Chapter 16: A Final Farewell

Chapter 16: A Final Farewell

The soft glow of the candles bathed the grand hall in a golden hue. Laughter, the clink of glasses, and the murmur of conversation filled the air as the grand party aboard Lo Po Bia Traumerei's mothership carried on. The celebration was in full swing—an extravagant display of power and unity among the leaders of the Tower. Yet, at a smaller table tucked away from the center, Amizu sat quietly with Yeon Yirang and Ariel, her expression solemn and detached from the lively atmosphere around them.

A cup of fine wine rested in Amizu's hand, but she had barely touched it. Yeon Yirang, ever the lively one, had been trying to lift her spirits. Her fiery personality clashed against Amizu's melancholic mood, but even she was beginning to sense that something deeper was troubling her old friend.

Ariel sat quietly beside them, a silent observer to the conversation. She wasn't one to push, content to let Amizu speak when she was ready. The atmosphere at their table was different from the grand celebrations surrounding them—more intimate, somber.

"So, are you really going through with it?" Yeon Yirang finally asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was cautious, her usual fiery bravado tempered by genuine concern.

Amizu sighed, swirling the wine in her glass but still not drinking. Her gaze was distant, as though she were looking beyond the grand hall, beyond the mothership, into the far reaches of the Tower. "I have to, Yeon," she said softly. "I can't stay here any longer. I can't be by Traumerei's side… not like this."

Yeon's eyes widened slightly. "But you love him, don't you?"

Amizu closed her eyes for a moment, a flicker of pain crossing her face. "I do… but that's not enough anymore." She set the glass down, her hands trembling slightly. "He's not the same man I climbed the Tower with. He's changed—so much that I barely recognize him."

Ariel, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "You feel trapped, don't you?"

Amizu nodded. "I tried to stay, thinking that maybe it was just the stress, the burden of ruling… but it's more than that. I've grown apart from him, and I don't know how to bridge that gap anymore."

Yeon was silent for a moment, processing Amizu's words. "And you're joining Arlen and V, then?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

Amizu nodded. "It's the only path left for me. I need to finish what we started—the climb to the top. Arlen and V understand that dream… but Traumerei doesn't. Not anymore."

Yeon Yirang, usually brimming with fiery energy, found herself at a loss for words. She had known Amizu for so long, and yet, in this moment, she felt helpless to stop her friend from walking away. Ariel, too, remained quiet, her eyes reflecting understanding but also sorrow.

Amizu smiled sadly at both of them, as if to reassure them, but it was clear that her mind was made up. She rose from her seat, smoothing the elegant dress she wore. "I'm sorry… but this is something I have to do. I can't stay here and pretend that everything is fine anymore."

Before either Yeon or Ariel could respond, a new presence made itself known. A man stepped forward, his dark figure illuminated by the flickering light of the candles. His form was familiar, but there was something unsettling about him—something that only Amizu seemed to sense immediately.

"Luslec?" Amizu's voice was soft, filled with surprise and confusion. She hadn't expected him to come for her, not like this, in the middle of the celebration.

The man nodded, his face calm but unreadable. "Amizu, it's time. We need to leave now."

Yeon frowned, her instincts telling her something was off, but she couldn't quite place it. "Luslec… why now? Why in the middle of the party?"

The man smiled faintly, but his eyes betrayed nothing. "It's a matter of urgency. Arlen and V are waiting for her. We don't have much time."

Amizu hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. She glanced back at Yeon and Ariel, her expression filled with a mix of sadness and resolve. "Goodbye, Yeon. Ariel. Take care of yourselves… and tell Traumerei I'm sorry."

With that, she turned and walked away with "Luslec," the figure leading her out of the grand hall and toward the floating island.

The floating island was eerily quiet, far removed from the grandeur and noise of the party. Amizu stepped off the platform, her heart heavy with the knowledge that this would be her last conversation with Traumerei. She had rehearsed the words in her mind a hundred times, but now, standing in front of him, they all seemed to slip away.

Traumerei stood waiting for her at the edge of the island, his back to her as he gazed out into the vast expanse of the Tower. He didn't turn when she approached, but she could feel the tension in his posture.

"You're leaving," he said quietly, his voice betraying none of the emotions that churned beneath the surface.

Amizu took a deep breath. "Yes… I am."

Traumerei finally turned to face her, his expression unreadable. His eyes, once filled with warmth and affection, now held a cold distance. "Why, Amizu? After everything we've been through… why are you walking away?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away. "Because you've changed, Traumerei. You're not the man I loved anymore. I don't know who you are now, but you're not the same person who climbed the Tower with me."

He clenched his fists, his face twisting in pain. "I've had to change, Amizu. We've all had to change. This Tower… this world… it demands it."

"But it's not who we are," she whispered. "Not who we were supposed to be."

Silence fell between them, heavy and suffocating. Traumerei's eyes softened for a moment, a flicker of the man he once was showing through. But it was fleeting, and soon his expression hardened again.

"You're making a mistake," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Amizu shook her head. "No, Traumerei… the mistake would be staying. I can't do this anymore. I can't stay here and watch you become something you're not."

She turned to leave, her heart breaking with each step she took. But before she could get far, she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She gasped, stumbling forward as blood began to pool around her.

Behind her, Enkidu—still disguised as Luslec—stood with his hand outstretched, the glow of his power fading. He had struck her down in a single, brutal motion.

Amizu fell to the ground, her vision blurring as she gasped for breath. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Traumerei rushed forward, his eyes wide with horror, but it was too late.

As Amizu's life slipped away, Enkidu's voice echoed in the silence. "V… he ordered this. He couldn't let you leave."

Traumerei's scream of rage and grief filled the air as Amizu's body lay still, her eyes gazing up at the stars one final time.

Back at the party, the mood had shifted. The news of Amizu's death had spread like wildfire, casting a dark shadow over the celebration. Yeon Yirang stood frozen, her glass of wine forgotten as the weight of the tragedy hit her.

Ariel, too, felt the sorrow seep into her bones. She had sensed the tension in Amizu, but she never imagined it would end like this.

And far away, in his throne room, Jahad sat alone, the echoes of the past haunting him in the silence of his vast, empty kingdom.