Chapter 425 – Lonely night
While Saul and Tristan were experiencing their own lives, each one walking a thorned path whose destination they had no idea of, Sky himself was inside his own room.
The room was dark.
He was alone, sitting on the ground, his back leaning against the bark of his bed. At his right side was an open bottle filled with salty wine, the scent strong, flooding the whole room.
It was nightti, and Sky painfully recalled how he only had one more day to decide where he would stand according to Awa and Aminata’s words.
He only had a choice between two choices, but the result of either one of them was dreadful to think about.
In the first case, he would lose his identity. In the second case, it would be everything he had worked hard for till now.
Sky was lost, his mind rotten with fear and doubts. He needed to forget for a mont, and only wine could make him forget.
It was at these tis of difficulties and trials that his thoughts drifted like a breeze atop the clouds toward what he had left back in Darklore.
Those thoughts would make him hosick, wishing nothing else but to go back. He would then think of Eimi, wondering how she must look now.
It had been years after all. She must have now beco a respectable awakened young woman, mustn’t she?
Sky’s lips unconsciously pulled into a smile thinking about her. Her mories always soothed him, made him feel at ease despite the burden stooping his shoulders.
And those sa mories made him wonder about one single question... that one question he had beco fearful to even think of lately.
But tonight, Sky’s mind was muddled by wine, so he could afford to be honest with himself. He wouldn’t rember much anyway.
"Who... what... am I fighting for?" Sky’s voice was slurred.
Why was the reason he was trying so hard?
At the beginning, Sky just wished to be strong, to stop being a cowardly bastard that hid behind a woman—no, a little girl—skirt.
It was to protect the little girl who protected him, and avenge the death of his mother.
That was what made him decide to co to Fokay, motivated him to climb the ladder of the underground ga despite being still fearful.
However, things changed along the way. He had t new people, made them his friends, and watched one of them die under his hand through the cruel ga of a pitiless dragon.
’Is that where it all changed?’ He thought, smiling wearily, gulping the wine. ’Is that when I began to seek more than just to survive and be strong... but to control and destroy?’
Yes. It was indeed where it all began.
The death of a friend.
Just like how the death of his mother made him wish for strength.
It was always death with him. Death upon death upon death upon death.
That was why he left his friends, thinking maybe, just maybe, he was the harbinger of death.
However, it was in tis like these that Sky wished his friends were there, with him.
He sighed, gulped down a mouthful of wine, eyes closed.
He continued to drink and drink and drink until he fell on the ground, eyes half closed. Then Sky began to laugh—a slow, rasping sound—as visions flashed across his head.
The visions of him younger with his mother still alive; visions of him watching Eimi eating ravenously at the food he was bringing to her in slummy, muddy alleys; visions of the caring smile of Maryam as she healed him after harrowing gas.
He thought that was all.
But then another face encrusted itself into his mind. The face of Katy, smiling lovingly and shyly at him, holding his hand in a comfortable, gentle way.
She was saying sothing to him. But Sky didn’t wish to hear it. No, his heart could not bear another burden. And love was a burden.
So he laughed and cried at the sa ti, and he continued like this for a long while before sleep snatched away his consciousness.
At last, Sky fell asleep on the ground, drooling, muttering apologies for those he disappointed, and wishing for a hand to hold his own and guide him toward where light shone and where darkness disappeared.
But there was no hand.
He was all alone. And the path ahead was only for him to walk upon.
And walk, he would.
...
"Why are you crying?" Rory asked with a worried tone, flapping her wings erratically, swirling around Eimi.
"I..." Eimi’s eyes widened slightly, raising her hand to touch the tears slipping down her cheeks.
"I... don’t know?" She muttered, herself not knowing why she was crying, except for the fact that a wave of sorrow flooded her whole being.
It felt like her heart was tightening like a bloody fist. And this type of pain only appeared when she was thinking of Zaki.
Rory’s crow eyes shone with worry.
They were inside Eimi’s room, neatly organized and decorated in blue and white.
It was night, and by this ti, both of them should have been asleep, for tomorrow would be an important day for each of them.
"Try to sleep," Rory croaked. "Tomorrow we take the path toward the Lake of Azure. It’s a long way, you need to sleep."
"I know," Eimi said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "But I cannot sleep, Rory."
She paused, then added gingerly, "Can you... can you please use your power on ?"
Rory imdiately shook her head, her wings flapping stronger, angrier. "No!" She yelled. "No, Eimi! It’s not good, I told you! Your mind will get addicted to it!"
"Please," Eimi begged, tears still rolling down despite being wiped. "Just for tonight. Look at , Rory, otherwise I won’t sleep. Sothing is wrong with—"
She halted her own words.
"Last ti, you said the sa!" Rory complained.
"This ti it will be the last."
Rory screeched in irritation, staring at the pitiful face of Eimi.
Knowing well she could not refuse her, she pecked the cheek of Eimi, earning her a yelp of pain from the crying girl.
"Rory!"
"Master Kaden told to take care of you!" Rory snarled, eyes serious. "But at this rhythm, you will make fail my promise to him."
Eimi ducked her head in sha, having nothing to say in her defense.
Sighing like an old lady, Rory realized only now how tiring and difficult it was to take care of a child rotten with longing.
She approached Eimi, putting her two wings on each side of her face. The young lass’s eyes imdiately brightened.
"Last ti," Rory warned, before using her illusion ability, plunging Eimi into a world where Zaki was still with her, playing and laughing alongside her.
Just like the old tis. Better than the old tis.
Only then did Eimi lie down peacefully on her bed. Only then did she manage to sleep, this ti with a content smile.
Rory watched her with a face creased with worry. Exhaling again, she settled on Eimi’s chest, sleeping with her troubleso friend.
—End of Chapter 425—
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