What's left

It's been a whole month since Keita saw the Demon Lord and the Seven Deadly Sins. It took two days of unbearable agony for his magic power and body to calm down. At that moment though, he had even greater problems. His body wasn't that of a human anymore. His horn didn't retreat and his hair was still black instead of his normal brown. At that time, he decided to return to the Human realm and find a quite place to collect himself. Last time this happened, his horn was small enough to be hidden by his hair.

Inside a forest, past the swamp with the watchtower, he found a cave, next to a small pond. He decided to rest there until his horn became small enough. It took a whole month of waiting. His hair was still black but he was done waiting. The only thing that kept him sane, was that he was going to see Helene again after all this. He allowed himself no other thoughts.

After the month has passed, he started his long journey home. He met no troubles on the road. He was at Atestari after two weeks.

Keita took a moment to see the city from afar. He quickly turned towards his village. He wasn't sure what would happen if he went to Atestari.

'Did Nao and the others make it back safely? Do they blame him for Koba? Did they already go their separate ways? Did they tell everyone that he was a Demon?' these thoughts that Keita tried to bury inside his mind kept coming back to him. That was why he quickened his step. He had to see Helene no matter what.

He passed the still ruined inn. The forest he buried the inn keepers son. He kept going.

'Helene. Helene. Helene.' that was the only thing inside his mind.

His village was just a few hours away. He used Haste and run as fast as he could.

The familiar fields and the familiar faces working them. The familiar hill that he spent all his time training. The place he and Helene first talked. The place he first fell in love. It was all as he remembered.

"Is that you... Keita?" he heard his father's familiar voice.

"Father..." Keita's eyes begun to fill with tears.

He quickly wiped them with his sleeve.

"Father I'm sorry. I'm going to see Helene and return as soon as I can." Keita said smiling. This was the first time he felt happy in a long time.

"Keita, wait!" his father shouted but Keita didn't stop.

'I'm sure he will understand. I will be back soon.' Keita thought.

He found the village chief's house. Helene should be there. Keita took a moment to look at himself. His clothes and face were filthy from the long journey. He tried wiping some of the dirt off his clothes but he quickly gave up. It was impossible for him to be presentable at this time. Besides, he couldn't wait any longer. He knocked at the door.

It took some time, but the door finally opened. It was the chief, Helene's grandfather.

"You are...?" the elder asked with a shaking voice.

He was completely different than the last time he saw him. At that time he seemed strong and brave. But the few months that past weren't kind to him. His whole body was shaking. It seemed that his vision got even worse. Keita understood that he could no longer take care of himself. He was going to die very soon.

"Elder, it's me. Keita. I've come to see Helene." Keita said.

"Keita?"

"Yes, Keita Raigon. You remember me don't you?"

The elder extended his shaking hand and Keita held it.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, my boy..." the elder started crying.

Keita didn't know what to say. Why was he apologizing? Was it because he didn't recognize him?

"Keita!" he heard his father shouts behind him. He looked out of breath.

Keita was confused. He let his father rest. It seemed whatever he wanted to say couldn't wait.

"Helene is gone. She isn't here anymore."

"What? What do you mean? Where did she go?" Keita asked.

Keita's father calling to him seemed to have attracted a crowd. Five or six passing villagers stopped to watch. They were all silent and their eyes were looking at the ground.

"Lord Abot took her as his wife." his father was the one to explain.

"Abot?" Keita recalled all the rumors about this lord.

Apparently, he had taken more than 50 wives. After the wedding ceremony, none of them were heard of again and soon after, he would start looking for another wife.

"We couldn't pay the taxes... He demanded to marry Helene as compensation." the elder said.

"You... you sold her?" Keita's anger flared. He clenched his fist and had a grim expression. The village chief, didn't respond.

"Watch your mouth Keita!" his father said with a stern tone. "Two weeks ago, we were all prepared to fight. But Helene... that girl wouldn't have it. She went to the lord by herself the next day."

"I see." Keita said. "Which way is Abot's estate?" he asked.

"Abot's estate? It's two days from the North road. But Keita, it's already too late. The wedding already happened. Even if you go there, what can you do?" his father said. There was a panic in his voice.

"What I'm going to do? Well, it's obvious isn't it? I'm going to kill Abot and any of his men that stand in my way." Keita said in a cold voice.

Silence. Raito had a gaping mouth when he heard Keita's words. His son's words. As if he wanted to say something but wasn't able to. He wasn't able to believe that his son could talk about murder as if it was nothing.

"Are you really Keita?" he asked.

"I am what's left." Keita responded.