Comfort. That's the only way Julius could describe how he felt as the soft and delicate touch of the woman traveled gently over his body with her hands being covered in a bright aura, healing his injuries effortlessly. The cuts and many bruises that had formed on his body from the hours prior had all disappeared in a matter of seconds.
Healing magic. An advanced form of mana manipulation that can be conjured through precisely and delicately transforming ones own mana, along with someone else's, into a positive energy capable of returning a persons soul to its original state. This type of magic is extremely rare, and incredibly difficult to learn and practice, due to its required level of precision and accuracy.
[Camilla]: "Aaaaaaaaand. Done! You're all good to go now, but, could I ask why you told me to heal you now rather than earlier with everyone else?"
Julius did a few small stretches, reveling in how good he felt, which was the best he ever had. Looking back at the woman, he smiled.
[Julius]: "Well, I wanted everyone else to get attended to before me, I could handle the pain for a little longer while you tended to them."
[Camilla]: "H-hm. But you were the most injured person after Lucille. You're a very selfless person, Julius."
He responded with a small chuckle, before looking back at her and his surroundings. He sat down on a crate while she healed him. Camilla, a short woman with a bubbly personality, and medium length dark pink hair. She wore white clothes, that were very casual, similar to Alcard, who was currently leaning against the wall with his arms crossed next to the door, his eyes remaining on Camilla.
Julius stood up slowly, allowing Camilla to step back as he does, and he sees a relieved look on her face as he painlessly moves around.
[Julius]: "I cant thank you enough, Camilla. You and Alcard really saved our asses today."
[Camilla]: "Always happy to help, assuming I'm not busy, that is. You're lucky that it was Alcard and I's day off today."
[Julius]: "Yeah, we really are. As much as I want to stick around and talk to you both though, I need to go check on Lucille, If that's okay."
[Camilla]: "Mh! Of course, go right ahead."
Julius smiles at her in gratitude, and starts to walk towards the door. He passes Alcard on the way out, giving him a smile, but he cant help but notice how young he looks up close, despite claiming to be twenty years old.
Julius walks faster than his usual pace towards the room that Lucille had been resting in. She remained asleep after being healed, something that Camilla told him was normal, considering how much mana her body had burnt up in such a short time period. Lisa wanted to go with Julius as he left to be healed, but she decided to stay next to Lucille, not wanting to leave her by herself in case she woke up.
In the hallway, he saw Lisa coming out of Lucille's room, holding a handful of sheets. Her whole face lights up at the sight of Julius, and she sprints over to him.
[Lisa]: "J! I'm so happy that you're all better, I was just about to come visit you!"
He places his hand gently on her head, which Lisa responds to by leaning into it, feeling the warmth his hand radiates, and a subtle pink shade fills her cheeks.
[Julius]: "Yep, all better. Is Lucille still in there? I came to check on her."
[Lisa]: "She woke up. Actually, you just missed her."
Julius pauses for a moment, happy that she had woken up just fine.
[Julius]: "That's good. Do you know where she went?"
[Lisa]: "I think so. She was headed outside, but I don't think it's a good idea if you go see her right now, she seemed a little down."
Lisa recalls the moment that Lucille woke up. She sat up in her bed, and her face was filled with sadness, and her expression was blank the whole time she spent with Lisa.
[Julius]: "It's important, I'm sure she will forgive me for seeking her out."
Julius chuckles, and Lisa quickly responds with her own small giggle.
[Lisa]: "I'm gonna go talk to mom now, please come back soon."
[Julius]: "Of course. After all, There's still that thing I need to talk to you about."
Her face lights up once more as he speaks, and she smiles widely, before waving goodbye as she walks off, still facing him, with a blush on her face.
Julius returns the wave, smiling, before waking towards the door that leads to the yard. Passing the main room that Lisa had walked into, Julius sees Alcard and Camilla again. The two were talking, and he saw a wide smile on Camilla's face, who laughed as she spoke. Alcard was never one to laugh or make small talk with anyone, most of the time his face was just monotone, or he was frowning. But with Camilla, it was different, she was clearly special to him, Julius could feel that.
