Slowly he shook his head. "I am afraid not."
A look of heartbreak crossed her features. "...Oh…is that so?" She looked away in pain. "Please excuse me, I lost my composure." A drizzle started to pour, souring the mood even more.
And like that the hopes of finding her were crushed. This had been her first clue in four years and this too also came to a dead end.
Atlas touched her hand with his fingers. "Milady, judging by your reaction that child must be greatly important to you. It seems you weren't aware of her vital status. But have courage, as long as there is hope you will meet again."
"Today you have found out she is still living and tomorrow you will find where she is and then over morrow you two shall meet. And how knows, she must be searching for you as well."
Claudina signed and released a weak smile. "I showed a strange side of me upon our first meeting. I do hope you aren't offended by it."
Atlas grinned. He looked more welcoming than ever. "None taken! We all have those rotten bad days."
She chuckled. "Indeed," she continued, "and thank you for your words. You are most kind." And she smiled, a rare, genuine smile.
"Ah, a smile suits you more than tears. Rather a smile suits everyone. You always feel bare without one. Now, come, up we get. The residents are waking up. We must leave. The rain doesn't look like it will let up anytime soon."
"Let's find a shelter. Baron doesn't like it when his fur is all wet." A thought crossed her head. "Oh right. You spoke of a drawback. What is it?"
"Oh, I am easily distracted by shiny things and teapots. That's why I got lost in the first place."
"..."
Blood dripped out of Oriane's nose. Dazed, she looked up.
The Inquisitor was still putting up a tremendous fight despite having half of his tail chopped off and an arm missing.
Shulia would attack head on while Anatole gave support from behind. Sullivan would land heavy blows in the front as distraction and Sylvester with his agility would attack the blind spots or weakness. And if Claudina was present she would use a complex combination of both magic and sword fight as a trump card to overwhelm the enemy.
'And then there is me…useless, stupid and incompetent Oriane. Always causing trouble for others. The weakest saint. A pawn in a chess board of chess.'
She wiped her nose with her sleeve. "But…still…I gotta get up." Gripping her sword tight she dug her soles into the rocky earth. "Get up and fight. How long will you let others fight for you? At least win this war. Not for yourself but to do it for your friends."
Carrying the sword in one hand she ran off. 'Think! What would Claudina do in this situation? She would win that's what! But how?'
"A spell…" she muttered. Skidding to a stop she raised her sword and mumbled a spell for speed, a spell for fire, a spell for lightning and a prayer to Uranus and tried to ignore the blood dribbling out of her mouth and ears.
'Claudina can do this with her eyes closed and so can you!'
Flames covered the Holy sword and lightning skipped up and down. Small white wings appeared on the sides of her boots. Taking a deep breath she started running, faster and faster and faster.
Sparks flew off under her feet. Raising the flame encased sword she could only hear a single sentence running through her head: 'Slice through his head as you did with your mother.'
"AAAAAAAAAA!" She jumped on the Inquisitor's tail and ran up his scales.
'Slice through it!'
'Take his head off with this swing!'
'Do it, you fool!'
Just as the Inquisitor turned, Oriane had already slashed through his head.
His body twitched once, twice before swinging side by side with Oriane still hanging off his back.
"Whoa?!" She couldn't keep her balance and toppled backward.
"Gotach!" Sylvester caught her in midair.
Oriane blinked up at him. "T-thanks!" she squeaked.
Shulia cupped her hand and yelled "You two, move! The body's coming down!"
"AHAAAA!" Sylvester ran towards safety carrying Oraine in his arms.
The Inquisitor's body swung and crashed right on top of Sylvester.
Shulia loudly gasped while Anatole surged forward only to be stopped by Sullivan.
"Let me go!"
"Calm down, Ana!"
"Shut up! I need to see if they are alright!"
"You can! Once the dust clears!
"I refuse to live in cowardice of regrets as you did! Now let me go!"
