"A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth."
-African proverb
The raging fires blared even further in my ears.
However, the sound that even eclipsed the noise of the flames were the bloodcurdling screams of Maria, who just appeared out of nowhere.
I embraced the screeching woman in front of me while she quivered on own, feeling the excruciating pain that she had just received from her own child. She hopelessly fell on the ground when I failed to support her from her wailing as she uttered some words:
"M-My…child! Ha…m-my…!"
In front of us, Nada looked deranged and empty while standing idly, giving the impression that he was not aware of what just happened. In return, my Pops used this opportunity to grab me and together with the Boss while holding Maria, all of us managed to leap away from him. The movement was performed in a swift and fluid manner that it was actually a miracle that these two men are fast on their feet.
"No…! Maria! How did you get here! Oh no…she is bleeding profusely….!" shouted by the alarmed Boss in my side.
Pops, who became silent for some reason, tried to grab the arms of the crying mother, but she refused to be touched.
W-What should I do…? No! She is in grave danger! If I do not act fast, she will die!
"Quickly, we have to get her away from here! She will not last long in the battlefield!" he said, not believing the process of the events.
"N-no! Redhead! Pale boy! Get back here, you two!"
Out of nowhere, just after when we have secured our distance to Nada, Roy and Malthur charged off to the direction of the completely dazed and stupefied boy who was possessed by the Effese. Acting out that was completely away from his character, Roy howled a shout of anger and unsheathed his Flamberge.
"I beckon thee: Gugurang! The fang of volcano!!!"
The moment he uttered his Beckoning act, the explosive volumes of flames erupted in his very sword. Unlike his past battles, these very blazes felt extremely peculiar…
Perhaps due to his anger directed completely at Nada, the flames swirled in a gigantic volume, creating noises from its explosive combustion down right on its very blade.
Malthur, who was running after this raging Redhead, also freed his wooden sword, acting as a support for Roy.
Agh! These two! What happened to their incurable recklessness!
I will certainly chastise them harshly after we are done here!
But, right now…
I looked at the shuddering body of Maria, moving helplessly on the ground. The way she screamed and jolted away while still calling the name of his child, made me pity her to no end.
Alright! That does it! No more suffering for this woman!
I wore off my baggage and every objects that are heavy on my body so that I can focus without any problem. I inhaled heavily, closed my eyes, and focused with my sword.
I beseeched down within my internal self and bellowed:
"I beckon thee: Nimue!"
Please, I am begging you!
I am aware that you tend to do a lot of unannounced things that can result into my inevitable embarrassment, but please…just for once, work for me so that I can bring comfort to this poor soul!
…!
Once again, I saw the illuminated figure of a person who was surrounded by the light of cerulean.
The familiar image of a reserved and calm woman appeared in front of me.
"Oh, you beckoned me again…"
As I deepened my concentration, a soothing voice brushed my unsuspecting ears.
I-It can talk?! This sword can talk!!!
Hahaha…no. That is utterly ridiculous.
I reserved my shock and amazement and continued in concentrating for the fear of breaking this connection within my sword. I breathed slowly and within myself, while still placing my hands to the bleeding arm of Maria, I prayed intently:
"Please, ease the pain of this woman!"
I repeated my plight as many times as I can in my mind and suddenly, a flash of light sparked momentarily in my senses. Alongside with that-
"Hmmm… it seems that you are adopting well in calling me. Are you certain about this…?"
-A voice that definitely belongs to the woman in front of me, asked me a serious question. Even though her face was still concealed in my eyes, her emotions are communicated well directly at me with the use of her voice- a voice that…even if gentle and calm, is also resolute and affirmed at the same time.
I cannot manage to answer her words into this scenario since I cannot convey my thoughts very well. However, she seem to understand my innermost plights when it comes to dire situations such as this.
As I agonized about the fact that I cannot communicate with this dreamy woman, I was helpless to do anything except stare at her. The moment I did, she gave me a gesture that felt unreal to me…
This woman…who I still do not know, gave me a smile- a gentle yet courageous smile.
I accidentally opened my eyes due to that vision and while still feeling the grogginess on my senses, I felt the heavy weight of Maria, still resting into my lap.
Huh…she fell unconscious.
Furthermore, probably due to that lady within my sword, her bleeding arm stopped.
"Quick! Move Maria away from here! You too, kid! You have to run away with the others! It is not safe here!"
Uncharacteristically from his casual affront for the majority of the situations, my Pops was alarmed upon talking to me, his voice somehow troubled. In his side, the Boss wordlessly took the sleeping body of Maria and took it from somewhere safe.
"No way, Pops! I am staying here! I am a Myrmidon, after all! Besides, after you called me out on not being a good Myrmidon earlier, I will prove you wrong!!!"
I shouted in front of my Pops while the intensifying clashes between Nada and Roy can be heard.
Pops formed a conflicting expression on his face when he heard my newfound resolve in putting the raging Effese down. He sighed woefully, then said:
"Listen, kid. That 'being' is not Nada anymore. It just became the full reincarnation of an Effese just now."
Huh?
"What do you mean by that, Pops?" I asked as I felt an emerging feeling of fear within my body.
"While the three of you were out, it devoured the ore that I kept with me. For some reason, the effect of the ore suddenly reacted to the Effese and it turned into…this." he said, as if narrating a tragic mistake.
I see…that is the reason why were you beaten up by that being huh, Pops?
Now that I have seen him behave like this, I am afraid that I have to concur…
But…I still believe that he can still be saved!
We… we have to do something about this Effese because if not, it will completely devour Nada!
Handling the original Effese was already troublesome in itself, but apparently, when it latches into a being that is driven by the desire for change, well…I do not want to imagine the sheer extent of its capabilities to this very event.
Ugh! What a troublesome situation!
Looking how it behaves right now, the Effese seemed to have completely taken over Nada's body. It does not even bother to talk anymore since it is locked with a decisive clash with the two boys.
Huh…what is this feeling…?
Nada…? Nada is somehow…crying?
"Pops! No! That is not entirely true!" I suddenly shouted into my Poops when I turned back into him.
"How so?" he said, apparently shocked from my dismissal of his words.
"Errr… I can just feel it but…Nada is still over there and he is crying…! We have to help him!"
After hearing me say a statement that is full of vagueness, my naturally-skeptic Pops just laughed at me.
"Hmph. You tend to spout funny things, kid." he chortled.
"Fufu…it seems that my rigid training with them paid off!"
Suddenly, the Boss, who came back from evacuating Maria, returned back to us. He spoke in a proud manner while patting my head.
