LAST CHAPTER AHOY~

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Lucas sat there crying. He wanted to do something, but the sadness that welled up inside his heart kept him from doing any action. His body felt weak and feeble, despite the darkness disappearing and the sight of his friends and father approaching him.

"Lucas! Oh dear god! Are you okay?!" Kumatora asked immediately upon arrival, "Lucas, we were so worried about you! Don't you ever run away again!"

Duster coughed "What she means to say is … well, we're all glad to see you, Lucas."

Flint approached Lucas and hugged him tightly, so tight in fact that Lucas thought he would be squished. Flint then released his hug and faced Lucas with a concerned smile. "Where's Kana?"

Lucas's heart jumped. "K-kana! Omigosh, where is she?!" Lucas said, remembering his friend who had saved him from being consumed by the darkness. "Where is she?!"

Kumatora motioned her body towards the limbless Claus, and a cloaked figure hovering over him. Lucas recognized that cloak as Kana's, and approached her cautiously. "K-kana?" Lucas gulped. "Are you okay?"

Without turning to greet her friend, Kana sighed. "I'm afraid the darkness took too much of my soul." Kana said dejectedly, "I won't last long …"

"Wait … what?" Lucas asked, confused, "B-but what do you mean? You sound okay?"

"But I'm not, Lucas, that's just a fact … I'm not as powerful as you: you have your mother's soul with you … I'm vulnerable to the darkness's power, even if Giygas was defeated."

Kana finally turned to Lucas, her form half taken by the darkness. But despite the twisting darkness crawling up her body, she still managed to crack a smile on her face. "You did good, Lucas. Giygas won't take the world."

Lucas tried to feel proud of himself, but looking at Claus, barely alive; he couldn't help but feel lousy. "Claus won't survive either, will he?"

Kana looked at Claus, then at Flint, to Lucas, then back to Claus. She gazed upon each person, deep in thought, then sighed. "Lucas, there's one thing I can do."

Lucas looked at Kana, hopeful.

"As I said before, much of my soul has been taken by darkness, corrupted beyond repair … but I can take what's left of my soul …" Kana looked at Claus, "… and repair his."

Lucas felt a smile creep on his face, but he shook his head to erase the smile. "S-so you're leaving then?"

Kana sighed, "I'm afraid so."

Lucas looked down, holding back tears. Flint put an arm on his son's shoulder, signaling him it's okay to cry. Duster held his broken arm, shifting weight between his feet. Kumatora looked away, trying to avoid showing emotion.

"I'm not really leaving you …" Kana whispered, smiling sadly, "I'm joining your mother."

Lucas tried to ask what she meant, but before he could, Kana laid her outstretched arm on Claus's forehead. Both he and Kana glowed a light-green color, and when the light faded, Kana's arm rested at her side. Lucas approached Kana hesitantly.

Kana's form fell to her side, her body lying limp on the ground. Her body sparkled, and then rapidly disappeared to dust. Lucas let tears fall off his face, mourning her loss.

Duster sighed, "Lucas, I-I'm sorry …" he said, his voice broken up with emotion, "Kana was looking out for your best interest …"

"It's not your fault, Lucas." Kumatora interjected, "She saved you, she rescued you …"

Flint looked at Claus and gasped when he saw his form moving. Claus stood up on his seat and shivered a bit, looking away from his blood-stained trousers.

"D-dad …? Lucas …?" Claus said, his voice quivering. "W-what happened?"

Lucas ran to his brother and embraced him tightly, Flint following shortly. Soon after, Kumatora and Duster joined in, hugging the red-headed boy. Claus felt quite awkward to say the least, but he let all his friends and family hug him none the less. Once the hug finally broke apart, Kumatora rubbed her thumb under her nose and smiled.

"So … how do we get out of here?"

Duster stared up at the non-existent and rubbed his goatee. "Y'know what? I've no clue."

"Um … i-if I may say something …?" Claus piped up, everyone looking at him. "I-I'm not sure … I might be able to get us out of here … these words keep popping in my mind … anyone heard of 'PSI teleport'?"

Duster gulped.

---

Hinawa smiled as she watcher her husband and two sons leave the place of darkness. She would not have to see them die after all. They could finally live in peace like she wanted them to.

Hinawa peered over beside her and saw Kana approaching, smiling.

"You really did not have to do that." Hinawa said, smiling pleasantly, "You could have lived easily."

"Your son needed Claus." Kana said, "A little white lie never hurt anyone."

"But you realize you're dead now." Hinawa said, touching Kana's arm. "There's not much you can do now."

"No. I know we're dead, but in your sons' minds, we're alive." Kana said, looking in the distance.

"Will you accompany me to limbo?" Hinawa said, "I would like it if I could have some company as I finally rest my soul in peace."

"I would be happy to do so … are you sure you want to leave now?"

"My boys are safe, the evil is gone, my duty is done …" Hinawa said. "I'm pretty sure I will leave."

