1 Prologue

3 centuries ago...

"What should I do?" Rhaegal finally asked Celestine. She was so lost at the moment that she couldn't even make a decision herself as she would normally.

Celestine knew that Rhaegal's condition worsened because never did she relied on anyone. Not even her team. She's used to solving problems alone, even if it weren't for her to fix.

Rhaegal turned to Celestine, a blank. expression plastered on her face. Her eyes were empty, almost as if she was dead. The only emotion Celestine could see was sadness. Nothing else.

"No. I know you, even if it meant losing yourself, you'll do it." Celestine shook her head, about to cry as she imagines losing her best friend.

"Tell me, Murrell." Rhaegal insisted. "Please."

Celestine gulped before looking away. "Let's... Let's not fight, shall we?"

Rhaegal held Celestine's hand and squeezed it. The heat of her hand warming Celestine's. Celestine smiled, how could she give comfort in this state of condition of hers, she thought.

"I was hoping you would say the opposite because I swore that I would always do the opposite of your words." Rhaegal let out a short low laugh before looking into Celestine's eyes. "I will fight."

"Please..." A tear escaped from Celestine's eyes. She held onto the Rhaegal's hands, gripping them tightly.

Rhaegal saw this and it immediately broke her heart. She raised her hand and wiped the tear running down her best friend's cheeks.

She caressed her cheeks and said. "I have to. It's either me or him."

Celestine's eyebrows furrowed. She was confused. "After all the things he did to us, to you, how could you still choose him over yourself?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Rhaegal's lips. "I love him, after all."

Rhaegal noticed how Celestine's eyes were saddened from her words. She then remembered the times when her best friend used to annoy her about him but now, it was the opposite. The change was dreadful. She just hoped they could've stayed in the past.

"I wish I never pushed you towards him. I wish none of this happened. I wish I wouldn't..." Celestine breathed out as she looks at her best friend who was smiling at her. The smile that used to encourage and comfort was now painful to see. "I wish I wouldn't have to lose you."

"You won't lose me. Look up there," Rhaegal pointed at the moon above them. "If you need me, talk to the moon. It'll be just like talking to me."

"Why the moon?"

"Just because..." Rhaegal looked away. "You know how much I loved the moon."

After the talk with their leader, the Luxin, Celestine came back to their headquarters where the other members of Edge were waiting. When their leader hid from them, they somehow had hope that maybe, just maybe, Rhaegal will include them in her battle. Because for months, their leader has been formulating a plan to execute her lover. She had been meticulously planning the attack alone. The attack doesn't involve the other star-crossed, only the two of them.

She didn't involve them for the sake of their well-being. Her lover wanted her only and the only way that they could all be safe is for her to sacrifice herself. To end it all, she is willing to do anything.

"She's here." Evor, the Dreamer, woke up from his slumber as soon as he felt the presence of Celestine on their doorsteps. The other three immediately stopped what they were doing and followed Evor to the door where they all waited for Celestine to enter.

Their heart broke when they saw Celestine. Her tears brimming. Expression was so solemn. Her hands were shaking and so were her legs which eventually gave up on her causing her to fall to her knees. The others were shocked and immediately came to her aid.

"Relax a bit." The Nuke, Theon, said as he scooped her from the floor, putting her down on the couch. Celestine started sobbing which caused the others to cry too. Words weren't needed, they already know Rhaegal's decision based on the Fate's condition.

"I tried," It was difficult for the Fate to speak. "I tried stopping her but I just couldn't. She already set her mind on her plan. I'm sorry."

The Aegis, Verena, sat down beside her and hugged her. Celestine held unto her tightly and cried. They were all a mess. It felt like their leader have given up hope for them to all survive this battle and she did.

"I did not give up on you guys, and I never will." Rhaegal stood before her members. It was a week after she and Celestine talked. The battle will happen soon and she just couldn't stop herself from showing up to say goodbye to the people she spent the majority of her life with.

"Theon," She walked closer to Theon. Even though his mind was clouded, he didn't forget to avoid contact with her. He was mad and any moment now, he can blow from anger.

He steps back, shaking his head. "Don't come any closer."

"It's fine." In just a second, Rhaegal was already hugging him. He froze on his spot as he felt his skin getting hot. He glanced over at her, he was sure she could feel the heat from him. "At least you can get a hug from me. It's been forever since you've felt the feeling of being hugged."

