Chapter 134: New Endings, Part 3
Reve and Sidney led the pack as the guild walked up to the front doors of White Eclipse. There, a women with tomato red hair waited for them with a somber expression. As the icy wind blew, no one was affected by the temperature as Reve stood face to face with her. His hands tucked into the pockets as he kept his best stoic expression. He was breaking. Sidney was too. They both…everyone knew what waited for them behind those doors, and no one wanted to go through, but as she opened the doors for them… "Thanks, Marlene. Here's your bonus, from all of us. You did a great job with him, and you can go home now."
Marlene didn't have words as they passed her, simply receiving the random shoulder pats, bows and thank you's for taking care of their guild master while they were gone.
As they stepped inside, it didn't feel like home, but what used to be home instead. It was as if something was missing, or maybe, something was leaving. The others looked at each other as the core group of White Eclipse moved forward. They followed behind, but it was when they reached Calium's room that Cygnus turned around to the rookies. "You're already aware of what happened, and grief is a normal thing, but allow those who grew from children to adults with him this private time. I know you're just as hurt, and I wouldn't take seeing him once more away from you, but this is very important to us.."
"We understand." Tyson and Lluvi spoke together as tears appeared from both their eyes. Cygnus nodded to them, closing the doors behind him as he turned to follow the rest to his bedside.
{Flashback: Cygnus}
Upon the peak of the tallest mountain in the snow, he trudged up to that peak despite his old age. He was called up here, because Reve swore up and down he saw someone jump towards the sky over and over again, as if trying to reach something. Crazy enough, he wasn't lying or exaggerating this time. "Well, at least the kid didn't send me on a goose chase." He said aloud as the teenage boy slammed into the snow again, falling to his seat. "Hey there, kid. What're you doing?"
Standing back up, the young male dusted the snow off his body before turning back to him. "Don't worry about me, mortal. I won't be here long. Get a good look at a god while you can, because soon enough, I'll be—"
He took off into the air again. It was an impressive jump, Calium giving a low whistle as he looked up into the snowy air to see him disappear from the naked eye, only to come back down with another hard thud. "AH!"
"You're going to break something doing that." Calium told him, leaning on his oversized walking cane. That's when the kid stood up again. "Mortal. Again. I'm no mere vessel. I am.. a god!"
Calium gave a low expression. "I can't tell if you're being overconfident, delusional, or it's just true that all gods are this cocky." He said, walking over to him.
"It doesn't matter what you think! I'm just here to return home! I'm going to break through the atmosphere and reach the heavens where my father and siblings live! I will take my rightful place amongst the other gods as the god of Gravity! That is my decree!"
"You don't say?" Calium asked with a smile. He was ready to jump again before the old man asked him another question. "And with this resolve, are you sure a god if you don't boast your name to the heavens you wish to breach?"
He looked at Calium with a puzzling look, but then went on as if he knew exactly what he meant. "Of course..! I was getting to that. I was just expecting you to leave by now, human! My name is Cygnus Gwydion—"
Calium immediately raised a brow, but remained silent.
"—born of the God of Torment, and a human woman, I will finally take my mantle in the heavens! This world can no longer hold me and my Gravity Magic!"
"That's good, Cygnus Gwydion." He cheered with some low clapping. "But it seems you're coming up short with reaching the heavens, don't you think?"
"I'll get it!" He shouted. "I don't need coaching from a mere mortal to reach my destination! I just haven't found my footing in the snow is all!"
"Right." He chuckled. "Well, I'm sure you don't want advice from a mere mortal, but if you were to take some, I'd say how about falling upwards instead of just leaping? You're the God of Gravity, right? Don't tell me you don't know how to relinquish gravity, and can only add it? Sounds pretty weak for a god."
"Q-Quiet!" He stammered embarrassingly. "Of course I can! I will proceed to do so now!"
Cygnus then took a deep breath, looking up at the sky as a magic circle appeared underneath him.
