The sensation of falling into the sea echoed through my ears. Eyes closed, I felt every bubble touch my skin.

 

The distant past haunts me once again. The old memories flash right in front of me. 

 

I end up back inside the treehouse. Alone with only a spider toy and a handbell in my hands. I look up at our front door. Time and time again, they warned me about something. I could no longer remember what it was. All I could remember was how I wondered about the outside world each time I looked out of the window. As a mere child, seeing it from just a small window wasn’t enough for me. 

 

Until one day, the door that had always been locked suddenly opened on its own. The fresh air brushed my hair and the clear sunny sky pinched my eyes. As soon as my eyesight was able to adjust, I slowly saw the world in front of me turn brighter and livelier. The grass, the trees, the flowers, and the rest of the outside world all look alluring in my eyes. 

 

I smiled while the world around me changed the longer I looked. 

 

But as soon as I stepped out, the environment changed, everything turned dark as I fell into the void of the unknown until I hit the ground. A lifeless place with nothing to see other than the dark sand. I don’t know how I ended up here, nor why I’m here. 

 

At the edge of this lifeless land, there I saw her one last time, closing the stone doors. Behind her was the land and skies that I wanted to be.

 

She said a few words while crying, but all I could remember was…

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

The light coming from the outside world gradually perished in front of me. I was left alone in a dark place. I tried to stand up and scream. 

 

“Mother, don’t leave me!” 

 

But my knees broke my will to get to her on time. My vision started to blur as soon as I realized I was bleeding. 

 

With the remaining strength that I had, I took out my handbell. And… Rang it. 

 

“Mother…”

 

I rang it again. Tears started to fall as I slowly lose hope. They never came back, but someone heard my call. I heard little footsteps walking towards me. I can’t see who it is other than its silhouette. It has the same height as mine. 

 

The silhouette grabbed my handbell and walked away, ringing it for itself. 

 

“... give it back…” 

“Give it…”

“Back…”

 

The visions start to end. The sea pushes me back to its surface. 

 

“Haaaa!” I exhaled as I resurfaced. 

 

I idly swim in the middle of the endless sea, devoid of sky. The only light around here is coming from the seabed. That light is the afterlife. And this world is the world of the dead. 

 

Soon after, the seemingly peaceful sea turned rough. Within a short amount of time, I’m already inside a whirlpool.

 

“Mh, up until now, the afterlife still rejects me.”

 

**Foooosshhhh**

 

A huge tidal wave swallowed me whole. 

 

–

 

“Hgnh…! Hgnnnnnn…”

 

Morning. I woke up under the shade of trees with a severe headache. 

 

**sawa sawa sawa sawa sawa**

 

The whispers of the past won’t end. 

 

“I HAD ENOUGH!!!”

 

**FFFFFFFFFFFWWWWWSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, VHOOOOOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**

 

A ball of destructive power radiating amaranthine light blew right from my hand to the very ends of this vast land. Trees went flying like sticks, the ground crumbled like paper, and the cloudy sky vanished without a trace. No animal was able to scream other than the neighboring lands that were spared. 

 

Breathing intensely, I went down on my knees. Everything is starting to calm down. 

 

“I’m starting to regret my promise to her.” 

“I don’t think I can pull this off.”

“Ha! To raise a child.” 

“How confident could I be?”

“I should be better off sleeping back in my room.”

“But, no. Instead, I end up giving myself another problem.”

 

I squeeze my forehead for a moment, rethinking my decisions. My mind filled with chaos subsides. I sighed. 

 

“Looking at the good side…” 

“I have nothing to do other than to find out how to raise a child.”

“If I went straight to her, we’d both be clueless.”

“My honor and pride would become questionable.”

“I’ve never done this before. Which is good.”

“And for that, I should start with…”

 

…

 

“I should think about it after I get back to my room.”

 

–

 

Sunset, somewhere in the slums of the Kingdom of Arcadia. 

 

“Mama! Mamaaaaa! **sniff**” 

 

Noelle cried as she called out for her mom. She was locked behind a barred door inside their small house. 

 

“Mamaaaaaa!” 

 

Noelle desperately pushed her cheeks outside, calling out for her mom louder than before. 

