Together in the whole world

ㅤ By voluntarily locking himself in a cage, Ratatosk did not expect anything. His heart had made a decision. For the benefit of people… He chose a difficult path, but a humane one. And this path would have become lonely if Marta had not stayed. She selflessly provided support, tirelessly and without sorrow, radiating an unquenchable positivity. She tried hard to contain her fear at first, having little idea what awaited her, but now her smile radiated ease and peace. But it was she who often had to be left alone… "So how is it?" she asked with a caring smile when Ratatosk took a break, so that the duty of rewriting the world would not literally exhaust him to death. He was in a hurry. He wanted to rid the world of its dependence on mana as quickly as possible, wishing to transfer most of it to the spirits. And Marta… In the spirit world, she had nothing to eat, nothing to drink. Mana kept her alive, eternally young. Ratatosk glanced blearily at Marta. He'd expended so much energy that he could barely remain conscious. Yet he smiled tenderly back at her. His joy, the one who always inspired him to great deeds. He hadn't worked for humanity. He'd gone to such lengths for her. And the spirits… The truth was bitter, though: no matter what he did, the spirits would still be desperate for mana. And if something happened again, his sacrifice would only save a part of the world. An irresponsible one. At least something… Trying to hide his agitation, Ratatosk hugged Marta. She helped him not to lose faith in people. Without her, he would have been forever seeing visions of a terrible future, where the Mana Tree withered and broke, and the spirits perished with it. And the world continued to exist as if nothing had happened. "Did something happen?" Marta asked worriedly. "No," Ratatosk answered calmly, hiding his face, lowering his lips to her neck, and remained frozen. "Nothing. And nothing will happen," he tried to speak confidently. For his own sake, driving away his fear. ㅤ In Ratatosk's abode, Marta had no sense of time, always finding something to do when her help wasn't needed. Sometimes she simply danced, imagining the music and the beautiful landscapes. She missed them, but Ratatosk was more important to her. At some point, she felt her breathing become easier. Her movements became lighter and smoother, and the longing for the past no longer weighed her down. Around that time, Ratatosk let out a sigh of relief: "Finished." "Really?!" Marta couldn't help but exclaim happily. "Then it's clear why I feel so wonderful, like I'm about to spread my wings and fly!" she laughed. Ratatosk's smile changed slightly. A hint of sadness didn't escape Marta's notice. "Is something wrong?" she asked, puzzled. Ratatosk looked away. For centuries, Marta had been saturating with mana. Body and soul. But no mana could grant eternal life: Marta had become a spirit without even noticing. And although Ratatosk knew Marta wouldn't see anything terrible in this, he didn't want to say it outright. It sounded too gloomy. "Now we are of the same essence," he offered her his hand, choosing his words carefully. "And if you want, you can soar with ease. Just imagine how." The realization didn't come immediately. Marta stared at her hands for a long time. Their color changed slightly, and charming abstract patterns full of curls appeared. The density hadn't remained the same, but there were no hints of wrinkles or calluses from weapons. And, oddly enough, this didn't even bother her. She was more interested in examining the changes. Closing her eyes, listening to her feelings, drawing images in her thoughts, Marta concentrated. And then she suddenly soared upward, swirling and merging with the streams of mana. New sensations overwhelmed her. Understanding one's own strengths and new possibilities gave rise to many images and ideas. Doubt and fear were out of the question — Marta felt only euphoria. Pure magic… "Perhaps it’s even better this way," she said, landing. Marta, closed off from worldly evil, easily managed to find the positive in details. And here, too, she was glad to have become closer to Ratatosk. Without fear. Without pain. Naturally and as if by itself. "Undoubtedly." Ratatosk ran his hand over her cheek, smiling heartily. Even if people betrayed his trust, he had nothing to regret. If Marta had remained human, she would have died long ago. But here she is in front of him, full of mischievous sparkles in her eyes. And everything else was unimportant, uncontrollable. They were happy in their little world. As long as you are near,' they both agreed in their hearts. ㅤ