Chapter Text
“The Spawn will take away your guilt!” they said. They claimed my second life would be beautiful. They say it is for the Spawn.
But then why is it that the idea of killing you, Azure, pains me so much.
No matter how much I want the second life, I want to stay with you ten times more.
I know what fate awaits a heretic like myself. I probably will deserve it. Nonetheless, I hold no regrets for what I’m about to do.
“Azure!” I call out.
“Two Time!” They turned to look at me. “Oh, by the Spawn- I was starting to believe you-“
“Azure…” It pained me to interrupt them, but I knew Amarah would be there soon. “You need to get out of here.”
“Huh? Is something wrong?” I feel my heart beat a bit louder as they tilt their head.
I snap back to focus. “Your time is running out-!” I breathe. “Just go, quickly!”
“Why? What’s going on-?”
“They’re going to kill you, Azure!” I grab his hands, feeling their warmth against mine. I feel fear rise in my chest. Time is almost up.
He pauses to process my words. “Wh-… what?” They’re staring right into my eyes. I feel my body tremble with a mix of worry and anxiety.
I take a shaky, deep breath. “We have no time left.” I say, grounding myself with the sound of Azure’s breathing. “Go. Run away while you still can.”
“Time…” they hand me the bouquet they were holding. “Fine, then…”
“…I trust you, Time.”
They left safely, but I knew the fate awaiting me.
I turned around, right as Amarah approached me. “My Child.” They addressed me.
“It’s truly a shame you chose to be this way.” They glared at me, a look reserved for only the most atrocious non-believers. I suppose that is what I was now. A critic, a sinner. I held no regrets.
I felt content with my choices. Every last one of them.
(…)
As I ran through the forest, all I could think about was Two Time. I missed them a great deal already. I looked behind me towards our community.
There was smoke. So, so much smoke billowing up into the sky. My stomach fell. I truly hope this wasn’t what I thought it was.
I took off my wizard hat and began running back to the camp. I felt tears begin to stroll down my face.
I gently opened the camp gates, sneaking around the back of the crowd to get a better look.
There they were. They were tied to a pole in the center of the fire. I felt my hands cover my mouth to prevent me from gasping at the sight.
The worst part was, they were smiling. They were content with protecting me at the cost of one of the most painful deaths possible.
This was all my fault. I shouldn’t have run. If I hadn’t, would Timey have been spared from this fate? Should I have grabbed their hand and took off running with them?
I look up at Timey once more, my eyes blurred from the tears. I saw someone grab their tail and rip it off. I heard them scream in pain. I heard them sob, but they still smiled.
I ran out of the camp, grabbing back my wizard hat I left outside of the gate, and booked it to our favorite flower field.
I cried, louder than I ever have. I looked at a bittersweet nightshade below me. It had droplets of my tears upon it. I gently lift the bud. It was beautiful, just like my Timey.
I gently, carefully, dig around the root, and lift it out of the ground. I decided that I would take care of this flower, no matter what.
I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, I was no longer in the flower field.