'What My Destiny Brings'

Chapter 7: Emptiness of Exhilaration

"This is the place. We have arrived." Lala said to Wolfram as they arrived at a beach, with beautiful ocean stretched widely in front of them. The breeze blew calmly. The water was clear and many birds flew above them. Wolfram's eyes softened seeing that beautiful scenery.

Lala got off from her brown horse and walked to Wolfram. She looked up to him, "Come on. Get off from your horse." She ordered.

"Are you sure… this is the place?" Wolfram asked as he looked at Lala.

Lala nodded, "Yes." She answered.

"But this is an ocean."

Lala smiled. She brought her hand to Wolfram and suddenly a white flower appeared above her palm, flowing lightly followed by a blue light formed a circle surrounding the flower in it, "We use this to get there."

"Where was that flower come from?" Wolfram's eyes widened surprised after that flower suddenly appeared right in front of his eyes.

"I hid it on another dimension. This flower's called Catalina." Lala answered as she walked forward until the calm wave touched her shoes.

Wolfram got off his horse and walked to Lala, "How is it work?"

"You'll see…" She plucked one of its petals and gave it to Wolfram.

Wolfram confused, didn't understand why Lala offering him that white petal. Lala who noticed this sighed tiredly, "Will you take it?"

"Oh." Wolfram took it from Lala. He looked at Lala who plucked another petal and brought it with her palm so that it was in front of her, "Follow me…" She instructed.

Wolfram copied her movement, putted the petal above his palm and brought it to his front.

Lala putted the petal on the water followed by Wolfram afterwards, "Repeat my words…

Tempus edax rerum

Totidem verbis

Totis viribus"

Huge waves suddenly came to them and Wolfram blocked them with his back, shielded Lala from it. They fell to the ground and got soaked, "What the!?" Wolfram hugged Lala tighter as another huge wave suddenly came and crushed to them. Wolfram felt a sharp pain as his emerald eyes trailed to his bleeding shoulder. Blood came out from it and washed up by the waves, making the water red a little. After several minutes, the waves stopped. Lala opened her eyes as her hand clutched Wolfram's uniform tightly, "Wolfram…" She said slowly as she looked at Wolfram who slowly standing up. She blushed and fortunate to her, Wolfram didn't notice it.

Wolfram offered his hand to Lala, "Lala… You okay?"

Lala nodded and stood up slowly as her ivory eyes looked at Wolfram's shoulder, "That must be hurt…"

"No." Wolfram shook his head.

"Let me see…" Lala touched Wolfram's wound with her right hand and chanted, "Reculer pour mieux sauter"

A white light slowly appeared surrounding the wound. The wound slowly closed, "Thank you." He said to Lala who shrugged.

"No need to thank me. It's nothing…" Lala removed her hand from Wolfram's shoulder and washed it within the ocean, "Does it feel hurt anymore?" She asked.

"No." Wolfram answered as his eyes looked at Lala.

"Okay. Good." Lala's eyes trailed to the ocean in front her. Suddenly an earthquake occurred, "This is it…"

The ocean slowly split into two revealing a stone stairs that stretching in front of them. Its end was unknown because it was dark inside and Wolfram could not know where the stairs would lead them, "What the hell is this?" He asked as his eyes widened.

"This tunnel will lead us to Erebusila, our Headquarter." She said as she turned her body so that she was facing Wolfram.

"Oh, so this stairs connected to a tunnel."

Lala nodded softly, answering Wolfram's question.

"But it's dark inside…"

Lala blinked, confused. "Why? Do you afraid of dark?" Lala asked as her eyes looked at Wolfram who suddenly became pale.

"No… it's just brings back old memories…"

"Don't worry. Yes, the entrance is dark but it's not so dark when we reached its middle…"

Wolfram nodded, "Ok, then. Shall we?"

Lala pointed her finger to the horses that were stomped their feet madly behind Wolfram, "We brought them to Erebusilea. I don't want to leave them here." She said as her eyes glared at Wolfram.

"Okay, okay! But please stop glaring at me like that!" Wolfram said as he waved his two hands to Lala. Wolfram stepped back and pulled the horses' reins, "Man, they're stubborn. Behave, you two." He said as his other hand soothed them.

As several minutes passed, Lala walked forward walked down the stairs followed by Wolfram from behind. The stairs disappeared and the ocean came back to normal afterwards.


That afternoon, Yuuri had a picnic with Lucia and Greta in one of the castle's garden. When Yuuri asked her for having a lunch together the hour before, Greta accepted it with wide smile because it was her opportunity to give Yuuri tries her cookies that she had practiced with Lucia three days before. Greta ran off to the kitchen after that, and bumped to Lucia near the kitchen's entrance. Greta asked her for help her making the lunch. Lucia accepted it kindly and helped her as for the result sandwiches, apples and strangely omelet rice too that Lucia made now sat on a plum color blanket that the three too sat on silently, waiting to be eaten. Yuuri's eyes widened looking at the omelets in front of him, "Omelet rice?" He asked as he looked at Lucia confused.

Lucia blinked her emerald eyes confusingly to Yuuri, "Omelet rice? What's that? These called egg rice."

