His words rang in the peaceful forest, pained and lost.
Pert, who's slumped on a tree while breathing weakly as blood flows from his torn shoulder smiled at Zyro, as always. The spear went through his body, tearing an entire arm off along his shoulder.
His smile never faltered, even in the brink of death.
Zyro hurried forward in an attempt to save him. But what can he do? His no saint that can heal terrible wounds magically nor possess any medicines. Patching a wound that large is also impossible, it will only bring Pert extreme agony but won't stop the bleeding.
'Heal! That mage can cast heal!'
"Hold on Pert, I know of a way-"
"Don't." Said Pert weakly, he coughed blood and added. "It's hopeless. I won't make it to the small mountain."
Pert knew his companion had some kind of healing source after noticing his injuries that normally take days to heal. Suddenly disappeared when he returned from the wilderness. However, he knew some things as well. Including the graveness of his state, and Zyro's own.
Zyro froze, his eyes wide. Then retreated his arm from grabbing Pert's body. The heat of the moment clouded his judgement, desperate to fix things up. But the cruelty of reality slapped him again, hard. He can't save Pert.
First of all, his body muscles are mostly torn from using [Dark Burst] Aizra simply enabled his pain sensory to let him move, but he could feel weakness growing within him, slowly robbing him of strength until every muscle can no longer support his movements. His bodily limitations deemed him incapable of carrying Pert till they reached their destination. He would break down.
Even if he could bring the kid to the mountains side, can a native of this world bypass the seal like him? Obviously, no. Depter had said it himself, the seals are supposed to conceal his chamber from existence. For others, the mage and the prison didn't exist, so did the entrance.
And lastly, Depter healing spell are not advance. Serious injuries are beyond his expertise. That is, can Pert last till they get there?
Zyro didn't want to admit it. Instead, Aizra said it for him.
[Survival rate of the young male Aster: 0%]
Her words were like a cold bucket of water dumped onto him.
Slumping down, Zyro sat on the ground with his head lowered.
"I'm sorry."
Was the only thing he could say in dismay.
"It's fine. Cough!"
Said Pert, trying his best to sound calm as possible as he struggled to breathe. Seeing his friend down, he cracked a joke. At least, he attempted.
"Won't you cry for me?"
Zyro gritted his teeth, looking at Pert with an apologetically.
"I can't anymore."
He had shed tears so many times already, to the point he can no more cry. Rather, he had grown too tired of useless crying, knowing it won't solve anything.
The kid smiled widened, beaming as if everything was alright.
"That's good then, I don't want to see someone who's bad at making expression cry. Knowing you, it will probably hunt me in my death."
He wanted to laugh at his own joke, but ended up coughing more blood.
Each blood spilled he saw, each forced voice heard was squeezing Zyro's heart. However, he didn't let the sadness show on his indifferent face. Still, the rage within him is overflowing.
Sighing, Zyro asked the very thing that caused this terrible situation. Something he can't understand the most.
"Why? Why didn't you just let me die?!"
Pain and anger seeped into his false composure.
If Pert didn't catch death for him, then he would have gratefully died! Zyro is sick and tired of life. Unlike him, Pert was an aspiring adventurer who had a bright future ahead of him. His too young... he should have lived more!
'It should have been me...'
So why did he do it? Zyro can't understand.
Unexpectedly, Pert replied weakly, devoid of jest. Implying his seriousness.
"Honestly. I don't know."
He didn't know either.
'What the heck?'
Zyro can't help but chuckle, finding it funny. He has his sincere answer, Zyro can only accept it no matter how absurd it is. In fact, it's strangely soothing. There's nothing left to ask.
Looking at the reddening sky of the upcoming dusk, reminiscent of his past flashed in his memory.
"You know, you really remind me of my friend, Leo. His also a blonde like you."
"His the opposite of me, always full of kindness and helping anyone in need. He take out mission earnestly, like a hero... He is one, actually. He saved my life once, then make me promise to succeed on our mission to save humanity."
Not caring about the details he can't understand, Pert happily commented.
"He sounds like a really good friend."
"Not really, he made me promise to complete STELLAR's Mission."
Which is really, really hard. It wouldn't be an understatement to call it impossible. Every suffering through adversity, while arduously empowering himself was for the sole purpose of completing that impossible mission. Needless to say, it's already hell. He can't even imagine what's ahead of this journey.
Zyro continues nonchalantly.