"What do you mean…hold on, what is the meaning of this, kid?" Pops turned to me then asked.
The Boss became extremely proud in his expression the moment he heard those words by my Pops. I, on the other hand, just kept silent.
B-Boss…? Is Maria safe? Why are you talking like that amidst this chaos?
"Hehe…well, let us just say that I educated your daughter about the basics of the sword. At first, she was struggling to learn the intricacies of the arts together with her pale friend over there, but after some time, she adapted on her on ways and did it solely with the aid of her own sword!"
The Boss looked at me, his proud smile emerging from the corners of his lips.
"Right now, kid…no- Astoria, you just learned how to sense the Essence of your target!"
"Hah? Pardon me? Sense…Essence ha??? I am not quite sure if I can follow, Boss…" I said confusingly.
Thump!
"Argh. You are quite sly there, kid. You allowed this shady man to teach you first before me, your father? So…this is the feeling of betrayal."
Suddenly, Pops lightly smacked my head and he spoke in a lonesome manner.
Huh…could it be? Wait a moment….!
"Hey, Pops…did you just give a hint at me that you are jealous of the Boss?" I said straightly at him while he avoids my line of sight.
"HEY! I APOLOGIZE FOR JOINING YOUR CONVERSATION, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP HERE!"
Out of nowhere, with a voice as if to express his undeniable frustration for the three of us, Malthur roared loudly in the plaza.
Oh, sharps! I forgot!
"IF THE THREE OF YOU WON'T MIND, HELP ME WITH THIS REDHEAD RIGHT HERE!!! QUICKLY!!!" he howled some more.
We looked at the troubled expression of Malthur as he was left in a shade of the battle ground while Roy, alone in his own ways, is fighting toe-to-toe with the Effese.
"Oh, no! Roy! I am coming!!!" I worriedly shouted.
I was about to run in his direction, but the Boss stopped me.
"Hold it, Astoria." he suddenly remarked.
W-What seems to be the problem? Why are you stopping me?!
"Say, my long-time friend, what is your take in this odd sight?"
Instead of providing any clear explanation to aid my confusion, he turned in my Pops and seriously asked.
Pops remained mum.
"Hmmm…that poor boy. It appears that he may be experiencing this as well. Furthermore, in this dire situation I cannot seem to find Rougestan… where is he?" the Boss inquisitively inquired.
"…He ran off somewhere. I just do not know where the exact place is."
Uhhh…what are these two talking about?
"Heh…that man never changes, eh?"
Due to the continuous confusion that keeps piling up in front of me, I opened up with my own inquiry:
"What is this about?! Do not stop me! I have to help Roy, Boss!" I shouted in front of them.
I tried to sprint yet again, but Pops just grabbed my arm in order to prevent me in getting closer to Roy.
"You see, kid... Roy might be getting this…infirmity." he whispered lowly.
Infirmity…? What are you getting at, Pops?
Instead of asking him directly, I looked intently at the odd-behaving Redhead in the combat grounds.
As I look at him, his furious roars and shouts are echoing intensely, making him terrifying to observe.
The Redhead friend of mine, known from being intense in a sword duel, became a much aggressive swordsman as he behaves peculiarly in this very fight. He moves aggressively, with power, bane, and uncharacteristic anger that dwells out in him, as manifested on the very flames of his Flamberge. Normally, alike to his fight with Razorfang back when he rescued me in the caves, his crimson flames swivels normally on his very command with much ease and control that compliments well in his intensive fighting style.
However right now, he fights alike to an apex predator…
A predator who lost its sense of control and remorse.
Roy slashed with his Flamberge in a vicious manner as he roars his unintelligible shouts towards his enemy. As he fights, the huge and swirling volumes of flames only keeps getting bigger and bigger, until they are becoming explosive balls of fire. The Effese, though invincible and has no weak point, only commits itself in dodging and does not even bother to give any responsive assaults back at him.
What is with this Redhead…? It is as if, he just became like…a brutal animal…!
"L-Let go of me, Pops! I have to stop this! Roy is not acting like himself at this moment!" I angrily shouted at my Pops, who still grips my right arm.
If I do not stop him…he will get himself killed!
His relentless thrashing is only getting more intense as the fires from the plaza are still raging, even if the villagers are already doing their best in putting it out.
"We cannot stop him, kid. He had to be stopped by none other than himself in this case." commented by my Pops.
Argh! I hate this! We are powerless to stop him!
"Malthur! Get back here so you will not be hurt!" I shouted at him while he had that 'dumbstruck' look in his face. It seems that he was surprised at the sudden character of Roy as well.
"Yeah! Yeah! I know, you dumb- hmmm? HUH?!" suddenly, as he was fuming about something, Malthur panicked.
The moment he said those words, I heard heavy clomps of sounds reverberate around the place.
"…What is it? What is wrong?" I asked at him.
"Is t-there an earthquake here or something? Something is shaking while making sounds!" he answered back, his nervousness is settling in.
…!
BRFOOOOOM!!!
A sudden glimpse of a sight enveloped my eyes for a second, then the sound of a roaring explosion came after. All of us were sent aback due to the surprising force of the explosion, that it made us lose our balance on our standing.
Various screams of the villagers rang out upon feeling the sudden disturbance of the explosions as well and they had no choice but to run for their safety.
But…upon further inspection on the sounds, those explosions sounded closer into a gigantic clomps of footsteps.
We regained our senses from the fast disorientation, then saw a towering creature, looking down on the fazed Effese, who was knocked as well.
The vicious Roy, who was hit by that gigantic creature, was whiplashed so strong that he fainted.
The creature, which gave me a miniature jolt in my heart, growled in its majestic roar.
W-Why is it here?! I thought that we already subdued it?!
I, while bearing a huge astonishment in my face, looked in awe as I stared at the familiar figure of the Hainu, who was named Bintii by this panting Mal-git.
I-Is this the same Hainu that terrorized the village…? Or is it a different one?
Argh! This is literally the worst day to become a Myrmidon!!!
"Ah! Oh, my! What a destructive battle that we are having!"
Suddenly, as I was feeling lost due to the overwhelming distress that I am having in my heart, a soft voice called out to us from nowhere.
"Please! I am pleading to those who are fighting, let us get along!" it continued.
Where is that voice coming from…?
…!
I looked upward to the direction of the angry Hainu.
More specifically, into the direction of its forehead.
Her silver-white hair swiveled in the motions of the thin wind as she looked downward.
It was the beautiful prisoner of the League, Libra.
"Kuya Effese! It has been a while! Did you miss me?"
