Chapter Text
Gentle and warm sunlight streams into the room. The mahogany curtains are drawn back but the sheer curtains remain down to ensure that the room isn’t too bright for the ex-commander.
Rosalyn sits beside a pale man propped up slightly by pillows. Her hands clasp his colder ones gently. The long red hair of the two gently swayed due to magic Eruhaben had casted on the room to ensure a constant flow of air.
In her eyes, Cale is almost a mirage. So fragile, yet so beautiful. It felt as though he could disappear with a blink of her eyes. It’s stunning.
It’s terrifying.
“This is,” Cale lets out a cough but remains smiling under Rosalyn’s gaze. “Super cliche, but, please help me let the kids know how much I love them.”
“Of course.” Rosalyn knew better than to ask him to tell them himself. She knows all too well that she would be asking the impossible.
“Th-Thank you…” Cale coughs again. “For being by my side throughout… This.”
“I will always be by your side.” Rosalyn’s hands tighten their grip but even that couldn’t stop Cale from feeling the tears that fell like loose pearls that gently fell on his hands.
Like magnets, the corner of his eyes droop down as the corner of his mouth slightly curves upwards. He tilts his head gently as he stares at Rosalyn whilst his red hair flows off his shoulder.
“Cale?” Rosalyn tilts her head in mimicry with Cale’s actions.
“I,” Cale coughed again. “I’m okay, don’t worry.”
Rosalyn couldn’t reply.
It felt as though something was stuck in her throat. God forbid she let it burst now.
The grip on his hands tighten even more but not enough to hurt him. Rosalyn would never hurt him.
“I wrote some letters,” Cale coughed again. “For you all, they’re in the third,” Another cough. “Drawer under my desk.”
Oh god. The dam had broken, shattered. Utterly and completely. Tears raced down her face in a continuous stream. Her body shook as she let out silent sobs.
“Don’t cry.” Cale’s hand broke from Rosalyn’s grip. His hand softly brushed against Rosalyn’s cheek. “Please don’t cry.”
Rosalyn’s body only shook harder at his words. Her own hands reached up to wipe away her tears. “I’m sorry. I should be comforting you instead.”
Cale looked gently at her. His arms were tired. She guided his hands down back into their original positions. She always knew what he needed.
“Don’t,” Another cough. “Be sad that my journey is over..” Another cough. “Be happy that I got to experience it with you all.”
She stared at him and mustered a shaky smile, “I am very happy to have met you, young master.”
“Mmm,” Cale hummed with his eyes closed for a bit. “Kim Rok Soo.”
“Yes?” Rosalyn’s crying had subsided slightly.
“My previous name.” Cale opened his eyes and met Rosalyn’s with an awkward smile on his face. “I’m a transmigrator.”
“…Rok Soo.”
“That,” Another cough. “That’s my name.”
“Thank you, Kim Rok Soo, for bringing so much joy to everyone.”
Hazel eyes med red ones.
A mutual smile.
A tightening of the grip.
A reply in the form of another, weaker, tighten.
Brown eyes slowly drift downwards.
Red eyes follow.
The brown eyes close.
They don’t open.
They don’t open.
…
“Rok Soo? Cale? Young master! Wake up! Please!”
They won’t open.
Lock, Choi Han and Eruhaben enter.
They look in silence. They look at the floor in mourning.
“Cale… please” Rosalyn slid down to her knees as she shook Cale’s hands in hers. His cold, limp hands.
“…He’s gone.” Eruhaben walked forward and stood next to Rosalyn.
“He’s not, he can’t be!” Even as she says this, her hands let go of Cale’s and fall limply to her side. Her head falls onto Cale’s bed. “Alberu’s not even here yet!”
“He’s gone, Rosalyn.” Eruhaben gently combed his fingers through Rosalym’s hair to comfort her. Choi Han and Lock continue to stand in silence.
“God damn it!” Rosalyn’s hand moves to punch the mattress only to fall limply to her side. “That asshole won’t even spare any time for his dying husband?”
“Rosalyn…” Eruhaben continues combing her hair.
Red magic swirled around Rosalyn as she clenched her fists. It flowed like tyrant waves, clashing and fighting with itself. Her eyes glowed red with power and unbridled anger. Even her tears were rising up into the air.
“Rosalyn, calm down.” Golden dust settled atop the red magic, calming down its rough currents. Eruhaben set his hand on Rosalyn’s shoulder.
Lock and Choi Han both took a closer step towards Rosalyn. Both their faces were covered in tear streaks. Choi Han’s hand clenched over his scabbard as he remembered how Cale laid on his deathbed without the support of his very own husband.
A loud slam of the door. Golden blonde hair runs in. He’s panting. “I’m here, where’s Cale?”
…
Red magic swirled up again like riptides trying to push Alberu. Golden dust among the red comforted it like a mother would comfort their crying child.
“He’s gone.” Eruhaben did not bother looking at him. Eruhaben’s voice was cold.
“…You’re joking.” Alberu takes a few shaky steps backwards. He breathlessly laughed.
“I’m not.”
“Yes,” Alberu choked. “Yes, you are”
“Would you like to feel his cold, dead, body? The empty husk that lacks a pulse? The big heart that has stopped beating? The lungs that no longer move for a dead body does not need air?” Rosalyn turned to face him, viciously glaring at him/
Alberu falls to his knees in the middle of the room.
“He’s your husband. Yet not a single second of his suffering was shared with you.” Rosalyn humorlessly laughed. “In life and in death. In health and in sickness. What absolute bullshit.”
“I…” Alberu opened his mouth.
“You do not deserve to speak. You do not deserve to defend yourself. You do not deserve the endless love he gave you.” Rosalyn stood up. Eruhaben grasped her hand gently.
“…”
“You do not deserve anything! Not even this empire that Cale saved for you. You deserve nothing.” Rosalyn took 2 steps towards him, brushing Eruhaben’s hand off.
“…” Tears flowed down Alberu’s face.
Rosalyn ignored his cries. “You better plan a good funeral because that will probably be the only thing you have ever, will ever contribute to Cale. It’ll definitely be the last time you’ll see me, us. Consider it a funeral for our friendship too.”
No one else could speak up in the presence of such strong rage. No one wished to speak up when Rosalyn had already conveyed all their blood thirst to Alberu for them.
“I’m sorry.” Alberu couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. Even if he could, he wouldn’t be able to see anything past his curtain of tears.
“You better be.” Rosalyn clenches her hands into fists. Instead of doing any harm to him, she storms out.
Choi Han and Lock immediately follow behind her. They don’t want to be in the presence of such a pathetic person either.
“I hope that you really deeply reflect on yourself. Maybe then you could find a speck of the light that your hair shines so uselessly with.”
Eruhaben exits, leaving only Alberu and a very dead body on the bed.
With a heavy heart, Alberu stands and walks over to Cale.
Gentle sun rays stream over him and a thin layer of mist in the air soften his features as though he were not already flowery enough.
His flower had wilted due to his negligence. It had bloomed for too long and when it showed signs of sickness, Alberu failed to care for it.
“I’m so sorry, my Atlantis.”