Following Eliza's recounting of recent events, Vaos sat in silence in the other end of the call, absorbing each detail she had shared with him. His brows furrowed as he delved deep into his thoughts. Each word she uttered remained in the air, surprised but understanding he took his time how to reply. As seconds stretched into minutes, an awkward silence descended upon the call. Each passing moment seemed to amplify the gravity of the situation, intensifying the unease that settled between them.
"Eliza, before I give you my thoughts, I need to understand something," Vaos said, his tone serious. "Did Heine explicitly mention that your fate was tied to staying there and mastering your powers?"
"Heine only told me that my fate is to die, and changing our 'stage', our 'Grand Guignol'..." Eliza said quietly.
"Grand Guignol... The theater of tragedies," Vaos murmured. "And he told you that you have the power to change these events?"
"Yes, if I can master my Ornament," Eliza said, her tone with uncertainty. "He said that there's a possibility."
Vaos let out a sigh, his expression reflecting a sign of concern. "So it's not even a guarantee..." he murmured softly.
"Vaos, what do you think I should do? Now that I'm giving it more thought, what Heine said terrifies me," Eliza confessed, her voice trembling with uncertainty.
"Soul Harvester, Heine... The most arrogant yet most adjusted among the members of the White Trial. The others, especially Aemanil, would often spout nothing but their speeches of purging the world of sinners and evil; yet it was Heine who once saved me during the void war. Although, I do have my doubts. He has never displayed any abilities to see into the future. However, I would rather see you stay there and master your powers, than see you succumb to a predetermined fate." Vaos spoke, his tone was tinged with concern.
"Eliza, ever since your mother's passing, I've taken on the responsibility of looking after you and Eve. Throughout the years, I've watched both of you blossom into remarkable young women. The mere thought of such a grim fate is unbearable for me. So, if I wasn't clear the first time, yes, I implore you to remain there," Vaos said gently, his words bringing comfort to Eliza.
Tears began to well up in Eliza's eyes again, but she quickly brushed them away, replacing them with a bright smile. "Don't worry, Vaos. By the time you see me again, I'll have mastered my Ornament and become even stronger than you!" she said, her voice filled with determination and hope.
Vaos subtly smiled, his eyes reflecting pride and warmth. "I'm sure you will, Eliza. In fact, we'll see each other soon enough. I'm already leaving Golden Amaranth, heading towards Calla Lily then Silene Tomentosa. I'll visit you there," he added.
"However, you have to tell Eve and that punk—I mean Vulcan, now. They won't take such news lightly, but it's a necessary step you must take," Vaos said, his tone serious yet understanding.
"R-right, I should probably go and prepare myself to break the news to them," Eliza sighed. "And Vaos, thank you for always being there for us. I'll definitely give you a call again once I've spoken to Eve and Vulcan," she said, gratitude evident in her tone.
"You're welcome, Eliza," Vaos said warmly, "Take care, and remember, I'm always here for you, no matter what. I'll be there and don't forget, I'll see you soon."
"Hah, when did you become such a softy," Eliza chuckled lightly, her smile widening as she reminisced. "I remember you being so robot-like when I was younger. Take care too, and safe travels. See you soon." With that, she ended the call and took a deep breath, she braced herself for the next steps ahead.
Eliza walked back into the mansion, she ascended the staircase to Heine's floor, her footsteps echoing off the walls. Reaching his door, she raised her hand and knocked on it, each knock resonating with her unwavering resolve to master her powers and shape her fate.
"You're back early, Eliza Kinhana," Heine greeted, "I'm assuming you're ready to give me your answer?"
"Yes, Soul Harvester, Heine... I've made my decision. I'm going to stay, and with your help, I'll change my fate," Eliza declared firmly, her resolve resonating through her words.
Heine grinned from the other side of the door. "It's been a while since someone has called me that in person. Tell you what, either that or Lord Heine is fine. Most importantly, I'm pleased with the decision you've made. With our combined efforts, perhaps you can defy fate's grasp," he said, his words laced with optimism.
"But before anything else, I need to tell my sister." Eliza said, still wondering how to explain the events to Eve and Vulcan.
"Very well, Eliza. You may invite her here if you like. Take all the time you need to prepare yourself to tell your sister this news. Once you're ready, we can begin your training as soon as possible," Heine replied, nodding in agreement.
"Thank you, Heine," Eliza expressed with a respectful bow, and exited the room; hearing Heine shout as she left. With every step she took, her mind raced with ideas on how to gently break the news to Eve, knowing the impact it would have on her sister. She walked through the corridors of the mansion, going back outside.
