The Passing

"I fear my time is coming Anthus. " Corwin's voice quivered as he spoke those words. He couldn't stop the flow of tears and the ache in his chest.

Amaranthus bowed his head, he refused to let his Uncle see him heartbroken, he absolutely refused. He could be doing more, but he felt like a failure.

"Lift up your head boy. You aren't the one that is failing. It is me." The love he had for this nephew of his was unmatched by any other, and he sometimes even saw him as his son. Through the years, he became close and familiar with him, thus the little spoke loudly in his eyes.

...

The memories he shared with Amaranthus's father, Hadrian, surged.

In one, Amaranthus was obsessed with a broom for no reason.

On that day, he even asked the young Anthus why he loved using the broom.

Word for word he said "It's really satisfying seeing the particles get moved!" The gleam of curiosity and satisfaction shone in his eyes.

He and Hadrian had a good laugh!

Good times..

...

Amaranthus lifted his head up in astonishment. His expression went from lifted eyebrows and open mouth to furrowed eyebrows and gritted teeth, while a vein pulsed on his forehead.

"Uncle! You have never failed me!" His voice was a sort of whispered yell. He had too much respect for this uncle of his for him to flip out completely, but he couldn't allow him to doubt himself!

"I-If I go.. Who will you have left, son? You turned into a recluse with no friends to speak of since you were a young boy! People now see you as there hope, their idol! Who will help you burden such a responsibility you stubborn mule?!" His uncle raised his voice as his tears flowed incessantly, spittle flying across the air like ocean tide sprays, while his veins bulged at the effort.

"I can't leave you alone God dammit, I will not! You are my only family left." His voice broke.

"-and from me to you as well! I've known you since you were in diapers, throwing your shit around like a little mischievous monkey, Anthus! I refuse to let you fall into this pit of never ending sorrow and deep seated loneliness!.." Corwin's voice dipped down in volume and energy towards the end of his rebuttal.

The wrinkles around his skin deepened and his shoulders slumped as his bottom lip curled.

"I-.." His voice broke.

"I'm all you've got left.. And there is nothing I can do to help you anymore. I can barely help myself!" His voice trembled.

"What a joke I have become!" Corwin ridiculed himself.

'I'm sorry, son. I've gone as far as I could go with this little life of mine.' The fatigue clawed at his feeble body.

Amaranthus' heart broke into pieces. The sorrow that was evident within his uncle caused a lump to form in his throat and his nose to sting. In the end, he couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

'There's still so much I wanted to do..' Corwin thought to himself.

They embraced each other as they allowed themselves to feel the depth of their emotions.

...

Amaranthus lost himself to nostalgia.

While his father had turned into a bitter old bastard who raised his children with an iron fist after his mother's disappearance, Corwin supported him through the trials and tribulations.

He learned the bearings of a true gentlemen from him.

One time he had a rebellious moment and decided to drink some wine from his father's cellar.

Unfortunately, he got caught and got a grand ass whooping.

Afterwards, Corwin helped him get over the pain by getting him ice cream and explaining "A gentlemen takes risks for just causes, but only a fool tries to steal from his father."

That day, Corwin was red in the face with laughter at he had witnessed his nephew's attempt at stealing wine.

It had been methodical and ingenious, if not for the variable factor known as Hardian's gut problems, the boy would have actually succeeded!

...

When you plant a tree, knowing you would never stand beneath its shadow, its only then that you have barely begun to understand life.

Four days later, his Uncle Corwin passed away in his sleep. His biggest regret was missing out on seeing young Anthus grow into a man with little children running around.

At the age of twenty, he lost his Uncle..

Corwin didn't have a last name, as he had been an orphan since birth. So Amaranthus put his own family name onto his death stone.

After the funeral that consisted only of a few Unfading Heart members who knew the old Uncle personally, did Amaranthus get some time alone next to his grave.

"You are the best Uncle and Father I could have ever asked for, Corwin. Without you, I'd have no chance of becoming the man I am today." His voice broke as he found it hard to swallow.

"Take a rest... I'll handle things from here on out."

Daniel turned his back on the tombstone.

"I love you, Uncle."

His shoulders trembled as he took unsteady steps towards his car, his chest felt like a thousand horses trampled all over it.

The tears just didn't stop, and for the first time in a long time. The wounds that were scarred over from losing his family so many years ago, began to bleed once again.

Life.. Is truly a bitch.