Chapter 133: New Endings Part 2
{My Dearest son Ralo.}
He placed the letter down. That was as far as he could get when it came to reading such a prewritten, emotional piece. What if this never happened? Was his father already aware of what was going on, and if he was, was he just going to act like it never happened if he was to come out alive? If he took this secret to the grave? Every answer Reiss needed was in the letter he held, but the young red head didn't have it in him to begin reading, because just looking at the signature Dr. Thomas Reiss stationery it came on caused him to give out into tears. It wasn't even hours after they arrived to Crocus Medical Facility when his father was pronounced dead, and no one in the Reiss family has recovered yet. A wife who lost her husband, a daughter and son who lost their dad; all way too soon and so suddenly. A picture of health dying right before their eyes, but something rung in Reiss's ears as he unwillingly replayed that scene in his head. It was his mother, asking if something had come back — Something that Reiss and Krissa were never made aware of. She knew? She knew that this potential could happen? Immediately he shook his head, discarding any notion to blame his mother for any part for his dad's sudden passing. But the way she told him to run home and grab these envelopes.. the way she gave one to Krissa and then one to himself.. of course she knew..! But still..
He tried to read the letter again..
{My Dearest son Ralo. I'm writing you this letter in hopes that you never have to receive it.}
He stopped again, wailing into his hands as his head fell into his own lap. It was uncontrollably, and he couldn't stop no matter how bad he wanted to. He wanted to be the proverbial man and hide his tears, to hold them back, but it was just impossible. It wasn't until minutes later that Reiss's eyes gradually dried, simultaneously to the rising of the morning sun. It was earlier than dawn, but it simply reminded him that Reve and the others have yet to find out about this tragic loss.
"I should wait to tell him.." Reiss said to himself. "We have so much going on. We have to celebrate with Master, and the new recruits have to become official. I don't want let to put this on him as well. Not until everything has settled.."
Reiss sniveled, folding the letter into his jacket pocket before leaning back in his seat. That's when the front doors of the hospital entrance opened. "Alright, Miss Verloux, we'll see you next week."
Reiss looked over to see who the nurse was talking too, and out came a woman around his age — orange hair and honey brown eyes. Upon her facial features lied a slew of freckles across her nose and beneath her eyes. She rolled her eyes as the nurse spoke to her. "Yeah whatever." She said before noticing Reiss sitting alone out in front. The two exchanged stares before the woman furrowed her brows. "What're you looking at?"
Reiss was taken aback, looking at her as he too furrowed his brows. "You looked over here first."
"Yeah, because it looks like you're about to go blind with how puffy and ugly your red eyes are. What, ya lose someone or something, crybaby?"
"And what if I did!?" Reiss replied, getting defensive. "Suck it up. People die everyday. Today it just happened to be someone you know. That's your fault for caring so much."
Reiss stood up, how eye to eye with the woman with anger in his visage. "I just lost my father, you bitch! I lost the only man in my life that mattered, and you're telling me to get over it!?"
"Yeah." She replied so stoically. "Look at me. Everyone I know is either dead or dead to me, but you don't see me crying about it."
"Well, congratulations, heartless." Reiss huffed, leaning against the wall as he turned back towards the dawning sky. "I was actually attached to my family… and now it looks like it's going to fall apart."
She sucked her teeth. "Alright, look. My bad. I was self projecting there. But I'm sure daddy wouldn't want you pouting about his death, but he'd rather you go get some breakfast with a girl you'd usually have no chance with."
Reiss sighed again. "Look…" He began, remembering he didn't even know her name until he looked down at the hospital wrist band on her arm. "Alexandra—"
"It's Alex." She fixed.
"Alex… I'm sure you're a nice..that's pushing it..girl. But I have things I have to prepare for."
"Like your celebration back at the guild? Right after your dad died?" She asked sarcastically. Reiss looked back at her in surprise. "How did you..?"
"Everyone knows you, Ralo Reiss. The guy who chickened out in his fight against Bacchus."
"I DID NOT-"
She then continued. "But then led that team to a crazy victory over that strong woman, Evanee Carlisle. You had a real roller coaster of a tournament, Ralo. Now, let's eat."
"I'm flattered, but..-"
Once more he was cut off, but this time instead of words, Alex pressed her lips to his, cupping his jawline with her hands. In shock, but the mage didn't pull away. Instead, he hesitantly allowed his feet to move as she pulled him along. "You're paying of course, and it's extra now."
