(…How are they still asleep?!)
Aurora had woken up just a bit ago, after barely getting any sleep for that matter. However, much was different for her compatriots. Having been asleep since they came, neither had woken all night, and to top it all off, neither showed any sign of waking soon either.
Although she was tired from her restless sleep, Aurora's injuries were inconsequential. Even before she was tended to at most she had a few cuts and bruises, all that was left now was a dull ache around her shoulders.
(Since I barely even qualify as injured, it probably wouldn't be too wrong of me to just leave.)
As Aurora got up from her bed, she glanced at those with her.
Arian's arm had been healed, but because the pain would still linger for some time he needed to wear a cast to limit his motion. Palae on the other hand was seriously bruised, both her heels had gone through serious trauma, and one had even been disjointed. Now although she'd been healed, she wouldn't be allowed to walk for some time due to the sensitive nature of heel injuries.
Aurora: "I hope they feel better after a good rest…"
(I still haven't been able to wrap my head around everything that happened. Why did Tifon go berserk like that? Better yet, how are they going to explain it to the public?)
Aurora: "He looked… Like he was in such great pain…"
Aurora relived the scene she saw play out just before she had exited the gymnasium with Arian.
(That march he made toward Palae… It was identical to before.)
Lord Xuth: "Well, we definitely have no shortage of problems."
The Lord had spent all night working, only accidentally passing out when he sat down at his desk.
Lord Xuth: "What's worse is that I'm still no closer to an answer…"
He'd been trying to figure out how to prevent future incidents like what had happened at the school.
(It doesn't matter how many times I do a full wipe of his memories, it seems there's something transcendent about them.)
Lord Xuth: "…They always find a way to slip back in through the cracks, huh?"
(After all I've done, we must find a way to make him last just a while longer. Or else… What was it all for?)
The Lord sat there, pondering his options. He scarcely moved as he went through every possibility in his mind, only occasionally shaking his head when he'd hit a dead end.
After a while, Phrosyne made her way into his quarters. She entered without making a noise, and the Lord still enveloped in his work, barely took notice of her sudden presence.
Phrosyne: "My Lord, his condition is worsening by the day… Alcaeus seems not to even notice physical contact. Even though all of his sensors are working… It's almost as if he's convinced himself he has no limbs…"
The Lord cut himself from his work, but instead of looking at Phrosyne, he instead bent his head further down toward the ground.
Lord Xuth: "As I thought then, we don't have much time. We'll have to keep a close watch on him, if even the slightest hint is shown that 'Operation Lethe' is irreparable, We'll have to go through with our ultimate objective right then on the spot."
Phrosyne only answered with a humble bow, she exited his quarters in the next moment. She was perhaps the only other person, except for the Lord himself, who knew what his plans were. He trusted no one, barely even those he allied with. Therefore it was no surprise that he could only truly trust her, his own creation.
Automata: Sentient creations, they can't bleed or cry like humans, but they live nonetheless, through thought they exist for time immemorial. They have no heart nor soul, no brains either. Instead, their emotions are imprinted, their feelings created, and their soul manufactured, all in the image of their creators: humans. But can existences like these even be considered alive?
She had lived her whole 'life', if it could even be called that, thinking about this question. She was made for subservience, her every thought was amended for just this purpose from the day of her creation.
Did this take away those thoughts' validity?
Did He hate her for her blind faith in Him?
She had long accepted that the answers to her questions would never come, and so she kept existing. She had resolved since long before to keep existing, he was the purpose of her life and its objective. Perhaps one day, perhaps far in the future, she'd come to an answer through this resolve.
Her life's meaning was derived from this, it was much like the bond Arian once felt toward the now deceased Eion.
He lay in bed now, deep in his dreamless sleep. Having lost consciousness since his match with Alcaeus, he'd been asleep for most of the entire day. Although he saw no visions in his sleep, there was a name that was on his lips for the entirety of the night. He kept calling out to him, over and over in his exhausted state.
"Eion…?"
The name was called, but there was no answer, and as long as it lingered it caused him even greater pain.
