"S-Shyamal."
Confusion, dread, frustration, and concern hamred my head.
My chest imdiately clenched, a wave of panic rose deep from my heart.
...Even though I didn't want to accept it.
It was already happening.
She was awakening again.
Taking deep breaths, I tried to calm my trembling heart.
"Hey, Shyamal," I whispered softly.
We locked gazes for a second; her body blurred.
The world around slowed down, the sharp, curvy edge of her scythe now inches away from my neck.
CLANG!!!
My hand trembled as I parried her scythe away.
I tightened the grip on my katana, my eyes couldn't move away from her piercing crimson glare.
"Shyamal—!"
My words froze as she twisted her body, spinning her scythe, gaining montum again.
I stepped forward within its range, using my hand as a shield. I blocked the snath part of her scythe.
My face inches away from hers, I shouted, "SHYAM—"
I flapped my wings, hovering above. The ground around her turned pitch black, swallowing everything within.
"Don't you dare say my na," she growled, pointing her scythe as I landed a few yards away.
Relief washed over as I heard her voice.
She hadn't lost her mind.
There was still a chance to save her.
"Calm down, Shya," I said, my voice coming out close to pleading.
But my words seed to have the opposite effect; the murderous intent around her spiked.
The ground underneath her crumbled from the pressure as she swung once more.
A blackish arc followed her scythe.
Stomping the ground, I tried to parry her, but she twisted mid-air, her scythe now aid at from the opposite side.
Neplh!
A barrier made of ice erged, blocking her while I propelled back, creating distance between us.
"Snap out of it!" I roared, "Don't let her control you!"
But my words didn't seem to reach her as she prowled again.
The ground around her turned black as several hands made of shadow rushed toward .
I bit my lip while dodging the hands that tried to hold in place.
From the corner of my eye, I could see a tree gripped by them turning black—its life draining away.
'Fuck.'
I cursed softly as I flapped my wings to fly above.
The hands tried to reach out to , but I kept moving up.
But it didn't take long for to feel the strain on my wings.
Each flap drained my stamina.
I bit my lower lip until blood leaked out as I looked down at her.
Her chest heaved with anger, her crimson eyes glaring at .
Even though I wanted to... I couldn't run away from her.
If I did, she would definitely lose her mind, turning into a mindless puppet until Taishareth took over her body.
'El, what should I do?'
Having no other option, I asked the only person who could help right now.
[Stop her awakening.]
'How?'
[Snap her out of Taishareth's influence.]
'Again, how am I supposed to stop the control of a literal goddess?'
I propelled back while looking at her, jumping through the trees, slowly closing the distance between us.
[Do you know why she's like this?]
"..."
I turned silent, gazing at her as she stood at the top of a large tree, crimson eyes staring at .
'I do.'
I replied, wrapping my wings to fall down.
[Any emotional stimulation that can numb her mind will stop the awakening.]
'I see.'
I replied, softly landing on the ground floor.
I willed my wings to return, black feathers scattering as they vanished.
The ground crumbled, dirt rising as Shyamal landed right in front of .
She bent down slightly, throwing her scythe back before leaping toward with a large vertical arc.
I clenched my fist, gripped my katana as I twisted slightly, letting her scythe rush past my body.
"What do you want?" I asked, grabbing the hand that held the scythe.
I didn't try to attack her, not even once, because I already knew there was no point in doing so.
Her bridal dress would negate every physical attack.
She ignored my question, jerking my hand away, the rain dampening both of us, making it easier for her.
Her eyes, filled with nothing but pure hatred, glared at .
Neplh!
A layer of ice erged from below, grabbing her legs as she tried to move back.
I stretched both hands, grabbing either side of her neck tightly.
Staring into her eyes, I asked, "Are you doing this because of Shane?"
She flinched, the hatred in her eyes softening for just a second.
In the next mont, a hand made of pure shadow grabbed my left hand.
"Urgh." I winced in pain as I jerked my hand back, twisting my body to evade the scythe aid at my face.
A blackish hand mark appeared where it touched, the strength in my hand vanishing.
I propelled myself back as she silently looked at , her hand lowering along with the scythe.
"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice cracking, coming out as a whimper, "Why did you kill him?"
My chest clenched with pain as I rembered him. Just like her, Shane was also my brother.
And...
"Whatever I did was because I had to," I replied, trying to mask my emotions. "I did what I thought was right."
"Liar!" she growled, rushing toward .
Limping my left hand down, I stomped on the ground, holding my blade in a reverse grip, waiting for her.
