Title: Frozen Soul
Author: Tess
Disclaimer: Pretear and its characters are not mine, and I'm making no money from this.
Rating: PG
A/N: This is set pre-series.
It was a beautiful morning. Somewhere in the world, the sun was shining, birds in the trees were singing, and everything in nature looked pure and clean and glorious. Rivers of pure water were running on their long trek toward the ocean, alternately burbling merrily over shining rocks in the shallows and rushing loudly in the deeper areas with stronger current. Animals were going about their daily routines in harmony, and the people were happy with their simple lives.
That place seemed very far away.
Here, it was dark and damp and dangerous, not a place one would ever sleep unless they were mortally exhausted. The men lying on the ground seemed out of place, as they appeared to be in deep, peaceful sleep. Of course, this was not actually the case. Three companions had been killed earlier -- earlier that day? That week? How long had they been unconscious after that long and costly battle? There was no way to tell in this place. Not that it mattered. Close friends were dead, and those remaining were badly wounded, so that the one who woke first felt completely alone.
He was isolated, his heart encased in a giant shard of crystal. How cruel was fate, to have him fight so hard, and sacrifice so much, so that they could lock his very soul away?
Pushing himself off the cold, hard ground, he looked up at the crystal looming above him. Her form was clearly visible, beauty shining through despite everything that had happened. She had turned away from the light, her rage and pain blinding her. They had been forced to seal her away before she did any more harm to their world. It had not been easy. She had not gone quietly, and had taken three of his friends and fellow Knights before she fell herself and was contained.
He knew it was wrong, but he already missed her.
She had killed his friends, and had the potential to destroy the world that they all worked so hard to protect, but he still missed her. He wished that it had never come to this. If she had only seen him, and not been so focussed on another, this would never have happened. That was not to say that he blamed Hayate for all of this. Hayate was his friend, and he could not choose who he cared for and who he did not more than any other man.
He was so lost in his contemplation that he did not hear his remaining companions stirring until he felt a hand come down heavily on his shoulder.
"Are you alright?" Goh's voice held concern, love for a friend.
Sharply, "Fine." He could not share this with anyone, even the closest of friends. They were all burdened now from the losses and their own failures to protect Takako, and they did not need to hear of his emotional weaknesses. For that was what this was, this missing her, and Sasame did not show weakness.
His companions turned to leave this place, and go back to where the morning was beautiful and there was a world that was worth this cost to protect, but he could not help but look back at her once more. He could almost hear her bidding him goodbye as they trudged out into the light of day.
