Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking

Chapter 911: A Thousand Year Dream (End)

—

At some point, Cain got it…

It was a persistent, nagging thought that continuously gnawed at the back of his mind. Thoughts that he could never put to words and failed to dismiss outright. It was stuck there, always, waiting until he discovered what it was.

And when he did, well…he wasn’t really mad.

Looking back on this life, it wasn’t so bad, really…

Especially when compared to his naive, cold, and sterile past. Cain would, 100% of the time, choose this life over and over again over that one. To him, it wasn’t even a choice.

In this life, he grew up. That alone made it worth the trade.

His curse was lifted from his tiny self, the one that is naive, innocent, and always optimistic; the one that never really had an option to begin with; and the one who’s the most vulnerable in his family.

Growing up wasn’t a linear experience. It wasn’t all fun, happy, and cheerful. He had experienced lows in this life too, ones that had built him into the man that he was now. Yet even with that, he wouldn’t trade this experience over anything else.

He was satisfied. Immensely, at that.

It wasn’t just him that aged. Everybody did.

As he grew old, so too did his family. His parents grew older, and his siblings too, including his niece, his nephew…everybody.

All of them aged quite well, if you ask him.

They spent their lives in relative peace, serenity, and simplicity. It was the kind of ordinary life that a lot of people were used to and taken for granted. Yet to him, it’s a priceless treasure.

Cain grew old enough to see as his parents’ hair turned white, their skin wrinkled, and their backs bent. He grew old enough to see his niece and nephew take their first steps, say their first words, and eventually start attending school.

He himself grew old enough to meet a very nice lady who captured his heart. He courted her, proposed to her, married her, and started a small but fiesty family with her.

They shared life and love in sickness and in health. They sailed through troubled waters, braved storms, and enjoyed calm and peaceful times.

Cain had been tested by life. Little by little, his innocence faded, replaced by maturity, readiness, and sturdiness that have been tempered by hardships and life in general.

Sometimes life is good, other times it’s not; either way, he’d still choose this one over his previous life, that’s for certain.

And time flowed as he lived.

Cain lived within the moments; he didn’t chase any absurd goals or obsess over ridiculous achievements whatsoever. He was present at each time, absorbing everything and living through it; that’s the most important part.

Something this mundane, so simple, was a precious treasure for him. One that Cain protected, experienced, and treasured greatly.

And he wasn’t just talking about the good times. It includes the bad times as well.

His parents were the first ones that bid them farewell. He could still remember that night and the morning after clearly.

There wasn’t much drama about it, just a solemn certainty, one that made itself known over time, one that had been brewing for a while.

He had seen them age well, and he knew that their time was running out. But instead of searching for ways to prolong the agony, to delay the inevitable, Cain and his siblings chose to gradually prepare themselves to accept the reality of life.

And their parents themselves asked them not to do anything drastic. They themselves knew that their time was running out and refused to extend it any further.

They made themselves clear to them. They were satisfied with this life, fulfilled even. They couldn’t ask for more. They’re content with how this life went for them, and truly, this was one of the best endings they could ever ask for.

Especially considering everything that they’ve done.

Cain and his siblings respected their parents’ will and just did their best to accompany them until the end.

That ending came at a fair and well-earned evening. The whole family felt it when that time arrived.

The bug empress and Anuman lay on the same bed, embracing each other and singing each other to sleep. Cain and his siblings went into the room, and with heavy hearts, they too sang the couple to their final sleep.

Cain sang through his sobs, not stopping until the couple closed their eyes for the final time. His father ruffled his hair one last time, and his mother hugged him and kissed his forehead for the final time too.

After that, they passed away.

They died in their sleep, peaceful, serene, and satisfied with everything.

Cain didn’t move from their side until the morning came.

That was one of the most profound lessons that he learned: ’Everything will end at some point. And goodbyes, as sad as they are, don’t always have to be violent. It could be peaceful too.’

The funeral was short and sweet. This too was a request from their parents. They didn’t want their children to dwell too much on their deaths. Grieving is fine for a while, but eventually, they must get back up and move on.

Of course, Cain never forgot about them. He visits their graves once every month, talking to them as if they were still around.

He and his siblings maintained their connection. Hell, if anything, their bond became even stronger afterwards. Cain assumed that their parents would’ve been proud of that.

Life continued onward after that…

Cain grew older, and so did his wife and his children.

Eventually, Pelle and Maricel also died from old age. They passed away as peacefully as their parents did: on their beds, peacefully in their sleep.

Cain accompanied them the entire time, refusing to move until the morning of the day after came.

It was painful each time, but Cain didn’t shy away from it. He cried out the pain and the hurt, accepting them as they were. He promised to look after the family after they were gone.

More time passed after that, and Cain eventually became an old and jaded man. He had come to a point where he started relating very much with his parents.

He had raised his children to be fine and exemplary citizens. His marriage continued to be warm and sweet, and his family continued to become bigger and bigger.

Much to his dismay, though, his wife went ahead first. She wasn’t quite as long-lived as he was, a difference that he came to understand after discovering that she was growing older faster than he did.

Once again, Cain was hurt. But just like he always did in the past, he accepted it as it was and moved on.

More time passed, and surprisingly, he also outlived his own children.

That one hurts the most. Cain grew up to believe that parents should never be the one to bury their own children. And yet, despite his careful planning, his strict discipline, and everything, he still outlived them.

He personally lulled them into sleep, telling them his farewells as they passed on.

Cain didn’t blame anybody, but he was still hurt. He was hurt for such a long time that he found his home a little unbearable.

As such, he left for a while. He explored the world to clear his mind and to broaden his horizons. It was only after a few years of doing that that he was able to come back and settle down once more.

But eventually, he too felt his time coming. This time, much like his family did before him, he accepted it.

He wasn’t scared; he didn’t avoid it or entertain any thoughts of extending his life. He had lived long enough. He had done more than enough in this life, and he had experienced as many things as he possibly could have.

It was enough. More than enough. Even with the option to have more, he would graciously opt out of it. Because in his mind, he had done and had enough. It was time for him to go.

Cain lay on the same bed where his parents passed away. He lay precisely in between where their bodies would be, imagining them singing him his favorite lullaby, the same one he sang to them when he sent them over.

He was surrounded with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren before his death.

And before he drew his last breath, that one thought that had been gnawing at the back of his mind through his entire life finally made itself known to him.

’Ah, what a great dream this was…’

Cain lived for a thousand years. He started as a child who had been robbed of the chance to grow up, but through the grace and mercy of those two people, he, or more specifically, they were given this chance.

Whether everything was fake or not, he really didn’t care. To him, it was real, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

As he closed his eyes for the final time, he saw himself back to his tiny body.

His family was calling him from a distance, beckoning him to come.

And so, with that same wide and joyous smile on his face and a chipper laugh, he ran towards them.