The Time Leaper Final Chapter

Chapter 14: The Last Time Leap

On my 50th time travel, I could feel it-my body was failing me. Every part of me was withering away, and the weight of time itself seemed to press down on my shoulders. I had no time left. My vision blurred, my limbs weak, my heartbeat unsteady. I guess this is as far as I can go...

"I just need... a little more time..." cough

A searing pain erupted in my chest as I was racked with violent coughs. I raised a trembling hand to cover my mouth, and when the fit subsided, I pulled it away to see crimson staining my palm. Blood.

I let out a bitter chuckle. "So this is it, huh?" My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Yet, even now, with death looming over me, I felt no fear. Only a quiet acceptance. My end was near, but I still had one last thing to do.

***

Three years passed, and the day Yue was fated to die arrived once more. I had fought against this fate over and over again, rewriting the past, reshaping the future, but nothing changed. Every time, she still died.

This time, as she lay before me, frail and weak, tears streaking her pale cheeks, she spoke the same words she had told me before, her voice trembling. "Horace, please... I'm begging you... I love you so much, I don't want you to be at risk anymore. Please... refrain from using your time leap again..."

Her eyes pleaded with me, but it was too late. I was already at my limit. I brushed my fingers against her cheek, committing the warmth of her skin to memory.

"Please, Horace..." she whispered, her voice barely audible, her grip on my hand tightening weakly. "Please... live..."

Her eyes fluttered closed, her lips parting as she exhaled her final breath. "I love you..."

A wave of sorrow crashed over me, but I had already made my decision. I gently laid her hand beside her, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

"I'll be seeing you again, Yue... I love you..."

My smile was soft, resolute.

"Time leap... Yesterday."

Like always, when I opened my eyes, I was lying in my bed. My body ached more than before, my limbs heavy, my breathing shallow. But this time, there was no time to rest. I forced myself up, only for another coughing fit to seize me. This one was worse-longer, more painful.

When it finally stopped, I glanced down. More blood. A lot more.

Damn... please, just a little more time... Just one last day...

I spent the morning preparing. I wrote letters-one for Shawn, one for my family. I made a call to the bank, arranging for half of my fortune to be transferred to my family and various charities. The other half, I left for Leira's family.

They wouldn't know me in this timeline, but I would never forget how much they had helped us. This time, I would be the one saving Leira.

After sorting out my documents, I sat there for a long moment, holding them in my trembling hands. My body was giving out, but my heart had never felt clearer. Tomorrow, I would be with Yue forever.

***

The day arrived-the last day I would ever see the sun.

I entered Yue's hospital room, pushing a wheelchair beside me. She looked up, surprised but smiling softly.

"Hey... let's go out for a bit," I said.

She nodded weakly, and I gently lifted her, placing her onto the wheelchair. Her body was so light, her frame frail. My heart ached, but I smiled anyway.

We took a slow stroll through the hospital gardens, the autumn breeze cool against our skin. The trees swayed gently, their leaves a golden hue. Everything was so peaceful. It was perfect.

When we reached a familiar bench, I carefully carried her onto it and sat beside her. She tried to speak, but I pressed a finger against her lips, shaking my head with a smile.

"First, I want you to sign this," I said, handing her a pen and a marriage registration form.

Her eyes widened, and tears spilled freely down her cheeks. "Horace..." she choked out, clutching the form as she let out a soft sob. She gripped the pen tightly, her hands shaking as she signed. The moment her name was written, she threw her arms around me, holding me as if afraid I would disappear.

"I can't explain what I'm feeling right now... I'm so happy I just want to hold you forever... but-"

I kissed her, cutting her off. "I already know what you're going to say, Yue. But please, just listen to me this time."

I held her hands, gazing into her tear-filled eyes. "I have traveled back in time over and over again. I have seen you die in my arms countless times. Each time shattered my world, and I thought I couldn't bear it. But the thought of living without you? That was far worse. So this time... we'll be together forever."

I slipped a ring onto her finger, my vision growing hazy as the blood loss caught up to me. I felt it seeping from my mouth, my ears, my nose, my eyes. But I didn't care.

"This time, it's just the two of us... We will be together, forever and always..."

"Happy 150th Anniversary... My Love..."

I handed her the other ring, guiding her trembling hands as she placed it onto my finger.

She smiled through her tears, her lips quivering, and then she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Horace... I always dreamed of spending my life with you. I wanted us to wake up next to each other every morning, to grow old together, to have children who would carry our love forward." She squeezed my hands, her frail fingers shaking. "I wanted us to sit on a porch one day, looking back at our lives and laughing at all the memories we made. I wanted to be with you... for all the years we should have had."

Tears slipped down my cheeks as I nodded. "I wanted all of that too, Yue. More than anything. If there was another life waiting for us... I would do everything in my power to make sure we have that future." My voice trembled, but I gave her a reassuring smile. "Next time... for sure."

She smiled back, her own tears falling. "From this day onwards, even destiny can't separate us. Till death do us part."

She rested her head on my shoulder, exhaling softly. "I love you, Horace..."

And then... silence...

I felt her body relax against mine, her breathing slowing until it finally ceased.

I closed my eyes, my body growing weaker by the second. My mind was starting to fade.

I squeezed her hand one last time and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Yue... Let's meet again in our next life. And next time, we will have a family of our own and live happily for the rest of our lives... Next time, for sure..."

As darkness enveloped me, our memories played in my mind like a beautifully tragic film. Every laugh, every embrace, every kiss. I felt the last tear slip down my cheek, my lips curling into a peaceful smile.

I had no regrets.

I had lived a fulfilled life.

Maybe this was why I had these powers-to learn that perfection was just an illusion... An Ideology... That true happiness came not from rewriting fate, but from cherishing what was given.

If I were given the chance, I'll always choose to be with her even if it's experiencing this kind of pain again... I will take her hand over and over again...

That is why, I will gladly take my last breathe with a smile on my face...