Life and Death are Lovers on a Coffee Date

Chapter 2

[Azir]

Soft gentle breeze rushed through the flowery fields brushing against the back of the palm of an entity. Gentle. Mellow. A comfortable silence whaling in the zephyr of the calling field, a situation where you only want to lay down the soft inviting ground, like a soothing magic had overwhelmed your body and soon rushed its way to calm you down.

Soft...

Closing his eyes. As the fertile soil was finally about to meet his back, the sapphire roses and the pearl of the moon flowers slowly wilted, the colour of their origin faded into a pitch-black flower, gloomy enough to make you see nothing but darkness. The golden sun was devoured by a red crimson colour dominating every sight into a hint of red. The breeze soon resembled a typhoon, listen closely, a rushing whisper sounding desperate was heard, one voice echoed a thousand. This is all because of you.

"For the pride of Shurima, soldiers rise!" His words spoke of courage yet none of it was heard. Not a single response. Not a single voice.

"What...?" in his eyes everything got enclosed into hell, the soft soil shattered like glass, so fragile enough to be broken. Beneath the shattered glass called out a loud gushing river. Only that's what one would expect, his body landed on the crimson thick fluid pushing him to the currents.

"No, no, no, no more blood" his words came strong yet paranoid, only when you look at his eyes can you see nothing but a painful memory from the distant past. The falcon hybrid finally reached out to a stone, gasping for air in any chance he could, his hands resigned to shaking in fear and paranoia. He turned back, his head still holding on to the planted rock. Blood of river, his mind started to get light struggling to see the situation he is in. As he tries to pull himself out of the river, a hand grabbed the wrist of his feet, he struggled and struggled, but one after another came more hands desperately pulling down his weight. As his eyes can no longer hold any fear, a head formed at the bottom of the river.

"My people, please, forgive me." Grins formed their faces as they raised their heads in a synchronized manner, their eyes pitch black as trickling blood gushed out of their eye sockets. He lost his grip and behind him, were his people bringing him down with me.

"Doctor Omah!" shouted a blond girl calling for attention, her face represented a sweet girl but isn't sweet enough when she doesn't like what others are doing. The falcon hybrid had been startled awake by the voice of the girl and with time, he calmed down.

"Doctor Katherine?" was all he managed to say. Katherine was about to say something but then chose to close her lips instead and redirected to another question,

"Azir, you were scared weren't you?" her voice soon tuned to a concerned tone.

"What do you mean?" he said unknowingly to what she referred to. Katherine let out a huge sigh and pointed at his eyes.

"You're crying" her words came out soft. Azir arched his head as he placed his fingertip to wipe under his eyes. Upon realization, he quickly used the bottom of his palm to wipe the remaining tears. As he lifted his head up, this scene made Katherine's heartthrob in secrecy.

Azir wore a wide green and said, "Want a cookie?" Katherine knows what she must do. She embraced Azir in a hug. A situation wherein you can only help a friend through physical touch or comfort rather than words itself.

"Let it out Azir, let it out. Is it your dream again? If so, hold on to me a little longer and listen well, your people did their best and so did you, you had become a doctor that nourishes all life, hybrid, humans and monster you saw no difference, you had worked 24 hours a day without stopping and many of your patients had been happy to live again because of your hands, but with you being troubled, it will hurt them to see their brightest hero in their heart get wounded by the very same hands that cared for them. You had become a family to us and even to them, so we thank you, and I thank you for saving me from the slums. I'm sure one day, you will finally settle this" Katherine always knew how to comfort Azir as those words resonated with him. Azir's grip grew stronger and soon sniffles turned into loud sobs coming running him down, revealing his vulnerable side. Katherine planted soft pats on his back, gently smiling.

After a few minutes came by, a loud thud came from the door, "Doctor Omah, Doctor Katherine, a new patient has arrived and in need of immediate treatment now, I'll tell you the details along the way." A squirrel hybrid shouted, panting on his dear life. The duo was startled but both came running immediately with the nurse leading the way. As the creaking hallways were filled, the doctor needed to push through, making his way to the surgery room and putting on his clothes. "Katherine, close the curtains."

[Erdstrum Hospital, Country of Fhorn.

7:30-12:00]

Surgery successful as the tumor has been removed. As Azir and Katherine were about to take a rest, another nurse came running in their direction, "A fire incident occurred in the woods of the north, 14 campers were injured and 4 supervisors dead. We need all hands on deck at the side of the hospital and wait for arrival." Both doctors nodded as they quickened up their pace.

"Can anything get done without us!?" Katherine said in her panting breaths.

"That's right, the life of a thousand is worth more than a single life, resting isn't a priority, not today until all is well. For the future of Fhorn, my time is not needed, for the future of Fhorn, I will dedicate mine as to not see the mistakes I had done in my past... to see the children of this realm smile. This rotting life is not important, their life is." Azir thought to himself. Azir continued day and night without stopping, until he knew that everything is well and with or without his abilities, he uses his time for others. For the time is not of his essence.

"My fate had been made long by my judgement and people themselves, so to serve my purpose, my life, is worth it no?" Azir smiled at Katherine. Katherine was worried and furious about his friend, "How stupid can you be!?" she longed to say, but those words can only be formed in her head and all she can say is, "You're near your end but you keep focusing your time on strangers and none for yourself... you're so selfish." She only said with a bit of spite in her tone.

Katherine had this memory where she confronted the doctor of his acts, the acts of selfishness in her words actually meant selflessness, he had always been hurting others around who loved him, when Azir is gone, how many hearts would be broken and left hurt?

Katherine is for sure part of that category.

Azir only grinned and stripped his golden top, earning Katherine a face bewildered in shock followed by a gasp. Azir's body is shattering, like grass cracking under intense pressure, and it sure was a perfect way to describe it; descending into the sands, his arms showed signs of cracks as it resembled missing puzzle pieces, although the pieces were left unclaimed to their rightful places/ Katherine's was in shambles as she learned the truth, his truth, she had a lot of questions in mind but none came into words, but was soon answered as the doctor in front of him spoke.

"The sight of my people had encouraged me to offer help to others' lives and me to see their smile, they had troubles with death, around the devils roaming around deceiving and cursing people into the darkness claiming their lives, driving people to have the urge to kill themselves or the others. And some are unfortunate enough that even with blessings or their innocence, are cursed with misfortune due to unfortunate events... or gods and people." Azir paused. "Can you now see? My life had been long planned, my past, it is to experience the worst, my mind, as the last of my kin who were to live for more than thousands of years, but I was only given a thousand... and now let this be our little secret, it's been 998 years since I lived. So please, don't cry or I will be punished by the gods if you will." Azir ended his sentence with a slight laughter but his eyes spoke sadness. It hasn't been long since he came to this plane. There really was no god who viewed him, and many were left unsupervised too, so he took on his people to be dependent on themselves. He blinded himself with false truths to infect his mind with positivity, little did he know, he knew... he knew.

"What a memory", Katherine thought as she stood through the night along with other doctors and nurses, Azir beside her as they waited for the ambulance sirens wailing in the distance.

From hither to hither, life doesn't meet but nothing in between.