Chapter 1970

It wasn't until now that I truly realized that no matter how strong Mom and Dad were, they were still human. And humans would grow old, fall sick, and eventually die. In the face of danger, all they could do was carve a path forward with their own flesh and blood. "Aurelia, it must be a blessing to be your mother." Mom squeezed Dad's hand. I watched as they walked toward the mountains with their fingers intertwined. Their steps were unwavering as they didn't even look back. They were like soldiers marching toward their fate, or like two people walking toward the path that had always belonged to them. When I woke up, sunlight streamed through the window, shining directly into my eyes. I raised a hand to block the glare. Cyrus was still fast asleep beside me. I reached over and shook his shoulder. "Cyrus! Wake up! Are you up yet?" It took several shakes before his eyelids finally fluttered open. He blinked blearily at the sunlight filtering through the curtains until he realiz