Elara’s green eyes fluttered open, heavy with exhaustion yet brimming with an unshakable weight. She blinked slowly, disoriented, as her gaze settled on the endless field of shimmering stardust stretching far beyond her comprehension. The air felt lighter than a whisper, but it carried a deep hum of emotions, sorrow, hope, longing.
Her head rested on someone’s lap, the warmth of it startlingly familiar. “Elara…”
A soft voice cut through the ethereal silence, freezing her in place. It was a voice she had never thought she’d hear again, one that could stop her heart with just a single word.
“You’re finally awake,” Nova said gently, her tone laced with both relief and sadness. Elara’s breath hitched as her eyes widened. She tilted her head up slowly, her vision meeting Nova’s.
Her curls, radiant and glowing faintly like the stars above them, framed a face that bore a soft, melancholic smile. Nova wore a yellow jacket over a black tank top, paired with ripped black jeans and yellow sneakers marked with faint cosmic star designs. She looked just as she had in life, radiant, confident, but now, tinged with a quiet sorrow.
“Nova…?” Elara whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of disbelief.
“It’s me,” Nova replied, her head nodding softly. Elara’s lips quivered as her hands trembled, tears welling up in her eyes before spilling down her cheeks. She sat up suddenly, her chest tightening as emotions overwhelmed her. “I… I tried. I tried to make things right… I thought-”
Nova leaned back slightly, her gaze steady yet sorrowful. “You thought avenging me would bring you peace? That it would fix everything Ray broke?” she asked softly, her tone calm but knowing.
Elara’s voice rose, her words desperate, as tears streamed freely. “I had to, Nova! He took you from me! He took everything! I thought if I killed him, if I made him suffer like we did, it would mean something! I couldn’t just let him get away with it! I couldn’t just… just sit by and do nothing after he killed you!”
Nova listened in silence, her expression softening further as she let Elara’s anguish pour out. Elara’s voice cracked as she continued, her head bowing under the weight of her words. “I thought… maybe if I did it… maybe then I’d finally be good enough for you.”
At that, Nova’s lips parted slightly, a tear slipping from her own eye. Her voice was soft but unwavering. “Elara… you were always enough.”
Elara froze, her breath caught in her throat as her eyes locked onto Nova’s. “But Ray said…” Her voice trembled as she hesitated, her body visibly shaking. “He said you never loved me. That I was just… a replacement.”
Nova exhaled a deep, shaky breath as she reached out, gently taking Elara’s trembling hands in hers. Her thumbs brushed lightly over Elara’s knuckles, grounding her. “Elara, I won’t lie to you. I did love Ray once, and I still do care about him.
He was my best friend, my anchor when everything else seemed uncertain. And I did always hoped he’d find his way back to the boy I used to know.” She said quietly with a shaky voice full of pain. “The Ray that I grew up with, But that doesn’t mean I didn’t love you.”
Elara’s voice was a whisper, barely audible. “Then… why did it feel like I was chasing a shadow? Like no matter what I did, I could never be enough for you?”
Nova reached up, cupping Elara’s face gently with her hands. Her own tears glistened, mirroring the stars around them. “Because you let yourself believe you were in someone else’s shadow. You let that fear plant itself in your heart, and it poisoned the love we had. But it was never true.”
She paused, her voice softening, overflowing with warmth. “You made me laugh when the world felt dark. You gave me hope when I thought the stars had abandoned me. You made me feel alive, Elara. I loved you, and I still do.”
Elara broke down, her sobs loud and unrestrained as she clutched onto Nova tightly, burying her face into her shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” she choked out. “For everything. For not trusting you. For letting my jealousy ruin what we had. For failing you-”
Nova shook her head, pulling Elara even closer. “No. Stop blaming yourself. None of this was your fault. What happened to me, to us, to everyone, that was Ray’s doing. You don’t have to carry that weight anymore, Elara. You’ve held onto it for too long.”
