Alondra steps forward, holding a lifespan crystal in her delicate hands. Her face is a mask of sorrow, her violet eyes glistening with tears that, if I didn't know better, might seem genuine.
"I'm so sorry, Solice…" she whispers, her voice trembling with mock regret. It churns my stomach. She extends the crystal toward me, as if offering me some merciful solace.
"In another life, we could've—" Her voice cracks as she sobs. "The children will miss you."
Her performance is flawless. It's almost admirable how convincing she is. Almost.
Without a word, I reach out and touch the crystal. A faint glow emanates from it, and I feel the familiar sensation of my lifespan draining away. Most of it, anyway. One week remains.
Tch. One week to live. One week to survive. I'll need to hunt monsters if I even think about using magic again.
Alondra turns away, her shoulders trembling with exaggerated grief. It's revolting.
"Solice Caligo of unknown origin," Prince Ramidion's voice cuts through the room, commanding and resolute, "in my father's absence, I, Prince Ramidion Alstidon, sentence you to exile!"
His words are final.
"Never will you set foot in these lands again. You are hereby banished from the Kingdom of Alstidon and all its surrounding territories. Should you return, you will be deemed an enemy of the realm and dealt with accordingly."
His golden eyes remain fixed on me as he adds, "Tsuki, escort Solice far from these lands."
Tsuki steps forward, silent and imposing. His shrouded face betrays no emotion, but the weight of his presence gives me little choice. Walk, or be dragged.
I glance around the room one last time. The advisors whisper among themselves, their expressions dripping with disdain. Ramidion almost looks… empathetic. Almost.
And then there's her.
I refuse to look at Alondra. She isn't worth it. The next time I see her, she'll regret everything she's done.
Without a word, I turn and walk toward the exit, Tsuki following close behind. The winding halls of the castle twist around me, but I don't look back.
-----
The carriage ride is suffocating.
I stare out the window as we pass through the bustling town. The shops are alive with energy, townsfolk laughing and chatting as if the world hasn't just crushed me under its heel. The square where I once fought lifespan bandits is pristine now, bluish-white glows of transferred lifespan illuminating the streets.
Then we pass the orphanage.
The children are outside, laughing and playing. My chest tightens at the sight of them. I'll miss them.
One boy, the snot-nosed kid who was always my favorite, notices me through the carriage window.
"Look! It's Alondra's boyfriend!" he shouts, rallying the other kids as they run after the carriage.
"I'm going away for a long time," I call out, forcing a smile I don't feel. "I had so much fun with you all! Take care of yourselves—and take care of Alondra!"
The words taste like ash, but I can't burden them with the truth. Alondra will likely skip town within weeks, but they don't need to know that. They deserve their innocence, at least.
"No! We'll miss you, Solice!"
"Yeah! Come back and visit!"
"Mama Alondra will miss you too!"
"We'll make sure Mama doesn't talk to any other boys!"
Their laughter follows the carriage until it fades into the distance, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
-----
Half a day later, the carriage jerks to a stop.
I glance at my timer. Six and a half days remain. Tch.
Tsuki opens the door, gesturing for me to step out. Another knight sits at the helm of the carriage, reins in hand, the massive wolf-like creatures pulling it pawing restlessly at the ground.
Tsuki leads me toward a steep cliff overlooking the wilderness. The sun is setting, painting the sky in fiery hues. It's almost beautiful.
"This is the edge of Alstidon," Tsuki says, his voice calm and deliberate.
With a simple motion, he removes the magic-blocking shackles from my wrists and turns back toward the carriage. Freedom feels foreign, but not comforting.
The sound of the carriage fades into the distance, the howls of the wolf-like creatures echoing as they disappear.
I sit at the cliff's edge, staring at the vast expanse before me. The world feels larger than it ever has. Overwhelming.
My mind churns with questions. What is this "Dark Deity"? Is that truly what I am? Does it even matter? I need to hunt monsters to survive. Should I avoid kingdoms altogether? Where do I even begin?
Thump.
The sound of a bag dropping beside me breaks the silence.
I glance to my side and see Tsuki standing there. For the first time, his hood is down.
His face is hardened, every line and scar telling a story of survival and suffering. His hair is short, wavy, and jet black, the tips dyed crimson like embers fading in a fire. But it's his eyes that hold me.
They're black—pure, unbroken darkness. Eyes that have stared into the void and seen it stare back. There's a pain in them, a pain too familiar, like he's been betrayed more times than his heart can bear. But beneath the weight of those betrayals, there's something else. Something unyielding. Something dangerous.
He doesn't say a word as he stands there, a heavy presence at my side.
"You don't have to stay," I tell him, my voice calm but firm. "I'm not turning back. You've done your duty, Tsuki. There's no need to watch me."
He doesn't move.
Instead, he kneels.
The action is so deliberate, so reverent, that it sends a chill down my spine. He bows his head low, his voice calm but weighted with something ancient and immovable.
"You misunderstand, Lord Solice."
The title cuts through me like a blade.
"I have waited for this moment. For over two hundred years, I have awaited the return of the Dark Deity."
My breath catches.
"What did you just say?" My voice is barely a whisper, yet the question hangs in the air between us.
Tsuki lifts his head, and when his eyes meet mine, there's no mistaking it—an unwavering devotion burns in the depths of that darkness.
"I swore an oath to serve you, my Lord. And now, your reign begins."
The world tilts beneath me, the words sinking into my mind like stones dropped into a still lake. My timer ticks away silently in the corner of my vision, but the sound of his voice drowns everything else out.
"Huh…?"
Tsuki lowers his head again, his voice firm, resolute, and unshakable.
"I am yours to command."