His throat dried up from her words. He blinks his tears away.

"Be weak, Theon. I know how strong you could be but it's okay to be weak sometimes too. Don't be too hard on yourself. Remember, you can rely on anyone, just not yourself." She continued.

She kissed his forehead before going to the Mimic, Arnoux. She hugged him tightly which made him cry on her shoulders.

"Don't go, please." He sobbed like a baby. Out of all of them, he was the softest.

Rhaegal caressed his head. "I love you for every version of you. You don't have to seek validation, Arnoux. Be you. I promise you are better when you are you."

She then moved on to Evor who, unlike everyone else, was smiling at her. Rhaegal knew exactly why. She knows he saw something in his dreams.

"Aren't you sad that I'll be gone?" She asked, almost in a whisper.

He shook his head. "You'll be back."

Rhaegal smiled. He refused to bid goodbye. He didn't want to. He knew she'll be back. Maybe not in this lifetime, but soon hopefully. He said to himself.

"Verena?" She looks over to the couch. The Aegis wasn't there anymore. Rhaegal sighed, she knew exactly where she was. She walks toward a room where she found Verena crying in a corner.

"Why can't I protect you?" Verena looks up at her leader with red eyes and cheeks wet from all the crying. Her hair was a mess. "Why me, the Aegis, the shield and protector, can't even protect my friend when I could protect almost everyone else?"

Rhaegal crouched down to her level. She fixed her friend's hair and wiped her tears. "It's okay. You don't have to protect me. We're okay. I'm okay."

Soon after, Rhaegal gathered everyone in the living room. Minutes away from the battle. She stared at their faces as long as she could. She was memorizing them. She doesn't know if she will ever see them again so she was taking it all in.

She then felt a big lump in her throat. The feeling of departing from her team was finally sinking in. She doesn't want to leave but she has to. For them to live. For the majority to continue, one must stay and fight. One must defend.

With a genuine smile, Rhaegal closed her eyes. Her members wailed when she disappeared from their sight.

When she opened her eyes, she was already in the dimension she created. An empty place where she brought his soul to. In this place, she banned powers. Extracting all of his powers was the only way she could defeat him. But to do that, she also had to give up hers. Meaning to extract his powers, she had to extract hers too.

She fell to her knees and sobbed, her sword falling to her side. The tears she held back for a long time finally streamed down her face. She felt weakened. Every bit of her soul was aching, especially now that her abilities are gone. She's almost done.

Just a bit more.

"Rhae?" She froze when she heard his voice.

Her head immediately turned to the direction his voice came from. There, she saw the man she loved. The true Chantz that she loved. He looked peaceful, clean, and happy. Unlike his Dark lord self who was nothing but covered with darkness.

Right now, he radiated light.

"Chantz.." Rhaegal called out. It's been years since she heard his voice.

"What happened to you?" Rhaegal ran to her immediately when he saw her. He cradled her into her arms. After years, she finally felt his warmth again.

Rhaegal pulled away and stared at his face. When their eyes met, she felt butterflies in her stomach which made her smile. But unlike her usual smiles, she lets out a sad one.

"I've missed you." She whispered, her voice even cracking.

Chantz smiled and caressed her cheeks. He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. Rhaegal accepted his kiss with her eyes closed tightly.

"I've missed you more." As much as she wants to focus on his words, his next words shocked her. "Kill me now, love."

Rhaegal looks at him in disbelief. He wasn't supposed to know her plans. "How did you.."

"It's the Dark Lord who you protected your mind from, not me, love." As if it was nothing, he tucked her hair behind her ear.

This made Rhaegal cry even harder. "I'm sorry, I have no other choice." She kept repeating the same words over and over again while Vance held her tightly in his arms.

They stayed in that position for a while. In a space with just the two of them together, Rhaegal took everything in. Trying to let everything sink in. On the other hand, Chantz saw this coming years back. He had already accepted his fate and he is willing to die for her.

Then a sudden breach from the overworld happened. The ground started shaking and cracks were appearing around them. Chantz's Dark Lord self was trying to come and get him so he could stop Rhaegal from proceeding with her plans.

"What's happening?" Confused, she stood up and stood in her defensive stance. Black smoke was slowly creeping toward them and around them. She was panicking. How could have this happened when she planned everything meticulously from the tiniest bit until the very bit?