Elara’s voice cracked as she whispered, her sobs quieting but her pain still evident. “I don’t know how to let go… I don’t know how to move on without you.”
Nova leaned back slightly, her hands moving to hold Elara’s tear-streaked face. Her gaze was steady, glowing with tenderness. “You don’t have to do it alone anymore. I’m here. We don’t have to fight, or run, or hurt. We can just be. Together. Like we always dreamed.”
Elara sniffled, her voice breaking as she whispered, “Do you… do you forgive me?”
Nova smiled, her expression radiant, her voice full of love. “There’s nothing to forgive, Elara. You’ve always had my heart.”
A deep breath escaped Elara’s lips as the crushing weight on her chest finally lifted. Her trembling hands steadied as she smiled, a small, genuine smile breaking through the flood of emotions. “I missed you so much…”
Nova’s arms wrapped around her again, pulling her close, her chin resting gently on Elara’s shoulder. “I missed you too. But we have all the time in the universe now.”
The shimmering stardust around them glowed brighter, forming constellations that flickered with memories, of laughter, love, and even pain. All of it swirled together, blending into the serene peace of the afterlife. As they held each other tightly, the pain of the past began to fade, leaving only the quiet promise of eternity together.
Rad’s eyes shot open, and he gasped, his breath catching as he sat up abruptly. The searing pain that had gripped every inch of his body only moments ago was gone. Instinctively, his hands roamed over his chest, arms, and legs, expecting to feel charred flesh or broken bones.
Instead, his skin was whole, smooth, and unscarred, as though his battle against Ray had never happened. His fingers trembled as they traced over his face, expecting burns, cracks, something to remind him of the agony he had endured. But there was nothing.
Rad’s breathing slowed, and he glanced around. The landscape was otherworldly, a serene expanse of shimmering silver mist stretching into infinity. Soft, warm light illuminated the ground beneath him, which seemed to be made of swirling, liquid stardust.
He reached down and scooped a handful, watching it flow through his fingers like glowing sand. There was no sound, no wind, no echo of the devastation he’d left behind.
“Is this… it?” he muttered under his breath, his voice breaking. The last thing he remembered was Ray’s foot on his arm, the unbearable heat of the cosmic beam, and the hollowing pain as his strength, his will, his very life, was burned away.
Rad clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “I’m dead,” he whispered, the words sticking in his throat. He turned his hands over again, staring at them. “I failed…”
“You didn’t fail, Rad.” The familiar voice froze him in place. He slowly turned his head, his heart pounding. There they were, standing a few feet away.
Lucio, his curly hair catching the soft light, his kind smile as radiant as ever. And Mary, her auburn hair flowing gently, her green robe catching faint flecks of stardust as she cradled her baby in her arms.
Rad’s breath hitched as he stumbled to his feet, his knees threatening to buckle. “L-Lucio? Mary?” His voice cracked as his mind struggled to process the sight before him. “Is it really… you?”
Lucio stepped forward, his smile warm and reassuring. “It’s us, Rad. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Rad staggered back, his eyes darting between them. Tears welled up, and his lips quivered. “But… how? You’re both gone. “Ray—he—he—” His voice broke, and he dropped to his knees, his hands clutching his head. “I couldn’t avenge you. Either of you. I tried, but I wasn’t strong enough.”
Mary’s soft voice carried over the silence, her tone gentle and comforting. “Rad, stop.” She approached him, her baby cooing softly in her arms. She knelt beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder. “You carried so much for so long. Too much. None of this was your fault.”
Rad’s head shot up, his tear-filled eyes locking onto hers. “How can you say that? You’re here, dead, because I wasn’t able to protect you. Both of you!” He turned to Lucio, his voice growing desperate. “I should’ve done more. I should’ve stopped him before he could-”
“Rad.” Lucio’s voice was firm but kind, his hands resting on his hips. “You’re not a god. You can’t blame yourself for everything Ray’s done. You fought harder than anyone else. You gave everything you had. But it wasn’t your burden to bear alone.”
