Chapter Text
It was the end of the world.
Cale Henituse stood in the remnants of a war torn battlefield, surrounded by smoke and destruction and death, and he knew in his heart of hearts that this world is about to end.
And yet, he does not despair.
"... we did it."
The voice of Cale the soldier is soft but it echoed on the empty world, with the only one to hear his words being the Hero by his side who shared his sentiments.
They did it.
Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds, despite the years of hardships, and despite the many, many losses...
They did it.
They had won the war.
The White Star is dead.
It was, quite literally, a miraculous feat.
A laugh escapes Cale's throat, followed by a cough as he falls on his knees. Blood drips out his mouth, but a grin is etched on his face. He looks up and meets the dark eyes of Choi Han who had sat on the ground as well, leaning heavily on his sword to keep upright.
A melancholic grin etched itself on the Hero's face, his left eye swollen shut, but a chuckle escapes his lips as well. Both the Hero and the Soldier looked battered and worse for wear, but at that moment it hardly mattered.
The did it.
It hadn't been easy.
Cale, through various fated encounters, near-misses with death, and sheer dumb luck, had figured out their greatest enemy's only weakness: A life that is older than the White Star's existence.
Conveniently, it turned out that the Hero Choi Han had apparently lived longer than the White Star ever did, more than the madman's a thousand years, and so his lifeblood became the very weapon that struck down the White Star and ended the 20-year long war that ravaged the world.
And they did it.
Against all odds, they had won.
"... I guess this is it," Cale rasped, his words barely audible, but it doesn't matter. He was heard anyway, if the slight nod of acknowledgement from Choi Han is any indication.
"... It was an honor fighting by your side," Choi Han offers, the resentment from their tumultuous first meeting now gone after years of fighting together in a seemingly hopeless war.
"... Likewise." Cale barely replies, only able to say a single word before tilting sideways and falling on the ground, followed shortly by Choi Han, who too, was slowly succumbing to fatal injuries.
The thump of their fallen bodies echo on the silent, barren, land.
They did.
They had won, but at a steep price.
It was the end of the world.
It was the end of their life.
It was surprisingly peaceful.
As Cale Henituse lay dying, the sum of his life flashed before his eyes, and Cale truly felt his mortality at that moment.
Life, indeed, is too short, and Cale spent the first half of his distancing himself from the family he loved deeply, and spent the other half mourning them in every waking moment.
If there is a next life, Cale thought, he hopes it would be kinder than this one.
At the very least,
"I don't want to be alone."
Those were his thoughts.
Cale Henituse dies.
The world ends.
Or at least, just this one.
When the blood soaked blade from Choi Han's sword pierced the existence that is White Star, it did more than put an end to his reincarnating life.
It also broke the chains of a powerful curse.
As the White Star's soul came undone, it sent a ripple through time and space, reaching towards a certain soul from another world.
A soul who unknowingly shared the White Star's curse.
An unlucky soul who's body got stolen and it's fate unfairly tied to that of the White Star's.
With the White Star's death, the curse broke.
But not before inflicting one last damage.
It felt like the end of the world, all over again.
An unranked monster rampaging throughout the city, destroying buildings and causing havoc, a force of destruction unlike any the world has seen before.
But Kim Rok Soo had faced the end of the world before, and faced unranked monsters before, and faced destruction unlike any the world has seen before, twice over.
And Kim Roksu had survived.
He had learned.
He had gotten stronger.
Most importantly, Kim Roksu had prepared.
The communcation device on his ear crackled to life, and the voice of field agent Lee came through.
"... Evacuation is complete. Field is clear for battle, sir!"
"Good work. Fall back for now, and standby for further instructions."
Kim Roksu's lips quirks to the side, observing the various monitors the Rear Squad had set up to track the movements of the unranked monster and assist with communication from the Main Tower and the Field Agents.
The Company had long predicted the appearance of the unranked monster, and with Kim Roksu spearheading the preparations for the counterattack, things had gone smoothly so far.
However, experience had taught Rok Soo to never let his guard down and that unexpected things always happen in the battlefield.
This is going to be a grueling fight, but one he was determined to win.
Kim Rok Soo unbuttons the firt two buttons of his shirt, activating his ability as he heads towards the Team 1 envoy.
Communication lines are clear. The Fighters are all debriefed and suited up. Equipment and Supplies are stocked and ready to deploy. Medics are ready to assist at the moments notice. Reinforcements are on standby.
They are ready.
Rok Soo opens his communicator, speaking clearly with a commanding voice.
"All units, this is Team Leader Kim Rok Soo."
In the distance, the unranked monster roars.