Sullivan let him go in shock and hurt. Anatole realized what he had said. His throat dried up. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it again when no words left his lips.
"...Anatole, why would you say something like that?" Shulia quietly asked, also astonished.
"*Cough, cough!* Of all the things you decided, *cough, cough!* that was the best thing to say?"
They froze. Out of the rubble Sylvester and Oriane crawled out of the Inquisitor's heavy body.
Shulia moved first. When Sylvester stumbled forward she caught him. "Easy there, buddy!"
Leaning with half his weight on her, Sylvester glared, his face all scratched up. "Really? In the heat of the moment you had to yell out that?"
Anatole was silent.
"Because you say such things in anger Shulia broke up with you."
Shulia gripped his shoulder. "Ok that's enough. Now shut it…" There was hurt laced in her words as if she too also longed for him.
"We are not children anymore, Anatole. Your words have consequences."
"Then what about you? Would you stay calm if your sworn brother almost died in front of you?" he angrily asked. "Would you still keep your cool?"
"I would," he said adamantly. "Because I would be jumping in front of you." His eyes narrowed. "Though I can't say the same for you…Blurting out the things that hurt the most…really you haven't changed since then…"
He again fell silent, deeply ashamed.
"Cat got your tongue eh? Idiot…" He signed before turning to Oriane who lingered behind. "You alright?"
"Yeah…" her voice cracked.
"What happened back there?" Shulia asked, trying to clear the air.
"Lady Luck was there with us. The body had stopped inches in front of me. Any second faster and we would have been crushed." He wearily laughed. "I thought I was goner for a moment."
"You should have been more careful!" she chided.
"Right…"
"Haaa…and you!" Oriane stiffened.
"Tha move back there…"
"Y-yes?" she started, unsure
"That was…brilliant."
Oriane's eyes were as large as saucers. "...What?"
Sullivan nodded. "Couldn't agree more. I almost thought it was Miss Fairy. Swordsmen don't use magic after all."
Red crept up to her ears as she looked down shyly, her hair creating a dome of white. "Uh…"
"Claudina is excellent at both magic and swordsmanship but to think you could also do it came as a pleasant surprise."
"...I am not as good as her. Rather her abilities have no peer. I merely tried to copy her."
"Regardless, you were able to do it," Anatole finally spoke. "Have pride in that. Hey! What's wrong with you?!"
"Huh?" Her eyes burned. She touched the socket and it came off wet with blood. "Oh dear…" Her world spinned and she fell down in a heap.
"Give me a wet cloth here!" Anatole yelled. His one hand supported Oriane's back while the other covered her eyes.
"It simply stings…no need to panic," she lied. In reality the pain was excruciating. It was like hot melted iron was poured into her eyes.
"Gods! This is why swordsmen don't use magic!" Sylvester said while running his hands over his hair.
A wet cloth was placed over her eyes and the Holy magic in it started to heal them.
'...But Claudina can do it…'
Then she bitterly thought. 'Right. I am not her. If I am a pawn then surely she is the queen who dominates the chess board.'
"Wait a minute. Is that…?! But how!" Orinae could hear the anger in Shulia's words.
"Li-li it's best not to question the dark arts. You will only lose your mind."
"Shit! Oriane can you stand?" It wasn't a question out of concern but rather a demand for her to agree. Which obviously she nodded to, even when her eyes still burned.
"Good. You need to get out of here as fast as you can." Here was the concern in Anatole's Words. "We'll hold him off as long as we can. Escape and find the Saintess. Bring her here. You can sense the aura of the way out right?"
Dumbly she nodded again, half understanding his words through the agony. She was pulled up to her feet and pushed to an exit.
An inhuman roar came in the direction of Anatole.
"Uh, Ana? We need your help here!"
A loud thud beside her. "Ugh! He's breathing fire now too! Sylvester behind you!"
Anatole leaned into her ear and whispered, "Run."
She ran off holding the cloth to her eyes.
Stumbling over rocks, she ran as fast as her legs could carry.