"Well, he wasn't lying about the gravity magic." Calium said to himself. He then turned back to Cygnus. "Hey, son. If something goes wrong up there.."
"Enough chit chat! I will now be taking off! Watch me, mortal! I am the god of Gravity!"
In a powerful blast, Cygnus was off into the air, moving as if he was falling towards the sky. His eyes were wide and his smile even wider. "Here I come, father! To take my place in the heavens next to you like you promised! You said if I can break through the atmosphere and reach you, I'll be accepted amongst the gods! So here I AM!"
A purple aura that was Cygnus then clashed with the thick atmospheric layer that kept things from leaving Earthland. It was a struggle for only a second before Cygnus came falling back down like a meteorite, his right hand outstretched as he quietly begged his father to reach out for him. But no one answered. Instead, he fell to the ground, tears evaporating as soon as they left his eyes until he crash landed into the snow, leaving a large crater where he landed. Minutes later, Cygnus came to, only to stare up into the snowy sky. Stoic, he didn't move until Calium peered over him. "Hey, that was impressive. You reached the atmosphere, but breaking past it is a feat yet to be accomplished. I'm sure your father is proud of you, but understands you're not ready yet."
Cygnus never looked his way as he replied. "Don't lie to me. He already did. He doesn't want me. He left me with my mother because I'm a human reject. He knew I would be unable to break the atmosphere. Besides… when I was up there, I saw nothing but space. Yeah, it was a lovely sight, but it wasn't the sight I wanted. I wanted my father's hand, reaching out for me.. but instead, I was fed a lie…"
Calium sighed. He then gave a small smile. "Well, how about we don't count out your dream just yet. Forget your father, how about we make your mother proud instead? By accomplishing your goals! I have a slew of kids with me at my guild.."
"Guild..?" He repeated in question.
"That's right. They know magic as well. How about you join them, and you can teach them a thing or two, and even use them as training dummies as you grow stronger, god of gravity?"
Cygnus blinked a few times, but then, in an instant he was on his feet, looking away with a proud visage, rubbing his nose. "Heh well since you insist, mortal! I will join your guild! It'll bring prestige to your home, I'm sure."
He smiled again. "Mortal is too formal. Just call me Calium."
"Alright Calium!" Cygnus exclaimed, extending a hand. Calium took it, shaking his hand with an amazing grip that took Cygnus by surprise. "Yeah, you have a deal!"
{End Flashback}
As Cygnus caught up with the others, they appeared by his bedside, all towering over an ill-fated old man who slowly turned to them with the weakest of smiles. "My brats… you're here. And I heard the great news. I'm so…. I'm so proud.. so proud of you kids.."
"Calium…" Skye was the first to break, covering her mouth at the sight of seeing Calium in such a pitiful state.
"Skye.. my little assassin." He said as cheery as possible. "You've grown right before my eyes.. I'm so proud of what you've become my child.. you're no longer that little girl who follows Reve around, or the little girl before that who used to hide behind me. You're the strongest weapon meister I know. Just like you promised to be."
"Calium please…" She sniveled.
"Just promise me, that you'll never forget your ambitions…" He said in a breathily tone. Skye nodded, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
"And Luke!" He exclaimed before coughing violently. "Calium!" Everyone shouted, ready to help him before he held out his hand to signify it was unnecessary. "Sorry, Luke, but that's just your luck." He laughed. "But Mr. Cloud. You're an enigma. You have the potential to climb to the ranks that only the greats can fathom of seeing. The Copy Mage.. learn as much as you can, even the lost magic, and be the amazing mage we saw within you that day we found you… okay?"
"Of course…" He said with a small tear falling from the corner of his eye. "Whatever it takes…"
"Oh, and leave that celestial girl alone." He laughed, causing Luke to do the same, albeit crying.
"Jaxon! Don't let my final moments fool you! I heard about your escapade! An SS-class mission!? You know the rules!"
