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"If I die young, bury me in satin..."
Chess pieces scattered on a black and white chessboard, a mountain of documents piled beside it; behind the red-haired commander were maps of the entire Western and Eastern continents with various markings and symbols.
"Lay me down on a bed of roses..."
Cale Henituse wants to rest; he wants to bury his face on a soft pillow and sleep for a long time. Unfortunately, he won't be able to do that due to the mess the White Star is creating. He needs to put an end to all of these so that he can finally have that slacker life that seems to be getting farther away--much to Cale's ultimate dismay.
"Sink me in a river at dawn..."
So here he was, vehemently planning his tactics and strategies together with his allies while he subconsciously sang a ceratin melody he once heard back on Earth.
"Send me away with the words of a love song..."
He was so engrossed in his own tune that he didn't manage to notice Raon, Rosalyn, Choi Han, Alberu, and the others shifting uncomfortably on their positions as they listened to the song's message.
"The sharp knife of a short life..."
His brain didn't stop recording and generating ideas on how to completely destroy that White twat and survive even as he continued to sing.
"Well, I've had just enough time..."
"HUMAN!" Raon's high-pitched shriek surprised Cale and caused him to whip his head up faster than you could say, 'Marry me.'
"Hmm...what is it?" he inquired, managing to calm himself down in seconds.
He watched as the young, black dragon flap his wings vigorously and flew towards him with a speed that scared Cale and almost made him jump out of his seat to avoid getting hit. Thank goodness he didn't have to do that since Raon expertly stopped just a few inches away from his face.
"Do not sing that song!"
"What song?"
"The one you sang just now!" Raon was indignant, his dragon wings flapping violently and causing slightly strong gushes of wind. "I don't like it! None of us like it!"
"Raon-nim is right, young master Cale," Rosalyn added to support Raon's declaration. "We don't like you singing such an ominous song."
Cale tilted his head as he thought of the song he subconsciously sang with nonchalance.
"Oh, that..."
"Cale-nim," Choi Han called out. "You're not planning to...to die...right?"
Cale's reaction was an expression he usually wore when someone calls him a legend: indignation and shock intermingled together.
"I plan to live as a rich slacker! Why would I let myself die?"
Alberu's sigh reached their ears.
"My little brother who always drives me nuts."
Naturally, Cale ignored him.
"What an unlucky bastard," Eruhaben exhaled.
"Young master-nim," an old man's voice drawled out.
Cale flinched and averted his gaze at the old assassin-disguised-as-a-butler standing by the door with a towel hanging on his forearm.
Ron was smiling a gentle smile that doesn't seem to befit a vicious person.
"You're still too young to embrace death, young master-nim. This senior butler of yours wishes to see you get older."
It was a sincere comment, but it caused Cale to feel chills run down his spine; his hair stood on ends.
"Yes, yes," Cale nodded.
"Grandpa Ron is right, human! You may be older than me, but you're still too young to die!" Raon exclaimed while puffing his chubby belly.
Cale let out a hum of agreement and reached out a hand to pat Raon's head. Raon succumbed to the warmth; his wings flapped for a different reason than when Cale sang that song about death.
"You must live nya~!"
"Noona is right, nya~! You need to survive~!"
On and Hong also joined the discussion and approached Cale, rubbing their fluffy and furry bodies on Cale's other hand.
Cale watched the children's affectionate actions before calmly stating, "I promise to live. I won't allow myself to die."
All eyes trained on him at that proclamation. They know that Cale's promises aren't bullshit, yet they can't help but worry. After witnessing him go overboard and coughing blood, it became an attached emotion in them.
"That's good human!" Raon sprightly cheered. "We will survive together!"
"After this, we'll stay together and enjoy the peaceful life."
"Yes, nya~!"
"We'll stay together, nya~!"
"We'll farm together, too~!"
The 3 children chorused while the adults observed them with adoration, their hearts filling with hope and anticipation for the future.
All together, they'll get through this.
***
Days passed, the time continued ticking, and the moment for the final battle against the White Star arrived at last.
It was total pandemonium, causing catastrophic destructions everywhere.
Cale observed the destroyed surroundings, relieved that all the residents were evacuated to a safe place away from the location of this ultimate war.