I stepped back, her scythe glancing past my neck.
Then,
I spun, sweeping the blade from behind .
A clear tallic sound echoed as the blade hit the snath, making her loosen her grip slightly.
'Willis!'
My legs turned that of an angel as I raised one, kicking her side ribs.
She staggered back; the kick didn't do any damage but made her loosen her grip on her scythe.
Glaring, she reared back toward , the scythe disappearing before returning to her hand.
"You always abandoned !" she yelled, slashing her scythe around aimlessly, "You always run away, leaving behind!"
I parried her attack with less difficulty than before... as if she wasn't trying to kill now.
But a blackish mist slowly started to erge around us, covering a large area.
Everything within the range of the mist started to lose its luster, including .
I looked down, my hand started to turn pale, blood dripping from my nose.
'...El.'
[She's losing her mind.]
'W-what? W-what's that supposed to an?'
[Taishareth is taking over her body.]
"....."
Blood drained from my face as I heard his words.
[If she takes over, even if it's for a short while... she will kill you because, from the looks of it, Shyamal's only attachnt in this world is you.]
No, no.
Panic gripped my heart as I heard his words.
I can't let that happen; she'll lose her will to live.
"You are the worst kind of person—!"
"Shut up!" I snapped, raising my forearm, her scythe digging into my hand.
She flinched, gazing at my bloody hand.
Ignoring the pain, I walked toward her, "I never abandoned you! I was there for you when you were at your worst!"
"Liar!" she yelled, losing her grip on her scythe, "Where were you when Shane died? Where were you when I needed you the most!?"
"I was dying!" Grabbing both her hands, I threw myself over, making her fall down, "I was fucking dying, being experinted on by so mad scientist!"
"Stop lying!" she yelled, twisting to get away from , "You were living your life without caring about ."
I tightened my grip with my knees on either side of her waist, dirt and mud sticking to her hair.
"What makes you think I would leave you alone after taking care of you all those years?" I groaned, placing her hands over her head, the mist still oozing from her body, weakening .
"Your maid told you did," she said, glaring at .
And my mind imdiately froze at her words, "Who?"
"That woman who always stayed with you!" she snarled, lifting her upper torso and pushing down, "She told you didn't want to see ."
"Urgh," I grunted, her nails digging deep into my arms, "Stop it!"
"You never ca to... look for ," she choked out, tears trickling down her cheeks, her nails scratching . "You never once ca to talk to after Shane died."
...My mind turned numb as I heard her words.
Her tears kept falling on my face, nails digging deeper, "I-if o-only I loved you less... I might have been able to talk about this way before."
"...You are lying," I finally whispered, pushing her aside. She fell on the ground as I stood up, "...The first thing I did after recovering my broken mind was to look for you."
"No, you never—"
"I did that!" I yelled, feeling rage bubbling inside , "...You were the one who yelled at and threw out without listening."
"You never visited !"
"I did," I snarled, glaring at her, "...I did, and you... you were the one who pushed away."
"No." She whimpered, silently gazing up at , "...You are lying."
"Aunt Belly was with , she saw all that you did to ," I said coldly, the frustration and pain building within coming out all at once.
"...If you had listened to that day... I might not have turned out like I am right now... I might not have talked about what happened to with Aunt Belly... She might not have tried to comfort ... My mother might not have killed her."
"W-what are yo—?"
"I hate you, Shyamal," I cut in, turning around, "My life would have been better if only you weren't part of it."
The mist around us started to disappear while I could hear her choked voice calling for .
'...El.'
[You shouldn't have done that.]
'...El.'
[Yes, her awakening stopped.]
I sighed in relief hearing his words, but my mind imdiately turned numb.
'...Can I trust my mories?' I asked, gazing up at the sky.
Shyamal kept saying that I never visited her.
But I rember talking with her, how she just threw away... I rember all of that.
I rember how Aunt Belly comforted after that.
[...You are the one who should know what is true and what is false, Az.]
I halted my steps as I heard his words.
[And if you haven't noticed, she never used her crown... She never went all out against you.]
A slight pang crept into my chest as I rembered how harsh I was on her.
...Maybe, I shouldn't have said that.
I turned around to walk back toward her.
...After all, I did promise that I would take care of her.
BOOOM!!
But my steps halted as a thunderous sound echoed, accompanied by a shockwave that filled my mind.
I turned sideways as I looked at the burning pillar of fire at the very center of the island.
I instinctively ran toward the fire.
...Christina.
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