RustCrown

I'm back from the dead... again! It has been almost a year since RL shallowed me, but I have been stockpiling chapters and re-editing every chapter, it wasn't easy and maybe there are still some mistakes on them, but at least they are more readable. This time the schedule of "once per week" can last for a long time, and even if I disappear again I have more chapters on reserve, so is a win-win. Anyway, it's good to be back so thank you a lot for the patience and without anything else to say, enjoy the chapter.

(Alice POV)

"And to your right, you can see a beautiful tree."(Fayna)

"...yeah, a beautiful tree surrounded by countless amounts of graves"(Alice)

"don't forget the ominous fog Alice..."(Azazel)

Maybe you are wondering? why are we here? just to suffer?... I blame Azazel for that quote, as he kept saying that for a week. Anyway, to understand why we are here I need to recall what happened ten hours ago...

(Alice POV) [Ten hours ago]

"Alice! I suddenly remembered something!"(Azazel)

It has been a while since Azazel remembered something about himself, although we were still searching for a conclusive solution for his amnesia it was good for him to remember things from time to time. Hearing about a new memory the witch grabbed the wisp-like body of Azazel with eyes shining like a kid, as most of the memories he remembered were related to food.

"Tell me now, is it a dessert!? a side dish!? or a full buffet?!"(Fayna)

"Well... is something like that... but not the same"(Alice)

"What are you talking about?"(Fayna)

Hearing an unusual answer I looked at Azazel with curiosity, as this was the first time he remembered something not related to food.

"I remembered that today is a special day to celebrate the death"(Azazel)

"So the day has come, don't worry, I'll burn your existence until not even a speck of ash remains" (Fayna)

After hearing the dangerous words of Azazel the witch resolved herself to execute Azazel, surprised by her reaction I felt how Azazel entered in panic. I couldn't blame the witch, as I was thinking the same, maybe the unknown power corrupted Azazel first...

"It's my bad for not explaining, but put aside your flames first!"(Azazel)

"Then explain yourself, otherwise this would be your last moments"(Fayna)

With the threat of death by flames, Azazel immediately explained to us everything about his new memory. Although the memory had some inconsistencies the general idea was that today is a holiday to celebrate and pay our respects to our dead family and friends. I don't know why he suddenly remembered that but the idea wasn't as bad as we thought.

With our worries removed the witch dispelled her flames while showing a melancholic expression. It was at this moment my mom entered the room a little confused, not wanting to disturb the witch I told her everything about the new memory of Azazel. After hearing what happened my mom immediately hugged me while sobbing on my shoulder.

When my mom told me the truth about my birth she also told me about her past, so I couldn't blame her for reacting like this, after all, some scars won't heal no matter how much time passed.

"Alice... Orie... We are going to make a trip, but before that, you have to come with me Azazel"(Fayna)

Without waiting for an answer, the witch dragged Azazel to the kitchen. 

(Alice POV)

"Are you tired Alice?"(Orie)

"Ah, no, I'm ok, thanks mom"(Alice)

Ups, it seems that I lost myself remembering what happened. Currently, I am walking through the Holy kingdom graveyard with my mom and the witch, as both of them wanted to do the holiday of Azazel's memory. By the way, the masked instructor is accompanying us, as the witch asked her to take us to the graveyard.

Although this was my first time in a graveyard I couldn't shake off my uneasiness, for some reason I felt that something was wrong with this place. Thankfully I wasn't the only one, as the witch, my mom, and even the masked instructor noticed something wrong.

"ihihihiihihihihihihhi"(????)

Out of nowhere, I heard a creepy laugh right next to my ear, with goosebumps crawling on my skin I tried to cut the thing behind me with a light sword, only to cut the air.

"Alice!? what happened!?"(Orie)

"You didn't hear the laugh?"(Alice)

"What laugh? We didn't hear anything."(Fayna)

You got to be kidding me... it seems I was the only one who heard the laugh. I was still crept by the voice but at the same time I didn't want to delay everyone, so I smiled and continued walking.

"Flo...we're... I... ha...to...gi..."(????)

"O...e...so...y..."(????)

As we went further into the graveyard the voices increased, I couldn't understand what was happening or why I was the only one able to hear them, each step increased the number of voices around us, some of them crying in pain and others in sorrow.

"Are you having fun... sister."(????)

"KYAA"(Alice)

I FELT IT! I FELT IT! I FELT IT!  IT WAS A HAND, IT WAS A FUCKING HAND!

I wasn't nervous anymore, I'm scared. No matter where I swing my sword there is nothing, no matter where I look there is nothing, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't.

"Alice calm down!"(Azazel)

That's right, Azazel is still with me... nothing is--

"Alice, don't freak, but we are alone now"(Azazel)

Wha-

"Alice you are hyperventilating, breathe and listen to my voice, inhale and exhale"(Alice)

I feel lightheaded, everything is getting white...

"That's right, keep breathing"(Azazel)

I... feel better, but my body feels numb. According to Azazel, we are alone in the graveyard for some reason, as there were only graves and fog around us.