"Another made me promise to never speak a bad word. I think I'm not doing well in that regard." He grinned hopelessly, a little ashamed of himself. Although, he might not be uttering curses directly. Replacing them with similar terms still invokes the same meaning. For example, the "Duck" he spoke was still understood as a curse. At least, he comprehends it as one instead of an animal name.
"The third one came from a certain old man without a home. He made me swear I'll live no matter the odds. His a really important person to me, so I can't go back on my words... It's really hard."
Noticing a rare longing in his eyes, Pert asked wearily after coughing more blood.
"You never broke a promise, do you?"
Zyro smile, albeit, it's nothing if not hideous. His really bad at smiling.
"That's my only honor."
For once, he actually sound decent and honorable like a dignified person.
Pert can't help but chuckled. However, the
agony tormenting him robbed his joy quickly. He fell silent, after a while, he said.
"Hey, Zyro. Can you promise me to find the Demoness?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Who's that?"
Struggling, the young Aster tried his best to properly explain.
"A historical figure, Cough! Cough! Dad said she was the - Cough! caused of the great war. The one who destroyed the peace and unity our goddess brought." Pert covered his mouth as crimson liquid keep flowing out. His hands were painted red, blood dripping down.
He took a shallow breath, feeling strength leaving his body, feeling consciousness slipping out.
Leaning back against the tree and letting his hand rest. Pert voiced weakly, his eyes haggard yet shown with unwavering convection.
"I want to follow his footsteps." He gasped for air. "I want to finish what he started and uncover the truth of the past. To be an adventuring historian."
Pert's father had been a brave adventurer, at the same time, an enthusiastic learner of the past who admired fragmented clues left behind by historical events.
But he can't... Not anymore.
Without hesitation, Zyro responds despite not knowing enough details. He didn't have the heart to make the poor kid speak longer.
"Okay, I'll do it for you. I'll find the Demoness."
"Promise?" Pert's eyes beamed with hope.
"Yeah, promise."
He wanted to say he'll try his best, which is what he'll actually do. However, he simply can't bring himself to dim that innocent hope.
Zyro didn't find the past alluring, at all. He would rather forget it than uncover the buried truths. But for Pert, he will do it.
Delighted, Pert forced his lips to curved despite the overbearing dread of approaching death. At least, his smile was sincere because the notorious Fallen Knight oath to fulfill his dying wish.
"It's nice meeting you, Zyro. I, Pert Historia was honored to accompany the Fallen Knight... Also, I think you misunderstood the meaning of living."
Pert labored breathing grew weak, and weaker. His pale face turning paler.
Looking at the kid with a forlorn expression.
'Pert Historia. Huh, so that's your real name.'
Was it mistrust or simple causality of not needing to give one's full name. They're slaves, not nobility that required a fabulous introduction. Besides, real names aren't important.
Still, Zyro wants to give his, as well.
"It's Zero... My real name, it's Zero. I think."
He looked at the crimson sky of dusk.
"I was left inside a garbage bin when I was born. Thanks to a certain homeless old man, I miraculously lived. And you know what's funny? He never gave me a name, saying his too lazy and do it myself. That damn mustard didn't give me one till his death... In my opinion, Zero suits me just fine."
It may sound cool, but when you consider its underlying meaning. It implies having no worth, a trash, just like how he was thrown away in the garbage as soon as he was born. It also somehow represents unlimited potential because it's not a number. It's nothing, and everything is born from nothing.
However, Zyro later changed it due to a certain someone influence. The person who made his oath to never curse, the person who didn't treat him as a worthless trash. Therefore making his current name, Zyro.
He let out a heavy sigh.
"Sad, isn't it? You know, he died because of an unfulfilled promise. A seemingly kind man expressed his pity on him and said he will come back to bring some bread. It was winter back then, despite the freezing temperature, he waited on the streets for that wretched rich man to come. But he never came. Old pop's died that day... Sigh, Idiot, he wanted that bread so bad to celebrate my birthday even though he didn't know when exactly I was born."
Grunting, Zyro stood up and said with pride.
"That's why rest assured kid, I'll never break my promise."
But no one heard him. For Pert's soul had already left in peace, having listened to Zyro's intriguing talks instead of dreading death in agony and suffocating silence.
That's the least he could do to ease the young Aster farewell.
Zyro stood there from dusk till darkness slowly enveloped the reddish sky. When a gust of wind made the leafs flutter, causing his hair to sway slightly. He finally bid farewell.
"Rest well Pert, Thanks for everything..."
He took a last look of his friend, then mumbled in a frail tone as he leave.
"Goodbye."