The greatest mistake of a human, truly, is to expect too much in love. Is one truly deserving of what they long for, while the beloved remains but a mortal being?

Bitter memories played in his mind...

"I pray that there will be a future for us. … I always imagined a beautiful life for us…"

"Give me a chance to fulfill your hopes..."

What did I hope for from you? What did I expect that made you strive so desperately to realize it? A future... A beautiful and peaceful world... A child... An everlasting togetherness... Why, even in the afterlife, do you continue to chase me? You don't know I'm still alive. To you, I am already dead. So why do you struggle to keep your promise? Why do you inflict this pain upon yourself?

"Hikaru..." Lantis called softly, almost inaudibly. "Forgive me... Forgive me! I asked too much..."

He found her. But it was too late. Umi turned her face away. Everything happened right before her eyes. She saw Lantis catch Hikaru's limp body as soon as they found her. Lantis shook Hikaru, desperate to elicit a response, then embraced her tightly. The man cried. It was too late.

Eagle Vision and Shinre arrived. While Eagle froze in place, collapsing to the ground, Shinre rushed toward his mother. Something tripped him, causing him to fall to the ground. He couldn't get back up because the weight of sorrow kept him down. He watched his father's trembling back, catching a glimpse of his mother's hand. Shinre wanted to reach for it, but the earth held him in place. He saw the damp ground, teardrops falling. His chest ached, and he could no longer hold back his sobs. His cries grew louder.

Eagle bowed his head deeply. It was unbearable to see this family end like this. And Lantis, that foolish man... If all that came from your mouth is true, that there are no more ties between you, that you no longer care for her, then why do you cry like this? Should it take all of this for you to be honest with yourself? The price you paid is far too great for merely believing in the heart of a woman who never lied.

"Eagle!" LaFarga's voice called out. He had stopped his troops a few meters away and rushed forward to see what happened. Upon realizing the situation, his steps halted.

"LaFarga... it's over..." Eagle said, quickly wiping his tears and standing.

Ascot landed his monster. He had been so happy to see Umi's light in the sky, but it seemed that light heralded something terrible. He saw Umi weeping. There was nothing else he could do but embrace his wife. Again, he could not say that everything would be alright.

"We found her... but we lost her…"

"Why are you so silent? Hikaru... Answer me..." Lantis continued to hold Hikaru, kissing her face as if that would bring her back to life. There was no breath, the body lay still. Lantis had never cried with such despair. He squeezed Hikaru's cold fingers, hoping that hand would respond. He caressed her scarred face, then her long reddish grey hair.

"Can you hear me? Look, I'm here... I'm right here with you..." Lantis gazed at Hikaru's bare feet, blue from cold and bruised in several places. How long had she traveled to reach him only for it to end like this? Lantis looked at Hikaru's face, now devoid of life, touching her small, dry lips, which had not felt water in days. That face was wet with tears that had yet to dry.

Lantis stared into her half-open eyes... Those eyes, like glass, reflected nothing anymore. The reality was that the body was lifeless... no need for anyone else to explain it. Lantis raised his trembling hand. Reluctantly, he closed Hikaru's eyes, completing her departure.

After a long moment like that, Lantis struggled to rise, carrying Hikaru in his arms. He turned, gazing ahead, straight into the path he must take and said to Shinre, "Let's go home, my son."

"Father..." Shinre painfully rose, stumbling behind his father.

Lantis walked towards the troops waiting for him. He couldn't bear to look at everyone, knowing they were all in tears. He passed LaFarga, who bowed his head. He passed Eagle Vision, trying to smile at his friend.

"Thank you, Eagle. Now, my family is complete."

Eagle, who had managed to hold himself together, crumbled again. Tears streamed down his face at those words.

Shinre walked slowly behind Lantis, followed by Umi and Ascot, then Eagle, LaFarga, and all his troops.

Eagle looked back at the group starting to move together. He turned to see Hikaru's last view while alive, the ruined Cephiro. How ironic that beauty emerged from destruction. The entire world was now bathed in soft sunlight, rendering everything unrecognizable.