"They're called omelet rice at where I came from." Yuuri took a piece of it with a spoon and placed it inside his mouth. He chewed it several times and swallowed it, "Hmmm… it has the same flavor. You made this?"

Lucia nodded slightly, "With the help of Greta too!" Greta said cheerfully.

"Thank you, you two. It's delicious." Yuuri said smiling as he took another piece of it.

Greta stood up and danced around singing a song that Annisina taught her as Lucia smiled at Yuuri shyly. Yuuri looked at her in the eyes. That made Lucia blushed, "Greta. Come here, you're hungry, right?" Yuuri slightly shouted.

Greta ran to them and sat down between Yuuri and Lucia. She took a cheese sandwich from the plate in front of her and chewed it lightly, "Oh, yes, father. Why all of sudden you wanted to have a picnic with us?" She asked.

"I'm just wanted to have a break for a while. Don't worry. Gwendal permitted me. I have finished my work, after all." Yuuri smiled to Greta, "You're so energetic, Greta."

"I am? Uncle Konrad told me that too!" She responded happily. She took her omelet rice and ate it, "Hnn… It's unfortunate that Sis Lala left."

"Don't worry, Princess Greta. I'm sure she will come back." Lucia responded.

"I hope she will, because I want her to teach me how to make that beautiful Pegasus!" Greta said as she clapped her hands.

"Hegahush?" Yuuri asked as his mouth chewed the omelet lightly.

"Swallow it before you talk, father." Greta giggled. She took out the key chain from her pocket. It had a shape of mini Pegasus, a white horse that had a gold horn on his forehead and shiny wings on its back, "Here! It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Yuuri's and Lucia's eyes widened in surprise, "Wha? It's made of glass! I don't know anyone who could make something like this in this world! That girl is something!"

"Maa, father… is it so difficult to make?" Greta asked confused seeing Yuuri's expression suddenly changed.

"Of course! Even I could not make something like this! And it's so detail too."

"So… it's impossible for me to make it?" Greta sadly asked.

Lucia patted Greta's head gently, "Don't worry, Princess Greta. I'm sure someday you could make something like this too…" She smiled to Greta and a smile slowly appeared on Greta's lips.

Greta slowly putted the key chain on her lap. She took a plate of cookies from Lucia's hand and offered it to Yuuri, "Yuuri! Would you try these?"

Yuuri nodded, "Of course, Greta." He took one of the cookies that had strawberry syrup and a white cream at the center of it and putted it inside his mouth, "It's not so sweet. I like it." He said as he licked his finger, "The cream is very soft. It was like it melted inside my mouth."

"Really?"

Yuuri nodded.

Greta turned her head to Lucia, "It was a success! Thank you, aunt Lucia!" She said to the woman.

Lucia smiled and shook her head lightly, "It's my pleasure for helping you, Princess Greta." She said as she putted her right hand in front of her chest.

"Maa… aunt Lucia! You don't have to call me like that! Just call me Greta."

Lucia looked at Greta with hesitated eyes, "Well, Princess Greta… I-" She said slightly as her emerald eyes trailed to Yuuri who looked at her in return.

"You could call her that. I don't mind." Yuuri said as he crossed his hands.

"Ok, then… Greta…"

Yuuri, Lucia and Greta continued their picnic in that garden. Greta made Yuuri and Lucia flower necklaces and Lucia made a colorful necklace for her in return. They had a good time at that time but no one knew that the key chain that Greta had was sparkling slightly.


Wolfram walked through the huge tunnel that led them to the entrance of Erebusilea as Lala told him. The tunnel was big enough for horses to enter and it made by a material that Wolfram never seen before. It was smooth and black and there were many white decorated plants at the right and left side of it. A dark blue carpet with gold beautiful symbols around it carpeted the white floor and many candles flowing near the ceiling that lighted that place.

Wolfram who busied looking at his surrounding suddenly interrupted by Lala who suddenly spoke, "Wolfram, this tunnel is long, isn't it? For another 2 or 3 minutes, we will arrive at Erebusilea's entrance."

"Oh, I see…" Wolfram responded.

"Why? You're sound confused."

"Nah, it's just… what material is this that this tunnel made of?"

"Orichalcum. It's the strongest iron in the world. Well, I'm not surprised after hearing that surprised sound of yours, because this material is not from this world." She said as she crossed her hands while her feet still walking forward.

"What-"

"We're here." Lala said as her eyes focused at a huge orichalcum gates that stood majestically in front of them. Slowly she walked toward the gate but stopped by the guards that suddenly ran to them and prevented them from going any further.

They pointed the tip of their guns to her, "Stop! Show us your identity!" The guard at the left side of Lala ordered.

"Lala Daguerre. I'm the sister of this place's lord, Riku Zinkernagel." Lala said straightly without hesitation and fear. She stared at them coldly.

"Your hand, please." The other guard ordered.

Lala moved forward and let her fingers scanned by a weird machine the guard used. The two guards suddenly dropped down to one knee, bowing their head and placed their right hands in front of their chests, "We're sorry for our rudeness. Please enter, Mistress Lala. Master Riku is waiting."