Rad’s chest heaved as sobs wracked his body. He looked down at the stardust-covered ground, his tears falling freely. “I wanted to save everyone. I wanted to make it right. But I lost… I lost everything.”
Mary shifted her baby in her arms, the child reaching out a tiny hand toward Rad. “You didn’t lose us, Rad,” she said softly. “We’re here. And we’re okay. You don’t have to fight anymore.”
Lucio knelt beside him, placing a hand on Rad’s shoulder. “We’ve missed you, man. I know it’s hard to let go, but you don’t have to carry all that pain anymore. You’ve done enough. More than enough.”
Rad looked between the two of them, his vision blurred by tears. “I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve to be with you. Not after all my mistakes.”
Mary cupped his face, her touch warm and soothing. “Rad, none of that matters here. What matters is that we’re together now. That we can finally have peace.”
Rad’s shoulders slumped as the weight he had carried for so long began to lift. The guilt, the anger, the sorrow, it all started to fade, replaced by an overwhelming sense of bittersweet relief. He reached out, his hands trembling as he touched Lucio’s shoulder and Mary’s arm. They were real. They were here.
A small, broken laugh escaped him, followed by a deep, shuddering sigh. “I missed you both so much.”
Lucio grinned, his usual playful demeanor shining through. “We missed you too, big guy.”
Mary smiled, her baby giggling softly in her arms. “And now we have all the time in the world.”
Rad closed his eyes, letting out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. When he opened them again, the stardust around them shimmered more brightly, enveloping the three of them in its gentle glow. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Rad smiled, a genuine, peaceful smile.
“I guess… this isn’t so bad,” he said quietly, his voice steady but tinged with emotion.
Mary and Lucio exchanged a knowing look, their expressions full of warmth. “It’s not bad at all,” Lucio replied.
And as they sat together in the endless field of stardust, Rad finally allowed himself to accept his death. It was bittersweet, but it was also freeing. He was home.
Aurelius walked alone through the abyssal void of the afterlife, the darkness pressing in on him from all sides. His footsteps echoed through the silence, each sound amplified in the vast, empty space. He didn’t know how he had gotten here, but the absence of any warmth, any light, was overwhelming.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and his breath came in slow, steady inhales as his eyes scanned the void before him. The familiar golden structures, his creations, towered in the darkness, lifeless statues that once held so much power and pride. His golden army.
His empire. Now, just hollow monuments of a past he had lost.
He stopped, his heart heavy, the weight of what he’d lost sinking in with every passing moment. His family, his precious wife and son, frozen, lifeless, encased in gold, were all that remained of his once-thriving world. He could still feel the anger and the hurt from when Ray’s cosmic powers had shattered his empire, the feeling of helplessness when his loved ones had been turned to statues.
His golden fingers reached out towards the nearest statue, a familiar one, his son’s likeness frozen in time. He slowly closed his eyes, the image of his family haunting him, their loss gnawing at him like an endless ache. He wanted to scream, to rail against the darkness, but it was futile. Nothing would bring them back. Nothing could undo what Ray had done.
And yet, as he stood there, surrounded by the familiar stillness of his golden creations, a voice pierced the silence. “Aurelius…”
His heart skipped a beat, his pulse quickening. The voice was soft, faint, but unmistakable. His wife. Nora?
He turned toward the sound, searching through the darkness, his breath caught in his throat.
“Father, come back to us…” Another voice, his son’s. His pulse quickened, his feet moving of their own accord. George! He thought to himself as he took a hesitant step forward, then another, the calls growing louder, more urgent. My family. Alive? No. It cant be. It has to be a trick! A cruel illusion! Aurelius thought to himself, unable to believe the situation he was in.
