I no longer know how long I've been sitting here by his side. Everything's become a blur—time, my thoughts, everything. My eyelids are heavy, and despite all my efforts to stay awake, my eyes eventually gave in. I drifted into a restless sleep, clinging to the fragile hope that when I opened my eyes, I would finally see him return to me. I promised myself I would watch over him, that I wouldn't fall asleep, but he's here, and I... I let myself slip away.When I finally wake up, something has changed. There's this warmth. It's so subtle, almost imperceptible, but it's there. It's not the kind of comforting warmth the sun can bring, nor that of our memories. No, this warmth is real. Alive.My fingers gently brush against his hand, and I feel a slight pressure. A reaction. My heart skips a beat, my thoughts race. Is it possible? Was I dreaming?
"Naboru?"
I whisper, my voice barely audible.
Another twitch, this time more distinct. His fingers move under mine, slowly, as if returning from a long journey. My heart races. This moment... this moment I've been waiting for is finally here. I hold my breath as his eyelids slowly open, revealing his gaze. It's like a shock. A suspended moment. His eyes search, confused, lost in a sea of thoughts he's struggling to find.
"Naboru…"
I repeat, louder this time, as if to anchor him in the present.
He blinks, his gaze finally settling on me. The silence between us is heavy with emotion. I feel the tears well up, a mix of relief and pain overwhelming me. I've waited so long for this moment, but now that it's here, I don't know how to handle the wave of emotions crashing over me.
At last, his lips move, forming barely audible words.
"Ume…"
My heart tightens. I cling to this moment, to this fragile yet precious exchange. Naboru is here, with me. His eyes open fully, and his gaze slowly shifts from me to our surroundings. For a moment, he doesn't seem to understand. His brows furrow slightly, as if trying to remember. Then, he slowly sits up, his movements hesitant, fragile, as if he's forgotten how to control his own body.I move aside to give him some space, my eyes never leaving his face. He observes his surroundings, but I can see that his mind is trying to piece together the missing fragments. Then, suddenly, I see him freeze, as if reality has struck him all at once. His eyes scan the scattered debris around us, the blackened stones, the remnants of the ruined manor, the walls reduced to smoldering ruins.
"What...?"
His voice is hoarse, weak, as if he hadn't spoken in ages.
I feel his breath quicken as he sits up further, his eyes taking in the scene of destruction around him. His hands tremble slightly, and I see in his gaze the sudden realization of what has happened.
"The lumicrystals..."
he murmurs, as if remembering the last act he had performed.
I say nothing. I let him grasp it all at his own pace. His eyes linger on each detail, each trace left by the violence of the battle, by the explosion that consumed this place. I watch as his expression shifts from confusion to sadness, then to a bitter form of acceptance.
He knows. He remembers.
"The manor..."
His voice cracks slightly, almost a whisper.
"It's all destroyed… because of me."
He lowers his eyes, his fists clenching. It's as if the weight of everything that happened returns to him all at once, reminding him of his role in the catastrophe.I place a gentle hand on his arm. I want to say something, but the words are stuck in my throat. Because deep down, I know he's right. He detonated the lumicrystals to end the nightmare, but it also destroyed everything. Everything we knew here is now ashes and rubble.Then, his gaze meets mine again, and I see a new question in his eyes, one he doesn't dare to voice. Where is Lysandros? What happened afterward? I slowly nod, as if to tell him I know what he wants to know, and that I will tell him everything. But not now. For now, he needs time to process what he's seeing, to understand the extent of the destruction around him.Naboru closes his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, as if trying to regain some calm amidst the chaos. Then he murmurs, his voice deeper:
"It's over, isn't it?"
I watch him in silence, unable to offer an answer that would ease his doubts.
Naboru remains silent, his eyes fixed on the ruins of the manor, his face hardening under the weight of the guilt gnawing at him. He clenches his fists so tightly that his knuckles turn white. I can almost feel the pain coursing through his heart, the pain he's inflicting on himself.
"It's my fault…"
he murmurs, his voice barely audible.
"I destroyed everything. I left you alone… I should have..."
Before he can finish his sentence, I spring to my feet, my heart aching to hear him blame himself. My legs still tremble with emotion, but I hesitate for not a second. I rush to him and, without thinking, wrap him in my arms with all my strength, my arms entwined around his exhausted body.
"No, Naboru!"
I say, my voice choked by the tears welling up.
"Don't say that... don't blame yourself... You... you saved me."
My words break under the weight of emotion. I feel my cheeks grow wet as tears flow freely, beyond my control. I hold Naboru close, my face buried against his shoulder, my hands clutching desperately at his back as if I feared he might vanish. It's as though the weight of the recent events is crashing down on me at this moment. The relief, the fear, the gratitude, all blending together in my heart.
"It's because of you that I'm alive... that it's all over."
My voice cracks again.
