Lieren stared at the young scion, lingering for a long and contemplative moment.
There was… truth in her words.
It was true that, if he hadn't felt the attack coming when it did, if he hadn't reacted and dodged at the last second, and augmented himself with mana; he would have been long dead.
Not just the mental kind he had dug for himself, at that, but true death, the kind that cannot be reversed no matter how much begging or groveling is done.
Still, he refused to accept it. Some part inside of him bounded him so. Like a chain wrapped around his neck and wrists, keeping him still and alone.
Though, for some reason, he did not feel bounded to it. Rather, it was he that willing chose to bound by his own free, subconscious will.
Thinking this, he sighed and let the augmentation mana dissipate from his body. If he were to get an attack now, no matter how weak it was, he would surely die on the spot. No matter how powerful his Resistance may be.
Taking a deep breath, he sighed heavily. It eased his jumpy nerves somewhat, for the moment. But it did not calm him down. Instead, it only made him more conscious of the horrible fact of the matter.
'I'm not fit to be here. But I'll still try.'
In famous stories — mythical tales of legendary heroes — it was always left to the protagonist to fix the most grand of problems, like an evil dragon wreaking havoc on the world or a renegade Indrath disturbing the fickle balance of Lucifica. However, all of it has to start first from the most mundane and unheroic task, like picking up a cat or getting something for the next-door neighbor.
It felt like he was about to start on such journey.
…Or maybe already had.
And he didn't deserve any of it.
He was now semi-conscious of it. Yes, he had talent, that much he was willing to accept. But not a lot of it. It felt akin to bargaining at the local store or shopping for supper and breakfast, but he insisted anyways. No matter bow self-depreciating and horrible he felt about it.
He hated liars the most, after all.
And yet, he's still here. Refusing the call of adventure while simultaneously diving into it.
The image of the diametric Mistcaster appeared in his mind's eye.
The man was, in the naïve boy's eyes, an odd and confusing existence. Despite his class, which excelled in stealth and espionage, like those of a clandestine Rogue or unexpected Arcane Trickster, the man's set of combat abilities relied on such flashy and striking materials, completely betraying his class' image.
Lieren felt akin to the man in that way: contrarian, betraying. Diametric.
He abstained himself from fateful journeys while keeping the desire to help others, at least those he deemed worthy of it. Even if that cost the life of others.
He had learned to shut his heart off from the harrowing cluster of gruesome truth that this world had built itself on, clinging and abiding to it whilst stubbornly rejecting it. Depending on if it benefited them or not.
Lieren was one such person.
Looking at the young girl a year or two older than him, with vibrant blue eyes and unnaturally pale skin and thin appendages, he put on his bravest face, crafting it with renowned speed to keep his seeding anxiety and budding fear far and away. He did not need those any more if he wanted to keep going.
What he needed was bravery… and piety.
And just a little bit of luck—no, lost of it. Any edge he could take right now would be a great boon for the upcoming trials he was about to face.
Forcing out the words caught on his throat, the boy resolved himself, speaking with such clarity that surprised even himself:
"I—I understand."
Then he coughed, embarrassed.
'Why did I have to stutter?'
The other held curious gazes, except for one.
"Where do I start?"
Resting one end of her walking staff on fine tile floor of the Exousia Famiglia Mansion, the blind woman faced him with closed eyes, her steady gaze peering all the way down to his soul.
Her posture was both still and flowing, ready to come crashing down any moment.
Lieren felt a cold sense of grim foreboding permeate throughout his body.
'What was that? It was like a snake or something just slithered around my neck and arms, or something…'
He tried to meet her eyeless gaze, but realized that was impossible, and just looked down at the fine marble floor.
"Could you, uh, maybe go easy on me? Just a tiny bit, if you wouldn't mind."
For the first time since meeting her, the blind woman showed emotion. Cold and merciless, she laughed melodically, her voice reverberating throughout the grand halls of the Mansion.
Her smile was brighter than the sun and as dark as the Sky Beyond.
"Sure, I'll try."
◇◆◇◆◇
The blue sky held beauty unfathomable.
Soaring through the air at breakneck speed, Lieren took in the infinite expanse of sky-blue. There was a couple clouds here and there, shaped one way to another.
Some resembled memorable landscapes, famous historical figures, mundane objects and mystical items, hideous monsters and magical beasts, gorgeous beings to even celestial entities, the sky seemed to have it all.
'Envious.'
His mind was similarly working at breakneck speed, calculating his chances. He had made a truth so clear it almost rivaled the sky.
'Hm, it's not very high. That's not good.'
But no, nothing could rival the sky in clarity. Though clouds cumulonimbus and nimbostratus hid the blue expanse from sight now and then, he—no, everybody knew it was there, waiting to be seen, shining through after the storm is done, after the war is complete.
And when it did, there shall be light.
The young boy didn't even have time to chuckle as he very quickly plummeted to the cold and merciless earth, approaching with dynamite speed and vile vigilance.
He knew what would come afterwards, and thus decided to admire the sky, all its beauty, and all it held. One final time.
It was such an expeditious decision that he didn't even had time to consider the possible implications his reckless actions could afflict to the world.
It was as though he was on the verge of a breakthrough and in the midst of a mental block, consecutively. His mind was torn between regret and lamentation, reflection and confusion, apex and nadir.
He felt like a coin. Two-sided and divided, as though his "self" — whatever pathetic creature that was — had been ripped in half, like a Starbeast or a Snapclaw. Spinning, twirling, and soaring.
His body felt more attuned to the wind than ever. In fact, this was the first time he felt attuned to anything at all, as if he had just found a calling.
Though, it felt incomplete. Like a shard of glass had just been scattered, and he had merely picked up the first piece.
Still, that was enough.
…Not that it mattered anymore.
He was about to die, after all.
At first, when that lithe figure of the blind woman — right after introducing herself as Feng Xing Liu — disappeared without even kicking up the smallest bit of dust and dirt. There was no sound as well, or any indication that she had made a move, other than her sudden and unexpected disappearance…
Blinking into existence right in front of him, the blind woman brought her small and calloused fist to his abdomen with remarked flexibility and flowing technique.
He had almost grasped something in that infinitesimal moment… should he not have been sent flying the very next moment.
Connecting her fist to his body, the inexperienced boy felt something shatter; physically.
The cracking of bones reverberating throughout his body almost drowned out the pain that assaulted his very soul, as though ripping him from the inside. He knew for certain that something within had broken or shattered, maybe even both.
'…Yeah, it was definitely both.'
Closing his eyes, he accepted his fate.
The blow was both the prologue and the epilogue, marking the start and end of his life.
He soared through the skies, hundreds of feet high where worldly troubles seemed to be, funnily enough, below him.
All that was left was to die.
With a thin smile creeping up his face, as the ground quickly approached, the young boy couldn't help but revel in the furious crashing wind.
It was cool, merciless, and relaxing.
Just the way he liked it.
'Oh, here it is.'
Reopening his eyes, he peered down at the ground where five figures stood, four-fifths of them gazing up.
His smile relaxed.
"They're looking at me."
Then, the world disappeared.