“Aurelius… please…” the voices echoed. Aurelius began sprinting faster with every step as the voices grew clearer, closer. As if they were right in front of him. “Nora! George!” His mind screamed with desperation, his body moving faster, propelled by the need to reach them.
The darkness around him seemed to stretch, the emptiness pressing in on him as he sprinted through it. And then, in an instant, a bright flash of light enveloped him. It was blinding, pure, untainted light that pierced through the darkness and consumed him. Aurelius quickly closed his eyes, his body going tense with the intensity of the light, unsure of where he was or what was happening.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in the middle of a lush field, the sun shining brightly above him. The air was warm and rich with the scent of grass. The landscape was peaceful, quiet, and so achingly familiar. A field outside his kingdom, the one he had often walked with his family when the kingdom was still whole.
And there, standing in front of him, were his wife and son. Not statues. Not golden husks. They were seemingly alive, their faces full of joy, their eyes shining with warmth.
“Aurelius…” His wife, Nora, whispered, her voice like a soft melody in the wind. She reached out to him, her eyes glistening with love, the familiar warmth of her presence washing over him.
His son, once a cold, unyielding statue, smiled at him—a smile so full of life and joy that Aurelius couldn’t breathe for a moment.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Father…” His son’s voice cracked with emotion as he rushed towards Aurelius before hugging him tightly. “We’ve been waiting for you!”
Tears sprang to Aurelius’s eyes, his heart swelling in his chest. For the first time since his death, he felt a warmth that he hadn’t known since before the fall of his empire. It was them. His family. His wife, his son, animate, real, and standing before him.
He dropped to his knees, his hands shaking as he hugged George back, the golden armor he once wore now nothing but a distant memory.
“I’ve failed you,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. “I lost everything. I let my greed… my hunger for power… take everything from me.”
His wife knelt down beside him, taking his trembling hands in hers. “No, Aurelius. You didn’t fail us. You fought for us. For our sake. Your love for us is all that matters.”
Aurelius looked up at her, tears streaming down his face. He could hardly believe it. After everything, after all the pain, all the loss, he had his family back. They were here, with him, in this peaceful place where the echoes of greed and vengeance no longer haunted him.
His son wrapped his arms around him even tighter. “We’re here, Father. We never left you.”
Aurelius sobbed, his shoulders shaking with the weight of it all. The love he felt for them was overwhelming, pure, and untainted by the darkness of his past. For all the bloodshed, all the destruction, this moment, was everything he had ever truly wanted in life.
“I love you both so much,” he whispered hoarsely, his arms wrapping around them as he clung to them with every ounce of his being. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything.”
“We forgive you, Aurelius,” his wife murmured, her voice full of tenderness. “We always have.
As he embraced them, his heart full, he allowed himself to accept this bittersweet end. There was no empire left to reclaim, no gold to hoard. But he had them. And that was enough.
Aurelius closed his eyes contently, his body finally at peace, as he held his family close, surrounded by the warmth of their love. In the afterlife, amidst the serenity of the fields, he found his salvation, not in wealth, but in the embrace of the ones he had loved and lost.
Aelith awoke with a sharp gasp, her chest heaving as if she had been holding her breath for an eternity. Her eyes fluttered open, greeted by the golden light of the sun piercing through a canopy of towering trees. The forest was alive with a tranquil hum; the rustling of leaves danced in harmony with the distant chirping of birds.
Shadows stretched and swayed beneath the foliage, painting a mosaic of light and darkness on the soft, dew-kissed grass beneath her. Her hands trembled as she pushed herself upright, her fingers brushing against the cool, damp earth. Aelith’s heart raced as her gaze darted around the clearing, her senses disoriented.
She hesitantly glanced down at her body, her hands running over her arms and torso, confirming she was whole. Her clothing was intact, though dirt and faint smudges marred its surface. Her breath caught as she whispered to herself, “What happened to me… Where am I?”
Her legs felt unsteady, as if they belonged to someone else, but she forced herself to rise. Each movement was slow, deliberate, as though the forest itself might shatter around her. She took a tentative step forward, her boots sinking slightly into the soft earth.
