Yruth Esir

*PoV of Zeimachi*

"Ah I forgot to put off my spell."

The moment I entered through the portal and want to turn off my spell, I met with an interesting sight inside this void of feathers. The feathers still fill most of this place, but there's another thing. There're corpses, and I don't think if that's belong to a human.

'...spell cancel.'

While looking at the corpses strewn all over the place, it wasn't long before I could feel something painful within my chest. It was like something drilling into my bones, and not long after that my muscles suddenly became cramped too, but only in the body parts I used during the battle earlier.

'Hurts yep..'

The pain took over my body and I fell to my knees, but the pain didn't stop there.

My head felt hot as if I had a dangerous fever, then moved down to my neck where I could smell the burn from my wound which was dry with heat, and continued to flow down from my chest where I had difficulty breathing, the muscles cramped in my legs and there was a cracking sound every times I want to move my joints.

I can only kneel while trying to breathe and keep my eyes open. I felt that if I closed it now or tried to blink, I would feel pain that was clearer and worse than now because my consciousness was trying to hold back this pain.

I also tried to use feathers to reduce this pain, but in conditions that are quite difficult to breathe it is very difficult to channel the energy into these feathers.

'It hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts

It hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts.'

I keep chanting those words inside my head, without the capability of moving my limb I look like a lump of humanoid flesh kneeling on this void while dazing off without any focus in its opened eyes. Paralyzed and couldn't even do anything to prevent any attacks aimed at me.

"Ahh...it still hurts."

My head was like being churned and twisted, the dimension seems like being twisted along with my head until I couldn't tell the difference between up and down. I still can't put any focus in my eyes either since my bodies is still passing through the side effects of my stupidity.

"Ouchichie..."

...

....

.....

'The pain subsiding.'

After waiting a few more times, time has passed and the pain I feel inside slowly subsided. I can blink and breathe more easier than before, it's still cracking here and there every time I tried to move my joints and my limbs though.

"As expected it's no good to lie to yourself."

During those times I keep chanting those words from before, I keep telling myself if it's hurt and a few minutes later the pain subsided. My eyes got sleepy as the effect of enduring those pain and the moment I want to let my body sleep inside this void, I hear a sound...No, its more like a voice.

"That's not how it works! You fool."

*Plak*

I could feel something slapping my back, the impact of that slap pushed my body forward and made me fall on my stomach. My eyes started to close slightly until I slowly lost consciousness, by hearing another words from the same voice who slapped me.

"Sleep already? *Sigh* This is why I really don't want to meet the [Fool] you. You always endured those pain alone again. Rest for now, since I've something to talk later."

------------

- Finally both of the main characters have meet, while it's true this is nothing but a fabricated one. The Lantern and the Holder, but sadly the Holder will never know what the Lantern is thinking nor scheming. -

- The Lantern with a symbol of dim light bearing the name of "Cera" and the Fool Holder of the lantern with the symbol of mission and error bearing the name "Zeimachi" or "Zei", yet name is only be meaningful when there's value within them. -

- They will met with the next part of this story, ordeal of the Holder and the incapacity of the Lantern. No one will be a good person without a misery for their heart but when the test for his persistence come, the heart will break or got corrupted. -

- Or...Maybe even better, to be the heart who will pass all of their adversity. -

- The light inside that Lantern is nothing but a faint one. It will soon disappear and no one will pay any attention to it. Nevertheless, it can do nothing but shine for the Fool's road. How long it will, it depends on the thought of the Holder and the willingness of that flickering light. -

- More of his past will emerge. More of her decision will be made. -

- But in the end, this is nothing but a story to be expected by the time. The tales of a fool and their journey. -

And also...

The tale of those who seek their own desire.

...

....

.....

Zeimachi had opened his eyes while he was still lying on his stomach. He tried to push himself back to sit on his ass so he could get a better look at his surroundings.

On the other hand for Cera, she's still cleaning the dirtied part of the void when some of those "creature" got defeated by her, however because she's still in the middle of cleaning, she told the "Writer' to focus on Zeimachi condition with all kind of pose she could think of.

'O-V-E-R T-H-E-R-E.' (Cera)

Unfortunately her revolt will not be heard.