He felt the cool breeze as he walked outside into the garden, following a trail that led into the forest, and opened up into the bright light of the rising sun, the sky adopting a bright yellow and pink shade.
Walking trough the path, he sees Lucille. She stands with her back to him, looking down at two blocks of stone that come out of the ground. This part of the forest, appeared to be a graveyard. Julius looked around as he slowly approached her, she had noticed him, but her gaze remained fixed to the graves that she stood in front of.
[Julius]: "Hey, I'm glad you're awake! And you made a good recovery too. How are you feeling?"
[Lucille]: "- - -"
Her lone figure within the forest was almost breathtaking. Her soft black hair blew gently in the wind, as the sound of rustling trees filled their ears. It was peaceful, and quiet, but Lucille emitted a strange feeling within Julius, he could tell that something was wrong.
She didn't respond to him, as if he wasn't even there, but that changed when he moved closer, now only a meter away from Lucille.
[Lucille]: "Why did you follow me here? You could have just waited for me to come back and said something then. Probably something stupid like thanking me for saving your ass."
Her voice was stern and sharp, sharper than usual. Her hostility shocks Julius, he hadn't expected her to be so sour right now, especially since she had just woken up.
He opens his mouth as if about to speak, but he pauses. His eyes widen slightly when he looks at the graves, now close enough to read them. Inscribed on the two blocks of stone, the names of who they belonged to. Alice and Homura Anastasia... Julius knew when he saw the last name, that these graves belonged to Lucille's parents.
Lucille finally turns to face him, her face mean and filled with subtle anger.
[Julius]: "- - -"
[Lucille]: "I'm really starting to get sick of you."
He softly gasps as he hears her sudden expression of hatred. He tries to speak some more, but nothing comes out, and she cuts him off.
[Lucille]: "You have no right to keep trying to get close to me. Why? Why do you want to be my friend? Why do you keep trying so hard to prove yourself to me, or Lady Astoria?"
[Julius]: "Lucille."
Her voice starts to get louder with every sentence, and her expression slowly twists into further anger, but he can also see sadness in her eyes, a deep pain within her. He can feel her trying to push him away with her words, not expressing the desire to have any more people get close to her.
[Lucille]: "You just show up one day, and you don't even know how!? You speak of weird places and names, and you can't even tell us where you're from! You're an anomaly! And for some reason, all you seem to care about is trying to get closer to us! As if you're stupid life depended on it! Why!!?"
[Julius]: "I-... I don't know... Muriel and Lisa helped me, they gave me aid, and a place to stay."
[Lucille]: "And that makes you feel like you have to make friends with me!? Cant you see that I don't want anything to do with you!!?"
The forest seems to grow louder with her outburst. Her stance is wide, and her words are filled with emotion. Julius is taken back completely, speechless, but he tries his hardest to get words out. He tries his hardest to make her understand that he means no harm to her.
[Julius]: "What's wrong with wanting to be friends with you, Lucille? You're an amazing person, why should I feel the need to stay away from you."
His words are kind and warm, but Lucille only seems to get angrier when she hears them, her teeth grit together, and her fists clench hard. Her eyes start to fill with tears as she speaks once more.
[Lucille]: "Like you're some saint! If you really wanted to do something, then why didn't you at the manor when that asshole took me!?"
Julius's body jolts when he hears her say that, a sharp pain filling his heart. He takes a small step back, staring at her as her words start to affect him more than he though they would, hearing her call him out on how powerless he is, the wind starting to blow harder and pick up throughout the forest, its noise growing louder too.
[Lucille]: "You have done nothing but raise suspicion since you got here! You can't tell us where you're from! You act all friendly with everyone! And now! Just a few days after you arrive! I get kidnapped by a fucking Embodiment!!"
Julius still cant speak, every word that comes out of her mouth sends another shock to him. Did she blame me for that? Does she think that I'm responsible for what happened to her?-- Julius couldn't help but think these things, a strong sense of guilt washing over him.
[Julius]: "N-no I..."
