We were in the forest, resting on the ground beside a Mikahil healed by my miracles. Zero didn't mention anything, but the grateful look she gave me while hugging the dragon's head was enough to reveal her feelings.
However, everyone's mood changed when I recounted the events that occurred in the tower, with Five, Four, and Eupherbia adding their perspectives to the story.
"So, Two is on Three's side, bringing materials and people for that bitch's experiments. Great! Another reason to finish them both off! I wish I could have been there to show how I felt being knocked from the sky!"
Zero crossed her arms, anger in her voice and gaze, fidgeting anxiously.
"I know I made a promise, but the more I observe, the more I believe that killing Three, Two, and One is the only option."
This time, there was no hesitation; if I find them, I will do whatever it takes to end this war.
Tension filled the clearing. Several eyes stared at me, and the white-haired woman raised a questioning eyebrow, slowly lifting the corners of her lips.
"Oh, you're finally seeing things my way? So you mean you're going to kill my dear sisters hiding behind you?"
I resisted the urge to respond to her sadistic tone, full of provocation, and looked at the intoners in question.
Four and Five returned my gaze with fear and apprehension, slowly tightening their grip on their respective weapons, but I shook my head, causing them both to calm down.
"No, despite the problems they caused, they can still be saved."
"Is that so? And what do you plan to do when the flower takes over them? Give them a kiss of true love and hope for the best?"
"Flower?"
The sisters spoke at the same time, and Zero laughed, a dry sound that echoed through the forest.
"Don't you know? Since the knight here isn't going to finish the job, I'll tell you why I'm doing all this."
Then Zero told them about the flower in her eye, her objective, and the source of the Intoners' powers. However, she left out much of her past and the origin of her sisters, something that the young Zero in her soul told me.
When it was all over, silence filled the air. Four, Five, Eupherbia, and the Disciples remained with faces contorted in horror at the revelation.
"E-Edric! Do something! They're going to destroy the world, I don't want that, I live here!"
The fairy pounded on my helmet, pleading with a red face and eyes full of fear.
"HAHAHA! Holy shit, I think that explains a lot about Balloon Breasts and her sisters!"
Dito laughed with all his might, making Five shrink back and look away in shame. Decadus remained silent, timidly readjusting his glasses while he and Four refused to look at each other.
"N-no, that has to be a lie! Zero is crazy, a monster! She's only saying that to turn everyone against us, right? She wants all of Midgard for herself, doesn't she? This whole story is nothing but a big lie, right? Right?" The brown-haired woman protested, losing all composure.
She looked around with glazed eyes and a crooked smile, sweating nervously and trembling like a leaf.
I placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump with a startled cry. Immediately, she recoiled, dragging herself across the ground until her back collided with Mikahil.
"Four, Zero is telling the truth. The Black Dragon was aware of the situation and told me something similar. I knew all along."
I tried to be gentle, speaking slowly in a soft tone, but I failed miserably to deliver the news in an acceptable way.
The betrayal that appeared on the woman's face made my stomach sink. The way she stared at me like a statue couldn't be described any other way.
"Y-you… YOU ALREADY KNEW?! SO ALL YOUR KINDNESS, ALL THE KIND WORDS, THEY WERE NOTHING BUT A LIE?! A PLAN TO GET CLOSE TO ME AND STAB ME IN THE BACK?! I KNEW YOU AND ZERO WERE TOGETHER! WHAT DID SHE PROMISE YOU?! MONEY?! HER BODY?! A PLACE AS THE KING OF MIDGARD?! KNOW THAT I WILL NOT GIVE UP WITHOUT A FIGHT! EVEN IF I HAVE TO BITE YOU TO DEATH! I REFUSE TO DIE FOR THIS LAND OF IDIOTS! EVERYONE WAS KILLING EACH OTHER FOR NO REASON AND WE SOLVED THE PROBLEM! WHAT WILL THEY DO WITHOUT US?! KILL EACH OTHER AGAIN?!"
Tears streamed down her face with each scream directed at me, making me feel like a monster. Slowly, I stood up, only to find the tip of a familiar spear at my neck.
"Don't even think about it!" Five growled through clenched teeth, looking like a Berserker with strands of her golden hair covering her face.
That same face was partially illuminated by Eupherbia, who was preparing a magical attack. Simultaneously, Zero and the Disciples assumed combat stances with weapons in hand.
