The Renaissance Band members bidding each other goodnight as they head to their respective cabins.

The warm glow of lanterns flickered outside, casting soft shadows across the cozy village setting.

Haerak, Aina, Seraphina, Lyra, Micah, and Killian waved them off, their voices carrying a note of fondness and relief after the exhausting day.

As they watched the last of their friends disappear into their cabins, the group dispersed, settling into casual conversations about the simplicity and peace of the day.

Aina talked with Seraphina about the herbs she had gathered earlier, and Lyra and Micah shared a quiet conversation about the state of the village, reflecting on how everything seemed to be falling into place. Killian leaned back against a post, his thoughts far away as he gazed up at the starry sky, deep in quiet contemplation.

△▼△▼△▼△

But as the night deepened, the scene shifted toward Zach and Ruby, who were the last to retreat into their shared cabin.

Inside, the cabin was a haven of warmth and quiet.

The crackling of the fire in the hearth sent flickers of light across the room, casting a soft glow on the walls.

The furniture was simple, but there was a comforting familiarity to the space—wooden beams above, a large, comfortable sofa, and a few rugs scattered across the floor.

Zach and Ruby, both tired but at peace, had settled into the sofa, the warmth from the fire washing over them.

Zach leaned back, stretching his legs out as Ruby nestled closer to him, her head resting gently against his shoulder.

Ruby's voice broke the quiet first, soft and almost a whisper.

"You know," she began, her tone playful but laced with something deeper.

"This whole thing... it's kind of surreal, don't you think? That we're here? After everything we've been through?"

Zach chuckled lightly, his hand gently running through her hair.

"Yeah, it's hard to believe sometimes," he admitted.

"It feels like we've been fighting for so long, and now, we finally have a moment to breathe."

His words trailed off, but the meaning behind them was clear.

Ruby smiled, but it was a bittersweet expression.

She pulled herself up slightly, shifting so she could look him in the eyes.

"And I'm grateful for it. For moments like this, with you," she said quietly.

"But it doesn't mean I forget what we've been through. What we're still carrying."

Zach's gaze softened, his thumb brushing gently against her cheek.

"I know. I don't forget, either."

He paused, the weight of his words sinking in.

"But right now, in this moment, it's just us. That's all that matters."

Ruby let out a small, almost inaudible laugh, but it was full of warmth.

"You're right," she whispered. "It's just us."

She leaned in then, her lips brushing his, slow and tender, a promise in that kiss—a promise that they would face whatever came next, together.

When they pulled apart, their foreheads resting against each other, the room seemed even quieter, the crackling of the fire the only sound filling the silence.

After a long moment, Ruby broke the stillness again, her voice quiet, but her words filled with so much emotion.

"Zach," she began softly, her hands resting in his.

"I don't know how I would have made it through all of this without you. You've been my rock."

Zach's heart fluttered at the sincerity in her voice. He squeezed her hands gently, leaning his forehead against hers.

"And you've been mine," he said, his voice low, full of meaning.

"I don't say it enough, but I'm glad you're with me. You're the reason I keep going."

Ruby smiled, her eyes glistening with something between tears and contentment.

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised.

"Not now, not ever. I'm here for you, for all of it."

Zach closed his eyes for a moment, soaking in her words. When he opened them again, there was a quiet intensity in his gaze.

"We've lost so much," he said quietly, almost to himself.

"So many moments we'll never get back."

He swallowed, the weight of the past sitting heavily on his chest.

"But in this moment, right here with you, I think I can breathe again."

Ruby's hand reached up to touch his cheek, her thumb brushing away an invisible tear.

"You deserve to breathe, Zach. We all do."

Ruby nestled into Zach's side once more, her hand resting against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingers.

"I don't know what tomorrow will bring," she murmured.

"But I know that with you, I'm ready for whatever comes."

Ruby squeezed his hand, her thumb brushing over his knuckles.

"You've been more than enough, Zach. You've been there for all of us, even when it seemed like the world was falling apart. I don't think any of us would've made it this far without you. You're our captain. Our strength."

Zach chuckled softly, the sound rough with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief.

"I never thought of myself that way. I'm just trying to keep everyone safe, trying to hold on to what we've got left."

Ruby smiled, the warmth of it reaching her eyes.

