Suddenly, the door opened, and time slowed .
An angel like girl entered the room with the same face as 356 and was wearing a jacket with a car "Porsche 356 roadster type A".
I still couldn't understand what was happening, so I gathered whatever confidence I had left to stay with me for a few minutes after everyone else left.
Meanwhile on their visit, they introduced each other to me and I was lost in her eyes, every time I looked at her, and every time I gazed on her face she became more beautiful to my eye. Wondering how everything happened.
After everyone left I asked:"Sofia, I have some questions to ask you, if you have a bit of time of course."
She nodded, smiling warmly.
"I have only three questions."
"Sure," she said, sitting down.
"First, did I change much?"
Sofia thought for a moment.
"As far as I can see, you're still the same."
"Second-were we friends, or just classmates?"
She smiled again, unfazed.
"Well... we've been good friends for about two years."
"Don't worry, we didn't share that many memories you were always quite so I never knew what going on in your mind."
"For my last question-you choose if you want to answer it or not."
Sofia waited, with curiosity in her eyes.
"I woke up in this hospital without any memory of the last two years- remembering one thing."
"I have been in love with you."
Her expression didn't change yet her eyes run away from my person.
I continued, my voice unwavering.
"And as I see it in your eyes... you don't feel the same."
"That's fine. But this is everything I know about 'I'-because... there is no real me anymore."
"So I'm only asking you-to confirm it."
"Please. I don't want to live with this regret of never trying again."
"Set free this lifeless soul of mine."
"I know-I'm speaking literally nonsense. But this isn't love anymore-because I've never experienced it before."
"I don't even know why I'm asking you this."
"I just-don't know."
Sofia stood silently, and left the room.
She hadn't said a single word.
That was a clear no.
And so, I reentered my world-one last time.
Inside my world, 356 was waiting for me.
"Welcome back old friend," she whispered.
"Are you ready to disappear?"
A darkness spread, consuming everything. And 356 faded to the distance.
There was nothing left to fix nor break.
No soul to speak to. No memory for me to seek, nor a dream for me to reach.
"Who is me?Who is not me?"
I forged a sword-from her silence.
I descended into my mind, determined to end it all.
Before me, the Heart lay chained.
I gazed at him for the last time.
With no hesitation, I cut through him.
The pain was gone.
The emotions were gone.
Now, there was only me and Ego.
Suddenly, the Heart appeared again-grinning.
"You've done this hundreds of times, but it never works."
"Because of the curse of the undead."
"Look closer-do you see our heart?"
I leaned in.
Deep within the darkness-a flame flickered.
"Look even closer."
"Yes-that is the eternal Flame."
"It will never fades."
"It was rekindle on the 19th of September 2022, at 10:33 a.m.-for Sofia."
"Its only purpose is to love her until a day after eternity."
"I don't care why nor I know how. The only thing I know is-I am invincible to her."
I stared at the flame.
Silent.
Then, I chained Heart once more.
I reforged the sword into dark flames-the Abyssal Flame.
I let it cover the eternal Flame.
For the last time, I looked down at Heart.
"As much as you love her-that's how much pain you will feel."
"I don't care if you burn ashes."
"I guess this is our fate-to become the Ashen One."
"You will get used to this pain-eventually."
"Don't try to look for her. Don't even think about her once more."
"The eternal Flame will fade with time like last time."
"So don't try to be a hero."
"You're just wasting our time and energy."
"Enjoy your pain. Because it will last for our lifetime."
I returned to reality.
With every breath, the Abyssal Flame ignited.
I heard my Heart screaming out of pain, yet no soul other than mine could hear it.
"The age of fire is no more."
" And the age of darkness has returned."
From that day forward, I wore a mask-for everyone who interacted with me. No one asked nor cared nor though if I had one to being with.
The world became nothing more than a scene-and I was the dramaturgy. Acting like it is the last scene because I never knew when it started.
Music became a drug-so I wouldn't hear the Heart's screams. Poisonous words and songs kept the body busy to seek after the lifeless soul.
With time, I regained my memory-and learned the truth. That was as vivid as the sun of a summer day.
356 had saved my life. At the cost of my memory.
And I had chosen to keep this fragment of love.
Because without it-I wouldn't remember anything about me. Wasn't she everything and nothing to begging with.
The years passed, but the eternal Flame did not fade. Brighter than the stars it light up my dark world.
I continued forward, coping-chasing dreams of a bright future. That always felt empty without her presence.
I got my dream job. And brought an house that felt always empty.
I bought my dream car, was fast yet too shy to kill me.
I met hundreds of girls. Yet all of them were lifeless to speak to.
None of them broke the curse. The world called them pretty, gorgeous even yet they were withering flowers to me.
One night, I went for a drive.
The city belonged to me-me and my car, alone.
I pushed the speedometer higher, higher-past the limit.
I was going to crash.
Suddenly-a voice called out from the car's system.
"No-I will not let you kill yourself!"
The brakes engaged.
I froze in disbelief.
I knew that voice.
I looked at the dashboard.
The UI changed."356...?"
She spoke, calm and steady.
"After I disappeared from your world, I was reincarnated-but couldn't reach you."
"Until you bought this car and I managed to enter into it"
For the first time in years-I was happy.
"At least now-I have someone to live with."
We traveled the world.
We visited the most famous tracks.
We attended Adam's wedding.
There, I saw Sofia-for the last time.
Time froze-one last time.
I stood still, watching her from afar.
She didn't notice me.
I was wearing a helmet.
I wanted to cry.
But no tears came.
Suddenly, I heard my car start up-revving aggressively.
Begging me to drive.
I ran toward it.
I drove like a maniac-every shift, every turn, every movement was on the limit close to perfection.
The engine roared-like a wild animal screaming in pain.
Finally-I found myself on top of a hill, deep in nature.
I turned off the car.
I lay back against a tree.
And watched the sunrise for the last time before I tried to break the curse one last time.