"I Love You...Eyan"

Eyan's body lay heavily on top of her—his weight crushing, but comforting in the most broken way. His blood was still warm against her skin, but his chest didn't rise. His heart didn't beat.

Eva trembled beneath him, her arms locked tightly around his back.

"Kyel…" her voice cracked, barely a whisper. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

She cupped the back of his head, her fingers trembling in his hair.

"I want to hear your voice… Please, call my name. Just once. Call me 'princess' like you used to…"

Tears slipped down her cheeks, falling onto his shoulder.

"If you're angry because I said all those things… I apologize," she whispered. "I don't hate you. I never did…"

Her voice shook, but she kept talking as though her words could pull him back.

"Wake up… please. I'll pretend I never knew anything. We can live together like before."

She brushed her thumb over his cheek. "You can live as Kyel. I don't mind. I don't care who you are. Just come back…"

Her voice was barely a whisper now.

"Don't go…"

She choked on a sob.

"Don't leave me…"

"Kyel… Kyel…"

Then her chest heaved, and she screamed, a single name ripping from her throat:

"Eyan!"

Her scream echoed across the palace ground.

Tears soaked his unmoving shoulder as she cried harder, hugging his lifeless body with every shred of strength left in her.

A slow clap of footsteps approached—measured and unhurried.

Velcon stopped a few feet away, gaze fixed on the scene before him.

"Looks like there was some kind of punishment," he said quietly, almost as if to himself.

He tilted his head, smiling faintly. "What a beautiful sight to see."

His lips curled into a smile.

"Lady Eva… your husband truly did loved you."

At those words, Eva's grip loosened.

With trembling arms, she gently laid Eyan's body down beside her. She rose to her feet and stumbled toward Velcon, her eyes burning with rage.

"You…" she hissed, grabbing his collar with both hands. "It's all because of you! I'll kill you!"

Velcon didn't flinch.

"Lady Eva," he said coolly, "I'm afraid you don't have the power to do that."

Her hands shook. Her strength crumbled. Slowly, her fingers released him, and she fell to her knees before him.

"I apologize, Your Highness…" she whispered, broken and desperate. "Please… do something. Please bring him back to life…"

Velcon tilted his head slightly.

"That's not something I can do," he said.

Then he lifted his hand and pointed toward the sky.

"But maybe… the Dragon King, Zeradros, can."

Eva turned slowly, eyes widening at the sight above. The black-scaled Dragon King loomed in the dark, his glowing blue eyes watching everything in silence.

Velcon's voice came again, soft and haunting.

"You can make a wish… if you offer a sacrifice."

Eva stared up at the dragon, her heart thudding. Then

A memory hit her like lightning.

---

"Mommy… Mommy…"

"When the pain inside your heart becomes too heavy to carry… and you feel like something precious has been stolen from you forever…"

"…then make the wish. And offer the sacrifice."

---

Eva's lips parted.

"A wish… a sacrifice… Leo was talking about this…"

Without wasting another breath, she ran toward the towering dragon.

Eva dropped to her knees at the base of the stone altar, looking up into The Dragon's ancient gaze.

"The Dragon King!" she cried. "I have a wish to make!"

Zeradros lowered his massive head slightly.

Zeradros: "What is it that you wish for?"

Her eyes filled with tears, and her voice cracked.

Eva: "Please… bring Eyan Lucien Therald back to life!"

There was a pause. The Dragon's blue eyes narrowed.

Zeradros: "And what will you offer as sacrifice?"

Eva didn't hesitate.

Eva: "I offer myself. You can take my life."

Another pause. The wind held still.

Zeradros: "Very well. Your wish shall be granted."

She turned her head slightly to look back—toward where Eyan lay on the stone ground, motionless.

Her heart ached, but her lips formed a gentle smile.

"Please don't be sad when I'm gone… Eyan…"

She drew a final breath.

"I love you… Eyan."

Zeradros opened his wings, and his eyes blazed. In that instant, the ground shook.

Eva collapsed.

Her body hit the stone.

Her eyes closed.

And she moved no more.

----