[Lucille]: "Even Lady Astoria found you suspicious! That's why she asked me to keep an eye on you! And I did! I watched your every move! And all I saw was a pathetic boy, who tried his best to make friends with all of us! You don't know me! And yet you still try and act like you're close to me!"
Her emotions slowly took hold of her, and Julius took another step back, his own tears starting to form in his eyes. Lucille began to visibly cry, something that she hated people seeing, and this only strengthened her sharp and hate-filled words towards Julius.
[Lucille]: "PEOPLE LIKE YOU REALLY PISS ME OFF! YOU SUDDENLY APPEAR IN OUR LIVES! AND ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS TRYING TO WEDGE YOUR WAY INTO THEM AS DEEP AS YOU CAN! I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND AS MUCH AS I TRY TO LEARN THAT, I JUST FIND MORE THINGS ABOUT YOU THAT BRING HATRED AND PAIN TO ME! JULIUS! I-....."
"I HATE YOU!..."
Those three words resonate through Julius's head. His mouth drops open and his eyes widen with tears that now fall freely down his face. He stares at her in shock, seeing how her own tears flood from her eyes, dropping onto the ground as her voice nearly breaks from emotion. He cannot believe what she thought of him, someone who had just been trying to repay his gratitude for the kind souls that invited him into their home, given him a place to stay, given him food. Given him hope...
[Lucille]: "I HATE YOU!!!"
She repeats herself. Another jolt of pain and shock fly through Julius. But this time, it makes him grit his teeth, and clench his fists tight. After a short pause, Julius fights through the trembles, and talks back to her, which actually came out as more of a scream. For the first time in his life, Julius screamed at someone, filled with emotion that he just couldn't handle anymore, emotion that he couldn't push down any further.
[Julius]: "STOP!... STOP JUST SHUT UP!"
His sudden shout shocks her, she feels her body jolt as her eyes widen, listening to him finally snap under the ever increasing pressure of this new world and its inhabitants.
[Julius]: "YOU SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW YOU WHEN ALL YOU'VE DONE IS TREAT ME LIKE SHIT EVER SINCE I GOT HERE. I KNOW MURIEL TOLD YOU TO LOOK OUT FOR ME! AND I KNOW I JUST APPEARED HERE OUT OF THE BLUE! BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO THROW ME AROUND LIKE TRASH!"
She looks ahead in pure shock and surprise. Her tears continue to fall down her glistening face, but the ones that flood Julius's eyes are far stronger, his voice cracking and breaking as he yells at her. She is taken back, feeling the pure emotion that echo off of his voice.
[Julius]: "YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW YOU! YOU TRY YOUR BEST TO HIDE WHO YOU ARE, BUT YOU DO YOU REALLY THINK FOR A SECOND THAT I DON'T SEE THE SADNESS IN YOUR EYES!? DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT I DON'T HEAR THE PAIN IN YOUR VOICE!? THE ANGER IN YOUR EVERY MOVE!?"
She cant move. The only action her body takes is falling to its knees as she looks up at him in disbelief. His words hurt her. They hurt her far more than they should, unexpectedly forcing more tears from her as she sobs, staring up at him, unable to speak. He had seen her hidden pain. He had noticed her real feelings, no matter how hard she had tried to hide them. No one had ever noticed before how she was really feeling, but somehow, he did. And it scared her.
The wind in the forest picks up even further, a strong force that shakes the leaves in the trees, and blows their hair to the side as he continues to break. The bright pink and yellow sky shined down upon them, sparkling in Lucille's tear filled eyes.
[Julius]: "I CAN SEE THAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK! IT'S WRITTEN ALL OVER YOU! BUT YOU STILL SIT HERE AND LOOK ME IN THE EYES AS YOU SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW YOU! THAT YOU HATE ME FOR TRYING TO KNOW YOU! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!..."
Her whole body trembles and shivers as she looks up at him, helplessly kneeling on the ground, crying heavily. He yells at her, but she can see an unchanging kindness in his eyes. She can hear the undertone of desperation in his voice. Desperation that fills her with a strange warmth. He reminded her of her father, the two shared the same mannerisms such as rubbing the back of their neck often when they laughed, and their kind energy that never wavered, even in times such as this, where their other emotions took over.
