The man gripped the handle of his sword, his red eyes growing colder by the second, before slowly lifting the sharp tip up… and pointed it at the woman in front of him.
He gazed at his sleeping child—trying to figure out how to get him back safely. After another moment of silence, he gazed around the premise before slowly closing his eyes.
"Thankfully, all the servants were evacuated. But the soldiers standing by were all put to sleep—alongside Isabella… " He then opened his eyes to the woman. "And I was unable to stop her from taking him away."
The warm moonlight continued to illuminate the frontier between the two people before a quiet howl of wind echoed across the tree's leaves, which made the tragic performance finally commence.
With no warning, the man dashed towards her and was about to attack.
The woman flinched, but she quickly regained composure before casting the same mana shield—yet trying to protect the baby for some reason.
Their attacks rebounded, and pushed each other far apart. But once again, the man dashed towards her, and closed the distance between them in an instant before doing a single slash. Although the shield didn't break, another slash would appear in succession.
After the second slash, a series of fast and heavy blows went on and on before cracks began to emerge on the shield.
"At this rate, the shield will—"
But by the fifteenth slash, the shield completely shattered. But even after creating a gap, the man suddenly stopped attacking. He just looked at her with cold eyes while the woman managed to create distance between him.
"Tch."
The woman soon went on the offense with the baby still in her arm. But just as she was about to cast her magic, she realized the baby was still in her arms and took a quick glance at him.
"Why am I protecting him...?"
She gritted her teeth, but went along with the momentum of protecting the baby while actively trying to protect herself.
Two magic circles soon appeared behind her, and released a cloud of dark fog before forming into a dark lance. Once they completely materialized, the woman lunged both lances towards the man's.
The man sighed before positioning his sword back in front of him, closed his eyes, and began to cover it in the same black-blue fog from the bedroom. After finally finishing his preparations, he opened his eyes and dashed towards the woman once again—destroying one of the lances along the way, while dodging the other one.
The woman narrowed her eyes, moved her freed hand and directed the lance that passed him towards his back. From the corner of his eyes, he awaited the perfect moment before facing the magic head on. With one strike, the lance was destroyed.
But in that moment when the man's attention was drawn away, the woman used that opening to quickly dashed towards the opposite direction—still holding the baby deep in her arms.
Sensing her dwindling presence, the man quickly turned around, gritted his teeth, and covered his whole body with the black-blue fog before immediately pursuing her from behind.
She continued to cast and throw the same lance magic over and over again to the man while running forward—yet still holding the baby deep in her arms to protect him at all cost.
But... protect him from what?
From the father? Or from… herself?
The man continued to try and chase her, but didn't dare to attack, only defend...
Seeing him like that, a sudden thought crossed her head.
"... Does he know that I'm inactively protecting the child? But why does he continue attacking me then—"
She froze at the thought.
"... He's only been defending and chasing me, not attacking. It seems that his only target is the baby, and nothing else."
She gritted her teeth once again, and began to throw the same lance magic to him over and over again before placing her hand near the baby's face… and covering it with the same magic that she was going to kill him with.
"Why am I hesitating?! I just need to kill this child—"
But before she could finish her magic, the man quickly noticed her intention, immediately dodged all the magic, and closed the distance in an instant with blood-shot eyes.
With the same black-blue fog, he aimed to decapitate her head and save his child before she could finish casting her magic.
The woman's eyes widened as the sharp steel-blade was close to her neck—so close that she could even see her own desperate reflection.
"Crap, how can I avoid that!?"
She then saw the baby sleeping in her arms, and an idea came up.
The woman quickly turned around. Just as the man that was about to slash her, she extended the baby in front of her.
The man's eyes widened as he saw his child in from him, and quickly stopped the momentum of the sword using all his strength.
Thankfully, he managed to stop his own attack, but was unable to do anything for a split second due to the rebound of overexerting his muscles.
"An opening!"
The woman summoned forth a mana shield, and hugged the baby deep into her arms—protecting the child instinctively once again.
A small magic circle appeared between the two people. Soon, a bright light blinded the man before it was followed up by a small explosion. The woman was able to create distance thanks to the rebound, but waited for the smoke to clear.
