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This was it. This was the accumulation of all my hard work. The plan had never been for Alex to stay and...he would be going now. I looked at him in the near empty Hall of Elements. Hours after he was returned, students would stand bored while listening to a lecture. They would be counting the seconds until they could catch up on sleep or an assignment.
Life was change and I wished it wasn't. I wished there was a way to have Alex always by my side or for me to travel to his strange world.
While staring ahead, Alex put his hand in mine and I put an arm around him. Each touch was heavenly and tore me apart. Each touch was a promise of our parting.
"What if Saga is dead?" Alex asked. "What if Scratch used me to finally free itself?"
"From how you've spoken of your friends, I don't think that's likely." I replied with a sad smile. "They'll do everything in their power to save everyone. An annoying habit to get into."
"You're supposed to say the world has turned to **** and I should just stay here."
"It is not ours to lie so blatantly."
We chuckled at that and walked around. I wanted to make sure we had our privacy and standing still just made me more tense. I wanted to turn into a werewolf and lose all sense of thought for hours.
"At least when you return, you won't be at Alan Wake's throat." I said.
"He put a child in danger." Alex retorted but then sighed. "But, no, he doesn't intentionally use people for his own amusement. He didn't make a mockery of my life and he didn't take credit for making me. He is doing his best to fight the problems he created."
"I can understand how you thought you might have been a character. A man who solves cases being called Casey is just tacky."
I was rewarded with a glare that quickly lessened into a barely there smile on Alex's lips.
"Do you think Alan will ever not be a danger?" Alex asked.
"Alan has a vast amount of power." I replied after a moment. "I believe he will learn the extent of what he can do. The Dark Presence will have a worthy hunt to deal with once Alan comes into his own."
We quieted as a few mages started to gather in the hall. Only a few were required to perform the ritual that would send Alex back to his reality. Back home. I wanted to hate Urag gro-Shub for ensuring my love would be sent back safely. At least as safely as someone in his situation.
As the mages continued to gather, they started to form a loose circle around the room. A few looked nervous and others looked proud. They were performing something new for their Arch-Mage, after all. If they messed this up then who knows how I would react? Would I exile them? I doubted most cared about my feelings for Alex or the pain I'd be in afterwards.
I didn't want to step away from Alex. I wanted to stand with him forever. I would be by his side as darkness reigned down into his world. But I had to accept the hopelessness of the situation. We would meet once again in the Hunting Fields and hunt side by side.
That had to be good enough.
Just as I started to move away from Alex, I grabbed his shoulder and felt his fingers digging into my wrist. This pain would be the only reminder when he went away.
"I'm not going to forget you, Kys." Alex said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to see you again in the Hunting Fields."
"I'll never forget you, Alex." I said and kissed him deeply.
His hands went to my waist and mine wrapped around his neck. Nothing existed but this moment. This moment was eternal. It was fleeting. We pulled back and managed to let our grasps weaken. I walked backwards to see Alex as I went beyond the circle.
The mages held up their staffs and light started to shine from their tips. Urag and I had managed to come up with a spell that would ensure the ritual succeeded. Even as the light became unbearable, I kept my eyes open to look at Alex who was squinting in pain.
A blinding light lit everything up and in the brief moment I blinked, Alex was no longer there.
I fell down in tears as the light faded back to normal. He was gone and now there was nothing for me. My soul felt like it was torn and yet there was still more that was being pulled out. I barely felt it when Eola came rushing into the hall and embraced me.
"You'll see him again, Champion." Eola repeated again and again.
"But this pain will continue until I do." I managed to say. "Can you...can you stay with me until then?"
"Of course. If you need a lover, I'll warm your bed. If you need a friend, I'll share your hearth."
I cried for hours and still Eola didn't move until I could stand.
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