His voice breaks, his breathing becomes uneven. One last breath, muffled by the blood, slips from his lips, his eyes remaining open, staring at me horribly, tears still rolling down his cheeks. But this time, there is no false redemption in his words. Only pure hatred, the frustration of a life stolen by a fate he could never control. His arm fell, finally releasing the bands of nonexistence that held him. His head dropped forward, and he remained there, motionless, his final words lost in the tumult of the flames.I turned away, my heart heavy, and I walked out of the burning house. Every step I took was a struggle, my body exhausted, my emotions shattered. Naboru... The only thing that kept me fighting was him. Now, he lies somewhere in that garden, and everything I knew here is nothing but ashes.Once outside, I turned one last time toward that cursed manor. I felt my remaining strength gather within me, and without hesitation, I summoned all the power I had left. My bands shot out once more, bursting from me with unprecedented violence. They wrapped around the walls, slid beneath the foundations, and infiltrated every remaining corner. Then, I clenched my fists, and the bands contracted with a sharp snap, shattering the walls, breaking the beams, destroying every stone, every piece of wood. The house collapsed in on itself with a terrible rumble, and a massive shockwave erupted from the epicenter, sending a blast of flames and ashes all around me.The house, now a heap of ashes and embers, still crackled under the weight of the disaster I had orchestrated. The spectacle of destruction had become a grim echo of my pain. Every falling debris was a reminder of the battles we fought, the hopes we lost. The fire slowly died down, leaving behind a scene of ruin and despair.I approached, staggering, the place where Naboru now rested. My power faded, the bands of nonexistence slowly dissolving, leaving behind ephemeral marks on the scorched ground. I advanced with an almost sacred slowness, each step resonating like an echo in my broken heart. Naboru's body lay on the ground, his breath now imperceptible. I collapsed to my knees, then crouched before what remained of him, surrounded by the last remnants of the flames. Ashes flew around me, dancing like tormented spirits. My hands trembled as I lifted his body into my arms, cradling it gently on my lap.With infinite tenderness, I laid him against me, his head resting softly on my thighs, his body still warm despite the wounds that marred it. The heat of the blaze had made his body almost burning to the touch, but I didn't care, for what mattered was this moment of tenderness and grief. I began to stroke his hair, my fingers lightly brushing through his scattered strands. The softness of this gesture contrasted with the horror surrounding us, an act of kindness in a world turned hostile. My tears fell onto his hair, a mix of fire and water, like desperate rain on a landscape of ruins.
« Naboru... my Naboru... »
I murmured, my voice broken by pain. The words repeated like a litany, a desperate chant for a lost loved one.
« Naboru... I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry... »
I continued to murmur his name, repeating the words over and over, like an incantation to bring life back where there was only silence and ash. Each word was a plea, each caress an act of devotionThe heat of the fire slowly faded, replaced by a coldness that seemed to spread within me, mingling with the pain. I held Naboru against me, my face buried in his hair, crying silently as the last vestige of the burning house slowly extinguished. I murmured his name again, hoping that, somehow, he could hear, feel the love and regret surrounding him, even in this final embrace.Finally, I remained there, motionless, Naboru's body on my knees, the ashes falling gently around us. The flames had given way to the night, and all I could do was stay with him, one last time, stroking his scorched hair in this world turned devastated and desolate.
S.o..r...r....y…..