Vicious Cycle

Aries wearily collapsed with his back flat on the grass-covered ground. He was catching his breath and his body was hurting all over, especially his arms. It was as if he did not only fight with his soul but with his physical body. Fortunately, the wounds his soul had received did not reflect on his body.

"Aries, you are forcing your soul to the limit again," Princess Pieffer was leaning over to him. "Stop doing that."

He smiled and told her, "I'm tired. I'll just sleep for an hour then we will return to the border village."

"You are smiling a lot since we got here. Are you truly okay? Are you trying to hide something with your smile?"

"I will tell you after I get some rest," Aries smiled more as he closed his eyes.

"Don't get me wrong," he sensed the princess relaxing right next to him. "I'm happy to see that you are smiling... but still… it makes me a little worried."

Aries opened his eyes and glanced at the princess. He was getting used to her presence that he never felt uneasy even when she was lying by his side.

"I'm okay," he promised then looked at the leaves swaying gently above them. "I just never expected that something so challenging could also be so satisfying," he closed his eyes and felt even more tired. "Just one hour, Princess."

But when he opened his eyes, not only an hour had passed. He was no longer hidden behind the trees. He was back at the house of Shaman Mina and lying on a mattress provided for them.

Princess Pieffer was also in the room and sleeping on another mattress. But she had been instantly awakened even though Aries tried not to make a sound when he sat up.

Her senses were truly amazing.

"You didn't wake me up," Aries glanced at the window. It was already dawn. Aries realized only then that even though there were still dark clouds covering the sky in the Northern Border, sunlight could still be glimpsed no matter how faint it was.

"You were sleeping so soundly," Princess Pieffer rolled on her left and smiled at Aries. "I felt guilty. That's why I decided not to wake you up. Don't worry. I didn't carry you in my arms. I brought you back here using the transport bracelet," she lazily sat up and pointed at the crystal on the floor right next to the cabinet. "I put that just in case we feel too exhausted to climb the stairs."

The door opened and Gin-Ren entered. She looked a little more confident than yesterday.

"Shaman Mina wants to throw us out of here," she furrowed her brows and leaned on the door. "If you need more sleep, I can tell her to give us at least half a day to rest."

"We cannot delay this any further," Aries got up on his feet and put a hand on Gin-Ren's shoulder. "Just do what you can. And don't forget that we are here to help you. We will succeed."

"I know," Gin-Ren sighed then smiled with more confidence. "Let's go and save Head Shaman Aurora!"

^#########^

After saying their thanks to Shaman Mina and a few revisions to their plan, Aries, Princess Pieffer, and Gin-Ren returned to the Central Shrine.

They walked for only a few hours but it felt like they travelled for an entire day, for as they drew closer to where the Head Shaman was, the sky became darker, more ominous.

Aries was accustomed to the dark but he was still feeling a little uneasy. It must be because of Gin-Ren. She was losing the confidence she gained while closing in on the Central Shrine.

Princess Pieffer was the only one who looked unaffected by the alarming sensation floating in the air.

Unlike the last time, the Central Shrine was empty when they arrived. There was only the Head Shaman sitting on her throne. She had no half-naked servants and no corrupted souls were gliding around the area.

Aries wondered if she was that confident in winning against the three of them.

The Head Shaman gracefully moved out of her seat and raised her right hand. It glowed and a leather whip had manifested from her palm.

"You will eventually take my soul."

At that moment, Aries was seeing the face of Venera instead of the Head Shaman. Her chilling gaze was filled with restrained fury.

"I was thinking about giving myself up without a fight or," she wrapped the whip around the neck of the Head Shaman, "I'll just kill this woman and take Gin-Ren with me," she leisurely marched towards Aries. "Well, unlike us unlucky Celestial Knights, she will be reborn in an instant. But I have to wait for you to die before my soul gets freed. And one more frustrating thing is that she will be reborn in a new body while I will remain a corrupted soul!"

Aries felt the intensity of her gaze and for a moment he could not move a muscle. It was only when Venera safely released the neck of the Head Shaman had he been freed from her paralyzing glare.