The air was heavy with an eerie familiarity, the scent of pine and wildflowers tugging at the corners of her memory. “I know this place,” she murmured under her breath, her voice barely audible over the gentle rustling of the leaves. “But how?”
She wandered deeper into the forest, her steps becoming steadier as the unease in her chest grew. The trees seemed to loom closer with every step, their towering forms casting elongated shadows that stretched across her path. Despite the tranquility around her, a strange sense of déjà vu gnawed at her. I’ve been here before… but when?
Shaking her head, she pressed on. I’ve got to regroup with the others. Aelith thought, her focus narrowing to the task at hand.
But just as resolve began to steel her nerves, a sudden noise halted her in her tracks, a cacophony of voices carried by the breeze. Laughter, shouting, and… music? Her blood ran cold. The sound was distant but unmistakable, a symphony of celebration that felt as alien as it did familiar.
Aelith’s body tensed as she whipped her head toward the direction of the noise. Her sharp eyes scanned the dense forest, her heart hammering in her chest. No... that can’t be. That music… Her thoughts raced, disbelief creeping in. It was a melody she hadn’t heard in what felt like ages, bright, joyous, and impossibly nostalgic.
Her pace quickened, then turned into a full sprint as she pushed past branches and leaped over roots, her breaths growing ragged. The closer she got, the louder the sounds became: cheers, clinking glasses, and jubilant music that seemed to wrap around her like an embrace. Her mind reeled.
“This isn’t real. It can’t be real!” she thought, but her legs moved on their own, driven by a desperate need to see the truth for herself.
Bursting through the final line of trees, Aelith skidded to a halt, her boots digging into the ground as she gasped at the sight before her. Her wide eyes darted across the sprawling scene: hundreds of sorcerers gathered in a vast courtyard, laughing, dancing, and reveling as though no time had passed. Tables laden with food and drink lined the area, their surfaces gleaming under the sunlight.
Vibrant banners fluttered in the breeze, bearing the phoenix emblem of the academy. And there it was, the academy itself, standing tall and untouched, its once-ruined towers now restored to their former glory.
Aelith’s breath hitched as she staggered forward, her mind struggling to comprehend what she was seeing. Her gaze darted from one familiar face to another, each one a ghost of her past made flesh. These were her comrades, her peers, sorcerers she had thought lost forever.
They looked as alive as the day she had last seen them. Her knees nearly buckled as she took in the scene, her voice a whisper carried away by the wind. “How… how is this possible?”
Aelith’s breath came in short, shallow gasps as she stood frozen at the edge of the courtyard, the joyful scene playing out before her like a dream she was terrified to wake from. Her eyes darted across the sea of familiar faces, but they locked onto one pair in particular. Charlie, her dependable, selfless friend, stood in the center of it all, spinning and laughing as he danced with a vibrant green humanoid figure. Yuki the slime.
Aelith’s chest tightened at the sight of the two, their movements fluid and carefree, as though they had no burdens, no grief weighing them down. It was the happiest she had seen Charlie in years, his boyish grin was radiant, his blue eyes alive with joy that had once been buried beneath sorrow. Yuki giggled as she playfully twirled around him, her translucent form catching the light like emerald glass.
The immense love between them was palpable, almost tangible, and Aelith felt her heart ache with longing and confusion. Her attention shifted to another corner of the courtyard, where Seraphina stood, her dark green dragon tattoos glowing faintly as she juggled spheres of green flame with practiced ease. She moved with graceful precision, her calm demeanor replaced by a playful smirk as the younger sorcerer students watched in awe.
Their laughter rang out as one of the flames burst into harmless sparks, scattering like fireworks in the air. Seraphina’s temper, once so tightly restrained, was nowhere to be seen, only warmth and patience radiated from her now.