Once the smoke began to clear up, she saw the shadowy figure of the man just standing there with no reaction. His left arm was injured and covered with blood, but the rest of his body remained unchanged.
The woman's eyes widened as she saw the amount of damage she barely caused to the man.
It seems like he used one of his hands to shield the attack so that the surroundings wouldn't get damaged.
The man just stared at her with cold eyes—yet his expression was filled with a mixture of sadness and disdain.
He took a step forward. "Please... stop. I can tell that you don't want to harm him." He then extended his injured hand towards her, blood slowly trickling down to the floor. "Just give my child back."
For a moment, the woman was willing to give the baby back to him. But then she thought:
If I give him back his child, that means that I will fail my mission.
Failing her mission means that she will be killed...
She hugged the child deeper into her arms, and looked away with shame. "I… can't."
After hearing her response, the man narrowed his eyes with anger, and pointed the tip of his sword to her before the black-blue fog covered the whole sword again.
"I see... I wanted to settle this peacefully, but I'm afraid that I must end your life now."
But saying that, he just continued to stare coldly at the woman—not moving a single inch, while trying so hard to find the perfect moment to strike her down… and save his child.
The woman looked around the cold space, raising her guard up to expect the attack from his sword. But even if she uses all her intellect to predict the attack, there's no guarantee that she will be able to avoid it—much less deflect it.
If she goes near him, her neck will be immediately sliced.
If he gets near her, he will sever her limb carrying the baby, followed by a second slash towards her neck.
If she tries to stop his attack using magic, he will dash towards her while she tries to chant her magic, and strangle her to death.
If she tries to run away, he will dash towards her and immediately sever her head.
"There's no way to survive this..."
A hint of sadness lingered through the man's cold eyes the more he gazed upon her. He gripped the sword tighter into his hand before letting out a dim sigh.
"... I always had a keen eye for people." He slightly lowered his sword. "I was well aware of your mission, and was ready to strike you down—alongside your other companions."
He stopped, and slowly blinked before continuing. "But when you arrived at the manor, I couldn't help but notice your tired… and dead eyes."
But after another moment of utter silence, he gripped the hilt and lifted the tip of his sword back up. "Despite my arbitrary attitude earlier, I had hoped that you wouldn't carry on with your mission. I had… hoped that you wouldn't let those people manipulate you even more. But seeing that you're still trying to kill him... I must end your life."
The woman couldn't help but anxiously laugh back before slowly looking back up… and seeing the sword glowing with the same midnight colored as the sky outside.
"... I guess I'm going to die here."
The woman with no name finally accepted her inevitable fate, yet… she looked at the child once again—
And stared sadly at him before finally realizing what she must do.
"But I can't give up yet. Even if I die, I need to guarantee 'her' safety!"
She gritted her teeth and looked back at the man. Despite his glowing sword being ready to strike her down, her determined eyes soon overtook her feelings, and she soon placed her hand near the child's face, before chanting the same magic that she was going to kill him with before.
Once again, her hand was covered in a black fog. "Black magic... The concept itself has many meanings. It can raise the dead, call forth for the remaining demons, contract evil spirits, and..."
She pauses for a moment, undecided if what she is doing is the correct thing. "... And it can inflict curses."
She brings her deadly hand even closer to the baby's face.
But even when her hands were near the baby's face, the man continued to stand there with a saddened expression. "Yes... I am well familiar with what black mages are capable of. They're all... the same."
The woman closed her eyes, chuckling before she spoke her mind out one last time.
"All the same... Well, it's not like I wanted to be a black mage. I was just a child living. with my mother and sister—enjoying our happy life to the fullest, even when we were poor. But they came... and took us away from each other. I tried so hard to survive, and bring my sister back... and our mother."
She slowly opened her eyes, and finally decided to conclude this battle.
"The spell that I was talking about earlier is the same one I'm about to use. I will die either way, so I'll make sure to take the target with me at least..."
"So she can be freed..."
She immediately placed her hand on the baby's face, and soon… black fog began to cover the entire baby.
A blue light began shimmering from the baby's body before flashing so brightly, that it blinded anyone that saw it. Shortly after, a light-blue ring wave expanded throughout the whole corridor.