 

“Hnnghh!! **clang, clang**”

 

Out of anger, she pushed the iron bars with her little hands back and forth. 

 

“Mamaaaaa!” 

 

**bang!** 

 

Someone single-handedly cut off the lock. Noelle stumbled back in surprise, falling down on her butt. 

 

“Mama?” Noelle wondered as she looked up.

 

The room turns dark as the sun goes down. With a single snap of her fingers, the candles in their home light up one by one. The first thing Noelle recognized from her eyes was her rounded eyes and red hair, followed by her faint smile.  

 

–

 

We’re finally debt-free yet I still have to work. I spent it on a number of things that I could no longer remember, except for the iron door that cost me a lot. It’s for Noelle. She keeps on squirming in every nook and cranny of the house just to get out, so I had to order a specialized door and windows specifically designed to stop her going out alone. 

 

It’s for her own good. If she gets abducted again, I don’t think I’ll be able to live on my own again. 

 

This Kingdom is getting weirder and weirder by the day. Last time, I heard rumors that the spider was real all along. It was one of the children’s stories about the eight-legged woman that crawls at night. She spits out the web right in her mouth and eats her victim from inside out. But some merchants say it was just a distraction to keep the citizens worrying about the Kingdom crashing down. 

 

But a lot of people I’ve been with saw its victims already. I even saw a soldier vomit every time he remembers it. He keeps muttering about the spider, on, and on, and on. And I can’t help myself to worry about it each time I leave the house. If only I could bring Noelle-chan with me, but as soon as I look away, she’ll be running off to who knows where. I still don’t have that motherly instinct that they usually say. 

 

Our home is just nearby. I hope Noelle-chan ate the… food… I..

 

I stopped in the middle of the alley when I felt something dripping down my head. This sensation. It’s quite sticky and warm. 

 

“Is it raining?” 

 

I raised my palm

 

?!

 

A huge drop of blood fell right at my palm.

 

“Hiiii-nggghhh!” 

 

I backed away with disgust and surprise while shaking off the blood in my hand.  

 

!! 

 

I saw someone above me. I can’t tell if it's a person or not. I can hear it wheezing. 

 

“H-helpppp me…” 

 

I was immediately overwhelmed with fear. I felt my stomach backing away. I looked down like I saw nothing and ran to our home. As soon as I saw the broken lock on the ground, my chest began to ache. 

 

“Noelle-chan!”

 

I ran inside. 

 

“W-who are nyou!” 

 

Standing behind, I confronted her. The redheaded lady wearing a butler’s outfit heard my voice. She turns around carrying Noelle-chan. 

 

The first thing I saw in her was her rounded eyes. It doesn’t move. She looks odd. And scary. I don’t like the way she’s looking at Noelle-chan. My senses are telling me to run away, but I won’t. Not without my cousin. 

 

“Noelle?”

“...”

“What did nyou do to her?!”

“...”

 

The room turned silent for a moment. I noticed that she doesn’t have a smell, even more, if she stayed silent in this room, I wouldn’t notice her at all. She doesn’t have a heartbeat. She’s not like any other humans I’ve met before. But once I notice her, I can’t stop myself from having a constant pressure of fear. Just like… a spider. 

 

“P-Please, give her back to me, a-and leave us!”

 

Without complaint, she put her to bed. 

 

“Now, please, l-leave us.”

 

Her glare felt like death himself was staring at me. I could stop from looking away. I went back a few steps, pointing her outside of our house. 

 

**thud… thud… thud…**

 

The rhythm of the wooden floor creaking influences my heart - Beating slowly with pressure. As she got closer, passing in front of me, I simply bowed my head along with my ears, and closed my eyes in fear. 

 

The creaking stops. I no longer sense her. My breathing turned normal. I opened my eyes

 

And then…

 

!!

 

She’s still here, she’s still here, she’s still here! 

 

**lub dub, lub dub, lub dub, lub dub, lub dub, lub dub, lub dub**

 

Her hand is on my shoulder. I tried to back away, but I simply couldn’t move. My eyes are stuck looking in her eyes. She moves closer, raising my chin. Her actions felt foreign, like a man was holding me rathan than a woman. 

