"I'm sorry….forgive me, Cath. It still hurts a lot, doesn't it?" I embraced her body as my voice breaks uncontrollably.
Although I had pierced her heart, the parasitic dark attribute lingering around still tried to keep her alive.
"No….it hurts less than usual," Catherine said, leaning deeper into my arms.
I couldn't help but let out a few sniffles. My tears dropped onto her face as my hands trembled. I have no idea of what face I was making at the time but Catherine was looking at me with a nostalgic gaze.
"This feels like back when we were nine. When I almost fell down a cliff….You held onto me with that exact face."
The memories flitted in and out of my mind. Our childhood memories…how nice if we could go back to that time before this cursed dark attribute appeared. I bit down my lips, hard enough to draw blood before replying to her.
"…and your face back then was hilarious." I smiled a bit yet the tears never halted.
"Geezz….well, at least… it made you smile now," she replied with great difficulty.
I could see how she struggled to even breathe. Her chest rose up and down in an abnormal rhythm while cold sweat broke on her temple. Yet, she still tried to wipe away my tears with her remaining strength.
I cradled her body carefully, so carefully as if she was the most delicate treasure in the whole world….no, possibly the whole universe would come closer in comparison.
"I hope….that…I don't look so bad…now…"
"…."
I observed the details of her face. Veins bulging on her jaw and forehead. Her skin was blackened. A part of it looks rotten, even. A pair of dull eyes looking directly into mine while the chapped lips curled up into a soft smile. My heart shattered at the sight. However, one thing remained unchanged.
"…..You look beautiful, Cath," I said, leaning down and pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead.
No matter how she appeared to be, Catherine is still Catherine. How could she ever looks bad?
"Don't….. be so sad….I'm sorry….. that I didn't... stay by your side…..for long."
I felt the last remnant of dark magic left her heart. Catherine's hand was caressing my cheek and I leaned desperately for her last bit of warmth. She was finally freed. The hand fell lifelessly and her body goes limp. I couldn't save her. I killed her. I'm the only person she had and she's the only one for me. But now her blood will forever stain my hand. The death of my sun, and the night will forever be haunting me.
I was lost. All I could do was curl up there, dejectedly holding onto her lifeless body. Grief and hatred, that's all that's left.
The castle was quiet. I usually found such an atmosphere to be peaceful but it was torturing me at the time. My hearing range extended in search for any sound nearby. There's cheers echoing from outside, celebrating the end of the Scourge. No more gruesome nights, no more terrifying monsters to fight off. That was when I noticed that the other knights in the castle had left with the injured Alexander. The news must've had reached the ears of the others.
"Everyone else are overflowing with happiness…yet why can't you be one of them?" I said quietly, tightening the grip around the precious being.
I stared longingly at that still face, my hand softly caressing her cheek. Is it possible to see those eyes looking at me once again? As bright as always, sparkling so beautifully.
People said that everything happened for a reason, that everything had its silver lining. Even so, why should I trade my 'life' for a measly line?
I wanted to scream and yell, yet nothing came out. Catherine is dead. She's dead. It's my fault. It's all on me. I'm in the wrong, Cath. I'm the wrong one. What should I do? How do I fix this? I can't think straight without you. You're my light. My everything. You gave me strength. You gave me life. One last time, please.
"Save me, Catherine," I pleaded.
My mind was a mess. The dark castle felt even more intimidating now. It was scaring me, but I never budged from my spot. That was when we received a company.
"She finally died, I see," a powerful voice entered my ears.
On top of the large throne, stood a mighty black dragon with its yellow eyes staring down at me. I believe that I was supposed to feel surprised or shocked. However, all I felt was numbness.
"She came to see me once. Who would've thought that such a measly human could actually break through my magic barrier?" The dragon said, landing on the ground. Its wings was flapping majestically, fitting of its presence.
"…she did?"
The dragon didn't reply right away. It took a lingering look on Catherine first before finally nodding. "She had made a wish," It said. "However, she couldn't pay the price."
"….and what did she wished for?"
"For her death," the dragon replied bluntly.
My heart throbbed at the thought. She suffered so much that she kept on wishing for her death. Had she always thought that way? Was it painful for her to keep living by my side due to my own selfish decisions?
"Killing such a strong dark attribute isn't all that simple, you see. That filthy power would definitely get in the way in order to keep her alive. A dragon won't do any charity, either."
I nodded at its statement. A great being like a dragon would never need the help of the other races, especially humans, nor will it help without anything in exchange.
"May I know what was the price that you asked of her?"
"The most important thing for her," the dragon replied. "In my opinion, it was quite the trivial one but she refused it right away."
The dragon didn't seem willing to tell more about it so I stopped my inquiries.
Cracks began to form on the castle's walls. It slowly crept through the whole building and shook the place with destruction. The dragon had already spread its wings wide, ready for a flight. The sharp citrine eyes met my gaze for the last time.
*I can't let it end like this,* I thought.
"Wait!" I called out to it. "I have a wish, too."
As if expecting it, the dragon retracted its wings back and asked calmly, "I do not mind but you do know that it would not be for nothing, right?"
"Take anything, I am willing to," I replied.
I've steeled my resolve. After all, my reason and strength was right in my arms. My gaze fell on her again. Catherine's face looks peaceful, as if she was just sleeping. However, I couldn't deny the truth. She's really gone, she's not with me anymore.
"Alright, what is it, young human?" The dragon asked, its eyes were showing a hint of amusement. Perhaps, it found my misery interesting. That's how dragons are, after all.
"Rewrite the stories. I wish that Catherine had a better life in it. A life where she could be happy and carefree. A life where she won't have to worry about her attribute going out of control. Somewhere she could just live her life to the fullest."
"Hm…That is a difficult wish, human. The price might be more—"
"Just take how much you want. My whole being, my soul, anything. As long as she could live a more fortunate life, I do not mind at all."
"…yet another peculiar human," the dragon said. The amusement never left its eyes. Maybe that's how it looked at Catherine, too. "Well then, it'll hurt so brace yourself."
*GURURURURU!*
A surge of powerful mana filled the space. It was so concentrated that it suffocated me to no end. The castle shook even more vigorously that chunks of rubbles slammed to the ground. The severely damaged roof was breaking apart. That's when I noticed that the sky had actually cleared up. Just as a large piece of it was about to crash upon us, I lost my consciousness due to the powerful mana.
"Her price was the 'Memories of her'. Such a thing could be considered valuable, huh?"
That was the last thing I heard before I got swallowed up by the nothingness. All my senses were lost yet I found tranquility in it. No grief, no pain. Just nothing. I let it drift away my soul, like a dark wave of space and time. I didn't know where I was nor how much time had passed. That was until I could feel a ray of sunlight penetrating my eyes. I was laying down on the ground by myself, in a place that I could tell in a single glance. Pushing myself up, I scanned the familiar vicinity.
*….The slum?*
I looked down at my small hands and body. The filthy clothes and the alley.
*Ah…isn't this the day where I first met her?* I thought, sadness tugging sneakily onto my heart.
I understood it all then. The price, the return. If the most important thing for Catherine was to not be forgotten, mine is a lot simpler. The most important thing for me is my 'home', which was Catherine herself.