The red gem of the bracelet the baby was wearing soon cracked before completely turning black.
Her pupil dilated as she saw the baby still alive and breathing.
"H-How did it fail—" She then looked at the bracelet, and her shaking eyes turned still and emotionless. "I see... So this is what you meant when you said you anticipated everything."
The man slowly began walking up to her.
Feeling helpless, she fell on the floor—still carrying the baby deep into her arms as tears started falling down her emotionless eyes.
"N-No…! I-I can't fail here—not until we're finally free!"
The man slightly leaned towards the woman, and carefully grabbed the sleeping baby from her arm.
He checked the condition of his child. After confirming that there was no external injury, he then looked back at the woman and positioned his sword near her neck.
"Who sent you?"
The woman didn't respond. But after an eerie moment of utter silence, she lifted her head up and looked at the man. With the same dead eyes, she spoke the identity of the man who sent her to accomplish the mission. Upon hearing the name, eyes turned bloodshot with rage.
He tightened his grip so as to not swing his sword out of anger before forcing his eyes shut… and breathing in, and out.
After somewhat calming his anger, he carefully opened his eyes, and stared at the woman with no remorse.
"... What's your name?"
The woman looked down at the floor—slightly baffled from the sudden question.
"I... don't remember."
The man sighed before looking at her with slight pity. "Where are the other magicians who were sent with you? The large-scale sleeping magic that you casted is impossible for a magician of your caliber."
The woman didn't answer, and continued to gaze emptily at the ground. After another wave of silence, the man closed his eyes before letting out a deep sigh.
He then opened his eyes one more time to ask her the final question.
For someone who refused to answer his questions, and even tried to kill his child, he couldn't help but wonder why she followed through with this awful plan. The way she emptily looks down at the ground—feeling like there is no more purpose for her to live through…
It reminds him of his own pathetic past; it reminds him of the young child he once was when he held his dead parents on the ground, and was unable to do anything to save them.
"... Did someone force you to do this?"
The woman flinched at the question.
Did she do this out of her own free will? If she did, for what reason? If she didn't, then should she still suffer the consequences that's called death?
The woman looked down at the ground even more—trembling intensely as she didn't know how to answer his question.
"I-I don't know. I did all this to save us, but if I didn't do it, we would've died... I did this out of my own choice, but at the same time I didn't. I just wanted to be with her—with mother. I-I never wanted to kill people... I never wanted to become the person I am now."
She then looked up at the man, but this time with utter sadness and despair.
"I just wanted to be free!"
She knows that showing such sadness won't escape her fate of death.
But it wasn't for some measly reason as to beg for mercy… it was for her to realize that she never got the chance to live her life; that she never got the chance… to be with them, even after doing all those terrible things.
"... I see."
He stayed motionless, and just looked at the saddened woman with no emotion before sighing.
"You say that, but I still don't understand why you kept protecting him." He glanced at the sleeping baby, and adjusted his arms before his eyes turned bitter sad. "Wasn't he your target?"
The woman sat there on the floor in silence—her mouth stammering before she responded. "I-I never killed a child before." She then gazes upon her shaking hand. "Part of me just wanted him to… live. The child didn't do anything wrong. He should have the chance to grow up... and live."
She painfully breathed in before solemnly smiling back with her dead eyes. "But either way... I would still die if I failed my mission. In the end, I tried to kill him so I could at least guarantee her freedom... but I guess I must repent for all my sins now."
The man slowly did a single nod with agreement before he removed the sword from her neck… and lifted it all the way up so it pointed up at the shadowed ceiling.
"I pity you... You must've had your reasons, but that doesn't excuse your actions."
He gripped the sword tightly. The same black-blue fog appeared on the sword once again. But rather than it spreading violently like before, it's intricate and slow motion reminded her of the fleeting motion of the ocean waves.
The more she stared at it, the more calmer, yet sadder, she began to feel.
Behind the man was a window with a full view of the looming night sky. The moon hangs in the middle, while the sparkling white stars blinked at their own special pace.
His midnight aura majestically blended in with the scenery—with the beautiful man in front of it being the main object of awe. Black hair brushed back to reveal his ruby-red eyes, a cold but alluring face… and a single scar that went down one of his eyes.
