[89.1] I Will Give You That Good Ending

[Author's note: this chapter is back to Reika's perspective.]

I soared over to the Academy, my eyes reflecting the lasting shimmers of golden light in the sky in front of me.

Anyone who would have seen that attack would think it was Vira singlehandedly taking out the Academy. While it was definitely her attack, I could see a familiar energy trying to desperately defend against that.

That was Hazel.

There's no mistaking it.

I saw a similar scene not too long ago.

…Maybe a few days ago?

Or I guess… A thousand years ago.

Whenever it was, it meant Hazel was currently fighting to protect Zephyr, so at least he was safe.

However, he might not be for long. Hazel's attacks became that disordered whenever she was panicking. 

I have to get to them quickly before it's too late.

The speed picked up as my ice dragon barreled forward like an arrow. My coarse hair whipped around as I came closer and closer to the fighting. However, the closer I got the more I saw how destructive Holy Power was.

Of course, I didn't need a reminder, but…

Seeing the Academy in shambles is extremely painful. Everything looks so much worse than when I had demolished things.

As I was caught in another thought, I suddenly realized the fighting ahead had stopped, leaving behind no sounds of life.

My heart raced more anxiously than when I had watched the Holy light explode in the sky. A cold sweat broke out across my back as I felt something very wrong.

The dust settled below me as I dropped down from the ice dragon, using my snow to soften the fall. I didn't wait to catch my breath before climbing out of the snowbank and over the rubble separating me from where Hazel had been fighting.

Once I reached the top, my body stopped moving.

The moment my eyes caught sight of the two crumpled bodies, everything went still as if time itself had frozen everyone but us.

Vira had been walking away but stopped when she heard me arrive. The air was silent as she slowly turned to face me.

I ignored her as I rushed towards Zephyr and Hazel desperately wishing my eyesight was wrong. The rubble ripped apart my skin and clothes as I fell, but I didn't feel a single thing.

I dropped down beside their two still bodies and stared.

My chest didn't move as I held my breath, hoping that I would see either of theirs moving up and down.

…But all I could see was blood that had already stopped flowing.

As I pulled Zephyr's body into my arms, I felt a numb sense wash over my body and fill every crevice of my heart.

"You…" I whispered in a low voice that I myself didn't even recognize, "What did you do?"

Vira felt her legs shake and hesitantly took a step back. This reaction surprised herself, but she also couldn't stop her body from reacting. When my eyes slowly turned to look at her, her already porcelain skin turned more pale. I waited for an answer, but there was none.

"What did I ever do to you?"

She pursed her lips, "..."

"I didn't ask to be brought to this world."

"..."

"I didn't look for trouble."

"..."

"I just wanted a family…" I pulled Zephyr's cold body closer to me and whispered, "I wanted my baby back."

"..."

Surprisingly at this moment, Vira herself had nothing to say. Whether it was fear or guilt that closed her mouth, I couldn't care less to know which.

"It took me so many years to get back the very thing that was stolen from me… I followed all those stupid rules, but what do I have to show for it? I lost all of them… Lovi, Koale, my grandchild, Rose, Atta, Moni-"

My voice caught in my throat.

Now Zephyr…

My friend…

My son…

My hands trembled in rage as I looked up into the sky with a ferocious glare, "I'm done letting this world f*ck me over."

Nobody answered.

My fingers clenched around his body, "F*ck the future. F*ck the past. This time, I'm not going to give up."

I stared at the body turning rigid in my arms and bent down to kiss his forehead, "Don't worry, Zephyr. Mama won't fail you this time."

The sound of footsteps were behind the rubble, but I didn't wait to see who was the owner. I gently placed Zephyr back beside Hazel and stood up.

"...Time loop."

As if in response, a dark square opened under my feet and sent me plunging below.