2 “Who will help me carry him…?”

An Angel stares over the injured warrior who is sleeping in a hospital bed.

This warrior, this hero, only wanted to protect those that he care for, and even though everyone knew that his destiny was going to be riddled with burdensome responsibility, no one, not one person, expected this.

He is lying there, both arms in casts, his neck in a brace, and his eyes are bandaged.

The Angel was there alongside him to help guide him on his journey, to help him succeed to finally purify the malevolence that has plagued the world since the dawn of mankind.

They shared a special bond like no other, and it pains her to see her hero broken as he is.

…

[Flashback]

The Angel met the hero when he was just a village boy, and he explored with his friends some ancient ruins despite being told not to, for his curiosity pained him, whereas the children who followed just wanted to be by his side.

While exploring, the floor crumbled beneath them, and the hero got separated from the group.

Alone, in the darkness, he held onto the faith that he would get out, somehow.

He knows that this faith made no sense, for it may have been entirely up to luck for him to get out of this uncharted place by himself, but he didn't allow himself despair, for he was the type of person to even die with hope in his heart.

His faith at that moment was so strong that a light began to shine within the chambers of the ruins, responding to his heroic heart, and as he went closer to the light, there he found the Angel.

She was the same as him, which made him feel like he found his best friend, for there wasn't a single person in the village that he could consider his equal when it came to faith in one's self.

No matter who he preached his excitement to, his dreams, his aspirations, all that anyone ever did was tell him to be realistic, and move on.

He hates that word with a burning passion now, and he advocates for what is "Idealistic".

The Angel is the same, and the two keep enjoying each other's company, unaware to the amount of time that is passing as they continue to play with each other.

[Flash forward]

"Ever since that day, you and I have been trying to make our dream of an ideal world into a reality. You've inspired so many others to join your side, to fight for the same vision, and won many battles with zero casualties and prevented many, many wars.

…

*sniffle*, that day, when I first met you, do you know how I felt?

Do you know how I feel?

…

It was love at first sight.

You are the one I Love.

And now… now you're broken, and I don't know what to do anymore…"

The hero remains unconscious as the glow of the Angel's halo begins to dim.

"I'm sorry. Even though it was our dream to put an end to malevolence, even I can fall from grace if the one I love is in the state that you are in… I don't even know if you're going to die today, let alone tomorrow.

…

*Hick*, it's not, *hick*, it's not fair…"

The Angel begins to despair, her faith is dying.

With what little faith she has left, she prays to God, "Please please please please please… don't take him away… don't take him away…", her voice shakes.

Unable to even speak because of the shaking in her voice, she stops praying, and gently grabs his hand as she leans closer to his face.

As tears stream down her cheeks, she kisses him on the cheek.

"Wake up… please. Wake up…"

She doesn't close the distance between their faces, and she keeps telling him to wake up.

Each moment she says these words, the dimmer her halo gets, just as her faith in his recovery.

Hope begins to die in her heart, and despair starts to take over.

She then remembers something the hero once said, 'Don't ever let your heart be touched by malevolence. If we can't have faith in what it is we do, then how could we get anywhere…-'.

"I know you said those words, I understand what they mean! But how… how can I be as strong as you… I don't know what to do my love… I don't know what to do…"

His heart monitor begins to beat slower.

"No! Please!!"

She started praying with all her heart, "Please don't take him away! We haven't even achieved our dream yet! I haven't even told him that I love him yet!!

Please, God, don't let this happen! I'll do anything, just let him live!"

God doesn't respond, for her halo's light is dim.

She realises that the only way to possibly save him is by having the same strength he has, to still remain faithful despite the circumstances.

She cannot make excuses, this is truly life and death.

She has to be hopeful for him to survive.

She can't act like he's dead when there is a chance that he could still be breathing, so, she tries to find the courage to have faith in his recovery again, despite him being only one step away from his grave.

Even though the grief and disappointment could be immeasurable if he were to die despite her hopes, she won't allow herself to let go of him even after he dies, for there may still be a chance for him to return.

This much faith she needs in his recovery.

She searches for the courage, and thinks back on their journey that the two have been on together for the past decade, and she begins to feel as though there will be a tomorrow, just as there always has been, she begins to anticipate his awakening, she begins to believe that he will wake up.

For a moment, his heart did stop, but she keeps praying, "COME ON!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!", hee faith wavers a bit in this moment, but his heart begins to beat again ever so slightly, so she drops this spike of despair and keeps going.

She holds the feeling that everything will be ok, and that he will wake up soon.

Her halo glows brighter.

"God! Don't take him away!! I LOVE HIM!!!", her voice begins to be received by God, and he begins to work his miracles in response.

The hero's mouth begins to quiver.

The angel's hope begins to resurge back to its former glory, "Yes! YES!!".

She calls out his name as says, "Can you hear me?! Please respond!!", and then she cries out his name again.

Finally, his voice begins to come out in grunts.

The Angel can't hold her relief back, and she begins to cry by his side with her face in her hands, "Thank God. Thank you God. I will never fall from grace again…*cries*"

"H-huh? W-what's going on? Who turned off the lights?", he asks.

She then responds by saying his name once more, "Aaaaaahhhhhh… I was so worried…! I thought you were going to die, and you actually did die for a bit! I'm so glad you're ok…!", she says while lying slightly on top of him and hugging him carefully.

"A-Angel? What's going on?"

She doesn't respond just yet, and takes her chances while he's finally conscious.

She looks at his baffled expression and can't help but laugh.

"Wh-what is it?", he asks.

She starts to play with his hair and places her palm on his cheek.

Then slowly, she leans in even closer, despite the gap having already been so close that he could feel her warm breath softly hitting his face.

And finally, *kiss*.