"Wolfram, come on." She turned her head a little to look at Wolfram who looked back at her.

Wolfram nodded slightly and followed Lala through the gate.

As they inside, Wolfram eyes widened and nearly fell looking at the scene before him. The inside of that tall building could also make his jaw dropped on the floor. Everything made by that orichalcum thing. Many flying vehicles that Wolfram never seen before flew around and sometimes stopped at a certain spots. Huge spiral staircase was resting at the corner of the building from the bottom to the top floor. Many peoples walked down or up the stairs and walked passed them. A huge cylindrical aquarium stood at the center of Erebusilea from head to toe. He could also saw children played and chased each other around the aquarium. The place was so crowded but so lively and… full of warm sensation…

"What… is this… place?" Wolfram asked as his mouth gaped.

Lala turned around and faced Wolfram with small smile on her lips, "Welcome, Wolfram to the city of Forgotten Memories, Erebusilea."

"Ci… CITY!?" Wolfram asked surprised by Lala declaration.


30 minutes after Wolfram and Lala arrived at Erebusilea… Blood Pledge Castle…

A woman walked down from the stairs and entered a room. She closed the wooden door slowly as a black shadow of a man suddenly appeared near the window. The man smiled to her.

"How is it going?" The man asked. His eyes pierced through the cold eyes of that woman.

The woman walked toward the bed and sat on the edge of it, "It's doesn't progressing well…" She answered as she crossed her hands.

"How come?"

She shrugged, "That girl, Lala came to this place 3 days ago. Ren came that night. He hurt the Demon King and his fiancé."

The man nodded, "But he failed to bring that girl and the power back."

"He was killed by that blond boy."

"Huh, he really is useless. Deserved him right to went here without a permission."

"I really don't want to see a failure like that anymore."

"I'm sorry, my Lord."

"Well, then…" She smiled devilishly to the black shadow as her hand caressed her chin, "Would you locate the Bielefeld boy and that girl for me?"

The man nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. After a while, they opened slightly. He shook his head lightly to the woman, "I'm sorry, My Lord. I couldn't find them anywhere…" He said with a tone of guilt.

"They must be inside Erebusilea right now."

"They left this place?"

The woman nodded, "This morning…"

"I will continue my search, then. I will tell you if something's up."

"Very well. Take care of headquarter for a while longer. I still have some businesses here to attend."

"Yes, my Lord." The shadow disappeared.

Slowly she walked to the window and opened it. Her feet brought her to the balcony as her eyes focused at the scenery in front of it, "Riku, I won't lose to you…"


A black man sat on his chair writing something on the table in front of him inside a huge office with many fountains in it. Behind him was a big window with dark blue curtain blocking the ray of the bright sun. A woman with red hair and wearing a spectacle stood near him as her red eyes focused on the paper the man signed. The black man slowly put his pen and gave the paper to the woman. The woman accepted it and walked toward the door but stopped by a sudden knock by the door's office. A guard came in and walked to the black man. He dropped one knee and bowed, "Sorry for interrupt. But there are people who want to meet you, my Lord."

"Who are they?" The red woman asked.

"Mistress Lala and a blond man with emerald eyes." The guard answered the question as the black man's eyes widened in surprise.

"Let them enter." The black man ordered.

The guard slowly stood and bowed his head, "Yes, my Lord." The guard ran to the doors and opened them, revealing a small ivory girl with a blond man followed her from behind.

Lala and Wolfram entered the quite room. Lala walked toward the black man but stopped seeing the black man suddenly stood. That made Lala's expression changed from cold one into a strange one, "Not again… Big brother, behave." She whispered.

"LALA!!" The black man ignored her and ran toward the ivory girl. He crushed his body to the girl and hugged her tightly, "I missed you! My Lala is back!"

"Brother, let go of me!" Lala shouted to the black man. Her face became red.

"Haha… sorry…" He released Lala and looked at Wolfram who stood behind her little sister, "But, I'm glad you're okay. Where did you gone off to?" Riku asked the ivory girl.

"I told you before; I searched for Runost's master. And I finally found him." Lala answered as she turned around to see Wolfram in front of them.

Riku followed Lala's movement and looked at the blond man softly, "So, he is the one?" He asked to Lala as his lips smiled devilishly. Lala nodded lightly. He smiled wider as his right hand rested on his hip.

Wolfram dropped one knee and bowed to Riku, "It's my pleasure to meet you. I'm Wolfram." He looked up to Riku.

"It's my pleasure to meet you too. I'm Riku Zinkernagel. And this is Cyrille Neyza, my assistant. Oh, and please stand up. I don't like to be bowed like that."

Wolfram blinked at him and stood up, "I understand."

"Welcome, new heritor, to Erebusilea city."

"Thank you." Wolfram responded.

Riku smiled to him. Slowly he walked backward so that he was behind Lala now. He grabbed Lala shoulders with his two hands, "Oh, I'm sure this little girl didn't introduce herself properly to you. Well, keep this in your mind: she's a shy girl and don't like to socialize with other people. This is Lala Daguerre, my little sister." He said as he patted Lala's head lightly. Lala glared at him but Riku just smiled softly to the girl.