Through all the strong winds and noise of the forest, along with the tears and fierce look on Julius's face. She couldn't shake the growing feeling of warmth that he had plunged into her, along with everyone else in the manor. He was a beacon of kindness, and she had been the one to resist its attraction the longest. The stray moth...
Her body jolts once more as he speaks again, this time, his voice was softer, and a defeated and desperate look appears on Julius's face, replacing his previous expression of anger.
[Julius]: "LUCILLE! I-...."
He stops himself from yelling any further. His body had grown tired of it, and a feeling of guilt had forced him to cut himself off. She wanted to yell back at him, something that she usually did if someone even so much as raised their voice at her, the exception being Muriel, who she held too much respect for to say anything bad towards her. But for some reason, she couldn't. As much as she tried, her body was in too much shock, and his words cut into her like a sharp blade, forcing all of his emotion into her.
[Lucille]: "- - -"
[Julius]: "Lucille... I-... I have been trying so hard to make it up to everyone ever since the day i got here. I started my new job at the manor. I joined along with Muriel when you were taken. And I risked my life to rescue you from that town. Actually, it was my plan in the first place that was chosen to save you. And i chose to do it alone, which ended up giving me a whole bunch of injuries. But it was all worth it, to save you..."
Lucille was sent into shock again, but this time, it wasn't from his harsh words, it was from his kindness, and the knowledge that he was the one to make the plan to save her, and willingly going by himself to retrieve her, without even knowing that an Embodiment was behind it all. Someone that if he had run into, would have killed him effortlessly.
[Lucille]: "Jul-....
[Julius]: "I know I'm as clueless as they get. I woke up here and I have no idea how. The world I'm from is practically gone now. But i do know something... And its that I want to be apart of this family. And I want to help you escape whatever past you have that holds you back, the past that seems to plague you every day."
He cuts her off gently. His voice is soft, and filled with pure affection. She can't sense any ulterior motive, and she can tell that he isn't lying. His eyes that are still producing tears shoot a loving gaze into her very soul, an un-reciprocated kindness that bores a deep hole into the wall that she had put up her whole life.
[Lucille]: "- - -"
Still, she is unable to speak even a single word, simply just staring up at Julius from the ground, who has taken a small step closer.
[Julius]: "I want to help you Lucille. You don't know me very well, But i want nothing more than to know you. To learn who you really are. And to grow with you."
She gasps softly, the only action her body lets her make as she looks into his eyes in disbelief. She had begun to cry harder than before, his kind words had slowly started to chip away at her defenses, her body started to shake, and all she could do, was cry. So. She cried...
Her tear filled face shined beautifully in the pink hue of the sky, something that Julius couldn't help but notice.
[Julius]: "I can see the pain in your eyes. The pain in your voice. I can see the pain in your actions, even now. That's why i know that... You don't hate me. I know that you don't hate me Lucille..."
Her expression flickered to one of pure surprise. Her hair was messy, and her face was almost completely red, covered in tears that now flowed out from her eyes quickly. His words had shook her to her core. She really had never met someone like Julius. Someone so persistently kind. She felt as if he could see right over the wall she had put up. Right over the guard that took the form of a mean, bad mouthed girl who shut herself in, and saw the real her, almost effortlessly. Impossible-- She had thought.
[Julius]: "I want to help you. But I'm so weak. I felt so powerless back at the manor when Miura took you, and it made me sick. It made me hate myself so much because I couldn't even move a single muscle."
She looked up and a look of sadness washes over her. She feels a sharp sting in her heart as he self loathes over his powerlessness, feeling his desire for the ability to save those around him.
[Julius]: "I want to learn magic. I want to become stronger, stronger than even you are. I want the strength to save everyone in my new family. Especially you, Lucille."
Another gasp, this time more audible. She can feel the full effects of Julius, a man who has a strong aura that constantly pulls people in with his kindness. She understood now, why everyone had let their guard down around him, it was hard not to. It almost made her wonder if the feeling he gave everyone was the work of a commandment, but she could feel just how powerless he was, it couldn't be that.
