alright, i'm going now :: la finale de torren

 

It ends how it began.

Amid chaos, among tragedy. There are tears and pleas, sorrow and desperation. A world you abandoned watching as you fall in the one you chose. Somewhere there is a statue of you preparing for its duty. Preparing to become your final physical image among a great garden of greenery. You were brought into this existence to be beaten by Death, toyed with and slaughtered. But for three whole days you defied Him, spit in his face with the same blood he had signed for in your creation. For three days you have fought Death instead of withered like another one of His precious roses. And for three days you were free.

In the moment you are silent as your blade drips with the blood of another boy. Denied by Ridley just as you were by your Mother, you're alone again. Sure Sapphire swings in your defense and you're grateful, but she isn't here for any other reason than to survive. You should have known what was going to happen when you first saw Ridley within your lantern's light. She has always been firm with her desire for returning to One. You should have known that she would be the death of you. But you thought she would care more when her allies killed you. Yet as their steel slaughters you, she too leaves you with a hand outstretched to a world which only knows how to take from you. Alas, despite the urge to whisper the words "you're wrong, I don't know you at all," you can't bring yourself to drive hurt further into her heart. No, it's not that, you're scared that if you hurt her now then no one will visit your statue or find your name as worthy of remembering.

Instead, you just fall.

The once frigid water of the river is now pleasant upon its rushing over your face. Through the sloshing surge of ice you spy Ridley being ripped away among screams that grow ever quieter. Hands try to roll you out from the water but you wrap your's weakly around them in response. Your dimming eyes of blue stare hazily up into those of warm brown belonging to Sapphire.

"No, it's nice in here."

Your head rolls heavily back into the water as your dirty blonde hair ripples into brown. Your usual smirk, even as red begins to pool in the water around you, fills your face. Between ragged breaths you release what could very well be your final joke.

"Plus... we're still supposed to go skinny dipping, right?"

Your laughter is that of dying breath. Your lunges cannot support the action so what sounds more like dry gasps greets the air. Your eyes haven't fallen from Sapphire's as they seem like a forest you are able to explore with your stare. You raise a shaking hand to run a finger along the side of her face. The last time you did this you were the one watching someone die, watching helplessly as your Mother paid the price of your name. Although hard, you can't help but talk.

"I meant what I said... earlier in the forest."

Your mind melds to the previous night, to the truth and emotion you shared in grief. It makes you wonder what her night will be like this time.

"This doesn't define you... even though I came here so it would define me."

You swallow hard as metal stings the back of your throat.

"I just wanted to be remembered..."

As you wait for her to speak, you notice that you can't feel the cold or the pain anymore. Every part of your body is numb aside from your collapsing lunges and thundering heart. How ironic. In your final moments your heart is strong, fighting to protect you. You really did break free from Fate didn't you? You carry on speaking yourself.

"If you see Ridley again... I need you to tell her something for me..."

Your eyes close for a second. It's longer than that, but you're not sure by how much. A minute? Five? They flutter open again.

"Tell her... that I'll see her in the garden..."

You can't move anymore, your body is fading. You can't turn to see where he is, but you know Reyes isn't too far if Sapphire is here. You have to find something to say to him too. That's what allies are supposed to do before they die right?

"Reyes... you had my back... thank you..."

It's not much, but it's all you can bring yourself to say. Your body is nearly gone and your heart nearly quiet, but your soul is anxious. It needs to move freely. It can't stand being confined with a lack of movement. So you make one final request for the freedom you came here to find.

"Push me... into the river... I want to... float away."

The last thing you see before grey sky is her eyes, still so warm and full. Without the ground beneath you, you feel as though you're flying. Water laps over your face from time to time, but you aren't struggling for breath as you slowly sink. Instead your smiling softly as your face sinks beneath the surface. The final picture the world ever gets to see of you is a smile.

You won.

<><><><>

The waves below you crash as they crawl barely up the cliffs' edge. The vast horizon of ocean carries on far beyond your sight and into the never ending fog from which you came. Your fingers fiddle with a bush of ruses as you stand within a beautiful garden. The colors are different than the ones you knew, but that doesn't matter. All that does is the distance. You spend each day waiting, wondering. Who will come from the fog next?

"Torren?"

You drop a rose over the cliffs' edge as you do each day. Something for one of them to follow. Your face softens into a small smirk.

"I'm coming Cole, is someone still scared of walking through Death's gardens all alone?"