I pondered what I should do next, sighing, and revealed one of my secrets.
"What if I told you I have a way to take the flower from you without killing you?"
Four fell silent, and a pang of surprise crossed Five's face as she pressed her weapon against my neck guard.
"Ha, you've got to be kidding me! Let's finish this right here and then!"
That was the last straw.
"FOR THE LOVE OF WHATEVER GOD IS LISTENING TO US, YOU BETTER SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I SHOVE SOMETHING IN YOUR MOUTH, ZERO!"
Silence returned, this time in total disbelief, with wide eyes and mouths surrounding me.
"HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH MIDGARD. THE PEOPLE HERE SEEM CONSUMED BY THEIR DISGUSTING AND SELFISH DESIRES, AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE! BASIC EMPATHY AND A MINIMUM OF DECENCY ARE A JOKE, AND PEOPLE WHO TRY TO DO GOOD ARE SEEN AS FOOLS, BROKEN BY THE WORLD, OR DEAD! SINCE I ARRIVED, I'VE DONE MY BEST TO HELP! EVEN YOUR SISTERS, EACH WITH THEIR OWN FILTHY PROBLEMS, HAVE MADE MIDGARD A BETTER PLACE, BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
Fury seized Zero's face as she stomped forward, however, I moved faster, dodging Five's spear and conjuring a fireball at her feet, stopping her.
"YOU…"
"I'M NOT FINISHED! DO YOU KNOW WHAT I SEE?! EMPTY AND FUTILE PEOPLE SURROUNDED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO SUPPORT THEIR TERRIBLE VICES! FIVE!"
I pointed at the blonde, who jumped slightly in response.
"YOU ARE A GREEDY AND FOOLISH GLUTTON, SO FOCUSED ON YOUR LUST AND MATERIALISTIC DESIRES THAT YOU HAVE BECOME IGNORANT OF THE PROBLEMS AROUND YOU. YOUR SOLDIERS AND SERVANTS ARE ONLY LOYAL BECAUSE YOU OFFER THEM YOUR BODY! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW INCOMPETENT YOUR ARMY WAS?! I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT MOST OF THEM WERE NOTHING MORE THAN DROOLING MEN WHO ENLISTED TO TASTE YOU, AND LOOK WHERE THAT LED YOU! YOUR LAND WAS THE FASTEST TO FALL! AS IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH, MOST OF YOUR LAND'S MONEY WAS SPENT ON BALLS, DRESSES, JEWELRY, PERFUMES AND OTHER USELESS THINGS WHILE YOUR POPULATION STARVED! PERHAPS DITO WAS RIGHT IN SAYING THAT YOUR BREASTS ARE BIGGER THAN YOUR BRAIN, BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU LOOKED IN A MIRROR, YOU WOULD BE UNABLE TO SEE THE PROBLEM! YOUR DISCIPLE OPENLY HATES YOU, HE DOESN'T BOTHER TO HIDE IT, AND YET YOU TREAT HIM LIKE A TOY, AS IF EVERYTHING WERE A GAME! YOU TREAT LIFE LIKE A GAME! AND GUESS WHAT, YOU'RE NOT WINNING! EITHER YOU BECOME SOMEONE WORTHY OF THE POSITION YOU HELD OR YOU WILL END UP LIKE THE LORDS YOU YOURSELF KILLED!"
I left the dumbfounded woman behind and focused on the brunette who immediately shrank back.
