Tower of Paradise

ARCEUS PENDRAGON'S POV

The sun slowly ascended on the horizon as the dawn light bathed the landscape. It had been an endless night, exhausting both physically and mentally.

I sighed deeply, contemplating the sky that was beginning to shine. The humid dawn air caressed my face, bringing with it the earthy aroma of the recently finished battle. A cool breeze reminded me that I was still alive, that we had survived the inevitable.

For the first time since I arrived at this place, I felt somewhat calm.

It had been a formidable obstacle, perhaps the most difficult we had faced so far, but we overcame it surprisingly well. As I watched the sky gradually become more luminous, I couldn't help but feel a hint of pride. I wanted to congratulate myself, something I rarely allowed myself to do.

I exhaled slowly, experiencing for the first time in a long time a sensation of relative safety. For the first time since everything began, I felt genuinely grateful not to be alone in this cursed place. Solitude had always been my refuge, my fortress, but now I understood that I wouldn't have survived without her.

As I surveyed the battlefield strewn with shattered bodies, I felt a deep relief confirming that the last wave of the third day had concluded without us suffering irreparable losses. Among the corpses scattered on the ground, the number of undead we had eliminated exceeded one hundred.

I turned my head and finally distinguished a familiar silhouette in the distance: KathyIn.

With almost all the muscles in my body aching, I approached where she was. As I advanced, I heard the unmistakable sound of labored, forced breathing. Something wasn't right.

—N-no... don't come any closer.

KathyIn's words trembled in the air, sounding strangely muted and distant. Suddenly, I felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing my heart. Something was very wrong. Summoning my courage, I took another step forward, ignoring her warning. I needed to make sure she was okay.

I found her hugging her knees. KathyIn didn't look good. Her face remained extremely pale, with an absent and dazed expression. Her entire body trembled uncontrollably. I had never been particularly skilled at communicating with people, much less consoling them. I had no idea what to say at that moment.

—Why? —was all I managed to articulate, referring to her request to keep me away.

She smiled at my awkward question, but it was a hollow smile, devoid of its usual warmth.

—Uhm... I was planning to cry silently. —She responded in a tone that tried to be light but failed miserably.

She said it as if it were the most normal thing in the world, like someone commenting on the weather.

—It's too embarrassing to show that side of me to others —she added in a low voice.

Her entire body was covered in blood, both her own and others'. Her clothing, torn in multiple places around the shoulders, evidenced the results of the fierce final battle. However, after a quick assessment, I concluded that her life did not seem to be in immediate danger. The wounds were superficial, although numerous.

—...Are you okay? —I knew it was a stupid question, but I was incapable of formulating something better.

Her mind remained a mystery to me. I had realized long ago that behind her apparent radiance hid a deep and dark well. Nobody strived so hard, endured so much, went so far unless they were pursued by their own demons... I knew from experience. But although I understood that she was running from something, I had no idea where KathyIn was heading with such desperation.

However, it only made sense as long as she was alive. KathyIn seemed to pursue a goal more important than her life. Why else would she be so willing to risk it?

I simply didn't understand that logic. It was irrational and paradoxical! What can be more important than your life? If you die, you won't be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

An uncomfortable silence extended between us. After what seemed like an eternity, KathyIn forced herself to respond:

—Yes...

I didn't believe her for a second, but I didn't press her. Instead, I approached and let myself fall heavily by her side. The ground was cold and hard beneath my exhausted body, but I didn't care. Some time later, I found myself lying on my back, contemplating the grayish dawn sky.

KathyIn remained seated next to me, evidently lost in her own thoughts, probably reliving the difficulties we had just faced.

—Arceus? —After a long silence, KathyIn turned to me.

—Yes? —I tilted my head slightly to look at her.

—Do you think... do you think we'll survive?

Her voice faltered dangerously as I watched her frowning. The question took me by surprise.

KathyIn had always been the optimist, the one who kept hope alive even in the darkest moments. Hearing her doubt deeply disturbed me. A few seconds later, I turned around and fixed my gaze on the vast sky again.

—What are you saying? Of course, we'll make it. —I affirmed with more conviction than I actually felt.

—Do you really believe that? Why? —She seemed desperately to be seeking something to hold onto.

I saw how she forced herself to smile, a gesture that seemed painfully familiar to me. How many times had I myself hidden my fear behind a mask of confidence?