"Brother, about the tri-"

"It's a matter that we could do after you take him for a tour around the city." He smiled to Wolfram, "Haha… well, New Heritor, how about a tour? Lala will accompany you."

"How about you, brother?" Lala asked.

"Nah, I still have works to do. Meet me here later, okay?" Riku said tiredly as his hand hushed Lala and Wolfram out from his office.

Cyrille bowed slightly to them, "Please enjoy the tour."

The doors slowly closed in front of them. Lala sighed lightly, "Well, then. Shall we?"

Wolfram nodded and followed Lala toward an elevator that will bring them to the lowest floor.


"Mistress Lala! Welcome back!" A bunch of children suddenly ran to the ivory girl that stood in front of him. Cheerful smiles plastered on their face, "Do you want these apples, Mistress? They're still fresh! My father picked them just awhile ago!" A brown hair girl with big turquoise eyes offered a basket of apples to her, and him too, "Here, sir. You can have some of these too!" The girl smiled to him.

Lala took the basket and smiled softly to them, "Thank you." She said as she gave several coins to their hands. The coins were black because they also made from orichalcum.

They smiled wider and ran to the store not far from where they were standing. Lala offered the basket with her left hand to him, "Here, try some." She said as she took a bite of the apple on her right hand.

Wolfram took one of them and took a bite of it a little, "It's good." He surprised as he looked at the red apple on his hand.

"Of course, these apples grew from high quality seeds. My brother really like this. Maybe I should bring the rest to him."

"These are apples? But they're red."

"They're apples from Earth." That sentence made Wolfram's eyes widened.

"What-"

"Ah, Erebusilea is a building with 200 blocks in it. You could say blocks are same as floors. This is the 1st block. You could find restaurants, cafés, stands and sweet shops on this floor. This floor is like a food center." She pointed to the huge aquarium in front of them, "That is an aquarium. It's connected to the water world outside Erebusilea at the roof. There's a hole up there, right? That's why we don't have specific fishes inside. They just come in and out, swim freely from here to there and the opposite."

"Won't enemies enter Erebusilea from that hole, then?" Wolfram asked as his emerald eyes looked at the huge gold fish that swam to the roof. It surrounded by many colorful fishes, making it more beautiful.

"We close the hole every night. And even if they manage to enter from there, I doubt they could destroy this aquarium to get in here. They will need a plenty of oxygen in no time. I can guarantee that." Lala chuckled softly.

"Oh, I see…" Wolfram nodded a little.

"Let's get you something to eat. You didn't eat your breakfast when we were still in Blood Pledge Caste, did you?" She asked as she turned around seeing Wolfram.

"I was busy at that time."

"I know. C'mon, let's go. That restaurant sells the best fried fish with lemon sauces and banana milk shake in there! They're delicious!" Lala said as she pulled Wolfram to the restaurant with a yellow stand not far from them.


"Murata! Why won't you tell me?" Yuuri shouted to the Great Sage that sat on one of the forbidden boxes, Hellsfire in Frozen Land ignoring the king, "Don't ignore me!" He continued as he stomped his feet harshly to the floor.

"You woke me up just for babbling about this?" Murata said as he yawned heavily.

"Murata, you know something about that but you just close your mouth shut!"

"Hehhh… Shibuya, you don't have to concern about that." He said as he sighed heavily.

"I have to! In case you forgot, but I'm a king here! Although it didn't give effect on me, but it did on the others…"

"Like I told you before, Ulrike and I are searching for the cure right now. You as a king just need to sit down on your chair inside your office and do your paperwork, okay, Shibuya? End of story. I'm going back to my room." He said as he walked to the door, "Oh, and don't do anything unnecessary, you hear me?" He warned the monarch before he got out from the room.

"Damn! I can't just sit here and wait Wolfram with nothing!" Yuuri clenched his fist as he too got out from the room going back to his castle.

Murata walked back to his room as a serious expression plastered on his face. His glasses gleamed as he caressed his chin with his hand. After he arrived in front of his room, he quickly entered it and plopped down to the mattress. He sighed deeply as his black eyes glanced at the ceiling above him, "I really don't want to lie to Shibuya like this… but…"

"But what?" A broad voice interrupted his thought. Murata turned around to see a tall blond man stood near his room's window. The man smiled to him.

He sat up and looked at those blue eyes in front of him, "Shibuya will know about this soon enough… And I'm sure we can't stop him if the time comes…"

"I know. But it's not necessary right now."

"He could dangerous himself. I don't want to make Lord von Bielefeld worried about this knowing that he's busy with this matter there…"

"Knowing that… won't the Black Order invade this castle to lure out Wolfram?"

"… I hope not. But even if they will, I won't let Shin Makoku know about their existence."

"You can't stop them forever, you know. Sooner or later this world will fall into the great chaos that no one could avoid and escape. It will turn all of the fates of every being… in this world. Ulrike and the dream gazer of Erebusilea already witnessed that."

"I know that. And we need Shibuya's power to avoid that from happening. Even it's only just for a small amount of time." He looked to the sun slowly rising from his window, "I hope they could destroy the Black Order quickly before this world falls to the… to the ashen future the Black Order will occur."