"FOUR! HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS! ONE MOMENT YOU ACT LIKE YOU'RE HUMAN TRASH, COMPARING YOURSELF TO YOUR SISTERS AND CONSTANTLY BEARING YOURSELF DOWN! THE NEXT MOMENT, YOU ACT LIKE YOU'RE THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD, A PERFECT AND INCORRUPTIBLE SAINT ABOVE EVERYONE! MAKE UP YOUR MIND! EVERY TIME A PROBLEM COMES YOUR WAY, ALL YOU DO IS COMPLAIN, BEARING YOURSELF DOWN OR ELEVATING YOURSELF! NOT TO MENTION, OF COURSE, THOSE UNBEARABLE FITS OF YOURS! EVERYONE IS A PROBLEM, EXCEPT YOU, RIGHT?! GUESS WHAT? WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS! YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL! HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF BROODING IN A CORNER, FANTASIZING ABOUT SCENARIOS IN YOUR HEAD YOU DO SOMETHING WORTHY OF PRAISE?! DO YOU WANT TO BE APPROVED BY YOUR SISTERS?! DO YOU WANT TO BE LOVED BY THE PEOPLE?! THEN DO SOMETHING THAT DESERVES THAT APPROVAL INSTEAD OF TAKING OUT YOUR FRUSTRATIONS ON NON-HUMAN RACES! WHAT HAVE ELVES, FAIRIES, CENTAURS, AND OTHER NON-HUMANS DONE TO YOU SPECIFICALLY TO JUSTIFY YOUR HATRED?! NOTHING! DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU KILL THEM WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE?! BECAUSE IT'S EASY! BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU, SO YOU DON'T NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE ETHICAL AND MORAL IMPLICATIONS! AFTER ALL, WHY HUMAN WOULD CARE ABOUT THE DEATH OF MONSTERS?! YOU ARE A JEALOUS LITTLE WORM WHO TAKES FROM OTHERS WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE!"
The disciples were next. Dito leaned against a tree, crossing his arms and smiling broadly, while Decadus's face turned red and his breathing quickened.
"YOU TWO ARE THE WORST ASSISTANTS I'VE EVER HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF MEETING! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ASSIST AND ADVISE YOUR RESPECTIVE MISTRESSES, BUT YOU ONLY ENCOURAGE THEIR BEHAVIOR WHILE YOUR FETISHES ARE BEING AROUSED! FURTHERMORE, YOUR LOYALTY IS SHAMEFUL! I'VE KNOWN BANDITS AND MERCENARIES MORE LOYAL THAN YOU! YOUR INTONERS ARE TAKEN FROM YOU, AND YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM CHOOSING ZERO AS YOUR NEW MISTRESS! I'M SURPRISED HOW QUICKLY THE EXCHANGE OCCURRED! IF FIVE AND FOUR ARE WORTH SO LITTLE TO YOU, THEN I CAN'T COUNT ON YOU TO PROTECT MY BACK ON THE BATTLEFIELD! DITO, YOU'RE A SADISTIC LITTLE SHIT WHO HASN'T BEEN KILLED YET ONLY BECAUSE YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY POWERFUL WOMEN PROTECTING YOU! IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE POWER, INFLUENCE, OR REPUTATION OF THE INTONERS, SOMEONE WOULD HAVE SILENCED YOU PERMANENTLY BY NOW, PROBABLY ME! DECADUS, YOU'RE THE LEAST WORSE, BUT YOU'RE A COWARD, NOT IN COMBAT, BUT IN YOUR LIFE! YOUR FETISH FOR FEELING PAIN MAKES ANYONE TREAT YOU LIKE A SLAVE! DON'T YOU REALIZE WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?! BEING INCAPABLE OF HAVING AN OPINION AND STADING YOUR GROUND WHEN SOMEONE CHALLENGES YOU?! EITHER YOU LEARN TO ASSERT YOURSELF OR YOU'LL END UP DEAD!"
Finally, I turned to Zero, who looked ready to fly towards my neck, but I didn't back down, letting it all out.
"FINALLY, YOU! YES, YOU! YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW LONG I'VE WAITED TO SAY THIS! NEVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE HAVE I MET SUCH A REVOLTING PERSON! YOU ARE NOISY, LAZY, TEMPERAMENTAL, AND VIOLENT! SINCE WE MET, YOU'VE DONE NOTHING BUT COMPLAIN, KILL, AND FUCK, WHICH APPARENTLY ARE THE ONLY THINGS YOU KNOW HOW TO DO! TELL ME, ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THIS LIFE?! BECAUSE I'D RATHER DIE THAN BE SOMEONE LIKE YOU! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY LIVES YOU'VE RUINED WITH YOUR SENSELESS KILLING?! CERTAINLY NOT! LET ME GUESS, YOU KILLED THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE IN YOUR WAY! BECAUSE THEY WERE ANNOYING! BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOU! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, HAVING A TRAGIC PAST DOESN'T JUSTIFY RUINING OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES, IT DOESN'T JUSTIFY ACTING LIKE EVERYONE IS AN INSECT, THINGS TO BE CRUSHED UNDER YOUR HEELS! YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A BAD LIFE! YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH PROBLEMS! HELL, IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN I SHOULD BE BURNING CITIES RIGHT NOW CONSIDERING HOW MANY TIMES I'VE DIED!"
