Disclaimer: I don't own Riviera: The Promised Land or any of the characters. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. XD

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"Farewell... Ein..."

I drop.

"Ledah!"

He catches me, cradles my bloody body in his arms. They're more muscular now than I ever remember them being. He brushes my lank bangs off my sweat sleek forehead. His eyes, so soft, so forgiving, meet mine and the warmth of his gaze thaws the ice that I'd trapped my heart in as payment for my Diviner. That wretched thing, so cold and hard in my hand...

I no longer need it. Ein is all I need. In his gentle embrace, here within Yggdrasil, I have finally found release. I relax my fingers and Lorelai falls for good.

How could I have been so stupid?

I stare up at Ein, his face clear even with my fading vision, that question desperate to be voiced. My mouth is too dry, my lips are cracked and flecked with blood and my voice is little more than the pitiful croak of one too weak to carry on. "Hn..."

Ein shushes me and holds me closer. I bury my face in his shirt. He smells of sweat and blood and violence and... oh gods, how I wish... how I wish I could have saved him, spared him from having to dirty his hands in this...

No. He was a child no longer. It was his will to fight for Riviera.

His will...

Unlike myself and Malice, he is strong. Ein follows his heart. I can feel the steady rhythm of it beating now, my head against his chest. There's an unfamiliar sting at the corner of my eye and I realize that I'm crying. My tears are silent, my tears are of relief and regret, of love and loss. This moment is so beautiful, and so unfair. We've finally been reunited, only to be separated forever within what I know too well can't possibly be longer than a few moments. Still, if his body and heartbeat are to be the last things I know before death, then I am satisfied.

I can literally feel my life withering away now and I reach up and touch the side of Ein's face before letting my arm fall limp. My eyes shut and I am very certain that I will never be able open them again.

"Ledaaaaah!"