The White Star's thunderbolts crashed against the forces from Cale and his allies. Everyone was giving it their best shot, pushing themselves to the limit, determined to end this here.
Neither side are giving in, exchanging ferocious attacks and fortifying their defenses.
Blinding flashes of lights and ear-shattering explosions went on for hours, eradicating anything in its way. Devastating results continued to pile up, and amid all this mayhem were two red-haired men opposing each other. Bloodied and tattered, glaring at each other, madness and anger evident in their pairs of brown orbs even when their faces remained stoic.
"Die," the White Star muttered and sent another array of thunderbolts and magma.
"Don't wanna," Cale mumbled back.
Another hour went by before they saw the White Star stumble, all battered and broken, down to the mountain of rubble he dropped. He looked like he was on the verge of death.
Cale's condition was no different than his.
He slumped on the ground, ignoring the pricking debris and soil. His breathing was ragged, just like the White Star's. He was barely holding onto his consciousness, refusing to faint, listening to the fretting ancient powers in his head.
"Perish...already..." he said as he eyed the White Star who's head hung low.
The silence that lasted for a second was broken by laughter filled with madness. Raising his head, the White Star scowled at Cale, his glare dripping with the deadly venom of rage.
The White Star could feel it--his defeat is getting closer. He was consumed with abysmal hatred towards the red-haired hero as he realized this undeniable fact. His comrades were all wiped out, while Cale's--even though they looked so worn down--all survived.
That sight alone confirmed his impending defeat.
However, he thought, 'If I'm going to end up losing, I should also make them lose something...or someone."
"Haaa...If I'm going...going to die.." he wheezed out. "...I...I'll drag...I'll drag you with me..."
That was what he uttered before a powerful force gathered within a millisecond and shot out of the White Star's body towards Cale Henituse. The force was a mixture of the White Star's fury and remaining life force. It was his way of telling Cale and the others that he's dead serious about dragging Cale down with him to hell.
His unquenchable fury won't be satisfied until he takes that bastard's life. Only then will he embrace death.
The deadly force flew towards Cale at an alarming rate. Choi Han, Eruhaben, and all of Cale's allies frantically ran towards his slumped figure, desperately wishing to protect him from such power, not wanting to lose him.
They forced their wounded and pained limbs to go faster. They need to reach Cale before it's too late.
"CALE HENITUSE!"
"CALE-NIM!"
"YOUNG MASTER!"
"WEAK HUMAN!"
Collective shrieks echoed throughout the area, the owners rushing desperately towards the human facing the incoming attack.
Cale's eyes met the White Star's eyes that are trying to stay open at that moment. They glowered at each other, unmasking the seething hatred.
He despised that bastard. He wants him gone. That's why he did his uttermost best to form a plan to completely destroy the White Star.
The Final Battle against the White Star. Cale and his companions had readied themselves to the fullest in order to put an end to this once and for all.
However, nothing could prepare them for what's to happen next.
As the power reached a few meters away from Cale, as his companions screamed their lungs out calling for his name, a black blob suddenly appeared before him.
The black being who popped up in front of Cale spread its paws and created multiple layers of mana shield.
BANG! BANG! BOOM!
Incomparable explosions rang throughout the battlefield. The earth rumbled, shook, and broke. The air violently ran wild.
1 minute..2 minutes...and now 3 minutes. It took 3 minutes for Cale to finally look up at the black being hovering in front of him.
What greeted him were broken shards of mana shield dropping to the filthy ground, a large hole that resembled the holes meteors made, and lastly...a black reptilian creature slowly gravitating towards the earth.
The world slowed down, Cale's already ragged breathing hitched as his eyes followed the falling black dragon before him.
His pupils shook, his heart trembling like a high magnitude earthquake, his body frozen against his own will.
Before the black creature could touch the soil, Cale forced his frozen limbs to move and catch the descending Raon.
Raon landed on Cale's weak and shaking arms.
'He's heavy,' Cale thought as his eyes scanned the dragon kid wrapped in his embrace.
Raon had become heavier as time passed since he eats a lot, especially sweets. Even so, Cale would still carry him even when he's having a difficult time; and Raon would pretend to ignore it, wanting to feel his weak human's warmth.
