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The twilight sky above the Clover Kingdom blazed with hues of gold and pink, reminding William Vangeance of the peaceful times that now seemed like a distant dream. Standing at the edge of the forest, he gazed at the capital from afar, watching the life that continued without him. The Golden Dawn, the squad he had once led with pride, remained the best, even without him. Julius Nova Chrono, the figure he had once regarded as a father, still stood calmly leading the kingdom. And Yami Sukehiro... he was still there, as usual, with his laid-back attitude and sharpness that never changed. William took a deep breath, trying to suppress the tightness in his chest. He didn’t deserve to be among them anymore.
The night grew darker as William returned to his small cabin in the forest. The place was quiet, filled only with the rustling of leaves and the sounds of nocturnal animals. This was where he chose to spend his time, using World Tree magic to help people from afar. He healed the damaged land, assisted farmers with their harvests, and repaired the destroyed ecosystems. He didn’t want thanks or recognition; it was his way of atoning for sins he knew would never be fully forgiven.
However, even in the midst of his work, loneliness always crept in. Guilt became his constant companion, whispering bitter reminders of the betrayal he had committed during the elf incident. He knew Julius had never been angry with him—Julius always smiled, saying he believed in William. But it wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough.
A few days later, as the sun began to set, William heard heavy footsteps approaching his cabin. He turned around, and there stood Yami Sukehiro, with a cigar in his mouth and a sword hanging from his back. Yami's eyes stared at him with an unreadable look, a mix of exhaustion, disappointment, and something else William couldn’t understand.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding, huh?” Yami spoke casually, as usual. He walked in uninvited, flopping into an old chair by the table. “You think I don’t know you’ve been lurking around the capital? You’re terrible at hiding your tracks, twig-head.”
William stared at him, confused yet anxious. “What do you want, Yami?”
Yami pulled a sake bottle from his pocket and poured it into two wooden cups on the table. “I’m here because I want to be. Do I need another reason?” he said, handing one cup to William.
William hesitated before taking the cup. He knew Yami hadn’t forgiven him. Yami had once firmly said he couldn’t just forget what had happened. And that, to William, was the most painful thing. Not because he expected forgiveness, but because he knew he had destroyed something valuable.
“I can’t forgive you,” Yami suddenly said, as if reading William’s thoughts. “But that doesn’t mean I want you to rot away here. You’re more useful alive, Vangeance.”
Those words cut deeper into William than he expected. He turned his gaze toward the window, staring at the dark night outside. “I’m just doing what I can. No more, no less.”
“Bullshit,” Yami scoffed. “You know, life isn’t just about atoning for sins. You still have a chance to do something good. But if you keep dwelling on the past, you’re not going to get anywhere.”
William remained silent. Yami’s words were harsh, but beneath them was an honesty he couldn’t ignore. Yet, the guilt that consumed him was too great to let go of. “I don’t deserve it,” he muttered. “I don’t deserve anything.”
Yami sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair with a weary expression. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. But that doesn’t mean you should give up. Julius believes in you. I know he’s never been angry with you, even though I myself...,” Yami paused, as if searching for the right words, “...I’m still trying to understand all this.”
The conversation ended without a solution, as usual. Yami left after a few hours, leaving William with his increasingly heavy thoughts. But something in the way Yami spoke made William feel just a little less alone. It was the first time in a long while that someone had come to him, not to hold him accountable, but just to make sure he was okay.
In the days that followed, Yami returned again. He brought food, sake, or just silly stories about the Black Bulls. William began to get used to the man’s presence, even though he still felt unworthy of any attention. On one of his visits, Yami said in a flat tone, “I don’t know if I can forgive you completely, but I also don’t want to lose you. So, you have to stay alive, like it or not.”
William didn’t know how to respond. Yami’s words were always blunt, without any frills, but that’s what made them hard to ignore. Slowly, William began to accept that maybe, just maybe, he could try to live again. Not for himself, but for those who still believed in him, like Julius and, though he didn’t want to admit it, Yami.
One night, as they sat outside the cabin, gazing at the sparkling stars in the sky, William finally spoke. “Thank you, Yami. For... everything.”
Yami glanced at him from the corner of his eye, then took a drag from his cigar. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m not done keeping an eye on you. And don’t think I’ll let you disappear like that.”
William gave a small smile, something almost foreign to his face. For the first time, he felt a glimmer of hope, however small, that he could redeem himself and live a better life. And it all started with someone who never gave up on him, even when he had given up on himself.