Wolfram and Lala slowly entered through an automatic orichalcum door and entered the restaurant as a waitress walked to them, "Welcome." She said as she bowed her head, "Ah, Mistress Lala." The woman with a dark brown hair that end above her shoulders smiled as her violet eyes looked at Lala softly, "Please, have some seat."

Lala followed by Wolfram went to seats near the window with a vase of catalinas above a brown round table between chairs. The two sat down as the waitress gave them menus books, "What's today's main menu, Misora?" Lala asked to the woman.

Misora smiled softly to her and said, "Fried fish with lemon sauces."

"Sweet. I order that and… a glass of banana milk. Oh, Wolfram, did you already picked? You can pick anything you like. I don't mind." Lala said as she looked at Wolfram who still busying himself picking menu.

"…I order the same. But I order apple juice for the drink." He answered as he closed the menu and putted it on the table.

"5 minutes, okay?" Misora took the menus and walked away from them.

Slowly Wolfram turned around to see the scene through the window. He could saw many people walked passed the restaurant, "This is a beautiful place…"

Lala who heard that just blinked at him, "Of course. My brother worked hard to build this place."

"What? Riku?"

Lala nodded to him, "You see… this is actually an empire that he built to make 'that' wish comes true, at first." Her ivory eyes narrowed while her mouth saying the last two words.

"Wish? What-" Wolfram stopped as his emerald eyes looked back at the sad ivory eyes in front of him, "Lala?"

Lala shook her head and then smiled, "No, it's nothing… Let's eat quickly so that we could continue our exploration.

At the same time, their foods came…

-

After their stomachs full, they went to the other floors of the city. Lala introduced Wolfram with blocks full of convenient stores. There were also a mall, park, museum, cinema, library, and Meridera Academy, the place where young ones who lived at Erebusilea improving their knowledge. The class had finished and many uniform students came out from the academy when Wolfram arrived there. The school had five floors. Three floors for classrooms and the rest were for library, computer lab, science lab, art class, history, etc. There were also two big swimming pools at the roof for the swimming class. As Wolfram introduced by Lala with the principle, Mr. Michoan, a sound of crash suddenly occurred from outside of the office. Wolfram who heard this quickly walked out from the room followed by Lala from behind. Stood still, he could saw a young girl with Meridera's uniform with long lime color hair sat on the floor with head bent down and body soaked while a broken vase with catalinas lying in front of her as other young girls looked at her with disdain. The girls suddenly gasped seeing Lala, they panicked as they walked back a little, "Mi- mistress Lala…" They said with trembled voice as they eyed the ivory girl with fear.

"What do you think all of you've done?" Lala asked with cold tone and deadly ivory eyes she had at that time. That made the girls' eyes widened in horror. Lala crossed her hands as she walked to the lime hair girl, who actually wore a round spectacle with light green eyes behind it, "You've broken the vase that I bought for this girl the other day. What good behaviors you all have." Her cold smile made the girls froze on their spot.

"We're… we're sorry, Mistress!" They said as they bowed their head to her. They shed tears but Lala knew better who they were. That was just an act to run away from this matter without any responsibility. They liked bullying other people and seizing others' belongings. They need to be reminding once more about manners and had to memorize the rules that valid in that school, and in that building.

"I don't need that. Apologize to this girl!" She shouted ordering the girls who quickly bowed their heads to the girl who had helped by Wolfram to stand up.

After Lala asked the teachers to chastise those girls, she and Wolfram hurriedly took the green girl to the medic room, afraid if the girl would catch a fever or something. But to their relief, the girl was all right and only had small cuts on her fingers because touching the broken vase accidentally. The green girl sat on the edge of the bed with bandaged hands resting above her laps while Wolfram and Lala stared at the girl who had changed her wet uniform with other uniform that had kept inside one of the room's closets. The girl just stared at her trembled hands with guilty face.

"Hey." Lala's call made her eyes widened. She quickly held her head up looking back at the ivory eyes of Lala.

"I'm… I'm sorry for the vase! I will recompense it! So please don't bring me to the principle or punish me just yet!!" The girl shouted and that made Lala stunned.

Upon hearing that, Lala hit her forehead hard with his hand, "It's okay. You don't have to worry about that vase anymore. I could but you a new one next year."

"No! I… you don't have to-"

"Sarah."

"Ye- yes?" She responded as her lips trembling.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Lala asked as her eyes narrowed seeing the girl bent down her head again, afraid to see her. Was she really that terrifying to see?

"I… I don't want to be a burden for everyone… es- especially you, Mistress…" The green girl who called Sarah by Lala whispered as her tears slowly welled up at the corner of her green eyes. That made Lala hit her forehead with her hand again.

"You're an idiot, you know that, Sarah?" Lala said straightly. Wolfram who heard this gaped while the girl quivered even more.

"Ye- yes. Yes, that was everyone called me with…" Sarah said as she sobbed and finally her tears fell down from her wet eyes.

"Hoi, you don't have to say th-" Wolfram stopped by Lala who suddenly halted him from speaking any longer.

"Sarah, remember what I said to you the other day?" Lala asked and Sarah nodded her head lightly.