With a tug, I removed my helmet, revealing my face to everyone. Those who didn't know widened their eyes and looked away, hissing through their teeth.
"YES, THIS IS MY FACE! HORRIBLE, ISN'T IT! I DOUBT I COULD GO OUT ON THE STREET WITHOUT BEING CALLED A MONSTER! IF YOU THINK IT'S BAD TO DIE ONCE, THEN LOOK AT THE FACE OF A MAN WHO HAS DIED MORE THAN A THOUSAND TIMES! I WAS CUT, PIERCED, CRUSHED, MELTED, DEVOURED, POISONED AND MORE! CONSIDERING THAT TIME AND SPACE STOPPED MAKING SENSE WHERE I CAME FROM, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ALL OF THIS HAPPENED FOR CENTURIES OR MILLENNIA! MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS MAY HAVE DIED WITHOUT KNOWING MY FATE! LOOK ME IN THE FACE AND TELL ME THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO SUFFERED! I AM TIRED! TIRED OF DYING! TIRED OF FIGHT! TIRED OF SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF POWERFUL FOOLS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES! YOU ARE SO USED TO KILLING EVERYTHING IN YOUR PATH THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER AN ENEMY THAT CANNOT BE DEFEATED WITH SWORDS! WE ARE DEALING WITH DEMONS THAT CORRUPT AND POSSESS, BUT EVERY TIME I SHARE MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, I AM TREATED AS CRAZY! I JUST SAID I HAVE A SOLUTION TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS AND I WAS IGNORED! NOW LOOK AT US, THE TRUTH HAS BEEN TOLD AND WE ARE ALMOST KILLING EACH OTHER! IF THIS IS YOUR LIMIT THEN YOU'D BETTER GIVE UP, BECAUSE YOU'LL DISCOVER WORSE THINGS FROM NOW ON! WE ARE A TEAM ASSEMBLED BY CONVENIENCE, BECAUSE MOST OF US WANT SOMETHING FROM EACH OTHER! I WONDER IF WE WOULD STILL BE TOGETHER IF WE WERE NORMAL PEOPLE WITH NOTHING IMPORTANT TO OFFER! ZERO, DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE LIVING LIKE THIS?! FEARED BY EVERYONE AND SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO WANT SOMETHING FROM YOU?! YOU SAW HOW THE DISCIPLES' LOYALTY CHANGED, WHAT GUARANTEES THAT THEY WON'T DO THE SAME TO YOU WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT?! THIS APPLIES TO EVERYONE HERE, DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE LIVING LIKE THIS?! WITH EMPTY LIVES?! I'M NOT SAYING I'M PERFECT, BUT AT LEAST I'M AWARE OF MY FLAWS AND I TRY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM! AND YOU, YOU HARD-HEADED FOOLS?!"
I didn't wait for the others' response, I gave them all one last look and turned my back, walking through the trees until I could no longer see the clearing.
If they called me, then I didn't hear their voices, I kept moving forward. The vegetation became a blur, tears stained my eyes, but I kept going.
Momentarily, I stopped when I saw a creature chained to a large rock. Zero had told me about the demon he captured. Without thinking twice, I touched its forehead with my catalyst. There was a blinding flash that revealed the disciple Octa and a Colorless Demon Soul.
"W-what…"
I cut his chains with a stroke of my sword and tucked the soul into my bag, moving on before he could irritate me with his perverse litanies.
I don't know how long I walked; I thought I was far enough away, so I stayed there, in the middle of nowhere.
For a second nothing happened; everything was in complete silence. That is, until I felt something burning in my chest, my heart threatened to explode, and the contents of my stomach almost spilled out of my mouth.
My rapid breathing and burning chest sent pain through my body. My fingers trembled, as did the muscles in my face, the hairs on my arms stood on end, and shivers ran down my spine.
"AAAHHH!"
CRACK!
With a punch, I split a tree in two.
CRASH!
With a kick, I turned a rock to dust.
Stomps and punches cracked the earth, raising clouds of dust, my screams echoed through the forest like a wild animal then…
-XXXXXX-
When I realized it, I found myself on my back on the ground with great sword in my hands. I tried to get up, but immediately regretted it when my body protested in exhaustion.