***
How should I put this…
This situation is disorienting, to say the least.
The transition from the raging battles against the Effese earlier, to the sudden entrances of this Hainu and Libra was rather confusing for all of us.
All of us looked in awe and wonder as we looked upward towards the direction of the two figures who just made an impressionable entrance.
"S-She is…flying!!!" cried by Malthur in a distance.
Oh…right. My mistake, I can only see the Hainu for some reason…did it turn invisible for this occasion?
Libra laughed cutely when she heard that faulty observation of Malthur while patting the head of the gigantic creature.
"Silly Malthur! I cannot fly, you know! I just got here because I am riding this cute creature on its head!" she tittered.
"What creature are you talking about?! Hey, I know you are cute and all, but do not tease us in a time like this!" Malthur responded, feeling the annoyance and embarrassment at the same time.
In return, Libra smiled cheerfully when she just heard the untimely compliment of Malthur and so, she patted the domesticated Hainu once more in its head. Feeling the soothing sensation from her patting, the colossal creature growled happily, then lowered its head. She jumped with ease on the ground between us and the Effese and spoke happily with us.
Seeing her like this…it seemed like she cannot read the atmosphere of battle and violence here…
"Hehe… I thank you for describing me as a cute person but…I am not jesting, all of you!" she said merrily when she glanced at all of us.
What is with this woman?
"You! How did you escape the prison huh?! Explain yourself!" Pops shouted at her.
"Oh! Forgive me from the unpleasant action of mine, sir! I cannot help but to look at the events here in the city when I heard numerous shouts and cries, even if I am imprisoned in your cell! For some reason, this gentle creature right here came to my rescue and helped me escape the prison! Then, after we wondered a bit in this chaotic city, I found all of you! I consider that as a good luck…hehe!" she explained willfully.
"What creature are you speaking about? You just arrived here by yourself!" Pops rebutted angrily.
"W-What…? I apologize sir, but really! She is right here in my back! Can you not see her?" she frantically waved to show off the calmed Hainu.
"No, Pops. She is speaking the truth. I can see it too…for some reason." I intervened between them.
"Ah! Such kindness, Tori! You have my thanks-"
"No! You must be affiliated with this enemy! Enough with your cute façade and do not get in our way!" Pops growled.
"I…I am cute, sir?"
Hey! That is not the point, hoi!
"That monster…that monster mutilated that lady…THAT MONSTER HURT MY COMRADE!"
Acting completely different from his usual self, my Pops became extremely angry on his words when he tried to grip his Terrabuster once again.
"Pops, no! You are terribly injured! Just lie low for this one, okay? Libra is on our side!" I said reassuringly.
"WRAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH!!!"
Once again, to the surprise of all, an animalistic howl erupted in the entirety of the plaza. The sound was so loud and intense that it made everyone stop and look at the direction of the horrific figure that stood in front of us.
The malefic aura from the Effese reignited once more, alike to a rekindled fire tinged in violet. It gripped the Sword Breaker with much force and contempt in its right hand- blood still dripping from it.
"Li…Libra…you have come…why…a-are you here…?"
The monster spoke with a sudden change from its voice. It is rather obvious that it does not sound alike to Nada anymore, giving the manifestation that it just possessed the entire being of the poor child.
"Aha! Kuya Effese still remembers my name! My, how considerate of you to not forget about me! I am honored!"
Libra smiled excitedly upon hearing the scary statement of the Effese. She played around with her silvery hair by twitching them with her fingers, while looking at the monster's direction.
Huh…so they are THIS close, eh?
Libra jumped around in a spirited manner alike to a child who just found a lost toy in her possession. She walked closer to the Effese's vicinity while awaiting from its reply.
"Ah! If I am not mistaken, you devoured yet another mineral, correct? Really, I even refrained you from eating such a dangerous meal in the past! Look how grotesque you are!" she angrily stated, as if to nag the monster.
What are you, its mother?
"You…left the…circle. A-Are you…betraying us…? Are you…committing a treason…against the- against the…princess?" the Effese unnaturally inquired.
Hearing the threatening question of the monster, Libra smiled genuinely as if it was coming from the bottom of her heart.
"You know what? My memories came back to me, thanks to this city. Of course, I still know you, kuya because you are dear to me!" she said with a degree of affection on her voice.
She slowly approached the growling monster and carefully touched its blood-stained dagger.
"Please…stop terrorizing this place that saved me from the dark chains of the princess! Let go of this child that you have possessed! This is not like you, kuya! I believe that you can change. If it happened to me, the same will come true for you, is it not?" she softly remarked, peering closer to the quivering Effese.
"Ah…! No! Watch out!"
The Effese moved swiftly in order to stab the face of Libra, but she reacted in the same manner of quickness on her entire body. When it noticed that it missed, the monster attempted to slash the air-headed girl a lot of times, only to miss on its every hits.
Sure, the Effese was moving unbelievably fast for its own, but it was clear that Libra was much quicker.
Amidst the relentless assaults of the monster, Libra, who was still smiling as she dodges, is now effortlessly moving into the beat of the battle. Probably because she grew tired from only dodging, she retaliated her hand in the grip of the Sword breaker and swiftly eliminated it from the strong hands of the still-slashing Effese. The timing and precision was unnatural. The dagger was sent flying on our direction when Libra decided to keep it away from its owner.
Seeing the masterpiece that I created coming back to me, I did not hesitate to bite for the opportunity and took it for myself.
Great, my first creation tuned out to be the weapon of a mass murderer, how tragic.
Hmmm? Where did my baggage go?
"My, how rude, kuya Effese! I was just trying to let me invite you into this fun side of life, you know?! Please, do not attack me! If it not had been for my supreme aptitude in sword fighting, I would have tragically died right now! Hmph! You are now making me mad!"
At some point in trying to make the monster turn a new leaf, only to be flatly denied, Libra suddenly snapped.
"Please, do not make me hurt you! Even if I do not have a sword, I can still stop you, you know?!" she mightily declared at the towering Effese in front of her.
The Effese realized that it was not carrying any weapon anymore so it used its hands instead and flailed it around in front of the fuming Libra.
"WRAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!! A-Apostate! Y-You are…an apostate!" it mightily cried as it attacked her.
The Effese managed to corner the agile body of Libra when out of nowhere, she snappily flicked her finger. The crisp sound of her finger reverberated a bit around the plaza.
In a flash, a sudden motion of trembling insinuated around our vicinity due to the bashful movement of the enraged Hainu. It leaped with a mighty bark and in an instant, the whole body of the attacking Effese was held hostage due to its sharp fangs. The movement of the gigantic creature were swift and fluid, just because of the snap of this smiling woman.