"But if Sunrei had finally been reborn in his original form, I will certainly gain my body back," Venera lashed her whip, leaving a crack on the paved ground. "I will kill you right now and let us all be reborn with our original body. It will be a fairer fight between us! Don't you think, you evil Ram?"

"Be prepared," Aries whispered to Princess Pieffer and Gin-Ren then he called forth his dual blades.

It was a good thing that he was well-rested. Thanks to the princess.

He dashed towards Venera and slashed his blades at her throat but the latter had vanished and reappeared a few meters away from him. It was like she took a few backward steps within a blink of an eye.

Aries dodged as the corrupted knight aimed the whip at his neck then he took a few quick strides to close in on the Head Shaman and slashed the dual blades at her throat. But Venera easily eluded Vermillion with her blinding evasion technique.

Instead of getting frustrated, Aries remained calm and doubled her speed. Venera had quickly adjusted with his pace and managed to land the whip on his cheek.

It was only a scratch because Aries managed to evade it somehow then he marched straight at the Head Shaman and sliced her throat. As he was expecting, Venera used her blinding evasion technique.

As soon as the corrupted knight had vanished, Aries took a quick three hundred sixty turn and stabbed his dual blades that instantly transformed into a long sword at the chest of the Head Shaman.

As the vessel collapsed motionless on the ground, the whip wrapped tightly at the neck of Aries, choking him.

"I will take you with me," Venera seethed as her soul was being absorbed by the long sword.

"Not now," Aries had fully drained the corrupted soul from the body of the Head Shaman and the whip vanished before it choked him to death.

Princess Pieffer rushed beside the dead vessel and healed the chest wound.

Gin-Ren was already in a trance and summoning the spirit of the Head Shaman.

"No!" the white-haired knight suddenly screamed but her voice had become similar to that of the Head Shaman. "Let me die!"

"You can't," Aries got up on his feet and grabbed Gin-Ren by her wrist. "Pay for your sins while you are still alive. You cannot just die and rest in peace."

"Why?" the Head Shaman snapped at Aries. Rage and sorrow were mixing in her eyes. "I did everything for the people in this village. House of Maiden remained strong because our family did everything to protect everyone here! We dedicated our lives to people that don't even want to defend themselves! People that were weak enough to be easily corrupted! It is exhausting! I hate the fact that my family and I wasted our time shielding these weak people! I don't regret giving up! I'm tired! And I want to leave this hopeless life! And you, Aries Del Luna! Why were you reborn this late? We have been waiting for decades! This is all because of you!"

"I'm sorry for coming so late," Aries sincerely apologized. "But I still came and I will no longer run away. I am here to help Gin-Ren restore the barriers. She needs your guidance. You cannot pass on even if you are tired. Help us bring an end to this. Not just to be reborn and relive all of these. Let's end this so we can live happily in our next lifetimes."

The Head Shaman cried, "It will be great if you can put an end to this vicious cycle," she laughed and her voice filled with sarcasm, "This has been going on for centuries. How can you put an end to this? Do you have a plan that could defy fate?!"

"I will put an end to this no matter what happens," Aries seriously vowed.

The Head Shaman laughed harder, "Stop fooling people. You probably said that each time you are reborn. Let this world die. That is the only way you can put an end to this vicious cycle. Stop doing anything."

Aries let go of Gin-Ren's wrist and stabbed the body of the Head Shaman to the heart. For a second, he felt that familiar jolt of electricity. He wondered if it was because he had accidentally connected to the soul of the Head Shaman. But he could not dwell on it for long.

"I'm sorry for wasting your effort, Princess."

He had been answered with silence and pouring tears.

Gin-Ren collapsed on the ground as the soul of the Head Shaman passed on to either Heaven or Hell. Aries would never know.

"We failed," the white-haired knight came to her senses and was crying. "We could not save her."

"But we could save the rest of this village," Aries coldly stated. "Let's reinstate the barriers."

^#########^