearby looked utterly horrified.

"No..."

"It can't be..."

Another demon whispered with trembling lips.

"He's here..."

Riven looked around in confusion.

"Who?"

Neither demon answered.

They were already running.

Running as if death itself had arrived.

---

Riven turned to flee.

Too late.

The battlefield erupted around him.

Demons clashed against warriors dressed in white.

Magic illuminated the ruined streets.

Holy flames consumed buildings.

Dark energy tore through the sky.

Everything became chaos.

"I have to get out!"

Riven sprinted between collapsing walls.

A wounded demon crashed beside him.

"Run...!"

Before Riven could react—

A blinding sphere of divine energy shot across the battlefield.

It wasn't aimed at him.

It was aimed at the demon chasing another angel.

But Riven was standing in the wrong place.

The explosion swallowed everything.

BOOOOM!!

The shockwave threw him through the air.

The shopping bag flew from his hands.

The black box rolled across broken pavement.

Riven hit the ground hard.

His ears rang.

His vision blurred.

"...It hurts..."

He struggled onto his elbows.

The battlefield had gone eerily silent.

Why?

Slowly...

Very slowly...

Riven looked up.

Someone had arrived.

White robes fluttered gently despite the absence of wind.

Six enormous golden wings spread across the ruined sky.

A radiant halo shone above long silver hair.

The air itself seemed to kneel.

Every angel immediately lowered their heads.

Every surviving demon instinctively fell to one knee.

No one dared speak.

No one dared breathe.

The entire battlefield trembled before a single existence.

One demon whispered in pure terror—

"The Supreme God..."

Riven's crimson eyes widened.

"The... Supreme God?"

His heart pounded violently.

The figure slowly descended from the heavens.

Cold.

Untouchable.

Beautiful beyond words.

Golden eyes swept across the battlefield with absolute authority.

Wherever those eyes landed...

Everyone lowered their heads.

Then—

Those eyes stopped.

Looking directly...

At Riven.

Riven froze.

"Why is he looking at me?"

The Supreme God took one step forward.

Then another.

The battlefield remained completely silent.

The distance between them slowly disappeared.

Closer...

Closer...

Until the divine figure stood only a few feet away.

Riven finally saw the God's face clearly.

His breathing stopped.

"...E..."

No.

Impossible.

His vision blurred with disbelief.

"...Ethan...?"

The Supreme God's cold expression shattered.

His golden eyes widened in shock.

"...Riven?"

For one endless moment...

Neither husband moved.

Neither spoke.

The entire battlefield stared in utter confusion.

The weakest demon...

Had just called the Supreme God...

By his first name.

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