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Reve was up early. He was feeling uneasy, but he couldn't put his finger on exactly why. Either way, he was watching the morning sun on the hotel balcony as forfeited sleep, waiting for the hours to pass until they check out and go home back to White Eclipse. Maybe that's what was keeping him up, he thought. As he stood there, leaning over the balcony, he realized seconds later he was no longer alone as Kuro, Zalen, Jack, Waiston and Sidney all peered out from their rooms with the same feeling. They all looked at each other before back to the horizon that led to their guild. Sidney made the call. "Yeah, let's round everyone up and head home early."
They all nodded, and dispersed to go do just that.
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He opened the front door to his parent's house, and the two of them walked in, making their way to the kitchen. As they did, Alex looked around with a small grin on her features, taking in the atmosphere around her. Finally in the kitchen, two brown paper bags dropped on the table from Reiss's hand. "Just like I thought, it's way too early for indoor dining, so I hope you don't mind this kitchen table instead."
Alex shrugged. "The place isn't that important. I'm just starving. You're not going to get me in your bed though."
His face immediately lit up red, and Reiss snatched his paper bag to divert his attention from her honey colored eyes. "Like I wanted to!" He shouted immaturely, digging through his bag before finally grabbing his breakfast sandwich. She looked his way before grabbing her own bag to pull out the same, and the two began eating in silence. It only took a few seconds before Alex spoke again. "So, what were you sobbing about exactly anyways?" She asked, and Reiss stopped mid bite. He took a few seconds to himself before finally swallowing the contents in his mouth. "Nothing." He murmured. "I told you. My dad died. There's no need to dive any deeper than that."
Alex blinked. "Yeah but I saw a letter in your hands when I was coming out—"
"I said drop it!" He exclaimed, catching the orange haired girl off guard. She was taken aback for a second, but with a huff she murmured herself before going back to eating. "Whatever." Her single world irked the boy, but he didn't say anything. Not this time. Instead, as the two finished their food, Alex rolled her balled up paper bag towards the host of the house, and he tossed the two garbage balls away. Alex then raised her arms to the ceiling. "You got a shower?" She asked, but she didn't wait for a response. Instead, she was already heading upstairs, and Reiss quickly responded. "W-wait! Go home and do that!" He shouted, chasing after her, but he didn't really stop her either as she found the guest bathroom in his very well sized abode.
Before he could release a full statement of objection, Reiss saw a washcloth and towel snatched from the guest bathroom closet. Next thing he knew, water was on. He was at a lost. Who was this woman? Who did she think she was, making herself at home without permission?
"Hey." She called out to him, peering around the shower door and noticing Reiss standing just outside the bathroom door. "You got any shit to wear? Sweats and a shirt will do."
"Want me to wash your clothes too?" He asked sarcastically, but Alex answered. "Yeah that'd be great. Go for it. Don't sniff my stuff like some pervert though."
Again his face grew a powerful red. "Why the hell— never mind!" He shouted, storming off to do the task he accidentally volunteered for.
After dropping her clothes into the wash, Reiss went back to his pocket, pulling out the folded letter from his father that he kept with him. This time he saved the hurt of trying to read it, simply sighing and tucking it back into his pocket before finally heading back upstairs to check on his "guest."
Once he returned to his old room, he spotted Alex, lying across his bed in a relaxed disposition and a sigh of relief. "It's so soft." She stated. Reiss huffed. "What, you never had a bed before? You some kinda orphan child or something?"
"No, but my parents are pretty shitty." She responded so unnervingly. That took Reiss back some. "Oh, sorry…"
"For what?" She replied. "You didn't make them shitty. Just like I didn't kill your dad, so what's the apologies for?"
"That logic isn't stone based, you know." The red head replied, becoming a bit annoyed. "Apologies aren't just for the culprit to give to the victim. There is such thing as sympathy. Do you not have any?"
"What? Want me to feel sorry for you? Because you had a caring person in your life who is no longer here when I don't even know what that feels like?" She asked, readjusting on the bed to rest her head against the pillows. "Sorry, emotional based thinking isn't my strong suit. Don't take it personally. I'm not dissing your dead dad or anything. It's just how I function."
"No way. You're aware of what you're saying, so that excuse is immature and childish." Reiss fired back. "Everyone has emotions, and that includes you."
"Of course I do." Alex replied. "But do I use those emotions when coming to a thought process, or even a reaction to something? Not allowed to."
"Not allowed to?" Reiss blinked in confusion.
Alex rolled her eyes. "I'm not getting into it, but you're interrogating me. Just know the reason I was at the hospital, was to see Dr. Thomas. He was supposed to be helping me with my magic, because it's directly linked to my emotions and thinking and then suddenly, I get sent away without any explanation."