Eliza sat in silence, her fingers hovering over the keys of her phone as she debated how to break the news to Eve and Vulcan. With a heavy sigh, she sent Eve a text message. After sending the message, her heart pounding as she waited for their arrival. Her request was to meet at the location she had shared with Eve.
Eve blushed brightly, her heart racing as Vulcan held her. With a surge of energy, she channeled her emotions into a powerful gust that sent Vulcan tumbling backward. Blood sighed as he surrendered control of the body to Simon once more. It was becoming a familiar ritual.
As Eve adjusted her appearance, she received the text message from Eliza, Eve's phones chiming.
"Hmm, 'this is important, please come to this location'," Eve read quietly, her brows furrowing in concern. As she clicked on the location, the GPS directed them to the White Trial sanctuary.
"You could've asked me to put you down instead of blasting me away like that," Vulcan said with a grin, walking up to Eve and rubbing his head.
"Vulcan, Eliza sent me a text message, and this seems to be important. We should get going..." Eve said with a serious tone, her eyes reflecting concern.
"Let me see," Eve handed Vulcan her phone, "isn't that the White Trial's sanctuary? What is she doing there?" He asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"I guess we're about to find out, let's go." Eve said with determination.
"Uhmm, guys, shouldn't you consider heading to a hospital or at least getting some medical attention? You both took quite a beating during that fight with the Forbidden," Simon interjected as he glanced at Eve and Vulcan's injuries.
"We'll be fine; besides, Eliza can heal us once we're there," Eve reassured.
"Right, well, shouldn't you consider changing your clothes at least? Look at your clothes; they're full of holes..." Simon remarked, noticing Eve's clothes riddled with holes from the attacks she received from Forbidden Illusion.
"Fair point, and you too, Vulcan. Let's go get changed, we have to hurry up." Eve said, Vulcan following behind.
Eve changed into the black and white track suit she had purchased during their visit to Golden Amaranth. Meanwhile, Vulcan changed into the new set of clothes he had just bought, adjusting the fit to his liking. With feeling slightly refreshed, they quickly left to the White Trial's sanctuary.
After half an hour, they finally arrived at the gates of the White Trial's sanctuary. Sun, stationed as guard, eyed them cautiously but relaxed as they approached. After they identified themselves, Sun nodded in recognition, following the orders he had received from Heine, and allowed them to pass through the gate peacefully. As Eve and Vulcan walked past the gate, the front hoarder and its beauty made them remember of their home back in Alyssum. However, it was short lived as they spotted Eliza sitting in a nearby bench in the garden.
"Eliza!" Eve's voice echoed through the garden as she hurried toward her sister.
"Eve, Vulcan..." Eliza's voice was barely above a whisper as they got closer.
"So, I guess you have your own adventure to tell, Eliza," Vulcan said, a slight grin across his face.
"You could say that. Both of you must be wondering why I'm here," Eliza replied, forcing a smile.
"Before that, Eliza, could you heal us? Vulcan and I ran into a Forbidden, and while we did beat him, we didn't come out unscathed either," Eve said, a smile on her face.
Eliza's eyes widened as Eve told her their encounter with another Forbidden, making her decision even more difficult to make. She took a deep breath and began to heal them, her hands emitting in a comforting, warm aura. As Eve and Vulcan began to recount their encounter with the Forbidden, Eliza leaned in and listened intently.
As Eliza finished healing them, she took a deep breath, her mind filled with thoughts and emotions. She knew the time had come to reveal her own encounter with Heine and what he had told her. With them now healed and ready to listen, she prepared herself for the difficult conversation ahead.
"Eve, Vulcan... I can no longer keep going with you. If I continue without mastering my Ornament, my fate will inevitably lead to death," Eliza said bluntly, her gaze shifting between the two.
"Huh? What do you mean you're no longer going with us? And death?" Eve's eyes widened.
"Eliza, you can't just drop bombshells like that without any explanation," Vulcan said, his brows furrowing with concern as he looked at her, searching for some clarity in her eyes.
Eliza recounted the encounter with Heine, "To make a long story short," she began, "Heine of the White Trial told me about my fate. Once I die, it'll change the events of things and we'll move onto the next stage." She paused briefly, gathering her thoughts before continuing, "But, if I can avoid my death, then I change fate, and the script, so to say, will be forced to continue."
"Eliza..." Eve's voice trembled with concern.