 

“Another cat-eared one… I never thought you’d spread this far.”  

 

I felt a spike of fear rushing down my spine as I heard her monotonous tone. What is she talking about?!

 

“Tell me… Where did-” 

 

**Crashhhhh**

 

Two silhouettes crashed into our house, they both appeared behind her. Their weapons were aimed right at her head.

 

This still image of her looking at me before getting hit got stuck in my mind for a moment. 

 

And then… 

–

“Mamaaaaaaaaa, mamaaaaaaaaa!”

 

I heard someone calling out for me. Shaking my shoulder time and time again. Echoing in my ears, all I could hear was her voice.

 

“Mamaaaaa!”

 

I remembered the still image from before. The spider. 

 

I woke up. 

 

“Mamaaaa! **sniff**”

 

Noelle-chan hugged me with teary eyes as soon as I woke up.

 

“Where are we?” 

 

The two moons glimpse for a moment behind the clouds. I couldn’t recognize the place we are right now. The buildings in front of me are all in shambles. 

  

I stood up on my knees. 

 

“Nyou’re not hurt are you?”

“Nooo, Mama…”

 

She answered while I turned her around, checking every part of her. 

 

**zoooootoooooo, kabooommmmmmm**

 

!!

 

The two silhouettes fought the spider with immense force. Both of them were wearing white winter ponchos and winter caps. One is using a scythe while the other is using a morning star, both of their weapons have linings radiating amaranthine light. It’s size is twice as big as their small body. I’m starting to recognize the two of them. They are… 

 

!! 

 

“The Twin Saints of Arcadia!” Noelle-chan shouted in the midst of their battle. 

 

In slow motion, the two of them look in our direction. Their furry ears along with their green eyes shone under the light of the moon. In front of them was the spider, she was also looking at us. 

 

The Twin Saints of Arcadia
Reference: Re-zero

 

The cloudy skies devoured the sky once again. The fight continues. 

 

“Let’s get out of here!” 

“But my toys!” 

“No, we’re leaving!”

 

Noelle-chan tried to squirm away from me. I tried to hold onto her hands. But she’s too hesitant. 

 

“H-hey! Noelle-chan!” 

 

She went under the bed. 

 

“No, I need my toys!”

 

This bed… It’s ours… That means, we didn’t move an inch from before. 

 

“Noelle-chan, come here already!” 

 

I flipped the bed upside down. 

 

“Gotcha!”

“Mmmmh-nghhhh!!” Noelle-chan tried to squirm away again.

“If you’re that disobedient then I’ll leave you here instead!”

“**sniff**” Her eyes turned blurry as bead of tears gather around her eyes.

 

“Waaahhhhhhhhhhh!” 

 

While carrying her, I rushed towards the capital. I couldn’t recognize this place at all. Without the light coming from the towers of the Royal Castle, I doubt we’ll be able to get out of here. 

 

“Shhhh already, I’ll promise to give nyou new toys once we get to the capital.”

“Waaahhhhhhhh!”

“Pweaseee…” I want to cry too!”

“Papa’s toys! I want Papa’s toys!” 

“H-how about we get it once things calms down, okay?”

“Wahhhh, nnyooooooowwwwww” 

“...”

 

She won’t stop crying. 

 

We reached the ends of the rubble of this land. As I slid down, A large number of crowds blocked our way. Every demi-human like us are all carrying what we could all carry. Some are carrying hens, a bag of their clothes, and other necessities. What they wore now is nothing more than ragged clothes they used in their daily lives. All of us never anticipated this. We were all unprepared. And to start over, that’s something I still couldn’t think of… 

 

Few of the crowds are holding lanterns. Guards held to their torches. In front of us is a large gate, blocking our path. Even if I get through these thick walls, I still need to get through another checkpoint, one after the other before I reach the capital. 

 

Noelle-chan’s cry adds to the noise of the crowds. 

 

The guards tried to calm down the crowds. 

 

“Silence, please.” 

“We can’t let you pass.”

“I said, SILENCEEEEEEEE.”

 

The murmuring of the crowds stopped. Noelle-chan followed. She’s scared as well. 

