Telluric

Chapter XXVIII: Up and Out; the Golden Ratio

XXVIII

Diego didn't even realize he was crying out until the dust cleared. Everything was still, with a tension and shock that immobilized him as if he were a statue once again. Everything seemed unreal and far away as he ran to the red and white rubble. He couldn't control his movements; the surge of adrenaline was doing a fine job of it.

Rubble flew as Diego tried to enter the ruins. Glass from the clock; red and white marble stones; small chess pieces; they all flew from the dark shadowy tendrils that Diego used to launch everything from the pile of rubble. He couldn't accept that Noah was dead; not yet.

It was when he found the statue of Ruby and Noah's pale skin shining through like a beacon did he begin to accept it. But that didn't stop him from trying, so he shoved boulders, rocks, pieces of wall all behind in order to get to Noah.

But it really was too late.

Diego cradled Noah in his arms, not realizing that Noah's face was getting damp from the tears. The world seemed, at this moment, shallow and gray, with only despair to keep us company.

"Please,-" Diego's voice cracked even worse than Ruby's had. "No... no... no... no... no..." He hugged Noah with force and kissed his lips multiple times. "It works- it works in Sleeping- in Sleeping Beauty, right?" His voice was hoarse. "You can be the sleeping beauty- and I'll- I'll be the Prince, is that okay with you?" Diego couldn't even try to bite back any tears at his point. "I tried to- to fight all of the- the villains... please don't..." He bit his tongue and opened his eyes, kissing Noah's cold lips once more. "Please wake up." His energy had drained, his red eyes were dreary, and he was unable to say anything more.

Clary held the sobbing Mayla in her arms, comforting her as her own eyes watered. After everything... how could Noah be lost? She looked vengefully over at Death, who only stared at the ruins where Diego sat sobbing and talking to the dead Noah.

"How could you..." Clary began, in a harsh and raspy whisper. "How could you kill the main character? How could you!" Mayla sobbed even more, dampening Clary's shirt. Death stood silently, almost remorsefully holding his cane with both hands in front of his chest. The darkness that was normally at his feet had diminished for now. Clary cried into Mayla's curly hair, her sunglasses protecting her from being viewed by others, not that it mattered now.

Finally, when Clary looked up once more, Death began to walk to the ruins, the click of his cane on the marble echoing in the silence and tension. When he reached the red and white ruins, he touched Noah with his finger, releasing his soul from the confines of his cold body. Noah calmly held Death's hand, while Diego lifted his head to watch. Finally releasing the corpse, Diego followed, holding Noah's spirit's hand. Standing in front of the exit to the maze, Death stood holding Noah's sleepy hand.

The drowsy look that Noah gave off stared at each of his friends, until tears welled up in his own eyes. He wiped his tears and smiled at each of them. Taking Diego's hand, Noah pulled him close and kissed him for a few minutes, or what seemed like forever. Time is difficult in Monotory.

After a while, Death spoke up. "It's time to go." Noah nodded sadly, looking at Diego. Diego cried even more than he did when he held Noah's corpse. Noah's eyes widened and then also watered even more, his mouth curving into that smile-like frown that occurs when people cry. He sniffed loudly and began to speak in a low whisper.

"Our world is burning to the ground... yet we must carry on until we reach the horrid truth of death." Noah's eyes shut wistfully. "And we must carry on; up and out, into the beautiful void, trying to avoid our burning world, so that we aren't burned by the flames. As I begin to go up and out with Death, I realize something." He looked at the faces of each of his friends. "Sadness appears not within fate or ourselves; they exist as melancholy yet unavoidable and stationary points within the fabric of time. Trying to avoid them is what triggers the despair we so wish to avoid." He paused, letting the words sink in while trying hard (and failing) not to cry. "Goodbye Diego, goodbye Clary, goodbye Mayla... Goodbye... I'm sorry." His voice cracked sadly and he ducked his head down to look at his feet.