"To put things clearly, Heine of the White Trial told you that you're going to die, which will change the course of events, moving us into this 'next stage'. But if you avoid your death, you'll practically change your fate, and things will have to move on as normally?" Vulcan tried to make sense of things.
"Exactly," Eliza confirmed, nodding at Vulcan's summary. "It's like being trapped in a play, and my death is the cue for the curtains to close and the scene to change. But if I manage to evade that fate, it's like rewriting the script and forcing the current scene to go on."
"Where's this Heine, Eliza? I want to speak with him," Eve's tone was serious.
"Eve, I already spoke with Vaos as well, he said that I should stay, and he'll meet up with me when he arrives. He's always been like a father to us, and I trust his judgment." Eliza explained, her tone steady.
"I don't care! Do you really believe what some old guy says? If anything, he might be senile!" Eve yelled.
Vulcan made the decision to stay silent, recognizing that this was a conversation between two sisters.
"Unfortunately, I do," Eliza confessed. "I don't want to see any of you, Vulcan, or Vaos, sad if what Heine told me comes true. Yet, even if it doesn't, at least I'll have mastered my Ornament," she explained calmly.
Eve's eyes widened, the mere thought of her sister's supposed fate, destined to die, was too much for her to imagine. She couldn't even bear to entertain the idea, let alone contemplate its potential truth.
"Eve, I won't be gone for long either. I'm assuming I'll be away for a week or so," Eliza said with a smile, attempting to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
"B-but who will heal us after any battle? Who will keep me from doing something stupid? Who will be there to make me laugh?" Eve's voice began to stutter, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she grappled with the thought of Eliza's absence.
Eliza wrapped her arms around Eve, holding her tightly. "You know, Eve, you might act tough, but deep down, you're still the same old crybaby from back then," Eliza smiled brightly, tears flowing down her face. "I promise, when Vaos comes here, we'll see each other again."
Eve embraced Eliza with a desperate grip, her arms wrapping around her sister. She buried her face into Eliza's chest, seeking comfort in the familiar warmth of her sister's presence. As tears welled up in her eyes, Eve let them flow freely, the weight of their separation bore down on her.
"Fine, stay. But promise you won't be gone for long," Eve said, her voice muffled by Eliza's chest as she clung tightly to her sister.
Eliza gently lifted Eve's face from her chest, wiping away her tears with a tender smile. "Such a crybaby," she teased softly, "yes, I promise I won't be gone for long. It'll be just like back then during our school days, remember?"
Vulcan sighed, feeling that he could enter the conversation again. "And don't worry, mama ocelot," he said with a grin, "I'll make sure Eve doesn't do anything stupid."
"You better watch out, Vulcan. If you let anything happen to Eve, you'll have me to answer to," Eliza teased, her playful tone bringing a smile to everyone's faces.
"We'll promise not to get into a lot of fights," Eve said softly, her voice barely audible amidst the emotions.
"You better, I won't be there to bail you guys out anymore," Eliza sighed, a hint of teasing in her tone.
As they spoke for a while longer, enjoying each other's company, the inevitability of parting ways eventually was coming closer. Eve and Vulcan had to continue their journey, leaving Eliza behind at the White Trial's sanctuary.
"And there you have my number again, Vulcan. You guys should get going; it looks like Bard is ready to leave. Don't worry, I'll be sure to message you two while I'm here," Eliza said as they stood up from the bench.
"Yeah, we shouldn't keep those guys waiting, and I'm not in the mood to fight any more Forbidden," Vulcan sighed as he walked on ahead.
As Eliza and Eve approached the gate, Eve stood still, her feet refusing to carry her any further. She felt a wave of uncertainty, but before she could voice her concerns, she felt the familiar sensation of Eliza's tail gently patting her head.
"You know, Eve, I'm not sure what you'll find in Legis, but I promise I'll be by your side long before you even set foot there. So, don't worry; you won't be facing everything alone." Eliza's smile was warm and reassuring as she spoke.
"Thank you, Eliza. I guess this is goodbye for now, at least..." Eve's voice was soft, carrying a sense of sadness as she spoke.
"Goodbye, Eve, remember, don't do anything reckless," Eliza said with a gentle smile.
Eve nodded, her smile a bittersweet reflection of the emotions. Taking a moment to glance back at Eliza, she offered a silent farewell before catching up with Vulcan.
Eliza's smile held a hint of bittersweetness as she watched Eve and Vulcan disappear from view. She turned around, her resolve firm and unchanging. As she entered the mansion, she was burning with determination, each step a testament to her commitment to alter her fate. With a steady breath, she was ready to confront the challenges that awaited her and to create a new path.