Near a long table adorned with steaming dishes and overflowing drinks, Nyxen and Mathew worked side by side. Nyxen’s quiet, reserved nature contrasted with Mathew’s lively, comedic commentary as they served plates of food to sorcerers of all ages. Mathew cracked jokes with every plate he handed out, his freckled face lighting up with each laugh he earned. Nyxen offered soft smiles, his calm presence grounding the otherwise chaotic scene.
The two of them worked in harmony, an unlikely pair whose camaraderie seemed unshakable. At a nearby table, Aelith spotted Penelope and Olivia, their contrasting energies somehow perfectly balanced. Olivia’s radiant golden hair seemed to shimmer in the sunlight as she leaned over the table, laughing heartily at something Penelope said.
Penelope’s icy blue pupils sparkled with rare mirth, her typically quiet nature softened by the warm presence of the woman sitting with them. This woman, with dark green hair, piercing green eyes, and freckles dusting her pale skin, wore black robes over a black tunic and dark green undershirt. She exuded an air of familiarity, as though she had always belonged here, sharing in the laughter and camaraderie.
Aelith’s stomach churned. These were people she had mourned, people whose losses she had felt like daggers to her heart. And yet, here they were, alive, whole, and happy. This can’t be real. She thought, her mind spiraling. I’m dreaming. I have to be. This isn’t possible… right?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a gentle but firm voice behind her. “You’ve come a long way, Aelith.”
She spun around, her heart pounding, and there he was, Sensei Ino. His wizened face was calm, his softened eyes filled with an understanding that sent a chill down her spine. His presence was as commanding as ever, but there was a softness to him now, an unspoken weight lifted from his shoulders.
“Sensei?” Aelith’s voice cracked, her disbelief evident. “You… I thought you were dead.”
A shadow crossed his face as he nodded solemnly. “I am, Aelith. And it seems you are too.”
The words hit her like a physical blow. She staggered backward, her hands trembling. “No… no, that’s not possible. I was just… I was just fighting against Ray, I was alive-” Her voice broke as panic clawed at her chest.
Ino stepped closer, his presence steady and grounding. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I know it’s hard to accept, but it’s the truth. You’re here now, with us.”
Tears welled in Aelith’s eyes as her mind raced, grasping for answers, for something to deny the reality he was presenting. But as her gaze swept over the courtyard once more, Charlie and Yuki, Seraphina, Nyxen and Mathew, Penelope and Olivia, everything fell into place. This was the afterlife, and she was among the dead.
Ino’s voice softened. “It’s not the end, Aelith. Look around you. We’re all here, together. There’s no more pain, no more loss. Just this.”
Aelith’s knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, her tears falling freely now. Ino knelt beside her, his presence unwavering. Slowly, she let his words sink in. She was dead, but so were they. The people she had lost, the pain she had carried, the battles she had fought, they were all behind her now.
Her tears slowed as she looked up at Ino, a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips. “It’s… beautiful,” she whispered.
Ino smiled gently. “It is. And now, it’s yours too.” Aelith closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her heart heavy but no longer burdened. Her soul had been given peace.
Seridia’s eyes fluttered open, her breath catching as she found herself lying atop an endless expanse of water. The surface rippled beneath her but refused to let her sink, as though cradling her gently. She sat up slowly, her hands trembling as she instinctively felt her body and face for wounds, but there were none.
Her gaze lifted to the sky, where heavy storm clouds loomed, spilling a soft, steady rain onto the eerily calm ocean. The air was thick with a quiet melancholy, broken only by the rhythmic patter of raindrops. “Where… am I?” she whispered, her quiet voice lost to the vastness around her.
She rose to her feet unsteadily, her reflection shimmering faintly below her. “The last thing I remember, I…” she whispered, her voice trailing off as a sickening realization gripped her.
A cold knot formed in her stomach, twisting tighter with every passing second. “Oh, gods,” she whispered, her voice barely audible as her eyes widened with dawning horror.
