Rinoa felt her heart overflowing, unable to contain the waves of emotions crashing between despair and deep love, like the relentless waves crashing against the cliffs. Her hand remained tightly clasped around Fitran's, as if her fingers were the roots of a tree unwilling to be uprooted from the ground. Each passing second felt heavier, as if a great stone pressed against her chest, constricting the empty space within her.
In a whisper, Rinoa's voice emerged, "I... I don't know how I can live without you, Fitran." Tears began to flow, tracing down her cheeks that were pale as morning dew struggling to survive under the sunlight. The departure of Fitran, so close to her heart, felt like a dark shadow enveloping her world, shattering every remaining hope.
Fitran remained silent, his eyes gazing at Rinoa with deep concern, like the sky observing an inevitable storm. Yet, he could not provide an answer that would change this reality. He understood how profound Rinoa's pain was, like the ruins of a building collapsed after an earthquake. However, he did not want to inflict further hurt. "Rinoa..." That was the only word that managed to escape his lips, sounding like the sigh of the wind passing through the gaps of the trees.
But at that moment, something unexpected happened. Rinoa felt a profound emotion, deeper than the painful sense of loss, as if her soul was submerged in a boundless sea of loneliness. A reminder, like a shadow that had somehow managed to escape the darkness, began to fill her mind again. Memories that had once been hidden in the depths of the night slowly started to resurface, like morning dew dissolving the fog from the surface. Like small fragments falling from shattered glass, they revealed the old images she had kept deep in her heart.
Past memories, which had previously been erased by uncertainty, began to recover one by one, creating an overwhelming wave of feelings. "I remember..." Rinoa whispered, her voice trembling, still choked with sobs, but this time the tears felt lighter, falling like rain after a storm. "I remember who I am... I remember us... I'm starting to recall some of my memories."
Fitran was taken aback by those words, his heart seemingly prodded gently by unexpected hope. He felt that something extraordinary was happening, like the twinkling stars promising in the thick of night. "Rinoa..." his voice was filled with concern, like a gentle breeze whispering feelings of love and anxiety. "You... you're starting to remember some parts of yourself?" Fitran continued, trying to mask his unease as he was uncertain about which memories she referred to. Was it the memory of Malakothesis? After all, there was only one fragment of memory found.
Rinoa nodded, slightly sobbing, but a weak smile mixed with longing appeared on her face, like the sun gradually rising after a long night. "I remember us meeting... before this, before everything became complicated. I remember how we protected each other, how we understood each other without words. I remember, Fitran." Her face radiated hope and anxiety, as if it were a magnet drawing Fitran's attention deeper, creating a bridge between painful memories and harsh reality.
However, even as the memories resurface, the sadness and fear cannot be fully dispelled, lingering like a dark shadow that continues to follow him in the depths of despair. "But... if you really leave, how can I live with just these memories? I... I am afraid," his voice trembles, as if every word is a drop of water that could drown him in an ocean of sorrow.
Fitran gently wiped away the tears cascading down Rinoa's cheeks. He could feel the softness of those tears, like a river of sadness that never recedes. "Rinoa, even though our time together is limited, and fate will lead us down different paths, you will never truly be alone," he said reassuringly, drawing Rinoa closer and enveloping her in a warm embrace, as if he were the last guardian in a raging storm.
"Our memories... our love... will remain, Rinoa. They will never fade away," Fitran said, feigning confidence, yet deep inside, he could not hide the gnawing fear; a love so profound that it held Rinoa tightly, like the roots of a tree that refused to let go of the earth.
Rinoa gripped Fitran's clothing tightly, as if she were trying to bind herself more strongly to the man who had become a part of her soul. Her face was distorted by fear, every wrinkle on her forehead and tension in her lips telling a poignant story of burning longing. "I'm afraid of losing you. I'm afraid of forgetting you." She said, her voice nearly a whisper, as if this confession was a secret that should never be spoken.
Fitran returned her embrace with tenderness, soothing Rinoa's fragile heart, akin to wrapping a wound in gentle, comforting fabric. "You will never forget, Rinoa. My love is stronger than anything. It will remain alive, even when I'm no longer here," he replied, striving to instill hope within Rinoa's soul like a seed planted with the dream of blooming into a beautiful flower, despite the pressures of time around them.
In that moment, though fear and sadness still lurked like dark shadows encasing her soul, a glimmer of hope emerged in Rinoa's heart, much like moonlight seeping through the gaps in the dark clouds. Hope that their love would endure, even when everything changed, like a star shining in the darkest night.
Rinoa felt a tremor in her chest, as if her heart were a dancer trapped in a rhythm of simultaneous sadness and love. With time slipping away, she knew that the memories of them together would become an indelible part of her, like a carving in stone that, despite the passage of time, retains its shape. Her face reflected a tumult of hope and longing, her eyes shimmering gently, while her fingers unconsciously clenched the dress she wore, as if holding back all the emotions swirling within her.