A scolding? Jaxon didn't expect that as his final words, but everything changed as Calium smiled again. "I'll let it slide this one time, because I'm sure Sidney already handled it… Jaxon. I'll never forget our meeting. It was on the same mountaintop I found Cygnus. You fell from the sky, and hit your head right on the frozen lake over there.. you left quite a crack in that lake as well. But before I could even ask about you, it seemed that you've lost your memory. A young teenage boy just lying there helplessly, but when you came to, the weather just kept getting worse up here until you finally snapped back to your damn senses." He laughed again. "I was ready to kick you out! But I'm glad that wasn't the case. Like a sun peering through clouds you single-handedly turned this snowy mountain into a paradise for those who live here. Your future is as bright as the sun you control, please don't lose that."
Calium couldn't miss. He was hitting everyone in the heart, and Jaxon was the latest victim as tears fell down his face as he leaned his head back to hide them.
"Selene, Takeru." Calium called to them both. "My Dragon Slayers, with Waiston of course. I know we're missing another, but you two. You two are real soldiers. I could ask you two hard heads to run through every mountain base around us, and you'd do it without thinking twice. I'm sorry, you three, that I couldn't be around when we found your parents. I know they're out there, but Adam will take good care of you until you do. And tell them I said not only hello, but thank you for bringing their kids to me. I was honored to watch you grow until the young adults you are…"
"Stop it!" Kuro yelled, catching everyone's attention. Calium looked at him confused, but as his visage was now clear, tears were dropping to the floor like anvils as the young fire make mage took a step forward. "Stop praising us! None of us would even be here without you! Me and Mary came here in passing, and you just happened to be here with Reve and the others! That's been the pattern, and you accepted us! You took us all in! I…" He heaved, catching his breath as he clutched his chest. "I would be dead without you! I ate noodles every day out of survival! Then I ate them because Mary died, because that was all we could afford when she was here, and I still eat them, because that's how I remember her! So what…. What do I eat to remember you!? What do I eat…to remember the man who gave me a second chance?"
"Kuro…"
"Thank you.." He continued, staring at the ground. "Thank you for that second chance. You don't have to tell us to keep following our dreams, or ambitions, because we wouldn't have them without you. You took in kids who gave up, or had nowhere to go, and you turned us into champions…into adults. I'm so happy I had you in my life.. old man."
"When you took me and Sidney in, right after Reve.." Zalen began, stepping forward, removing his cloudy glasses. "We were looking for Sabertooth, but something about the run down shack that is now White Eclipse wouldn't let us leave so easily. Then Reve sparked the idea of us creating a guild of our own, and how could I turn that down? I could I turn down leaving the old man and the gunslinger who helped my brother find me buried in the snowstorm. I would have been a finer without you, Calium, and now, it feels like a hole in my heart is forming, and I can't…I can't fix it..! You're everything to us! You gave us the ability to choose our own paths, and you promised to guide us through them! Well our paths aren't finished! It's not fair! We should've been there for you! When Daityas attacked.. we should've..-"
Sidney grabbed him, alllowing Zalen to cry into his chest uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry..!"
"Me too." Waiston spoke. "This wasn't the way you wanted to go. You wanted a peaceful passing, and we put this burden on you…but how could we leave you? You brought us family. You brought me family when my mother vanished. How were we supposed to let this go? Then we forced you to watch over us, when all you wanted was to be alone, and it finally caught up to us. But how can I feel bad for that choice when it's those choices that kept us all alive? Why do we have to suffer too!?"
Calium could only look around at the sad faces that surrounded him. They caused him to have a small smile as he turned his face back to the ceiling of his room. "You said that I wanted a peaceful passing. I think I'm still getting my wish, Waiston. The pain from Daityas has indeed stopped. I don't feel a thing, but you have every right to feel guilt, or sadness. This isn't a joyous moment. This is a passing. And I know it isn't easy but.."
"We get it." Reve interjected, hiding his face in his right hand as he sat down in a chair. "You're leaving us."
