Rewrite The Star

CHAPTER 21 : SHATTERED HEART

The guild hall was awash in a beaming light as Atlas and Keevin's silhouettes slowly emerged from the glow. Atlas clutched Keevin tightly in his arms, his breath ragged, his body trembling with exhaustion. Blood trickled from Keevin's mouth, his once vibrant skin now turning an ashen pallor, his body bruised and battered. Atlas, tears streaming down his face, wept over Keevin's lifeless form. The once bustling guild hall was now filled with the anguished cries of those who realized what had happened.

"Son... Oh no. Atlas!" Gildarts rushed to his side, his heart sinking as he saw the pale, lifeless form of Keevin. Guilt flooded Gildarts' mind, a torment he could barely withstand. Seeing his son, broken and weeping, tore at his very soul. "What have I done? Why did I let them go on that mission? This is my fault! I should have been there with them," he murmured to himself, his voice heavy with regret.

"No, Keevin, please don't leave me! Come back!" Atlas's cries echoed through the hall, filled with a desperation that cut through the air like a knife. Clinging to the last thread of hope, Atlas began to chant an ancient, long-forgotten healing spell. "Herius Velcanti," he whispered, his voice trembling with both power and despair. A soft blue light enveloped them, but it was in vain. The spell faltered, the magic slipping away as Atlas's body began to betray him, the toll of his efforts rendering him pale and weak. He collapsed, his strength finally spent.

"Atlas!" Gildarts cried out, rushing to catch him.

Two days passed, the weight of those moments still lingering in the air like a ghost. Atlas lay in the guild's recovery room, his eyes slowly fluttering open. He turned his head and saw a figure beside him, reaching out instinctively. "Keevin!" he called, his heart leaping in his chest. But as his vision cleared, he realized it wasn't Keevin—it was Darren.

"Huh? What happened? Where is Keevin?" Atlas asked, his voice tinged with confusion and growing dread.

Darren averted his gaze, unable to meet Atlas's eyes. "Darren, where is he?" Atlas demanded, his voice growing more frantic and filled with fury. He tried to rise, but dizziness overtook him, and he fell back onto the bed, his body still weak.

"I'm sorry, Atlas," Darren said softly, his voice laden with sorrow.

Atlas's heart pounded in his chest, a sense of dread washing over him. The silence in the room was deafening, pressing in on him like a vice. "I know Keevin is still alive. I just saw him! Where is he?" Atlas's voice cracked, desperation edging his words.

Darren took a deep breath, his heart breaking for his friend. "I'm sorry, Atlas, but Keevin... Keevin is gone. Right after you passed out, we tried everything to heal him, but nothing worked. Despite all our efforts, we couldn't save him. We were worried about you, too, and focused on healing you afterward. Keevin... his body was buried yesterday."

Atlas's world shattered with those words. He sat there, dumbfounded, as tears began to spill down his cheeks. The pain of Darren's words cut deeper than any wound, leaving him broken and lost in a world without Keevin.