Prologue (2)

Blood splattered everywhere. A man's dazed gaze fell on the spear impaling his left chest. When he felt the warmth of the mana blade penetrating his heart, his pupils shook as his body slowly lost strength.

As the man collapsed to the ground, an owner of an anguished cry rushed to the boy's back. The boy startled by how quick the voice was approaching him, quickly spun around, swinging his open palm at the enemy behind his back.

The target fell backward from the impact. The boy didn't stop and swung down his bloody palm once more.

Pow!

The target's head burst open in an instant. Only then did he kicked off the ground, which was charred with a disgusting mixture of brain matter and burning human flesh.

The cloaked boy shot into a swirling fog.

A swirling fog of ashes….

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Cough. The Dragon heaved out a dry cough. He scowled from the smell of ash in the area. But his frown only lasted a moment. He lifted his head and surveyed her surroundings.

[Is anybody there…?]

A soft sound echoed out amidst the gradually-cooling mountain of corpses. The sound approached him, but it stopped a bit to the right of his.

Standing there was a burnt body.

[Amazing.]

In front of the body was a large light that couldn't be described with words.

[Truly amazing! I did not place much hope, but to think someone actually survived this bloody battle…]

As if to answer the Dragon's question, the man raised his head. A powerful emotion surged up within the Dragon's heart, but he had no choice but to swallow it back down.

The state of the man was horrific, so much so that he wanted to avert her gaze. The state of the burnt man clearly demonstrated that he had fulfilled his duty in this battlefield.

When the Dragon thought this far, she began to develop a sense of sympathy. At the same time, she felt it was a shame.

'If only i had arrived a bit earlier….'

[I want to praise your achievement a bit, but you do not have much time left.]

A low-pitched voice struck her ears.

As darkness set in the man's eyes, his weakened eyes looked forward. When he opened his mouth, he spurted out bits and pieces of his organs along with a mouthful of blood. His voice seemed to be lost, as only the sound of wind passing through his vocal cord came out.

[You do not have to speak. I can simply read your mind, open your mind now… So, do you wish to be healed?]

"...."

[No? How foolish, your life is hanging by a rope. Then what is it that you want? Don't tell me, riches? Honor? In this situation?]

"…."

[What?]

Suddenly, the tone of the dragon went up.

[You want to save them all?]

An ominous sensation suddenly rose up in the column of light's conciousness.

[Impossible!]

An enraged voice shook the earth.

[Even with your achievements, how could it be possible to save them all? You wanted to achieve such power with what you've accomplished‽]

"…."

[Impudent! Perhaps if you accomplish today's feats dozens of times more, but at the current stage, I cannot grant your wish. Nevermind your own city, not even most of your family could be saved this late in!]

"…."

[How persistent! Given that your life is about to end and the feats you have accomplished until now, I shall restrain myself. Tell me another wish.]

Then, a heavy silence descended.

[…Why did you make such a wish?]

Was the dragon moved by the pitiful sight of the man dropping his head? The voice reverberating in the column of light's mind softened slightly.

[Child, hurry and wish for your revival. If that is truly your wish, you can ask again in the future after you've accomplished more feats. Though, I can't say that it will be much easier then...]

The man's shoulders jumped ever so slightly. He seemed to be grimacing. It was already a miracle just to have survived for this long, there was no way he could continue like this.

The man, the Dragon, and the Column of light all knew it was impossible.

The man raised his head just barely.

His mouth moved slightly.

[This soul here?]

"…."

[You want your current feelings to…]

"…."

[Since you can't save them yourself, you want to send the feelings you felt here, and give this soul your burden?]

The Dragon seemed to be taken aback, as silence descended once again.

[…Passing on feelings based on memories…. Certainly, it could work.]

After a long silence, the voice answered.

[But even that is impossible if this wandering soul does not agree. That is not likely, as it seems to be damaged as well.]

Although it was only for a brief moment, the mouth of the dying man twisted up.

[I am truly sorry.]

That was it.

The man's shoulders stopped moving. Plop. His head slumped, never to rise again. Just like that, he stopped moving.

[How foolish…]

Suddenly, a hand-like thing reached out from the darkness. As if it had suffered a great loss, it slowly caressed the man's head.

'I get it.'

The column of light, who had been watching this scene, thought to itself.

The dragon turned to it.

[How interesting, you are... a wandering soul that managed to break in, you couldn't be...]

'Yes, O Honourable Dragon, i agree... let me take on this child's burden.'

[Child... you are barely more than a child yourself, i can smell it.]

The light fell silent. It could feel the damage to it's soul spreading, it wouldn't last much longer like this. The light's eyes turned to the dead man. His humble end was all the more painful.

'He had protected me for a short time after my arrival, despite his own problems being too much for him to handle. He had fought like a dog and died like a dog, without receiving any consolation or aid.'

'O Venerable Dragon, please allow me to grant this human's wish.'

[…Do you have a reason to go this far?]

'What else can i do? Can you heal a torn soul from another world...in the sort time i have left?'

[If you wish for it, i can attempt to tie your soul to this world... your mind will be lost, but you shall live on in a new form.]

'For me, that isn't living, and that would not save him nor would it save the ones he wishes to protect.'

[One thing I am sure of is that both you and he will die in this place. Are you saying that this is okay?]

'....'

[Only your memories would be passed on, the being that emerges cannot be called you, nor can it be called him.]

The dragon's voice struck the light multiple times as if to reaffirm it's answer. It would be a lie if it said it didn't have second thoughts.

'But… i am exhausted. I have lived for long enough, this damn world dragging me in... it may have been a blessing in disguise.'

A smile formed on it's lips as the light around it started to fade.

'Yes... a blessing'

[Fine then, my child]

It's vision had become half-blurry, but it could feel something like a pair of wings spread open from the darkness.

[I will grant the final wish of two beings who died, unrelenting in their beliefs... until their last thoughts.]

The world began to spin.

[They will land in the near future, with a heavy burden to carry, but i will at least lend the assistance of my final follower]

The light faded into the corpse.

[I cannot wait until i meet the 'two of you' again.]

The dragon began to chuckle.

[They will never see this card coming.]