Then, cutting through the desolate quiet, came a voice, gentle and familiar, like a warm breeze brushing against her soul. “Seridia?”
Her breath hitched. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat resonating with a mixture of hope and fear. She froze, her body stiff with hesitation, before slowly turning around.
And there he was, Aero. Her little brother stood there, no longer writhing in torment, no longer caught in the fractured loops of agony that had haunted her nightmares. He wore the simple white tunic and pants he had donned the day he was trapped, now unstained and unmarred. His face was soft, his expression one of tentative relief.
Seridia’s lips parted, trembling as her vision blurred with tears. She took a hesitant step forward, her knees threatening to buckle. Then another, quicker this time. Then one more. And before she knew it, she was sprinting toward him, her heart shattering and mending all at once.
“Aero!” she cried, her voice cracking as tears streamed freely down her cheeks. She threw her arms around him, clutching him with all the strength she had.
Aero sobbed into her shoulder, his grip just as fierce. “Seridia!” he choked out, his voice breaking. “It’s been so lonely here! I thought I’d never see you again!”
She pressed her face into his hair, her hands trembling as she stroked his head. “It’s okay,” she whispered, her voice shaking but gentle. “I’m here now. You don’t have to be alone anymore. I promise.”
They stayed locked in that embrace, the sound of their sobs mingling with the rain. For a moment, it felt as though the world had stilled just for them.
Finally, Seridia pulled back, her hands tenderly brushing the tears from Aero’s face. Her own tears continued to fall as she gave him a soft, bittersweet smile. “Aero,” she began hesitantly, her voice fragile. “Where are Mom and Dad? Are they here too?”
Her question hung In the air like a fragile thread, one that she feared might snap under the weight of the answer. Aero’s expression faltered, his gaze dropping as his lips pressed together. He sniffled, struggling to form the words.
When he finally looked her in the eyes, his own were brimming with fresh tears. “No,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “They… They never came, Seridia.” His voice cracked as he shook his head, his grief spilling out in choked sobs.
The words hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless. Her heart felt like it was being crushed in a vice. More tears spilled down her cheeks as she tried to speak, but the words refused to come. Her lips quivered, her voice lost amidst her anguish.
Aero reached for her, and she pulled him close again, clinging to him as though he might vanish if she let go. They held each other tightly, their shared grief pouring out in waves. They cried for their parents, for the loss of a family that would never be whole again.
The rain continued to fall, soft and steady, as the siblings stood together in their sorrow, bound by their pain but comforted by the fragile solace of reunion. But not all reunions with the dead were joyful or bittersweet ones.
Some were nothing but echoes of pain and fury, wounds too deep to heal. Ray, like the others, found himself in the spirit realm, seated in a small wooden chair across from the woman who had once been his guardian, his family, his source of light.
Her blonde hair cascaded like a golden waterfall over her yellow jacket, a picture of life so vivid it almost mocked him. She wore a white shirt and casual blue jeans, just as vibrant as they had been in life. She sat across from him, somber and calm, her skin glowing faintly with an ethereal hue.
The setting sun poured through the window of the modest room, casting her in soft, golden light, while Ray sat in the encroaching shadows. The light never reached him. It never dared.
Ray’s face and body were swallowed entirely by the darkness, only his piercing violet eyes cutting through the void. They glowed faintly, burning with a quiet but unrelenting fire. “Laura…” he muttered under his breath.
The word was sharp, not tender, not even surprised, a name he hadn’t allowed himself to speak out loud in years. Laura gave him a sad, fragile smile. “I made you blueberry pancakes,” she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. “I remember how much you loved them when you were little. I even shaped them like stars… just like you liked.”
Her voice cracked, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Ray’s cold gaze shifted briefly to the table between them, to the plate of perfectly shaped pancakes and the glass of apple juice beside it. For a fleeting moment, the sight tugged at a buried part of him, but the moment passed like a whisper, leaving nothing.