"Yes. But… but I'm brainless with anything other than computer. And I can't do any martial arts... so it's so im-"

"Cut, cut, cut! That was not what you have to say!!" Lala said as she clapped her two hands loudly as possible that could make other people who heard that eyes widened in surprised, not without an exception of Wolfram and Sarah whose green eyes widened in disbelief seeing Lala's attitude suddenly change in front of them.

"Listen, here! Don't said anything like brainless or whatever that has a same meaning as it! Talent! Your talent, Sarah! You have to show them your talent! You have an amazing talent that everyone doesn't have!" Lala said as she pointed her finger to Sarah's face.

"Wh-what? But I don't have any courage to do that... let alone... let alone in front of everyone else..." Sarah said as she brought her trembling hands to her chest.

Lala silent for a moment as she caressed her chin with her hand, thinking something that might boost Sarah's braveness. After a while, her eyes widened as she clapped her two hands again waking the two who stared at her with blank eyes, "There will be a white festival later at the first block, right?"

"Ye- yes. It's a ceremony where all of the people will send their prays to Goddess Virianna... for her safety and health with the help of one of the white maiden of the city as their accommodator so that their prays reach the goddess. Talented white maiden…"

Suddenly Lala grabbed her hand and pulled her down from the bed, "I will teach you! Now!"

Lala rushed out from the room with hand still holding Sarah's hand pulled her to follow her while Wolfram just sighed tiredly, "What's going on here, exactly?" He said as he ran his fingers through his golden hair. He walked out followed the two afterwards.

-

2 hours later...

Many people gathered around the huge aquarium for attending the White Ceremony that would held at that place. From the name, we all would know that the ceremony was not a rock band festival or something. They all wore white clothes that covered their body from neck to toe. "Thank you everyone for come here to have this sacred ceremony with us. We have chosen one of the white maiden to be our accommodator this time. Please welcome our white maiden, Lady Sarah of Meridera Academy!" The audience awed in disappointment hearing the name.

Upon hearing that, Sarah who stood behind Wolfram hid herself as fear dwelled up inside her. Her feet slowly moved backward, intent to run away, but stopped by Lala and her cold glare, "Mis- Mistress Lala... I... I can't!" Sarah said as she pushed by Lala from behind so that she would move forward to the podium that had prepared by the people for the accommodator in front of the aquarium.

"No excuse! Now, go!" Lala pushed her until she arrived above the podium. Feeling many eyes stared at her with disgust, Sarah closed her eyes tightly. Her hands that hold a gold violin trembled horribly.

"Just go home!" "We don't need you!" "You're useless!" "You'll only disgrace this holy festival!"

"QUITE!" Lala shouted at them making them silence, "Stop all of your ramblings! Goddess Virianna doesn't need it!"

"Mis- mistress!?" Sarah said surprised seeing Lala who suddenly appeared and stood in front of her. Her tears came out as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Erase those tears of yours, Sarah." Lala said as she turned around and faced Sarah, "I know you could do this. You have a great power to do that, just like your mother. You want to grant her wish, right?" She smiled softly to her.

Sarah nodded lightly, "I'll… I'll do my best…" Sarah replied as she brushed away her tears with her long sleeve.

Lala walked down from the podium eyeing Sarah who slowly walked forward facing the people. She raised her violin and began to play it. A soft yet powerful melody lingered on that floor. All of the people looked at her with eyes widened surprised with the miracle that occurred behind her afterwards. She closed her eyes and began to sing as a tear slowly rolled down from her green eye. After a while, a beautiful voice of someone entered her mind, "Thank you…"

Sarah quickly opened her eyes upon hearing that, ending the song she had sung. She looked up at the aquarium filled with colorful fishes after hearing that soft yet sad tone that whispering on her ear just now, "Was that…" Her tears burst out from her eyes and she collapsed to the floor. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed harder after that.

-

"Hey! Watch where you're going, you moron! What a nuisance!" Lala stopped on her track after hearing that shout not far from her. She turned around and looked at a bunch of people surrounding a green hair girl that sat on the floor trembling and covered with leftover foods. She could see tears slowly fell down from those green eyes.

"Akh! Stop! I'm… I'm sorry!" The green girl shouted at the people.

Riku who actually with Lala at that time surprised seeing Lala suddenly disappeared from his side. He turned around and looked at Lala who ran to those people, "Lala?"

"This is your punishment, useless!" A hand swung to the girl's face as her green eyes widened horrifically. She closed her eyes tightly not wanting to see those predator eyes of the people that glared at her angrily. One second passed and a sound of slap occurred in front of her. She blinked in confusion and raised her head. Her wet green eyes greeted by an ivory girl that stood in front of her stretching her two hands protecting her and whose cheek reddening after receiving that hard slap. Her eyes and the people's eyes widened horribly seeing Lala who glared at them coldly. It defeated their predator eyes.

"Satisfied?" Lala said softly, "Are all of you satisfied!!??" She shouted and that made them all froze on the spot.