The procession crept along, weaving through the desolate plains. Midday, they arrived at the first gate of the capital.

Throughout the celebration, people could not follow it, wondering what was exactly happening. Why were troops mobilized? Why did they seem so hurried? It was unusual to see so many generals stationed outside the castle. Answers did not come until the troops, who had left almost three days prior, returned. For some reason, their ferocity seemed to have faded, swept away by a deep gloom. The gates to the main castle swung wide open. Bit by bit, those who arrived became visible from afar.

Who were they? Who did they carry? Why did the woman appear so helpless, asleep in the arms of a gallant man? Her long hair trailed behind her. Her arms swayed weakly. Lady Umi and General LaFarga slowly made way for them, parting the crowd that had gathered to clear the main road. General Eagle Vision followed behind, his head bowed. Beside him was a young man who could not stop his tears.

"Hikaru!" someone shouted. Caldina rushed out from the gate, followed by her daughter. She saw Umi shake her head and instantly knew what had happened. She fell to her knees. Dyna pulled her into her embrace. Both cried even harder.

Hearing that name mentioned, suddenly, the people realized she was the Pillar of Cephiro who had vanished.

"Hasn't she gone twenty years ago?" a resident asked a friend beside him.

Confused, his friend shook his head, "But now I can see her with my own eyes. She is truly gone now." He knelt to give respect.

The realization spread like a wave, swift and encompassing. It didn't take long for everyone to understand what had happened. Along the road, people knelt. Many of them shared memories with her during her life in Cephiro. Gratefully, they all repeated: "Thank you, because of you, this land has become so beautiful..."

"No..." A response echoed. "This is all because of everyone. This became reality because of all of us." Hikaru's laughter seemed to drift away... "I love you all! I will protect you all."

What is happening outside? Ryuuki stood up and moved to the window, looking out. "What's going on out there?"

Kotori, who had been sleeping, was disturbed by the commotion. She opened her eyes and found Serena also waking up. Serena looked at her. "Are you awake?" Kotori asked kindly.

"Mother..." she whispered.

Senna also woke up, but this time, it was from the sound of running footsteps approaching from outside the room.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Alba appeared with a beaming face. "They've returned..." Without a second thought, they rushed out of the room.

Ryuuki's heart raced. Did they find her? Is Her Majesty Hikaru alright? He saw everyone in the castle running like them, rushing to greet the returning troops and the one they had all hoped for. He tried to remain optimistic, but his ears could distinguish whether the voices belonged to joyous cries or the wailing of sorrow. Their weeping was indeed a song of death.

Ryuuki watched as Kotori froze, unable to step forward. Ryuuki stood beside her, quickly catching her when she fainted from sadness. The woman he saw looked just like the one he had seen long ago, except... her face had lost its usual smile.

Alba spotted Shinre after a long time apart. The boy had grown his hair long again. Alba approached him and embraced his younger brother tightly. "Be strong…" he whispered.

Shinre hugged him back, still unable to stop his tears, which grew more intense. The strength that had once been so firmly rooted in him seemed to have vanished into thin air.

I have experienced loss before, but this is the bitterest, Princess Aska thought. That woman had done so much, and I can't repay her kindnesses. Aska looked down at her right hand, which she had once raised to Hikaru's cheek. I've even hurt her before.

The two princesses of Chizeta could only watch the unfolding drama with vacant expressions. They embraced each other, trying to offer mutual support.

"I miss her," Tarta said. She remembered Hikaru from the past, "A delightful girl with a smile as bright as the sun... She doesn't look like she used to... Is this reality?" Tarta bowed, closing her eyes, paying her respects as Hikaru was carried past her.

"Everyone wants to hear her voice," Tatra remarked. "Her dreams have come true... These are the days of peace celebration." She looked up at the sky, which was so blue. "Every day has always seemed the same to me. But the sun feels colder this time... Could it be that the world is grieving, too? Indeed. There will be no more Pillar from this day forward."

