Author's notes: BIG SPOILER for the end of the Endarno arch. Finish that part of the comics first, unless you are one of those who aren't bothered by spoilers.

Readers will get free cookies and a glass of milk, reviewers will get a kiss from Frost.

Frost: WHAT?

Judin: Pucker up, you big, blue hunk!

Eternity I

In his haste he had no idea where he ended up. Getting away from the Council hall was his first priority, directions be damned. Only later did he stop to think about the risk he had taken in apparating wildly like that, but at the time he had only thought of escaping. Phobos had taught him that. Get away first, plan revenge later.

Cedric was running down a hallway that seemed endless as well as unchanging. The slap of his soft shoes against the tiles was the only sound that broke the spell of silence. The air was fresh and a little bit cold. The world was empty, save for him. On his left was a blue wall, carved with pictures depicting the history of Kandrakar, and on his right were round windows without glass, leading out to endless nothingness and clouds. He knew that he was going downwards, as he could see other twisting towers, all of them similar to the one he was in, becoming taller and taller with every turn.

He was not sure how long he had been running when it happened. Suddenly he was no longer the only living thing that disturbed the quiet. A door slammed open in the tower closest to his own, making Cedric stop. He hid behind one of the pillars that separated the windows and pushed his blonde hair over his shoulder. Were they looking for him?

It was Phobos. Cedric's heart sped up as he recognised his master, the one who had betrayed him only hours before. A great current of feelings swept through him; hate and anger, hurt and affection and need. The prince of Meridian was standing with his back to the edge, a step away from falling, his hair swaying softly in a gentle breeze. He was obviously speaking to someone, but no words reached the ears of the blonde who was secretly watching.

It happened so fast. The cry of surprise froze in his throat. He fell. Phobos had made the last step. He did it on purpose. Cedric pressed himself against the pillar, cold seeping through his robe from the blue, wavy stone. The world seemed gone from underneath his feet. He was unable to take his eyes off his falling master; the back arched gracefully, the lips parted to scream, the hands clawing the air, fighting against the injustice of it all. And he felt the undeniable irony of it, because Phobos was free at last and yet this fall had no bottom, no end.

The point of dark blue became infinitely small before it was gone.

The blonde closed his eyes hard to keep back the rising pressure behind them, but his next exhale was a sob. He was gone! After that, time stopped moving. He ran down the corridor until he was no longer sure of his own name. A stream of bittersweet memories was churning in his head and aching in his chest. Embraces, kisses, pain and torture, confessions of love and the final, cruel betrayal. My l…love.

Only during moments of blind and unstoppable passion had those words passed between them. Those words that the humans of the Earth held so high. To him, they had been true. What had they meant to Phobos?

When they caught him he was beyond rational thought. He could have apparated away. He could have used his magic. He just cried.

Cedric lies on the bed in his cell, dreaming a dream of being bound in shackles and left at the mercy of the crawling time, never to escape it and slip into blissful, dark death. No more tears for his lord. No more tears now. Eternity took them away. Eternity means forever, and Cedric knows how long that is.