"Aaah. Forgive me for this, kuya Effese. You were being aggressive, so I had to put you into this constriction. Just be still, okay? Let us talk!"
Libra tried to calm the bristling monster as it tried its best to free itself in the crushing fangs of the Hainu.
"L-Libra! Please stop this! Nada will…the child will be hurt because of this!" I shouted at her.
It will be only natural since he is being possessed.
"Oh, do not worry, Tori! Because of the influence of kuya here, the body of this child will not be injured!" she happily informed me.
"So…that means, it will never receive any physical damages no matter how hard we fight it?" Boss asked, still looking at the direction of the trembling Effese.
"That is correct, fat sir! Kuya here is the embodiment of nothingness so in combat, he will have this innate property of being invincible and susceptible from any physical and elemental damages!" she joyfully replied.
Fat…sir?
"I know that you have experienced it in first-hand. Even if he will be surrounded by a lot of fine swordsmen, he will not receive any harm since…well, he is nothing!"
"Tsk. What a troublesome foe. This monster is unlike any other that have encountered." Pops sighed.
"Although…for this case…"
Libra was about to say something when she stared at the forehead of the Effese.
"Hmmm…right. It seems like kuya has burrowed himself quite differently to this particular child. My, if I am not mistaken, I have never seen him possess a person like this!" she exclaimed, visibly surprised as she touched its forehead.
"Hey! Be careful! Do not touch that monster carelessly!" Malthur shouted abruptly.
"Hehe…it is quite sweet of you to remind me, Malthur. But at this current state, Kuya cannot do anything! So it is fine!"
She laughed femininely while looking at the direction of the blushing git.
R-Really? You two have the leisure to play around in a time like this?
"Now then," she sat comfortably into the ground, ignoring the dirt on it, then started her inquisition. "I will act as your negotiator between the two of you. Since I am still the 'balance', I guess I still have the right to assume my role into this very scenario! Hehe!"
Libra talked nicely in front of the monster as if it was her domesticated pet.
"Kuya Effese? Can I ask you to take your leave in the body of this adorable boy and promise to never terrorize mankind ever again? Since you are here with me now, we can live together in peace and harmony! Plus, if you will allow me to humor you, we will live together with Raffi! Fufu…a fine deal, is it not? Well? What will you say to that?"
She asked enthusiastically alike to a bargaining merchant who eagerly wants to sell her wares in the fastest time possible.
Also…Raffi? Who is that?
"Kuh! Agh! Y-you…want m-me…to l-live with you t-two???" the monster slowly asked.
"Mmm-hm! I ensure you that it will be 'life-changing', hahaha! Whoops, I cannot say that!" she laughed.
"Aaah. I…I cannot d-do that. N-No…I was made to…not do that k-kind of a-action."
As it spoke, the Effese trembled slowly. Even if faint, all of us heard that its stuttering words are uttered with emotion.
"Hmmm? Why is that, kuya? I am not sure if I can quite follow…" inquired by Libra as she tilted her head.
"I…cannot e-escape the p-princess…"
It said those words…
For the first time, this malevolent monster showed a genuine emotion of fear.
"If…I w-will not b-bend to her will, she…she w-will e-eradicate me."
The Effese professed to us that something greater than itself, will cause its inevitable demise.
For a being that is utterly indestructible…such power from that 'princess' can possibly exist?
"W-What are you saying, kuya? We are completely free from her bonds right now! Take a good look at me! I am doing well now, see? The same will happen to you if you denounce your dark pasts and start living in honesty!" shouted by Libra who became passionate in pleading at the enemy.
"I-I…am u-unlike you."
"Kuya…?"
Well, indeed. Obviously speaking, this monster is a manifestation of nothingness that can possess any beings.
"Forever…I-I am bounded forever t-to the c-commandments of her… H-Highness! Unlike the m-majority of a-all…of y-you, I-I am h-her creation. E-Even if it i-is not in my d-desires, it is not m-my own choosing…! I-It completely f-falls to her!!! I…AM…HER PUPPET!!!" roared by the agitated Effese.
"C-Calm down, kuya! You are purely distressed right now!"
"RAGH! WHAT D-DO YOU K-KNOW?! I…AM NOT A MERE HUMAN…LIKE YOU!!!"
Once again, even if it was held down with the jaw of a Hainu, the enraged Effese tried its best to escape, but to no avail.
"Kuya…listen to me…"
Libra peered in closer to the face of the squirming Effese.
"No…you are not called Effese. I am quite certain of it. In fact, you and I are quite alike…you were deprived of your memories as well…"
"W-What a-are you…? What are y-you implying?"
She ignored the startled voice of the quivering monster and lightly touched the unfathomable black sign in the forehead of Nada. Wearing the face that she knew great pain within her heart, she continued:
"You…you were a human like me in the past, correct? It must have been very tough for you…"
"Urgh…! Enough!!! STOP!!!"
Even if the Effese was shouting irately, Libra payed no mind and instead, she whispered close enough to its ear:
"I understand. I truly do, Eadwig…"
E-Eadwig…? So is it true that this particular monster just…
"WRAGHHHHHHH!!! I-I… COMPLETELY… D-DISCARDED THAT… N-NAME!!!"
The Effese started going wild as it moved back and forth inside the mouth of the growling Hainu. It howled angrily upon hearing a name that supposedly belongs to it when…it was once a human. So, I guess it is true…
Some unfortunate people have the experience of being robbed of their memories away from them…
Truly, this is utterly saddening.
Libra shed a tear when she saw the insane behavior of the monster. It looked like she was badly hurt upon seeing her dear friend to behave like this.
"…I know you have suffered too much. Please, let me aid you. Come with us." she added while caressing its head.
"ENOUGH…!" mouthed by the struggling Effese.
It seems like it is looking for something as it moves its head. Its eyes were shimmering while acting frantically.
"Kuya Effese, I am begging you! We can help you!"
"ALL OF YOU SHALL DIE!!!"
The moment it shouted those particular words, a solidified sound came to our senses, accelerating quickly into our direction. I was not able to locate its movements quite effectively, but when I ultimately opened my eyes, I saw a collection of hollow ribbons that were coming from its mouth that bursted outside of it. The ribbons themselves were invisible and colored in hazy black. Because of its outrageous movements, the ribbons moved precisely in a particular direction away from us and took something from an empty space near at our vicinity.
