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Chapter 1238  Happy Birthday, Arthur

Murmurs ran through the crowd, mixed with apprehension and awe. "Her name is Diana," Arthur continued, his voice softening. "She has waited for me for one hundred and fifty years, trapped in time, her spirit bound to a fate undeserved. Tonight, I seek to free her, to fulfill a promise made long ago. I know it may seem a selfish cause to risk so much, but I vow to you, as your leader, no harm will come to you as long as you stand as my citizens."

A hush fell over the crowd, then slowly, building from a whisper to a roar, they cheered. They did not cheer for war, but for the passion and conviction of their leader, for the man who had always fought for them.

With renewed vigor, Arthur turned to his assembled companions. "To your posts," he commanded. His followers, a collection of the world\'s mightiest, dispersed, their spirits ignited by their leader\'s resolve.

As the battle commenced outside the walls of Runera, the night sky was alight with the arcane and the clashing of steel. Arthur, high atop the battlements, directed his forces with precision, his mind as sharp as the blade he wielded. Hours slipped by, the moon tracing its path across the heavens, as reports came and went, each indicating that Runera\'s forces held strong.

Minutes before midnight, Arthur turned to Oriole, his old friend and now his second in command. "Take over, Oriole. It\'s time," he said, a complex mix of dread and anticipation in his voice.

Arthur then descended from the walls, his cape billowing behind him as he entered the underground cavern once again. The echoes of battle dimmed as he stepped into the solemn stillness of Diana\'s icy prison. His arrival was greeted by the silence of the sacred space, broken only by the faint echo of distant clashes.

With a gentle wave of his hand, the wilted flowers around the cavern bloomed anew, their colors vibrant against the stark white of the ice. Arthur approached the block of ice, his heart heavy with longing and hope. "Diana," he whispered, his breath visible in the cold air, "these years have been an eternity of waiting for both of us. But tonight, that wait ends."

As the clock tower in Runera chimed the arrival of midnight, the sound vibrating through the cavern, the ice around Diana began to crack. The fractures spread like intricate webs, catching the moonlight and shimmering with a spectral beauty.

Suddenly, a radiant artifact emerged from the heart of the ice, spinning slowly, its blue light casting ethereal shadows. It was the Isotox, the key to unlocking Diana\'s prison. As the ice shattered completely, Diana\'s figure became visible, her form graceful yet frail as she attempted to stand.

Arthur rushed forward, catching her just as her strength gave way. Her eyes fluttered open, focusing with difficulty. A moment passed—a moment in which the entire universe seemed to hold its breath—then recognition dawned in her eyes.

"Arthur?" she murmured, her voice a whisper of disbelief and wonder.

"Yes, it\'s me, Diana. It\'s really me," Arthur replied, his voice thick with emotion. He held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against his, a stark contrast to the cold ice that had encased her.

Tears streamed down Arthur\'s face as he hugged Diana tighter, the reality of their reunion overwhelming him. Diana, equally moved, clung to him, her hands trembling as she touched his face, ensuring he was real.

"And just in time," she whispered, a smile breaking through her tears. "Happy birthday, Arthur."

In that moment, the struggles, the battles, and the weight of the world faded away. There, in the quiet solitude of the cavern, surrounded by newly bloomed flowers under the light of the Isotox, Arthur and Diana held each other—a reunion one hundred and fifty years in the making, a testament to love\'s enduring power amidst the chaos of the world outside.

In the tender silence of the underground cavern, surrounded by the lush beauty of a garden crafted by devotion, Arthur held Diana close, his heart soaring with joy at her whispered words. "Happy birthday, Arthur," she had said, her voice as delicate as the newly bloomed flowers around them. The irony of their reunion coinciding with his birthday was not lost on him—it was a sign, perhaps, that despite everything, the universe had aligned in their favor at last.

Diana, her eyes wide with the awe of the vibrant life around her, gently pulled away from Arthur to admire the garden more closely. "Arthur, did you do all this... for me?" she asked, her gaze drifting over every petal and leaf that thrived against the odds in this subterranean haven.

"Yes, every flower, every plant here was chosen to create a place worthy of you—a sanctuary from the harshness of the world above," Arthur explained, watching her with a mix of pride and adoration.

As she moved to touch a particularly vivid bloom, a distant rumble echoed through the cavern, muffled yet ominous. Diana paused, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Arthur, what was that sound?" she asked, a note of concern threading through her voice as she clutched her head, grimacing from a sudden headache.

Arthur\'s face darkened, the reality of the ongoing battle seeping back into this moment of peace. "There\'s a battle outside," he admitted, his voice low. "Forces have gathered to stop me from doing what I must to save you."

"Stop you? From what?" Diana\'s confusion deepened, her eyes searching Arthur\'s for an answer.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur steadied himself for the explanation. "Diana, to save you, to free you from your eternal prison, I needed the Isotox," he said, gesturing to the spinning artifact still glowing softly nearby. "Your powers of ice and fire are vast and contradictory, tearing at you. The Isotox can stabilize them, but to do so, I\'ve set in motion a plan that involves merging our world with another."

Diana\'s eyes widened in horror. "Merge worlds?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Arthur, no, that could—"

Arthur pulled her into a tight embrace, cutting off her protest. "I\'ve taken measures, Diana. Measures to ensure it\'s done safely. Trust me," he pleaded, his voice urgent.

As Diana pulled back to look at him, her expression torn between trust and fear, she began to cough violently, blue and red cracks appearing on her skin as her powers flared uncontrollably. "Arthur, I—"

Without hesitation, Arthur reached for the Isotox, his actions swift as he prepared to use its immense powers to heal her. "This will stabilize your powers once and for all, Diana. Fire will not harm the ice, and ice will not quench the fire," he explained quickly, his voice thick with desperation.

Diana, weak yet resolute, shook her head. "But at what cost, Arthur? Millions could die from such a merging!"

Arthur looked into her eyes, his resolve hardening. "I\'ve made an agreement with Gaia. I\'ll sacrifice a portion of my own powers to create an artifact that will protect our world," he revealed, his voice steady despite the gravity of his confession. "This artifact will grant powers to those who will protect humanity, ensuring our safety."

Tears filled Diana\'s eyes as she understood the depth of his sacrifice. "You can\'t do this to yourself," she whispered, her voice breaking.

"I must," Arthur replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. As her condition deteriorated further, he didn\'t hesitate; he pressed the Isotox against her skin. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

A blinding light exploded within the cavern, the artifact\'s energy wild and uncontrollable, but Arthur, channeling his golden mana, wrestled it into submission.

As the light faded, Diana lay quiet among the flowers, her skin now clear of the terrifying cracks. The peace of the moment was abruptly shattered by the world outside beginning to tremble—Arthur\'s plan was unfolding, the worlds beginning to merge.

He carefully placed a now peacefully resting Diana into the bed of flowers. Their petals gently cradled her, a stark contrast to the chaos he was about to confront.

Rising with a heavy heart, Arthur opened a portal, stepping through to meet Gaia. It was time to pay the price for his actions:

The price of his selfishness and the burden of his choices, a burden he was prepared to carry for the chance at a future with Diana, and for the hope of a safer world.