It's hard. Hard to believe this is the same story as when we started out. It's hard to believe that this is the same work. I can't believe how far we've come. And it's all thanks to you. The systematic reviewer. The occasional reviewer. The one time only reviewer. It's thanks to you that this story made it to its conclusion. From humble beginnings in a Mistrali Wood. To this mighty citadel in Vale. I owe it to you. Thank you. And goodnight. The final valedictions are coming. We've come so far. Not much further now. I almost thought this story would never end. I thought I'd be working on it forever. At some points it sure seemed that way. And now that we're here I almost can't believe it. Yes. I'd do some other stuff different even if I wrote it a third time. But two is enough.
A little over a year is more than enough time to spend on a story like this. And I have other projects I want to work on so it's for the best that this story is ending. Even though it's a little sad too. Or maybe it's very sad. I spent so much time on this. I love this story. It's my baby. But at some point you just have to call it. The good times can't roll on forever and we have to give it up.
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(Weiss PoV)
"It's time." Cloud said one late evening with only me and Ruby around. "It's time. My children all know me. It's time for me to go."
Me and Ruby stared at him. Then we stared at each other. Then we stared back at him.
"Cloud…" I trailed and stopped.
"But can't we have a little more time. Just a little more," Ruby begged.
"It'll never be enough for you. You have to know that. You'll always want more. At some point I just have to call it," he said.
"But Cloud," I stammered. I stopped again. I couldn't seem to find the words I needed.
"It's time for me to face fate and draw that line in the sand," he murmured.
"But there's nobody rushing you but you," Ruby commented.
"Rosé. You. Both of you are targets. I can end that."
"Rosé is dead, Cloud. You can't save her by acting now."
"But I can honor her memory. By doing what I can. For both of you. I hear this click and I… I can't go on."
"I know what it's like to have an absent father. I never wanted that for my children," I managed.
"You had to know when you married me what that meant. You had to know I couldn't be there for the long haul. I have to confront her. It's time. It's my time. I leave tomorrow."
"Now wait just a minute. Don't we deserve more notice than this?" I cut in.
"You do. You definitely do. But I can't give it to you. I wish that I could. Give you better notice. But it's time. It's just my time."
"Now wait a minute. Carnal might not remember you." Ruby protested.
"But I've waited as long as I can. She has a good chance. Of remembering me that is. I can't go on. Leaving other people to fight that good fight without me being involved. I've rested enough. Tomorrow I leave."
"But what about us. We deserve more time with you. We deserve it," I demanded.
He shook his head. "Gods above and I, I'm so sorry. If only you knew how sorry I was. Would it matter? Would it make a difference? But I have to leave or I never will. I have to confront her. The real bitch. And I'm so sorry. I know I'm putting you through a world of hurt-"
"More than that," Ruby protested.
"More than that," he agreed. "But it's what you agreed to when you married me. You knew this day would come. You knew I'd have to go on. You must have known I couldn't be beside you forever."
"We did. We did know. But not right now. Not when your children are going off to school one group after the next," I dissuaded.
"Yes. Exactly now. Before they beg me to stay too. I have to leave and face my destiny. It's now or never. If I stay… I'll stay forever. And then I won't be a person. Penny will have died for nothing."
"You once said you'd stay if I begged. I'm begging you to stay," Ruby tried.
"I can't. Maybe I once could have but now I have to face her. And it's now or never. Weiss. You've been so strong for me. I needed that from you. You showed me I'm more than just a puppet. That I didn't have to be. It means everything to me."
"But you'll leave anyway," I bit out.
"I'm nobody's puppet. Same as you. I love you so. I'll eat you whole."
"Please don't go," Ruby pleaded.
"I have to go. You know I do. And you promised I'd get your blessing. I need it now."
"Well…" Ruby trailed off into nothing. "Well let's just talk about it. We can still talk about it. Right?"
"Rubes. I have to go," he answered. "If not now then when? When will you ever willing let me go? You won't. I need your blessing."
"Well… Weiss?" Ruby shot.
