Life Beyond End

Last night, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't figure it out.

I sat there in the dark, staring at my hands like they'd magically give me answers. They didn't, of course. Eternal Subversion—or ES, as the book called it—remained stubbornly out of my reach. It was frustrating. No, it was more than frustrating—it was infuriating.

Quantum Precision had been different. Sure, it took effort to understand, but once I got it, it felt natural. Like it had been waiting for me to discover it. ES, though? It was like trying to speak a language I'd never even heard before.

I kept replaying the words from that old book in my head, trying to piece it all together. Something about affinities. Both ES and QP were classified as magical affinities, meaning there could be more techniques hidden within each of them. The possibilities were endless, but without understanding even the basics, it felt like trying to build a house with no tools.

I'd been at it for hours. No progress. Just... nothing.

I yawned loudly, stretching my arms out as I finally dragged myself out of bed.

"Haaaawwhhh..."

The exhaustion hit me like a brick wall. I hadn't slept a single minute—not that the fluffy, king-sized bed wasn't comfortable. Actually, that might've been the problem. It was too comfortable. I couldn't stop sinking into it.

Seriously, who makes a bed that soft? It felt like lying on a marshmallow that was trying to eat me alive.

Still, as tempting as it was to collapse back into that cloud of fluff and forget about the day ahead, I couldn't. Today was important.

Elene was going to use her owl to locate my parents.

For weeks, I'd been waiting for this moment. The idea that I might finally find out if they were alive, if they were okay, had been eating away at me.

Jane, Pheore, and Auden had all decided to tag along. I didn't know why, but honestly, I didn't care. The only thing that mattered was the answer.

Were my parents alive?

I dressed quickly, slipping into the fancy suit they'd given me. It was smooth, almost unnervingly so.

The fabric hugged my body perfectly, like it had been made just for me. It was absurdly comfortable. If I didn't know better, I'd think it had been enchanted or something.

When I made my way downstairs, they were already waiting in the main hall.

"Good morning, Flynn!" Jane called out, her tail wagging like she was a puppy who'd just seen her owner.

"Morning, Jane," I replied, forcing a smile. I turned to the others. "Good morning, everyone."

Auden waved lazily, clearly still half-asleep himself. "Morning, kid."

Before anyone else could say anything, the massive front doors creaked open.

Elene strode in, her owl perched on her shoulder. As always, the bird's piercing golden eyes locked onto me immediately.

There it was again—that look.

What's with this bird? It always stared at me like I'd committed some unspeakable crime.

"Okay, everyone!" Elene's voice cut through my thoughts. She clapped her hands, her smile bright and confident. "Let's get moving!"

"Woohoo!" Jane cheered enthusiastically.

I couldn't bring myself to join in. Cheering felt... wrong.

My stomach churned as we walked.

What if they were dead? What if the owl came back with nothing? Or worse, what if it came back with terrible news?

Get it together, Flynn, I told myself, shaking my head. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.

"Nervous, Flynn?" Elene asked, glancing over her shoulder at me. Her tone was teasing, her grin playful, but her eyes... they were sharp.

I frowned. "I'm fine."

We climbed the stairs to the fifth floor, the castle around us eerily quiet.

Calling it a castle felt generous. It was more like a ridiculously oversized mansion. The kind of place that screamed wealth and power with every gold-trimmed wall and polished marble floor.

The room we entered was just as extravagant.

A massive, circular table dominated the center, surrounded by high-backed chairs that looked more like thrones. The walls were lined with tall windows, sunlight streaming in and casting golden patterns across the floor.

Above the door, strange symbols were carved into the wood. I couldn't read them, but they looked... important.

Elene gestured for us to sit, and we all took our places around the table.

The room was silent, save for the faint rustling of Elene's robes as she settled in. The tension was almost suffocating.

"Alright, Flynn," she said, her voice soft but steady. "Tell me the names of the people you want me to find."

I froze.

This is it.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and began to speak.

"Sherlea Neworld, Drendel Neworld, Andrea Headow, Faree Orle, Daniel Gandalon..." One by one, I listed their names. Every villager I could remember.

By the time I finished, nearly thirty minutes had passed.

Elene blinked, clearly impressed. "That's... a lot of names."

I shrugged, looking away. "I had to make sure I didn't forget anyone."

She smiled, placing her owl on the table.

The bird flapped its wings lightly as Elene leaned in close.

She whispered something to it, her voice too soft to make out. The owl's golden eyes glowed faintly, and without a sound, it took off, disappearing through one of the open windows.

We watched it go, the room falling silent once again.

"Phew!" Elene let out a long sigh, leaning back in her chair. "That was harder than I expected."

"Thanks," I said quietly, resting my head on the table.

Jane reached out, her hand hovering over mine before pulling back. "I'm sure they're fine, Flynn," she said softly. Her ears drooped, and her voice wavered just enough to make me doubt her words.

I wanted to believe her. I really did.

The wait was unbearable.

An hour and a half passed, each second dragging on longer than the last.

No one spoke.

Even Auden, who always had something sarcastic to say, stayed silent. The weight of the moment was too heavy for any of us to break.

