Lust for Power
XIII End of the world

“Haze...” Aries spoke softly, almost sadly, in contrast to the deep seated hate in his eyes. He was inside, everything seemed just like it was the first time, grey and faded, with glittering flakes of light falling like snow, and floating about like ghosts of fire flies. And the shadow girl, Haze was embracing him from behind, they were somewhere far away on the ledge of a boulevard beside the sea, they were in an unknown town, there were no people, it was quite surreal. Aer and Haze both sat on a bench facing the frozen sea, with a bright red-orange hue from the still sunset. It was the only color that wasn’t completely faded in sepia like the rest of the nameless ghost town with a highway by the sea. Haze rested her head on Aer’s shoulder clinging to his arm, holding his hand. Aer’s features became resigned, still with his eyes toward the beyond of the frozen sea of fire, he spoke. “Did I do right thing? Am I just a coward, am I too selfish?” “Aer look at me, anyone could tell you you were a saint, but would you believe it? It was a choice you made, and no one will ever really know, not even till the end of time, whether or not the decisions we make are ‘the right’ ones, we only carry on with the cards that we’ve been dealt.” Haze rested her head on Aer’s shoulder again and stared out into the sea, continued on. “I know you wish it was Senna here with you right now” Aer’s glance slightly shifted to the far side as Haze said this. “I know you didn’t want to leave home” Aer cringed at this. “I know you wanted things to stay the sa—” “Please stop” Spoke Aer in a shaky voice, tears rolling down his eyes. “It, It, was for the best, if I hadn’t had you maybe, just maybe, curse that old man, yhear me, fuck you Mansell!” Are stood up, turned to face Haze who was still sitting on the stone bench. “And fuck you too Haze!!” Aer said in a shaking, blaming tone. Haze was still and solemn, with sad eyes locked with teary Aries’ own, he cried, fell on his knees, wept some more before calming down, still with his hands on the pavement, and as the last of his tears fell to the ground. “I’m... sorry... I’m so sorry... I’ll change the world” “You can’t” “I’ll destroy it” “you can’t...” “I’ll die trying” Aer said in such an exasperated tone. Haze got down with Aer and embraced him, in a comforting manner that initially startled Aer, then she kissed him, and he held on. As the world faded and faded into white, he remembered...