When they came back, my face grew in a complete shock as I beheld the item that it snatched…
Even in a dark evening such as this, its natural light shimmers faintly in the color of azure.
"All of you, get back! Quick!"
Libra called out to us when she saw the movement of the Effese as well, and tried to signal the Hainu for defense…
CRAGCK!
…But it was too late.
The Effese, while holding the glowing Azurite in its mouth, devoured the said mineral in its entirety. It tried to chomp the mineral first, then swallowed it immediately.
Soon after, the ground trembled. There was a potent quake that ensued in the plaza and the clouds aloft the dark-blue sky changed itself into purple.
The powerfully quake made us collapse yet again and it made us lose sight of our surroundings. The gargantuan Hainu was nowhere to be found, alongside Libra. Every buildings, infrastructure, and belongings around the plaza were completely sent in the state of oblivion.
When the strong, but short earthquake simmered, I gingerly opened my eyes…
!!!
"WAHHHHHHHH!!!"
I only managed to convey my feelings through a high-pitched shriek.
The monster, which only stood aligned to our height earlier, now looked down upon us.
…Or I presume that it stares on us, considering the fact that it had no eyes.
Ugh…this is your fault, Pops!
Why did you ask me to get these Azurites in the first place?!
The Effese smiled malevolently when it sensed our faces of fright and vexation.
***
"Argh! The next time that you ask me for a quest, I will not accept it anymore, Pops!"
I voiced out my internal frustrations by shouting helplessly, as I tried to trick this gigantic monster to not look at me.
Even though I cannot yet establish whether this particular monster can see us…
Because again, it had no eyes.
I attempted to stand again on the ground when I noticed that I was weakly lying on it. It took me a second to realize that all of us were blown away to the sudden force that this monster generated upon eating the Azurites.
Truly, these minerals are always the cause of my misfortunes.
I even experienced a lot of troublesome scenarios just to get these pesky objects!
I tried to hide in a huge collection of debris that piled up due to this monster's rampage and assessed the surroundings. I cannot see my Pops and Boss, nor the images of Libra and Malthur…
Where are they?! I hope they were not blown away in a very far distance.
My eyes wandered in the overall scenario of the plaza…
Once was a lively and bountiful landscape even in a time like this, a huge portion of the plaza was now a place of piles of debris and scorched properties. The flames were somehow subsided right now, yet its destructive embers are still wondering around, attempting its very powers to become stronger again. No matter where you look, all you can see are the signs of annihilation and hopelessness from this very mishap.
That is…if you look carefully, in the center of the plaza, you will find an odd exemption.
Situated in the heart of the place, where a lot of people are being baptized as a Swordsfolk, stands an unfazed and still-complete tavern.
Just looking at the familiar infrastructure amidst the chaotic sight in this place, made me grasp in an unforeseeable hope that is still within me.
"Uooorrrrggggh!"
OH, SHARPS!
I spotted the moving Effese and it was coming into my vicinity. It may have sensed me since I was just idly looking for my comrades, but it cannot completely pinpoint my exact location. As I moved gingerly, I hid within the blockades of walls while still looking at it with vigilant gaze.
As I observe this being, just calling it a 'monster' will be a strong understatement.
This monster towered in a frightening height of ninety-five feet, almost higher than our typical watchtower in the twin gates. Even if it somehow changed due to the mystic influences of the Azurite, it still retained the shape of a human- complete with a visible head, a pair of hands, and feet. Its overall external body was pale akin to the color of a yeast dough with some rare marks of veins, popping from all over its entirety. In its back, countless spots of eyeballs are popping on it, wanting to open themselves, but could not do it for some reason. As I looked at its face, an eerie and familiar symbol was burning into it in a malevolent, purple aura. Since it was enlarged this time, I can already make up what is the symbol for myself, even though I do not know what it implies even now:
"אֶפֶס"
Under its uncanny-looking symbol is a grotesque and fleshy lip that moves about, as if to whisper something. Although it opens and moves, there are no sound that escapes from it. Looking at it from this distance, it is as if the mouth itself is chanting a series of unintelligible sounds only it can hear.
Amongst all of its creepy, yet distinctive features, those are not the things that make it stand out…
Located in its wide and saggy belly, lies a gaping hole of void that generates from the very body of the monster. It looks sinister as it emanates an air of purple haze all over around it. No matter how hard I try to look inside of it, I cannot seem to sense anything inside of the said emptiness.
Is…is this the essence of this monster since it symbolizes the entity of nothingness…?
That…I am not quite sure.
For the time being, I will encounter trouble in this very stature sooner or later, if I stay here…I have to get away at this very insta-
THUD!
"Eeeek!!!"
I moved my body ever so slowly in order to avoid making unnecessary commotions. However, I was extremely clueless in the fact that doing these miniature movements will unexpectedly wake up someone that I am now wary to meet at this very moment.
Especially after what I about him earlier…
So…you were blown in this spot, huh?
I accidentally hit the forehead of the sleeping Roy when I attempted to move away from the distance of the Effese, causing him to stir-up in his deep and comfortable rest. His heavy eyes twitched a bit, before opening them slowly, as he made sounds of mumbling and sneezing in front of me.
"Urrrmmm… *yawn* Oh…it is you, Tori. What are we doing here…?" he said as he childishly yawned.
"O-Oh…welcome back, Roy! D-Did you have a good rest…?" I said nervously.
C-Calm down, Astoria! Do not let yourself be overshadowed with fear!
This is Roy! Your childhood friend!!!
"What do you mean by 'welcome back'? We were fighting Nada earlier, correct? Where is he now…? And…"
Roy looked around when I seem to be nervous to answer him…
"What in the name of the Heroes…"
He wondered his head, allowing the horrific sight of the destroyed plaza completely tell what happened when he broke down, after his animalistic assault to the enemy earlier…
However, from the looks of it, Roy does not seem to recall the happenings on the wake of his alternate self…
"The plaza… is completely in the state of…ruin." he said as his mouth is visibly trembling.
The only thing that I managed to do in order to ease the sudden shock on his system was to put my hands on his left shoulder…
"WHAT IS THAT?!"
Oh, right…I completely forgot.
Roy shouted frighteningly that, for a slight moment, I thought that his eyeballs were about to fall in his face. His entire body shook sporadically as he was trying to process the sight in front of him by looking upward.
"THIS IS…THE MONSTER?!" he said, trying to fight the fear inside of him.
I nodded wordlessly.
"This monster…! I shall never forgive it for destroying the plaza of the city!!! HERE I COME-"
Before he can even finish, I forcefully grabbed his shoulders and pinned him down back to the ground.