Cera is cleaning those corpse with-

'O-O-O-O-I-I-I-I-I.' (Cera)

Zeimachi was now still trying to recall the circumstances from the previous event. After he sat down and massaged his head gently, he then noticed his torn jacket full of burns from his battle.

It seemed he was more worried about his jacket than his body.

"Ahh...All rugged up like this. I hope there's some left over Fairy Needle nearby so I can fixes this right now." (Zeimachi)

He then also searched and noticing the torn and burnt part of his bag, Zeimachi put the backpack down and took off the jacket he was still wearing. He doesn't seem to care about his body anymore.

"If its like this, I can't use it for a while. Gotta sewn it or patch it up somehow." (Zeimachi)

Zeimachi then put the jacket he had removed into his bag and rearranged the arrangement in his bag so that the headset and his belongings were not damaged by being crushed. He also took out his phone which had run out of battery and clicked his tongue before putting it back in his bag.

*Ziiiip*

"Khhuuhh...I'm getting sleepy." (Zeimachi)

Done with the re-arrangement. He then feel fatigue kicked in because of his body which is still recovering. Rubbing his bare feet that were still in a lotus sitting position, he lowered his head and intended to sleep in a sitting position.

"Don't sleep like that you idiot, your neck gonna hurt when you awake." (Cera)

Finally, after she had done with her business Cera took the the first move and approached Zeimachi who was trying to rest.

"...Hmmm? Ojou-san? I thought you're not real...Ah sorry, but who are you and how you come into this place?" (Zeimachi)

Zeimachi seems to be talking to the girl with assumption if Cera is one of the hallucinations created by his exhaustion. Hearing his words that thought she's not real, Cera then started to step closer and looked down on the man who was sitting near her feet.

"How do I look? You can see me right. There's no way you're still dreaming right now." (Cera)

"...Is...That so?" (Zeimachi)

Cera is a girl with height of around 160cm. Her skin is tanned which somehow carried a feeling of exotic beauty more than pristine beauty or jade beauty.

Her hair was dyed in oxblood color which had a fragrance like a mango. Her hair was also styled in a twist bun style and judging by her looks, she was the type of person who was always logical and prioritized a certain someone over herself.

She also got heterochromia where her left eye is black and her right eye is blue with a mark of asterisk. To protect the appearance and potential of her eyes, Cera wears a pair of red blackish-rimmed glasses. Coupled with purple gem earrings on her ears.

The outfit she's currently wearing is long sleeve black blouse combined with knee length gray skirt, and a pair of light brown sneakers.

'Hehe... How is it, did you describe it correctly? I hope there's some breath taking moment in this fool mind's.' (Cera)

"Sorry Jou-chan, but who?" (Zeimachi)

"Ahh...I guess its as expected huh... It's to much trouble to explain it, here take it." (Cera)

While Zeimachi was still confused about this girl's identity, Cera who was disappointed that Zeimachi's expression didn't match her expectations gave him a feather which she took from her skirt pocket.

When the feather that Cera had given touched him, it emitted a warm light and shone on his face. From the sparkle released by the blackish red feather, Zeimachi then got a lot of memories that was stored inside of it.

The memories slowly flowing inside his mind and awaken some of his past. He could remember most of things like his hometown, identity, where he came from, what he's looking for, and of course about who's the girl in front of him.

"..." (Zeimachi)

"Huhum~ Take your time to process your Core memory. I'm really sorry, but I need to do this for you." (Cera)

Even though he had gained a lot of memories, those weren't all of what were stored in the feathers that Cera called as a Core Memories.

Depart, cherished, slaughter, corruption, destroyer, saint, monster, brave, a mob, ghost, despair, nostalgia, blackmail, evil person, and many more but the most impact full for him, a warrior through eons of year.

"...Thank you, you've helped me again, Fuka-san. " (Zeimachi)

The memories stored in the past almost swallowed him up, but when he saw the image in his mind that resembled a warrior and was one of his dearest person, Zeimachi easily regained his mind.

