Born To Die

Epilogue

Days turned into weeks, or what felt like weeks—time in Elysium was strange, fluid. My little blue house sat at the edge of a field that seemed to stretch endlessly, filled with golden flowers swaying gently in the breeze. The sky was always a soft, endless blue, and the air carried a faint hum, like the world itself was alive and at peace.

I had adjusted well to the afterlife, or so I told myself. The quiet was soothing, the light constant and warm. I spent my days tending to a small garden, something I'd never done in life but now found oddly fulfilling. The ache of losing Luke lingered, but in time, it dulled. I told myself he would want me to be happy. He would want me to find peace.

But one evening, as I sat on the little porch of my house, watching the golden sun dip toward the horizon, I saw a figure in the distance. At first, I thought it was a trick of the light, but as the figure drew closer, my heart stopped.

It was Luke.

I stood, my breath caught in my throat, as he approached. He looked just as I remembered—his golden hair catching the light, his blue eyes filled with that familiar warmth. But there was something else, something deeper. A weight had been lifted from him, and he looked... free.

"Isla," he said, his voice soft but steady.

I blinked, tears welling in my eyes. "Luke?" My voice trembled, barely audible. "How—?"

He stepped closer, his hands reaching out to cup my face as if to prove I was real. "It's me," he said. "I'm here."

I stared at him, my hands trembling as I reached out to touch him. He was solid, warm. Real. "How?" I whispered again, tears spilling down my cheeks.

He exhaled, his hands never leaving my face. "Kronos," he said, his voice heavy. "The only way to stop him was to end it. To end me. I realized there was no way to defeat him without taking him down with me."

My heart shattered at his words. "You—" My voice broke. "You died. For them. For me."

He nodded, his eyes glistening. "I had to. But as soon as it happened, I found myself here. I faced the trials, Isla. All of them. And the only thing that kept me going was the thought of finding you."

A sob escaped me, and I threw my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. He held me tightly, his arms strong and sure. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt whole.

"I couldn't lose you again," he whispered into my hair. "Not after everything."

I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, my hands gripping his shirt as if afraid he might disappear. "You found me," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "You really found me."

He smiled, his thumb brushing away a tear from my cheek. "I promised you, didn't I? Forever."

We stood there for what felt like hours, wrapped in each other's arms, the golden light of Elysium casting everything in a soft glow.

From that day on, we built a life together in the afterlife. It wasn't perfect—it could never truly erase the pain we'd endured—but it was ours. We spent our days tending to the garden, exploring the endless beauty of Elysium, and simply being together.

And for the first time in what felt like lifetimes, I felt at peace. With Luke by my side, I knew we could face anything, even in the afterlife. Because no matter what, we had each other. Forever.

THE END...