Chapter 29: Onward

"He's stable now."

"Where… how did you even learn something like that?"

Rosa no longer hesitated and just rummaged through all the loot they got from the Murcans — but it was Lucian who did the blood transfusion; expertly finding Hawk's veins and not even taking a minute to finish the whole procedure.

And after an hour, they removed the transfusion as Hawk's blood worked more as a suppressant than anything, they were not actually transferring his blood to him — and now, Adelfred's condition was stabilizing.

"I've learned a few tricks here and there from my endless existence."

"...You just don't learn that casually," Hawk was sitting on the other side of the fire along with Lucian; his eyes, watching as Rosa tried to make Adelfred as comfortable as possible, "...Is it actually possible that you're… human?"

"Do I look human to you?"

"Your face and upper body do," Hawk squinted as he glanced at Lucian, "I've seen all the files and recordings they have on you — everyone's assuming you were born on the sewers?"

"Not exactly," Lucian scoffed, "But you don't need to know that."

"Why… are you even traveling with them?" Hawk let out a small grunt as he adjusted himself; wanting to scratch his legs but was unable to due to his hands being bound, "As far as I know, you are the most sophisticated and unique kaiju we have ever discovered, even more so than the first humanoid kaiju."

"A… humanoid kaiju?" Lucian also glanced up at Hawk, "What's that all about?"

"It was before my time," Hawk shook his head, "I don't really know the full details, but I heard it was a scientist that was accidentally exposed to too much radiation, he became… violent and gray, practically destroyed the entire city he was in."

"Huh, sounds familiar."

"But I know they couldn't even reason with him," Hawk once again looked at Lucian, "But you — everything about you is human except the way you look."

"W—"

"Adelfred!" And before Hawk and Lucian could continue their conversation, they heard a loud gasp reverberating in the air; with Adelfred coughing vehemently as soon as he woke up. Hawk rushed to see how he was doing, but Lucian just slowly slithered toward them,

"Adelfred…?" Rosa very gently brushed her hand on Adelfred's back — he was vomiting, but nothing was really coming out but as he had already puked everything before he lost consciousness.

"I…" Adelfred heavily breathed out as he started looking at everyone before forcing himself to sit up, "...I don't think I'll be fine, Rosa."

"Adelfred, don't say—"

"No…" Adelfred gently grabbed Rosa's cheeks as he rested his forehead on hers, "Listen to me, please… I can't… I can't Rosa."

"You can," Rosa forced out a smile, "We're… we're nearly there. Just two days, we'll be there in less than two days, my love."

"I've… I've always been a burden to you," Adelfred closed his eyes while shaking his head, "Even… even before all of this. You could… you could have been more and I—"

"I won't trade what we have now for whatever could've been, Adelfred," Rosa's breaths stuttered, "Because… because what we have now is all I need, it's all I ever really needed. So please, just… let's just continue to be selfish for just a few more days. I love you, I love you so much, Adelfred…"

"I… I won't make it," Adelfred shook his head, "Mr. Lucian, he'll… he'll take care of you. It's… it's time, my love. I'm… I'm ready."

"I'm not," Rosa's lips quivered as tears started to trail down her cheeks, "I'm not fucking ready to let you go, Adelfred. Please… please… if… if we travel now, we'll make it and—"

And before Rosa could finish her words, her eyes suddenly widened in shock as Adelfred was lifted and carried up by Hawk.

"W… what—?" Rosa was going to grab her wand at first, but noticed that Hawk's hands were free. She then turned to look at Lucian, only to see all of their supplies floating above his head and hanging from his tendrils, "Lucian? What's going—"

"You said less than two days," Lucian then said as he started slithering away, "We have no time to lose then."

"Mr. Lucian…" Adelfred weakly whispered out, "This is…"

"If you are thinking of pride, Boy…" Hawk let out a small grumble as he started following Lucian while carrying Adelfred, "...What kind of man would let the love of their life beg like that? Just suck it up one last time and see this through. Ms. Rosa is right…

…you're almost there."

Rosa could not really say anything as she just tightly gripped her wand. But after a few seconds, she lowered her hand and started walking beside Hawk.

"...Thank you, Mr. Hawk," Rosa then breathed out as she nodded several times; wiping the tears on her face as she looked at Hawk, "For what you did earlier, and for what you're doing now."

"I…" Hawk let out a small grunt while shaking his head, "...have a daughter, she's only 7 right now but… but I imagined if she'd already grown up and she was crying like you and… I just couldn't."

"...You're a very good man, Mr. Hawk," Adelfred weakly breathed out and asked, "Your daughter, what's she like?"

"She's a little demon," Hawk let out a small chuckle while shaking his head, "Doesn't listen to anyone and actually thinks she's the parent."

"...Just like Rosa, then."

"Hey!" Rosa let out a small gasp, "That's not true—"

"I could see that."

"Lucian!? So, everyone's just against me now!?"

"I actually think you are very sweet, Ms. Rosa."

"Thank you, Hawk. Seriously, it would be your own friends who betray you."

"I uttered no lies," Adelfred softly chuckled before once again coughing.

"Just rest, okay?" Rosa let out a small but deep sigh, "And when you wake up, we'll be there."

"Hm," Adelfred smiled as he closed his eyes and breathed out, "I love you, Rosa."

"And I love you…"

Adelfred didn't open his eyes again.

—-

"Lucian…"

Rosa was now standing in front of a large pyre she created; the tears trailing down her face, already dried even though the branches were still not lit. Her eyes, just reflecting Adelfred as he lies peacefully on the pyre,

"...Can I ask for one last favor?"

"What is it?" Lucian just stood there next to her feet, with Hawk behind them with his eyes just closed. Hawk could probably escape now, but… he just didn't feel like it anymore.

"Can you… take away his corruption before I send him off?"

"...You don't need to ask that."

"Thank you…" Rosa bit her lip as she crouched down, gently lifting Lucian and placing him on top of Adelfred before she started praying; her words, similar to the words that Adelfred uttered every day in prayer.

And Lucian, of course, did not waste any time at all as he absorbed the radiation from Adelfred; just gently crawling down as soon as he was done.

"I… I am the servant of the elements…" Rosa then very softly whispered as she pointed her wand at the pyre; her voice, ever-so-slightly cracking, "Life is fire, and fire is life… life… you were my life, Adelfred…"

Rosa's breaths became extremely heavy as fire began to form on the tip of her wand; her hands trembling violently as the tears once again fell down her face.

"My love, may… may you be reborn into our lands… I… I release you from…" Rosa's mouth opened, but no words started to escape her trembling lips anymore, "Why… why is this so hard…? Adelfred, I'm… I'm sorry, I can't… I—"

"Holy God…" Rosa's hand was about to fall down, but she suddenly felt a gentle touch crawling across her arms. She turned to look, only to see Lucian's tendrils trying to keep her arms up as he stood on her shoulder, whispering—no…

…praying.

"...Assure us that Adelfred is safe in your eternal love, and may we walk forever in the sunshine. Help us understand our sorrow…" Lucian whispered with his eyes closed, "...And strengthen us with hope. We pray that we overcome this sadness, in the confidence that Adelfred is in a better place with you…

…May he welcome him into his arms and bless him abundantly, Amen."

"I… summon Fire," and with those words escaping Rosa's lips, the flames carried all of her love; wrapping Adelfred and giving him one last embrace, "...I release you from your suffering, my love…

…may we meet again."