Chapter 13.3 - The Warlock's Azalea (Finale)

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Finale – The Warlock's Azalea

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"Azi, listen."

It's tragic and painful, but maybe that's why Vise was right.

I shouldn't have continued living.

"Azi, if I'm not going to feel anything in my life, then I'd rather die knowing how much I mean to you and knowing how much you mean to me too." Ah, her throat's gotten dry. There's a lump within that won't go away. "So, just... maybe, let me... face my fate."

"No! That's not your fate! It was no one's fate to crumble to ashes! It's all because of the curse of creating this stupid stone!"

"Maybe dying from the curse was just our fate, Azi."

He shook his head violently. "No, I don't accept it. I don't want to live in this world if it means parting with you forever."

Oh, Azi. You're making things worse by saying something like that...

"But Azi, I don't want you to die just because I was fated to die." She caressed his cheek and wiped his tears, but they kept coming. Her vision was beginning to blur too.

"I'll find another way, then. If you're not here with me, then I don't want to be here either."

Keira chuckled, her fingers traveling to her chest and gripping tightly.

"You're so stubborn!"

"...Is it so wrong to just want to be with you?" His voice softened, and if they weren't close to hugging, would Keira have heard it?

"I'm... tired of it, Azi. That's why it's unfair, don't you think? Me living but never feeling anything. Imagine that! Imagine not being able to feel anything!"

"You're right. I.. wouldn't want to live if I couldn't feel anything either..." He pouted slightly, arms wrapping around Keira. As if it's the last time he's ever going to hold her.

Who knows?

A joke insisted on coming out of Keira's mouth, "See? Try it out, then!"

Azi's eyebrows met. "Try what?"

"Putting the stone inside you."

For a brief moment, only the attempted breaking-in of the ones from outside remained echoing like when an air conditioner kept providing white noise.

Keira looked away with a slight pout, "Then maybe you'd understand why I'd rather just... die."

"Keira..."

Keira pulled away from the embrace. This is fine. If Azi can continue living, he'll eventually find something, maybe...

"That's it."

Azi let go of her and lifted the other half of the stone between them; his glistening, reddened eyes from crying flared the joy of discovery and... hope.

"That's it!"

Huh?

Did.. did her little joke spark something in him? No, wait... is he going to...!

"Azi, stop right there."

A transfer spell had appeared between Azi and the Jaald he cast a floating spell on. He looked up and raised a brow.

"I... well... I think I know what you're thinking."

Azi smiled slightly, "I'm sure you do."

"But... well, actually-" Keira sighed. "I think I agree with what you're thinking. If the other half is with you, it'd get ahold of your emotions and use them to function in its capabilities. So, you're thinking... that maybe it's possible to get the Jaald not to break if they're both gripping on a host? Wait, that doesn't seem right."

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