However, this time, Cale knew something was wrong.
No, he was certain.
Raon was still heavy, but this heaviness weighed differently for Cale.
It took Cale seconds to realize--to discover--what made it so different.
'I can't feel his heartbeat.'
Cale couldn't feel Raon's beating heart. It was what he would usually feel when he hugs Raon. However, this time, it's nowhere to be felt. Nothing.
"Raon," Cale called out to the little black dragon in his trembling embrace. "Open your eyes."
No response.
Choi Han, Eruhaben, Rosalyn, Lock, On, Hong, and the others finally arrived beside Cale, relief flooding their system at the sight of Cale being alive.
However, that relief was soon replaced with confusion and shock.
"Raon, the White Star is gone."
The White Star was really gone, his soulless body sprawled on top of broken debris a distance away from them; however, Cale's attention wasn't directed at it.
"Raon Miru...I know you like to play, but this type of game is not to my liking."
Still no response. Not even a twitch of a muscle or a quivering of the eyes.
Eruhaben pushed past the others and approached Cale, who flopped down on the ground, cradling Raon in his trembling arms.
Eruhaben didn't look like a majestic dragon as his battered form staggered and knelt in front of Cale; his pale fingers reaching for the black dragon, Raon.
His hands searched for the signs of life from the small body; heartbeat, breathing, anything that could tell him that Raon's still alive.
Eruhaben was silent. The stillness enveloped all of them and caused heavy anxiety to their hearts.
They waited for Eruhaben to speak.
After a few minutes of soundlessness, Eruhaben placed his hand on top of Raon's head...and shook his head.
"No..."
Gasps of disbelief and grief escaped everyone's lips.
On and Hong rushed towards Raon and tried shaking him, hoping he would wake up and look at them with his dark blue eyes.
"Raon, you need to stop joking! This isn't funny!"
"Youngest...you need to wake up!"
Raon never did, and never will again.
***
If I die young, bury me in satin...
Weeping resounded throughout the dreary graveyard, the gloom so evident under the graying sky. A crowd gathered on a particular spot, around a small coffin that was being slowly lowered 6-feet below the earth's surface. Inside that coffin was a child, too young and so tender.
Lay me down in a bed of roses...
Flowers fell onto the descending casket along with the tears and sobs flowing non-stop.
Sink me in a river at dawn...
The rain began pouring.
In the very front of the crowd of mourners was a red-haired man, Cale Henituse.
As soon as he felt the dripping raindrops on his clothes and skin, he looked up at the dark clouds.
The sky that was once their enemy was now mourning with them.
Cale felt a whirlpool of unstable emotions inside him, yet his face on the outside remained stoic.
Send me away with the words of a love song...
Cale listened to the wails around him; he listened to the children's muffled sobs as they buried their faces on his clothes. He could hear their murmurs of condolences and pain behind him.
And I'll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom,
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger...
The trees swayed as if to let him know that they are also grieving for the soul of a young child, whose life was unexpectedly taken by death at such an early time.
I've never known the lovin' of a man,
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand...
Cale imagined Raon's warmth; tried to remember the little dragon's voice and his candid remarks. His chubby front paws that held those soggy apple pies and feed them to Cale.
There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever...
Raon Miru. That was the name Cale gave the little black dragon whom he saved from that dark cave.
For the first four years of Raon's life, he grew up chained and tortured, unable to even witness what lay beyond those cave walls.
Through Cale and the others, he experienced the outside world. Through them, Raon experienced what it felt like to be loved.
They were the ones that gave him the desire to live.
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life...
Yet, death was ruthless and unforgiving.
Well, I've had just enough time...
The young dragon died while protecting his weak human.
Hours passed and the band of mourners slowly diminished. Yet Cale stayed, staring at the tombstone and the earth that covered the coffin.
This was not the first time he saw his companions die. This was not new to him. Even so, he couldn't stop the turbulent grief that whirled inside him, contrary to his calm exterior.
Cale stood there, his mind wandering to a faraway place. Together with the pitter-patter of the rain, Cale felt like he could hear Raon's voice in his ear.
"After this, we'll stay together and enjoy the peaceful life."