" I guess she helped you by reappearing again in your mind?" (Cera)

"Yeah, I really need to hold my self together and stop asking for her help. Anyway Cera, something hit by?" (Zeimachi)

"Well...As long you're not turning to some Emotionless Monster this is fine. About that you see, you saw those pest from before right? There're some glutton one who breached and infiltrated to some of your feathers." (Cera)

She point her finger to the place of where the corpse were. After she cleaned them, there's not even a speck of those so called pest that could be seen in the void but only a few feathers that Cera told as the one who got infiltrated.

About the pest they're talking about, generally there's two kind of pest. One is the glutton which just wreak havoc inside this void and bring another malicious intent. The other one is the diplomatic one, which bring their own personal reason when they stumble into this void.

"Yup I saw those. You cleaned them absurdly fast, what's happen? You're turning like a girl who- Ouchi chie...Alright aight. They got a few then? Crap, that's ain't good. Is this why you're giving me Core memo?" (Zeimachi)

When those glutton got inside the Void, most of them are aiming for the world inside those feather. The feather that he holds serve as a catalyst for Zeimachi to store and erase his memories per travel.

Since every world he touched also became reality, the stored memories also becoming a new moving world inside those feather.

Simply put, Zeimachi could create another world with The Feather and those pest wanted to eat those world.

"Nah that's different things. I could handle those trash alone, but not about this problem. You'll need to regain your former self and everything that you have, Zei." (Cera)

"Uhh...What's wrong with this topic? Okay, there's some pest sneaked into my feather so I need to handle it as the one with responsibilities. Is that it?" (Zeimachi)

Core memories, they are the one who made Zeimachi is Zeimachi right now. Thousands and millions memories of his journey sleep inside that one tiny feather. He left it to be handled by Cera, because he didn't want to touch those past in his boring life.

Most of his stuff are also being managed by her because if those treasure is to be left with him, he'll just forget about those stuff and leaving it being buried while collecting dust of his new journey.

About his past, its just too much to be told so let's just say its complicate. Just take a look at Cera's body. She's using a stock body reserved by Zeimachi who had created many artificial form of bodies from his journey in another world.

"No...Its not that Zei. I'll also stop with pleasantries and tell you so please hear it seriously." (Cera)

"..." (Zeimachi)

"Huuft...The gear has been moved, and every thing you did will really bring impact to something based from your choice. Zei please listen, I can't tell all of it to you, but from now on...No, even for a while before, every- ughh." (Cera)

Cera wanted to spill all of the beans that she knew so Zeimachi could also escape the chain of plot that was binding him, but its not going to be that easy. The truth of this world are not to be exposed easily like that.

"Every what?" (Zeimachi)

"...Sorry looks like I really can't, ▀▀▀▀ , no I guess you can't heard it too. Creator, yep I could heard it now. Technically, we're going to face another Arc of madness again and its going to be more heavier than before." (Cera)

The "Writer" are something which cannot be said inside the story, since she's still not part of this story before so she could use it, but now that she's playing a part directly in this story, so it's going to be different.

"...Another one huh...I could somehow understand it. Then, what you can't tell me is about the content?" (Zeimachi)

"*Nod* I tried to use some more non outspoken words, but when I want to put it together it suddenly went poof. (Cera)

'Not even by using this connection?' (Zeimachi)

'Yeah, not even this one.' (Cera)

"I see." (Zeimachi)

Both of them have a special connection as someone who had passed many battle and reach a high count of encounter. The two of them were completely different beings with different backgrounds from each other, but they teamed up in order to put something to its end.

That's more or less about how they partnered up.

"We already faced many kind of events but this is not the same. There's a chance everything that you've built up will be destroyed and your journey will be stopped. However..." (Cera)

"A new adventure huh...To think that I'm still looking forward to new adventure in this age. Fhew...A man still a man after all." (Zeimachi)

"Houuu~ Who knows~? Maybe we're going to experience our younger time just like resetting our char in game. Its quite fun to power creep everything from the beginning." (Cera)

"That's fine either. As long I could create many memories to be made, I could have some fun in that." (Zeimachi)

"And perhaps to change your way of thinking?" (Cera)

"That's a no." (Zeimachi)

They have some pleasant chat.

...

....

.....