"BE QUIET YOU, IDIOT! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, HA?!" I whispered irately into him.
"FMMM-MMMM!!!"
"Do not even bother answering that! Listen, as we are right now, we cannot possibly inflict much damage on it so let us wait for others to show up!" I further continued.
This idiotic Redhead friend of mine usually fights logically and prefers to face situations with a plan in mind.
But, when he lets his emotions get the best of him…well, that happens.
"We just have to wait for the perfect opportunity to-"
SNAP!
I was about to instruct Roy on our next move when we both heard a clean sound of clicking that can possibly come from someone's fingers. What came after was a loud crash that emanated near us, resulting from our involuntary act of huddling towards the ground.
The Hainu…B-Bintii is back!
I forced to open my eyes, not minding the emerging fear in my heart, only to see the gigantic winged dog in front of us. It stood mightily as it barked directly in the Effese and proceeded to attack it with its sharp paws and fangs. In return, the Effese effortlessly dodged all of the savage attacks of the rare beast, almost looking like it was not even making a slight effort in moving.
…Their display of raw strength and force was a sight to behold. I never even dreamt on watching a colossal fight between two beings that surpasses my own sense of normalcy in this world, yet hear they are.
"Huh??? What are you two doing in a place and time such as this?"
As we watched, looking awe-struck on these two gigantic beasts, a soft voice called us out from our backs.
"AH! Libra! You are here now!" I shouted with much joy.
"Yes, I just got here, Tori. But…am I interrupting you uh, both?"
The beautiful girl that just approached us suddenly became timid when she said those words.
"What are you implying by that-?"
"E-Erm…Tori? Would you please let me go? It is hard to move around…"
Roy expressed his voice of discomfort, and then I realized….
"Eeeek! I am sorry! I am terribly sorry!" I shouted blatantly as I felt an incoming heat from my face.
"My apologies…it seems like I was a hindrance for you two! Well, feel free to regroup with me when you two are done with- WAH!!!"
"DO NOT BE RIDICULOUS, LIBRA! I was just trying to prevent this idiot from doing rash actions and that is all! We were not doing any weird things, I swear!" I shouted even louder.
Wahhh…why am I feeling a warm sensation in my entire head?
"Well, if you say so…" she uttered as she smirked.
I explained everything to Libra what happened when we were all knocked down to the ground after the Effese's abominable transformation.
"Things…turned out in a difficult situation as of now…" she said while I was finishing my explanation.
"Why is that…? Can we still inflict damage into that monster?" inquired by Roy.
"To tell you the truth, I have not yet seen kuya in this horrendous state from my experiences of being with him. I only saw him take the form of some beings while still replicating their respective images….but this is terrifyingly different."
So… digesting a rare and peculiar mineral such an Azurite can make this troublesome monster into…this.
"I-I am afraid that at this juncture of moment…that boy is now gone." she remarked sadly while still watching the raging fight in front of us.
Nada…is gone?
"Hey…Libra? I do not think that it is a fine time to joke around at this very moment." I said monotonously.
"I am not joking, Tori." she replied back still overseeing the fight from a distance.
"How can you even tell that, huh?"
"…"
"Hey, Libra. Tell me, will you? How can you tell that Nada is completely gone? Ha?!"
Out of nowhere, possibly because of the different emotions I feel simultaneously, I became overly-emotional.
"…"
"LIBRA!!! HOW?!"
"T-Tori! Calm down! What has gotten into you out of a sudden?"
Roy, who for some reason became extremely concerned, ironically grabbed my shoulder.
Why am I feeling…huh?
Oh…
At that exact moment, an image of a smiling Nada flashed right before my eyes that, even though I am still looking at the raging monster right in front of us, I cannot avoid myself in reminiscing the memory of that gentle boy.
It is rather pathetic of me to say, but even in just a span of weeks without him, I already miss the child.
I miss those days when he clumsily handles the smithing tools in the shop…
I miss those days that whenever I enter the door of the smithy, he will always welcome me with a smile on his face…
I miss those days where…he still calls me as his 'Lady-smith'.
Oh, Nada… you poor boy.
As I took those memories heavily within my head, a stream of cold tears finally fell into my face.
I wept unrestrainedly.
The thought of losing this kindhearted boy forever is too much for me to bear.
"GRRRRRAAAAAAOARRR!!!"
I was still crying helplessly when all of us heard a high-pitched roar.
"L-Look! The Effese is…"
Roy was about to say something so that he can alert us in the sudden turn of events, but he was powerless to complete his statement…
The three of us stared in complete horror and disbelief when we saw a horrifying sight in the face of the monster.
Even if it was bounded by Bintii's fangs as she bares on its neck, the Effese cried a high-pitched roar from the pain, as it portrayed different images on its face in an interval succession. Each time that it changes faces, it cries its roars even louder.
Some of the faces were distorted, making them difficult to discern from each other.
However, as horrifying it may sound, the majority of the faces that it produces belongs to a living human.
I…I think that…this beast could not get any worse than it is right now…
"T-This could be the…" muttered by Libra on our side.
Suddenly, as it still howls in agonizing scream, the Effese was suddenly shrouded in a malevolent aura. The entirety of its body wore the miasma of the purple haze as it twitches unnaturally. Upon further inspection, the countless eyeballs that were throbbing earlier on its back, were now completely open and moved on their own, as if to survey its surroundings completely.
Not long after that, something pierced into the forehead of the monster, showing a gaping hole into it. The entirety of the symbol that I had seen earlier completely dissipated and in exchange came a pale body of a person, almost looking like a corpse…
It was Nada.
The three of us gasped from the sudden shock upon seeing his body being attached into the forehead of the malevolent monster. From the looks of it, the child is…
No! Do not lose hope, Astoria!
I was about to stand up and unsheathe my stick, when a peculiar voice rang around the place:
"I AM CHANGE."
The mouth from the face of the twitching Effese moved about and uttered the very words that we just heard. What came after was a series of different voices that stated various things in a simultaneous manner:
"CHANGE IS ABSOLUTE."
"WHERE IS THE LIGHT?"
"HOW MANY BODIES?"
"GRAAH-HAHAHAHA!"
"I HATE YOU WITHIN THE DEPTHS OF MY SOUL!"
"MMMM! BLOOD!"
"FATHER…I AM SCARED!!!"
"WHERE ARE MY SONS? WHO AM I?!"
"I AM…NOTHING."
"I CANNOT WALK ANYMORE."
"AWAAAAA! I NEED MY MOTHER'S MILK!"
