The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

On a large bed big enough to fit a dozen adults with space left over to accommodate even more, a young man with skin so pale that white seemed dark by comparison was sleeping peacefully. His head rested on a broad, soft lap. A bandage was wrapped around his chest as if holding something to a wound.

On one side of him sat a silver-haired young lady, her face streaked with tear marks. It was clear she'd been crying for a long time. On the other side, a dark-haired young lady clutching one of the young man's arms, her own tears still flowing'

Just below the bed, another stunning lady sat with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her face, too, was marked by tears. However, she looks calmer and more straight-headed.

The room was filled with people—mostly women, but some dudes as well. What are they even doing there? It would have been great if only the ladies were there. Either way, they were present. They all looked sad, but none of them had any tear marks, they are dudes after all. Their attention was fixed on the pale young man lying on the bed.

Suddenly, color began to return to the pale face of the young man. Everyone noticed right away. How could they not? They had been watching so closely that even a fly wouldn't have escaped their gaze.

"Ugh, that bastard got me good," the young man muttered as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Klaus!"

Everyone shouted his name in unison, their voices feeling the room. Maybe they were a little too excited, their voices practically overwhelming him.

"Jeez, people, my head's splitting here," Klaus groaned. At that moment, he felt something wet drip onto his face. He opened his eyes a little more and found himself staring at a woman so stunning she could be called the most beautiful in the cosmos.

"Mom?" Klaus asked, confused. But no—this wasn't his mother or more like this wasn't the mother he remembered. This woman was too breathtaking, with her round face, long violet hair, and puppy-like eyes. He reached up with his left hand to gently wipe away her flowing tears, but he underestimated the sorrow of women.

He glanced to his right and saw Ohema, her tears pouring out just as much. On his left, Lucy's eyes were also wide open and flooded. Across the room, Hanna, Anna, Lily, Nia, and Asha were all crying. Even the emotionless War Goddess was wiping away tears.

"Danny, not you too," Klaus said, looking over at his male friends. Sure enough, Danny, the big softy, was bawling. The others weren't much better, though they were trying to be a little more discreet.

The room was filled with sorrow, and Klaus, the cause of it all, lay there helpless. He had no way to console them, especially his mother. He just lay there, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, he felt a soft, warm hand gently cup his cheek. "My baby," his mother said, her voice breaking.

Hearing her broken tone, Klaus felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. He had made his mother worry, worry too much. He had caused her to cry so long that her voice seemed to be lost in her sorrow. He had always vowed never to make her worry, to ensure she always had a smile on her face. But now, the same woman who had always been his pillar of strength was crying.

Seeing his mother like this was unbearable. It broke his heart into a million fragments. He wanted to comfort her, to tell her it would be okay, but the weight of his own guilt and pain kept him rooted to the bed. The room's sadness seemed to press down on him, making it harder to breathe.

His mother's tears fell onto his face. Klaus reached up weakly, trying to brush them away, but his strength was insufficient. He wanted to speak, to reassure her, but the words caught in his throat.

"Fuck, I'm going to kill a lot of people," Klaus said suddenly, clenching his fist. Well, at least he tried to, but he ended up instinctively using his left hand. He regretted it almost immediately.

"Fuck, that hurts," Klaus muttered, wincing in pain.

"You shouldn't move," his mother's voice came through a bit more lively this time.

"Okay, Mom," Klaus replied, sounding like a good child. He waited to hear from her again and like he had expected, his mom spoke,

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, brushing his hair back.

"I am, Mom," Klaus answered, trying to sound reassuring.

"Good," she said, but her eyes told a different story. He could see the worry still lingering, the pain she was trying to hide.

"Mom... I'm sorry," Klaus managed to say, looking into her eyes. That was all he could muster. He had died—or nearly died—and the thought of what his mother must have gone through was too painful to dwell on. Just imagining her fear and sorrow was more than he could bear.

"Oh, my baby," his mother whispered, still brushing his hair. "You're here, and that's all that matters." Though her words were meant to be comforting, her tears wouldn't stop. They flowed like rain, evidence of the torment she'd endured. She had almost lost her precious son.

Now that he was awake, she didn't want to let go. Klaus, for his part, didn't want to move either. Her lap was as comforting as it was warm, and he felt safe there.

"Klaus," Lucy finally spoke, her voice soft but filled with emotion. She gently squeezed his hand, holding onto him as if afraid to let go.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. I made you worry," Klaus said gently. His eyes shifted toward Ohema, who seemed to be recovering from her own tears. "You shouldn't cry so much, Ohema. You look even more beautiful when you cry, and I don't want these dudes getting any funny ideas," he added with a teasing smile.

That brought small smiles to the faces in the room. The tension lifted slightly, and it seemed the person they had all been crying for was truly back, awake, and healthy, well, trying to look healthy.

"Hmm, I guess me nearly dying brought out some hidden personalities," Klaus said with a playful grin. "Who would've thought the almighty War Goddess is such a big softy?" He looked toward Miriam, the War Goddess, who was still wiping away her tears.

Miriam shot him a half-hearted glare, but there was a warmth behind her eyes that hadn't been there before. Even there was a slight pink on her cheek.

"Klaus, you shouldn't tease her like that," his mother said, pulling his ear gently.

"Mom, you look... different," Klaus said, squinting at her with a playful, narrowed gaze.

"Brat, you're not getting any funny ideas, are you? Your girlfriends are here," his mother replied, sensing her no-good son was about to say something shameless. She tried to use his girlfriends as a shield, but who was Klaus, if not a wild spirit?

"Nothing shameless, Mom," Klaus said, closing his eyes as if preparing for what was to come. "I just thought it'd be nice if you were actually my stepmother, that's all."

He barely finished his sentence before he braced himself. As expected, his ear was twisted, his thigh pinched, and his left shoulder grabbed—his mother, Lucy, and Ohema had ganged up on him.

Despite the pain already coursing through his body, Klaus could only endure their playful assault, wincing but smiling through it. Even with the teasing and the pain, there was comfort in knowing he was surrounded by people who cared so deeply for him.

"Seriously, why are you guys here, wouldn't it be nice if I only woke up to a room full of damsels," Klaus said narrowing his eyes playfully at his male friend. They could only laugh knowing that their friend was back from the dead and the same as before.

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