"If you hadn't been there… Lysandros… he would have…"
I can't speak anymore, overwhelmed by the thought of what could have happened. I snuggle closer to him, seeking comfort, shelter in the warmth of his body.
"You saved me…"
I repeat, almost in a whisper.
Naboru doesn't move at first, as if unsure how to react, as if he didn't deserve these words. But slowly, I feel his hesitant arms wrap around me. His still-weak body trembles slightly under my tears, and his breath is uneven, as if he's battling his own emotions.
"Ume…"
he finally murmurs in a hoarse voice, almost stifled by his own guilt.
I pull back just enough to look into his eyes, my own blurred with tears. His expression is full of pain, but also confusion, as if he can't understand how I could be thanking him after everything that happened. But there's something else—a flicker of relief, a glimmer of hope, faint but present.
"You saved me…"
I repeat, softer this time.
"And that's all that matters."
My trembling fingers wipe away a tear rolling down my cheek, but I don't break his gaze. I want him to understand, to feel how sincere I am. Without him, I wouldn't be here. Without him, I would never have escaped Lysandros or the cruel fate he had planned for me.Naboru shakes his head, as if trying to free himself from his thoughts, but I gently take his face in my hands, forcing him to look into my eyes.
"You didn't fail, Naboru."
My words are weak, almost a whisper, but carry a truth I need him to accept.
"You're the reason I survived. You're the reason I'm still here."
I feel his breath hitch, and for a brief moment, I see his eyes fill with tears he's trying to hold back. Then, in a fragile gesture, he lowers his head, as if my words touched him deeply, yet he still struggles to believe them.But I'm here, and I won't let him drown in this guilt. I embrace him again, tighter this time, letting my tears flow freely. It's not the destruction that matters to me, nor the mistakes he thinks he made. What matters is that he's here, with me.And in this embrace, amidst the ruins, I feel his body relax slightly, as if he's beginning to accept, to understand that he's not alone in all of this.
"Thank you…"
I whisper in his ear, my voice filled with infinite gratitude.
"Thank you for doing all of this... for me."
And for a moment, the world around us fades away, leaving only him and me, two broken souls, but still standing.
Suddenly, he kneels behind a bush, quickly sifting through the debris and dead leaves. Moments later, he pulls out a blade, a sword with a dragon-engraved hilt. The crimson color of the weapon reflects the first rays of sunlight, and I immediately sense that something is wrong. This weapon... it's not just an object. It's a decision. A choice he's made, and it scares me.
"What are you doing?"
my voice trembles slightly, though I try to keep it steady.
Naboru doesn't respond right away. He stares at the blade as if he's found an answer, a direction he's decided to follow. Then, without looking at me, he murmurs:
"Ume, I'm sorry to say this, but I have to leave."
Those words hit like a stone in my stomach. It was so sudden... How is it possible that he's changed so much in just a few seconds? Where is Naboru, my savior? Why am I standing before this hollow version of him? I shake my head, refusing to accept what he's just said.
"No…"
I say, stepping closer to him, my hands trembling.
"You can't leave me. Not after everything we've been through. I want to stay with you… I won't let you go."
Naboru straightens up, sword still in hand, and finally faces me. His expression is neutral, almost impassive, but I can see the shadow of pain behind it. He's struggling inside, I know, but as always, he's trying to protect me.
"Ume, you can't come with me,"
his voice is soft but firm.
"This path I must take... it isn't yours."
I shake my head, refusing to listen.
"I don't care about the path! I want to be with you, no matter what!"
My eyes fill with tears, but this time, it's fear driving them, not pain. I reach out to hold him back, but Naboru moves away again, placing a distance between us.
"Ume, it's because I care about you that you can't follow me. I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me."
His voice hardens, and I can feel his resolve.
I take a step forward, my heart racing.
"If you leave, I'm leaving too. I can't live without you, Naboru, don't you get it?! IDIOT!"
But he shakes his head, and this time, I see something deeper in his eyes. An irreversible decision.
"You have to live, I've told you that before…"
His voice nearly breaks at the end, but he holds it, unyielding.
"You have to keep going without me… It's okay, it won't be difficult, you'll see."
I feel desperate, as if the ground is slipping from under my feet.
"No! I refuse!"
I cry out, tears now streaming freely. I move toward him once more, but he stops me, gently placing his hand on my shoulder, preventing me from closing the gap.
"You've already saved me, Ume, I don't need you anymore. Now it's my turn to protect you… by making sure you don't follow this reckless path."
I stare at him, breathless, unable to grasp how he can ask this of me after everything we've been through together. But he looks at me with infinite tenderness, and I know he's made his decision.
"I'm asking you, Ume. Stay here. Live here, for me."
His words echo, like a promise he's asking me to keep in his stead.
He steps closer and pulls me into his arms...
Then, I feel his embrace loosen gently, and before I can say anything, he steps back, the sword still in hand, ready to leave.
And here I am, helpless, watching the one I love walk away, my heart shattered, but with a silent promise on my lips.