Chapter 8: See You Again

"Ugh… goat milk."

"Is he awake? Or is he dreaming about goat milk."

Luci lifted himself up as soon as he woke up, puttering his lips before scratching his head. He then let out a very long and deep yawn as he stood up from his small bed, but as soon as he realized that there were several random people staring at him… he just let himself fall back onto the bed and sighed.

"I knew it," he whispered, "I'm dead. Oh, woe is me for having such a short life. Now punished by being watched by the ugliest of souls. I suppose I will just wait for Emmett and Meera, it won't be long now until—Ah!"

Luci then jolted up from the bed again as he saw Meera from the crowd, sitting at the table.

"Y… you," Luci's hands began to tremble as his little legs very slowly walked toward Meera, "You're dead too?"

"You're not dead, Luci," Meera could really only cover her face as everyone was staring at them.

"Oh," Luci then once again scanned the faces of the people inside their hut, "So, you are not souls… just ugly."

"We're from the city guard."

"...Ugly city guards," Luci seemed truly mesmerized as he looked at the guards one by one, "Where's Berns?"

"How about you answer some of our questions first?" The city guard leading the others did not seem fond of Luci as he let out a scoff as he looked at him. It wasn't only him, none of the guards were looking at Luci in a friendly manner. After all, Luci has caused them endless trouble.

"What do I get in return?" Luci squinted his eyes as he approached Meera again and hopped on to sit on her lap, "What is this about, anyway? Is this because I tried reversing the city clock?"

"What? No, it's—wait, that was you!?"

"Yeah," Luci let out a small scoff, seemingly confident with what he had done, "You city folks keep on letting it tick tock, that's why Meera and Emmett keep getting older!"

"L… Luci," Meera could really only stutter as she heard Luci's words, "Life… does not work that way."

"How would you know?" Luci crossed his arms before focusing back on the city guards in their small hut, "Nevertheless, what do you people want from me? Ask your questions, you only get three."

"Something is seriously wrong with this kid," one of the guards whispered, "I think we are wasting our time here."

"Sshh," the lead of the squad raised his hand as he stared at Luci's blue eyes, "Do you remember anything about what happened to you before you lost consciousness?"

"Of course, psh," Luci scoffed as he confidently spoke, "I was…"

As soon as he remembered himself crying, however, he quickly halted his words and looked at Meera. He would die first before he admits crying.

"What… do I even say here?" Luci looked to no one in particular, "Be useful and at least tell me something."

"What the… who are you talking to?" The guards all turned their heads to where Luci was looking, only to see nothing but air.

"...Ask Luke," Luci completely disregarded their confusion, "He was with me when those bandits attacked."

"They really are bandits!" One of the city guards raised his voice, "They dare get this near to the city!?"

"What else do you remember, kid?"

"Uhh, ask Luke," Luci shrugged, "He is the one who fought the bandits. He slashed his sword like this and like that."

"So, it's true…" The leader of the guards squinted his eyes as Luci started waving his hand, "...The boy unlocked his Aura. Let's go, we need to take him to the city."

"What the… why are you taking me to the city!?" Luci quickly put up his stance as all the guards moved. They, however, did not even look at him and started leaving the small hut one by one.

"Why would we even take you?" The leader of the city smirked before stepping out of the hut, "All you do is create problems and be useless."

"Not as useless as guards letting bandits inside their territory."

"Tch."

"That's right, run away!" Luci was about to rush toward the retreating guards, but Meera stopped him from leaving the house.

"Luci, promise me…" Meera gently held his face, "...Promise me you won't tell anyone about what you did. About that flames coming out of your eyes, all of it. Don't tell them anything."

"Ukh," Luci just leaned his head away and waved his hand. He then quickly grabbed one of the chairs and brought it to the window so he could see what was happening outside, only to see Luke crying and being pulled away from his mother,

"What!? Those hooligans are—!!!"

"They're taking the brat to the Earl's castle," Emmett suddenly emerged on the other side of the window, causing Luci to fall from the chair in surprise, "Linette lucked out, her son awakened his Aura."

"They… are lucky?" Luci quickly climbed back on the window and stared at the bawling Luke. Soon, however, her mother voluntarily let go of him, "Is he selling her son to the Earl? How much is she getting? How much will you two get if you sell me?"

"Luci, he's not being sold," Meera could not help but sigh as she approached Luci and embraced her from behind, "He's going to be trained to become a knight."

"Ah!" Luci turned his head up to look at Meera; his bright blue eyes, almost blinding Meera from their cuteness, "Is he going to become a Hero?"

"Well… that would depend on him."

"That's good," Luci nodded as his legs started to wiggle in excitement, "He told me his dream was to become like the Hero of Freiden."

"..." Meera's grip slightly wavered as she heard Luci's words, "Why… don't you say goodbye to him? The two of you might not see each other for a long time."

"Hm… no," Luci shook his head as he watched as Luke was seemingly trying to find someone from the crowd of residents. And soon, Luke's eyes landed on Luci,

"I have a feeling we will see each other again soon."

The residents of the little hamlet all bid their farewells to Luke. And true to his words, Luci did not say goodbye to Luke at all, just nodding his head as their eyes met.

It was somber, as once again, their little hamlet lost their already dwindling youth—no. Dwindling was perhaps not the right word, as their children truly were only Luke and Lucifer.

Unbeknownst to them, however, as the sun went down, even Lucifer left their little hamlet.

"You… you're still alive, you little blue-eyed cheron!?"

Back in the city, Lucifer was once again inside the room where the unfortunate turtle fell to his untimely demise in the hands of… fate.

"It's you, isn't it?" Luci's eyes glimmered even in the darkness as he revealed himself from the shadows,

"The one who sent those ugly men?"