Chapter 58:- Fading soul.
Disclaimer:- all the characters form the game belong to moonton and this is not a commercial story but just the work of a diehard fan.
Claimer:- the other characters which are not in game of mentioned are mine
It was over, the invaders had been fended off, the enemies had been defeated and the battle was won. The siege engine was destroyed and the bulk of the Abyssal army had been eradicated by their saviour.
They had done it!
They had survived through certain annihilation, all because of the stout efforts of a few valiant souls. Filled with joy, the Elven people of Moniya rejoiced at their victory, thanking their goddess and all the brave souls that had laid their lives today to defend their home.
However, their celebration didn't last long because a grave misfortune had befallen upon them. Hanabi no Iga, the person whom Saya Mahira held dearest, was dying. The Shadow Bringer's poison ran deep in her blood, tainting her body and sucked away the life force from her.
Saya tried, she tried so hard. Hanabi was rushed to the nearest physician to find a cure for her.
"Take whatever you want from me, but please save her!" begs Saya to the Doctor who was trying his best to pull out the poison from Hanabi's body with his magic. Even Saya herself sucked the poisoned blood from her human's wounds against the Doctor's advice but she didn't care. Her human was in danger and in that current situation all other matters sounded trivial to her.
Hanabi looked pale right now and blue veins could be seen on her skin. Her breathing had slowed down considerably and her body was losing its warmth.
"C-cold… I feel so cold…" she shudders. Immediately Saya came beside her and rubbed her human's palm. Hanabi turns to face the Sai'ore whose face was fear stricken, "It will be alright, meha Neha. You'll e alright. Just please, hang in there!"
A sad smile graced Hanabi's lips. Shedding tears, she speaks softly, "You were the first and only true friend I ever had. I am so glad to have known you…" these were her words, after which, the light in her eyes faded.
Her world seemed to shatter as Saya stood mortified. The Doctor checked Hanabi's pulse and shook his head solemnly, "Her soul now is in care of the Moon Goddess. May she rest in peace."
The Ancient Empress looked upon her human, 'No, it can't be…' with shaky hands she touched Hanabi's cheek which felt so cold, 'You can't be gone…' her eyes watered and her breath started getting ragged, 'You can't leave me…Not you too…' Tears fell freely down the eyes of the once proud warrior, now reduced into a sobbing mess. Saya held her human's cold body, cradling her in her arms as Saya's entire being broke down into sobs. Like the rain, her tears fell and she hugged Hanabi like her life depended upon it.
"No, please. You can't leave me. Not you too. You're all that I have left, please." She pleads, hoping and praying to anyone that would listen to bring back her human but reality came crushing back at her. Hanabi was gone; she had passed away, while Saya herself remained back, like always.
Miya and Nana came over as soon as possible upon hearing the news and felt deep sympathy for the woman who had saved their city in her murderous rampage.
"I am so sorry…. I understand your pain…" says Miya solemnly, trying her best to console the Sai'ore who was in pain. But, Miya's words had the opposite effect.
To think that a youngling such as her would even remotely understand the length of her pain was insulting. For Saya, Hanabi had been all that she had. The closest thing she had to a family. Her only reason to even exist after the destruction of her people by the hands of the cruel Kastiyans, her only anchor to keep her sane and now….. that anchor was gone.
Taken from her, ripped out of her hand when she was away.
Something inside Saya snapped, as if her mind broke, letting go of the last thing that held it together.
Miya frowned when Saya's sobs grew more severe. Her worry deepens when Saya cries desperately. Unable to see her in such a state, the elf moved forward to get near her, "Saya, please pull yourself together…."
That was when the damn broke.
The priestess was sent tumbling away when a shockwave surged out of Saya's body, "What the hell?"
However, worse was yet to come.
Her mind lost in grief and sorrow, Saya no longer wept…..she screamed. The Sai'ore's entire being got consumed in her extreme turmoil of emotion, thus Saya screamed, and with each screams, out came another shockwave.