"Dr. Thomas… is my father, Alexandra."
Alex's eyes widened for a split second. "Oh.. that's your dad? What a coincidence. So that's why I was sent home. My doctor died."
"You poor thing." Reiss murmured. Alex then grabbed him by the ear, causing him to flinch in pain. "And again, it's Alex. Don't use my full name unless you want to be hurt."
As Reiss pulled away, he rubbed his now red ear, grimacing before turning back to Alex, who went back to lounging across his bed. "Well now I'm really curious, and you need the closure before it turns you into something you're not. Lets read his letter to you."
"No." Reiss immediately replied in a stern voice, remaining seated at the edge of the bed. "Come on. He's my doctor."
"What the hell does that mean to me?" Reiss asked her, turning an angered look to Alex. She paused for a moment, then turned back away as she heard the dryer go off. Biting her tongue of saying anything, she got up and went to grab her clothes herself; launching the shirt and sweat pants off her body and directly at Reiss.
"D-don't walk around my house naked!" He shouted after being struck in the eyes by his own sweatpants.
After a few minutes of her not returning upstairs, Reiss went to find her, and as he trudged back down to the kitchen, he found her at the table just sitting alone. "What're you doing?" He asked. Alex then turned his way, shrugged and then turned back. "Nothing. Just sitting here before I leave I guess. I'm sure you want to be alone, and I got my free meal and shower, so I can go wander off now."
He felt bad, but he didn't really know her like that. "Alright…" He said, turning away for a few steps before turning back again. "Or, you can..I don't know, leave when you're ready. I'm not going anywhere…like, if you're tired or something."
Alex refused to turn around, but a few seconds passed before she finally nodded. Reiss took that as confirmation before heading back upstairs, to leave her alone. "I'll leave the clothes you just wore on the balcony, if you want to get more comfortable to sleep. Until then, thanks for tonight, or this morning I guess."
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As the sun fully rose over the horizon, it's rays through the window caught Reiss's closed shut eyes, prying them open until the young boy turned about face to elude them. His arm draped over something as he rolled over, and it felt like…skin. This caused him to open his groggy eyes once more, and once he came too, his face turned extremely red as he noticed a head full of orange hair curled up just under his arm. On second look, all he could see was a sleeping Alexandra pressing against him. He gulped, and somewhere, a guild mate of his gained a tick mark on her head for a reason she couldn't think of. Reiss popped out of bed, sitting on the edge with shaky hands as Alex slowly awoke from her slumber. "Hm? Nap over already?" She asked. "When did you get in here!?" Reiss questioned as she yawned. "Right after you did.." She sat up. "Like you invited me to."
"I never invited…!" He stopped mid exclamation. With his bedroom door open, he could still see the clothes he left for her draped over the balcony. He then turned back to Alex, who was still covered by the covers of his bed. "My clothes are still outside…"
"Hm?" She looked over. "Oh yeah. It was already warm enough in here, so I left them."
"So what did you…" He murmured in question, but it was answered as Alex stood up in her underwear, causing Reiss to stand there and gawk in silence as he took in everything that took place without his knowing. "I'm not worried about it, because you were already sleep, and I feel like you're too 'nice' of a guy to try anything without consent anyways."
"Where's your consent, then!" He shouted back. "You can't just walk around and do what you please in other people's house or presence! Have some decency!"
"Wow." She snapped back, feigning offense. "You think that if a hot girl strips down and sleeps with you, you'd be more grateful."
"We didn't sleep together! That's bad wording!" Reiss replied, shaking his head as he got dressed just as she did. "I have to get back to the guild soon, so I think this is where we part ways."
"Of course." She replied, already walking towards the stairs with him right behind her. "Also, be sure to read that letter. It's a lot to take in."
They were almost to the bottom when she said that, and Reiss stopped dead in his tracks. "You…you read my father's letter?"
"Yeah." She replied so easily. "It was heavy, but I didn't understand the context. Probably because it wasn't written for me, but you need to—"
"Get out." He said, interrupting her.
"Huh?" She gave an inquisitive look. "I was already leaving. I was just telling you to.."
"Shut up, and get out. You come here, demanding things, stealing my first kiss, violating my privacy, and now you're reading the one thing my father left behind for me like it's some pass around note! You've done enough and you have been anything but beneficial to me since I met you! Please, not a second more. Out of my house!"
"Oi!" She tried to reply but Reiss shouted. "Get the fuck out!"
