It was dark. Only her light magic brightened the way. Every step she took felt heavy. Her heartbeat hastened. The silence around her reminded her of the voice of the past.

“Jean, let’s meet here again, okay? I have something to tell you”

She clenched her fist and bit her lip. Her heartbeat hastened and her breathing was uneven. It felt like forever, there was no ending to the dark cave, but…after so long, she finally arrived, but…the one she wanted to find…was no more.

Only a lone man remained, lying on a moss covered rock.

She stopped. 

“Jean?”,

He slowly sat up and looked back.

“It…is you”

A smile…or an attempt of it appeared on his…shriveled face.

He stepped down the mossy rock, but fell to the ground. She was startled.

“Ow…”,  he grumbled.

He slowly stood up with his shaking legs. His breathing was heavy. 

“Sorry, just got…light headed”

Suddenly, a grumble could be heard. It echoed around the cave. 

In embarrassment, he held it.

“Sorry…I don’t know when I last ate…but…you’re here…”, He said.

“Aron…I-”

“Let me…light it up for you”, he said as he snapped his fingers, the cave lightened up.

She finally saw him, yet…she couldn’t recognize him.

Her eyes widened. For a moment, her heartbeat stopped.

“Aron…I am…”

“I know…you’re doing your duty, right? That’s…cool”, he said with a smile on his face.

“No, aron, please just-”
He extended his hand  and waved  his hand.

“Remember, Jean…you’re a knight…and a…hero…you have a duty…to protect them…remember?”

Aron sluggishly prepared his stance. Gauntlets appeared on his arms.

“Don’t…hold back, I am…your enemy”

Jean looked down at her shaking hands. She slowly reached for her blade. As she gripped it tight, her hands stopped.

Aron charged at her with the strength he had left. She drew her blade and parried his hits easily. Pushing him, causing him to stumble, losing his balance. 

She looked at him…her grip shook. 

He slowly stood up and prepared his stance again. His fist was up yet they were shaking. She extended her other shaking hand, blowing him with her wind. Even being pushed, he never moved. 

He kneeled to the ground. Sparks of electricity flickered around him. His eyes and gauntlets glowed. With a single punch, he shattered her wind, dissipating it. He kneeled back to the ground, trying to catch his breath. 

The silence of the cave, broken only by his desperate wheezing. 
“Stop…”, She mumbled. 

He slugishly stood back up, preparing the same unrefined stance. 

“Just…stop…”

He desperately ran towards her. A trail of sparks was left. 

Jean looked at his desperate eyes…his smiling face.

His gauntlet glowed brighter for a moment, preparing a devastating looking attack.

“STOP IT”

She closed her eyes, but…her body had decided. As she opened her eyes, his smile never left, even as he fell. Her eyes widened, she finally saw him…saw the smile he always had. 

She threw her blade away, catching him, before his body could reach the cold ground.

“ARON,  I-”

“Good…job, Jean….you…won”, he said as he chuckled.  He then grabbed something in his pocket.

“Because…you won…this…is your prize”, he said as he placed it in her shaking hands.  

She slowly opened it and for the first time in forever, tears flowed back in her cold eyes. 

“I…made that…for…us, I coudln’t…afford one…so…I made one…do…you…like it?”, he asked as a smile formed on his face.

“Aron…I am…sorry”

“Why?....you…won…Jean…you…did your…”.

Her eyes widened.

His body went limp. She hugged him. 

“Aron, I am sorry! I am sorry I couldn’t say it! I am sorry I…”

Tears dropped down, echoing throughout the cave. 

Suddenly, a footstep could be heard.

“Master…”

She looked at him…the one who wanted to see it all.
A smile formed on her face.

“Aurum…”

“Yes…Master?”

“My final order to you, please…tell the kingdom of Cardinal…that The Hero of Protection ...has fallen in battle…”

“Master…”.

He closed his eyes. He took a breath.  

“Yes…master”,  He said as he slowly walked out of the cave. 

Jean hugged Aron’s lifeless body. 

“I am sorry…I should have…stayed with you”

She extended her hands upwards. Strong winds blew from it. The cave trembled. Rocks started to fall from the ceiling.  

She put on the pair of rings on both of their hands. With rested her forehead on his and closed her eyes.

“I…am sorry…my love”

In the end…the cave was sealed once again.