Love

He looks down at the girl in his arms, her face streaked with tears. He feels his own tears slowly trace down his cheeks and as she weeps, he whispers her name. He is weak, but she is fading faster.

The sun is unmerciful, slipping behind the mountains and bathing them in red and gold.

"I'm so afraid" She cries "I'm so afraid, Chrono."

He hugs her closer. "Don't be afraid, Rosette." He whispers, "I told you, I'm coming with you. I won't leave you alone."

She nods against him, but she is still shaking.

"Would you like me to tell you a story Rosette? Like when you were a little girl?"

She smiles a little even through her tears "Yes."

He smiles a little back "This is an old story. A long time ago a holy woman lived alone. A demon came to her in the form of a young man to try and turn her to evil. But instead, her kindness and love changed his heart and he fell in love with her and swore to stay with her and protect her. She came to love him as well, and they were happy.

The holy woman was powerful, but also frail, and after a time she died. The demons heart broke and he too lay in the field with his dead beloved in his arms and died beside her.

The lovers spirits approached the gates of heaven together. The holy woman was made welcome, but the demons spirit was turned away. The holy woman refused to leave him, and thus forsake heaven for him.

They went to hell, but the holy woman was too pure to enter. And so, the demon forsakes his home for her.

With nowhere to go, the earth took pity on them. She embraced them, and welcomed their spirits to forever dwell in the fields and forests they loved. And so the demon and the holy woman are forever together, seen in fleeting glances, wandering the forest that had sheltered their love in life."

He presses his face against her hair "Because love won't ever end, Rosette. When you really and truly love someone, you can't ever be taken from them. You taught me that." He says and kisses her forehead.

He feels her mouth move against his shirt, barely hearing the words "Chrono….thank you."

His arms tighten around her. "Rosette….."

The watch ticks once…..twice….and then she looks at him and he reads her eyes, and knows. They are both weeping, and he can feel the time slipping away, but she smiles slightly even as she weeps and he pulls her as close as he can without hurting her and feels the last tick.

"Ch…" She says and is silent.

He holds her, wills himself to transform now relying on his own dwindling energy. He holds her in his arms as he longed always to do, and weeps. His body shakes, even his wings tremble. He can feel his own life going, and he wills the form to stay to use that energy so much quicker.

"Wait for me, Rosette. I'm coming after you." He whispers to her still form, and he sees she is still, smiling as if only asleep. He smiles as well, grasping her hand and closing his eyes "Wait for me."

And is it his own heart, or does he hear her cry faintly in the wind "Hurry up you wet blanket!" He chuckles. She sounds so strong, and alive.

And then she is there before him, and he is beside her and he is in his true form but its not harming her in the least and she says "I wanna fly, Chrono. I wanna touch the astral lines with you." Holding her hands to him.

He takes her hands and draws her to him, and it is not strange when she leans up and kisses him gently on the mouth "Lets go. Lets go together."

"Hold on to me" He laughs, and holds her close, her arms around his neck, his cradling her, and they are flying…..flying….and free.


Azmaria leans on the doorway as she weeps. They are sitting side by side, as if only sleeping, hands clasped, smiles gentle. She weeps, and as she looks up she sees the astral lines above her. And two bright stars just beyond, so close they seem to dwell beside each other.

She smiles even as she weeps. She believes in her heart they are together and free. Because God is good and God will not turn his eyes from their love. She knows, and on the morning air she weeps and she sings a song for them….a song of love she sang on stage. She sings, and in the morning air the astral lines and the stars fade in the rising sun…unseen but still there.