As the cool breeze of spring swept through the castle courtyard, the knights prepared for battle with a sense of renewed vigor. The flowers bloomed in vibrant hues, signaling the arrival of a new season filled with hope and promise. Children could be seen playing joyfully in the courtyard, their laughter echoing through the air as they ran around in a game of tag.
In the distance, shops began to open one by one, their doors creaking as they welcomed customers inside with the promise of new treasures. The sound of laughter mixed with the chatter of people filled the streets, creating a lively atmosphere that brought a smile to everyone's face.
The sound of lutes and flutes filled the air, adding a whimsical touch to the otherwise solemn atmosphere of the kingdom. Spring had arrived, bringing with it a sense of renewal and rejuvenation that was felt by all who dwelled within the—great and mighty, as described by Raon Miru in the past ("Roan Kingdom is great and mighty just like me because our home is there!" A younger Raon had cheered, receiving words of agreement from his siblings and father w̶h̶o̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶e̶r̶)—Roan Empire.
Cale watched all this happen around him.
As Benjamin Franklin had once said, "You may delay, but time will not."
Time had passed on without him. And it will continue to go on for eternity without him.
By this time, Cale already inferred that he died.
It was simple, really. There was a calendar in Beacrox's room that had today's (today's? Isn't this the future?) date written out in bright, bold letters. He's been deceased for two years already. Way longer than it took for the world to rebuild itself without him.
He didn't even know that ghost existed in <The Birth of—no, in his world. Though it didn't come as much of a surprise for the redhead (he's been through much worse shit), it could make sense why some people actually believed and worshipped the God of Death...
Even though that particular god was nothing less than a stupid bastard to Cale, he had to admit that praying to him to get rid of your evil dead uncle's spirit sounded mildly exhilarating.
Not that he would do that if given the chance (he totally would).
He was currently trying to locate the others to gather more information about the future. That task itself wasn't a hard one, given the trail of colorful flower petals adorning Cale's group's usual path to the Forest of Darkness.
He was just distracted by the people in the market. The atmosphere was so bright and colorful. The vibrant market scene brought back memories of simpler times for Cale.
The laughter of the children—his children—running through the crowds, the smell of fresh baked goods wafting through the air, the sight of vendors haggling over prices with Beacrox glaring at them menacingly, Ron smiling his rare genuine smile while helping Cale and On clean Raon and Hong after they rolled around on the ground, Raon and Hong quickly deciding that they wanted the others to join in as well, ending with them all in a big dirty pile at the end of the hill.
Choi Han would have that innocent, happy expression on his face. Rosalyn would describe to the children all the different ways to combust a hill without lifting a finger with vigor. Eruhaben would sigh and watch them from afar, with Ron smiling benignly by his side. Alberu would similarly sigh exasperatedly while dusting off his clothes, but there would be an unmistakable spark in his eyes that would betray what he was actually feeling. Mary would be talking to Lock about different types of candies with her monotone voice, but they are both smiling.
Cale was now standing on top of that very same hill. He had subconsciously wandered up there while thinking of the past.
'When was the last time we got to go out like that?' Cale thought as the winds rushed through him, not even ruffling his long hair like it used to, and 'Will I ever be able to enjoy my slacker life with them like I wanted to?'
YOU ARE READING
in sickness and in death (totcf)
Fanfiction"Are you satisfied?" "If you're really me, you should know that I don't want to die." Cale replied, raising his eyebrow at the robed man. Ghost Cale turned away from him and sat down by the hilltop's edge, hugging his knees. "Yes, we are 'dead' in a...