He raised his violet glowing eyes back to hers, his tone sharp as a dagger. “So, this is it, huh? Trying to bribe me? Sweet-talk me into sparing your brother? That’s why you’re here?”
Laura flinched at his words, the weight of his accusation hitting like a hammer. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her hands trembling in her lap. “Ray… I-I just wanted to talk,” she replied, her voice shaky and pleading. “I wanted to see you. To understand.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Ray snapped, his voice as cold as ice. “Nothing you say will change anything.” His words cut deep, and Laura’s heart sank under the weight of his rejection.
Her mind flashed, unbidden, to the boy she once knew, the boy who had fought tooth and nail to bring her life saving medicine when she was on her deathbed. The boy who had begged and cried for her to live. That boy was gone. Swallowed whole by something far darker.
“Ray…” Laura whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I know what happened to you. I know what Zelena did-"
She didn’t get to finish. The table between them flew across the room with a deafening crash, slamming into the wall and shattering pictures of a younger Ray and Laura. Smiling. Happy. The glass splintered like fragile memories.
“You don’t know a damn thing!” Ray roared, his voice thunderous as he stepped out of the shadows, his cosmic eyes blazing like dying stars.
“Ray!” Laura pleaded, rising to her feet, but he stalked closer, his face twisted in fury.
“I’m like this because of you!” he bellowed, stepping into the light. His heavily scarred face was illuminated, his battered and broken onyx exosuit barely holding together. Wires spilled from the seams, and his rusted necklace, the one holding the shattered crystal Penny had gifted him, hung limply against his chest. Shattered open.
“Ever since you told me to spend my life helping others…” he rasped, his voice breaking as he raised his trembling, chained wrists. His breath came in ragged gasps. “Every single day since I got these powers has been hell!”
“Ray, that’s not-” Laura tried to interject, but he cut her off, his voice rising to a crescendo of pain. “No! You don’t get to talk! You don’t get to act like you understand!”
His voice cracked, raw and anguished. “You didn’t spend two years being tortured day and night! You didn’t have your limbs cut off or your eyes gouged out for some sick fuck’s entertainment! You didn’t have to kill everyone you’ve ever loved just for a slim chance, just a slim chance… that maybe, maybe, you could escape a fate you never asked for!”
His voice broke Into a sob, tears streaming freely down his face. “I spent my whole life helping others… And where did that get me? I had to sell my soul just to survive!”
Laura stood frozen, her own tears falling as she watched the shattered boy she had once known release years of pent-up torment. “If it weren’t for my father…” Ray hissed, his voice dripping with venom. “If it weren’t for you dying of a fucking cold, I might’ve had a chance to be a normal kid!”
“I’m sorry, Ray,” Laura whispered, her voice trembling. Her hands balled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. “I’m so sorry-"
“I don’t care anymore!” Ray snarled, cutting her off as he summoned a swirling portal. From it, he drew the Spirit Slasher katana, its cursed blade glowing ominously.
“I don’t care about you. I don’t care about anyone. Not even myself. It’s too late to stop me,” he said, his voice cold with bitter resolve. “I’ve killed everyone who could, and I’ll kill any damn thing that tries!'' Ray yelled, his voice filled with malice as he raised the cursed katana above Laura's head. ''All that matters now… is breaking the cycle that brought me here.”
Laura’s face crumpled in despair as she watched the nephew she had loved, the boy she had raised like her own son, stand before her as a monster. “Then…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “My nephew is truly dead.”
Ray didn’t flinch. His face remained hard, though the tears on his cheeks glistened in the fading light.
“Zelena killed him,” Ray said, his voice quiet but heavy with finality. And with a single, fluid motion, he brought the katana down, its edge slicing through the air with an eerie hum.
Laura’s form flickered and faded, her soul purged from existence. And as the light in the room dimmed to nothing, Ray stood alone in the darkness, the weight of his choices heavy in the silence.