To Die in Gold

Memory Scroll 3: The Final Words

It had been a century since that day.

The place where Mori died had remained untouched as if time itself had stopped there. The ground was still cracked, the air still carried a faint stillness, and the breeze hummed a quiet, invisible song. It was also the place where Ujin had brought Mori back.

On this night, the sky was nothing short of a miracle. A meteor shower lit up the heavens, countless streaks of white and gold cutting across the infinite canvas of stars. It was breathtakingly quiet, except for the soft rustle of the grass beneath Ujin's robes.

Ujin sat on the ground, knees bent, his arms cradling a small, smooth, featureless orb close to his chest. His fingers trembled as they pressed against the orb, as if afraid it might slip away. He lowered his head, his eyes half-lidded with exhaustion, yet filled with quiet resolve.

"Do you see it?" he whispered, his voice barely carried by the wind. "The meteorites you love watching."

The meteors continued their descent across the sky, their trails lingering like strokes from a divine brush. A crack suddenly formed on Ujin's face. It was faint at first, but slowly it spread - a jagged line running from his temple down his cheek. He exhaled slowly, his breath steady, but his eyes remained on the orb.

The glow.

It was faint at first, a flicker of gold light from within the orb. Then it grew brighter and brighter. Ujin's eyes widened, his heart pressing hard against his chest as he felt its warmth. The glow filled the space around him, casting long, soft shadows against the fractured ground.

"The night has never been so beautiful," Ujin murmured as he gazed at the orb, his eyes reflecting the glow like tiny golden mirrors. "Perhaps it's because you are returning... my son."

The glow pulsed. It pulsed with a rhythm. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

Like the steady beat of a heart. The orb rose slowly, lifting from his hands, hovering just above him. His gaze followed it, his lips parting slightly, and for the first time, a gentle smile formed on his face.

Time stood still. It was just the two of them. The world outside no longer mattered.

As the glow intensified, the orb's form began to change. The smooth, featureless shape wavered, bending like molten glass. A figure began to emerge from its center. Tiny hands. Tiny feet. A small, curled shape. The silhouette of a child, his limbs drawn inward as though he were still in the safety of a womb. The light poured off him like stardust, revealing more of his small, delicate frame.

A child.

Ujin's eyes softened. His breath caught in his throat. He stared, unblinking, as the glow finally dimmed, and the tiny figure hovered in front of him. Small hands twitched. Small fingers curled. A breath. Then another.

"My apologies for taking so long."

Ujin's hands rose slowly, his fingers hesitant. His hands, which had once forged worlds and commanded countless heroes, now moved with the fragility of a man afraid to break something precious. His hands cupped the child's form, pulling him close. He held him. He held him against his chest, arms wrapped fully around him, pulling him in as if he'd never let him go.

"Welcome back... my son."

He squeezed tighter, pressing his cheek gently against the top of the child's head. Tears slid down his face. His breath came in soft, shaky exhales, and for the first time in his existence, he felt it - a feeling so warm it made his heart ache.

He began to fade. He knew what was happening. He knew it from the moment he decided to bring Mori back.

Ujin's eyes remained fixed on the child in his arms. Mori's small fingers gripped the fabric of Ujin's robes. For the first time, he wasn't trying to hold himself. He held the child.