Chapter Twenty One

The forest was strangely still, the soft breeze being the only thing that moved. Svetlana's eyes widened at seeing the stranger, and the feeling of surprise was not foreign to Darukï either. They stood silently, dragging their eyes across the other's form, then suddenly, Svetlana ran to him and threw herself on top of him, hugging him tightly.

"Dar," she said, sobbing heavily. She couldn't believe that her reason for seeking refuge in Neba had paid off after so many years.

She had found her father.

"Hush, Lana," Darukï said, dragging his hands across his daughter's back as he fought his tears from falling.

"It's okay, it's okay. Everything is fine now." He said, consoling his daughter. They separated after a while, though Svetlana clung heavily to his arm.

"I thought I had lost you! I have been looking for you for years! Where have you been all those while?"

"Relax," Darukï said with a smile, moving a tendril of hair that had fallen on her face behind her