"Finally…"
His eyes widened at the sight of that beautiful piece of miracle, something that defies all logic, yet somehow makes the most sense. The blue orbs rotated around the Piece of Eden, a small fragment of heaven, yet so vast. A dazzling, luminescent object that doesn't belong to this universe. None of this registers in his mind. His eyes are glued to it. His destiny, his moment of rescue, his salvation has finally come. He has earned this moment. A deep wave of ecstasy surges through him, raw and overwhelming. These emotions don't lie, his suffering was not in vain. His patience, his belief, his resilience, his faith have finally begun to repay him. Finally. Finally.
He takes one step toward the large relic hovering in the air. He is mesmerized by its beauty, even though he has witnessed existences far more breathtaking than this. Yet, right now, this is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. It was, and it will remain so. What a sight. What beauty. What mystery. What miracle. He knows this sight. He recognizes it. And yet it feels like he's seeing it for the first time. It's the first time he has truly appreciated something he's seen all his life but never understood its value.
"Finally… Finally I can…"
His dreams, his hopes, lie right in front of his eyes. That large, obscure shape of blue luminescence which defies all logic holds his life's deepest wishes. His time for repentance is over. His sins, finally forgiven. This is his way out of suffering. This is his goal. A trophy not for show, but a key to the end of all his struggles. He approaches, his right hand slowly raising toward that existence which defies everything. He should be confused, should be cautious, but he moves toward it as if it's something precious. He wants it. He wants that power in his grasp. He wants to go back. He wants those peaceful days again. He's learned his lesson. This is a sign. A proof of it.
Tears well up in his eyes, as if they've been held back for so long he'd forgotten how to cry. More importantly, he was never supposed to cry. He was never supposed to feel these human emotions, burdens for a being like him. He despises them, yet now he feels a warm sense of relief. Joy, sadness, ecstasy, a mix of feelings so fuzzy yet so clear. It makes sense. Somehow, he feels grateful. For once, he is grateful to be human.
"I can… I can finally… go home…"
His eyes are blinded by the light, those dazzling heavenly lights. Any normal being would have lost their sight by now, but he is too captivated. He loves this discomfort. Discomfort? It's torture. And yet he cherishes the pain in his eyes, as if he's been reunited with something he lost long ago. His tears slowly turn red. His human eyes are burning under the blinding light from the Piece of Eden. He tries to reach for the giant orb. He almost touches it, but then…
The artifact begins to rise from its small, round altar, like a birdbath, shallow and still. It ascends and moves toward him. He almost screams with joy.
"YES! I WIN! I WIN! I WIN! I FINALLY HAVE WON! THIS SUFFERING ENDS!"
He screams, blood streaming from his eyes. His pain and sorrow erupt in a single roar from the depths of his heart. That cry tears down the final barrier within him. He feels liberation like never before.
But fate had other plans. His suffering is far from over.
The holy artifact from heaven drifts, not toward him, but toward her. The one who had been standing behind him all this time. He hadn't seen her.
"What… Who…? What…"
A slow, growing despair rises within him with every inch the orb moves toward the girl.
"No…"
"No…"
"No…"
"NO…"
"NO…!"
"NO!!!"
The artifact doesn't listen. It never was supposed to. It pays no heed to any being's will. It is divine. It is fate. This has already been decided. It is only unfolding.
The girl stands frozen, not understanding what's happening. Her legs feel glued to the floor. She wants to run away from that unknown force, but she can't. She can't scream. She can't speak. She is paralyzed.
He screams in despair. His cries come off like the howls of a dying beast. They echo through the empty castle. There is a storm outside, but his voice alone cuts through the silence. His grief silences the very elements. The great hall in the castle witnesses something akin to the slow flaying of a living creature.
"NO! NO! WHAT IS HAPPENING? I'M RIGHT HERE! WHY IS IT GOING AWAY FROM ME?!"
He collapses, first to his knees, then to his hands, overcome by despair. Reality is being torn apart in front of him, and he is powerless. He watches with eyes he can't even close. The universe wants him to witness this.
The girl whispers, maybe to herself, maybe she finally forces her lips to move. But it's barely a sound.
"Help…"
She says it with almost no motion, no effort, a forgotten whisper.
The holy artifact strikes her body. It launches her across the hall, slamming her into the intricately designed royal wall. The artifact vanishes inside her. Her body lies broken, bleeding. Yet she feels no pain. Or perhaps the pain is so great she can't even process it. Her eyes remain wide open. She lies inside the gaping hole in the wall. The debris around her is meaningless. Her mind, empty.