 

A guard in chain armor stepped forward to the crowds, holding a torch. 

 

“As we have said already, we can’t let you pass.”

**demi-humans chattered**

“I said-” 

“Hold on, hold on.” 

 

A man of elegance was heard in the midst of the crowd. He has a lion’s face, wearing a monocle, a beret paired with a merchant’s clothing. His voice sounds professional. 

 

“We won’t be able to reach a mutual understanding if we shout at each other.” 

“And who are you, demi-human?” He rudely said. 

“I’m the current cartographer of these lands, my name doesn’t matter, but what matters here is that I have direct connection to your lords.” 

“!!” 

“And with all due respect, may I know why we can’t pass through? And if we can’t get through here, can you atleast let the children pass?”

“It’s a direct order from the lords of these lands - Not to let anyone get through these gates, nor any gates of this part of the land. And if it’s still not clear to you, children are no exception.”

 

**demi-humans chattered and complained**

 

“If you don’t let us through-”

“Then what?”

“... we’d all be dead.” 

“...”

“I sense that we’re nothing more than a bait… To keep those intruders here as long as they could… And if it’s still not clear to you… you are no exception.” 

 

The guards guarding the walls heard what the cartograhper said, they all paused in their patrol and looked down at us. 

 

The man in charge looked at his companions behind him. One of them looked away for a sec, before he nodded.  

 

The man in charge sighed through his nose. 

 

“Alright, just the first gate, don’t consider this as we let you through. The context here is you attacked us, and you got in.” 

 

“Thank-”

 

“THEY ARE HERE!!” 

 

**zoooootoooooooooooooo, bammmm** 

 

**The crowds started to panic**

 

They all charge to the gate. 

 

“Hey! Wait! Wahhhhh!”

 

The man in charge along with his companions was pushed down by the crowds. People have already died before they could get through. It’s already too late for us to get through this gate. 

 

I’m starting to have stomach butterflies as I panic. 

 

“These fools… They’re not even close…” 

 

The cartographer from before got out from the stampede. 

 

“I have no choice but to head down to the catacombs.” He muttered to himself. 

 

?! H-He’s going back? If he’s a cartographer, that means he knows which way to go. 

“Sir! Please, wait for us! I’ve heard what you said!” 

“I cannot guarantee your safety.” He shook his head without looking back. 

“Please!”

 

The lion paused for a moment. He then looked at us, particularly at Noelle. 

 

“Fine then…” 

“Thank you!”

 

We head back. The catacombs aren't far from here, but with these lands turned to ruins, I don’t think we’d get there right away. 

 

We threaded slowly and carefully, trying not to get caught from their fight. 

 

The two moons glimpse again. 

 

“Stop” He raised his hand. 

 

We all ducked behind some rubble. 

 

**zooooooooootooooooooo** 

 

They crashed not far from us. 

 

**slashhh, slash, sinnngggggggggg**

 

The twins wield their weapons like a stick despite how heavy it looks. It’ll be an instant death if she gets caught by one of those. The spider’s clothes has turned ragged, dogdging every strike she could with her bare hands. They’re not giving her a chance to fight back. 

 

She’s injured, yet her face hasn’t change. 

 

“Now!” One of the twins shouted. 

 

“[Holy Smite!]” 

 

One of them raised their morning star and immediately hit the ground. 

 

**DOOGOOOOOOONNNN**

 

The earth trembled, turning everything on its path to ashes. So that’s the skills of her weapon. 

 

“Dammit! She got away again!” 

 

**woosh, woosh**

 

They charged their legs and flew with immense speed. 

 

“Even the saints carrying the ancient weapons of this Kingdom are having trouble.” He said while checking for our next route. 

 

Soon after. 

 

“Over there, the catacombs, it’s just down a head.”

 

**zootooooooooooo**

 

We all duck from surprise. Noelle-chan tucked her tail and curl her limbs close to me. The cartographer didn’t even get a chance to warn us given how fast they landed.

 

“Hide…” He whispered. 

 

Orange aura radiated throught out the twins body. They’re starting to outmatch her. One after the other she got hit from their combination attacks. 

 

“[Reality Slash]!”

