A Mother's Burdens (Katherine Side Story)

(The day during Klada Disaster)

[Katherine's POV]

'Boom!'

A hulking and flaming metal humanoid rams straight out of the terraces... A flaming metal demon is standing between me and Kyrielle....

"Kyrielle!" "Nee-chan!"

"Shut up and run you idiot!"

The demon raised the great sword in its hand and swung it down and Kyrie...

'Clank!'

"NO!!!"

I wanted to rush in to save Kyrielle but!... I can't leave Marielle to die!

"Mom!... Nee-chan is going to die!..."

Is it Kyrielle?... Or Marielle?....

"Argh!!.... I'm sorry..."

With my second daughter still in hand, I turned around and ran away towards the gate of the city which is already in view.

"What are you doing mom?! We have to save Nee-cha-"

"I can't handle losing another daughter... you need to be safe!..."

"Mom...."

In the midst of a burning city... with other people by the sides screaming in pain from being crushed and burned alive.... I still never stopped to help anyone because I have a daughter to save....

Guilt slowly crawls up behind my back.... I'm already regretting my decision to abandon Kyrie... But she is buying time for us to run away... I must save Marielle no matter what....

As I ran with my daughter in hand, tears slowly dripped down my face.... I tightly hugged Marielle to my chest so that I wouldn't drop her...

"Sniffs... Sister is...."

"...Dont worry.... you are safe....!"

I can only pray that the Twelve Gods will protect her in my stead....

I reached a corner in the street, and then turned to the corner. The city's gate is just down this street now. And right in front of the gate is countless people running for their lives just like me.

Many guards are hurrying the people along, one of them is my husband....

"Katherine!"

"Thomas!" "Dad!"

He immediately sprint towards us and as soon as he reached us, he pulled us into a tight hug.

"Katherine! Marie! You are safe! ....Where's Kyrielle?!"

"Kyrielle, she's!..."

The tears in my eyes flowed out like a water fountain.

"....She bought time for us to run away from that demon!... She's just at the market district!"

"....No! I'm not letting her die! Katherine, bring Marielle to safety!"

I knew that Kyrielle is most likely dead right now.... But.... but....

"Please!... Please save her!... And don't die!..."

"....I won't, I promise. Bring Marielle to safety for me alright? I love you."

He grabbed my face and kissed... I closed my eyes and returned his kiss with my own.

"Take care, Thomas..."

Then, with his sword in hand he immediately started sprinting towards where we came from. In just seconds he already disappeared off to the streets inside the burning city.

"Marielle... Let's go..."

".....Mmm."

I ran towards the city gate, as we are about to reach and pass through the gate, a watch tower on the right of the gate starts to crumble from being burned. A guard from the sides called out to us.

"Hey you two! Watch out!"

"!"

'Thump!!!' The watch tower came crashing down on us.

I immediately stopped in my track. While my feet slides on the ground from my momentum and almost made me fall, the tower crashed down at where we would've been if I haven't stopped in time.

"Thank god!... Are you hurt Marie?"

"I'm fine...."

"Hey, what are you all waiting for?! Hurry up and help get the debris away!"

One of the guard yelled out towards the rest of us from behind the tower. The tower collapsed onto the gate's entrance, blocking us and a few other civilians from crossing it. We must move it away in order to exit the city pass the city's gate.

"....Everyone! We must push that tower off the road! Come on, help out!"

I set down Marielle on an empty space in the middle of the street, where no collapsing building will hit her.

"Marielle, stay here.... Mom will have to help push that tower away!"

"Okay...."

"Never move from there, understood?"

I ran forward to the collapsed tower together with a few other people.

"Okay! Everyone, let's get ready to push this damned thing backwards!"

"Yes we know but, this thing is on fire, how are we going to push it?"

"....Does anyone know any water spells?"

.....no one answered.

"...this is a problem...."

'Splattering...!'

Almost as if the weather itself had listened to and answered our wish, it suddenly started to rain heavily, and the water poured down onto this blazing city, putting out most of the fire.... This enabled us to push this tower off.

"Thank god! What are you all waiting for? Let's push!"

"Yes!" (?x)

"Ready? Three, two, one, now!"

"Hmpt!" (?x)

All of us pushed the tower, while the guards on the other end of the tower pulled on it.

"Just.... a little bit.... more.... There, let go now!"

'Thump!...'

"It's enough to let a few of us pass through at a time! Now let's move everyone!"

"Marie! Let's go!" I turned around and called out to Marielle...

"Yes..."

She stands about 9 meters away from the gate, and she quickly runs forward towards me.

But suddenly, from behind Marielle is a wave of bright blue light. It flashes forward like a shockwave, blinding everyone who has their eyes in it's direction. I instinctively closed my eyes in response....

"Marielle!"

"Mom!"

