Part II - Epilogue (4)

"… Don't come back."

Elegia's last words to him, as he left the hospice.

At first the guards had wanted to turn him over to the Kindgom's army.

It was Elegia, who had managed to talk them out of it.

"Don't come back," he'd told Cameron. "There's nothing for you here." Then, a bit more softly: "… There's nothing you can do for my sister, anyway. Miyu is … not here anymore. That's no longer her, in that bed. She'd want you to remember her … as she used to be."

It was a long journey back to Crystal City.

Yuka's husband's friend got him halfway to the nearest rail station. Rest of the way, Cameron walked. At the station, two dumbfounded elfen guards looked over his falsified worker's permit, and exchanged uncertain looks at each other, before ultimately deciding to let him board. (… Though, at that point, Cameron didn't much care if they'd arrested him or not.)

He didn't remember most of the ride back.

When he got home Cameron slept for two whole days. He missed work.

Even in sleep, Elegia's words seemed to echo in his head, on repeat.

There's nothing you can do …

Nothing …

… you can do …

When he got out of bed that third morning, Cameron knew exactly what he had to do.

Nothing had ever been so clear, in all his life.

The first thing he did was go to his office. If anyone had at all wondered where he'd been the past few days, they didn't ask. He forged one last work permit, and then left the Crystal Communications building, forever.

His next stop was the bank, where he withdrew a very large sum.

Twelve years of working. Living at his parents' house. No hobbies, no friends, no girlfriend. Never married. No kids. … You'd better believe he had a small fortune saved up.

It wasn't the entirety of his savings—but it was quite a large chunk of it.

Afterwards he purchased the largest valise he could find, and packed it tight with all the cash he'd taken out.

And then he got on the crystal rail once more, and headed back into the Elfen Lands.

*

Back in Lazumere, the crystalfire was still burning.

Elves were still working in shifts, to keep the destruction at bay.

But without the proper materials, they'd never be able to completely douse the blue flames.

They had been at it for weeks now, and were beginning to lose hope …

… that is, until Cameron rode in, on a horse-drawn carriage of his own, towing a wagon full of exactly what they needed: barrels of marrowdust and saint's ash, as well as fume-masks and other protective gear.

The supplies hadn't been particularly difficult to procure.

Just expensive.

Cameron's first stop on the crystal rail line had been that same black market town where he'd met Walter.

("Well, well. Look who's back …" the old elf had said, as Cameron stepped into the bar.

"Walter. I'm gonna need another favor. Several, actually …"

"Whoa, hang on there, human boy. At least buy me a drink first …")

In the end, Walter was compensated more than fairly for his connections, his knowledge, and … yes, his protection.

And after a few days of waiting, Cameron rode out of that town with the supplies he needed. Or, rather—that Lazumere needed.

Most of the money in his valise was gone.

But that was okay.

This what he'd taken it out for, in the first place.

Cameron spent the next few days in Lazumere, working day and night with the other elves, to put out the fires.

It was hard work.

But now with the proper materials, the crystalfire was finally starting to die down.

And after another week, the flames were finally extinguished for good.

*

Before Yuka returned to Summergrün, she hugged Cameron again. She thanked him for what he'd done for Lazumere.

"Miyu-Miyu—… She …"

"Yeah. … Yeah."

And then Yuka left, with her husband.

Miyu Nocturne had died in her hospice bed, sometime while they were fighting the flames.

Cameron never learned when, exactly.

Nobody ever told him.

*

With the fire gone, the real work could start—that of rebuilding Lazumere.

Elves who had fought the fires remained to help. Some from Embervyl. Others from villages Cameron never heard of. There were only a few Lazumerian survivors among them.

Cameron had no intention of returning to Crystal City. There was nothing left for him back there.

He worked non-stop with the elves, for the next few months. He was the only human among them. Clearing out debris. Demolishing burnt-out buildings. Felling trees for lumber. Chopping, sawing, nailing. Laying out the new foundations for houses and shops.

Summer gave way to autumn, autumn to winter.

Six months of effort had yielded a few new houses, a shop or two, as well as a communal hall where meals were cooked and served for the workers.

And where the Nocturne estate had once stood, there was now the half-finished timber frame for a new shrine, one dedicated to Princess Aerya.

The Reliquary, after all, had been destroyed in the fires.

Around this time, the human-elfen war was in its final stages. The loss of the Four Heroes had been a crucial blow to Crystal City's army. Truces were being signed, peace accords drawn up. (… For now, Cameron thought, cynically.) As such, travel was beginning to open up again across the border.

He took the opportunity to return to Crystal City, for a short break.

He walked along the winter illuminations. He walked by the Mother Crystal plaza. He even passed by the restaurant he'd taken her to, all those years ago. Surprised to find it was still in business. He wondered if that building with the water tower was still there. It snowed as he walked.

He put his parents' house up for sale.

Before he left for good, he stopped to visit Heinrich. He held Heinrich's newborn son in his arms for the first time.

"Come visit me, sometime," said Cameron.

"Yeah, man," said Heinrich. "Of course."

"Bring the wife and kid, too."

"You know it."

"We'll go fishing."

"Alright. Yeah."

"… Alright."

And then Cameron was gone.