The walls of the clinic were not strong enough to withstand the power that was leaking out of her and gave way, but Saya didn't care. Holding her human, she let out yet another wail.
It was ear splittingly loud, but it carried an ocean of sorrow within it that could be felt throughout the area. It hurt; it hurt so much, especially seeing her human's face. Her young and beautiful face that would always make her day whenever she smiled warmly at her and now, that smile had extinguished and it hurt her even more.
Saya's painful wails resonated throughout the city, causing the people to come looking for her in worry of what might have happened. This proved to be the worst thing to happen because Saya's attention was now upon the elven population of Moniya, the very people she just saved.
'These…were the people my Hanabi gave her life defending', she thinks bitterly. Then a dark thought entered her mind, 'If it weren't for them, she would have still been here….' Now this thought was stirring her up., 'This was not our fight, but we got dragged into it because of them… And now, my Hanabi is no more…..' Her body was shaking with anger. Saya was many things but she was not forgiving, 'It's their fault; their fault that she is gone!'
The people whispered nervously as the once despairing woman slowly turned towards them with a very very pissed expression. Hell she looked down right murderous right now and it made them extremely nervous.
"Saya?" Miya tried to reach out for her but the Sai'ore was now in a trench. She heard nothing, not the voice Miya used to call her nor the voice of reason that was whispering in the back of her mind. It was illogical and cruel to conclude that it had been the Elves fault who had been as equal victims as herself, but right now, she couldn't see that.
Sorrow and anger had blinded her. Saya's emotions had been bottle up for so long that it just needed a spark and Hanabi's death was the very thing it needed to ignite. She always said to not let your emotions take control of yourself. Call her a hypocrite but everyone had their limits. This was her's.
Saya roars, her teeth out like a mad animal, she wanted to destroy them. She wanted to destroy every single one of those responsible for her loss. She would have charged at them, she would have ripped their throats out with her bare hands had not Irithel suddenly came before her and yelled, "Wait, there is still a way!"
The Sai'ore stopped at this and looked at the elf in confusion, wasting no time, Irithel blurted out hastily, "Up in the north lies The Mountain of the Centaurs. They guard the Fountain of Life residing deep within the mountain. Only that can save her!"
Irithel hoped against hope that the enraged Empress would listen to her and spare her kin, even if it meant that she was possibly dooming another city but she was desperate. Seeing how Saya fought, Irithel rightfully believed that they could not stop her and to see her ready to turn against them terrified her more than any fiends of Abyss ever had and she really didn't want to provoke her.
Fortunately, Saya, despite her broken state, actually heard the elf and acted immediately. Holding Hanabi in her arms, she took off towards the north, not even bothering to wait for Nhari who followed after her master.
Having just narrowly survived the wrath of the Ancient Sai'ore, Irithel falls down on her knees, wiping off the sweat that she had on her brow due to nervousness and fear.
Miya comes near and says in concern, "I hope you know what you're doing. No one has ever reached the fountain and lived to tell the tale."
The beast rider chuckled bitterly at this. She had seen the monster fight and she doubted that the centaurs would stand a chance. "It's centaurs that you should be worried about. I really hope that monster will ask first and attack later…"
"I just hope that Miss. Saya can save Hanabi." says Nana sadly with a small voice.
"I really hope so, little one." Sighs Irithel, "Because Goddess help us if it doesn't…"
-X-
For four days and nights she ran, never stopping for break, Saya ran as fast as her legs could take her. Her destination was north and that was all she could think of. She had to reach there as soon as possible because this fountain was probably her only hope.
Thus she ran, even when her legs burned from overexertion, she ran. Totally ignoring whatever protest that her body had, she simply didn't have the time or luxury to do so. Saya didn't tire, didn't stop when her leg muscles tore because it would simply heal back. In her haste, she didn't realize that her faithful steed had been tailing her ever since she left Moniya, but even Nhari was having trouble keeping up with the Sai'ore.