"I know. And you've done more than just keep us safe. You've given us something to fight for. A reason to keep moving forward. That's what makes you more than just a leader."

Zach's chest tightened at her words, his heart swelling with emotion. He leaned his head against hers, his voice barely a whisper.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Ruby. Without all of you."

Ruby turned her face toward his, her expression soft but determined.

"You won't have to find out," she said, her voice unwavering.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not now, not ever."

Zach looked at her, his eyes full of gratitude.

"I don't deserve you."

Ruby's hand reached up, cupping his cheek.

"You don't have to deserve anything, Zach. We all have our scars, our pasts. But we're here. Together. And that's enough."

For a moment, the world seemed to fall away.

All the pain, all the loss—

They were just echoes now—

Fading into the distance.

It was just the two of them, sitting in the quiet warmth of their cabin, the fire crackling softly in the background.

Zach swallowed, his voice thick with emotion.

"I'm scared sometimes," he admitted, his hand resting over hers on his cheek.

"Scared of losing more people. Scared of what comes next."

Ruby's thumb gently stroked his skin, her voice low but soothing.

"I think we're all scared, Zach. But that's what makes us stronger, right?"

Ruby smiled, her eyes twinkling with a mixture of affection and something softer—something that spoke of a future they would build, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

Zach's heart skipped a beat at the words, and he turned to her fully, his face serious but filled with an overwhelming tenderness.

"I love you too," he said, his voice steady now, the weight of everything they'd been through crystallizing in that moment.

"I don't know how I got so lucky, but I'm not letting go. Not ever."

The world could wait.

Tonight was theirs.

Ruby shifted slightly, lifting her head to glance at him, her voice gentle but laced with something more—something she had been holding back.

"Zach... I have something to say."

Her words came with a quiet intensity, as if she was testing the waters.

"What was it all about?"

Zach turned his head to her, a furrow appearing on his brow as he tried to make sense of her question.

"What was what all about?"

He raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with confusion, unsure where this was going.

"What do you mean by that?"

Ruby's gaze darkened slightly, her hands folding together in her lap.

"Evelori... she mentioned something that struck me... made me anxious for you."

Zach's stomach clenched at the mention of Evelori's name, the memory of her chilling words flooding back to him.

His heart pounded in his chest.

He didn't want to go back there.

"Oh... that?"

He forced himself to speak, but there was a tightness in his voice that betrayed how much it unsettled him.

Ruby nodded, her eyes never leaving his, a sense of urgency in her voice as she pressed on.

"Yes."

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze narrowing, her lips trembling as she recounted Evelori's chilling words.

"She said... 'Zach. I know who you are. Don't convince yourself that everything will be at peace from here on out. I know you. I know what you 'saw' back there. I know who you talked with. I know everything. For I am Death, itself.' Those are the exact words, right?"

Zach's face tightened at the memory of those words.

The mere thought of it sent a cold shiver down his spine, and for a moment, he was lost in the dark undertones of Evelori's declaration.

His mind swirled with confusion, but he tried to mask it.

He cleared his throat and avoided her gaze.

"Hmm."

Ruby wasn't about to let him off that easily.

She could see the way his eyes flickered, the way his breath hitched.

She knew something wasn't right.

She reached out, grabbing his hand, her fingers gripping him with a sense of desperation.

"No, Zach. Please. What is it? What is it that you're dealing with? Why is it... why is it that you—"

She swallowed hard, her voice breaking, as if the weight of this was pushing against something inside her.

"Why do you have so many secrets?"

Zach's breath caught in his throat.

He didn't know how to answer her.

He didn't know how to put words to the darkness that had been following him his whole life.

But he couldn't keep lying to her, not when she was looking at him like that, not when her heart was so vulnerable in the moment.

He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly, as if the truth weighed more than anything he'd ever carried before.

"Ruby..."

Ruby didn't move.

She just stared at him, waiting.

Her eyes were full of questions, but also full of a trust she didn't even realize she was offering him.

"Please, Zach. Tell me. What was that all about? Does it have something to do with the book you always used to read?"

At the mention of the Tome of Fate, Zach's heart skipped.

The weight of those memories—of the very book that had led him down this path—was like a noose around his neck, tightening with every passing day.

