"I can show you the world... shining, shimring, splendid. Tell , princess, now, when did you last let your heart decide?"
The lyrics of this famous song played inside Alex’s head as he and the young lady who was pulling his hand soared across the sky of the Capital City of Harmonia.
He might be fond of singing songs, but he was not at all fond of his situation right now.
If the masked lady holding his hand were to suddenly let go, he would plumt from at least hundreds of ters above the ground.
Fortunately, the young lady decided to descend toward the southern edge of the city slowly, landing on a tower very familiar to Alex.
"This place..." Alex muttered.
"It’s the church tower of Diabolus," Hia said as their feet touched the top of the tower overlooking the city. "It is probably one of my favorite places in Harmonia."
Alex wanted to say that he, too, liked this place as well.
The church was deserted. No believers had visited it in decades, so its door had always been closed.
But for the young man and the mbers of their Guild, Endless Horizon, the church had been incredibly important as it had served as their guild base in the ga.
Although it had taken a lot of effort and negotiation with the main church of Diabolus, which represented the Major Arcana of "The Devil", they had managed to acquire it successfully through legal ans.
From afar, the church looked like an eerie castle where vampires and other undead monsters could spawn at any given ti.
Despite its appearance, it was actually very spacious. Although you could not tell just by looking at the church from outside, it also had three levels of basent.
Alex jokingly called the underground rooms the Prison and Torture Room. He had co up with the na since those floors had been frequently used for important guild etings.
"Um, we shouldn’t be here," Alex said. "Although this church is deserted, it’s still a sacred place for those who are following the Church of Diabolus. If we desecrate this place, ’The Devil’ will haunt us for life. He’s known to take the souls of people, you know?"
Hia giggled as Alex comically imitated a scary monster by curling his fingers to resemble claws.
"Don’t worry. I received permission before coming here... Otherwise, your soul would have been mine." Hia said evilly, which made the young man involuntarily shudder.
"Okay, you win." Alex raised his hands. "Sis, please don’t scare . I really am afraid of The Devil."
"Why are you so afraid of him?" Hia asked. "The Devil is actually very kind and cute, you know?"
The corner of the young man’s lips twitched after hearing the young lady’s words.
’The devil is kind and cute?’ Alex forced himself to keep the smile on his face from breaking. ’Yeah, right! And pigs can fly!’
However, Alex had completely forgotten that Arcana indeed had a species of pig that could actually fly.
The young man took a deep breath before bowing deeply to the young lady.
"Although this is a bit late, I want to say thank you for helping us in the Dungeon of Beginnings," Alex said. "Back then, we were in a very difficult situation, and your help saved the lives of my companions."
"You’re welco." Hia didn’t brush off Alex’s sincerity and accepted his thanks with grace. "Please be more careful going forward in the future, okay? You have been attracting all kinds of trouble since you enrolled in the academy."
Alex couldn’t promise that he wouldn’t attract any more trouble in the future, so he just nodded for the ti being.
The young lady sighed and looked at the starry sky, which was truly breathtaking.
"The night is darkest just before dawn," Hia said softly. "Do you know what this saying ans?"
Alex’s eyes widened in shock. How could he forget the question that every aspiring guild applicant must answer during their interview to join the best guild in ELO?
When the guild, Endless Horizon, had just been founded, Alex had decided to join this guild purely because he had thought the na sounded cool.
During his interview, one of the Guild Founders had asked him this question.
Back then, Alex’s answer had been...
"The darkest night brings the gentlest dawn. Yet... beyond the first light lies a horizon without end," Alex said softly.
But as if caught in a trance or reminiscing about a very fond mory, Alex continued to speak.
"Survive the night, greet the dawn, and conquer the Endless Horizon."
His voice grew steadier, deeper, almost like he wasn’t just speaking to Hia but to the past, to the future, and to the guild that had shaped him.
"To endure what others fear,
to rise when others stay on their knees,
and to walk toward a future only we dare believe exists."
He took a breath, the wind carrying his words like a quiet oath.
"We don’t run from the darkness. We face it.
In the face of adversity, we carve a path where none existed before."
As Hia watched him quietly, sothing flickering in her eyes.
Alex continued, his tone soft but unwavering.
"Because the dawn isn’t our destination.
It’s only the beginning.
Beyond that first light is an unending journey.
A horizon that stretches farther than fear, farther than limits."
He clenched his hand into a fist over his heart.
"That is Endless Horizon.
Not a place...
but a promise."
Alex felt his eyes moisten a bit as he recalled the ti he had spent with his guildmates... the ti he had spent with his Guild Master, Noelle.
All of them were now on a horizon too far for him to reach. Perhaps one day, they would all et again in so other place, at so other ti, with so other possibilities.
The two teenagers fell into a comfortable silence as they admired the skyline of Harmonia.
Finally, this silence was broken as the young lady spoke once more.
"Dawn will co soon," Hia said. "Would you like to return to your room? Or would you like to greet the sunrise with ?"
Alex pondered a bit and realized that it had been a while since he had last seen the sunrise.
He had been too busy recently and couldn’t spare the ti to appreciate the beauty around him, let alone greet a new morning while the sun rose over the horizon.
"I want to see the sunrise," Alex replied firmly.
"Good." Hia waved her hands and wrapped Alex in a black mist.
Just like what had happened earlier, the two of them soared toward the sky until they landed on the peak of a mountain overlooking everything for miles on end.
Alex took out a couch and casually set it on the ground before inviting Hia to take a seat.
The young lady didn’t refuse his offer and sat at the center of the couch.
Alex blinked once, then twice, before occupying the right corner. He was now only a couple of inches away from Hia.
Just as he thought that he would be waiting with her in silence until the sun rose, the young lady asked him a question.
"Are you enjoying your academy life?"
"Yes." Alex smiled. "I have made so good friends."
"Girl... friends?" Hia asked in a teasing tone.
"No comnt," Alex replied.
A giggle escaped the young lady’s lips before she rembered sothing.
"By the way, call Big Sister from now on," Hia stated.
"Big sister?" Alex blinked. "Why?"
"Because I am older than you. Aren’t you going to be eighteen in six weeks?"
"Wait, how did you..."
Since Hia wore a mask, it was impossible for Alex to see her face. If he could, he would see the smirk that was currently plastered on her face.
"I know everything about you." Hia took out a scroll and showed it to Alex.
Alex opened the scroll and checked its contents.
———
Eye Color: Blue
Hair: Silver white
Height. xxx
Weight. xx.x
PP Size: XXX
———
When Alex saw the last line, he almost choked on his saliva.
"W-What the hell is this?!" Alex demanded. "Where did you get this?!"
A chuckle escaped Hia’s lips, and it sounded like the laughter of an angel.
She was just teasing Alex. Her prank worked perfectly.
Her laughter spread across that mountain peak and it was quite infectious.
Despite his embarrassnt, Alex couldn’t help but laugh as well and greeted the next day with a big smile.
—----
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