HetaOni: Italy's Story

Chapter 17: Price of Freedom (Epilogue)

Chapter 17: Price of Freedom (Epilogue)

I don't know how long I sit there, staring at the Gates in shock. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and look up into ice blue eyes. "She would want you to move on. It's over, Feli. It's finally over." He smiles.

"I... Is it... really?" I blink. The all-too familiar forest around me seems so foreign all of a sudden. I'd never seen it in the rain before. The icy droplets of water feel cold on my skin, and I look at the scars on my knuckles from Loop One.

"That... was your bonded?" Prussia winces, looking at Gilbird protectively. I find myself inexplicably jealous, my heart throbs in pain. I look back at the Gates.

"Come on. Time to get up." Yang pulls me to my feet, only to have to catch me as my left leg gives out, and I hiss in pain. It throbs something terrible, and I pull up my bloody pant leg to reveal inky black burn-like markings where Adelchi had grabbed me.

"Well, that's useless." Yang sighs before pulling my arm over his shoulder, stretching the injury on my back where I was clawed. "It's all right. I've gotcha." He smirks.

"Grazie, fratellino." I smile softly.

It doesn't feel real. As we walk through the forest, everything seems backwards. Several times, I catch myself trying to go the other way, towards the Mansion, and must remind myself that this isn't the start of a new Loop, but the ending of the Last Loop.

The Final Loop. I find myself utterly terrified at those words. But isn't this what I've wanted? For so long, is this not what I've been fighting for?

Sometimes, our emotions don't make sense. And that's okay.

"Ah!" Japan cries out in pain for a moment, clenching his stump. The group stops, as China rushes over in worry.

"Dìdì?"

"I... I'm okay." Japan smiles, as he shows that his arm has started regrowing. "I can feel them again."

The others let out gasps of relief as they reconnect to their nations once more. I blink in surprise when I feel nothing. My gut clenches as a cold fear runs through my veins, even as Romano lets out a sigh of relief.

"That feels better, doesn't it?" He grins.

"Uh... y-yeah." But my hesitation is lost on everyone but Yang.

You can't feel it?

N-no... Yang, what if I can't reconnect to Italia?! What if I'm... forever human?

"Hey, now. No need for that panic." He admonishes me with a gentle tone, sending me calm through our link. I feel the beginnings of my panic attack wither and die, even though my anxiety remains. "Maybe you just need a bit more time?"

"Yeah, because we all know I've got plenty of that." I growl under my breath as we continue walking. By the time we reach the edge of the forest, Japan's arm is entirely regenerated. The only reminder of his torture is the missing sleeve and the nasty scar at his shoulder.

I stop at the edge of the forest, taking a moment to look back in the direction of the horrid Mansion. The Hell on Earth that I've been forced to endure for over 12,000 years. "Goodbye." I say gently. "Thank you, Silver." I step over the threshold, feeling as if I'm stepping through some kind of viscous wall of mist.

I shake my head, dispelling the cobwebs that the wall had induced, and find that Yang has been forcefully shoved back into my mind.

What the hell?