 

One of the twin horizontally slashed the air with her scythe, an amaranthine light cut-through everything on it’s path, and it went straight out of the border of the Kingdom. The spider’s upper half spinned mid-air and rolled over on the ground like a lump of meat. Her legs stood there for a second before it fell off. 

 

“Finally! It’s dead!”

“Crap, she’s one hell of creep, Anya.” She sat on a rubble. 

“Bleghh, you’re right, Ninya. She keeps staring at our thighs.”

“What a creep. Glad we didn’t let her touch us. ” 

 

Ninya sat close to the spider’s upper body, poking her eyes with her scythe. 

 

“Her eyes are still open…” 

“Heh, she didn’t get the chance to close her eyes.” Anya flail her hand. 

“No, look, her eyes hasn’t dilated yet. I mean, if sh-”

 

!!

 

“Ninya?” Anya stood up. 

“...”

“What’s wrong, Ninya? What happened?”

“...”

“Hey, Ninya, why are you just standing there? You’re creeping me out!” 

 

Anya noticed the spider’s hand holding her foot. 

 

“Ninya, it’s just a hand, stop acting like that.” 

 

Anya walks close to Ninya. 

 

!!

 

**shingggggggggggggg, shwakkkk**

 

Ninya mindlessly swung her scythe. Anya’s arm went flying, dropping her weapon. 

 

“Hnnghhh!!” 

 

!? 

 

“How could you, Ninya??”

“Save me… I… Mnnnghhh **sniff** can’t move…” Ninya was crying the whole time. 

 

Ninya suddenly choked her before Anya could reach for her weapon. 

 

“Kugh!! Haa… Haa… Mnnnggg...”

“**sniff** **hiccup** Mnnnn…” Ninya cries in silence. 

“!!” 

 

Anya watched the spider behind Ninya stood up while clinging to her shoulder. 

 

“I’m looking for someone… If you answer me, I may le-”

“Fhhuck fyuu!” Anya desperately said while getting choked.  

“I see…”

 

Anya looked her in the eye while grinning her teeth in anger. 

 

“How about you, have you seen a silvered-haired man in a blindfold?” 

“Ib dyont knyow, Ib dyont knyoww… Mhnnggnnnnn… Ib dyont knyoww… Ayyy dyonnntt knyooooowwww…. MghhhMgnnnnn.. **sniff, sniff**”

“Good boy…  Honesty is the best policy… And for that, I’ll let you free…”

 

…

 

“Except her.” The spider’s eyes looked at her eye to eye. 

 

Ninya uncontrollably dropped her weapon.

 

“Kagh!” 

 

Ninya punched Anya’s abdomen with immense force. 

 

“Kugh! Mnngh! Mnnn! Hgnn! Kugh! Urkkkk!” 

 

Anya blurted out some blood. Ninya paused for a moment. 

 

**wheezingg**

 

Anya’s eyes couldn’t look straight anymore, and she’s now having difficulties to breathe. Ninya couldn’t make a sound except for her cry of silence. 

 

“Kughhh! Mnnghh! Mn… m… ….”

 

“... … …”  

 

Slowly but surely, her eyes started to dilate. 

 

“Now that’s a dead one.” The spider said. 

 

Ninya was able to move again. Anya’s body dropped like a ragdoll. 

 

“Wahhhhhhhhh!! Anya! Anyaaaaaaa! Noo… Noooo…. **cries** I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry…!”

 

Ninya’s hands was trembling, yet she mustered her every strength to heal her. She didn’t mind her enemy next to her. 

 

“This isn’t the time to be amused… get down here already.” The cartographer scolded me. I didn’t notice him going down.  

“!! I-I’m so sorry…”

 

Noelle-chan was too scared to watch what happened. She was shaking the whole time. 

 

!!

 

**thuck, thack, thuck** 

 

I accidentally kicked a pebble and it made a sound. 

 

!!

 

The spider saw us!

 

I immediately slid down. The catacombs is just a few meters ahead. 

 

“You’re rushing too fast, you’ll get us caught.”

“S-she saw us!” 

“Tsk! Run then!” 

 

We went inside the catacombs. 

 

Francesca
Reference: Miqo'te, Final Fantasy