Fitran let out a long sigh, his eyes fixed on Rinoa with an expression that was hard to decipher, as if this moment was laden with unspoken burdens. In the tense silence, he felt every vibration in his body—feelings so deep and filled with dilemma, as if his soul was caught between hope and fear. He knew he could no longer avoid the painful reality. With newfound determination, he decided to unveil a dark secret he had kept tightly locked away in the recesses of his heart.
"Rinoa..." His words carried a heavy weight, each syllable imbued with profound emotional burdens. "There's something you need to know. Something I did to ensure you could live better in this world." Rinoa stared at him, bewildered and astonished, yet her gaze gradually filled with an encroaching worry.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely audible, trembling like delicate leaves stirred by the wind.
Fitran lowered his head, trying to find calm in the familiar silence before he continued with the words lodged in his throat. "When I made a pact with Beelzebub, I sealed half of my memories in a crystal. This crystal possesses extraordinary power that can activate the Deux Ex Machina, where your memories are stored." His voice trembled slightly as he struggled against the rising tide of emotions overwhelming his chest.
Rinoa felt as if something inside her was slowly shattering, each particle of hope clinging tightly. "So... half of you... is gone? ... And you want me to use it for my own benefit?" she asked, her voice almost innocent, a reflection of uncertainty and fear.
"Yes," Fitran replied calmly, even though his heart was conflicted, torn between unimaginable love and sacrifice.
"I give half of my memories and my strength to ensure that you can continue to live, unburdened by our past. Without it, you may lose even more," Fitran replied, his voice steady, resonating in the air. "I choose to sacrifice a part of myself so that you can have the chance to move forward."
Rinoa felt her heart constrict, as if a heavy weight were pressing on her chest. "But why? Why are you doing this?" Tears streamed down her cheeks again, this time more due to the suffocating confusion than sadness. "Why not let us be together, with all that we have?"
Fitran looked deeply into her eyes, his gaze filled with genuine love, yet also an understanding that ran deep. "Because I know... if you remain trapped in our memories, you will never be able to truly live freely. This isn't just about us. It's about the world, about your future. I want you to live with freedom, Rinoa. Without burden," Fitran said, his voice floating between them like a gentle breeze carrying the resonance of their love, always tinged with sadness, separation, and tears. He no longer wanted to cause Rinoa pain because of his love; he was willing to lock his heart away in an invisible chest, ignoring all the pain that accompanied this decision.
Rinoa fell silent, trying to absorb the profound words. A whirlwind of emotions swirled within her heart, a storm caught between longing and the desire for freedom. "But what if I want you, along with all those memories?"
Fitran smiled, though his smile felt painful and laden with sorrow. "I understand, Rinoa. I truly do." Then, carefully, he retrieved an old locket given by Edna, a piece that appeared ancient yet bore an unspoken elegance. Made of gleaming silver, the locket seemed carved from the stars that shine at night, its graceful and winding shape told tales of a long-forgotten era. The surface was adorned with softly glowing engravings of ancient magical symbols, radiating a mysterious aura that could enchant anyone who beheld it.
"This is an artifact from Edna. It will help you regain some of your lost memories. With this pendant, you will be able to reclaim the hidden parts of yourself and find a way to move forward in life," she continued, her voice soft yet filled with conviction.
"The name of this artifact is Memory of Star, which can neutralize all aspects of cause and effect, allowing you to discover the remaining fragments of your memories without needing to know the conditions, time, or place," Fitran added, explaining the wonders contained within the object.
Rinoa stared at the pendant with a blank expression, then turned to Fitran, her eyes still brimming with confusion and doubt.
"So this... this is a part of me that's lost? A part that I can reach?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Trembling, Rinoa grasped the pendant, as if holding a piece of hope in her hands. "I... I don't know what to do. How can I live without the memories of the past and without you by my side?"
Fitran gently stroked Rinoa's hair, his fingers weaving through the silky strands, as if attempting to convey a sense of calm amidst the uncertainty. "You will understand, Rinoa. The memories won't disappear; they are merely buried within you, waiting to be uncovered. I believe you will find them, even if I'm not there to accompany you," he said in a soft voice filled with hope, despite the heaviness in his heart.
"No," Rinoa replied, her voice soft yet firm.
"I refuse to accept that," she continued, tears streaming down her gentle cheeks. Seeing Rinoa engulfed in sorrow pierced Fitran's heart. He couldn't count the times Rinoa had cried because of him, but every drop felt like it was tearing apart his soul.
"How cruel you are, Fitran," Rinoa continued, her voice trembling with emotion. "You're slowly killing me." She gazed at him with eyes full of pain, as if searching for an answer that never came. "How can you say you love me if you won't be with me?" Her question lingered in the air, laden with all the buried anguish.