"Reve.." Calium mustered out before coughing. Everyone looked at the gunslinger, waiting for him to explain his wording. "You're leaving us, and that's okay. You said it from the beginning.. since we were kids. We were the burden, the unwanted runts that ended up in the shack in the snowy mountains. You wanted peace, and we gave you chaos. You wanted a place to die quietly, and we forced you to slow dance with your depleting lifespan. And for that. I'm not sorry."
He looked Calium in his slowly fleeting eyes, Reve's own sapphire pair clouding — producing tears that he hid with the shadow his hair created over his eyes. But he couldn't hide them forever.
"You gave everyone here meaning. There's not a person in this room who wasn't thrown away by this world. Sometimes, it feels like we weren't even supposed to exist, and especially not on this pedestal. It feels like we're in an off-timeline.. like we were never supposed to be this relevant to the world. You took a group of written off kids, and you allowed us to be great. But I won't praise you any longer, because I'm upset. I'm upset at you, Calium. You told me that you would always be here, remember? Do you remember when the six of us… Me, you, Waiston, Sidney, Zalen, and Kuro… do you remember the promise you made to us? It may be the same you made to everyone else, but to us, it had so much more meaning. When Snyder left me… when Waiston was found alone, looking for his dragon… when Mary died and when Sidney and Zalen took refuge from the blistering cold, the same cold we're all used to now… do you remember what you said to us!?"
His voice was cracking as the octaves gained. Reve showed his face to Calium again as he shouted. "You said you would see our dreams through! You said when we crossed that finish line, you'd be behind us, watching proudly! Well I've yet to get there, old man! So why are you leaving me!? It's not fair! Why am I losing you too!? Haven't I been through enough!?"
Calium didn't have any words. All he could do was stare in sadness as Reve poured his heart out for what seemed like the first time.
"And still, it falls back on us. We were weak, and Tartarus exploited that, and we lost so much because of it. And to lose you now.."
"Memories.." Calium was able to say, slowly deteriorating. "Memories… words that I've left you with. These are the things you hold on to. It's okay to lose the ones you love, Reve. It's okay to move on. Just don't ever forget them…"
Outside, the rookies of White Eclipse waited somberly by the door until Reiss and Alex walked in. "Reiss-kun..!" Ilaria exclaimed. Tyson then turned to him. "Calium is…"
"I know." He interjected. "So is my dad."
"What!?" Lluvi led the exclamation; everyone looking on in surprise. "It's hard to explain, but just know my dad and Calium were a lot closer than I knew… oh, by the way. Everyone, this is Alex. She'll be joining the guild once everything settles down."
"What a weird time for introductions, but hello." Micaiah greeted, bowing lightly. She returned with a half wave before taking a seat. That's when everyone went back to listening in..
Though, there was silence on the other side.
Even with Tyson's ear to the door, nothing could be heard for seconds on in. Nothing, until finally…illumination could be seen from the cracks of the door. They couldn't take it anymore, and Reiss was the first one to grab the door knob and open it. The rest of them followed suit, and made eye contact with a smiling Calium as his body began to literally dissipate — turning into white and black dust that would float into the air before fading away. "Look at them, Reve. Will you lead this kids to their dreams? You have a lot more time than I do, that's for sure. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to see your dreams through. That's my biggest regret. But I know this place is in good hand. My parting wish is for you and Sidney to take care of what you started. Sidney should take control of this guild. So wouldn't that make you the Ace, Reve?"
"Whatever you want.." Sidney murmured, watching with a smile as the tears fell to the floor. "It's whatever you want, Master. But we just wanted to tell you one more thing before you go."
Calium knew what was coming, and it caused his smile to grow as the abundance of White Eclipse bowed to the few pieces of him left.
"THANK YOU, MASTER CALIUM, FOR EVERYTHING!"
{Silly brats.} As the last pieces of him vanished into thin air, his last thoughts echoed throughout the guild as the snow raged on.
{It's me…that's thankful for you all. Be strong. Be free. Be everything you've set out to be. And remember. It's White Eclipse..}