“I will be coming with you,” he said.

That made her happy. Her heart jumped as she dragged him around. Some peddlers sold many things in the Oasis despite the incoming storm. Like them, they had let go of their desire to fight. They were not cowards who dared not to fight. But just tired people who had lived long enough. Immortality was beautiful and sad. They had seen so many beautiful things, and have felt painful things. They simply wanted to give it up.

If the Burnt Woman was not coming. If she would not destroy them at the mere sight of the barriers that protect them. They would have honest hope. But if she could destroy the Eon-Father who had reigned for how many years, then what chances do they have?

She wasn’t fond of giving up hope. That was not her. She would rather die than give up hope. She would let herself be torn to pieces if it means there was hope. But her thoughts were twisted and knotted by such desires to keep on going. Such thoughts were harmful, destructive, and was beyond her. She had reached out to that pale shine inside of her. Not for becoming stronger, but for the hope that he would live a little longer. That was her desire and that was what she followed.

She had saved the world. She had done her best to be selfless. Now that she thought about it, it wasn’t about duty, it was about her desire to do good. She knew how cruel the world was but that didn’t stop her from trying to make it better. She knew how hard it was. She simply didn’t want to let it happen to others. But this time she only wanted one thing, and that was time.

“So much time wasted,” she said inwardly. “I could have done something. I could have noticed. I should have settled down in one of those worlds. But I know that I had already said my word. Oh, Nolan, you are too good, you would tolerate my desire to save the children. If you had asked. I would have done so. I wished for it but again I was too foolish to see it. We have to much time but I choose to continue, and you choose to do so because of my wish. You followed me because this is what I wanted and you too wanted to save them.”

She stopped on her track and looked up at the hill that was uncovered by the lost. When they discovered this place there was a particular hill that stood out. They built the houses around this hill and it was a place where those who wanted to be alone could see the whole of the New Oasis.

She led Nolan and walked this path they have created. Her heart almost stopped when she felt the energy that came from Nolan. His soul was trembling, shattering, and the power she kept was holding it back. She thought it would last but it seems like it was too weak. No, his soul was helpless after enduring so long. All those time he had fought and used his soul to protect and survive. He was damaging his own soul. Souls would last for many years, going into the cycle of reincarnation until this soul breaks apart. But his continued use of his power had made him weak, and it didn’t help that he was simply a fragment. But it did not matter to her. Fake or not he was Nolan Salvatore, the fool who followed her in that past.

They arrived on top of the hill that overlooked the New Oasis. Ciara felt the wind on her forearms, neck, and her face. The smell of the wind was fresh and from this place, she could see the people who were not going to go gentle into that good night. The braves ones would kick and scream no matter what. She saw Einar and his family readying themselves to that end. It won’t matter to the Burnt Woman if other children would be here. Only one glance at the barrier and she would lose to her anger.

“Ciara?” Nolan weakly said.

Ciara stared at him. His soul was like an hourglass with its sand dissipating into nothing.

“This is familiar, isn’t it?”

“Yes, the same hill and they even placed a bench here,” he said. “Let’s take a seat, no, how about a dance first?”

She smiled. He took her hands and with their fingers interlocked. They danced slowly to the rhythm of the wind. Her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat that was acting as a step. Ciara let go at this moment. She did not think of the incoming storm. All she wanted was to savor this. Let her have a better ending than her taking her own life at his grave.

“I…am sorry. I couldn’t give you a happy ending.”

“No, I am happy. You did your best, for a mortal.”

“Yes, a mortal. That’s what I am. Hey, did this knight of yours did well?”

“The best there is, there is no Knight that I would rather have. I would split on anyone who’d call you a nobody. You are my hero, my eternal knight.”

His shirt was wet. The sun that once swayed with them turned black. Ciara looked up and saw a woman reflected in the sky, floating, looking down on the place where her children were. Ciara tightened her embrace, her body shook madly, and her heart hurt so much.

“I did well?”

“You did.”

“I see…I am yours forevermore.”

“I am yours, for eternity..”

He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. Within that dwindling light, Ciara saw Nolan’s face. There was a smile that reached up to his ears. His faded eyes grew bright as the dark covers the once blue skies.

“See you, Ciara.”

“You as well, Nolan.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, madly.”

His smile faded into particles of light. His smiling face turning into dots of light that seems to climb up to the sky. Within the darkness, the tiny dots of light gave light to Ciara.

On top of a hill, embracing a set of clothes within her arms. Ciara cried.

Her voice thundering despite the fires that burned the Oasis.