[Lucille]: "J-Julius..."
[Julius]: "I know I'm weak, I've known that my whole life. But I am going to get stronger. Strong enough to save all of you."
His own tears have stopped, and his expression is filled with determination and a fierce hope. An expression that persuades Lucille's mind into fully washing away that wall that she had built to shut herself in from the world, and more tears began to fall, revealing her real self- A girl who just wanted to be happy. A girl who never wanted to fight.
[Julius]: "I'm not much right now, I know. But please... Lucille...."
"Wait For Me..."
-
Those words shocked her, and left her breathless. She could hear her fathers voice beneath Julius's. The same words he said as he left her, the last thing he ever said to her. And with them being said again... She cried. And she cried some more.
Julius had grown onto her strongly, her previous opinion of him had been ripped away, torn down along with her emotional wall. Her sobs could be heard all the way throughout the forest, and she looked up at him with heavy streams falling from her eyes.
Julius had a warm smile, and he had his hand reached out for her, waiting. She took a sharp intake of air, as she had a very brief vision of her father, reaching out for her hand before he left. She never did get to take her fathers hand that day, and it had haunted her all these years. ten years had past since that day, and not a single moment would pass where she didn't miss her parents. Not a single moment would pass where she didn't regret not quickly reaching out and taking hold of her father.
But those visions had only given her the ability to make her final decision. She wouldn't make the same mistake again. So with one quick movement, she forced her arm to move, and took Julius's hand.
Her eyes widened as she made contact with him. It's as if all of his emotions flooded into her, scaring away all the negative feelings she had held onto. His warm touch was nothing but pure sanctity and protection to her very soul. Everything around them faded away, and she remained on her knees on the ground, staring up at Julius. But now, she had a smile on her face, and her tears continued to fall.
[Lucille]: "Y-... Yes... Julius... I w-will.... I will wait for you!"
Julius smiled, looking down at her red face, her hair messed up and smiling back at him. A wide, genuine smile. Something that he had never seen before from Lucille. Something that no one had ever seen before. She was a different person underneath her sour shield, and Julius had managed to tear it away from her.
He kept a firm grasp on her hand, and kneeled down in front of her, so that their heads were level. This action was almost immediately met with Lucille lunging forwards, wrapping her arms around him as she buried her face in his neck, sobbing heavily.
[Julius]: "Ah! L-Lucille...?"
She didn't respond to him. She didn't need to, he could understand what she needed right now fully. And so without taking any longer, he wrapped his arms around her, and held her tightly against him, allowing her to cry into his embrace. The forest's wind had calmed down, and the soft blowing of leaves proved to be a peaceful sound to their ears. Julius felt her strong emotions within her embrace, and they started to rub off on him, something that he had no objections to. He held her tightly, feeling her shake as she cried, and Julius's own tears began to fall again, feeling her strong sense of gratitude and joy at finally sharing herself with someone. She was different now, and she felt a strong attachment to Julius, to her own surprise, within just a few minutes, Julius was now someone that she held closest to her heart, someone that she would never let go of. Someone, that for once, made her want to fight. She was happy, to fight for Julius.
{I can feel her pain fading away as she hugs me. I can feel her emotions washing away, flooding the air as she holds me. I'm so sorry Lucille. I'm so sorry you had to go through this for so long. But I'm here now. I know you don't want to fight, I can see that much in your eyes, in the pain of your actions. But please, if there is any reason to fight, do it for me. I know she wont respond to anything I say, so I wont try and talk to her right now. I'll just keep holding onto you, for as long as you need me to. Lucille had never felt this way before, I'm sure. So I am happy to keep holding onto you like this anytime. Anytime... Lucille.}
{Her body is shaking with every breath, I'm sure she is still worn out from her recent recovery, but i wont stop her. She needs this. And this embrace is effecting me too, far more than I thought it would. I guess you make me feel so much more... Myself, Lucille. At the end of all tonight's events. The end of all the pain and fighting.....}
{She Cried.... And I Cried With Her.}
---
== Arc I ==
-Finish-
=========