I stared at the table, my mind racing.

What if they didn't make it? What if the owl comes back with nothing? What if I'm too late?

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms.

Finally, the sound of wings broke the silence.

The owl flew in through the window, landing gracefully on the table.

"Finally!" Elene exclaimed, sitting up straighter.

She leaned in, her forehead pressing against the bird's.

For a moment, they stayed like that, perfectly still. It was like they were sharing a conversation without words, a transfer of knowledge that only they could understand.

...

My heart pounded in my chest, the sound echoing in my ears.

This was it. The moment of truth.

...

Elene pulled back slowly, her expression unreadable.

"Flynn..." she said softly, hesitating.

Her voice sent a chill down my spine.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my throat tightening.

Jane's ears twitched, her eyes darting between Elene and me. Pheore and Auden exchanged nervous glances, their faces grim.

The room grew colder, the weight of the unspoken words pressing down on me like a boulder.

Just say it.

But Elene stayed silent.

The smile on my face froze, then faltered, slipping away like a fragile illusion. My voice cracked with urgency. "Tell me! Are they alive!?"

Elene hesitated, her lips parting as if she was searching for the right words. "Your mother... and Andrea... are alive." Her voice was soft, cautious, but she refused to meet my gaze.

For a moment, my chest loosened, and the corners of my mouth twitched upward. A spark of hope lit inside me. "And the others?" I pressed, leaning forward. My hands trembled slightly, anticipation coursing through me.

Her lips quivered. "T-they're dead..." she whispered, barely audible.

No.

My mind reeled, rejecting the words. It was a gut punch, a blow I couldn't dodge.

No. That can't be right. It's not possible.

I swallowed hard, forcing out a laugh that sounded hollow even to me. "N-no... that's not possible." My voice wavered, and my grin felt alien on my face, stretched too wide, too forced. "You're joking, right? This is some kind of prank? Yes! A prank! Right?"

The silence was suffocating.

No one answered.

"Right!?" I demanded, my voice cracking as desperation bled into my tone.

"Flynn..." Pheore's voice broke the stillness. It was calm but weighted, her words dragging me down like chains. "They're dead. And Elene doesn't look like she's lying."

The room felt colder. My ears rang, drowning out the world around me.

No.

No.

No.

I slumped forward, resting my head in my hands. My palms pressed against my temples, as if I could somehow squeeze the truth out of existence.

"This... is because of me..." The words spilled out before I could stop them, barely more than a whisper.

"Flynn, this isn't your fault..." Jane's voice was gentle, soothing, like a balm over a wound that refused to heal.

Tears blurred my vision, streaking down my cheeks without permission. My chest heaved as I struggled to keep it together. "IF I HADN'T PASSED OUT..." My voice cracked, the dam breaking. "IF I'D JUST HELD ON FOR ONE MORE SECOND, I COULD'VE SAVED THEM!"

The memories slammed into me like a tidal wave. Faree's smile. Daniel's laughter. All the little moments I had taken for granted.

"FAREE, DANIEL, ALL OF THEM—THEY'RE DEAD BECAUSE OF ME!" My fists slammed against the table, the force sending a sharp jolt of pain through my arms. "THEY WERE INNOCENT! THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG! AND I... I LET THEM DIE!"

I was spiraling, the weight of it all crushing me. My breaths came in ragged gasps, the air feeling too thin, too heavy.

"IT'S MY FAULT! IF I'D STUDIED HARDER, TRAINED HARDER, BEEN STRONGER—NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED! I SHOULD'VE BEEN BETTER! I SHOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO STOP IT!"

The guilt gnawed at me, a relentless predator tearing me apart from the inside.

"If I'd known... if I'd known this would happen..." I muttered.

"I WOULD'VE GIVEN EVERYTHING!" My voice was raw, my throat burning with every word. "MY BODY, MY SOUL—ANYTHING TO SAVE THEM!"

"Flynn!" Auden's sharp voice cut through the storm raging inside me. He stood, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. He moved to my side, gripping my shoulder firmly. "You're still five years old! It's not your fault!"

But his words didn't reach me.

I thought I'd changed.

I thought I'd changed.

My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms. I had believed that this second chance at life meant something. That I could be better, stronger, wiser. But now...

I'm still the same.

I'm still the same old Thomald. Weak. Powerless. Useless.

The fire inside me flickered, struggling against the suffocating darkness that wrapped itself around my heart.

My eyes were hollow, lifeless. I stared down at the table, not really seeing it. My body felt heavy, like I was sinking deeper into some abyss I couldn't claw my way out of.

Sadness. Anger. Frustration. Confusion.

It all swirled together into an overwhelming storm, drowning me in its wake.

Jane's small arms wrapped around me, her warmth breaking through the cold that gripped me. Her voice wavered, choked with tears. "F-Fwynn... i-its nwot yowr fawlt!" Her words were soft, broken, as if she could barely get them out.

Her ears drooped, her wide, tear-filled eyes searching mine for something—anything.

But I had nothing to give.

I didn't even know what to do anymore.

And that's when it hit me.

I couldn't save them. I couldn't save anyone.

I failed.