Hate.
Man: Curse you Humans!
Despair
Man: How dare you Demons!
Disgust
Man: Blasted Elves!
Anger:
Man: Useless Beasts!
The memories flash inside my mind. I could see nothing. I could feel nothing. I couldn’t move as I felt the man’s feelings. As I heard his cries.
Resolve
Man: Screw you Gods! Nothing in this world deserves to live! I will destroy each and every single thing!
Then I felt something crush me. I felt the man’s overwhelming anger.
Hikai: Stop it!
Man: Kill them all.
Hikai: No!
Man: Continue what I failed to do.
Hikai: I won’t do that!
Man: You have to. You have no choice. That is the contract.
Hikai: I won’t give up! As long as I can, I will resist you. I will not stop!
Man: Then you are useless.
Then I felt my throat being crushed.
Hikai: I should be dead, right? What is going on?
Even though I thought I was dead, I could feel my life draining from me.
Man: If you won’t do it then I will.
Hikai: What?
Man: I will take your body for myself.
Hikai: Damn.
I was slowly disappearing. Then suddenly, I was released from the constraint.
Man: Curse you.
The Man let go and I could feel something warm envelop me.
Man: I will wait. I will strike when you are at your weakest.
The Man disappeared. I could finally move and I could also finally see.
Hikai: What?
The person that I saw hugging me surprised me.
Yume: Are you okay?
It was Ms. Yume. For some reason, Ms. Yume protected me.
Hikai: How are you here? What exactly happened?
Yume: I don’t really know.
Hikai: I’m pretty sure I’m dead so does that mean you’re dead too?
Yume: Eh? You’re dead? Are you sure?
Hikai: I should be. I know the choice that I made.
Yume: If you’re dead then that means I’m dead too right?
Hikai: I guess so.
As I thought about it, Ms. Yume hugged me tighter and rubbed my head.
Yume: Silly boy. How can you die? You still have a lot of things to do right?
Hikai: But that was what I chose. That was the choice that I made. I already made my resolve.
Yume: Hehe. Then are you the only one who chose? The only one who had a resolve?
Hikai: What do you mean?
Yume: What if someone else made a different choice? What if another person chose a different path? What if that person chose as well? A person who made their own resolve.
Hikai: I don’t understand.
Yume: It’s fine. Now, why don’t you wake up?
Hikai: Wake up?
Yume: Yes, You have stayed here long enough. Think about them. Think about the people that you care about.
Hikai: Will we ever meet again?
Yume: Who knows?
Ms. Yume then let go of me and walked away.
Yume: But if you’re dead then that will never happen so don’t give up just yet.
Ms. Yume disappeared after that statement and I was left alone.
Hikai: A different choice? So she’s telling me to go back, huh.
I slapped my cheeks and resolved myself.
Hikai: Alright! Let’s go!
I went back to meet with everyone once again. Needless to say, I would forget the events that happened here.
Hikai: My whole body hurts. Why does my body hurt so much?
As I sat up, I could feel the cold hard floor beneath me.
Hikai: Where am I?
As I looked around, I saw darkness.
Hikai: Why is it so dark?
Then a faint light approached me. I couldn’t see who was holding it.
Hikai: Hello?
Oscar: Hmm? You’re awake?
It was Oscar.
Hikai: Oscar? What happened?
Oscar: Sorry but I’ve got to call someone since you’re finally awake.
Oscar left and I was left alone once again. Then he returned with someone else.
Jeanne: It seems that you’re awake now.
He returned with Princess Jeanne.
Hikai: Princess? Where am I? What is going on?
Jeanne: You are inside the castle’s underground prison.
Hikai: Prison? Why am I here?
Jeanne: It would be best if you see for yourself.
Princess Jeanne went near me and I could finally see my body.
Hikai: What the hell?
The skin on my body was now darker. For some reason, I suddenly thought of Lin’s skin color. It was similar to hers.
Jeanne: You hair as well has turned pure white.
I felt the hair on my head and I pulled on one. I could barely see it but it was indeed white now.
Jeanne: Now, what exactly happened when you fought against that Demon?
Hikai: What happened?
I tried to think but I couldn’t remember.
Hikai: I can’t remember.
Jeanne: What?
Hikai: Wait, just give me a minute. My head isn’t working right now.
I forced myself to look at my memories and then I suddenly remember Beatrix dying.
Hikai: That’s right! What happened to Beatrix!?
Jeanne: She’s still asleep. She’s been sleeping ever since the Demon’s attacked the capital.
Hikai: She’s asleep? She’s not dead? Are you sure?