"My, my. What have you all done to my little sister's cute face…?" Riku said as he walked to the crowded place and stood in front of Lala and the green girl, "We won't punish you all. If you promised me you all won't hurt this beautiful woman or anyone else AGAIN." He smiled devilishly and that made all of other people who saw this walked away from them, "Or are you all desperately wanted to enter the Improvement Room? Its gate is open wide for all of you~" He whistled but he still maintaining his devilish smile, that made all of them jumped in horror.

"We're… we're promise!!" They bowed their head and that made Riku smiled wider.

Riku clapped his two hands ordering them to go away. He was too arrogant for not wanting to see their ugly faces, "Good. Problem solved. Well, then… how about we all take care of your-!" He turned around but what greeted him made his eyes widened, "LALA!! WHERE ARE YOU!!??" Perhaps, only Lala who had guts to wake Riku's fury like that.

"There. All done. I'm sorry for all of the trouble I caused you, Mistress…" Lala and the girl were inside Meridera Academy, inside the girl's room more precisely. After tending Lala's wound, they were having a little chat about the problem that took place just now at the first block.

"No, it's okay. They need to be taught about having a manner in this place." Lala said as she requested so that the girl stop crying in front of her. She really could not stand others' tears, "What was that, just now? They hurt you like some kind of disgraceful-" She stopped seeing the girl clasped her mouth with her trembled hand.

"I know that." The green girl said with her smile showing Lala an expression of sadness, "Thank you for rescuing me back there." She said as she bowed her head a little.

"Raise your head. I don't like to be praise like that. No need. And it's useless…" That sentence made the green eyes widened.

"I'm… I'm sorry…"

"So, what was that about?"

The green girl shook her head, "No, it's nothing."

"Nothing? Then why were you hurt by those people?"

"I'm sorry. It was because… it was because I'm useless that was why they hurt and punished me."

"You're an idiot. Nobody useless in this place. If you are useless, then why your mother wanted to born you and paid it with her life? Everybody has his or her own superiority and deficiency. Just remember this: No matter how many people thinking of you as a burden, no matter how many people hurting you every day, you should never ever give up. Otherwise, you won't be able to walk forward to the fullest of your life…"

Suddenly Riku barged in with a blue vase filled with Catalinas between his hands, "Lala. There you are."

"Brother, give that Catalinas to this girl."

The green girl's eyes widened in surprise, "Wh-what…?" She said as she received the vase that Riku gave her.

"Your favorite flowers. Today is your birthday, right? Happy birthday, Sarah…" Lala and Riku's eyes widened seeing Sarah sobbed harder, "Hei, you don't need to cry. It's your turn to shine now so you should be happy."

Sarah nodded and smiled to them, "I am happy…"

"… Thank you…"


At the middle of the ceremony, Wolfram and Lala left the place and walked side by side went back to the top floor, Riku's office. Silence lingered around them. Wolfram broke the silence when they were arrived inside the elevator, "That was a beautiful ceremony…" He said with hands behind his back. His eyes focused at the huge aquarium through the window of the elevator.

"That girl has the same talent as her deceased mother. Her mother was a respectful woman in this place and a wonderful accommodator of that obligatory ceremony." Lala responded while her back facing Wolfram's back. Hands brushed back her long ivory hair from covering her ears as eyes stared at the entrance of the elevator they were that time.

"That Sarah said just now, it's a ceremony for goddess Virianna. Who is this goddess, anyway?" Wolfram asked again preventing the silence from dominating the atmosphere between them again.

That question made Lala's breath stopped slightly and her eyes widened. She bent down her head eyeing the silver floor beneath her feet, "She's our goddess of hope…" She answered with a sad smile plastered on her lips, "But she has long gone. We all don't know where she is right now. It was like… she was swallowed by the mother of earth…"

"Long gone? How come?" Wolfram said as he turned his body so that he faced Lala's back.

Lala sighed. Slowly she turned around as well and faced Wolfram. Her eyes met with his, "You saw all of them, right?"

Wolfram eyed Lala's face whose suddenly became pale, "Saw all of them of what?" He asked confused by Lala's strange question that straightly tossed to him.

"All of the people you've met inside this building. What did you see inside the eyes of those people?"

"Well, that was a strange question." Wolfram said as he ran his fingers through his golden hair, "They radiate happiness and warm, I guess. We all could know that from their expressions and smiles."

Lala's sad expression made Wolfram more worried, "So, you could not see what rest behind those fake exhilaration…"

"Behind? What do you mean?"

Lala walked to Wolfram's side and eyed the aquarium with half lidded eyes, "Sorrow… regret… despair… ire… craziness of their mind… their nearly broken souls… wounds and traces of the result after committing their wanted suicides…"

"What…?" Wolfram eyes widened hearing that.

"Know the meaning of those words?" Lala asked as her eyes narrowed.

Wolfram just silence hearing that. What confusing him was what Lala actually pointed out? What Lala showed him from those eyes full of cheerfulness?

"Their eyes… they're blank and there are glimpses of emptiness inside those orbs of theirs. It is all because of the calamities they had experienced. Yes, they finally have strength to forget about it after my brother and all of people who in charge of Erebusilea offered them to take care of their life and all of these matters, but deep down inside their heart, it is still scorching. The calamities are haunting them while they're asleep or spacing out."

