Khalifa: Queen in the Apocalypse

Khalifa and Cauis arrived at the ICU a minute or so after the notification. The rhythmic beeping of medical equipment sounded to their ears, reminding them of the seriousness of the old man’s state.

The old man had all sorts of tubes around him, looking pale, thin, and very weak. However his eyes were clear.

Ironically, this was the first time she saw him truly lucid.

"Old man…" she uttered softly.

"Little girl…" he said, voice aged and cracked, but his words were clear.

He turned his head to the handsome brown-haired man next to her. "Your man, I presume?"

She nodded without thinking and Cauis’ eyes warmed in response.

"Come, sit." He said, voice weak. "Let me tell you my story while I remember it."

The couple took the seats next to the old man. He didn’t start immediately but stared into the air for several minutes before speaking, and the couple did not rush him.

"My name is Gorgon Voltaire. I should be 78 years old now…. even if I feel 120."

Khalifa smiled.

"I was born in the Ice Country during the civil war and you could imagine the chaotic childhood I experienced." He paused, likely recalling his childhood. "It was a scary time. There wasn’t a day that I believed that I would survive the next day."

"I escaped to the free continent when I was only 18 years old." He looked at them then, as if looking at his youth. "I was terrified, but mostly hopeful. I knew a world where people are free cannot be worse than my country."

"Ten years I worked hard and gathered some capital for myself." He said, "I managed to obtain some wealth by choosing the right stocks to invest in."

Then, he paused, obviously relishing in some memories.

"I married my wife when I was 30." He said with a gentle laugh, "Oh, she was very beautiful. Her suitors could line up around the Fuhrer’s mansion. "It was unknown what she saw in the average me—her suitors were far more powerful and had a lot of money."

He smiled at the memory. "A year into our marriage, she gave birth to a beautiful daughter for me."

Then, no more. However, he looked struggling, obviously trying to articulate his next words, to his own pain.

Khalifa looked at him and saw that his mood had dropped a bit.

"You don’t have to…"

"I want to." He answered instead. Seeing him wanting to share his life with her, she nodded, and patiently waited for him to gather himself.

As he continued speaking, his tone became lower and lower.

"But I got greedy, too many opportunities to gain money and power presented themselves to me. I ignored my family."

"I got richer and richer, and I was never satisfied. As if money and riches was all I needed to have a meaningful life.

"I only realized what I have been missing when it was taken away from me.

"They were kidnapped. Both of them."

"At the time, I was willing to give all my hard-earned wealth to find them, but it wasn’t even the money they were after.

"They simply hated… me. And all the wealthy individuals they knew.

"The next thing I know they were already corpses." He paused, tears lining up in his eyes. "T-They had notes on them. It said ’it is better for them to meet the deity, he would treat them better’."

At this point, incessant tears were flowing in the old man’s eyes, but he wasn’t moving at all.

"I got depressed and let myself go." He said after heaving a deep breath.

"My business fell." He said, irony filled his tone. "My so-called friends suddenly disappeared."

"Although I knew I wasn’t very likeable, never would I think that all of these… friends… would abandon me so easily the moment I fell.

The old man turned to her and extended his hand, which Khalifa naturally took.

"How many times you saved this old man’s life, it is more than the number of helping hands I received the years prior."

"At the time, I did manage to rebound, because some of the stocks I invested in recovered, but it did not feel the same anymore.

"Everything felt empty." He said, "I started suffering many diseases, some of the body, most of the mind and the heart."

"Somehow I managed to escape from everything and even forgot everything, ending up in a strange place, knowing no one, knowing nothing…"

"Who knows .. maybe it was what I unconsciously wanted." he said, "At least, I had no other worries than feeding myself and my dog, right?"

"Now, here I am, with my failing health."

He sighed and held her hand tighter. "Thank you for everything, child."

"You’re welcome." She told him with a smile, "I really didn’t do much though. If anything you helped me when I was at my darkest. You were one of the very few elders in my life."

"I know," the old man smiled, looking a bit smug, and Khalifa laughed. "I am quite wise for my age, I think."

The atmosphere lightened up enough for jokes, until the old man’s tone started taking a darker tone. "My body…"

"I’m just glad you’re okay." Khalifa said, as if waiting for him to nod and reassure her.

How could the old man, whose eyes had seen the world, not see the state of his own body?

"I know my body, child, and I know it’s on its last string." he sighed, patting her hands. "Take care of the dogs for me."

Khalifa’s gentle smile disappeared, and she frowned, looking at the old man with eyes filled with disagreement.

"You’ll be able to care for them just fine."

"I still know my own body. I have lived my life and have experienced enough." He said, patting the hand he was holding with his other hand.

"You, my child, however, are still young."

He looked at her vaguely. "You will definitely be able to make your wants come true."