"Alice, don't be scared and listen to my voice, we have to get out now"(Azazel)

 I couldn't agree more with Azazel, so as soon as I was able to get up I ran in the opposite direction of where I was walking. It was a shame but I didn't want to be here. But no matter how fast I was running I couldn't escape from the graveyard.

"You want to leave so fast?" (????)

Why are the voices always on my ear!? I can't endure this anymore, I want to cry!

"Alice, look at your feet, there are flowers!"(Azazel)

Hearing Azazel I immediately looked at the flowers, and without thinking about it I followed them. I thought I was safe, but I was completely wrong. At first, the flowers glowed with a beautiful blue light, but little by little the flowers were soaked with more and more blood until the flowers were entirely dampened with it.

Terrified by this I was about to look in front of me when a light immobilized my body.

"Don't look up Alice... Otherwise we are doomed"(Alice)

Knowing that Azazel immobilized my body calmed me a little, but immediately I felt a breath above me. This time I couldn't move out of fear, each moment felt like an eternity and the voices coming from behind kept getting louder and louder. 

Suddenly multiple rotten hands grabbed my body, I tried to struggle without avail. My body is cold and numb, I want to see my mom,  I love her...

Just as I was about to give up my storage device shined and dropped the food inside it, according to Azazel's memory the offerings was the food that the deceased liked in life, so together with the witch he made food with a unique taste, the result was a lot of colorful skulls made of candy, sweet bread with the shape of a flower, a delicious chocolate beverage and more.

The hands noticed the food and grabbed it immediately. The food inside of my storage device kept falling and by the time it was almost empty all the hands were gone, with only the strange creature in front of me remaining. With only two skull candies left in my storage device, I offered it to the creature in front of me, who took it and disappeared.

As soon as the creature disappeared the surroundings became clear and the bloodstained flower cleaned. with my spirit drained I collapsed on the ground.

"You survived! congratulations sister!"(???)

"KYA!!"(Alice)

It wasn't over?! I-

"Stop frightening the girl, otherwise your mom will be mad"(???)

Hearing a male voice scolding the girly voice made me look at the source, to my surprise there were two translucent people in front of me. The first was the voice who whispered in my ears a lot of times, it was a little girl with blue hair, while the new voice was an unshaved man with red hair.

"Te~he, sorry about that, but we don't see a lot of visitors, so I felt a little alone, but surprisingly you survived the encounter with the creature, as expected from my sister"(girl)

After calming down they explained to me the true nature of the... "thing" I met, it seems that it was a concept of "thing" related to death, and it was seemingly immune to anything related to magic or even astral energy, they also explained to me that because the food was an offering for the dead he accepted it instead of my soul.

"He only appears in this day and to a selected group of people, so you can say you are lucky or even unlucky"(girl)

Thankfully I brought some offerings, otherwise, I would be dead, with the fog clearing fast the girl gave me a blue-embroidered ribbon and the man a silver ring with a red flower engraved on it.

"Please give it to mama, tell her to be happy, that I'm ok"(girl)

"Give this ring to little flame and tell her I'm sorry for breaking our promise"(man)

And with the fog dispersed graveyard returned to normal, with only the items on my hands as proof of what happened. It was at this moment my mom hugged me while crying.

"Alice! where have you been?! I was so worried!"(Orie)

"You little rascal! I won't say anything if you do this to me, but don't scare your mother like this!"(Fayna)

Knowing that I was back I hugged my mom tightly while feeling relieved. After that, I followed them to a pair of graves that were near each other, and when they explained to me I was in complete shock. The first grave had the name of "Fina" engraved and the second gave has the name of "Alex Vermillion".

"As you can see this grave is the grave of my first daughter... in other words... your sister"(Orie)

"And this grave is the grave of an idiot, a liar, a fool... my... fool"( Fayna)

I couldn't speak, this was the first time I saw... Fayna cry, I wanted to hug her, comfort her, but I didn't know-how.

"Alice, the ring and ribbon"(Azazel)

That's right, without waiting for them to calm down I asked for both of them to open their hands. They listened to me and opened their hand a little puzzled by my petition, taking advantage of it I gave my mom the ribbon and the ring to Fayna.

"Thi-thi-thi-"(Orie)

"HOW-WHA-"(Fayna)

"Mom, the girl, Fina asked me to tell you to be happy, that she is fine, and Fayna, Alex asked me to tell you ' I'm sorry for breaking my promise little flame' "(Alice)

After I finished my words my mom and Fayna broke out in tears while hugging their precious treasure. When they were more stable I told them everything and left the graveyard after cleaning the graves and leaving the offerings.

"By the way, we need to investigate about that creature, we can't let something that dangerous roaming around"(Fayna)

I was happy she was better now, but her puffed eyes didn't match her serious words.

Just as I was leaving I looked back at the graveyard and saw Fina and Alex weaving their hands before disappearing, maybe waiting for the next year to see us again, or maybe... to rest at last.