Pain...
...
...
...
...
All I feel is pain.
Why?
The pain... it's unbearable.
I can't stop thinking about it.
My ribs shattered, their pieces stabbing my organs, piercing my heart, puncturing my lungs.
I can feel my insides leaking out. They're burning up, yet my skin feels cold.
My head... it feels like it was split open. I can feel it, my brain getting lighter and lighter.
Stop thinking about it!
Please stop!
STOP!?
...
Why?
What did I do to deserve this?
Why did they not believe me?
Why did I have to go through this?
WHY?
Don't leave me here.
I don't wanna die!
"Someone HELP!"
'It's cold! So very cold!'
"Beatrice! Emilia! Anyone, HELP ME!"
...
...
...
But nobody came.
...
...
...
Why won't I die?
Please let me die!
It hurts so bad.
Just let me die already!
Why?
I should be dead by now.
Why won't I die?
Who's doing this?
Let me perish.
Please, let this end!
Let me die!
Die...
...Die?
Death?
...
...
...
I turn onto my back and stare at the beautiful night sky.
Heheheh...
The stars sure do look pretty.
I wonder if they're even alive?
When I look at them, I wonder if they're dead.
Or are they slowly bleeding out alone, broken, forgotten like me?
Was their death swift?
Was it beautiful?
I painfully raise my hand high into the sky, wondering.
Will my death be just as beautiful?
That sounds wonderful.
My death...
Beautiful.
"Xeno!"
Beautiful?
Huh?
The sound of footsteps rapidly approaches, elegant even in panic.
This voice...?
Why do I know that voice?
...
Coming forth from the darkness bathe in moonlight, was a enchanting voice, full of trepidation.
It was Emilia.
"Xeno?" She covered her mouth in despair.
There he was the man she was trying to save, laying on the ground of his own blood, his lower half gone. His guts spilled out.
She was on the verge of tears as this wasn't what broke her.
It's his expression.
His hands were high as if trying to grab something, his eyes empty, with a smile on his face.
"Xeeeeno!" She rushed at his position,
Getting on her knees she shaked Xeno, calling out his name.
"Xeno! Please look at me."
He just stared at her. Tilting his head at her.
"You?"
She desperately used her magic to freeze his lower half and other wounds.
Pretty.
"Xeno, d-don't worry—everything will be fine." Despite saying that to Xeno, she was trying to convince herself as well.
She tried to crystallize his lower half in ice, desperately hoping whatever was keeping Xeno alive right now would continue to do so.
Is she?
"You'll b-be fine. I'll get you to Beatrice. She'll know what to do."
...
In Xeno's eyes, seeing this familiar figure surrounded by moonlight, it finally clicked in his mind what he was looking at.
Moonlight... ah. I get it.
"Emilia."
The half-elf, freezing the slash across his chest, looked at him worriedly.
"Y-you're okay, just stay still—please, please stay still—" she comforted him.
"Emilia..."
He moved his hands toward her face, cupping her cheeks. Then he let out a sweet yet unsettling smile.
"Are you a star?"
"W-What?" she asked, horrified.
His touch was cold, yet gentle. His eyes were still empty. His gaze was disturbing.
"X-Xeno, what are you t-talking about?"
She was uncomfortable, but still pushed on. Now that his wounds were closed, she tried healing him to lessen his pain.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Xeno... please, snap out of it."
She could feel it.
He was getting colder and colder.
She was losing him.
"Xeno, stay awake."
"Oh! I get it. You didn't want to shine too brightly. Heheh."
Was there nothing she could do?
Was this all she was capable of?
"Don't worry. I'll keep your secret."
Tears poured from her eyes in streams. The droplets fell onto Xeno's face, giving the illusion that he was crying too.
Realization finally dawned on her—
"Y-Yes… I-I'm a star. I'll continue to shine brightly. I'll try harder and harder to shine… but please…promise me"
Her voice cracked.
"Don't go. Don't leave us."
She was pathetic.
She was useless.
Her only friend was dying in her arms, and all she could do was watch and comfort him.
If only she had been more competent.
Smarter.
More decisive.
If only she had done something–
ANYTHING.
"I never seen a star, cry before. Even so it's so pretty–" He said in wonder.
Only for his eyes to lower.
"Yet it makes me so... sad, why?"
He wiped her tears with a finger.
"Dont cry, it make me sad."
His words only made her want to cry more. But wiped her tears and forced a smile on her face.
"S-Sorry, I'm fine, don't worry about me."
Seeing her smile once again, Xeno retract his hands and rested them on his stomach.
"I guess the world's granted me, my wish."
"X-Xeno ?"
"If I couldn't die like a star. I guess–"
Dread washed over her.
It can't be,
He isn't going to.
He can't.
"N-No."
"Dying next to a beautiful star... isn't so bad after all."
He closed his eyes and smiled contenetedly finally at peace.
"No! Xeno, please don't say that. Y-you promised to stay. Don't go. D-DON'T GO."
she shook him, trying to wake him up. Tears falling out once again.
Xeno.
Xeeeeno.
"Please, don't go."
Xe.....no
Xen...
Xe.....
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..
.