Cecil clenched his fists and fought the urge to look away.

"What…what do you mean?" he asked Rosa, who looked away first.

Silence fell between them, and for a moment Cecil wanted to reach out to her, for fear of being trapped alone in the silence.

"Because your light is fading." Whispered Rosa, as if saying a secret she was afraid of.

"I…you don't mean-!"

A small smile tugged at the edges of Rosa's lips.

"No, not that. Don't be so paranoid Cecil" she sighed, and closed the distance between them to turn his head towards the light coming in through the window. Then she let go of him and stepped back. "Go. Leave now…"

Cecil looked to the ground, feeling like Rosa had just seen a fear even he didn't dare looking at.

"I can't." The words escaped from Cecil's mouth, tearing something inside him.

"I know. That's why I ask you to leave."

"But, I can't leave you. I can't leave Baron."

"You're already gone Cecil."

Rosa looked at him, with a shine to her eyes that made Cecil feel like this was the first time he saw her with true eyes.

His body froze, overwhelmed by a coldness that was almost comforting. The cold cruelty of a Dark Knight, the cold strength of a White Paladin. He could only shift from one to the other by falling into the cold essence that united them.

But in that moment, he felt himself drowning in it.

"You would crush your heart" said Rosa "if you thought it would deviate you from your duty."

"Rosa, I…"

"I know you love me…But what good is a heart torn in half? Go, search for what the other half of your heart needs" she turned away from him. "I will always be here Cecil. But I won't see your heart fall apart before me."

Cecil left that very night.

Rushing among the shadows, he wondered for how long his newfound light would protect him from the darkness awaiting in his path.

As the night only he saw closed down on him, he stopped thinking, letting himself rely only on the beatings of his heart.

The worries of Baron, the regret of leaving Rosa alone, the doubts and splatters of fears slowly faded to nothing but shadows clinging to his every step.

He felt them pulling, but the image his unclouded eyes saw was so bright, he raced towards it, afraid it would crash before he reached it.

"Cecil…?"

Said Kain. As Cecil waited for him, the shadows had returned, embracing him in the coldness he couldn't dare to leave.

It was alright. Next to Kain, the weight of his own shadows lessened.

"Am I needed here?"