THE GIRL IN THE TOWER SENTENCES / ACCEPTING / @soulworn
THE LIFE STREAM WELCOMES AERITH WITH OPEN ARMS, embracing her, ushering her into bliss. How unfair, to be parted so cruelly, but she is free from the torment of this world at last. No more dust and metal and decay, only green and rolling fields. THE PROMISED LAND. She recalls only its shape and color like a dream of a dream. She and Gaia had built paradise at its center. A gift to the dead when their journey was complete.
Behind closed lids Ezra can see her descent. Sees the coil of blue green LIFE encompass the other like vines. Tears stream down her face in ceaseless rivulets, a sob of grief and joy catching in her throat. It was agony, this parting. A piece of her soul rent from her body, slipping like sand through her fist. There was still so much yet to do...
A thin line of blood trails from her nose, mixing with tears and staining her lips. Her confusion is brief as she tracks the beats of her heart. It was slowing. Seconds passing between each beat. The tips of her fingers grow numb and cold.
A humorless laugh sends more blood trickling down her chin. What beautiful, terrible irony. She was never meant to be contained in this form, nor was it able to withstand the trauma inflicted by Shinra. She had been living on borrowed time since her birth. EVERY BREATH A STUBBORN DECISION. Funny that it would choose now to give out, like it could not stand the thought of being parted from her. As she had made a space for herself in Gaia, perhaps Aerith had nestled within her too. Coiled together. Earth and Spirit until neither could live without the other.
Time slowed to a crawl, every second an hour. Hazel eyes begin to glaze and her legs tremble beneath her. The others would think it grief had they noticed. The abject horror of the moment drew all eyes forward. Ezra no longer sees it. She gazes into open space as a gossamer veil lifts into beyond, into eternity. She sees a flutter of softest pink advancing through it, a gentle smile spread across lips.
‘ 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗. ’
No more incentive was needed, though she longed to say goodbye. Longed to stay and help still. The sigh that leaves her lungs is her last. Her body manages a step forward before it crumples to the ground. Her spirit stumbles forward, into open arms. Ezra glances over her shoulder to see her empty cage behind her. A small and frail thing compared to the surging brightness of her beyond the veil.
Green eyes meet those turned to silver and turquoise, relief and sorrow mirrored in both visages. Would that they could stay and guide those they left behind, but their voices are so far away. Ezra brings their clasped hands up to her face, pressing a kiss to the back of Aerith’s palm before guiding them towards Home.
‘ neither will you. . . ’
