The world was collapsing around them. The void expanded with an unstoppable force, swallowing the once-vivid surroundings into nothingness. Sylus stood with his jaw clenched, shielding Rose as cracks split the ground beneath their feet. His sharp eyes darted between her and the vanishing horizon, his heart breaking with every moment.
"Rose, you have to go," Sylus said firmly, his voice shaking despite his attempt to sound composed.
Rose stared at him in disbelief, tears streaming down her face. "No. I'm not leaving you here, Sylus. I won't abandon you to fade away with this world!"
Sylus grabbed her shoulders, his grip strong but gentle. His blue-gray eyes locked onto hers, filled with a deep sorrow he couldn't hide. "This world is my home, Rose. It's where I belong. You don't. You were never meant to be here, and I won't let you be destroyed because of me."
Her voice cracked as she cried, "Don't you see? I can't go back knowing I left you behind! I'd rather stay, even if it means…" She couldn't finish the sentence, the weight of her emotions stealing her breath.
Sylus cupped her face, brushing away her tears with his thumbs. His voice softened, but the intensity in his eyes remained. "Kitten, listen to me. This world is falling apart because of us, because of our bond. If you stay, it'll destroy you too. I can't let that happen. You have to go back to the real world. You have a life waiting for you there."
Rose shook her head violently. "I don't care about that life! You're my life now, Sylus!"
He clenched his jaw, his heart shattering at her words. Every fiber of his being wanted to hold her, to keep her by his side, but he knew the truth. He was just a character in this fading world—a fragment of something that wasn't meant to last.
"Rose," he said, his voice breaking, "you have to believe me. If our bond is as strong as I think it is, I'll find a way back to you. Maybe not now, maybe not in this world, but someday. In another time, another universe… I'll come back to you. That's my promise."
Her sobs grew louder as she clung to him, her fingers digging into his shirt like he might disappear if she let go. "How can I believe that? How can I leave when I don't even know if I'll ever see you again?"
Sylus rested his forehead against hers, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because you're strong, Rose. You're stronger than anyone I've ever met. And you've taught me that love doesn't end with distance or time. It endures. You'll carry me with you, just like I'll carry you with me."
She couldn't stop shaking her head, couldn't stop the tears from pouring down her cheeks. "It's not fair," she choked out. "It's not fair that we found each other only to be torn apart like this."
Sylus nodded, his own tears glistening in his eyes. "I know. But some things are bigger than us, kitten. And I need you to survive. For me. For us."
Rose hesitated, her heart breaking into pieces she wasn't sure could ever be put back together. Finally, trembling, she pulled her journal from her bag and pressed it into his hands.
"This… this is for you," she said, her voice barely audible. "To remind you of me. To remind you of everything we've shared. Don't forget me, Sylus. Don't forget us."
He held the journal tightly, staring at it as if it were the most precious thing in the world. Then he looked back at her, his expression filled with equal parts love and despair. "I could never forget you, Rose. Not in this life, not in any life."
The cracks in the world widened, and the light around them grew blinding. The figure reappeared, watching silently as the emotional scene unfolded.
Sylus stepped back, his hands slipping from Rose's as he forced himself to let her go. "You have to go now," he said, his voice firm despite the tears streaming down his face. "I'll find you again, I swear it."
Rose's legs felt like lead as she took a shaky step toward the void, her entire body screaming at her to stay. But she knew she couldn't. This was her only chance to survive, to hold on to the promise Sylus had made.
As the light consumed her, she turned back one last time, her voice breaking as she called out, "I love you, Sylus!"
He smiled through his tears, his voice echoing as the world collapsed around him. "I love you too, kitten. Always."
And then she was gone, her body pulled into the light as the game world crumbled into nothingness.
---
Rose woke up in her bed, her heart pounding and her cheeks wet with tears. The journal wasn't with her anymore, but she felt its weight in her heart. Sylus was gone, but his promise remained.
For now, she would live. She would wait. Because deep down, she believed him. One day, in another time or place, he would find her again. And their bond—stronger than any world—would bring them back together.