His eyes looked away from her for a moment, and his chest tightened painfully.

His thoughts drifted back to when he had first found it...

To when everything had started.

Ruby could feel the shift in him, the change in his energy, as he grappled with his past.

The silence between them stretched, and she watched as his face hardened.

When he finally spoke, his voice cracked like old wood, brittle and heavy.

"It's... it's the book."

His words were a whisper, barely audible, but they hit Ruby like a wave crashing against the shore.

"The book is called the Tome of Fate. It's a book that shows the fate of the holder. I found it when I was just a kid. I was hiding from a bunch of knights inside the village I used to live in—the kingdom of Solaria. I was six years old back then, but I was... very aware. Very conscious of everything that was happening around me."

Ruby's brow furrowed, her hand still clutched tightly in his, but she didn't interrupt.

She let him speak, knowing this was something he needed to say.

Zach continued, his voice a little steadier now, but there was still an underlying tremor to it.

"When I opened the book, at first, the pages were empty. Nothing. But then, it... revealed my fate. It showed me how I would escape from the knights who were chasing me, ready to torture me, ready to sell me as a slave."

His gaze darkened, his hand gripping hers tightly as he relived the horrors of his past.

"I followed what the book showed me, and it worked. I got away. It works like that. You follow the Tome, and it leads you."

Ruby was silent, processing the weight of his words.

Her thumb gently traced the back of his hand, a silent reassurance.

Zach took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts.

"And then, it led me here. To all of you."

His voice cracked again, the memories flooding back, each step leading him closer to this moment.

"I found Gargeal first in the kingdom of Solaria. The Tome guided me to him. I used the words written in the book to convince him to join me. He became the second member of the band I was planning to form. Just like what the book said."

Zach paused, his voice trailing off for a moment as the memories of the others—the people he had met—flashed before him.

"Then, them... Qarek, Yzavynne, Leeani, Nert, Jiighual, Kazaks, Andhur... at the kingdom of Aurelia. And finally, you. At the kingdom of Celestria."

Ruby's heart clenched.

She couldn't fully comprehend the weight of what he had gone through, the burden he had carried for so long.

But she could see the toll it had taken on him.

She leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

"But what about those... things... that Evelori mentioned? What was that?"

Zach's jaw tightened.

His breath caught in his throat as the haunting memories rushed back, the horrors he had seen, the terrifying glimpses into his own future.

He tried to push them away, but they lingered, cold and haunting.

"That... the first entity I spoke to... it was..."

His voice faltered, and he swallowed hard, trying to steady himself.

"I think it was the Tome itself. At least that's my theory. It spoke to me, but in ways I didn't understand at the time."

Ruby's eyes widened, a chill running through her as she listened.

"Then there were these stone statues. Horrifying... haunting. I remember something from them, though. Words. Words that still haunt me."

His voice lowered, as if he was speaking not to Ruby, but to himself, as if he needed to say them aloud, even though they made his skin crawl.

"'We are the forgotten. Shadows of flesh that once held life. Bound to watch... bound to wait...'"

Ruby's breath hitched in her chest.

"What... what does that mean?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper, the horror in her heart mirrored in her eyes.

Zach's gaze was distant now, as if he was looking at the stone statues again, remembering the words that were forever etched into his soul.

"'Soon, you will join us... your fate carved like stone in the dark. We are all that remains. He waits... watches... claims...'"

Ruby's blood ran cold at the final words, the weight of them pressing down on her chest, as if the very air around them had thickened.

Zach finally turned to her, his eyes filled with a sorrowful understanding.

"That's what I'm dealing with, Ruby. That's the price of the Tome. And I... I don't know what to do with it anymore."

Ruby's heart ached for him.

She reached out, pulling him into her arms, not knowing what else to say, but knowing he needed her more than ever.

In that moment—

It wasn't just the weight of his past that weighed on him—

It was the terror of what was yet to come.

The moment Ruby's words reached Zach, it felt like an immense weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

But it was only temporary; it didn't erase the years of burdens he'd carried, the years of secrets, fears, and the terrifying knowledge that everything he'd been fighting for might never lead to peace.

Ruby's gaze softened, her voice taking on a tenderness that made Zach's heart ache.

She drew closer, her fingers gently cupping his chin to guide his face towards hers.