"I can't be a part of this. I won't let you just kill yourself. It's selfish. Same old selfless selfishness."
"I'm not killing myself if I have your blessings," he returned at a whisper. "I don't want to be awake. I'm tired of resting. I have to act. It's my time to act. I can take her down and stop this once and for all."
"I won't. Do you hear me? I won't send you off to die with my blessing. I won't do it," I threw the words out at him.
"I'm only dying for sure if I don't have your blessing. I need it to survive."
"No. The answer is no. You should remain here and father your children."
"Weiss…" Ruby trailed back in. I looked over at her. She was crying. Soft silvery tears fled from her eyes like drops of moonlight. "Weiss… that's enough. We did all we could. It's time to let him go."
"No. I need more time. I need more time with him. I can't just let him go. Not to his death like this. Ruby can you really raise all your children with just the two of us?"
"We don't have any choice. We knew what we agreed to when we married Cloud. We knew we were on the clock. We knew if he didn't fly before Nebel was born he'd eventually have to. Now he needs us. He needs us to be strong. Cloud…"
"I can't agree to this. I just can't. I want… I want more time with him. I want more. Do you understand me?"
"Weiss… I have to go," Cloud said.
"Weiss…" Ruby trailed. "It's just his time."
"I…" I trailed off. I stopped.
"It's his time and he has to go. And he has to be the one," Ruby said. "He needs your blessing."
"I do. I need your blessing," he said.
"No…." I trailed off. I couldn't just give him my blessing to go off and die. "No," I snapped.
"Pyrrhic victories aren't," he said. "When I leave tomorrow I'll need you to be in my corner. Or else I definitely won't make it. There's a power to it. Your blessings."
"You have it from me," Ruby stammered out. "I have to let you go. I know that. I knew that when I married you. I knew I'd have to let you go. You warned me. You told us we'd have to let you go even though you might die. You gave us all the warning and you gave us time. I love you. Come back to me."
I sighed. I reached up and tugged on my hair. I wanted to pull it out by the roots. "Cloud… I…" I started and stopped.
"Weiss I need you to be strong for me. I know I'm asking for so much. Raising my children for one. I'm asking you to let me go with a handkerchief wave. I need it though. There is a certain magic to blessings like this. It has power. I need that power if I'm going to be able to take her down. And I need to do it or I'm leaving Nebel to do it. He might have magic and the strength to contest her. I can't put it on my son. I can't play that any more. There's no other way to spin it."
"I… you have it. You knew you'd get it from me. Didn't you. Oh…" I broke into tears.
"Weiss it will be okay. You'll see," Ruby murmured.
"It's not right. It shouldn't be you. But it is. No one can pay this price other than you," I said. I choked on a sob. "No one can pay it but us. What will we tell the children? Oh what will we tell them?"
"The truth? Maybe? That I went off to fight the bad guys?"
"But how much truth? They don't need to know about Salem. They don't need to know how dark things are," Ruby whispered.
"Fair enough. You both know best. And you'll be the ones paying the price. You deserve to make that decision," Cloud mumbled.
"We shouldn't have to, you brick," I managed through my tears. "I'm going to miss you. I-I'll remember you. I won't just let you go. I'll remember you."
"Thank you, Weiss. Thank you," he murmured.
"I will too. With my children and in my own time. In my own way. I won't forget you. I love you, Cloud."
"We both do. Never forget that. You can do this. You're strong enough to beat her. Oh. Here we are saying goodbye and hoping it isn't."
"And hoping it isn't," Cloud agreed. "But it's time to face facts. It could be my end. We have to face that and confront it head on even if it hurts us. It's the price we have to pay. And nobody can pay it besides you two. Besides you both. My darling Weiss you taught me how to be strong. Ruby sweetheart you taught me how to be kind. I don't know where I'd be without you both but I wouldn't be as happy. It wouldn't have been as true. This time I spent with you was short. The longest period of my life but still so short. But it was the best I ever had."
"Oh…" I panted and cried. I couldn't muster a sentence.