Then I waited, staring at the dark sky while I regained my strength. It was already night, the moon and stars were appearing, making me wonder how much time had passed.
Considering that no one came to get me, it didn't seem like that much time had passed. Either that, or I was finally given a moment of peace, whether out of kindness or because they didn't care about me.
In any case, I appreciated the gesture as much as I could, getting up minutes later and realizing the extent of the destruction I had caused. What was once a place full of trees and stones had become a destroyed circle filled with holes and fissures.
My sword was chipped and dented, covered in dirt, the same was true for my armor which seemed to suffocate me, which was strange, as I had never felt like this before.
I removed my armor, storing it in my bag, and put on the shaman's set: a gray shirt with a brown high collar surrounded by a silver necklace, long fingerless gloves of the same color as the collar, a rope belt with several pouches full of items, black pants, and light brown shoes.
I couldn't remember the last time I wore something so casual, but the lightness and comfort were welcome.
Regarding weapons, I contented myself with a simple rapier and dagger, and with that done, I tried to find a way back to the village, which wasn't difficult when I saw lights shining in the distance.
-Border between the Land of Forests and the Land of Deserts-
To say the previous night was tense would be an understatement. We didn't look each other in the eye when I returned; there was only silent hostility, both within our group and with the villagers who hated the idea of so many Intoners in the same place.
Right now, we were crossing the space between two lands, heading towards the last hope of these people, in large wagons pulled by centaurs.
Looking at the sky, I saw the dark outline of Mikahil amidst the scorching sun.
Zero and the disciples were there, and the last time we met, there was no hatred in her gaze; she simply stared at me silently, arms crossed and face impassive, though for a second, I thought I saw sadness.
I watched her back as she departed for the sky with the other men. Dito seemed no less concerned about our conflict; Octa was neutral, after all, he hadn't participated in the discussion; Decadus gave me a polite wave, which I returned before leaving.
Four, Five, and Eupherbia were with me in a wagon at the end of the line, far from everyone else. There was room for several people here, but I doubt anyone would want to be near such dangerous women.
I found myself in the driver's seat, observing the landscape as the centaur rode. There were no reins; I doubt he would allow any to be put on, after all, centaurs were intelligent beings.
Slowly, the dead and decaying landscape faded, giving way to a relatively vibrant space, with trees, grass, and the occasional animal.
"Hey, Edric."
"Hm…"
I didn't look at the fairy sitting on my left shoulder, but I showed that I was listening.
"I-I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. I don't know what came over me. Oh, do something! I found out I was traveling with people who could destroy the world, and the first thing I said was: do something… I could at least have waited a little and thought better. I've been through so many dangerous things, and now I've acted like an idiot."
"I believe I would have lost my composure too if I were in your place. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."
"R-right!"
I glimpsed her leaving my shoulder, rubbing her hands with a trembling smile before disappearing inside the wagon. Then peace and quiet returned, lasting only a short time when a beautiful woman with long blonde hair sat beside me.
"Edric."
"Five."
Silence again, but I felt her eyes staring at me.
"H-how are you? You disappeared for a long time and we heard the noises coming from the forest until everything went quiet."
"I'm… Stable."
"Oh! I'm glad to hear that."
"Seriously? Or do you just want something from me like everyone else? Do you want me to protect Four and you from Zero? Or will you beg me not to kill the remaining sisters? Because we don't know each other well enough to deserve your concern."
There was no answer; she looked at the floor while visibly shrinking back.
"Right, I guess we got off on the wrong foot. The fight at the cathedral and all that, so you don't have the best impression of us."
"My impression of you only gets worse the more I see. How you stabilized Midgard remains a mystery to me."
Her expression fell into a strange mixture of joy and sadness. Laughing dryly, she replied.
"Heh, so that's what it feels like to be criticized. I can't say I like it. I guess I always ignored what was said behind my back, but I never had a problem pointing out the flaws of others. And to think that Dito's hatred for me was always genuine and I treated it as his love language. I was an idiot."
"I don't know what a love language is, but you must have a distorted view of a relationship if constant insults and death threats are seen as affection. It doesn't surprise me that Dito always wanted to escape you, because if what he said is true, you treated him like a toy his whole life."
"OUCH! Your tongue is as sharp as his!"
I knew she was joking, but I felt anger at being compared to that pest.