"Zach, listen to me. You don't have to carry all of this alone. I know you've kept so much hidden, so many painful truths that you thought would break you if you shared them, but you don't have to bear this weight by yourself anymore. You're just a human yourself. I can never hate you for that. I see you for who you are, not the burdens you carry."

She took a deep breath, her voice faltering only slightly as she spoke from a place of deep empathy and understanding.

"All I've ever wanted was for you to have someone who listens, someone who doesn't turn away just because your story is complicated, because it's dark, or because it's too heavy. You don't need to protect me from that, not anymore. Just... just let someone in, Zach. You don't have to carry this pain in silence any longer. Even when the world feels like it's on your shoulders, even when you feel like everything is falling apart... you are not alone. You don't have to fight everything by yourself. You never have to be alone again."

Zach's vision blurred as his emotions surged—everything he'd hidden, everything he'd fought for, every tear he'd swallowed over the years came crashing down on him all at once.

The words Ruby spoke were exactly what he needed—but the weight of them broke something inside him.

For the first time—

His walls crumbled—

And he lets go of everything.

His body trembled as he sank into her embrace, his head finding refuge against her chest.

His breath caught in his throat, and the first sob wracked through his chest.

Ruby didn't let go.

She didn't pull away.

She simply held him, her fingers running through his hair as she whispered softly, her voice soothing and full of warmth.

"I'm here, Zach. It's okay. Shhh, it's okay. Everything will be okay now. You don't have to do this alone anymore. You've been carrying all this weight, trying to be the leader, trying to be the one who saves everyone—but you're just one person. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to have all the answers."

Her words seemed to slow his heart, to calm the storm that had been raging inside him for so long.

But still, the tears kept falling, one after another, until he could hardly breathe between them.

Every cry felt like a release, like something was finally escaping that had been buried deep for far too long.

"You've been so strong, Zach. I don't think anyone can truly understand how much you've been through, but I can see the weight in your eyes. I can feel it every time you try to hide it. And I don't want you to hide it anymore. You don't need to be this rock, this unshakable force that holds everything together. You are allowed to feel. You're allowed to cry. You're allowed to let go, just for a moment. We're all here for you, Zach. I'm here for you."

Zach, through his tears, finally managed to speak, his voice cracking with the depth of his emotions.

"I—I'm just a human, Ruby. I've been fighting since I was six, fighting against a system, against a king who's torn this world apart. And it feels like the weight of it all... it's just too much. Like I'm the only one who can do something, but I don't know if I can anymore. I don't know if I can change anything. The more I fight, the more people suffer, and I—"

Ruby gently lifted his head, her touch as gentle as a whisper, her eyes soft but filled with the kind of determination that could move mountains.

She didn't say anything at first; she only pressed her forehead to his, her breath warm against his skin.

Then, without warning, she kissed his forehead, a tender, quiet gesture that spoke volumes.

Ruby, her voice soft and full of sorrow.

"Zach... I see you. I see everything you've sacrificed, everything you've lost. And I see the love you have for this world, for the people who need you. But you don't have to carry the weight of it all alone. Not anymore. Your fate... it doesn't have to be a burden. You don't have to carry it like a curse. You're not just fighting for the world, Zach. You're fighting for yourself, too. You deserve peace. You deserve to have someone by your side, not just as a leader, but as someone who understands the depth of your heart. And I see you, even in all your pain, even in all your doubts, I see who you really are. And I love you."

The words she spoke were not just comforting; they were transformative.

Each syllable pierced through the walls he'd built up around his heart, breaking the chains of guilt, of shame, of self-imposed isolation.

He choked on his own breath as more tears spilled from his eyes, tears that had been locked away for so long.

And he realized then—

For the first time—

That he didn't have to shoulder everything.

He didn't have to carry the weight of the world on his own.

Ruby was here, with him, and that made all the difference.

Zach, through the sobs, whispered.

"I don't know if I'm worthy of all this... but thank you. Thank you for seeing me."

Ruby simply held him tighter, rocking him gently as she whispered.

"You are worthy, Zach. You are more than worthy. And you don't have to do this alone. We will face it all together, no matter what comes. I'll be right here. Always."

And for the first time in his life—

Zach allowed himself to believe it.

"I love you, Zach."

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