"This is all...impossible…" Rose said to herself as they disappeared into the overgrowth, heading further in and entering Lastonbell as they neared the city. They rented a room at the Inn and got settled...when both Alisha and Rose broke down, crying out in despair, surprise and agony. Zaveid and the others jumped before Zaveid and Edna used their powers to silence the room so none would hear them. "Why did this happen?!" Alisha shouted, gripping the cloth over her heart. "Why is he tainted?!" Rose shouted, tears running down her face. Alisha began to sob, Mikleo hugging her even as Lailah hugged Rose, the other two looking down in sadness.
This was all too fast...to sudden. First they get reports that a man matching the description of the Shepherd is killing innocents and spreading all kinds of chaos. Then they find out the reports are right as they see Sorey and he's been tainted by malevolence and that he has four, new, Seraphim on his side as if he's abandoned his old allies for the first fallen four. Then he demands Alisha be handed over, why, that still isn't clear and then an old ally of theirs appears and helps their escape.
"How is Dezel back though?" Rose mumbled to herself, feeling tears spring to her eyes, hiccuping a little. No one knew why the malevolence brought Dezel back or why he helped them. If the malevolence had brought Dezel back, then wouldn't he had attacked them and not Sorey? So many questions were swimming through their heads when suddenly a soothing wind filled the room and their old friend appeared.
"Sorry for appearing as I did," He began, catching their attention as they snapped their heads his way to look at him. "I didn't want to appear like that...but…" He didn't get to finish when Rose tackled him in a hug, crying into his chest. "Rose?" He questioned, looking down at her, his normally colorless eyes were their bright green...his sight was still with him. "I…" Rose hiccuped, hugging him tighter. "I'm s-so h-happy you're b-back." She whimpered out and he stroked her hair, hugging her in return. "Sorry for appearing as I did." He apologized, something none of them were use to but they weren't going to question it.
"What is happening?" Mikleo questioned, rubbing his chin as he tried to piece everything together. "I can answer some questions, I saw everything happen when Sorey brought me back." Dezel said as he leaned against the wall yet Rose yanked him to sit on the bed beside her, keeping a tight hold of his arm...she was afraid he'd disappear. Lailah moved to give them space, sitting on the edge of Alisha's bed.
"Then why is Sorey back?" Zaveid questioned as he sat down on the bed beside Alisha's bed, who was slowly calming down. "The malevolence brought Sorey back when he realized he wasn't going to come back, he had died after all." Dezel began, rubbing his neck. "Sorey began to regret having fought Heldaf if his price was death, he had promised to come back." He explained and Mikleo hummed. "If that's the case, why are there new Seraphim with him? Why is he tainted by malevolence?" Mikleo asked, looking at Dezel curiously as he continued to rubbed Alisha's back as she calmed down.
Dezel sighed, this was going to take awhile. "Sorey is tainted by malevolence as that's the condition for his revival. The malevolence said it would bring him back if he offered to be a vessel for the malevolence to thrive in and he'd gain use of it at free will." He explained as he leaned back against the headboard of the bed, thus dragging Rose back as well. "Sorey knew that bonding with his previous Seraph's would be a bad idea if he became a vessel for the malevolence, so when he took the offer he demanded to have his own Seraphim as well as bringing one friend back." Dezel explained before looking to the ceiling.
"The malevolence agreed and gave him the first four Seraphim that had been tainted, each killed in a different way with years of experience with them. Sorey didn't know they were tainted, as a result, the malevolence inside him grew stronger with those four tainted souls with him." He said, before sighing. "He also brought me back, why, I don't know but he did." He said when Edna hummed. "Why did Sorey want to come back?" Edna asked and Dezel looked at Alisha. "He had one weakness...Alisha." He said and her eyes widened...this happened...because of her? "Alisha?" They all questioned and Dezel sighed, nodding. "Remember the private conversation you and Sorey had?" He asked her and she nodded, yet the others were confused. Private conversation?
"He wanted to come back because he wanted to be back with you, despite everything he loved you more than you both knew. When he died, he realized it and desperately wanted to come back." Dezel said and her face went a beautiful scarlet in embarrassment. "During the final battle, he realized his feelings but didn't say anything as he knew he couldn't give you anything you'd both want because he knew he would die...yet the malevolence knew this and gave him an offer." He stated before sighing.
"I know that's hard to hear, you probably think this is your fault but it's not. Sorey is at fault for agreeing to it all to begin with." He stated, before folding his arms. "The malevolence used his feelings for you to get him to succumb to their will and use it against him. His feelings aren't fake though, their real though it's currently all he can think about." He explained and Alisha sighed, he...loved her...really loved her?
Mikleo hummed, piecing everything together. "So, Sorey came back because he loved Alisha and the malevolence knew this, used it against him and tainted him. Giving him new allies to keep him tainted, he now spreads malevolence…" Suddenly a thought struck Mikleo. "Is he going to come after Alisha?!" He demanded and she gasped while the others looked at one another in shock...would he?
