The Cemetary shows the scars of the horrible night many would soon rather forget but one brave…or foolish soul walks slowly through the displaced gravel before finding a faded tombstone covered in dust. James wipes the dust away, revealing three words.
Sarah Anne Jackson
The kid kneels down, placing one hand on his mothers tombstone as he absent mindedly plays with a cross in his other.
Do you remember the day Grandpa died? I was maybe ten and the person who found him. I was shaking, tears streaming down my face and you just placed this cross in my hands, and told me that death is easy.
For those who pass, it’s simply the beginning of an endless tomorrow where all your fear and anguish slips away.
But you never said what happens to that fear and anguish mom, because it never fades away completely.
It simply transfers to those who survive in the shadow of your wake.
They all seem to think I’m doing this because of dad. I never wanted to be a hero for him, I wanted to do it for you, because of that twinkle in your eyes when I told you I’d save the world and how proud you were of what I would do.
I dreamed of a day I’d show you that I’d made Arcadia better, but all I got was a burning hellscape that left me all alone and an Arcadia that’s no better then the day you left it.
James clutches the cross hard into his hand, a single tear falling down his cheek.
Every little bit of good I do pales in comparison to my failures and then some asshole wraith puts on your face and tries to break my soul with lies.
He nearly did, but we weren’t the only ones he scarred. I’m not the only one burning in the shade of failure.
An arrogant, over confident psychopath who helped someone torture me for glory and gold. And a man with the weight of the world dragging him down, tormented by the ghosts of his past.
Kinda like looking in a mirror yet the difference is I’m haunted by an angels last wishes while he simply let the devil in.
Anyone else would just walk away and watch Muerte suffer the consequences but you taught me that a hero saves everyone no matter who they are.
I may never forgive him for what he did but I can’t sit back and watch Death silence La Musica can I?
The Kid smiles, slowly getting to his feet as he places on hand on the tombstone.
So he may never ask for it, he may outright refuse my hand but I will be there by his side…by all their sides when they need it the most.
Because it’s what a hero does….
And it’s what you would have wanted.
James bends down, softly kissing the tombstone before placing the cross over it and walking away as the scene fades to black.