"Alright that's it, let's go in or else those pest just gonna eat all of them. Even though its a copy, you don't want to see them hurt don't you?" (Cera)

"Hmm?! Why I'm also joining? Don't you can handle it alone?" (Zeimachi)

This Void is and was their base. Since everything related to managing things are thrown to Cera so Zeimachi could enjoy many journey in another world, this time she didn't want to be left alone and decided to put some plan to relieve his pain.

"Like-I-said-before, the gear is already on move and...Ughh why I can't said it?!!! You ▀▀▀▀ !!!" (Cera)

No, its not me.

"Anyway are you wearing something?" (Cera)

She then point toward his feet where there's no shoes or soles on it. He left his slippers when he got to heated in endgame before, and since he didn't mind walking or running bare footed so he forget to ask Iron Man some Nano tech boots.

"Ah.... I'll just look for one inside then, I need some time before I could use my tools to create my shoes. You already back-up the corrupted one?" (Zeimachi)

Since The Feather could also be treated as some kind of tool, Cera or Zeimachi could create some copy of the same feathers. If I need to use some comparison, then I'll use some theories in Honkai-verse...

Bubble Universe is the world that has been created by Zeimachi from storing his memories into The Feather and placing it into The Void. He said those one as "The Original" since he created it from "The Real Source".

While the copied one is like a stigmata world. It is have a lesser position than a Bubble Universe, and have many its own limitations but it is a World what so ever. The Copy is also relatively more easier to handle since Cera is the one who created it.

Zeimachi is a human, so he has his limit with the concept of creation and he also put restriction so there's not many who could use those world created from his power. As for Cera, she's definitely not a human and she got more skill with handling that concept.

She could create a world, but Zeimachi is the one who gave her the design. Cera'll later complete the said design and when something happen, The Copy could be used as a back-up for The Original.

That's enough explanation.

"Mondainai~ Oh yeah, there's total of six corrupted and...Umm nothing. So where do want to go? You could also use that place to stabilize your current mind after receiving the Core." (Cera)

Cera wanted to tell him if each of these world had a deep meaning with his life, but then she remember if Zeimachi is still in loading mode. So she withdraw those question hastily.

"Hmm? Ah no prob, thanks for everything Cera. I'll pay you back later." (Zeimachi)

"...yeah." (Cera)

Closing her eyes and her gentle words, Cera replied to the words of the man in front of her, and then she opened her eyes with an even merrier mood.

"Nooouuw where will we go? Pick your choices, Shounen! There's school, cute girls, and zombie. Robotic angel with soft skin. Gacha Gudako. Magic girl for suffering version three. Not Kantai Collection, and finally high school girl that could see ghost." (Cera)

She said that as she shows different type of feathers with different color in it, the only color that distinguishes the feathers is the slight hue that can be seen with the naked eye.

"Hmm... Is this Gakkou Gurashi one? But I also want SoraOto and meet Ikarus there so I can eat watermelon. Maybe FGO? Hmm...Nah, gacha is not healthy. Or maybe Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku? I really remember this name. Azur lane? Good for sea explore and isn't this that Miko who could see ghost?" (Zeimachi)

"Hmmmm..." (Zeimachi)

"HMMMMMM..." (Zeimachi)

"HMMMMMMMMM..." (Zeimachi)

As usual Zeimachi being nerd and indecisive of his choice when its concerned about waifu.

"One more "Hmmm..." and I'll pick random." (Cera)

Cera being the grumpy one.

"Okay let's go to Gakkou Gurashi first." (Zeimachi)

After thinking and picking his choice, he apparently pick a world where a group of moe high school girls trapped inside zombie apocalypse with sugar and depression.

"Y-you sure that one, w-well maybe I can use another bodies and clear all of those pest inside. T-there's n-no need to go inside r-right?! or I could just destr-" (Cera)

Cera being the usual type of girl who can't handle zombie but could single handedly slain a cosmic horror.

"...*Grab* To infinity AND BEYOOOND!!!" (Zeimachi)

"Let me gooo!!! I really can't handle Zombie or Undead!!" (Cera)

Another journey has begun, now both of them will thread to their new chapter of this story. Zeimachi The Holder with most of his memories already returned and in the proccess, with Cera The Lantern who've joined The Holder to support him directly by using her plan.

Both went to an unchangeable world to correct their garden from their dirty trespasser. Or is it...