"Eion…!"
It had become unbearable.
Arian: "…Ah!"
With a sudden burst forward, Arian raised himself out of bed.
Looking around him, Arian noticed that he was in a sort of hospital, he was next to multiple beds but near one of them he made out two familiar figures.
Arian: "Where-?"
Palae: "You're in the school infirmary! And also you just scared the living daylights out of us!"
Seemingly due to Palae's alarm-like tone, Arian's vision began to clear. In front of him he saw Palae, and next to her, Mitsuno.
Mitsuno: "Oh I'm so glad you're awake! We were just wondering if we should let you rest a little longer or not!"
She kept on exclaiming as she raced toward Arian, the gleam on her face was unmistakable.
Arian: "Ahah, I see now. I'm sorry to have caused such a commotion. There's really no reason to worry over me."
Both Palae and Mitsuno averted their gazes after Arian's words. They'd heard him calling out to Eion, that was actually the chief reason as to why they were debating waking him.
Suddenly, Palae broke the silence.
Palae: "You could've fooled me, with an injury like that I all but thought your hand was a goner."
Remembering his past state, Arian reached for his arm. It was in a cast, thankfully still intact. However, there was no doubt that he couldn't use it for some time.
Arian: "This… Is still quite unfortunate."
Palae: "Yeah, It really puts a dent in our 'attack as soon as possible' plan doesn't it?"
Arian: "…And, what does Aurora have to say about this?"
Palae: "No clue whatsoever."
Arian: "Ah-"
Palae answered him immediately, without hesitation. Her straightforwardness nearly blew him into another coma.
Mitsuno: "Well… More like we haven't seen her since yesterday."
Arian: "Was she not at the infirmary with the rest of us?"
Palae: "I definitely remember her being here, but nope."
As she spoke her face betrayed her uncaring guise, and Arian noticed her worry instantly.
Arian: "Well then, now that I'm up, there's nothing left to do except search for her."
As he got up, Arian spoke with uncharacteristic vigor, and immediately catching on, Mitsuno joined in.
Mitsuno: "Yea! Let's go already!"
After a brief hop back Mitsuno ran up to both of them, locking her arms over their shoulders.
Mitsuno: "And off we go!"
Aurora was making her way through the back of the campus, slowly strolling in the garden. She'd rarely walk the scenic route like this while she was in school though, her duties kept her in a constant state of hurry.
(I wonder if he's doing alright.)
The thought suddenly popped into her head, before pulling all of her attention toward it.
(…Maybe he really does remember after all?)
Deep in thought, she kept walking through the garden. Suddenly she was seized by the beauty of all the statues surrounding her, the craftsmanship was unmistakable. Completely taken in, she slowly walked toward one.
Aurora: "…That must be the sculpture of Persephone, it's so beautiful."
As the ancient myth goes, Hades, completely enamored by Persephone's beauty, one day kidnapped the goddess and stole her away to the depths of the underworld.
No mortals were allowed in the underworld, and even some Gods were forbidden without the will of Hades. Only a select few were able to journey to the depths of Hades, all great heroes. This epic journey was called a Katabasis. But there was little information on how they managed to get in, theoretically, those with the favor of Hades would be capable, but being favored by any of The Big Three was unheard of, almost as rare as having Ichor for blood.
It felt to Aurora as if every thought she had led back to him, did she feel guilty about what she'd done to him after all? The thought haunted her, as if it would destroy her will if she decided it to be true.
Aurora: "No… It's not that…"
(Then what was it?)
(…What?)
As her thoughts raced, she suddenly turned crimson. Something had dawned on her, something all too embarrassing to admit, especially now faced with such a glorious statue.
She stole herself away from it, completely distracting herself with an extreme power walk out of the garden.
(Really… How much of a hypocrite can I be?!)
As she hurried through, her eye was caught by an unpredictable scene. Near the main sculpture of the garden, the one portraying almighty Zeus Himself, she saw a figure. He was frozen beside it as if trying to mimic the statue completely, those eyes were unmistakable. It was him, right there.
It was Tifon.