Hours passed. Zack checked on Angeleva frequently, his healing powers easing her remaining discomfort. Jen handed out bowls of stew, but barely anyone touched their food.
Safari, true to his word, stayed by Angeleva's side. Every time she stirred, he whispered another apology. Each one met with the same painful silence.
Zack observed quietly, conflicted. He could see how genuinely Safari regretted his actions, but whether it would ever be enough - that wasn't up to him.
Jen remained somewhat composed, though her thoughts lingered on Nate. The sorrow in her heart was relentless. Yet seeing Safari struggle to make amends did spark something within her. Perhaps... not all hope was lost.
That evening, the pale light of the moon once again cast its glow across the shelter. Safari was barely awake, his body slumped against the wall, but he refused to sleep.
Then, just as the silence seemed unbearable, a weak voice broke it.
Angeleva: (softly)
"Why... are you still here?"
Safari jolted upright. Her gaze was on him now, though her expression was unreadable.
Safari: (earnestly)
"Because I have to be. Because I owe you that much."
She blinked, her voice trembling.
Angeleva: (whispering)
"And if I never forgive you?"
Safari lowered his head, his tone unwavering.
Safari:
"Then I'll keep apologizing. Even if it takes forever."
Angeleva's lips parted as though she wanted to say something, but no words came. Instead, she turned away, clutching the blanket tightly.
_ _ _
The night passed slowly. Angeleva's weak breathing was the only sound filling the room. Safari didn't move from his spot. Even as exhaustion crept into his body, he refused to close his eyes.
Zack stirred awake from a restless sleep. The aftershock of Nate's death still weighed heavily on his heart. Despite his own grief, he couldn't ignore the sight of Safari, still seated vigilantly by Angeleva's side.
Zack: (softly)
"You're still awake."
Safari nodded without a word. His face, once filled with pride and stubbornness, now held only regret. Zack approached, though his legs felt weak.
Zack:
"You know... you can't undo what happened."
Safari: (voice low)
"I know."
Zack sighed, his eyes lingering on Angeleva. She hadn't stirred much, and her face was still pale from the ordeal.
Zack:
"But maybe... you can still help her heal."
The next morning, Jen woke up before the others. Despite her lingering grief, she forced herself to move. She wasn't sure why, but something about preparing a meal brought her a sliver of comfort.
The kitchen was small and rustic, but it reminded her of simpler times. She gathered the remaining ingredients - a mix of dried fruits and native vegetables.
As the stew simmered, the smell filled the air. Safari, whose eyes had barely closed, glanced toward her.
Safari: (hoarsely)
"Why are you doing all this?"
Jen stirred the pot without looking up.
Jen:
"Because we're still alive."
Safari flinched at her words. The weight of Nate's absence hung heavily in the air.
Jen:
"If we stop moving now, it'll be like Nate died for nothing. And I can't let that happen."
Safari remained silent. Despite everything, Jen's resilience left him in awe.
By midday, Angeleva stirred. Zack was the first to notice, rushing to her side. Her breathing was steady, but her expression was vacant.
Zack:
"Angeleva... can you hear me?"
Her violet eyes flickered open. She blinked slowly, taking in her surroundings. Then, without a word, she sat up, clutching the blanket tightly.
The memories of that day hit her like a wave. Her face twisted in discomfort.
Angeleva: (weakly)
"I'm... still here."
Safari stepped forward, but the sight of him made her flinch. It was subtle, but it stung him deeply.
Safari: (softly)
"You're safe now."
She didn't respond. The words felt hollow.
_ _ _
As the day passed, Safari tried to speak to Angeleva multiple times. Each attempt was met with silence or averted eyes. She wasn't hostile - just empty.
Zack did his best to heal her, but her emotional wounds remained untouched. Jen, though still shaken, tried to offer some comfort. She placed a bowl of stew near Angeleva, encouraging her to eat.
Jen: (gently)
"It'll help you regain your strength."
Angeleva hesitated but eventually took a small bite. The warmth of the food seemed to bring a fleeting sense of comfort, though it quickly faded.
Safari watched, each moment deepening the ache in his chest. He wanted to say something - anything - but no words felt right.
That evening, as the sky dimmed, Safari once again lowered himself to the floor beside Angeleva. She hadn't moved much, her expression distant.
Safari: (quietly)
"I don't deserve forgiveness. I know that."
Angeleva remained silent, but her hands tightened around the blanket.
Safari:
"But I'm not going to leave. Not until I've done everything I can to make it right."
Her voice finally broke through the quiet.
Angeleva: (softly)
"You think... you can make it right?"
Safari:
"No. But I can try."
She turned to him for the first time, her violet eyes gleaming with raw pain.
Angeleva:
"Then prove it."
Safari nodded, determination flickering in his gaze. It wouldn't be easy. But for the first time in days, a small sliver of hope ignited within him.
The following days were heavy. Angeleva remained distant, barely speaking. She would respond only when necessary, her words short and lifeless. Safari stayed true to his word, never leaving her side unless she explicitly asked him to.
