You are the life that fills my lungs

It was a sound that Rhyme thought he would never hear again, especially with what was happening in the world. He’d been a quiet presence, enjoying what he was realizing would be some of his last seasons here. He felt strong and capable, his will remained, but his body was growing weaker because of the curse. Like the crystals that grew from his spine were sapping the energy from him. He’d sequestered himself, and tried to keep away from his loved ones the best he could, but someone like him didn’t do well sitting still. Rhyme continued to patrol despite the affliction. That was how he thought he heard her laugh.

His mind hadn’t really been right since everything began, he thought himself going crazy with every other dream like hallucination. The unnerving mists, and the bleach night that lasted forever. Those names on the wind changed everything. Shaye was gone, he’d carried her lifeless body back to Abaven and he’d mourned over her grave for far too long. He’d said his goodbye, he struggled to return to the semblance of a life worth living. Something that wouldn’t have been possible without Samara.

Shaye told him to live his life in that dream, he did as she asked and now she’d come to take him home with her. Rhyme shifted through the trees like a ghost himself, glowing blue blood oozing from the pulsing crystals as he caught a glimpse of her through the trees. Blue and lavender eyes content with just watch a sight he had yearned for. His tears were trails of glowing liquid the same as on his back, but they were real as the emotions at seeing his lost love frolic in the moonlit grass.