"So… all of them are victims…" Wolfram said softly.

Lala grabbed Wolfram's hand and gripped it with her two hands. Wolfram could felt that her hands were trembling, "Please… help us freeing them from these entire nightmares!"

Wolfram just stared at Lala's pale face with hard eyes. Lala requested him something like these made him couldn't find a step to move backward. He had chose this path and he could not go back to where all of these began before solved all these, "Lala, calm down. I see no objection to that, so you don't have to worry about it. I will not leave… I won't run from all of these…" He said as he hugged Lala tightly and that made Lala blushed.

Lala hesitantly hugged Wolfram back. She circled her hand around Wolfram's waist and said, "Thank you."


"Welcome back, you two." Riku said to the two who entered his office as he sat comfortably on his chair.

Lala walked to Riku and offered the basket of apples she bought just now, "Do you want to eat these?"

"Sure, thanks, Lala. Cyrille, pill them for me, will you?" Riku smiled to the red woman beside him.

Cyrille took the basket and nodded, "Okay." She slowly bowed to Riku, "Excuse me for a minute, then." Three pairs of eyes followed her trails until she out from the room.

Riku's onyx eyes slowly narrowed as it stared at Lala and Wolfram, "Well? How was the trip?" He asked to them.

"It was fine." Wolfram answered, "I never knew you could make such amazing place, Lord Zinkernagel."

"Ah, please stop the flattery. Haha… oh, yeah, and stop the formality too. You can call me with 'Riku'."

"What?" Wolfram surprised.

"I too will stop calling you with 'New Heritor' or whatever that I called you with before. Hmmm… Can I call you Wolfram, then?"

"Sure." Wolfram nodded.

Lala who saw them interrupted them, "Well, brother. We have done with our tour. Now what?" Lala asked as she folded her two hands.

Riku turned around to see her in return. Serious face and devilish smile plastered on his face, "Of course. We will begin the trial." He smiled amusingly to her, "Wolfram, could you follow me?"

"Where to?" Wolfram asked confused.

Riku's smile made him gulped all of sudden.


The three of them arrived at the front of huge gates that Wolfram had never seen before. Lala didn't bring him here, that made him curious.

"Okay, then. We've arrived, here in these gates." Riku said as his onyx eyes looked at the black gates in front of them. Lala and he turned around to face Wolfram, "This is your first mission as a new heritor."

"What should I do, then? Just walk through these gates to its end?" He looked back to the serious eyes of two people in front of him.

"I really hope this will be easy as you said." He said as he touched the gates with his hand.

Riku chuckled lightly seeing Wolfram confused but his expression quickly changed back to the cold one, "There's a huge tunnel once you passed these gates. And what you have to do is… reach the end of this tunnel by yourself. You should arrive at the other gates… ALIVE…"

Wolfram's emerald eyes widened because of that, "Alive? What do you mean? Is the tunnel really that dangerous?"

Riku 'hmped' to him made him more confused, "Let me know whether this place brings you for a bright future… or your death…" Riku's cold eyes could pierce through his eyes and he was sure, that this wouldn't be easy as a plate of rice with lemon sauce fish he ate just now.

Slowly Ragna appeared beside him. He gripped Wolfram's shoulder lightly, "Don't worry, Wolfram. I'm with you. This will be your opportunity to learn how to control Runost."

Wolfram looked at him surprised and then smiled, "Right. Open the gates, then." He said to Riku.

"I'm on it." Slowly the gates disappeared and Wolfram could see a huge black hole inside of it, "Lala…"

Lala nodded to him. Slowly she walked to Wolfram with a thin long sword above her hands. She offered it to him, "Use that for your advantage. You can't handle that place with Runost's power alone right now."

Wolfram took it, unsheathed the sword, and greeted by a black shiny sword that suddenly shook on his hand, "Use that sword. That's the sharpest and the strongest sword of Erebusilea. I will give it to you if you complete this trial. This place is not just will tests you for your control over Runost, but also your own strength and heart."

Wolfram sheathed the sword and putted it beside his hip, "Let's go." He said to Ragna who nodded to him, "I have to finish this soon."

As Wolfram entered and sucked into the black hole, the gate suddenly appeared and finally closed.

Riku suddenly sat down on the floor with his head bent down, "Brother!" Lala who saw this ran to him and bent her own body, "Hang on. I'll call Cyrille."

"No, no need." Riku softly whispered to her.

"Brother…" Lala said with worried expression on her face.

"I… I hope I did the right thing. I really don't want to hurt people more than that…"

"Brother… Of course, you did the right thing. Even if you did something horrible to others, I will always there to protect you." Lala said as he hugged Riku tightly.

"Protect me? You're my little sister, Lala. I'm the one who should protect you."

Lala hugged Riku tighter, "Then… I will protect you as your servant."

"My wish… Could she accept my wish? ...But even if she can't, I won't let that woman do that. Because I'm the one…"


"Right, Riku. Just run. Just run from your destiny. Do you think you could be forgiven?" The woman smiled amusingly, "Nonsense. Even if you have Runost back, I will take it from you soon enough. Because I'm the one…"


"Who will release her from her seal…"


TBC