"Let me heal her! Let me..." Fuu cried, struggling. Ferio tried to restrain her, holding her, wanting to calm her hysteria. Fuu sank to the ground, trying to break free from Ferio. She desperately wanted to reach Hikaru. Ferio could no longer hold her back, and Fuu dashed to catch up. She ran out of the castle.

Fuu approached Lantis. He stopped her with just his eyes. Fuu shouted in her heart, "Forgive me, Hikaru! I'm so sorry..." She pounded her chest, which hurt so much. She felt useless both in the past and present. Her daughter, Kotori, approached and embraced her.

Lantis passed her by, walking slowly to a destination... head held high. Along the way, he encountered Ferio, who was silent. He did not turn around and continued walking.

"Hikaru..." Ferio bowed deeply. Once, I hoped she would die... Now she is truly gone... "Lantis!" Ferio called out, and Lantis halted. "Forgive me! I've always wanted to apologize to her... even though I know it's far too late…"

Lantis said nothing. He didn't know how to respond. He, too, wanted to express the same to Hikaru. For him, crying or lamenting would be of no use... Would feeling regret and punishing oneself change anything? After this, he didn't know what to do. The woman who had always been his reason to endure was no longer here.

Lantis continued walking to a certain place. Presea guided him to a room that had long been prepared for Hikaru if she returned.

Hikaru was laid on a bed in a beautiful chamber. She looked as if she were merely in a deep sleep. Lantis hoped to see some sign of life, even her eyelids fluttering or her chest rising and falling to show she was breathing. Lantis wished this was just a cruel joke. Hikaru would suddenly open her eyes and say it was a surprise, laughing as if she were playing around... like before. But no. He kept waiting for minutes, and it did not happen.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and two teens he didn't recognize stormed in. A girl and a boy with flaxen hair... Something within Lantis stirred as he saw and realized who they were. Many things about them resembled Nair Shin-Re. He wanted to leave that place immediately, but his steps halted when he heard them crying so sorrowfully. He knew then that Nair Shin-Re had already died.

"Mother..." Senna and Serena approached, calling out for Hikaru. Serena immediately embraced Hikaru and cried her heart out while Senna knelt beside her. They seemed oblivious to Lantis's presence.

"We're in Cephiro, Mother. We're in the place where people love you. Why did you have to leave?" she asked again of the body she knew could no longer answer. "Why?"

Shinre entered and moved towards them.

"Brother..." Serena and Senna were both surprised. They immediately embraced Shinre, and then realize an old man was standing beside him. The darkness in his eyes and the expressionless face looking at them made Serena fall silent in her sobbing.

"He's my father..." Shinre introduced Lantis to Senna and Serena.

"Y-you're Cail..." Senna stammered. He understood what had transpired between this man and their father, especially the wrongs their father had committed against him. He was about to say something, but Serena gathered her courage first.

"I know about you and our mother," Serena said, bowing deeper. She squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to speak. "Our father... We know... what he did to you. If you want revenge, take it out on us. Please, don't hate our mother..." Serena bowed, pleading earnestly. "Please, don't hurt her... We'll accept anything in return... Take it out on us…"

Shinre, concerned, spoke up, "Father..." He wanted this all to end, desperately wishing no one else had to suffer now that everything had come to such an end. Shinre joined his two siblings as if to shield them. "They are my brother and sister," he stated softly.

The twins bore a striking resemblance to Nair, but their eyes resembled Hikaru's, just like Shinre's. Lantis looked at the three of them into their tear-filled eyes, which shone with sorrow as if Hikaru herself were gazing at him and pleading. She was not asking for something difficult to do. When everything had happened, passed, and cannot be undone... did anger still hold meaning? Even that anger was no more.

Lantis approached the three and said, "I don't want revenge. This is so difficult for all of us." Lantis tried to smile at them. "Even so, isn't this a happy day? Our family has become whole again..." He embraced them.

"Father..." Shinre could hardly believe what Lantis had just said. He felt nothing but relief at this decision.

Lantis held them all close. Hikaru, may this make you happy.