"Kill me." Chantz stood in front of her. He was, too, panicking. He was scared that his other form might hurt her again and that's the last thing he wanted now.

"No, I just got you back." For a second, Rhaegal's metal heart softened. For a second. she wanted to be selfish.

"Rhaegal!" Chantz screamed out of frustration.

"No!" Rhaegal cried. "Can't I be selfish for once?"

Chantz's eyes softened to see her in this state. She was a mess. This is the first time he saw her like this. It broke him. It broke him that he couldn't do anything to save her. To ease her pain. It broke him that he couldn't give her a choice. He knew that is what she had always wanted. A choice.

"Rhaegal, please..." He pleaded. He embraced her one last time. For the last time, he kissed her forehead. When his lips left her skin, she felt empty. She didn't want to let go.

"I can't do this." She sobbed.

Chantz smiled and wiped her tears. He then saw the black smoke approaching them so he immediately crouched down and picked her sword up. He held unto it firmly as he gave to her. Her hands were shaking, barely even holding the sword firmly.

"One strong swing, love." Chantz takes a step back as he encourages her. "Come on, you can do it."

"For them..." Rhaegal said, finally giving up hope. She positioned herself. There was nothing else she could do. The black smoke was about to envelop the both of them.

"You're so brave, love." He mouthed the exact moment Rhaegal swung her sword and they were teleported back to the overworld.

Seconds later, Rhaegal opened her eyes. The first she saw was him standing in front of her with a smile on his face as if she didn't do anything to him. Blood was dripping from him. A big cut from his chest down to his right torso. From his expression alone, you could tell that he was having a hard time. He fell to his knees, eyes locked with Rhaegal's.

Rhaegal's body was shaken from the scene in front of her. She was shaking. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She couldn't handle the pain. Everything was too overwhelming for her to feel all at once. She could barely even think. Wait, no. Her mind is not even working.

"Love," Chantz barely had the energy to speak. He was struggling. He was holding his wound. It pained him so much but he was glad that Rhaegal didn't hold back.

Rhaegal opens her eyes and their eyes met once again. She comes closer to him, tears streaming down their faces.

"No..." She kneels in front of him, both of them now kneeling. Her hand was shaking as she reaches for his cheek. "I just got you back."

Chantz's smile became a sad one. It pained him to see the both of them in this situation. They just wanted to be together. That's all they wanted. They weren't greedy at all. They didn't want power, they just wanted each other. Was it too much to ask?

Chantz then held Rhaegal's hand that was on his cheeks. They were staring at each other for a while as Rhaegal felt his grip tighten as every second comes by. Chantz was feeling it. Death.

Every part of his body was going numb. He was losing his senses. He could barely even feel her touch. Soon enough, he was struggling to breathe even more. His boy weakened, making him lean forward to Rhaegal. She caught it just in time. He coughed more blood which made Rhaegal panic.

"Chantz!" She wailed, holding him in her arms.

"It'll be," Until the end, Chantz comforts her. Tries to convince her, at least. "It'll be fine, love."

He smiles at her. He then started choking on his blood.

"No no no, oh God no." She didn't know what to do. She was witnessing how he was slowly losing his life and she couldn't do anything about it.

She was helpless. She knew she was.

After all those sacrifices, she finds it unfair how could this still be inevitable.

"I love you," Chantz muttered, almost out of breath. "So much."

She cried, even more, when he said that. For years, she had yearned for those words, and the time she hears them again, why does it have to be when he was dying?

"I'm sorry." That was the last thing he heard before his hearing disappeared. Then the most dreadful part started happening. His vision was blurring, he was losing it. He wanted to see her until the end. He couldn't help but just close his eyes, hoping that the second he opens his eyes, it'll be better.

Moments later, he didn't open his eyes just like how he planned to. His body gave up on him the moment he close his eyes. Chantz saw his body loosen up. He was really gone.

"Love..." She was shaking him. "Please, don't go."

But there was no answer.

She screamed.

That was all she could do.

She hugs his body closer, feeling the coldness from his body. Then the moon shined. She glowed upon making contact with the light that the moon had radiated.

She looks up to the moon, eyes sore. She looked pitiful. She nodded as if she was talking to the moon. Asphodel slowly puts Vance's body down whispering words to his ears as she does.

"In our next life, I will choose us. I promise."