Sunset Upon the Mountain

Illya put me in the chair on the deck so I could see the horizon and at least tell what time of day it was, but otherwise, I had no energy to move anything else.

The moon was high in the sky and was full, extremely massive as always, and giving all of the light to the house that the sun couldn't provide.

Illya was asleep in the house, leaning on the couch's armrest with her head and slowly moving her body as she dreamed about... whatever it is demons' dream about.

The sliding door opened while my eyes were still on Illya, and I realized that Faith was the one who was standing close to me.

"...I'm sorry..." She said after a while. It was so quiet that I could hear droplets hitting the deck. Was she crying?

"For... what...?" I asked Faith with all of my energy.

"I was watching... I watched it all... I couldn't help you, or your friends. I couldn't warn you about Domin, I couldn't save Red, I couldn't do anything... I'm sorry..." Faith said under her sobs.

"It's... okay..." I tried to tell her, but my voice cut out halfway.

I was smart enough to know it was nobody's fault but my own, but thinking that there was a way out of their deaths was such a nice fantasy... I wish I would've died instead of them. I could've avoided this.

All of this.

Dani would've led them to victory and they wouldn't have to be working to take out Illya, risking their lives... and maybe even spending them.

This is all my fault.

Orion should've killed me. I should've cut my own throat after I beat Orion. I should've died. I should be dead.

I don't want to be alive if this is the price I have to pay. This is torture, this is suffering, this is pain. I can't do this anymore.

"I will repay you, Dad. I'm leaving this place, I'm going to the Real World, and I will help your friends beat Mom. Nobody will die so long as I'm there." She told me.

Faith? She's going to the Real World to help? My daughter...? Why was she, my daughter? I don't remember having a kid...

"Who... are... you...?" I managed to ask her while shifting in my chair.

"Faith Asterio, daughter of Sky and Illya Asterio. Well, that's what I call myself. I'm an A.I., made to be your assistant. You always treated me like your daughter before you died four hundred years ago, so, that's what I've been calling myself while you've been gone. You took me under your wing, whether I was made to serve you, or not, and you saved me. I will repay your favor, to your friends, and they will be alive." She told me.

The more I hear about the man I used to be... the more I'm proud of myself. At least I was good to her and kept her alive...

"Please..." I muttered.

Faith crouched down by my head and smiled. Her red eyes were really just like Illya's... and that brown hair, that belongs to me, I can just tell.

"I'll be back, Dad. This is the wrong way to do things, I love Mom and I love you, but she's not doing this right... I don't want to kill her, but I will stop her." Faith told me again.

I managed to smile at her before she stood up again and she walked behind me and crouched behind my seat.

"System... Logout..." She muttered.

And she vanished into dust.

I've heard that before... that was the line said to me before I lost control of my body.

I sat in place, just thinking about how this fight would go. I'm powerless, now, of all times, when I'm needed most. I wasn't doubting anybody's skill or strength, I was just upset they had to finally show what they were capable of.

As the White Stone and leader of the group, I felt responsible for everything my people felt. All of that pain is my fault, that suffering, those injuries, everything, it is all my fault whether I like it or not. I hated it, every second of it... but I had to accept it. That's how I get over it.

But this pain feels like a chain attached to my ankle, constantly holding me underwater. I don't even feel like I would be able to smile even if we did win. I'm causing so much pain, I just want them to leave and let me be. Illya won't kill them then...

No, she won't kill them either way. I can't think like that. Faith will protect them, I put my trust in her... but I can't think of these things when Illya is around, otherwise, she'll know her plan. I need to keep this as secret as possible.

The door opened again and I immediately started thinking about my time in The First Trial. Rui... my time in Rubeki Territory, now that I consider it, my time there was quite fun. A perfect contrast to my war-torn past where all my friends ended up dying.

Illya grabbed both of my cheeks with her hand and tilted my head toward her.

"Move your mouth." She told me.

I slowly opened my mouth and she looked inside, peering at the roof of my mouth specifically.

"A fever? Why do you have a fever?" She asked me again.

"Don't... know...?" I made sure to enunciate the fact that I was confused by her question like I had control of that, but she shook her head and grabbed my tongue with the same hand.

"Say 'ahh' please," She told me. She summoned a flashlight with strands and peered at the back of my throat.

"Sorry, I had a bad dream that you were sick, and had to make sure it wasn't a premonition." She told me. She stood still while the flashlight evaporated into the sky and she began to lightly cry at my feet.

"Even if you hate me... loathe me... or plan to kill me... I still love you, and I always will. You took me in when I had nothing and you took care of me like I was your wife. I used to be a girl that was supposed to be dead on the street, but believes it or not, you're the one who told me to be like this. I've had to keep this façade going on for my entire life so far just because it's the only way I know how to be a secure person." She told me. I was surprised to hear her open up like this, but this doesn't dissuade my thinking one bit.

"I guess I'm just opening up to you, after being with you for so long. You've done a number on me in my head. You always act so coolly and you're always so adamant when it comes to getting your way. You fight, you push yourself to the brink, and you always end up winning. At this point, is it even luck? I thought you hadn't reobtained your previous strength, but maybe I was wrong." She said again. She sat down with her back toward me and lifted up her shirt to reveal a ton of scars on it.

"Battle scars, from all of my fights, they never faded away, and one of them belongs to you. I'm sure I've told you plenty of times that you've died a long time ago, but I never told you how you died, did I?" Illya asked me. I shook my head lightly and she stood up again and headed for the door.

"Somebody had to stop you, and it couldn't be anybody else but me."