Such a view could be called a painting—one of death.
As his ruby eyes glowed, he finally finished all his preparations. "I cannot forgive you and the person behind this incident. But at least I'll give you a painless death... because that is the only gift that I can offer."
He clenched the hilt, and brought the sword down to her body. From the left shoulder all the way to the right pelvis, a fast and swift slash was made—one impossible to imitate, unless the person had experienced many battles.
The man then turned his back, and walked away from the woman with the sleeping child in his arms.
She began to fall on her back, and soon after… black and blue light began to appear on her body. It started on her legs, but as the light continued to spread, parts of her body began to disappear before transforming into blue and black particles.
As she followed where the particles were going, she witnessed the midnight sky once again.
The particles around her soon went through the window, and spread across the sky—just like the blinking stars.
"... How beautiful."
Half her torso had already disappeared, but despite losing her body… she wasn't in pain.
"It feels like I'm finally free…"
Once the light reached over her neck, she finally closed her eyes and shed a single tear.
"Sister... I'm sorry, but it seems like I'll be going first."
As half her face was covered in the same glowing light, she opened her eyes and saw a familiar figure ahead.
A beautiful girl with pink hair and white skin. Her eyes were not visible, yet you can see the happiness from her smiling face. She was just wearing a simple white dress, and a small flower crown on her hair that she remembered making for her as a birthday gift.
The sister that she wanted to be free with must live in this cruel world all alone.
She looked at the moon once more, before finally closing her eyes. The same tear ran down her face, but even then… she smiled through the sadness.
"Let my soul guide you towards peace... and hope that no more suffering befalls on you."
As she dissolved into the night sky, the white moon that shone through the same window, and illuminated the broken glasses of the once living woman down on the floor.
That pitiful woman…
She's finally free.
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
The man quietly entered the room filled with so many toys and decorations intended for a child.
After bitterly looking at the carefully planned out room, he slowly shifted his gaze to the light blue, with a mixture of white, crib in a corner that looked luxurious—yet comfortable—with hanging ceiling decoration filled with cute and adorable items for the baby to look at.
He began approaching the crib, and once he was in front of it, he looked down towards the baby that was in his arms—
Sleeping so peacefully and quietly, that you wouldn't have even thought that he almost got killed by an assassin.
He let out a bitter sigh before gently caressing his baby hair for a few, lovely seconds before stopping.
"What a failure of a person I am..."
The identity of the one who sent the assassin is known, but not yet disclosed. The same person who keeps on sending assassins to the duke's wife in the past now aims for the baby for an uncertain reason.
He carefully placed the child on the crib. Once he confirmed his child's wellbeing, he closed his eyes, and clenched his hand tightly before looking down at the floor.
"... I have failed as a father already." He then stares up at the ceiling with utter sadness before covering his eyes. "I'm still weak. If I can't prevent the same incident that happened to my parents, then what's the use of having this power…?"
A single tear ran down his face, before he looked back at the sleeping baby in the crib. The baby white hair, his rose skin, even the color of his left eye was the same shade of hazel as his mother.
He was slightly relieved that he didn't look like him at all; relieved that he won't… suffer the same way as he did in the distant past.
"I'll make sure to do anything within my power to protect you and your mother from any danger." He stops for a moment, his smile slowly fading as he just proved those words wrong by what just happened.
"But please…" His hand began to shake with utter fear—yet he continued to stroke the baby's hair as gently as he could. "Forgive me if I can't do a proper job of protecting…"
With his pleading words, the man wiped away his single tear before walking towards the door. Glancing at the sleeping baby one last time, he quietly left the room.
"... Protect the child at all costs."
Two shadowy figures—cloaked in black robes—appeared behind his back as he said that, and they quickly nodded.
After receiving their confirmation, he began his pursuit of the other magicians responsible for all of this, and captured them alive to interrogate.
But he suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway corridor, and looked out the window. Across the midnight sky, blue and black fragments solemnly painted space before they began disappearing one by one.
He continued to stare at the night sky—recalling all that just happened. He then lifts his injured hand up, and stares at his for a long moment before clenching it tightly, and letting the blood trickle down once again.
"... How displeasing."
