Final loss

March 1875

Nathan tilted his head, questioning her concern. Satrena frowned, her eyes watering slowly, tears threatening to spill. In a swift movement, Nathan wrapped his claw around her waist as she started to weep into his shoulder.

"I don't want to leave yet, not without you," her words rang in his head like church bells, striking a deep anxiety within him. 'Leave?' he wondered, not letting a word slip from his mouth. Satrena continued to cry as her sobs muffled anything she would have said. Nathan continued to hold onto her, helpless on what he could have done to comfort her. Her arms had found themselves around his neck, keeping her shivering body from falling. They both remained silent for a while, Nathan allowed her to breathe, and he did not want her sobbing at her words.

As soon as she started to cry, her tears were gone. The only proof of her breakdown was her eyes, red and swollen from irritation. Her arms stayed around his neck, embracing his darkened body. "I don't want to leave... To pass on," Satrena said, sliding her hands up to his face. She held the sides of his skull, staring into the empty hole that was Nathan's eye. Then, she repeated herself, her eyes threatening to tear up again. Nathan felt helpless, unable to comfort his wife. She took a deep breath, looking up at the darkened sky.

Her light eyes reflected the little life that had remained within her, but soon, they as well became dull, empty, and somber. And she rested her hands on his shoulders once again, gently rubbing the material.

Nathan felt his heart break within his chest, understanding her words at last. "No, please don't leave, not yet," he pleaded. Satrena's eyes remained somber, like they were when she died. His body began to tremble, and he did not notice his detransformation until he was shivering in her arms. Nathan pressed his face into her neck, tears pouring from his green eyes. Her fingers drew soft circles on his back, her eyes gliding over her own hands, pale and small. She pulled back, sliding her hands down his arms and holding his. Satrena looked up at him, searching for something she would not find in his gaze. She wanted to find the life she saw, the life she saw in the dark. In the dark of his new life, the shadow that had overtaken his old life and forced him into a new one.

"I can not thank you enough for the thirteen years of our marriage, and it breaks my heart," she stuttered, taking a deep breath, "knowing that our afterlives might never meet again," her voice trembled, tears falling from her eyes once again, "And I am so glad that I was your first choice, even if I could not mother children. You are the only reason I have been resisting Shibito's calling for so long, but... I do not have the strength to fight anymore," she ran her thumb across his ghostly pale skin. "Please, do not let my passing hold you back from living your life," she continued, a gentle smile landing on her face. "Promise me you'll keep Darko safe, make sure she knows she is not alone," her words were filled with love. Nathan felt his heart ache from within his chest, threatening to rip from his body. He stared down at the floor beneath them, feeling his aching heart crack at the sight of her empty eyes.

Nathan stepped back, slowly letting her fingers slip out of his hands. He nodded, looking back at her face, "I will, I promise," he said as his voice threatened to break. Satrena reached to his face, softly pressing her hand against his cheek. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes as he tried to make her warmth remain for seconds longer, but alas it could not. As soon as her hand touched his face, its warmth ceased. Nathan opened his eyes and he was left alone once again. He stared at the empty space in front of him, the cold swiftly replacing her warmth.

Nathan took a deep breath before walking to their front door. He reached for the handle, his body freezing as his tears started to dry. The handle turned slowly, inviting the cold world into their home. Nathan breathed the empty air, slowly walking out into the front yard. He looked up at the sky, white cotton clouds swirled in the soft breeze. Nathan's eyes did not glisten in the little light that shone down on him. With his final breath, he walked forth into the forest once more.

The bushes shuffled as the breeze swept through the forest, wrapping around Nathan. The gray leaves crunched and cracked under his feet, leaving a trail of broken nature behind. He continued walking through the forest, listening to the soft breeze passing his pale frame. The trees loomed over the path, drowning out any light that shone down upon the trail before Nathan.

Nathan followed the path until he came to the Sun Set Village as the moons rose into the sky. He stopped walking, staring up at the cloudless space that hung over the quiet village. With a sigh, Nathan approached the large building situated in the center of the town... The hospital. "How would I get to her?" Nathan thought, doubting that they would have recognized him. He turned his attention to the room on the third floor. The room was dimly lit, unlike the others.

Nathan walked to the side of the building, put his hands against the wall, and grunted as his bones shifted within his body. Soon, he was back on all fours and he shook his head, waiting for the dizziness to dissipate from his body. After a few minutes, he crept to the front of the building and lunged against the wall.

Nathan clawed onto the bricks and windows as he crept up the building. He cursed at himself as one of his claws slipped, chipping a part of the wall. He stared down at the falling brick before continuing his assent.

Nathan came to the window of the room he had watched. Using his horned beak, he forced the enormous window to lift open and gave himself enough space to crawl in.

He crawled into the room, turning back to the window before returning his attention to the patient on the bed. "Darko?" He asked, approaching the bedside. He towered over the bed even on all fours, his shadow falling onto her face. Nathan looked at her injured figure, her eyes were covered and her arms were completely wrapped by bandages. His heart ached at the sight of her.

He rested his head next to Darko, letting his body lay on the floor as he accompanied her.

A hand gently pressed onto his head, "Nathan?" Darko questioned his presence...