The warmth... the kindness... all fading... where'd it all go? The essence of my soul, the man of my life was taken from me and devoured by the ground. My family, who knows where in this barren land they could be? My friends, do they still linger around on this forsaken plane of existence? I don't know... I don't know...

Back a few sunsets ago, the skies were still in its myriad melancholy as more of the living crossed over. Those that owned nothing more than the clothes they wore rose by the millions. But despite those, I was happy. I felt the sun's embrace even if it was not really there. It was all because I still knew of my roots. It was all because my close allies were still plenty. It was all because of that night. That night that my sweet, who kneeled in front of me, was clutching in his hand a beautiful case. A beautiful case where our hearts lingered, it was the case that symbolized us becoming one.

"To you whom in my heart never recedes," he said. That night, the wind blew coldly and seemed to charm everyone who was caressed by it to stare at the round porcelain dish in the sky. Oh that night!

He paused and pulled out the case from his pockets. A small ebony box with minute crystals for design contained it all. The chilled and distant soul of mine was wrapped in a blanket of thrill and warmth as I saw it. Just a few nights ago, we fought one another because he was nearly killed for my sake. Speech never occurred to us after that and at that time...

"Will you marry me," he asked at last. Though his clothes are still quite soaked in crimson and his face covered in cuts, he still appeared so divine to my eyes. His bushy russet brown hair seemed to gracefully wave in the breeze and his eyes burned with determined passion and commitment. His face gave off a heavenly glow as the moon light shone on him. Oh he was the most beautiful creature my eyes have ever laid upon. For him too choose me... It was all I was waiting for all of my life. That night he made my soul jump with utmost gaiety and innocent joy for that night indicated the two of us becoming one.

I thought that the sheer bliss of it all would last like the endless shimmering of the stars above but here I am wrong.

It seemed like yesterday when it all fell on me. Being who we are, we were in charge of keeping other people safe. Then it happened. My sister, who was also one of us, was killed along with those helping out the refugees. My closest and sweetest little sister, lost to guns and swords... she was 19.

Some of my closest friends went out to take a break from it all. They never came back. Well most of them didn't anyway. One did but she came back all traumatized, wounded and beyond reasoning. She never stopped crying and was in hysterics for a week before she died from dehydration. All we knew was her beau was decapitated in front of her and our other comrades might have died in the ambush as well. My dearest friend Ceres, touched by a thousand hands... she was 29.

Then finally it was his turn... We were both out on patrol when suddenly a platoon of rebels came. We both fought hard to ward them off from ourselves. He took all of the blows meant for me. I took those meant for him. I came back to camp alone that night. Before that we usually went to the infirmary of the refugee camp to tend to the injured. We were both medical practitioners. I tried to save him but... he was bleeding too much... too heavily... too fast. He even tended to my injuries and when he could no longer do so, he told me to tend to my own. He was right there in front of me. On my thighs did he lie. I caressed his withering figure in my own petite arms. All he did was stare into my eyes and smile that dreaded smile.

I couldn't bear it. Rain was falling in the depths of my heart. I was going to lose him.

As he saw this, he grimaced. He was in deep pain but he beared it all on his shoulders as if it were nothing. All that seemed to matter to him was to keep me smiling before death spirited him away.

"Don't cry... Everything will be... all right," he gently whispered. He stretched out his right arm and gently placed it behind my head. He tried pulling me closer. "Remember... all we have..." he winced. "...is now...na?"

He pulled me into an embrace... and our sweetest yet final kiss. After that he sang to me the song he sang in my débutante ball/début. His voice grew fainter as the song went on. I couldn't help but cry. He drew his last breath after he finished the last phrase of that song, Aishiteru or I love you. My dearest and sweetest constellation in the sky, my loveliest and kindest Tetsu... he was 28.

And now, I lie alone on the cold concrete road. Blood gushing from my chest, my eyes flooding with tears, I feel so sad but now content. For I know now it is my turn. I won't be alone anymore. For a year I have endured all those losses and now at least... I see a bright light. A beautiful light across the tunnel is what I see. Who is that I see standing there? Is it my sister? My friends? No it isn't. It is an altar and I see him there in his black tuxedo. He's facing me and smiling.

"I've been waiting," he says ever so tenderly.

Ah, my wedding... I see it now... At last... I'm home...