Chapter Text
They had had a long life together.
Longer than many others could imagine. Longer than he would ever have thought possible.
Taking the step into the Lichdom had given them a lot of time and reversed the rules.
While Rook later confessed to him that he was afraid of Emmrich's old age, he realised shortly after his decision that the same now applied to him.
Rook was now more fragile than he was.
He wanted to protect him and keep him from overexerting himself.
After all, Emmrich would now have far greater difficulty dying.
But the stubborn man refused to be persuaded.
And so, shortly after this new chapter in his life began, he became the first reason to regret his dream.
He would live so much longer than his beloved, survive for eons and see how the world would continue to turn over and over again.
He would see new life grow, while the dead shells of his love would never again be inhabited by the same cheerful spirit.
That frightened him.
Perhaps it even terrified him more than death during his lifetime.
His love was so vulnerable, and yet he challenged gods and archdemons without hesitation.
He was imprisoned by Solas and managed to break through to them again.
This strength was admirable.
And after the gods had fallen and peace had returned, he could finally relax.
Almost everyone had survived, and he could devote himself to a life with his Rook.
They were able to find and destroy the remains of the Venatori and help rebuild after the chaos that had been wrought.
But while he was always bursting with energy, the years soon began to show.
His Rook was ageing, and humans had rather pitiful lifespans compared to everything else.
First came a few grey strands, perhaps due to stress.
Soon the first wrinkles appeared on the face he loved to gaze at while sleeping.
And in the blink of an eye, his hair had mutated from jet black to a silver mane, his battle-hardened body longed for rest, and his eyesight gave way to darkness.
Then it became difficult to walk, to stay on his feet.
Kept in bed, they reminisced about their old friends and past adventures.
They could look back on a long and, above all, good life, and he did not regret this for a moment.
At least, that's what he thought as he looked into Rook's tired face and brushed a few strands of hair from his eyes.
They had chosen Rook's room in the lighthouse for their remaining moments together before he was laid to rest with the other Volkarins' in the necropolis.
It was his wish to feel once more the bond that had carried them through the worst of times.
Even though the corridors and rooms had long been abandoned, the plants in Harding's room were still blooming.
Emmrich made sure that Davrin's carvings were not covered in dust.
And you could still regularly smell the aroma of fresh coffee coming from the kitchen.
It was their home, their memorial.
Almost like their own necropolis.
A place that Emmrich would preserve forever.
He had always seen himself as a preserver, a guardian.
As a collector of knowledge and a teacher.
He would carry the memory of his friends within him forever.
Just as the flame of his love would always burn for Rook.
"I want you to be happy again," Rook had said to him repeatedly over the past decades in one way or another.
They wanted to enjoy this now, savour every moment. They had simply blocked out the inevitable, the ever-present.
As if it were far away forever. Until it wasn't anymore.
And so Rook's last thought was once again focused solely on Emmrich.
His gaze struggled to focus on him, and the hand that lay in his had barely any strength left.
And even though his voice was now only a faint whisper, the message was as clear as it had always been, even though he had pushed it aside all these years.
"Find your happiness again", was the only wish Rook had for him.
"Promise me."
And he made him promise with a broken voice.
"I promise, my darling. I will find my happiness again."
Only a few heartbeats passed before Rook took his last breaths and suddenly there was silence.
----
He knew this silence.
It had accompanied him his whole life.
After the death of his parents, after Manfred.
After Harding's sacrifice.
After...
everything.
It was a constant companion throughout his existence.
And at the same time, he had never felt such a loud silence.
It filled everything and roared in his ears.
Years ago, when he took the step towards becoming a lich, he had proven that he could accept the death of all things.
He had passed and was recognised as worthy.
But worthy of what?
Of bearing the burden that came with the benefits?
That was what he signed up for. But did he really realize what this all was about?
At the time, he thought he knew what he was getting himself into.
But back then, his love for Rook was still blossoming and not yet burned so deeply into his soul as it was now.
It was only after taking this step that he learned what it meant to truly live.
Was it really an acceptance of death when he fled into an existence that prevented it?
Where was the respect for what he had sworn to preserve?
How could he despise the cycle to which all his loved ones had submitted?
Why was he worthy?
Why not the others?
The Veilguard.
In his eyes, Harding, Davrin, Neve. Just like Taash, Bellara and... Rook.
Especially Rook.
They all deserved more than just a long life.
They had given their lives as guardians and ensured a bright future.
So why should he be lucky enough to experience that while everyone else could only dream of tomorrow?
He thought it was unfair.
The whole system was unfair.
Those who lived had to suffer. And when the suffering was over, they were dead.
Only to be washed away by time at some point.
He looked upon thousands of years that would wash away everything his friends did for the world.
Turning from Persons to Legends, from Legends to myths and then to dust.
A mystery in ruins for coming generations to deciffer.
Life is made up of change. But he was not ready for this kind of change.
He lost his spark, his love, his everything.
All he had now was silence.
And memories.
----
Despair burst out of him and a pain-filled cry echoed through the now lifeless rooms.