Shadow Rising Chapter 6: Decisions
"I suppose I should have seen this one coming," Azriel murmured. The cool wind caressed his troubled face as his brow creased in increasing worry.
Flashback
"You cannot continue to live among these mortals, Azriel."
"I know my responsibilities, Sanzo! The only question is how to do this." Azriel's shoulders drooped as he considered the task ahead. "I really do not want to do this..."
End Flashback
"This is definitely not one of my better ideas, but under the circumstances, I don't have much choice." Azriel disappeared into the shadows of the roof reappearing in Rogue's room. He sat down on her bed and gently stroked her cheek. She sighed and slowly opened her eyes.
"Azriel? It's too early..." Her eyes fell upon the sheet of paper in his hands. "What's that?"
"I wasn't feeling too well, so I went to visit the doctor last night. Turns out I have this." Rogue quickly scanned the prognosis, turning as white as the paper in her hand.
"Y'all aren't serious..." Azriel smiled sadly.
"I'm afraid so. The doctors have never seen this before. The disease is acting upon my vampire nature and destroying my red blood cells at a highly accelerated rate."
"There's gotta be a way to stop it! Can't yah just drink a lotta blood or sumthin?!" Azriel shook his head.
"I could feed upon this entire city and live for a while longer. But the disease will still kill me." Rogue's eyes hardened.
"How long?"
"A week. Maybe less." Azriel smiled wanly. "I'm not gonna be around for your college graduation after all." Rogue chuckled at his vain attempt to joke. Tears streamed like rivers down her face. She uttered a short cry and grabbed him, latching on like she was afraid he'd disappear. Azriel remained silently, hugging her back as she cried against his chest.
"Ah don't want ya to go..."
"And I don't want to go. But there's nothing either of us can do about it." Rogue cried even louder.
"It's not fair..."
"Life rarely ever is."
Truer words I have never spoken.
"Azriel, if you wish, I can have the world's best doctors fly down and examine you. I'm sure if we..." Xavier stopped as Azriel raised his hand.
"Let's be logical. If a biological virus can kill a person with both vampiric regeneration and angelic healing, what are the odds that a cure can be found?" Xavier sighed.
"What do you intend to do?"
"Spend my last few days with my family."
"I can have Logan fly you back to Transylvania tonight..."
"My family is right here." Xavier smiled.
"It's been an honor, Azriel."
"The honor has always been and will always be mine, Xavier." For the next few days, life was complete bliss. Cookouts, movies, parties. The entire student body seemed to pile everything into the short span of five days. Azriel smiled in remembrance as the infamous Bobby Drake had frozen Ray Crisp in the pool and left him there. It had take Ray a half hour to finally break through the thick layer of ice. He stepped in front of Rogue's door and knocked. Hearing no response, he cautiously opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit room.
"Rogue?"
"Ovah heah." And there lay Rogue, in the scantiest clothes that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.
"Whoa..." Azriel grinned lecherously and pounced. Desperation mixed with their passion that night as they made love as if it were their last night together.
The sun's golden rays filtered through the horizontal blinds of Rogue's room. She stirred slowly and turned to face her sleeping lover. She gasped as she beheld his pallid face, his eyes closed and his expression one of content. She hesitantly touched his face before jerking her hand back. He was already getting cold. Not an ounce of red remained on him. His entire body had turned a pasty white.
The scream of sorrow that issued from the room awoke the entire Institute. Thunder resounded in the sky as rain poured down from the heavens. The entire Institute had gone to visit Azriel's grave. One by one, they passed by the unassuming stone until only Rogue and the Professor were left. Xavier turned to Rogue, pity in his eyes.
"Do you need some time?" Rogue nodded. "Take as long as you need." Rogue stood for what seemed like hours, gazing blankly at the silent gravestone. She walked slowly towards it, each step falling down like thunder. She knelt in front of the grave.
"Ah know how ya hated long goodbahs, so Ah'll only say it once." She smiled sadly and placed a blood red rose on the soft ground before turning away.
"Goodbah, mah love."
Here Lies Azriel Dracul
May He Find the
Peace denied to him
For So Long
A/N: Please don't kill me! Wait for the final chapter before judging the ending.