"It's possible." Dezel stated and Alisha felt sick to her stomach. "He may come after her to kidnap her, keep her by him as his promise is now twisted." He stated and Zaveid growled. "Well we can't leave her in the care of others, she's Rose's squire at the moment and an army can't stop him." He said and everyone nodded, it was better to keep her with them if that was the case. "In the meantime, we're going to have to find a way to purify him completely from the malevolence." Zaveid explained, laying a head against his hand. "Is that even possible with how badly tainted he is?" Mikleo questioned when Lailah hummed. "It's possible," She said, making them look to her. "that he's not fully tainted, if that's the case then we can purify him." She explained when Rose looked confused.
"How is that possible? We all saw him back there, he was completely tainted!" Rose stated when Lailah looked up. "Not exactly, if he was fully tainted, he would've tried to kill us but instead he didn't strike, just demanded things." Lailah explained, putting her hands in her lap. Everyone looked to the ground, thinking...Sorey didn't attack them when he appeared, he was just demanding and didn't seem to care what would happen. He had his own Seraph's stand down to avoid a battle, it was almost like his old self had shined through, the need to protect still strong within him.
"We need Alisha to be the Shepherd in that case." Rose suddenly said, catching their attention. "What?" Edna questioned, tilting her head to the side. "Alisha's attachment to Sorey is stronger than mine, her words will get to him better than my own. If Sorey loves Alisha, her presence will encourage Sorey to fight against the malevolence within him." Rose said and the others looked at one another...would it be possible?
Lailah's sigh caught their attention making them look at her, only to see her shake her head. "Alisha's resonance with us is not yet high enough to validate her as a Shepherd, therefore it still falls on you Rose to keep the role of Shepherd." Lailah explained and she sighed...so much for that thought! "But your not entirely wrong." Lailah suddenly said, catching their attention. "Sorey does love Alisha, that much is obvious and it's noticed that he would do anything to make her happy, so she may be able to help him overcome the malevolence within him. Fight it off and destroy it from within while allowing him to live." Lailah explained and they all smiled, they might just be able to save him.
Mikleo nodded, that sounded like it could work. "We just have to defeat the Seraphim with him that are helping the malevolence increase within him, as well as remove the malevolence that has been replanted in areas we've already cleared." Mikleo said, smiling...there was hope! "Then we should get started tomorrow morning, I believe we are all tired." Edna said and Mikleo agreed, she wasn't as heartless as she was once before. "I agree," Lailah said as she stood. "today has been a tiring day." She said and Zaveid nodded. "I'm in on that." He said, rubbing his neck.
"Shouldn't we let Sergei know?" Alisha questioned and everyone froze...they need to alert all the cities about Sorey! Rose nodded at that, it was a good idea. "I'll contact Eugille and let him know what's going on, he'll spread the word and have the Sparrow Feather's contact the leader's and everyone to alert them." Rose said with a smile, before she got off the bed yet she stopped and looked at Dezel. "You coming?" She asked and they all noticed a fear in her eyes...she didn't want him to disappear.
He smiled, something they weren't really use to as he got off the bed as well. "Sure, why not?" He simply said before following her out the door. It was silent...before Mikleo spoke. "Is it just me or have those two always been extremely close?" He questioned when suddenly Lailah smirked at him. "Close as you and Sorey?" She tried to tease, yet he didn't seemed affected. "They seem closer than that." He commented and everyone just looked at one another...he had a point.
With Rose and Dezel: Dezel wasn't too sure why Rose had him tag along, he had a feeling it wasn't just her being afraid he'd disappear...there was more to it. He suddenly noticed she was wearing his hat and smiled, she kept it as a memento. "Oh, do you want it back?" She questioned, grabbing his attention as he looked at her, she noticed he was looking at his old hat.
He chuckled, shaking his head as he kept pace beside her. "Nah, looks better on you." He stated and she smiled, chuckling herself. "Since when did you become a flatterer, Dezel?" She teased, punching his arm slightly and he chuckled. "I guess I learned a thing or two when I was with you all." He commented, looking at her with his colored eyes, he was glad he could see.
See everything around him, see the people, the colors...see Rose, see her smile, her expressions. He'd never admit it, couldn't after everything he had done to her in the past but when him and his mentor followed them, protecting them and learning from them, he had grown fond of Rose.
His master liked to tease him about it, saying he was growing too attached but Dezel always ignored it, knowing it would never be possible but he still allowed himself to fall for her. He sometimes wondered if Rose felt something for him; during their travels with Sorey, he noticed a lot of longing glances and her eagerness to be by his side. He wondered but never voiced it, fearing he'd hear something he never wanted to hear.
"Dezel? Hello, anyone there?" She asked him, noticing he had spaced out. He blinked a few times, stopping to look at her as he realized she had been trying to get his attention. "Huh?" He questioned, looking at her. "You okay buddy?" She asked, worried about him and he shook his head, giving a smirk. "I'm good, just thinking for once." He joked which got her to laugh as well.
"Don't do that," She said with a laugh. "you had me worried something happened that you noticed." She said, there was a slight serious tone behind her voice, showing her true concern and he nodded. He'd do his best not to worry her. "Understood." He said and they continued throughout Lastonbell, trying to find Eugille.