I sighed deeply, trying to find the right words to provide the comfort she so desperately seemed to need.

—For you and for me —I responded objectively—. In fact, I'm not someone who dies easily either. If anyone can survive this, it's us. So, yes. I think our chances of survival are quite high.

—Heheh... Yes, that's right. There's no way I can die. I still have to prove to them...

KathyIn left the phrase unfinished and broke into laughter, knowing I wouldn't understand, but her laugh was bitter, like the echo of a lost memory.

The melodic sound of her laughter acted as a balm for my exhausted soul, making me feel considerably better. However, after this sudden outburst, KathyIn's expression turned melancholic again.

—What do you miss most about home? —I asked, observing her dejected countenance.

—I don't miss anything in particular. —She answered after a brief pause.

I saw her trying to identify something specific, but apparently, she couldn't. It seemed that she wasn't even sure of having a home to return to in the real world. Her answer surprised me.

—Really? Don't you miss your family? —I was genuinely perplexed.

—I don't have a family —she confessed in an icy voice—. Well... I guess I have a sister somewhere. But we haven't seen each other in many years.

Her face reflected a deep sadness, like a minor chord in a broken symphony.

It was said that the eyes were reflections of the existences of each living being. That's what I felt throughout my life. Each existence expressed their thoughts and emotions with their eyes.

However, when I looked at those eyes, all I could see was pain. It wasn't physical pain from a burn or emotional pain from heartbreak. It was something much deeper, something she could never share, something she would have to carry alone for the rest of her life.

That kind of pain shattered people and led them to hopeless desperation.

I remained silent, reflecting on her words. A few seconds later, I decided to open up, something I rarely did.

—What I miss most is my family.

My own voice sounded strange to my ears, imbued with a nostalgia and sadness that I normally kept at bay. That's how it was. I still deeply missed my late mother and, from time to time, I longed for the children at the orphanage. Especially Cassie and Reinhardt, who had been the closest to me. The only ones who truly understood who I was.

—It seems you care a lot about them.

KathyIn didn't know what else to say, so she remained silent. Her smile had transformed into something fragile, like a sky painted exclusively in gray tones. Sad, desolate, devoid of hope.

—Of course. Isn't that normal? —I turned to her, confused by her apparent loneliness.

—I wouldn't know.

KathyIn raised her gaze to the sky that was already beginning to acquire a bluish tone. The wind caressed her face, bringing with it the unmistakable aroma of imminent rain. At that moment, she seemed extremely lonely to me, like an island in the middle of an infinite ocean.

Seeing her like this, I felt an unusual urgency. I barely knew anything about her, but I wanted to change that. I wanted KathyIn to have someone to lean on emotionally, someone who could anchor her to reality when everything seemed to crumble. I understood that what she needed weren't grand speeches, but something light yet substantial, like a warm drizzle of encouragement. Words that, at that precise moment, were worth more than gold.

—Hey... KathyIn. —I called her softly.

And then, temporarily setting aside my usual reserve, I told her with all the sincerity I could gather:

—You did great.

Three simple words. I wondered if they would be enough, if my clumsy attempt at consolation would manage to provide the emotional support she so desperately needed. Or would they simply sound hollow, like so many other empty phrases we had heard throughout our lives?

Her eyes trembled without giving an immediate response. I saw how KathyIn tried to force a smile, but instead, she silently buried her face between her knees.

—I tried to lock myself away and disappear. But when I realized that being alone was very sad, I couldn't do it.

She seemed to speak calmly but had tears in her eyes. Finally, her voice trembled. Her shoulders began to shake as a heart-wrenching sob escaped from her throat.

—I want to connect with others! I want someone to need me!

Tears ran freely down her cheeks, clouding her already limited vision. Unable to speak, she completely buried her head and cried loudly, finally releasing all the accumulated tension, fear, and pain.

—I want to have the confidence to say that I deserve to live! I... I don't want to die. I really don't want to die!

Without saying a word, I gently wrapped my arms around KathyIn's fragile neck and waist, resting her head against my chest. I hugged her tightly, as if I could keep her with me if I just held her tight enough.

—I can't afford to die. I have to survive and show them...

I didn't say anything more. It wasn't necessary. Sometimes, silence was the best comfort. I simply stayed by her side, offering my presence while she let it all out.

The sky above us now shone with intensity, like an exquisite pearl floating in an infinite sea.