Six hundred four thousand, seven hundred ninety-nine...
Six hundred four thousand, eight hundred...
A new day, another week.
Six hundred four thousand, eight hundred and four…
And once again, no change occurs. The few senses I have cannot detect anything beyond the perimeter of this crystal, and the stimuli I can detect are insubstantial at best.
Six hundred twenty thousand...
I suppose I should be thankful that I had gathered enough memories to be able to recognize this as Eliphas' work, but that knowledge alone provides little comfort...
Each day I feel this black stain within my chest attempting to spread and consume me, but like myself, its forbidden from experiencing the passage of time.
Six hundred forty-three thousand, twenty-one...
Eliphas may have prevented my death, but I no longer possess a future either. Yet... I do not know why I still feel hope. My only choice within this faceted structure is to spend an eternity alone…
Six hundred fifty-eight thousand, six hundred and fifty...
...without him.
Yuma, one who continues to shine even when surrounded by darkness. Like the nebulas and galaxies we gazed at so fondly together…
He is alive, that knowledge alone is enough to distract from this torpid existence. Sometimes, when I concentrate my thoughts, I can picture that dearest star of mine so clearly.
But… Yuma is not his usual self. He weeps and calls for me in a broken voice, scouring familiar locations from our shared memories. It is painful to see him like this, to see him grieving for one like myself.
Some days, I reach out to these visions of him, "Please... I renounced myself so you can keep moving forward. You must live for today, for your own future now. It's time you stopped fighting, Yuma…"
I suppose that, despite my best efforts at keeping my mind from failing me, cracks are beginning to show. There are times when the Yuma within my thoughts locks eyes with my own, aware of the words I utter.
Other times, he responds in turn. Like now.
On the cusp of tears, he shook his head violently, "I'll live when we're together again; that means you and me, Astral! Until then, I will search for you, every damn day!"
His voice went quiet, "Because on that day... when I see you with my own two eyes, standing by my side again…" Yuma's face displayed so much tiredness as rivulets fell freely down his cheeks, "it'll all be worth it."
But why can't you understand? I'm go-…
…Something keeps me from saying those words to him. It is clear we're both in pain. It would be cruel to worsen it. As he lies shivering in restless sleep, I see myself cradling his bundled form.
"While my memories of you still flow within me, Yuma, let me help you heal..."
Six hundred sixty-one thousand, one hundred ninety-eight…
Six hundred sixty-one thousand, one hundred and ninety-nine...
All these seconds that pass us by and neither one of us wishes to forget the other for a single one of them it would seem...