Soon, he walked towards his destination.
Forgetting of the woman who he just killed, as to not worry his wife and all those involved.
Everyone will forget this uneventful night.
But not him. He will use this disastrous event as both a scar—for failing to protect those he loves—and a lesson as to not let such a situation like this happen ever again.
The early sunset began to consume the night sky.
And in that moment, a new day comes forth out of the misery that took place on this mansion.
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
A voice keeps repeating in my head—muttering the same inaudible thing over and over. But what exactly are they trying to say? My head feels so numb, and I can't move my body like I want it to.
Ah... I remember now. Right now, I'm in the body of an infant.
The situation still feels unfamiliar to me...
I opened my eyes. Once again, I find myself in an unfamiliar room. From the corner of my eyes, I see a stuffed bear sitting next to me. I looked up, and gazed upon the countless hanging ceiling decorations.
I turned my head to the side, and looked at the stuffed bear. I tried to reach out to it—checking to see if my senses are still with me. But unknowingly, I grabbed its leg, yanked it towards me, and began hugging it with a smile.
"It's... soft."
Being able to touch the toy bear with such sensation means that this is not a dream.
I guess I really died...
I looked up at the ceiling decorations once again. A star in the middle, another on the side that looked like a fairy, and another one that looked like a half-crescent moon.
Weird… I just dreamed about the moon—with so many beautiful and shiny particles floating and dispersing into the midnight sky. It was so beautiful. I wished that I could show my siblings such a beautiful scene.
Siblings...
I wonder what my siblings are doing now?
Are they sad that I passed away? Do they miss me?
I have so many questions, yet no answers that I can look up into.
"So, this is sadness…"
A tear begins to run down the baby's face. No sound was made as he continued to cry. He already cried once before, but this time… he knew why.
"Crying while ignoring me… Isn't that quite displeasing."
The same voice that echoed through my head earlier came back.
But where is the voice coming from?
I tried to move my head—seeing if there was somebody nearby, but to no avail.
"Trying to find me? Unfortunately, I don't have a physical body."
A blue flame suddenly appeared in front of me.
I'm not sure why... but for some reason, my hand began to reach out for the flame. Is it a baby's instinct to touch everything they see?
As my hand got closer to the flame, it suddenly flew farther away from me.
"Woah. Courageous, aren't you? What would've happened if I was a real fire?"
The baby suddenly smiled in response before laughing their heart out to the flame.
"... It seems like you're still not assimilated into the body."
Assimilated? Did I possess someone else's body?
My heart shook at the fact that I possibly took someone's life...
The flame in front of me seemed like he knew what I was thinking about.
"Don't worry. It is not what you think. You're currently the true owner of this body."
True owner…
What does he mean? Does he know the reason why I'm in this state?
Soon, two other voices appeared in the corridor near the door.
"It seems like I don't have much time to talk about your situation. I'll explain things to you once you fully assimilate into your new body."
The blue flame suddenly disappeared, leaving behind embers. My body responded by trying to capture the falling embers with my bare hands. But they only passed through them, and soon dissolved into the air.
Shortly after, the doors to the room creaked open. From the corner of my eyes, I was able to see that it was the same male and female that I first saw when I entered this body.
They quietly walked towards me, hand in hand. The woman looked nervous as she kept getting closer, while the men next to her kept reassuring her.
Once they finally reached me, they saw me still hugging the bear with a bright smile. The woman looked at me with utter joy and admiration before smiling so gracefully.
Seeing such a smile, I couldn't help but be surprised. That's an emotion I've never seen directed towards me other than my siblings.
"Weird... Why is my chest getting warm?"
The baby smiled brightly while stretching his small, chubby hand towards the woman.
The woman flinched. But slowly, she stretched out her shaking finger to the baby, and gently touched his soft hand. Out of instinct, the baby grabbed her pinky and began to laugh ever so beautifully.
The woman couldn't help but laugh with the baby more and more before gently placing her other hand on the baby's head… and began to carefully stroke his soft, baby hair.
After a moment of peace and quiet, she slowly stopped laughing—but continued to smile so warmly
"Lysander... Oh, how grateful I am that you are here with us."
... What?
My name is... Lysander?