After about a second, I opened my eyes again.... Marielle is not there anymore.

"....Marie?"

"What was that light?... Wait, where's my husband?" A woman said out with a confused tone from besides me....

"James?... Where are you, James?" Another woman yelled out, calling out a name that is most likely their relative.

I'm still at the city gate.... But everyone who was on the street leading to the gate was gone... including Marielle....

"Marie... where did you...? Marie! Marie!!!"

My heart sinks upon realizing that Marielle is somehow gone after that blinding light flashes through at us..... That was a teleport magic... I'm sure of it.

I searched repeatedly around the city after that.... Even after hours of searching I still can't find her. I can't find Marielle.... or Kyrielle... and when I did find Thomas, he's.... cleaved in half....

"Thomas! No no no no! Thomas!!! You can't die! You promised me that you'd!... That you'd!... No... Sobs.... You promised me.... Sobs!..."

"Madam?... is that you?!"

"Ghyse... Sob!... Why?!.... Sob!...Why does this have to happen?!"

I sobbed uncontrollably... my heart feels as if it has been stabbed with a dagger. I wailed out in pain, knowing that I had lost everything in just the blink of an eye.....

"I'm sorry Thomas! I failed to protect the girls!... Both Marielle and Kyrielle is gone... I'm a failure as a mother! I'm sorry!!!... sobs... I'm sorry!... I'm sorry....."

"Madam...."

She sat down next to me and tightly hugged me as I cried out in the most agonizing weep of my entire life.

________________

(3 months and 13 days after Klada Disaster)

(Klada city's new graveyard, just outside of the city wall.)

"....Thomas...."

I stood in front of the grave stone of my dead husband... With his favorite drink, a mug of beer in my hand.

"Sip.... Now I see why you like this so much. Sip..."

I can't find the body of both Kyrielle and Marielle, but that is a great news actually... It means they are still alive, and was teleported out of the city by someone, or something.

I feel as if I had lost part of myself after Thomas is gone... my heart can no longer feel anything at all.

"Sip.... I will be leaving the city today, and resuming my former role as an adventurer to find our daughters. Both of them."

It's a fool's errand, I know.... but what choice do I have? This is my burden as a mother... I won't be able to just move on from this.

"Sip.... Hah... This is goodbye for now.... a farewell toast to you. I likely won't ever come back here again until I have found them both, hopefully alive."

I poured down the beer right in front of his grave stone, and set the mug on the ground.

"Goodbye Thomas. May the Twelves have mercy on you.... and may we meet again in heaven, I'm sure the Lord of Mercy and Love would listen to our wish."

I picked up the bag that I put on the ground and then walked back to the city.

_____________

(In front of Ghyse's temporary tent, replacing her destroyed house....)

"Madam... Will you really be leaving this city?"

"Yes.... This is a farewell gift Ghyse."

I gave her a necklace, one that I bought from the new rebuilt church.

"You don't have to wear it or anything, I just want you to remember me as your aunt."

"I see... I won't be leaving the city anytime soon, so I'll take over your business of selling potions."

"Yeah... good thing that you are here to carry the entire alchemy industry, haha...."

"No way, no way! I'm not as good as you in making potions and medicines, I won't be able to do that!"

"I see.... I will send a letter back here every month to tell you where I am and where I will be going next. If Kyrielle or Marielle sends any letters back to you then please inform me about their whereabouts."

"Very well.... Madam, may I call you Katherine now as well?"

"....It sounds weird, but I'll allow it."

"Mmm.... Goodbye, Katherine."

"Yeah, goodbye Ghyse. It will probably be a long time in the future, but I hope I will meet you again after I found Kyrielle... and Marielle."

"Don't worry, you'll find them. I'm sure of it."

"Is that so? No you are right, I WILL find them.... sooner or later. Goodbye."

I turned around and headed towards the exit....

"It's not your fault, Katherine! Don't blame yourself too much, and good luck!"

I turned around again.... and bowed my head.

With Thomas's family sword that I salvaged out... wearing a robe of a priestess, and a luggage bag, I set out onto the road.

A search group that went to look for these teleport victims was organized, but their personnels are limited. It was from them that I learned about which part of the world they can't spare any personnel to search.

My goal is simple.... I'll personally try to find any clues of the missing people by going to cities and searching for informations. But most importantly, I'm there to search for my daughter.

Right now, my first destination would be to check out the North West of the Centralia Continent....

I started walking on the road out of the city while heading to the North West. I took a final look at the destroyed Klada right before I set out on my journey....

As I passed through the city, countless memories of us being together entered my mind.... These memories are precious to me, so I will never forget it.

Finally, I reached the gate of the city.

"....Well then."

I stepped foot out of the city gate, and onto the highway heading towards the North West.

The first country that I will check is-

(Chapter 51, end)

(Side Story complete)