All he saw was gray.
Nova floated around in a space that felt both light and heavy.
His skin felt freezing cold and dry.
He faintly heard a voice speak out to him.
『...up.』
His body suddenly jerked, waking him up in a jolt.
He found himself in a place with a floor covered in white ash.
No matter how far Nova looked, it was dark in the horizon.
The place was flat as could be.
『...Wh- Cugh! Hgh!』[Nova]
He started coughing violently, sending waves of pain down his body.
A voice came from behind him, along with that person patting his back.
『You alright there?』
He turned around to find Reischneid looking at him with a concerned look.
『...My lungs feel dry. 』[Nova]
『...That's to be expected from this place.』[Reischneid]
『...Where are we?』[Nova]
Another voice spoke that gave the both of them chills.
『Purgatory.』
The ash suddenly rounded itself up into a figure.
Asmodasiah looked straight at Nova with a disappointed look.
『...To think I'd be back here so soon.』[Asmodasiah]
She slowly walked up to him, the chilling aura no longer there.
『...So… Did I get rid of that demon inside of Kikhia's brother?』[Nova]
『...It's hard to say.』[Asmodasiah]
『What?! You're saying that even with Nova's life, he couldn't get rid of the demon?!』[Reischneid]
『...We've expelled the demon into this realm using my powers. He's stuck here… at least until you actually die.』[Asmodasiah]
『...Actually die…?』[Nova]
『I refuse to kill my host. It's a waste. I simply burnt away what I needed to get you and him to this realm.』[Asmodasiah]
『So, he's not dead?!』[Reishneid]
『Not yet. We don't have much time, though.』[Asmodasiah]
Nova felt a wave of relief as tears started to roll down his face.
『Hey- Oi! Nova, you okay?!』[Reischneid]
『Just… Just relieved..』[Nova]
He wiped his tears off with his sleeve.
『Right. As expected. I'll explain as we go.』[Asmodasiah]
She started to walk off into the wasteland.
『Wait! Where are you going?!』[Reischneid]
『We're going to defeat the demon. Let's put him to rest.』[Asmodasiah]
『Wha?! Why would we...Ah...』[Reischneid]
Reischneid summoned his hilt and quickly whipped his wrist, summoning a blade.
『Reischneid? What's wrong?』[Nova]
『We're going to revive you.』[Reischneid]
『Huh?! How?!』[Nova]
They started to follow Asmodasiah closely.
『We have to defeat the demon that inhabited Zousa's body. Simple enough, right?』[Reischneid]
Nova nodded and continued walking.
『Wait, why are you here if I was the one sent here, Reischneid?』[Nova]
『I'm linked to you by the contract. I'm dead anyways, so it doesn't really matter.』[Reischneid]
『E..Eh..?』[Nova]
『That's right. Your spirit and soul is here, so it's fitting that any contracts you have has followed in suit.』[Asmodasiah]
『Huh… then, that means...』[Nova]
『Arf! Arf!』[Sir Fluffles]
He came flying from the sky.
『There you are, Nova! I couldn't leave to help for some reason!』[Sir Fluffles]
『Oh, right! I hadn't even thought of summoning Sir Fluffles to help me with that fight!』[Nova]
『Well, of course. The presence of the demon seemed to be affecting the stability of our contract. It seems that Zousa had been possessed for a long time, as the contract they held was much too strong.』[Reischneid]
『...Contract?』[Nova]
『He was probably tricked into agreeing to a contract where he would gain strength in exchange for something. Demons take to the weak-minded.』[Asmodasiah]
『...Ah, so-』[Nova]
Reischneid interrupted him before he could say anything.
『You're also an idiot! You should have killed him, your friend's brother or not!』[Reischneid]
『Huh?! Why?! I don't want to be responsible for that!』[Nova]
『Because, Nova. You endangered your friends and yourself, just because of your ideology.』[Reischneid]
『But...』[Nova]
『No buts! I'm telling you now, if there was a choice between your friends and the enemy, choose your friends.』[Reischneid]
『That's obvious! Bu-』[Nova]
『Then keep it in mind! We're going to go kill that demon.』[Reischneid]
Nova's mood sank down.
『...Okay.』[Nova]
After walking for a bit, Asmodasiah began to speak.
『...You were willing to sacrifice your life for that attack? Truly?』[Asmodasiah]
Nova was surprised to hear her ask him something, but he put on a bittersweet smile and replied.
『...I think that her brother being alive would have made a lot of people happier than if I was alive.』[Nova]
Reischneid knitted his eyebrows.
『...You're an idiot. You know how many lives you've touched in these last few months?』[Reischneid]
『...Huh?』[Nova]
『When your body turned cold, they all cried for you. What did you think they thought of you as?』[Reischneid]
『I… I'm a nuisance, no? I get called that all of the time, so...』[Nova]
『Sir Fluffles doesn't think so! Sir Fluffles just thinks Nova gets into a lot of trouble!』[Sir Fluffles]
『Right. There's no reason for a 16 year old kid to worry about this stuff. But...』[Reischneid]
『I spent a lot of my life on my own… Dad was never home, Mom is missing, and I don't know any of my family members.』[Nova]
Reischneid stopped walking and stopped Nova from walking too.
He looked at Nova straight in the eyes.
『We're your family, Nova. All of your friends too. So you can't do stupid shit like this anymore. If you have to kill them, you do so.』[Reischneid]
He poked Nova's left side of the chest repeatedly.
『You're not on your own anymore. You have friends and family, always with you. In your heart.』[Reischneid]
Nova stared blankly for a moment before breaking out into a slight smile.
『...Yeah, yeah. Alright. I'm sorry.』[Nova]
Reischneid went ahead and turned around, continuing to follow Asmodasiah.
A few droplets of water hit the ash below, turning it moist as Nova started walking again.