The last Goodbye

The last Goodbye

'I watched you grow up – now you watch me die… Where is the justice in that?'
He closed his eyes that didn't see anymore and gritted his teeth as he felt the man-eating spores burn in his lungs with every breath he drew.

He could hear Viktor banging against the metal door and roaring like a wounded animal. He listened closer – and there they were: faint, desperate sobs, barely audible.

He would have sighed if it didn't hurt so much. His poor Young Master… He pitied him. But he was also happy that he had rescued the McDohl heir.

"Young Master…?" he managed to bring out. The sobs didn't stop. Was his voice so weak and quiet already…?

"Can you hear me?" he asked, using all his strength. It hurt. Oh Runes, it hurt so much…! But he had to tell him. He had to tell him everything.

"Yes" a voice sobbed from the other side of the door. "I hear you." He thanked the 27 True Runes that he was still able to talk.

Then, his thoughts wandered off to the first order his Young Master had ever given him, only hours ago. Was it really hours…? It felt like eternities.

"I am proud of you" he said and a sad smile touched his lips. The spores burned in his lungs and stomach and every inch of his skin felt as if it was on fire…

"Gremio…" he heard the voice beg. "Please… please open the door… I can't… I…!" A new sob escaped his Young Master and his heart ached at this, mixing with the pysical pain. He had never hurt him, never. And now he had to, in order to save the life of the one person he loved more than anything else.

"I am proud of what you have become" he continued weakly, ignoring the pain inside him. "And Master Teo would be, too…"

"Gremio!" Viktor yelled on the other side of the door. "No last words!! You hear me?!" He sounded angry. But he knew that it was merely grief and helplessness, disguised with anger.

No last words? But he was dying – and he knew it. And he just had to tell him.

"Young Master…" His voice was almost gone. He had to be strong now!

"Young Master, please promise me to always follow your heart… This…" His voice died down. No! He had to end, he had to…!

"This is my first… and final…" he murmured and put all the strength he had left into the last word, "… request." And that was it. He couldn't say anything more, his voice was completely gone. There was still one thing left he wanted to say, but he just couldn't. And after all…

Tir McDohl probably knew. They had looked into each others eyes, right before the door had closed. The moment hadn't last more than a brief moment, but it had seemed like forever…

And he didn't want to leave his Young Master with the words 'I love you', now matter how true they were. Yes, he loved him with every fibre of his heart. But he had to let go now…

He felt a tear running down his cheek, leaving a hot, burning tear trace behind. Again, he thanked the Runes. Nobody could see him in this state and maybe, it was better this way.  Now, at least, he could die.

"Gremio!! No!!" A last, loud bang against the door, a last sob – and then he didn't hear anything anymore.

'So you love him?' a foreign voice asked, echoing through his mind. The voice spoke of power, of life… and death. The Souleater.

'Yes' he thought. 'I do.'

'He is your Master.' It was no question. The Rune knew.

'Yes.' The pain numbed him now. Couldn't it just end? He was tired of struggling. So, so tired…

'So you want it to end?'
'Yes.' He felt a faint touch on his soul, like a breeze on a quiet summer day. Was the Souleater analysing him…?

'I can make it end' the Rune told him. 'Give your will to me. Let go of everything. Forget who you are. Become one with me!'

He pondered it for a moment. What had he left to lose? Nothing, to be honest. And this way, he could stay with his Young Master, too…

'Alright' he answered, his thoughts gliding away into the nothing he was becoming. 'Take me.' He drew a final breath through his burning lungs. His last thought was that of brown eyes, watching him with so much kindness.

And then, he felt complete. His soul belonged to the Souleater and thus to Tir McDohl, just like his heart already did.

Somehow, it was just right this way.