100 Prompt Challenge - Astelle

Prompt: It's not easy to accept the loss of a loved one, especially the one you loved most.

—

Asta was dead.

Noelle knew it.

She had seen it happen. She had watched as he struck the final blow against Lucius, his body burned and battered, his breathing ragged. She had seen him grin even in his final moments—so infuriatingly Asta—before the light left his eyes and he collapsed in the ruins of the battlefield.

And yet—

Her body refused to accept it.

Her mind revolted against the truth.

Because how could Asta be gone?

Asta, who always got back up no matter how many times he fell. Asta, who had promised her he'd always be there. Asta, who couldn't die.

He just couldn't.

But the battlefield was silent now.

Lucius was gone. The war was over.

And Asta—Asta wasn't waking up.

Noelle's hands trembled as she knelt beside him, pressing her fingers against his cheek. His skin was still warm, but there was no breath, no heartbeat.

And the world—her entire world—cracked apart at the seams.

—

Denial

Noelle didn't leave his side.

Not even when the others tried to pull her away.

Not even when Mimosa, voice trembling, whispered that there was nothing more they could do.

Because they were wrong.

They had to be wrong.

Asta wasn't dead. He just needed a little more time. A little more healing.

So Noelle did the only thing she could.

She summoned her magic, pouring everything she had into a desperate attempt to fix him.

Water flowed from her palms, wrapping around his broken body in a protective sphere.

"Come on," she whispered. "Come on, Asta. You're not done yet."

She pushed harder. Ignored the exhaustion creeping into her limbs.

"Just wake up, you idiot."

Nothing.

Her vision blurred, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to give in.

"Asta," she choked out. "Please."

She wasn't sure how long she kept going. Minutes? Hours?

But eventually, her magic faltered. Her body gave out.

And Asta—

Asta still wasn't breathing.

—

Anger

The funeral was a blur.

She barely remembered who spoke, what was said, or how many people cried.

All she could focus on was the rage bubbling inside her, growing with each passing second.

Because this wasn't fair.

Asta was supposed to become Wizard King. He was supposed to live.

He was supposed to keep that stupid, reckless grin and annoy her forever.

But instead—

Instead, he was gone.

And the world dared to keep spinning without him.

She clenched her fists, trembling. "It should've been me."

Yuno—stoic, unreadable Yuno—turned to her, eyes shadowed with grief. "Don't say that."

"But it's true!" Noelle snapped. "He always put himself in danger for everyone else. He never thought about what would happen to him—what would happen to us if he was gone—" Her voice broke. She sucked in a sharp breath.

Yuno said nothing.

Because he knew.

Everyone did.

Asta had saved the world.

And in doing so, he had destroyed hers.

—

Bargaining

Noelle tried everything.

Every possible way to bring him back.

She spent hours in the library, researching resurrection magic, forbidden spells, anything that could undo what had been done.

She begged Nero to try sealing him inside a relic, to preserve him until they found a solution.

She even sought out the Witch Queen, willing to offer anything—her magic, her life—if it meant Asta could live.

The Witch Queen only gave her a solemn look. "Death is absolute, child."

Noelle's nails dug into her palms. "Not for him."

She left the Witch's Forest empty-handed.

But she didn't stop searching.

Because there had to be a way.

There had to be.

—

Depression

The days dragged on.

Noelle stopped training. Stopped leaving her room.

Stopped feeling anything at all.

Because what was the point?

Asta was gone.

And without him—

Nothing mattered.

She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, hollow and numb.

She ignored the knocks at her door. The worried voices of her squadmates.

She had spent so long fighting, but now… she was just tired.

Too tired to keep going.

Because how could she, when the one person who had always pushed her forward was no longer there?

She closed her eyes.

Maybe if she just stayed like this long enough…

Maybe she'd see him again.

—

Acceptance

It happened months later.

Noelle sat by the sea, watching the waves crash against the shore.

This was where she had trained for Valkyrie Dress. Where Asta had once stood beside her, cheering her on.

Where she had first started to believe in herself.

The wind brushed against her face, and for the first time in a long time, she let herself remember.

Not just the pain.

But him.

His laughter. His determination. The way he always saw the best in people.

The way he had always believed in her.

Noelle took a shaky breath.

Asta wouldn't have wanted this.

He wouldn't have wanted her to waste away in grief, to let her sorrow consume her.

He had lived fighting for the future.

And if she truly loved him—if she truly wanted to honor him—then she had to do the same.

She had to keep moving.

For him.

For herself.

For the future they had once dreamed of together.

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

But this time—they weren't just from sorrow.

They were from love.

From remembering.

Noelle placed a hand over her heart, inhaling deeply.

Then—finally—

She stood up.

And walked forward.