EMBER IN DARKNESS Chapter 19 (Ashes to Embers)

*FINALLY, THE LAST CHAPTER!*

Will I be given a second chance?
No way, I’ve been given too many chances to live.
In this endless cycle, I wish I could dictate where my soul would go to. I don’t mind if I remain here on earth.
Here with him.
I belong with him.
A hot, damp surge of air brushed against my cheek.
This is not what it should be. I felt the whole of my body once again, breathing the air. I feel warm.
I am alive…weaker, but alive.
How? My mind stabbed, like a sharp pick through my skull.
Reluctantly, I wiggled my fingers…my toes…and took a deep breath.
The smell of smoke still swam with it, but it was far more than what I was breathing a while ago.
My heavy eyelids struggled to open.
GASP!
A pair of savage eyes met me-clear as water, iris as white as untouched snow. The petal-like bloodspots scattered on his strands of crystal reminded me of the words I uttered last.
The summoned demon.
It isn’t River. I can barely feel him, his presence is no longer dwelling within this body.
The creature I am facing right now IS something else.
My horrified eyes locked into his, only a few inches apart. He stared at me like I’m some sort of inferior creature ready to be crushed under his strength without hardship.
I lay below him, paralyzed in fear. The next thing I’d do might provoke him.
The more I concentrated on playing dead, the more I found myself falling into anxiety. The fast drumming of my heart allowed me to breathe faster.
He watched my chest rise and fall rapidly-what is he thinking? Digging my heart out?
I shouldn’t have thought of that. Cold sweat beaded down my forehead.
His nostrils flared as he took my smell in.
This is it…I think he’s going to devour me.
“Your…fear….I can smell it…” He lowly growled.
I suddenly remembered that small incident with River, but no…this isn’t River.
A surprised yelp came out of me while he slammed his hands beside my shoulders.
His clothes are ripped and burnt but there are no wounds. No scratches…
Wait-why would his clothes be burnt? I glanced around and figured out that I am out of the shrine.
Did he-?
“It is…me.” He slowly muttered. His eyes didn’t change their color, glowing in the deep set of the night.
It took me a while to understand what he just said.
“River…” Tearfully, I reached for his face, when suddenly, a gunshot echoed from a short distance.
Blood started to come out of his lip, and he looked at me for a few moments, as if trying to memorize my face before he collapsed onto my chest.
“This can’t be happening.” I shakily whispered, wrapping my arms all the way to his back. My hand hit something moist.
When brought it up to my face, dark, red liquid, still warm from his body, tainted my skin.
“River…p…please…” I tried to sit him up. He’s still breathing, but not strong enough to bring himself up.
A small movement caught my eye-from where we stood, Dr. Burke, who lay sprawled on the ground, had a gun in his hands.
I thought he was dead?
I gaped at him in shock and tried to use my body to block any other incoming bullets but his eyes slowly closed, head limply falling to the ground until his hands dropped the gun.
“I kissed you.” River managed to sputter out, trembling while he tried to keep the humor in his tone.
Brokenheartedly, I smiled at him and tried not to let my tears reach his cheek but they did.
With all the muscle strength I had, I slowly rested his head on my lap and used the whole of my arm to keep him from sliding down.
My other hand just held his, tightly squeezing it. I want him to feel that I’m here for him.
But I can’t do anything, I bitterly thought.
His breathing started to slow down.
I know what will come next, but I still want to deny the fact that he will be taken away from me.
What else is left for us to do?
I couldn’t help it. I shuddered and broke down.
“Don….don’t……dd…..die… Don...t….d-d…” My head shook while his eyelids trembled, trying to keep themselves open.
He’s fighting to stay alive. He must live.
I know-I must read the words on his chest, those I read when he was ganged up on by Neon and Spade.
Just when my eyes shifted to where the writings were, they started vanishing before my very eyes.
“River, why?” I slid my face to his cheek and stroke it gently. It’s losing its warmth.
He’s dying.
A small smile spread across his lips, but quickly faded.
The tight grip I had on his hand grew tighter when his started to slide away.
My world drifted off into darkness while I buried my face into his chest, cold and unfeeling.
“How do I make you come back?” I asked, still denying reality. I spent my time holding him and fiddling my fingers in between his.
In front of us, a small hint of sunlight glowed in the clouds.
I kept my embrace on him, feeling the warmth of that frail light sweep over us.
His face started to lighten from the sun, colors taking their place.
“Please come back to me.” I whispered, watching the colors and shadows play on his face. I know he’s gone but still, here I am, pretending he’ll open his eyes.
He’s starting to feel warm from the sun, it’s as if he’s alive.
What day is it? I don’t even remember but if I was given a chance to go back, I would choose any day before this, most especially the day I met him.
If I didn’t agree to Dr. Burke, then things won’t turn out this way. I am the one to blame.
I closed my eyes and squeezed his hand.
All of a sudden, I felt a small movement from his fingers.
Drawing back, I watched in shock while his chest slowly rose and fell.
What is happening?
Now, I could feel his pulse in his hand, a proof that he is alive, he is breathing.
My hand unconsciously started to loosen its grip but he held it and squeezed it gently before his arms took the place of mine, pulling me closer to him.
This time, I collapsed on his chest and began weeping. My arms came to their senses and reached to his back, where I tightly wound them
“Look at me.” He called. It’s his voice. There’s no doubt.
I shook my head. “No.”
“Why?” he asked.
“If I open my eyes now, I might wake up…” I paused, trying to avoid a crack in my voice. “…with you dying in my arms again.” That said, I went back to the strong chest I was weeping on. “Tell me you’re real.”
“I am.” He gently pulled my face away from his chest and pulled my chin up, but I still had my eyes closed.
Without warning, I felt a soft but firm pair of lips touching mine.
I slowly parted them and caressed his lips the way he did, proving he’s here…with me…now.
My eyes opened as soon as the kiss ended, and there, I was gazing at the sky in his eyes.
“Even when I was summoned, I remembered you. The monster I was only fought for something it shouldn’t and never would have. When I took you away from the smoke, I would’ve killed you, but I breathed air into you.” He explained. Was that the rush of air that I felt when I was suffocating from the fumes?
“You were dead. How...why are you alive?” I had no nicer way of asking.
“I…” he looked at his palms, obviously as confused as I am but he handled it better. “I don’t know…I thought it was a myth.” His gaze drifted into space.
“Huh?” I tilted my head, puzzled.
“When a demon is successfully killed, he dies, but comes back as a mortal. This never happened.”
“But…you’re here now. I don’t care what you are. As long as YOU are here.” I yelled at him, feeling all sorts of emotions boiling inside me. I felt overjoyed and angry that he had to scare me into believing he’s already dead for a few hours that I had no other way of expressing it but crying.
He fell quiet and wiped the tears from my eyes, my lips trembled as he hugged me again.
“I love you.” He whispered.
A smile wove its way to my lips.
“I love you.” I whispered back.
He always came back for me.
“Stop crying now, you know how those golden eyes of yours make me feel guilty.” He joked.
“Gold?” I pulled myself from him and ran to the lake to check on my reflection. The sun is already shining enough light on us to show me what gold and purple is.
And my eyes are definitely purple.

END

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WHEW!!!!
I am already writing the sequel: “The Last Angel”
Thank you for reading!!! J
I hope you read the sequel when it’s posted!