[After Legion left, In Blaise's perspective]
Blaise moves toward the dusty, tattered bed where his mother lies, her face pale, each shallow rise and fall of her chest a laborious effort. His mind is still reeling from Legion's sudden outburst, his friend's change in demeanor leaving him unsettled.
Should I still go? he wonders, glancing down at her fragile form.
I should stay with her... it's probably too late to go out anyway.
Carefully, he tucks the blankets around her, taking his time, but just as he's about to settle down beside her, he feels her cold, frail hand touch his back.
"Honey... I'm fine," she whispers, her voice barely audible but soothing, holding a strength that catches him off guard. "You shouldn't let me stop you from sending off the dead. That's something important, plus I'm sure you have something on your mind, so walk it off." She smiles weakly, the corners of her lips barely lifting, but he can sense her warmth and wisdom.
"Alright." He straightens back up.
I should apologize to Legion for leaving him.
He is about to head out the door but stops, turning to his mother as she lies on the bed weakly. He asks the question he's had since Legion spoke of leaving. "If there was another chance to leave this place, would you take it? Even though you know it will fail?"
"Hmm." She slightly turns her head to him, her bright blond hair intertwined with grey strands falling delicately to the side, her steely grey eyes shimmering in the light of the burning fireplace. "You never know the future, so you have no idea what outcome could follow, but I would continue to try, because even if there's the slightest chance it might work, I would take it. Just because your dad failed doesn't mean others would too." She smiles again. "Now go on."
"Ok," he says with a nod of his head and leaves.
That's right. Dad's failure and death got in the way. I felt as though if such a strong man like him could fail, then nobody can succeed. I doubted Legion even though he looked so determined.
"Once you have determination, you can achieve anything," he hears his father's words in his head.
"But how do you know if their determination is enough?" he mutters in response to his father's words.
"Because their eyes never lie," he repeats his father's reply as he breaks out into a sprint toward the send-off.
Reaching there, he notices he's too late; the people are already turning back and heading home, but he still goes on. Just as he rounds a corner to the village center, he sees it all play out.
The man, his laughter, the reason the woman died, and the man with pink hair. (No-name)
It's like swallowing something icy and gritty, each scratch clawing down his throat as he takes it all in—the way Legion declares himself a monster, a ticking bomb poised to explode and unleash chaos. The words linger, heavy and raw, filling the space with a tension that prickles at Blaise's skin.
He knew he didn't have the luxury to think about trusting Legion's words or choosing, because if they didn't get out of that place, everyone was dead.
[End]
Arriving at the potion store, the same chime follows, and he finds himself face to face with Noctis as she looks at him just as she places a potion on the table. "I see, you finished work early?" She eyes him up and down. "Did you and Blaise stop talking?"
"Yes, I did," he says, moving forward. "I went on a run this morning and saw him, but he didn't come to work and left me this letter." He places it on the table and picks up the potion, cracking it open and gulping down its contents.
"Ah!" he lets out, wiping his lips clean and placing a coin on the desk. "It's pretty cryptic, but I guess he may have something to tell me." He voices his concerns.
Unlike yesterday, Noctis doesn't put on a smile. She's more serious, as if something heavy weighs on her chest.
I guess something is up with everyone today.
"I know, right? I knew things after death were gloomy and sad but not this much," Cinder voices as well.
Yeah, but I have proof, even if it's just my magic.
"I—"
"I know what the potion can create," she says flatly as she bends down to retrieve something, while Legion stands there in shock, unable to finish what he was going to say. "This potion has the ability to enhance magic abilities once taken when you have power."
"Enhance? But isn't it a draining thing?"
"That's what I was saying," she says, getting back up and slamming it down on the table. "For some reason, it causes some type of chain reaction with abilities inside your body, causing them to boost instead." She continues to ramble on, and Legion can only watch as if he's listening to a professor.
"He doesn't take potion brewing lightly," Cinder retorts.
"But there isn't anyone here with magic in this place, so the potion would be useless," she sighs.
My cue.
"Not quite." He pulls the bottle closer as he takes a step back. "Maybe you don't believe in me now, but I promise you one thing: I speak only truths. If I say I want to get out of here, I will make it out." He closes his eyes, a burn seeping into his core, but he blocks it out as he activates his ability.
"Legion—" She stops as it disappears into thin air. "Magic…"
Then it reappears, just like last time, and, like last time, it duplicates into two.
[Mana: 10/40]
"You just did magic," she says, astonishment filling her tone as she steps back. "How! There's a barrier stopping any form of mana from getting inside."
"It's—" A sudden, piercing pain shoots through his head, sharp as nails driven deep, an unmistakable warning not to speak about the system. He winces, swallowing down the ache. "It's... It's a secret," he finally mutters, forcing the words out as he clenches his jaw, each syllable laced with the strain of holding back.
"Legion, I sense something coming. No, someone." Cinder moves toward the door.
Blaise.
As expected, Blaise bursts through the door, slamming it shut behind him with a swift, decisive motion. His breaths come in quick, uneven gasps, and fear is carved deep into his expression, eyes wide and darting as if he'd seen something unspeakable.
Which he did.