Her hard work finally paid off for she at last reached her destination. There before her, on top of the snowy mountain rested a huge cathedral, one carved out from the very earth itself. A very majestic and magnificent sight, but Saya was not here for sightseeing.
Holding Hanabi in her arms, Saya made her way towards the top of the mountain, hoping against hope that this remedy would work. It had to work! It must work!
At last, she reached it. Just within a distance, she could see the Cathedral, the house of the Fountain of Life, Saya's last hope.
Seeing that that fountain really did exist, Saya moved forward with a new hope rising within her. However, before she could take another step, an arrow was shot towards her, missing her feet by an inch, a warning shot. The Sai'ore stops in her tracks when a hoard of strange creatures comes out from their hiding place.
Never had Saya seen such creatures before, with a torso of a human and the lower body of a horse, these creatures were truly a strange creation of this Land. Saya concludes that these were probably the centaurs that the Elves were talking about and they were blocking her way.
The leader of the centaurs, a huge individual wielding a massive mace, sporting a horned headdress says with a booming voice, "Who dares to trespass into the holy domain of the fountain?"
Having regained much of her senses, Saya answers, "I am Saya Mahira, and I need your help. Please save my Hanabi!" The Sai'ore pleads desperately to the Mighty Centaur, opting to try and settle this peacefully.
"She means worlds to me," she says with a broken voice, "I will do anything in return; take everything you would ask of me, but please… please bring her back."
Hylos had seen many seekers who had come to his fountain to lay claim to the secrets of Immortality. Some good, most bad, but all filled with the jealous desire to gain ever lasting life. Many years ago, He was charged to protect the awesome powers of the fountain from people such as those but now, the old centaur felt a different emotion towards the woman who had arrived at his door step with a dead girl in her arms.
Pity. That was what Hylos felt for the woman who begged. He looks at the human that had deceased. 'So young…. A pity indeed.' Never had he seen anyone else who had arrived on his domain, not to gain fortune or glory or some other ulterior ambitions, but for the sake of saving someone else, a noble goal indeed.
Sadly however, the girl was beyond saving for her soul had already passed on days ago. Remorsefully, the centaur speaks, "It is too late for her now. Give her a proper burial and let her soul rest in peace."
But the woman was not able to grasp the truth at all. Still she begs, "Please, don't say that! There must be something? Anything?"
"All has to leave this plane of existence in time, one way or another. It is inevitable. Go home and lay her to rest, Fair Lady." The Centaur says kindly. Never knowing how much the words that he uttered innocently would back fire at him.
"Home…." Saya mumbles lowly and ominously. Hylos didn't know what but her sudden change of demeanour worried him. Suddenly, they all felt it. A strange and foreign power, the ones like they had never felt before and its source was none other than the woman.
"HOME?" Saya suddenly snaps, releasing a wave of energy off her body that was shaking in uncontrollable rage. Tears of sorrow and rage cascaded down her eyes and her beautiful face twisted into a scornful snarl. Looking at the shocked Hylos in the eyes, she roars, "I have no home! My world, my people, all the ones I ever knew and loved are no more! They were all take away from me!"
Looking down upon her human, she tenderly stroke her cheek, "Meha Neha was the only anchor that kept me from drowning in insanity, she was the only light that kept me from my darkness and now…she is gone."
Then she looks at Hylose sharply and utters, "But the Fountain is the answer, it might be the only chance to save her…" Slowly the woman stands, the power that surrounded her intensifies. The ground trembled due to the sheer pressure of her energy and it was making them all weary. Slowly, a pair of huge ethereal snakes materialized behind her and Saya hissed, "So I come here not got your opinion, Mortal. Now stand aside and let me through or I will carve my way through all of you!" she roars dangerously.
However the centaurs didn't bulge form their position. Hylos narrows his eyes and growls, "Although I pity you, my patients has it limits. Leave no or I will be force to use force." He says and readies his weapon. His army ready for battle before him.
"So be it." Saya growls and dashed forward…