Alex could only stare at him for a few more seconds, looking into his piercing gaze until finally she turned away and walked out, slamming the door behind her.
Reiss watched the door, and gradually his anger subsided as he turned back to his room. Alex however, as she walked down the street, began glowing a purple aura around her person, clenching her jawline as she attempted to keep control. As she walked down the street, eyes kept falling on her as she glowed. Soon, the people watching became too much for her. "What are you looking at!?" She shouted, turning towards a random group of people staring. Suddenly, those people began to hover against their will before being flung away, crashing into the ground. Collective gasp were heard as people gathered around inside of what just happened. But all signs pointed to Alex, who stood there breathing heavily.
"What was that!?" A man asked.
"I don't know." A woman replied. "But whatever it was, she did it!" She pointed to Alex, who was growing angrier by the second. She then turned her attention to the woman pointed and suddenly, she found herself high in the air. "Wha..no! Put me down, please!"
"She's a maniac!" Someone else yelled, and that someone else found themselves thrown from their feet and high into the sky. They were thankfully caught, falling into the arms of a group of people, but as they surrounded Alex in an attempt to get her to stop, this only made her more upset, grabbing her head as the purple around her began to shoot out like rays, levitating and launching anything it touched, from the marble ground to random objects. Screams of peril would then begin, only drowning out what little consciousness Alex had left.
As he made his way back to his room, Reiss sat down, unfolding the letter once more as he sat it down on his desk. He took a deep breath, taking Alex's words to heart in hopes to use it as encouragement to read it. As he did, memories of his first kiss flooded his mind, followed by the quality time he spent chasing an orange haired girl around around the city of Crocus, just to end up back in this very room with her. A small smile etched upon his features before he huffed it away. That's when he began reading the letter. He read it quietly, and as before, tears began flowing through, Reiss wiping them away so they wouldn't stain the stationery. It took him a couple of minutes to get through it, but as he did, Reiss stood up hastily. "Dad.." He sniveled, wiping his nose and eyes. "I get it, and I wish you would've told me! I would've done my part to help..! I'm so sorry… I…!"
Before he could finish his own thought, his bedroom window was shattered by a flying object, causing Reiss to shield himself from the suddenness. "What the!?" He ran to the destroyed window, looking outside to see a purple spark floating in the air not too far from him. He gave an inquisitive look, but when he squinted for a better look, he could see her in the midst of it all. "Alex!?"
"Someone stop her, please!" A random pleaded, being moved out the way of another incoming object. Everyone was running for their lives but at this point it seemed to be too late as small houses and buildings were now being uprooted and flung around as well. "Alex!" Reiss ran down the street, calling her name more and more the closer he got to her. He could see it from here now however. Alex's eyes were pure white, as if she lost complete control of her actions. Reiss took this as a sign, and moved closer, trying his best to avoid the rays of purple that threatens Crocus.
"Someone call the guards!"
"No!" Reiss shouted. "I'll handle it!"
"What will you do, boy!?"
"Just be patient!" He turned back to Alex, running her way once more. "Alex!" He shouted again, and this time his words reached her ears, for the woman turned his way. "Reiss!?" She questioned, and when she spotted him, a second paused was followed by anger as she raised a large building, ready to hurl it his way. "Get away from me!"
"Alex! Don't! If you throw that building, there's no coming back!" Reiss shouted, never once losing his stride despite her warning. "Listen! I'm sorry I kicked you out! And…I read my dad's letter! I read it because you gave me the confidence to! You're right about a lot of things about me, and that was no reason to say what I did to you!"
"It's too late for apologies, asshole!" She shouted, her voice echoing over Crocus. "Alex, if you do it-"
"Then I'll just go back to being held against my will! So what!? I wasn't meant to be free! Your father lied to me, and now you're even worse! Die!"
"I'm sorry!" He shouted, leaping upwards from building to building in hopes to reach her height. "But I don't want you to go!"
That slowed her down, causing her to hesitate as Reiss went on. "Come with me instead! Come to White Eclipse. We can help you, and you'll be protected by us! We won't let anyone take you away. I won't let anyone! Just please!"
"How can I trust you!?" She shouted, the building she held rising higher and higher. "I told you that my emotions aren't for use, and look what happened! I read that stupid letter and it was sad! So I tried to calm myself by…"
"By staying with me, I get it-"
"But then you got mad at me, and for what!? And now you want me to believe in you! How!?"