Safari: (thinking)
"Prove it? How? I can't undo what I did. But maybe... I can be better. I have to be better."
Zack, while still visibly affected by Nate's death, continued healing Angeleva's injuries. Jen did her best to create a sense of normalcy, preparing meals and offering small words of encouragement.
But the emptiness remained.
On the third day, Safari approached Angeleva, his usual confidence replaced with uncertainty. She sat by the small window, staring at the lifeless horizon.
Safari: (softly)
"Do you... want anything? Water? Food?"
Angeleva didn't turn, her voice barely above a whisper.
Angeleva:
"Why do you care now?"
The question struck Safari harder than he expected. He clenched his fists.
Safari:
"Because I should have cared before."
She laughed bitterly, though it lacked any warmth.
Angeleva:
"You didn't. Not when it mattered."
Safari lowered his gaze, unable to argue.
Safari:
"You're right. I didn't. And now I have to live with that. But I swear, I won't fail like that again."
For a moment, it seemed like she might respond. But she only turned back to the window, leaving Safari standing in the painful silence.
Later that evening, Zack approached Safari. He could see the frustration and guilt written all over his face.
Zack:
"You're trying. That's more than some people would do."
Safari: (shaking his head)
"It's not enough. I thought I was strong because I could fight. But what's the point of strength if I can't even protect the people around me?"
Zack: (gently)
"Strength isn't just about fighting. It's about understanding the weight of your actions. At least that's what my people used to say. You're doing that now. But healing takes time."
Safari nodded, though the heaviness in his chest remained.
Meanwhile, Jen had taken it upon herself to keep Angeleva company. She didn't try to force conversation, simply offering her presence. Sometimes, that was enough.
But one afternoon, as Jen laid down a simple plate of bread and fruit, Angeleva finally spoke.
Angeleva:
"How do you do it?"
Jen blinked, surprised.
Jen:
"Do what?"
Angeleva: (voice trembling)
"Keep going. After everything."
Jen hesitated, her eyes softening.
Jen:
"I'm not sure. Some days, I don't want to. But I think about Nate. And I remember that he wouldn't want me to stop living because he's gone. He fought so we could have a future. So, I keep going - for him."
Angeleva's eyes lowered, her fingers brushing against the rim of her cup.
Angeleva:
"I wish I were that strong."
Jen: (gently)
"You are. You survived something terrible. And even if you're hurting, you're still here. That's strength too."
Angeleva didn't respond, but Jen noticed the slightest flicker of acknowledgment in her eyes.
That evening, as the dim glow of the moon illuminated the small shelter, Safari once again sat beside Angeleva. This time, he didn't hesitate.
Safari: (softly)
"I was wrong."
Angeleva tensed, but Safari continued.
Safari:
"I thought I was teaching you a lesson. I thought you deserved it. But I was just being cruel. And when I saw what they did to you, I knew I became something I swore I wouldn't."
Her breathing quickened, but she didn't stop him.
Safari:
"I'm sorry. Not because I want forgiveness - I don't deserve it. But because you didn't deserve what I did. No one does."
For the first time, Angeleva met his gaze. The pain was still there, but something else lingered - the faintest trace of understanding.
Angeleva: (whispering)
"I don't know if I can forgive you. Not yet."
Safari: (nodding)
"I wouldn't expect you to. But I'll be here, no matter how long it takes."
A long silence passed between them. Then, without a word, Angeleva turned away. But Safari could sense the weight lifting, even if only slightly.
_ _ _
That night, the shelter was eerily quiet. The air was cold, and the dim light of the distant stars barely illuminated the small space. Safari, exhausted from the day's overwhelming guilt, had finally drifted off to sleep.
But his slumber was far from peaceful.
In the twisted world of his dreams, the air reeked of ash and despair. The sky was painted a sickly crimson, mirroring the volcanic landscape where the battle had taken place. Before him, the memory of his sister's death played once more - her fading cries echoing in his mind.
He reached out, but the image crumbled to ash. Suddenly, Nate appeared. His face was devoid of warmth, the kind smile Safari once knew replaced with an empty glare.
Nate: (coldly)
"You failed me. You let me die."
Safari stumbled back, clutching his chest. He tried to speak, but no words came out. The voices swirled around him, each one a reminder of his guilt.
Then, Angeleva emerged from the shadows. But it wasn't the fairy he remembered. Her eyes burned with hatred - true, piercing hatred.
Angeleva: (venomously)
"You left me. You laughed at my suffering. You enjoyed it."
Safari: (desperately)
"No... no, I didn't mean to-"
Angeleva: (voice trembling with fury)
"I trusted you, and you let me break."
He flinched as her words pierced deeper than any weapon ever could. Then, Zack and Jen appeared, their eyes filled with disappointment.
Zack: (softly)
"You're no brother of mine."
Jen: (tearfully)
"You're nothing but a monster."
They turned away. One by one, they faded, leaving Safari alone in the crimson void. The silence was unbearable. His trembling hands reached for anyone, anything - but no one remained.
Safari: (screaming)
"Don't leave me!"
He collapsed, consumed by his own anguish.