"I will now be issuing orders..."
With that, the battle begins.
For a while, things were going well.
Although the unranked monster was strong, the ability users were experienced and strategic in fighting it, with different teams coordinating to attack and defend, avoiding sustaining serious injuries with the guidance of Team Leader Kim who was fighting with them on the front lines.
The battle was hard and long but optimistic, and when Rok Soo was able to determine the unranked monster's attack pattern, it looked like victory was at hand.
But fate, as it always is, had other plans.
A pulse echoes through time and space, leading towards a soul whose fate was unknowingly tied to a curse.
A curse that was broken, with a price.
Kim Rok Soo observed the remnants of the battlefield, of the fallen monster they had defeated, of the faces of the Team 1 members under his care.
The battle had been hard and grueling, and no one had survived it unscathed. Not a single one of them was without injuries, and every one looked every bit as disheveled as one would expect anyone who fought for their lives would be.
But everyone had survived.
A relieved sigh escaped Kim Rok Soo's lips, followed by a cough and a trickle of blood that dripped down his chin.
"...being alive really is the best," he mused, a smile tugging his lips and a hand over his heart where a stray shrapnel had pierced it, "I'm glad everyone is ok."
That's right. Being alive really is the best, and Kim Rok Soo was glad that everyone survived this battle.
Well, everyone except for him.
"Team Leader!" Kim Min Ah called out, cradling their Team Leader's head on her lap, trying to keep herself from crying. Around them were the other members of Team 1, all trying their best not to cry as well.
They all know what is coming, and all they could do now was do their best not to worry their Team Leader that cared too much for them.
There is only one thing to do now.
"Team Leader, leave everything to us."
Kim Min Ah says to their Team Leader, knowing well how the burden of leadership and the responsibility of looking after so many lives weighed down heavily on Kim Rok Soo.
"We will be ok. You can rest now."
This is the least they could do.
Kim Rok Soo's eyes flutter shut at her words, the pain he feels numbing as he slowly succumbed to his injuries.
"...that sounds nice," Rok Soo rasps, "yes, I'll go do that..."
To leave all the hardwork for everyone else and slack off, isn't that what he'd always wanted?
It felt like the end of the world, all over again.
It is surprisingly peaceful.
As Kim Rok Soo lay dying, the sum of his life flashed before his eyes, and he felt profound loneliness.
He spent the first half of his life losing his loved ones over and over again, then spend the other half keeping his distance from everyone in fear of losing more.
It is a lonely existence.
If there is a next life, Rok Soo thought, he hopes it would be kinder than this one.
At the very least,
"I don't want to be lonely."
Those were his thoughts.
Kim Rok Soo dies.
The world did not end.
But for those left behind, it felt like it did.
The God of Death surveys the worlds.
Cradled in his arms are two souls.
Souls he had wronged and felt deserved better than the life they were dealt with.
"A chance at happiness,"
The God of Death hummed,
"A kinder life."
A compensation for the wrongs done to them and for the cruel meddling on their fates.
The God of Death chose a world, and placed the two souls in them.
He wished for their peace.
The 8th day of the 11th month of the 763rd year of the Felix Calendar.
In a certain territory in the Roan Kingdom, an entire city is celebrating the birth of the first born children their territory lords.
"Twins!" The people shout in the streets, "Our County is blessed with twins!"
Countess Jour Thames Henituse, beloved wife of the esteemed Count Deruth Henituse, has given birth to healthy twin boys.
So beloved were the lords of this territory that the birth of their eldest sons were reason enough to celebrate.
It was a joyful day.
However, no one was happier than the new parents who held their newborns in their arms, already full of love for the new life they were blessed with.
The arrival of their sons was miracle.
Due to an accident on her youth, Jour was left with a condition that made it difficult for her to conceive. Of course, Deruth loved her regardless, ready by her side no matter what, but Jour had always wanted children. It was something she had always yearned for.
Then one day, she dreamed of two names, and she knew then and there that her family will be complete.
"Cale and Roksu." Jour whispers the names of her babies, planting a kiss on their foreheads, her heart swelling impossibly with love for them.
"Our beautiful sons." Deruth smiles, holding his wife and sons prtectively in his arms, eyes glistening with tears of happiness, "Our little miracles."
Cale and Roksu stirs on their parent's hold, fussing until their hands brushed together, instinctively holding onto each other.
They don't know it yet, but this is life is their chance to finally find their happiness.
And although the future remains uncertain, and although trials and hardships may come their way, this time around they have each other to rely on.
For now they sleep in peace, holding onto each other and surrounded by love.
In this world, a new life begins.