"That devil in the form of a boy and I couldn't be more different. Politeness wasn't enough to break through your hard heads; brutal honesty proved to be the best option."
"You know, that's a relief in a way. At least your words aren't empty like those of high society who must have already fled, betrayed me, taken my land, or worse, died. At least I know if I'm doing something wrong and I can improve from there."
"I suppose none of the intoners are used to hearing no."
"Exactly, we're used to getting what we want, the easy way or the hard way. Being contradicted or challenged has never been an option. And looking back, I just realized I was surrounded by sycophants. I hired people to do the tedious part of governing for me, they always said everything was fine, now I know they kept me happy and ignorant while abusing the people."
"Well, you realized your mistakes, even if it's too late. That's more than many have done, now make sure it isn't repeated."
"You talk as if I could reclaim my land and people."
"We're still alive and the world hasn't ended, there's still a way to rebuild."
Five brought her knees up, hugging her legs and resting her head on them, staring blankly into space.
"Hey."
"Hm…"
"How do you deal with it?"
"With what?"
"With failure."
Good question.
"It's a difficult question to answer, as each individual deals with it differently. I think… I think you should simply keep trying, because as long as you're alive, there's still a chance of success, but you also have to know when to stop. If what you're doing isn't working, no matter how hard you try, then maybe it's time to step away, rest, and then try a different approach; otherwise, you'll be trying to knock down a wall with your head, and that could drive you crazy. Sometimes we aren't born to do what we're trying to do. I don't have a talent for painting; I tried, I really tried to improve for a long time, but I never got past the basics, so I tried to learn something different…"
"And what did you try to learn?"
"Fencing, and the use of other weapons. I discovered I have a disturbing talent for killing people. My parents realized this, and they used their connections to get my military career started. I had the best instructors, started at a mid-level rank, fought in campaigns, and here I am, from one hell to another."
"Oh…"
"Listen, I can't help people who don't want to be helped. You and your sisters need to help yourselves; help me to help you. My words will be useless if you don't take the initiative. You should be trying to resolve your problems with Four, not talking to me."
Quickly, we looked back, seeing the woman in question sleeping at the back of the wagon.
"What would be the point? I ruined everything between us; it's been years of annoying and provoking her. She hates me."
"Maybe, but you'll never know if you don't try. She could have left you in the tower, but she didn't. That means something, doesn't it? Be honest and talk to her, tell her you're sorry and that you want to fix your relationship. At least resolve the feud between you two. We'll face many dangers ahead, so it would be good to be able to count on your family. I doubt you two would want to be alone forever."
Silence returned. I expected everything except for the pair of soft lips touching my cheek.
I stood paralyzed like a statue, feeling my face heat up and my heart race. Slowly, I turned to the woman beside me, seeing her cover her mouth as she failed to hide her laughter.
Many things went through my mind; I would have demanded an explanation, but she spoke first.
"You're beautiful, you know?"
That surprised me; I didn't know how to respond. My mouth opened and strange noises came out, making me wish I had my helmet equipped to hide this embarrassing display, however, something burned in my chest.
I don't know how, but I managed to compose myself to answer.
"Y-you're being kind. My face isn't beautiful."
"I wasn't talking about your face."
I cringed at my stutter, but tilted my head in confusion at her response. Her gloved hand hesitantly touched my chin, lifting my head and making my eyes meet hers.
I've never been that interested in the opposite sex, never been a romantic person. I recognize beauty, but I think all the wars and deaths stifled that part of me. However, when Five smiled at me, I felt something I thought had died.
The wind blew through her long hair, transforming it into a golden sea amidst the approaching desert, with the sun on the horizon behind her head forming a luminous arc around her.
Her yellow eyes gleamed, gazing intensely at me like two jewels, and her smile, her smile was stunning, something soft and gentle, yet conveying so many feelings.
I felt foolish for failing to respond when I was pulled into a hug, feeling a pair of arms closing around me.
"Thank you for everything."
Then Five released me and gave me one last smile before sitting down next to her sleeping sister, resting her head against the side of the wagon.
I, on the other hand, looked back at the road ahead, disbelieving and with my mind a whirlwind of chaotic emotions and thoughts.
I felt the corners of my mouth twitching and something burning in my chest. I only realized the landscape was blurring when I felt something wet running down my face.
This happiness, when was the last time I felt it?
END OF CHAPTER