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Even as the lance embedded itself into the soft flesh of Karman's shoulder, he knew just how wrong he had been. He moved faster than he ever had in his life, rushing to catch the slumping red-head before he toppled to the ground before him, leaving a bewildered Kai staring agape at the pair in front of him. Moses clutched the other boy, his intense desperation being replaced by regret, and a fury at himself that he had never before felt, reflecting itself in the green of his eyes as he stared terrified at the other in his arms. The thorn had crept its crimson way up the boy's neck, but it now had a matching compliment. It was warm, sickeningly so, as the blood spurted from the boy's wound, meandering along and absorbing into the smooth fabric Karman's dark robes while staining the pale hands of his companion, who frantically tried to undo the damage that had just been done so unintentionally. Desperation was ironic like that.
"Karman..." Moses all but whimpered, his body still burning from its previous exposure to sunlight, but filling with a much more painful guilt that tore at every ounce of flesh, ripping every fragment of his being. This was all his fault.
The lance was meant for Kai, who stood shaken behind them, entirely uncertain at the sudden turn of events. It should have never been done, he admitted to himself, choking down the very reality that he let himself be consumed by his fear, turning to irrationality and desperation. He should have known better, even thinking for a moment that his enemy would offer them such help, to cure the thorn in return for a deadly favor. What sense did it make? Looking back, it meant nothing, save for his own weakness, as he had fallen again to a state of usage he had not felt since his original stay in the facility. The place where they were all born.
It was foolish, and never before had he believed he'd such a grave error. He just couldn't bear to loose him, not after everything. They were all that was left after all, just he, Karman, and Loulou. He couldn't survive without him, he wasn't that strong. What else could he have done?
Useless.
His thoughts stung him more bitterly than the tears streaming from his sore eyes. Resignation was truly misery. Karman wasted his strength explaining all that had happened, but he didn't need to hear it. From the moment Karman appeared, he had known his own folly.
"Please..." it was a soft listless voice that came from the ordinarily tempered boy, glancing at him from behind his thin pair of glasses. "Help me with one final task..."
The dark-haired boy nodded, meeting the other's eyes as an unspoken understanding passed solemnly between the two. "Yes," he stated quietly, maneuvering himself to place of Karman's arms around his neck and supporting the boy wholly by wrapping his arms around his midsection to help him walk.
Turning to look behind him, Moses found Kai accompanied by Saya, her chevalier not far off, all watching, staring in attempt to comprehend just what had occurred. Acknowledging them he leaned down to grasp Karman's polearm and deposit it on top of his fallen scythe. "Give it to Loulou," he requested solemnly, glancing at each of them. "Take care of her..."
With that the two turned, hooded, ever hiding from the brutality of the sun, and began to walk. A shout behind them caused them to stop, Moses turning his head to the other behind them.
"Wait!" Kai shouted, eyes gleaming with a mix of jumbled emotions, one arm outstretched towards them.
A faint smile crossed the face of Moses, and mirrored itself onto Karman beside him. "Thank you..."
With that he spared no more time and moved, with their noted speed in what was barely a flash of dull light, leaving for another shore, distant on the far side of the country. When at last they halted at their destination, the pair stood in the shadow staring out at the vastness of a magnificent bridge and shimmering blue-green water below it. Side by side they admired the view before them, a final landscape of this world, sighing in a sort of relief, though slightly tinged with regret.
Holding each other, bodies numb from exertion, something unspoken passed, flashing briefly from Karman's eyes to those of Moses. His grip on the wounded boy shifted to a knowing embrace as he pressed the other to him, silently understanding everything that had ever passed between them. They had reached the end. It was complete. Apologies, regrets, confessions, it was beyond them now. Too far gone.
A pale hand entangled itself in the darker boy's hair, stroking carefully, staring still at the brilliant green eyes of his leader. There was nothing to be said...
What about Loulou?
She will be fine. With the others with her. She will be just fine. She will survive, the last of us. She deserves to, she will be the greatest of all of us.
Yes. A quiet chuckle escaped from the red-head's lips, pausing as his hand slid back down to rest at his side. Shall we finish it then?
A soft smile played upon his pale features as Moses nodded. Wordless. Satisfied. Wrapping his arm supportively under the other's shoulders, he stepped forward, leading both in time, out of the shadow and into the sunlight.
It was beautiful, the light.
Blinding before turning into absolution.
All was said. All was done.