Little by little I went through the events of my first time. How I struggled in the beginnings, not knowing anything about the system at all. The first time I saw people dying beside me, unable to be saved on time. The defeat of the military and how they left us back in the city. The collapse of the city when the dungeon materialized.

The two just sat there silently, listening to me, their true feelings an enigma.

But then I faltered for a moment, as my story reached a certain dungeon, a bitter memory resurfacing. For the first time I included a warning in my story, making them frown. But I had to do it. While I couldn’t tell them about their impending death, how could anyone tell somebody how they were going to die, that was the least I could do.

I continued with my lone wanderings, until eventually I reached the point where I had to talk about my brother. I couldn’t help but smile as I recounted my stories with him, one of the few times I had a long-lasting companion. They even managed to bring a smile upon the faces of the two.

Though, when it got to the point, I met her it quickly vanished from their faces, turning into a frown. Of course, I had an idea why, I had to be stupid if I didn’t notice their feelings by now. Maybe if the first time never happened our relationship would be far different by now. I cared for these two much more than I ever did for almost everyone else. But that didn’t change the feelings I had for her, the years I spent with her, dreaming about our future, the loss I felt when she died, turned into memories only to fuel my rage at the world.

It didn’t take long till I reached the end, as I forgot most of the things in the early passages of my life while the later ones were just moments of rage, distorted like a delirium. I continued on with the last scene, the battle between devil and evil, the return of a friend, the end of humankind. How my fire went out, how the flame of our memories survived. And how in the end I turned back to the very beginning, unsure if this wasn’t a dream or a recollection of a nightmare.

Then I fell silent. For a moment only the wind disturbed the ambience around us. I knew it’s impossible to believe. I let my head fall backwards, watching the dark clouds for a moment before I closed my eyes. As I tried to collect my thoughts, I heard the leaves shuffling beneath us before I felt something warm on my chest. I lifted my head to see Alice pressing her face into it, clenching tightly at my clothes. Behind her stood Sarah, unsure if she should join her but visibly faltering to keep herself from it.

I smiled at her, but it did the opposite of what I intended as slowly her eyes turned wet and she stormed towards us to join Alice. Once more I could only wait while I tried to calm them down.

Eventually I heard Alice whispering out, her words muffled as she spoke into my chest. “You’re no longer alone. We’ll stand together with you.”

Hearing her Sarah joined in with her own words. “Yeah, we’ll be by your side, whatever comes.”

“That is what comes from you after hearing everything?” I turned confused as I thought about all possible endings for this situation. Anger. Disbelieve. Frustration. Despair. I didn’t now if I should laugh or cry at this situation.

“Of course!” Alice looked up while shouting, her face a crying mess. “How could it not after we heard everything? Everyone you met left you sooner or later, leaving you all alone!”

“It’s not like they wanted to.” I suppressed a sigh, lest they get even more fixated on it. “And my brother came back for me, even though I sent him away.”

“That doesn’t make it any better!” This time it was Sarah’s turn to shout at me.

Haaaa, why are the so upset about this point? “Shouldn’t you be more focused on the end of humanity? The impending future of an uncertain death?”

But instead of worry words of reassurance came. “You already defeated them once.” Alice smiled at me, though her messed up face made it anything other than reassuring. “You will do it again. And it’s not like you will leave us to die. We won’t let you either.” Sarah just nodded at her words.

Hearing this I couldn’t help but laugh. “Hahaha.”

She grumbled at me. “Are you making fun of us?”

“No. It just that I expected something different. This turned a lot more surreal than I expected it to. Aren’t you scared?”

“Of course, I am.” This time Sarah answered me. “Alice is also most likely. But what would it change to end up immobilized through it?” She put on a strong front, a determined glint in her eyes. “Every day could be our last one. I was already on the verge of death.”

“And if you didn’t save me from their grasp, I would have faced a fate worse than death.” The two shivered in my arms as they thought about their precarious future.

“But every time danger strikes us you’re there to help.”

Their words were conflicting me. On one side I was happy that they trusted me so much, but on the other side they still seemed a little naïve. “You shouldn’t depend on me that much. “

Before I could continue Alice pressed her finger on my mouth to stop me from speaking. “We know.” She paused briefly, smiling at me profoundly. “You’re far stronger than us right now. Even if we were on the same level it wouldn’t be different. But we’ll continue to fight by your side until one day we can stand as equals.”

I only had a single question after I heard their sentiment. “Are you two stupid?”

“That’s not nice to say after all this!” Alice released her hand, pulling it back, and punched me in my guts, making me fall backwards to the ground, pulling them with me as they still clung onto me.

“How can that be all you think about after that? Why would you even believe everything?”

“You wouldn’t lie to us. Maybe you won’t say everything but even then, it would only be to look out for us.”

“Haaa,” I pulled them towards me, ruffling through the hair of the two. “Guess I should be happy to have such good comrades.”

“You should be honored!” Alice boasted as she puffed out her chest.

“I would be honored if you get off me.” I shooed them of me in an attempt to get off the ground.

“I don’t know,” she looked over at Sarah sitting next to her, “he made us worry so much about nothing only to make us sad afterwards, I think he should be punished.” She pressed her hand on me.

“Hey Sarah, help me.” I faced her, only to despair.

“I guess you’re right. He still thinks we don’t put our trust in him.”

“Hey, I think this has gone far enough.” I tried to back away, only to notice that I was firmly held down by them.

“Now, now, don’t try to run away and listen to your priestesses.” She smiled as she looked down at me, but her eyes had a dangerous glint.

Then they found myriads of reason to push me through a hellish sermon, pushing me into the expected dread but for a whole other reason than expected.