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Cold. Too cold. The air is cold. The ground is cold. Even the sun shines cold. But the coldest is the icy grip of memories.
"Find your happiness!"
"But you are my happiness..."
"Haha and what would you do if I wasn't here?"
"I don't know..."
And even now he doesn't know as he lies here on the frozen steps and the last dust shell of his happiness rises before him... motionless, forever and ever, until the end of time.
“I don't know, you see? I don't know what else I could do!”
"Is this the only way?!"
"Shh, don't cry."
"This is not fair at all! Why do you have to save everyone?!"
"Haha, this is my fate, my dear."
"But it's not fair!!"
"Life is never fair, my dear."
"It's not fair! It's not fair!! It's not fair!! Let's run away from fate together! Come with me! Let's leave everything behind!!"
"You know I can't, my love."
Then and now, all he can do is cry helplessly, like a hysterical little child. But what else can he do? In the eyes of Fate, he really is just a hysterical little child. His life, his feelings are worthless to Fate.
"I love you Ororon."
"NO! PLEASE!! DON'T GO!"
"I love you..."
"NO! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE!!"
"I have to go. Don't cry, please. Smile, so that is my last memory I have of you."
"NO! PLEASE! DON'T GO!!"
"May you live a long and happy life, my dear. I will love you forever."
Then and now, all he can do is sob. To sob heartbreakingly and just repeat: Please don't leave me, I love you…
Cold. Cold. Terribly cold. He sinks deeper and deeper into that freezing darkness that slowly absorbs him completely. However, suddenly something warmth surrounds him. Like a familiar hug. Warm, comfortable, full of love and all too familiar.
“Thrain..?” the word falls from Ororon's lips. But no one responds to the name, only the hug becomes tighter, warmer. Ororon's heart -burning with grief - calms down, becomes quiet. His head goes blank and he focuses only on this warmth. As if he had found home. He sinks into a dreamless sleep, wrapped in that warm hug. So he can no longer hear the soft words whispered in his ear: Sleep, my dear. You deserve it. I love you Ororon, forever.
“-Ron! -Oron! Ororon! Wake up!” The bat boy wakes up to someone shaking his shoulders.
“Oh thank the Archons! You're still alive! Do you know what your grandmother would have done if she had found you here frozen to death?!” Ororon slowly takes in the words. “I'm sorry Ifa…” he whispers as he slowly stands up, holding onto his friend.
“It’s freaking cold…” whispers Ifa as he helps Ororon up. But he doesn't feel the cold. Although the warmth that surrounded him earlier has disappeared. However, his heart has calmed down. It is still full of grief, loneliness and sadness, but a part of it has calmed down like the water of the ocean after a storm.
“Let's go, Granny Itztli will skin us both alive if I don't take you home.”
Ororon nods and, wiping the tears that have frozen on his face, he steps after Ifa. But not before he took one last look back at the tall, majestic figure who sat there, atop the ice throne, motionless, forever and ever, until the end of time.
"I love you too, Thrain. We'll meet again."