**Sakuya's Perspective**
Ensconced within my meditative solitude, the veil of time grew thin, transporting me back to a bitter clash from my past. My forces were pitched against the so-called hero, who had managed to unearth the one object that could pierce my invulnerability—the fabled blade of Amaterasu. A reckoning was nigh, and a tinge of fatalistic acceptance stirred within me.
"Your Highness, the building is on fire!" A man in my service—my vice commander—came to me in frenzied urgency, his voice a frenetic counterpoint to the surrounding inferno's roar.
There was no response on my lips, only a grim acceptance mirrored in my eyes. The wheel of destiny was set in motion, and there was no derailing its course.
"Your Highness, please escape while you can. I will hold them until the very last of my breath," he declared, his katana brandished high, glinting ominously in the searing light. It was a symbol of his resolve, an assertion of his human fragility against the tyranny of destiny. The audacity of his chivalry in this merciless world—where strength was the only true currency and the weak were trampled—left me stunned.
"You? A mere mortal seeks to protect me with your fragile life?" I questioned, my voice echoing the incredulity I felt. Yet, he did not waver.
"I may be weak, but if it takes my life for you to live, so be it." There was a steeliness in his eyes, a firm resolve that did not quiver. His profound words echoed around us, as though the chaos had stilled for a moment to acknowledge his courage.
"You truly are a riddle wrapped in a mystery," I mused, my voice light, even as the grim reality of our situation clawed at me. "Perhaps a cold bath might cool your zealous spirit." With this ironic jest, I seized him by the collar and hurled him toward the river, far from this battlefield-turned-hell.
"NO!!! SAKUYA!!" His cry echoed hauntingly, a damning curse hurled at me from his very soul. With a great heave, I sent him soaring away, away from the bloody theater of war. Goodbye, my unlikely comrade. May you find the peace you seek in the throes of existence.
Just as the dust began to settle, a woman strode forward, her followers flanking her. Her voice was an icy needle in the chaotic tapestry, "It's finally over, Sakuya! Your reign of villainy ends here."
I merely stared back, my words falling short of my lips. "Come at me, foolish humans!" I thought. But the reality was more bitter, more final. The final moments of the past were now a present nightmare. I fell under the blade of Amaterasu, the only thing capable of mortally wounding me. Perhaps this was the end I deserved—an end fitting for a tyrant queen.
A soft voice, a voice from a past far removed from this pandemonium, beckoned me. "Mother, you've fought long enough. Take your rest now." The voice of Tachiana, my dearly departed daughter, provided a sliver of solace in my final moments.
"Tachiana, is that you?!" I cried out. But my voice merely echoed in the void, swallowed by the silence of my impending doom.
In the blink of an eye, I found myself transported elsewhere. The world morphed around me, and I was no longer on the battlefield but in a tranquil garden. Four distinct seasons coexisted here, their cyclical dance of life and death encapsulated within this space. It was a baffling yet beautiful spectacle, reminding me of the world's resilience and persistence in the face of constant change.
"This place…" I murmured, looking around. A woman materialized behind me, her voice as gentle as the breeze that stirred the multi-seasonal blooms.
"Welcome, Lady Sakuya. I'm afraid your time has not yet come," she said. I was struck by the cruel irony of her words. It seemed that not even the realm of death would accept me, leaving me a wandering soul.
In this realm, I encountered many who shared my fate. They were all so-called villains of their tales, individuals like Horizon and me, each with their own tangled web of past horrors. And among them, there was one who caught my attention—Tatiana. Her presence rekindled a sense of curiosity within me. When will my past release its grasp on me? Will there ever be an end to this cycle?
My meditation came to an end, and I opened my eyes to the world once more. To my surprise, Tatiana was nearby, asleep under a tree. Her gentle breathing stirred the tranquility around us, lending the scene an aura of tranquility. Despite her peaceful slumber, there was a certain discomfort in her posture that gave away her unease. Perhaps the chill of the afternoon air was too harsh for her.
Without a word, I rose and laid my coat over her. Her peaceful slumber continued undisturbed, her innocence a stark contrast to the world's harsh realities. Her presence here, I realized, was purposeful. She had ventured all this way to deliver food for me—a sandwich, still fresh thanks to a frost enchantment, and a flask of tea.
