Chapter 2009

Persephone wore a look of concern as she inched closer to Morpheus. "D-Do you not like it?"

Just then, the final firework illuminated the sky brightly.

She had designed it especially for him. The silver sparks gleamed like a thousand stars, with two letters shining brightest in the middle—MY.

"Morpheus, see the 'MY' in the middle?" She smiled. "I designed that for you!

"Do you like it?

"Morpheus?"

Morpheus stood frozen, like a cold sculpture.

His heart pounded, but he could only hear the flying bullets in the battle—a haunting echo of his troop's last scream at the battle's end.

It was his father's final bellow of despair.

Morpheus covered his ears and squatted down weakly, his head throbbing with pain.

“No… No…”

"Morpheus!"

Persephone was shocked by what she saw. She attempted to hug him, but he pushed her away. Despite being wounded from the push, she ignored it and tried to embrace him again.

"What's wrong, Morpheus? You're scaring me!"

He trembled and sweated as if hi