"I AM ABSOLUTE!"
What in the name of the Heroes is this…?
Libra realized something as she closed her mouth with her left hand. She was trembling nervously when she turned to us in order to say something:
"Those…are some of the people that kuya…possessed." she said in absolute horror.
"…Smith."
"Huh? Did you hear that?" I suddenly said.
I heard a faint voice, almost about to disintegrate at any moment.
"La…smith."
"That again! Did anyone catch that?!" I shot up in my posture and asked in anxiety.
"Well, we are hearing various things at the moment, Tori! We are listening to them as well!" Roy seriously remarked.
"No! I am hearing a gentle voice in my senses, unlike these unnerving sounds from the monster!" I replied, completely agitated.
"Help me, Lady-Smith…"
I turned my head in the gaping hole located in the stomach of the monster. Even if it was overflowing with the purple aura, I faintly saw a glint of light in its center.
…I see.
So that is how it is.
In the end, you will always be a handful child, huh?
Do not worry, Nada…
"I am coming!!! I will have to kick you out of that thing if I have to!!!" I shouted.
There is no denying it…
That is the gentle voice of that kindhearted boy that I have worked with for a very long time!
I snappily got up, held my sword, and started to form a pose in order to commit my body in a full sprint. However, when I was about to run, a pair of hands grabbed my shoulders and prevented me in attempting to make another step.
"Hold on there, Tori! What do you think are you doing huh?!" bellowed by Roy.
"Tori, I am still unsure to your next action about this… but right now, I am completely against it! In our current state, there is nothing that we can do in order to inflict damage to kuya. Let us just hope that the Hainu can at least hold it up until reinforcements arrive! Right now, with the purple aura manifested from his body, kuya is now attempting to feast on the collective Essences of every inhabitants in this city! So please… do not think of doing anything reckless" remarked by Libra who is looking extremely concerned.
I appreciate the sentiment but…
"Unhand me, please."
Those are the only words that I managed to mutter on their backs.
"NO! Do not be stupid! Are we really going to fight about this in front of our foe that might pose a gigantic threat to all of our lives? Please, Tori. Do not be a heard-headed person right now!"
…I am sorry, both of you.
"I beckon thee, Nimue!"
I ignored the understandable protest of the two and instead, I beseeched down within myself as I kissed the blade of my sword. When that happened, the entirety of the plaza illuminated drastically in the tinge of light blue. Every nook and cranny in the place wore the same color as my sword and the light itself permeated on every surroundings of the place. I cannot sense it well since I am focusing, but I felt the fluid movements of the water on the battlefield that piled up around the area. Each molecule of the water began to swirl around me as I feel the light, finally enveloping into my own body while I continue to pray within myself.
"Hmm…it may be rude of me to ask but…"
As I focused, she called out to me once again…
The Lady in my concentration…the very person that teases me every time I call upon the power of this stick…
"Are you certain that you need my power at this very instant? You have an innate hatred for objects like this, after all…"
Even if her very face is still shrouded in front of me, I can still sense the sudden sadness that is forming in her face.
I…guess…that I just have to bear with the hatred towards them for now but…
But…
…
At that very moment, as I mused within myself, the very words of the Grandseer came to me:
"If you hated all of the things about this city in the first place, why are you still offering your services to them?"
When I heard those words from her for the first time, I only thought that she was just being sarcastic towards me as usual- a typical behavior of the Grandseer, whenever she was conversing with me.
But for some reason, for this very moment, I suddenly took those words in a different light now.
When I was about to be announced as a Myrmidon, I loathed the very fact that I have to work with these infernal sticks for the rest of my life. Even though I was blinded by anger and uncertainty at that very moment, there was this 'one thing' that the Grandseer consistently pushed within me as I partook the Beckoning rite:
What is my reason for hating them so much?
At that very point, I did not have an answer…
To be precise, I was afraid in forming an honest answer.
But right now, while feeling the direness of the situation, I may have formulated an available response that may satisfy my childish tantrum and preference.
There were a lot of countless reasons why I have hated those swords in the past that I still hold on to at this very day…
My Pops, my very childhood, and of course…
My dear mother that I did not even had the chance to meet-
All of those, along with the other gigantic reasons, is why I still regard these tools as a shadow of my unbearable past…
But…something dawned on me when I was in that ethereal tavern together with the Grandseer:
"Am I going to be like this forever?"
Will I completely despise the very symbol of my people until I die? Is it really acceptable to shy away their significance into my very roots when, up until childhood, they were the things that I played with every day?
Well… absolutely, indeed.
I, without any shade of doubt nor reservations, do detest them.
They were the reasons why Pops became cold towards me in my childhood and up until now, he rarely makes time to be with me because of them.
Thanks to them, my comrades and I were sent to different challenges and life-threatening situations that, if Lady Luck was not on her mood to aid us, we were undoubtedly be dead by then.
Because of them…
If it were not for them…
…Mama will still be alive right now.
However, those were in the past…
Even if I focus all my youthful energy directly in the act of hating these sticks, nothing will be any different. I know, she will not come back. My Pops will not change. My life will still be the same.
To that, I pose a question within myself:
Am I really going to be a selfish and stubborn person when the life of someone extremely special to me is at stake here?
Ah…there it is. That is my answer. Why was it too difficult to see?
I took a deep breath, slowly opened my eyes, and assessed the situation:
The girl in front of me was still waiting for my response.
However, instead of providing an answer to her important-sounding query, I threw a question to her as a response:
"Can you tell me your name?"
It took some time for her to process the strange question of mine since instead of receiving an answer, she just took another question instead. Then, when the words of mine finally sunk into her consciousness, her face formed a genuine smile…
A smile as if to welcome me, for some reason…
Suddenly, her whole body bursted into an illuminated, cerulean light, that she became impossible to see with my naked eyes. Slowly, the light wore off and finally, I was able to make out her face in this very occasion:
Her overall face was tinged in white- so white that you might think that the person is a celestial entity. Her familiar black hair that was idly hanging on her head swayed gently even if she was moving barely and little to no effort. As I observed intently, her luscious hair was rich and long that it even riches her feet, making her seem like an ethereal person. She looked at me with her prominent and deep-seated eyes that are wholly tinged in azure, as if she was peering into my very soul...
I finally saw what she looked like and upon observing her holistic image like this… she was breathtaking.
Just by standing in front of her gave me a manifestation that she is not a human being… at least, not in my standards. She had the aura of a gentle and compassionate beauty, yet courageous and stalwart at the same time.
She was still smiling joyfully at me when her lips moved:
"Paloma."