"Claus has successfully pulled off my teleportation power …" Kana said, walking beside Hinawa. "He's a smart boy."

"Wait until he learns all your other powers. Poor Lucas is going have a handful to deal with." Hinawa said, laughing a bit.

"The boys have each other now …" Kana said, smiling, "And hopefully they'll remain that way for some time …"

--

3 months later …

"Lucas! Lucas wake up!"

Lucas moaned and rolled over in his bed. It was way too early for this, all he wanted to do was sleep.

"Lucas!!" Claus poked the bottom of Lucas's bed with a crutch, "Lucas! Wake up! Look out the window!!"

Lucas moaned once again, but finally gave in to Claus's calls. He stood up and yawned, rubbing his eyes, then peered out the window. He was surprised to see snow.

"S-snow?" Lucas said, his voice filled with fatigue, "This early? But why …?"

"We don't question the weather, Lucas." Claus said, limping out of bed with his hand gripped tightly on the crutch, "We just enjoy what weather there is!"

"I don't think I can ever enjoy snow …" Lucas said, jumping out of his bed, not even paying attention to his ladder.

"Come on! Let's wake dad up and hurry out!" Claus said, limping as fast as he could out the door.

Lucas sighed and smiled. Despite the fact that he was without a leg now, he was still his youthful and energetic. He still found amusement in his everyday life, and for that, both Lucas and Flint were happy. It took a while for Claus to get use to a crutch, but once he got on, it was hard to keep up with Claus – even duster found it difficult to stay beside Claus.

Lucas got dressed and hurried outside, seeing his father already in work with the sheep. They exchanged smiles and waves, but Lucas soon took off again, following his brother. Soon, they found themselves out playing by the river, where they use to play so long ago.

"Hey … Lucas …" Claus said suddenly as Lucas threw a snowball in the frozen river, "I was wondering … do you still go to her grave?"

"What?"

"Y'know …" Claus stared into the frozen river, contemplating, "Mom's grave. Do you still go there? I mean, when you use to just sit in front of her grave … do you do that anymore?"

Lucas stared into the river, "well … I did for a while. But I couldn't hear mom's voice anymore … I think she may have finally gone away."

Claus shook his head. "So she was dead after all."

Lucas looked at Claus and smiled, "No, she's still alive as you said."

Claus looked at Lucas and blinked. "What?"

"She might not be with us but she's still alive." Lucas took up another snowball and threw it into the frozen river again.

Claus smiled. "But we have each other now, right?"

"right!" Lucas laughed. "And we're gonna stay that way!!"

Lucas and Claus shared laughs; letting memories of the journey they took fill their minds again.

--

Duster sighed and looked down the river, frozen in place. He never really like the snow, so waking up and finding the land covered in a gentle blanket of white was certainly not the wakeup call he had in mind. Kumatora on the other hand found the snow to be quite enjoyable.

"Hey, Duster, smile!" Kumatora said, putting her hands on his shoulders, "Nothing eventful happened during these past 3 months – or are you still mad that Claus beat you in a race around Osohe castle?"

"W-what?" Duster shook his head and stared at Kumatora, who was smiling at him. "O-oh no, I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Um … well …" Duster rubbed the back of his neck and coughed. "Remember 3 months ago … um … you … uh, well, you asked me if … well … um, if we could … y'know … hang out sometime …?"

Kumatora blinked. "Are we hanging out right now?"

Duster coughed vigorously again "I-I mean … I don't know … I guess … I … um …"

"If you have something to say, spit it out!" Kumatora yelled, threatening Duster with a closed fist.

"I was just wondering if it would be okay that I could come back to your place and make us some tea!!" Duster yelled, unable to control his voice. Kumatora's closed fist was a sight he just did not like.

Kumatora opened her hand again and smiled. "Of course, I was actually going to ask you the same thing."

Duster looked hopeful. "Really?"

"No." Kumatora simple said.

Duster pouted.

"But yes, you can."

Duster looked at Kumatora and smiled.

"But this is just a visit. No funny business now, y'hear?"

"O-oh, of course!" Duster said, smiling nervously, "I wouldn't dream of doing anything with you."

"What was that?!" Kumatora yelled.

"ER … I mean …"

Duster felt cold snow being pushed in his face, and soon he found himself running from the angry princess, an armful of snowballs in her grasp. Flint watched from afar as He saw the battle commence, smiling with silent amusement.

"I remember when we were like that …" Flint said, talking toward the sky, "Maybe one day, one of the boys will find themselves in that same position too … I wish you were still around to see that."

The wind blew, and Flint could've sworn he heard a voice whispering "I am …"

Flint looked at the sky again and nodded. "I love you, Hinawa …"

The sky did not answer this time.

But he knew she said the same thing.

Hinawa was still alive.

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Well, that's the end. Thanks for everyone's support throughout this whole story!! Stay tuned for an Update of "Betrothed and Betrayed"