Chapter 9: How's your memory?

The surface was heavy. Heavy like the deep sea. A person floats within the darkness as bubbles form out from his breathing. He slowly opens his eyes to only see endless darkness. Like a loud whisper, a voice pierces through his ears like a drum.

"Forgive me... Forgive me..."

Again, the same voice he heard of from before. The voice that told him to go kill the princesses. He had forgotten the voice the moment he woke up, but now it had returned. It had become even more clearer than before.

"Gear... Forgive me..."

What is there to forgive? Gear wanted to ask, but his throat was clogged. Clogged with black water.

Suddenly, a shadow figurine appeared before him with red streaming tears. It reaches to touch his face, but the moment it does, its hand starts to disintegrate. For some reason, his heart ached from seeing the figurine disappear. He felt that he had to grab hold of it or he would lose it forever. Why?

Why did it feel so important to him?

Grasping for the figurine's hand, it seemed to smile at him. A deep sadness formed in Gear at the sight of seeing its smile.

It whispered to him, "Be strong..."

Gear jolts awake from his dream. This time he remembered the voice. It didn't disappear inside of him like sand-dust. Someone knocks at the door. It was Luna.

She enters the room, "You're awake, good."

"How long did I sleep," Gear asked.

Luna sets the tea to the side, "About three days..."

"That's too long. We need to move on to the next princess."

Luna stares at him, "Why is your personality so different every time you lose and gain back your memories?"

Gear didn't answer her as he got up from the bed. He took off his sleeping ware and dressed up. Luna jump sits on the bed,

"So? How is your memory?"

"For the most part, I remembered up to where killing the princesses is the most important thing that must be done... And, I need to contact Wei."

"Huh? Why?"

Gear puts on his coat and turns to her, "I need to see how far he's got with the spell."

"Spell?"

Gear opens the door. Before he steps out, he turns and looks at her, "You don't want to tag along?"

"Why should I," Luna asked, "You always tell me to stay behind when you go meet him."

As he marches out, he said to Luna, "Well, it's time for you to meet him."

Outside of the inn they were in, Gear whistled with his fingers in between his mouth. Bird with Luna had mentioned earlier came flying down. Gear extends his elbow for landing. The bird lands on his arm. Luna was mesmerized by seeing the bird. It looked so adorable, she wanted to pet it.

The bird felt something chilling coming from Luna and glared at her. Luna slowly tracks her hand, a bit sad and disappointed. Gear notices her expression and smiles. He signals at her to come. Luna smiles brightly at this and skips over. The bird was on full alert at Luna.

Gear pats the bird's head, "She's a friend Nigel. A friend."

Luna's eyes sparkle at hearing the bird's name. She wanted to touch Nigel but held back. Gear grabs her hesitating hand and places it on Nigel's head. Her eyes kaboom from the soft felt feather.

Her eyes sparkle, "S-s-so, soft..."

Gear chuckles at her. When he lost his memories, she acted like a person who was a lot older than her own age. In truth, she was just a twelve year old girl who has already seen the worst in people already. The reasons why he didn't bring her along with him when he was out killing princesses was because of three reasons.

1. He wouldn't have his memories, thus he could hurt her without even knowing that she was someone he knew.

2. He wanted to keep her away from the bloodshed as much as possible. A young girl like her didn't need more killing in her life.

3. If the princesses find out who she is during his memory loss, she could get killed.

These were the reasons why he was against bringing her along anywhere with him. But leaving her by herself was also dangerous. Which was also why he decided to bring her along and teach her the skills he knew. For her to protect herself when he wasn't around.

Gear pats her head. She looks up at him,

"What?"

He shakes his head, "Nothing..."

******

A fish line was thrown into a lake. Awaiting for a fish to take a bite out of the bait. A man with black striking hair braided to his waist length stares out to the opening with his abyss eyes. A dragonfly flies up beside the stick near his fish line.

A minute passed. Thirty... Two hours. And yet, there was still nothing, but he waited. A small branch breaks at his far right, alerting all bugs nearby. His fishing rod tingles with the fish line.

WHOOSH

He pulled the fishing rod and retrieved a grand red snap fish. He smirks at his result.

"Still fishing?" a voice asked.

He turns to the familiar voice. It was Gear and Luna right behind him.

He smirks at him, "It's the only thing that will give me peace nowadays. What about you? Still chopping off heads?"

Gear smiles back at him, "For the moment, it will have to be put on hold. I need to have an important discussion with you."

"Oh?" said the man.

He notices Luna behind Gear and points at her, "That the girl you told me about in your letter?"

Gear nods. The man puts his fishing rod to the side and smiles at her. Luna felt a strange feeling coming from him. A sort of unpleasant feeling.

He reaches his hand out to her, "I'm Wei . It's nice to finally meet you, Lunar Eclipse."

Luna's eyes widened, "You're Wei Heng An?"

He bows with one hand against his chest and other to the stand.

"Indeed. Wei Heng An, Live before you in the flesh."

He seems like a good person. Was she just overthinking it? No, Luna was not imagining anything, but this will be explained later.

Wei gathers his stuff before leaving with Gear and Luna. As they pass through the lake by going over a bridge, a small little hut awaits them. If Wei wasn't the one leading them, they would have passed the hut unknowing. One by one they enter the hut only to find a door inside of the hut. It leads straight into the underground. One needed to mind their step in the steepness of the stairs leading further and further down.

Soon they came to a stop. Wei twists a few rocks from here and there. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in their face as it drags the air beneath them. Luna had to grab on to Gear so that she wouldn't fall. Soon light turned on in the large labyrinth-like room.

Luna's eyes widened at the scene displayed before her. There was a large magic circle in the center of the room. On top of the magic circle were the heads of the princesses they had killed. The heads were persevered in a glass container with liquid inside.