"No! Serena!" The voice rang through the air, but there was no depth to the voice and certainly no response. There was nothing now, nothing at all. He was all alone in the darkness. She was gone, the only light was gone. And she wasn't returning. How could he have been so stupid? He knew she couldn't have handled herself, but she kept insisting she would be fine and she was so convincing. Those lips the way they moved, they could've told him anything and he'd believe it. Believe it to the very core of his tainted soul. Her eyes promised him of her safe return, but those eyes he never would have believed lied to him. Those beautiful, soft green eyes to match her long chestnut auburn hair. She was the brightest light in the blackest of night. That light had diminished and was now gone, all because he couldn't get there fast enough. He couldn't keep her promise. The sounds of her death echoed in his ears and he was paralyzed. He knew he should get up and continue fighting, but now there was nothing except the boom of another explosion.
Swiftly he was awoken from his dream. He looked up into a pair of violet flecked eyes that held a tint of concern in them. "Cam wake up. It's time." No. He closed his eyes and turned his attention away from Daniel. "The service is today. She wouldn't want you to be like this." His eyes snapped open and he turned to face him with rage flowing through his veins. "She would want me to be happy." Cam could feel the venom dripping off of his own words and wondered why he was so hostile. He knew Daniel was not threating, but still he could not control his mind. "And are you happy?" Daniel retorted, an attempt to put Cam in his rightful place. The room had went silent before he responded, "No. I will never be."
"Everyone's going and you should too. Show your respects and what not. I know this is hard for you, but it will go on." Cam was about to open his mouth, instead he shut it. He knew that Daniel had lost the love of his life many times before, but he had been granted her back. He would never get his love back. Now he wondered what was worse, watching the one you love die because of you and knowing it would only repeat or losing your love and never getting her back.
He knew now that he was sulking, but thats all he felt like doing. He didn't want to go and see the pain-stricken faces of her loved ones or the tears of all that shared memories with her. He wanted to roll up in a ball and tell himself over and over again that she was coming back. As much as he wanted it, she wasn't coming back. He felt another tear roll out, "Shit." He mumbled more to himself. Normally he'd pull himself together, but right now he didn't care if Daniel saw him weak. There would be no denying it, this was the worst thing he had ever went through.
"I'll be there." He sighed and with that Daniel took his cue to leave. Cam stood up and readied himself for what was to come.
He had finished getting ready in no time at all. He didn't have to look his best today and frankly he didn't care. He took his time walking to the courtyard where the battle had taken place. When he reached everyone they all looked at him with sad eyes and he knew exactly what they thinking. They were pitying him.
The courtyard was minimally decorated. No one wanted this to last very long. There were so many that died here, good and bad. It was almost too many to count. He overheard the numbers they said and the names they called during the service, but only one rang true in his ears. Serena Neveah. His Serena. He looked down at the ground he was standing on and realized that it was the exact spot she died. He ran so hard trying to get to her before the arrow hit her, but he wasn't fast enough. He tried so hard in vain. It was a lost cause he knew that well, but refused to accept it.
He could hear the service coming to an end after close to an hour. People hugged him, patted him on the shoulders, and wished him well. Their attempts at consolation had no affect on him, he was as good as dead himself. He watched everyone file out of the courtyard. Daniel and Luce holding hands, Roland and Arianne smiling at one another as they crawled into a silver car, and all those other couples he looked upon with envious eyes. Soon though they were all gone and he was left to himself.
Silently, he bent down to touch the ground before him. The blood now a mere faded stain on the disheaveled grass. His fingers brushed the cool ground and a shiver ran down his spine. Something wet hit his hand. Rain or had he been crying? He touched his face and it was indeed tear-stained. He sighed and looked up into the sky, taking notice that it was getting very cloudy. Maybe he could convince himself that it was only beginning rain and he was more pulled together than he was. That would be too great of a lie that he could not tell himself. The wind slowly picked up and rustled his ebony hair even more out of place.
"Cam." The voice carried throughout the courtyard and he stood up suddenly alarmed. Who had said that? Looking around, he saw no one there. That was her voice, Serena's voice. That beautiful melodic voice, but it was only himself and his mourning memories. He sighed and closed his eyes. Why did he have to tormented? Was it not enough that he had to watch her die?
His eyes shot open as a cool hand touched his cheek. Cold shivers ran down his back, a rush of heat flooded through his chest as he stared into the eyes of his beloved. There she was still perfect and beautiful and his. Serena was here with him. "W-what are you doing?" His voice cracked in shock as he marveled at the girl. "I came to see you." Her smooth voice almost sang out. "I thought you were gone." A sob escaped his lips as she wrapped her arms around him. "I am gone, but they allowed me to come see you. I had to see you, so I could tell you I love you one last time."
"I am so sorry. I tried to save you, but I wasn't fast enough. It's my fault." His voice broke with every word he spoke. "No, please don't say that. It was destined to happen, don't beat yourself up over it. Cameron Briel, I love you with all my heart and if there is a loophole I will find it." His arms were wrapped around the girl, he would try to hold her close to him as long as he could. "There is a loophole I've heard of it. I just have to find the book that holds it. I swear I'll find it and we will be together." The girl flickered and she became paler than a few moments ago.
"I would want that more than anything, but I want you to be happy and move on. This is how things work you have to move on if there is no other way." She flickered again and once more she turned another shade paler. "I have to go." She muttered a regretful expression plastered on her pale white face.
"No. No. NO. NO! You can't go!" He gripped her hand as tight as possible trying his best to keep her on this earth. "Cam, I can't. I want to so bad, but I just can't. I'm so sorry." Her image was slowly fading away and her tears fell on the ground washing away the blood stains almost magically. He raised his hands to her face and gave her the kiss of a lifetime. One both of them would always remember. "I'm out of time, goodbye love." Finally her image vanished, like a light switch had been flicked off. His tears fell in the same spot as hers did. His heart had been ripped out. He longed to see her just once more, but their love had just ran out of time.