Silika's past

While Hilda was comforting the boy, Lara was surveying the area just in case someone might be eavesdropping on them. Ren, on the other hand, heard a familiar voice speaking in his head.

"Master, I'm finally done with the stabilization of the mana we got from the King Drake... Hmm, what's this?... It seems like you got yourself into quite a situation master."

Silika spoke in an amused tone. It was obvious that she knew with a glance what kind of situation they were in.

"Tell me what you figured out, Silika," Ren responded in his mind.

"It's nothing much, but that boy is something like a ghost. He's alive and at the same time, he's not. Basically he's dead." Silika answered, still with an amused tone. When Ren heard what Silika said, he was shocked. The boy in front of him was dead, he didn't notice at all.

"How do you know that? He's not emitting anything different from a normal human. There doesn't seem to be any abnormalities that I can see in his body... Then how? How do you know he's dead?"

"You can say I'm very sensitive to blood, and I know for certain that boy has none. His skin might not be pale or anything that could indicate that, but trust me, when it comes to blood there is no one that knows more than me." Silika confidently told Ren why she believes the boy was dead.

"I see... Hmm, I suppose I need to try something out."

Once Ren was done speaking with Silika, he approached the boy called Darius that Hilda was hugging. Ren took the two of them apart, as Ren started to inspect the boy.

"Hey what are you doing?!" Hilda who was suddenly pushed aside wasn't happy. Ren didn't bother to answer her and continued inspecting the boy. The body heat emitting from him was warm like any other living being, but Silika already said that he wasn't alive, he had no blood flowing through his veins. Then how is it that he still looks and feels alive?

'Well, there is no use being all passive about it. Also, I need to believe in Silika, she has no reason to lie, and she is connected to me by contract.'

When Ren finally decided what to do next, he looked at the boy who was scared. He looked at him, eye to eye and spoke. "Do you know that you're already dead?"

The moment Ren said this, even Lara was visibly shaken. Hilda was confused as well, why would Ren say such a thing? Was the boy really dead? That can't be... Right?

The boy in question Darius was also visibly shaken and screamed angrily at Ren. "NO! I'm Alive! I know it! Why are you saying that I'm dead?! I'm not! Why did you say that!?"

"Don't you remember? What happened on the day you last saw your parents?" Ren wasn't sure about what he was saying, everything that was coming out of his mouth was just a bluff, but he trusted Silika. Still, Darius had a weird reaction awhile ago when he mentioned his parents, that event might have something to do with his death.

Darius tried to remember what happened on that night, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember. He wasn't even able to remember what his parents look like.

"I can't... Why can't I remember?! I'm Darius the son of... The son of... Why? Why? Why can't I remember?!" Darius who was screaming couldn't take it anymore. He was confused and scared. With his mind unstable, he fled towards the mountains. Hilda who saw this wanted to follow, but was stopped by Ren.

"Why are you stopping me?"

"Why do you need to follow him? You already know he's dead, so why bother with him? Isn't it better to figure out what is truly happening in the village? If we figure out what is going on, we might be able to help that boy."

Hearing what Ren said, Hilda finally cooled down and sighed. She nodded her head signifying her agreement, but even though what Ren said was right. Hilda couldn't approve of the way Ren handled the situation.

"I'll accept what you're saying after you tell what you mean when you say Darius' is dead." Hilda waited looked at Ren waiting for an explanation.

...

While Ren and the others were having a conversation, Silika was thinking ever so deeply within the tattoo of the contract that was on Ren's right arm.

She who had looked deeper into Ren's soul has seen numerous things. She knew that this boy was once a demon lord who was hailed as the strongest. But upon looking deeper, she saw numerous other reincarnations until finally, she saw a familiar face, of a boy she once knew a thousand lifetimes ago. A boy who always stood in the middle of a fight thirsting for more.

She met this boy, back when her true name was still known. She met this boy when she was hiding in that dark cave. There he made a promise to her.

'So we finally meet again. It has been an eon since we last met. Your form might have changed, but what's inside still remains the same. You still have the same thirst for battle, and you still seek an opponent worthy of your strength.'

Silika started to reminisce about a time long forgotten when she too had companions that she had adventured with. When she fell in love with that idiotic battle freak. From within the veil that hides her face, she smiled.

A sensation she had long forgotten had returned to her, it was a comfortable feeling. Silika couldn't help but smile wryly at how mysterious fate could be.

'Are you finally going to fulfill that promise?... Leo.'