Regrets of The Fallen (Victis Honor Book 1) (60 page)

Haruka traced a finger down the stone beside her head. “Now there’s only one thing I want… Will I be able to find you? Are you… Is there something left, truly? Is there a way to meet you again? I wish I knew… I’m so scared right now, and I don’t get your reassurance like I did when you were… here. All I can do is… is wait, and hope.”

She felt her breathing grow shallow, felt her heart beginning to slow. “Is this how you felt at the end…? Slipping away, your grip on life failing… I’m glad I was there… Even though you deserved… so much more.” Haruka fought to keep her eyes open. Her hand fell to her side where her fingers weakly gripped the earth beneath her. “It hurts… But the fear is worse…” Her tears continued to run but she struggled against it, focusing on her trust, her love.

“I’m coming to see you now,” she whispered softly. “I’m… sorry it took so long… Bella.”

Haruka’s eyes closed for the last time as her breath escaped her. When she opened them again everything was different; the pain was gone, the feel of the grass and dirt, the cool air. She stood with a strange ease and looked ahead with awe. Before her was light, sun, and a flash of blue hair. She felt the hand slide into her own as Isabella looked at her lovingly, tracing a gentle finger down her cheek. “Ruki… You’re late. But I forgive you.”

Haruka smiled as she hadn’t in years, and she didn’t even try to fight back tears now as she looked on a face she’d never known if she would see again. “I tried to… get here sooner, but… as it turns out, I’m really hard to kill,” she said with a laugh, sniffing.

Isabella smiled brightly, moving up against her and wiping the tears away. “It doesn’t matter now. You’re here… I’m here.” She grinned, looking over her shoulder at what awaited before her eyes moved back to Haruka, beginning to tear up. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Haruka was torn between crying and laughing as she felt Bella begin to tug her along. “With no deadline…” She could scarcely believe it.

Isabella looked back at her as she continued walking, her smile only widening. “It’s even better than that, Ruki – there’s no mud!”

IXH

Isabella’s Journal for Haruka Saito, Entry 64: A Wish

I had a dream not long ago. In it, we were traveling when we got separated. I was lost in a dark forest and unable to find you, or anyone. I was terrified, and for some reason I thought I might never see you again. As I began running, calling out your name, I tripped, falling into a gaping abyss that seemed to appear out of nowhere. But you caught my hand and pulled me out, telling me I could never fall as long as you were there to catch me.

I believe this goes for death as well. My fear is slowly being replaced not by hope, but by trust in you, and in us. We are something special, Ruki. We’ve fought and suffered so much, but neither of us ever gave up on the other. That can’t just change. I don’t want a year – I want forever. I want you. I know that we’ve been denied a happy ending, but I want one anyway. If we fight for it, Ruki, like everything else we’ve achieved, we can get this, too. Don’t let go of my hand, because I’ll be holding tightly to yours. We’ll write our names on the stars themselves – “Isabella x Haruka Forever.” Nothing is going to stand in our way.

I know not everything has a happy ending, Ruki… But sometimes, you’re lucky enough to get one.

The End

About the Author:

Jake Taylor lives in Austin, Texas.  A passionate collector of all things Final Fantasy, Marvel Comics and Star Wars, he writes both Fantasy Fiction and Science Fiction.  His characters are his roommates (they unfortunately refuse to chip in for rent) and his writing is his life.

Discover other Titles by Jake Taylor

in the

Victis Honor Series

and

his
Science Fiction series, Silence In Numbers

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