Jeanne: Dead? What are you talking about?
Hikai: The last thing that I remember is that Beatrix was killed.
Jeanne: What!? Then how is she still alive?
Hikai: I don’t know. I’m pretty sure something happened but I can’t remember for some reason.
Jeanne: I see. Is that everything that you remember?
Hikai: Yes, I can’t remember anything else for now. I feel like a lot more happened but something is blocking my mind.
Jeanne: That doesn’t help at all.
Hikai: Why am I here exactly?
Jeanne: Because you look like a Demon.
Hikai: What?
Jeanne: For some reason, you now look like a Demon and so the King and the Queen now believe that you are responsible for the attack.
Hikai: Wait. They think that I was the one responsible? I was summoned with the others. There is no way I would be a secret demon.
Jeanne: I explained that already but no one would think about it.
Hikai: Damnit. How long have I been here anyway?
Jeanne: This is the fourth day.
Hikai: So it’s been four days. What happens to me now?
Jeanne: Father has told us that he will decide in 10 days ever since you were put in here. So in 6 days we will know his decision.
Hikai: I have to wait here for 6 more days?
Jeanne: Yes, Father won’t agree to let you out. Zack, Ester and I have tried but it didn’t work.
Hikai: Hah.
I felt depressed just thinking about it.
Hikai: I can’t do anything about it now. My body still hurts and I’m still a little groggy so I think I’ll go to sleep for now. I hope I can remember what happened.
Jeanne: I’ll tell everyone that you’re awake now so I think you’ll have some visitors tomorrow.
Hikai: Right. I understand.
Jeanne: Well then, I shall see you again.
Princess Jeanne left.
Oscar: I was assigned to be your guard. So just talk to me if you need anything.
Hikai: A pillow would be nice.
Oscar: Oh I can’t give you that.
Hikai: Then what can you give me?
Oscar: Sorry, I don’t think I can give you anything.
Hikai: Why did you offer then? Anyway, I’m just going to sleep.
I slept once again.
Oscar: Hikai, here’s breakfast.
The next day I was given food.
Hikai: Oh? This is good.
Oscar: That is the only thing that I could do. At least I could make the food delicious so you better enjoy it alright.
Hikai: Thanks. At least it can make this place a little bit bearable.
I ate the food. As I got bored just hanging around my cell, I finally had visitors.
Zack: Good to see you awake
Ester: Hikai! Where did little Lin go!?
It was Zack and Ester. I signaled Ester and whispered to her.
Hikai: She went home.
Ester: Eh?
Hikai: They came to get her. That was the only way to stop them so she left with them.
Ester then grabbed my clothes and pulled me hard towards the bars.
Ester: And you let them!? You didn’t do anything and let them take Lin!
Hikai: Of course not! Lin decided it! I couldn’t do anything! Lin made her choice!
Ester: Why didn’t you stop her!? Did you really think she wanted to go!? We had so much fun being together. Do you really think she wanted to go!?
Hikai: Then what was I supposed to do!? I didn’t want to let her go either! But she chose that! It was her choice!
Ester: Damn it!
Ester let go of me. She stood up and left the prison. Only Zack and I were left. Zack then sat down in front of the cell.
Zack: You alright?
Hikai: Yeah.
I sat down depressed.
Zack: Forgive her alright? She’s been worried all this time because we couldn’t find Lin this whole time.
Hikai: Yeah, I know. I was right there, you know? I saw Lin off.
I remembered what happened with Lin.
Hikai: She didn’t want to go but then the Demon told us that they were looking for her and if she goes with them, it all stops.
Zack: So that’s why they attacked?
Hikai: Yeah, all for the sake of taking Lin back. She didn’t even blame me.
I held my face and I could feel tears from my eyes.
Hikai: She said Thank you. Thank you, to me. To the person who couldn’t even stop her, to the one who just stared at them.
Zack just sat there silent as he listened to me.
Hikai: All I could do was make a promise.
Zack: Promise?
Hikai: Yeah. I made a promise that we’ll meet again someday.
Zack: Seriously? You’re making promises again?
Zack stood up as he scratched the back of his head.
Zack: Then I guess we’ll meet her again someday.
I was shocked by what Zack said and he said one more thing right before he left.
Zack: You haven’t broken a promise when you came here right?
Zack left and I was left alone once again.
Hikai: Thank you.
The day ended after that. But on the next day something very surprising happened.
Hikai: Eh?
For some reason a certain someone was there. She said nothing as she stood there staring at me.
Kei: …
It was Hotaru Kei.
~Chapter 27 End~