"You did well with us, Cloud. You fulfilled your wedding vows as best as you were able. When you go carry us with you. In your heart. I know if you do you will be victorious," Ruby choked out.
"Oh… nobody can pay it but you, Cloud. Nobody can give it up but you. It has to be you. You're a hero to me. You showed me how to live quietly. I can't play it anymore. When you leave, be ready. She will try and trap you. She will be afraid. She will ensnare you if you allow her. Be wise and mighty. And when you strike go for the head. Let it be over fast and all at once. One final chorus. I'll sing for you on the widow's watch and wait for your return. And when you do I'll sing all your favorite songs. And you'll be back here for your children and for us and we'll go out together into town. And the three of us will drink and be merry. Once you come back to us we will. We'll wave all our children off to school and raise them here together. Please for now rest like you belong here. And I'll sing you a sweet song. But for now just sleep. Your destiny awaits you in the morning but that's not for hours now," I managed. I was still crying with quicksilver tears falling from my face to the floor.
"You come home and tell us won't you?" Ruby begged. "You'll tell us how she died and how you won. How you took your victory over her. A great miracle awaits you. You have the strength and speed to do it. Keep your wits about you and be ready for her magic. That's all you can do. I love you Cloud. And oh, Weiss I love you too. Let's have a toast. Let us drink a little and forget about destiny. Destiny can wait. It can hang for a moment while we spend these last hours together."
"I will. I promise I will and you both know I'm a man of my word. I promise I'll come back home to you. I promise I'll hold you both in my arms again after tonight. This won't be our last. I will see you again. My family won't know what hit them. Soon it will all be over and I can kiss your foreheads and my children's faces once more. But I must ride when the morning comes. The sun shall be my alarm bell. When it rises so shall I. And with it my swift and terrible sword will finally cut down the bane of my existence. I owe it all to you. To both of you."
"And should the worst come to pass," he pressed on. "Grant me forgiveness. May my feet be swift and steady. May my arms be strong and my shoulders unbowed. But should the worst come to pass may you both forgive me my weakness. All of my weaknesses. That I had to ride and die. And sometimes I question the ride or die. My life looks pretty hot right now. But still I must go. I have to say my peace. Won't you both forgive me then? These little dozen weaknesses I cling to full heartedly. Won't you raise my son as a hunter where I could not if that's what he wishes to be. Won't you pick up my dropped torch should I fail and stumble and drop it to the ground. Won't you carry it for me. Though the weight is heavy and the winds blow won't you carry and shield that precious flame. And forgive me in the places that I falter. If I could have anything from you both now it would be your forgiveness for the things I'm putting you through and the burdens I'm placing on your shoulders. I love you both. You two are my greatest triumphs and my greatest weaknesses. A man must know himself and his flaws. You two are mine. I am weak to you both. You render me helpless with a careless touch. When I come home again I am yours to command. Should I come home. Should I succeed. I will bury my Mother's head beneath a mountain. Let the descendants of a thousand generations from now deal with her should she rise from her slumber again. I shall make her sleep. And she shall have justice at long last. I shall be a free man to be beside you without one eye over my shoulder or on the cage door. Every day I have died. Each and every day I die waiting for this day to finally come. And now that it has I find a bit of excitement and joy at the thought of finally being free. "
"Do not harden your hearts for me or mourn me long should the worse come to pass. Know I finally died as a free man. A puppet no longer. Know I died with you in my chest beating there softly beneath my skin. Know I died valiantly saving our children from evil. Or at least the attempt. And the attempt is everything. The attempt gives our lives meaning. The attempt gives our lives purpose. Without attempting anything we are nothing. I attempted to be a father. And I have. I attempted to be a husband. And I have. Without giving it my best shot could I have known how far my legs would carry me? Would it be a pity then? To not know my own strength or the energy I possessed within myself. A quiet rebellion grows into revolution. I will tear down my Mother's defenses and ransack the places she resides in. I will tear down walls and fortresses. And our battle will be like a meteor fall. Swift and absolute. An enormous end only to start again. There's a purity to that. My sword shall be my hammer and the earth shall be my anvil. I am ready," he finished.
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