Reiss leapt forward, entering the purple aura that encased Alex. It stunned her, Alex looking on with widened, whitened eyes until she found her lips once again pressed to his — this time from his initiation. Her eyes would then return to normal as he spoke. "Because.. believe in me, because White Eclipse takes care of their guild mates. I may not even be the last person you have a connection with, but I know that person will come from White Eclipse, so one more time Alex, just trust me, and come with me, okay?"
As the two slowly floated back to the ground thanks to Alex regaining control, a loud, thunderous thud happened. It was the large building, toppling over and ruining an entire city street. The two looked on surprised, and as the city folk turned back to them, the council guard came around the corner, charging right for them. "That's them!" A citizen shouted, and immediately Reiss grabbed Alex's wrist and ran off. "Yeah, we're outta here!" He shouted. "H-Hey! Where're we going?!" Alex demanded. That's when Reiss looked back at her with a smile. "Didn't I just tell you? To White Eclipse! That's where you want to be, right? With me and the guild, instead of hospitals and prisons?"
For the firs time, he got a smile out of her. "Yeah…" She murmured embarrassingly as the two ran off, outrunning the guards and out of Crocus.
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{My Dearest son Ralo. I'm writing you this letter in hopes that you never have to receive it. Let me first start by saying that you are my star. I love you so much, son. You've done nothing but exceed all of my expectations as a young man, and you're about ten years old right now. That's how amazing you've been to me. I guess I can also thank Reve for that as well, since I've spent nearly all of my time at work, but that's been for a good reason. Before I go on however, I want you to really understand how much you and your sister mean to me, as well as your mother and Reve.
When Krissa was born, I thought my life was complete. I had a family. Then, Reve came into the picture, and when I watched those two grow up together from my glass window of a career, I knew something was missing still. So, your mother quickly agreed that we needed to have another. That's when you were born. You were everything to me. Even now, you're my picture on the walls of my office. You're the reason I tried so hard, and for that, I'm so sorry that I failed you.
Before your mother, I was simply what people mistook as a genius medical student. I was finding treatments and cures for the unknown, turning them from terminal illnesses to mere inconveniences. I graduated top of my class without any competition, and early as well. I even went out and traveled at my youthful age, helping the less unfortunate from city to city, from here to Pergrande! I was on top of the world, or so I thought…
I became too cocky, and somehow when exploring an unmapped region in Iceberg, I stumbled across a Black Plague of a disease. I wasn't careful, and because of that I fell victim to it. It was a form of magic deficiency disease, except it was sapping away my very life. With as far as I've gotten with my research, I want to say that I can fully confirm that this black plague is indeed the raw ingredient of what is known as Etherious. It settled into my lungs, and quickly spread through my body. With no cure, I was afraid that my time had come, so I traveled home to ready for a proper death and burial.
That's when I met him. That's when I met the man named Calium.
This is my confession.
Reve's finding of White Eclipse was no coincidence. Fate? Maybe, but that fate was led by desire from a third party — me. When I met Calium, I told him of my illness, and the strongest mage in Earthland granted me a way to save myself! In order to do so, he bonded his soul with mine. A spell gathered by eclipse magic, I was now only destined to die when Calium did. I thought I was in the clear.. until Calium revealed to me that he had no real will to live. So I gave him one. I gave him Reve. Your adopted brother Reve is indeed the glue to that amazing guild you're now apart of. Calium was once an old man who simply wanted to be left alone until it was time for him to go, but you all changed that, buying me time each and every day to find a cure for my disease. But no matter how much I tried, I just couldn't find anything to cure this disease. Was it even a disease to begin with? I'll never know, but I had no choice but to treat it as one.
So if you're reading this letter, Ralo, it means that both me and Calium have perished from this world. And I am so so sorry for the exponential heart break you're feeling at this moment. I tried my hardest, for Krissa, for your mother, and for you, but not even my resolve and my genius was enough to keep me in your life. This may be the end of me, but this isn't the end of the Reiss family.
Listen to me. You're such a special boy. You're tall, handsome, full of vigor and a personality that I would die for. You've been blessed with the best of myself and your mother. I want you to take the talents and potential given to you, and become the great man I know you are. The world is in your hands, Ralo, please take care of it as you grow. Be confident, but always open to be taught. Be proud, but not prideful enough to ignore. Don't be me, but better. Take care of those around you. You're a natural born leader, but you must also protect those around you from everything you possibly can. At the same time, you can't dwell on the losses you couldn't control. This world is counting on White Eclipse, and White Eclipse is counting on you. As you move forward, look not behind you to what you lost in the past, but beside you, to remind yourself what you're taking into the future. I love you so much son, now please, to be the great mage you were destined to be.
Love…
Dad.}
