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Over half a year, that was how long it had been in total since the end of the war and The White Star’s defeat, over half a year of peace and the relaxed slacker life that Cale had hoped for. Well, kind of. Truth be told, Cale had actually gotten bored of lazing about doing nothing after the first couple of months, and had reduced the amount of slacking he was doing. He hadn’t given it up completely of course, there was no way that would happen, but he’d found work to occupy himself when he got bored.
Sometimes it was helping the newly coronated Alberu with official Roan Kingdom business, other times he’d visit the Endable Kingdom and get roped into helping King Fredo with whatever schemes he had planned, and then sometimes he just traveled. His other friends had found their place among the still newly created peace as well; Choi Han had found his calling in teaching, and had taken on more students than just Alberu, passing down the Choi family sword style to them; Rosalyn was hard at work getting the new Mage Tower set up; Beacrox and Ron were focused on running the Hope and Adventure Loving Inn and rebuilding the Molan Family legacy; and the kids were finally getting the chance to just be the children they were.
It was that last part that Cale was most grateful about at the moment, with the war over and there no real reason for Cale to use his powers, they’d become much more willing to go do their own thing and leave him to his own devices. Which thankfully meant none of them were currently there to see him staring at his blood-covered hand in confusion.
Contrary to what his family members seemed to believe, Cale’s health during the war had never been particularly bad, but he was willing to admit that he felt better these days. He had more energy and strength, plus he hadn’t coughed up blood in quite a while. At least until today.
When he’d first started coughing he hadn’t thought much of it, but now looking at the blood staining the hand he’d covered his mouth with, he knew something was wrong.
“Why?” He whispered quietly to himself in confusion, and for the first time since he'd first obtained it, a certain ancient power spoke up.
‘I’m sorry, I thought you’d have more time.’ It was the crybaby who had been the original owner of Vitality of the Heart. Before he’d always been quiet, but now his voice was filled with sorrow as he spoke.
‘You know the reason for this?’ Cale silently questioned in his head, a feeling of dread growing in his heart at the sadness in the ancient power’s tone.
‘...Vitality of the Heart is not a power that comes without a price.’ The crybaby slowly began. “It grants one a longer lifespan, but it’s from that same lifespan that its healing power is drawn. If one lives a nice injury-free life, then they could have a lifespan similar to that of an elf, while someone who occasionally suffered serious injuries would still live a decently long life. But you…”
They fell silent for a moment, as if having to find the courage to continue. “You’ve managed to cut into your original lifespan.’
Cale’s heart felt like it was in his throat, he’d always known that Vitality of the Heart had a price, but he’d thought it was the pain he felt anytime an injury healed. ‘Will I die?’ He questioned.
‘....Yes.’ Upon hearing the Crybaby’s answer, the other ancient powers who had remained silent up to that point, began making an uproar.
‘Why did you say something before?’ Demanded Super Rock, while both the Water of Judgment and Fire of Destruction swore furiously.
‘Do you really think it would have changed anything?’ Questioned the Crybaby and they all fell silent, recognizing the truth in his response. After several years with Cale, they knew very well the kind of person he was and the sacrifices he was willing to make.
‘If you had to guess, how much longer do you think I have?’ Cale asked, ignoring the ruckus in his head. Under different circumstances, he would have protested the implication that he would have carried on even if he’d known he was burning away his life, but he just didn’t have the energy to at the moment.
‘....another half a year at best.’
A sigh escaped Cale’s lips as he rubbed his face with his non bloodied hand, life really wasn’t fair. He’d finally achieved the peace and happiness he’d sought after for so long, and he didn’t even get much time to enjoy it. Maybe like The White Star, he was cursed; except instead of killing anyone he cared about it, it just destroyed his chances of keeping happiness.
Half a year if he was lucky, it wasn’t a lot of time to get all his affairs set in order, especially not without letting other people find out. He couldn’t let his friends and family know, at least not yet, they’d sacrifice their own happiness trying to save him and he couldn’t allow that. Eruhaben especially couldn’t know, they’d only recently gotten him to accept that no one else would need the jar and drink from it, breaking it in the process. It was likely he wouldn’t take it well to learn that Cale was now running out of time.
Maybe when it got closer to his end he would tell them, so they wouldn’t be totally taken guard, but for now he’d just pretend everything was fine. He was good at that, after all, he’d been doing it his whole life.