Paloma? Like…the dove?
"Aha! What a passionate revelation here, my lass! Here I was, dreading the fact that you will completely shut me off, not wanting to call my name ever again…but here you are! This is a blessing for the both of us!"
She smiled in front of me so-sweetly while emanating an aura of celebration.
As I was wondering of what she may be implying about her odd behavior, she took off the familiar longsword that she brandished off in front of me on the past, and kissed its guard. While handling the grip with her left hand, she placed her right hand into my chest.
She looked straightly at me, not flinching and assumed her expression into seriousness. Then, she uttered the following words:
I, the mistress of restoration, beckons within thee
Beseeching to thy soul, respond to my plea
In return, I shall bestow thee my treasury,
The power of the calming waters and spiritual remedy
Through thy tribute, my binds are now free
Thou are my alter ego in spirit and philosophy
This is our oath- you shall oversee;
Through death is asunder, for you and me.
The moment she finished, a burst of light enveloped my senses yet again.
When I finally opened my eyes, I saw that I returned into the surroundings of the plaza. I still felt that I was still being grabbed by both Roy and Libra but right now, something feels different about me…
It was as if, I am not into my own body right now…
I walked slowly into the direction of the raging Effese and before I even knew it, I was inside of its belly.
…
…
What is happening-?
…
My, how dark. I cannot see well.
Hmm? But if I am not mistaken, something…or someone is sitting idly into this murky place.
Dear, oh dear… I feel sheer sadness into this very room.
"Oh…someone came here."
A small voice that belonged to a child echoed inside of the place.
"Nada…was it? How about you show yourself to me, young child?
As a presentation of obedience, the boy named Nada came out into the darkness and presented himself. He smiled unnaturally for his age while brandishing a sword that was infused in a malevolent aura.
My, how tragic. Crossing paths with wickedness in such a young age.
"Lady-Smith…? Ha-ha. So you came…hold on a moment. You are not her, am I correct?"
The child tilted his head while saying those words. Afterwards, he just shrugged with his shoulders and remarked:
"Whoever you are, my name is Nadarick "Eefenil" Yacht! Also," the child pointed his dagger in a daring fashion and shouted malevolently, "I AM THE EFESSE!"
Goodness, what a lamentable sight!
Oh, if memory serves me well, Astoria knew that announcing one's name while presenting their weapon, is an issuance of a battle.
What was the peculiar term again…?
Ah! I remember now! It was Adamthryst!
"Astoria Naeva Justocia." I softly responded.
I was about to call the boy once again for saying something from my Alter ego but…
"Nadalheim!"
My, how tragic indeed.
I swung my pride and joy and closed my eyes.
…
…
HAH?!
W-What happened?
For a second there…I thought I was in a…
Huh?
"N-Nada!"
I shouted my sheer concern to the lying boy into the darkness. He was weak as he moved about on his own, but to no avail. His arms and legs abandoned their strengths, leaving him powerless and so, he had no choice but to lie down and look with despair on his face.
"Nada! Can you hear me? Please, answer me!" I shouted as I clung to his body.
"Lady-Smith…huh. So it was you, after all." he weakly gasped.
"Hey! Do not speak like that! I am begging you, stay with me, got it?! Any complaints will not be accepted!"
A weak chortle.
"Hehe…you never change, Lady-Smith. Even after all of those things that I have done, you still treat me like this…"
I slapped his cheek for saying such an incredulous thing.
"You idiot! Do not lie to me and to yourself! The Effese did this to you! You were in its influence the entire time and because of that, it was out of your power!"
Nada shook his head.
"No, Lady-Smith. I invited the monster within me. I let it consume my inner self and as a result, I hurt people."
"Y-You are wrong…! No! I cannot accept this! You were just a child!"
I ignored the trembling sensation into my throat.
"Say, Lady-Smith? Why did you save me? Why, among all of those deserving people than me, did you suddenly decide that I am more worthy of your mercy? I caused destruction and calamity, correct? What pushed you to act like this?"
Well, it is fairly obvious…
"This is not fair. For the years of being with you, I understood that you were like me. Both of us had a feeling like we did not belong to this very society that we live in. You and I shared the sentiment of being an outcast in our way of living…so why? Why was I different than you?!"
The body of the boy began to tremble.
"N-Nada…?"
"Hey, Lady-Smith. Tell me? Were my actions too wrong? All I wanted was to feel like I belong. I just wanted to change the air of oppressiveness in this very place! At least, for a moment, I just wanted to ease the pain of my mother by transforming this society!"
Not long after, Nada began to cry.
I have not heard him cry like this before. It sounded like a raging storm in his very soul.
"Arg…*sniff* Why?! Why did I become like this…? Haaaa! Tell me!!! Tell meeee! Waaaahhh!!!"
He stayed like this for the majority of the hour. I did not bother to talk and instead, I let my hand do the comforting to his side. After his bawling subsided, he regained his composure and said:
"Heheh…the city will hate us now. Not just me, but also the Swordless…"
"Well, you cannot say that is the case…"
"Perhaps…things would have been better if I was never born..."
SMACK!
"Argh."
"You idiot!!! What in the name of Heroes are you talking about?! Do not ever say that again huh?!"
While saying those words, I smacked his head a lot of times, when I noticed something that was coming out of my clothes.
"Hmmm…? The talisman of the doc? Why was it glimmering?" I said, while still continuing to smack the forehead of the groaning Nada.
O-OH…? His while body is shining! C-Could it be?
Heh… you are a sly one, Doc.
I sighed heavily, then with the remaining strength I had within my body, I forcefully smacked the symbol-laced forehead of Nada.
Before I collapsed, I hugged the child and said:
"You are not a failure, Nada. Just promise to me that you keep doing mistakes while I am watching. It is alright to make mistakes as a human being. But what really matters is how you change for the better after that mistake."
"Change…"
Nada mumbled into himself.
Oh…no… I am losing my consciousness.
Even if my eyesight was already getting woozy, I saw the calmed expression of Nada- closing his eyes as if he is in a prayer. Afterwards, his whole body was engulfed into the light and it illuminated everything.
Then, everything trembled.
Before I even closed my eyes completely, the last image that I saw were the smiling faces of my companions, my Pops and the Boss, together with the transparent images of various people. They smiled passionately in front of me and flew aloft into the orange-tinged skies.
T-This…woman is really tricky.
Did she just used my body without my consent?!
Truly, I hate swords!
I felt the incoming weariness in my body and I wordlessly welcomed it without any resistance.
As a result, I promptly fell asleep.