I felt a pang of gratitude for her gesture, her selfless act stirring something within me. And as I contemplated this, I could not help but wonder which among us truly were the villains of our tales.
As the sun began to set, the surrounding area grew colder. I gathered logs from the nearby forest and built a fire to keep us warm. The flames flickered and danced, casting a warm, comforting glow around us. Tatiana remained asleep, oblivious to the world around her, her gentle breathing harmonizing with the fire's quiet crackle.
A rustle in the undergrowth alerted me to the presence of another. "You can come out now," I called out, my eyes scanning the shadows. To my surprise, Lily emerged, looking both amused and impressed.
"Remarkable, milady. You found me already. I really should practice my hiding skills more. That was very impressive, Lady Sakuya." Her playful banter was a welcome distraction, drawing a chuckle from me.
With an elaborate bow, Lily revealed herself from the shadowy undergrowth. Despite the performance's apparent levity, there was something vaguely disconcerting about it, a sense of rehearsed precision that did not sit well with me.
A sudden change in her demeanor shifted the mood drastically. She turned serious, her eyes betraying a curiosity that unnerved me. "I see you have taken quite a liking to Lady Tatiana," she noted. "Perhaps you knew her in your world. After all, it's hard to imagine the infamous Queen of Tyrant caring for anyone else."
I responded with a stoic silence, choosing not to feed her curiosity. "It would do you no good to know," I responded, hoping to deter her. Yet Lily was not one to be easily put off.
"Ah, but I beg to differ, Lady Sakuya. The more information I have, the more advantageous my position in this game."
Her words were casual, but the underlying implications were clear. She saw this world as a grand game, with players and pawns alike. It was a perspective I struggled to comprehend.
"Curiosity may be a double-edged sword," I replied cryptically, giving her an example of its potential consequences.
Lily merely laughed, seemingly unbothered by the danger she courted. She had seen the face of death and was not one to be intimidated easily. "And what if I were to die? Or any of us?" she pondered. "Tatiana alone could turn this world into hell itself."
Her words struck me with a sense of foreboding. I had sensed a darkness within Tatiana, but I had never fully comprehended its magnitude. Lily's revelation hinted at a past I had yet to uncover, a tapestry of secrets that seemed to bind us all in a complex web.
Yet, as much as Lily seemed to relish her role as a harbinger of unsettling truths, there was something else about her that struck me. Behind her bravado lay a vulnerability, a desire for belonging that was achingly human. The complexities of her character intrigued me, and I wondered if we were all bound by the same unyielding fate.
"Enough of this serious talk," Lily abruptly changed the subject, returning to her playful antics. "It's been a long day. How's my performance so far?" She questioned with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Not bad at all," I admitted, amused by her theatrics. "You've managed to bring a smile to my face."
"Lady Sakuya, The Tyrant Queen, managed to laugh a bit," she teased. "My practice has paid off. Regardless, it's time for a break. I'll be waiting for both of you back at the inn."
With that, Lily retreated into the shadows, leaving me alone with Tatiana. The atmosphere around us was serene, the flickering fire adding a touch of warmth to the cool evening air. I found myself reflecting on the events of the day, the revelations about Tatiana, and the enigma that was Lily.
As I sat there, lost in thought, the sound of rustling clothes and a coat being laid beside me pulled me back to the present. Tatiana was awake, her eyes wide with concern as she rushed to the breadbasket.
I observed her movements curiously, trying to understand the motivation behind her actions. She held out a sandwich, her eyes filled with a genuine worry that touched my heart. "Lady Sakuya! Please eat this, or you might die!" she implored, her voice filled with urgency.
I was taken aback by her concern, my usual icy demeanor momentarily melting under her genuine care. "Huh?!" I stammered, unaccustomed to such displays of kindness directed toward me. It was a small gesture, but it held an unexpected warmth that thawed the frigid barriers I had built around myself.
As the day turned into night, the fire continued to burn, and Tatiana and I sat together in companionable silence. Her presence, though still shrouded in mystery, brought a sense of comfort I hadn't felt in a long time. I found myself pondering Lily's words about her potential to turn the world into hell, yet in this moment, she seemed anything but a harbinger of darkness.
-Chapter 8 End-