Alptraum of the White Funeral Night Chapter 8

[xuebingcode]

Chapter 8

Akira: (It’s because of those two I still have energy to run. If it’s a short distance I should be able to outrun them.)

(I’ll open the door, and make a dash for it.)

(I’ll make it to where Oz and the twins are!)

The door hinge shook slightly, and I shoved it open with two hands.

I almost tumbled onto the floor exiting.

Akira: Mitile! Riquet! O…

…

All I could see were hundreds of white caterpillars filling my vision. 

The two who were screaming were not in sight. 

Neither the three who were supposed to be approaching.

It was all fake.

Akira: …, ah…

I lost all the strength in my legs, and slumped to the floor.

Run. Get out.

Something in my head was telling me to, but my body wouldn’t listen. 

Akira: (I’m, such an idiot…I was completely tricked.) 

(...But, at least this means Mitile and Riquet are safe. Thank goodness…)

(...I guess this is how I die…)

My thoughts became disordered.

Strangely, tears weren’t flowing.

The caterpillars came closer to their weak and magic-less prey.

Akira: (...Mitile said to believe in him…)

I simply watched the white wave that was about to envelop me.

Riquet: (...I can see Mitile in the distance…that must be the cucarucca that was chasing us earlier.)

…!

(The caterpillars changed from Mitile to Cain! H-How gross…!!)

(The spells we cast on that room aren’t perfect. I need to grab the cucarucca’s attention so it won’t notice them.)

(I have to protect Mitile…)

…You’re fine. You can do this, you can do this…

Mitile: Riquet!

Riquet: …!? Mitile!?

Why are you here…! Did you chase after me?

Mitile: Riquet! Do our best! 

Riquet: …Mitile? You’re acting…

Mitile?: Let’s do this! I won’t leave Riquet alone. 

Riquet: A fake…!

Stand down, foul beast! Sanretea Edif!

…h, I messed up! What do I do, my magic is…

Waaah…!

Mitile: Haa, haa…! Riquet, where did you go? I can’t sense his mana…

Ugh! Why would you go off on your own in a place like this!

Treating me like I’m deadweight! Just ‘cuz you’re worried about me…

(It’s the complete opposite with the Ruins of Mesa. He got mad and called us cowards for not going inside the ruins.)

(But…he later apologized. Saying that though he couldn’t understand the Southern wizard’s feelings, he loves our good nature.) 

(If the me now went to the Ruins of Mesa then, I think I would have gone inside with the Central wizards.)

(I can use awesome magic now. I would’ve been helpful, and done a lot.)

(Is this not very Southern-like of me? Will he hate me for not being good natured?)

(...But…)

Riquet is…

Riquet is the only…

Riquet: –Stand down, foul beast! Sanretea Edif!

Mitile: …! Riquet! He’s being attacked by a cucarucca…!

Riquet: Waaah…!

Mitile: Scintilla!

That was bad…! Riquet, you alright!?

Riquet: …

…Mitile…

Akira: …Ah…

Snow & White: Noscomnia!

O Sage!

Oz: Are you unharmed!

Akira: Snow, White! Oz…!

The frozen cluster of caterpillars broke into pieces with a crash.

The remaining cucaruccas that weren’t hit by the spell were sent into a panic, their escape being deterred by the three wizards rushing over here. 

At that moment, like a knot had come undone, warm tears bursted from my eyes.

Oz hurried to my side, holding the picture frame of the twins, and bent down on his knee. 

Oz: Sage. Are you hurt?

Akira: No…thanks, you three.

Snow: It’s a relief we made it in time. Good thing we ran, right Ozzy?

White: There there, it must’ve been quite the scare. Why are you alone, though? Where have Mitile and Riquet gone?

Oz: Were you separated? Are they safe?

Akira: That’s…

Rapidly wiping my tears, I told them about what happened thus far. 

Akira: But then I heard these noises and screaming outside. It sounded like Mitile and Riquet were being attacked and eaten by the cucaruccas…

I was panicking about what to do, and then I heard your voices…so I…

…h, I believed in those voices…thinking I could reunite with you guys and save them…

Oz: …Except it was all a trap.

Akira: Yes…

I stared at the floor.

Recalling the events made me realize how careless I was. 

Akira: …Mitile told me to not open that door. To believe in him and wait.

I should’ve listened to his words no matter what.

…I wasn’t able to believe in him, so that’s why…

Snow: Stop, Sage. That is not it.

I lifted my head to Snow’s kind admonishing. He leaned in close. 

Snow: Your frustrations are clouding your vision. What made you open that door was not your failure to believe in your friends.

It was your courage and camaraderie to them that did. 

Akira: Snow…

Snow: Disbelief and concern are similar, but still different. 

You could have kept Mitile’s words in mind and stayed in that room, disregarding their fates.

Except you think so dearly of him and Riquet that you couldn’t. That’s how I see things went.

You did a great job, even though it was scary. What a courageous child. 

He caressed my cheek, wiping the tears I missed.

That hand from the painting looked a little transparent like the shadow of the moon, yet it was still warm. 

Snow’s confident words dispelled the despair and regrets I had when I opened that door. 

It filled me with the strength to stand up.

Akira: …Thank you so much, Snow. I tried my best, even if it didn’t go well.

Snow: Ohohoho. That’s our Sage.

Cain: –Master Sage! Everyone!

Akira: Cain! You guys!

He was running while waving his hand. Chloe and Owen were with him.

Owen was the only one on his broom, probably because he didn’t like running. Odd coloured eyes had their sharpness back in them.

Akira: (That’s Owen alright…he’s back to normal.)

Oz: …Are you real.

Owen: Are you real? Should I let my dogs have a bite and see?

Cain: Oh good, we’re all the real ones. That was a proper conversation just now. 

Snow: Was it?

White: Are proper conversations even normal for these two?

Chloe: I’m glad you’re okay! Where’s Mitile and Riquet?

Oz: We still have yet to regroup. The moment we find them I will burn these cucaruccas to ashes. 

Sage, your hand.

Akira: Yes…!

I took the hand that was offered to me, and Oz silently stared into my eyes.

Oz: …

Do not ever let go.

Without you by my side, I…

Red eyes wavered ever so slightly.

I remembered the words Cain once said to me. 

“He may have lived for thousands of years, but not being able to use magic at night is new for him.”

The time he’s been afflicted with this injury is the same amount of time that Mitile and Riquet have been the Sage’s wizards. 

Akira: …I won’t.

If I’m with you, you’ll always be the world’s strongest wizard. 

I tightly squeezed his hand. 

The Sage’s power is not omnipotent. It can fail, like how it cannot stop the flames of Shylock’s heart. 

I ignored the cracks in my confidence. 

I muster all the strength I have in me to smile. 

Just like Mitile, who is now fighting somewhere in this mausoleum, did. 

Akira: Oz. Let’s save Mitile and Riquet.

Oz: …

Though it was just a tiny bit, I could tell the hand in mine squeezed back. 

Those eyes that looked into mine were that of the world’s strongest wizard, the one who watched over us for countless missions.

Oz: We will.

Chloe: …! Look, the cucaruccas are moving!

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