Chapter 23: Lost Paradise

"Sounds like you've been torn apart for a while." Rider said, trying to strike up conversation. Hazel had grown used to the silence from Berserker. It was a welcomed change, but one that would take time.

"Yes. But it's a price I'll pay." She saw him look up to the sky, and gave a guess as to what he was missing.

"We'll see her soon." Hazel said.

"Who are you talking about?" his new master raised her brow. "Sis? Oh, she'll be fine."

"I know, but will you be?" Achilles was mildly offended, but he would play along.

"I'm not the one who was thrown into a wall."

"Better broken bones than a broken heart." Hazel spoke with a chuckle and Rider turned away, now refusing to look at the clouds. "You're going to have to get used to my humor if this pairing will work." Hazel said, smiling for once.

Sticks cracked in the distance. Hazel saw a flash of blonde hair. She knew who it was and moved before she could speak.

"Hey. Shouldn't we talk? Master!"

"Rider, go to the trees you can ambush from above." He heard her voice inside his head. She seemed confident about the threat so he remained still.

Hazel ran fast but caught up to the person and tackled them, the sounds of water rustling behind them. They fell to the ground and dropped the load they were carrying

"Roche." Hazel said pinning him to the ground.

"Let me go!" He insisted, squirming though he could not escape.

"Where are you going?"

"My teacher needs that. Please, he needs me."

Hazel began to think. He would not know that Caster had switched sides. She did not want him going anywhere until his teacher showed himself.

"Roche."

"I want to go to him, please!"

"Roche. He's not with the Black Faction anymore…"

"Hazel. What are you doing with my master?" His low voice boomed between the trees.

"Teacher!"

"Let him go." Caster commanded, but did not pick up the core. Hazel could see now what the truth was.

"You want him for the core? Like that homunculus," she said. "Be honest with him."

"You've lied this whole time and demand honesty?" Caster said as two large golems surrounded them. Hazel still held Roche tightly though he resisted, he was too young to die here.

"I demand it for your master. Men like you are easy to read. You only want what's perfect in your mind. Not for others."

"Come here, Roche."

"No." Hazel interrupted. "Take me instead."

"Sensitive since your servant threw you aside." Caster said, but if she was a willing sacrifice, his creation would be stable. "You have no purpose now. I'll give you one." He snapped his fingers as the golems reached to grab her. In a flash of green light they were dismantled. Rider stood in front of them. At least Hazel could count on his timing.

"I believe you just tried to harm my master. Which means you go through me."

Before he could proceed more began to show. Archer had recruited the other master's and servants of Black.

"Lady Hazel, leave immediately. We'll handle him." Chiron said. Though she wanted to help, she had to restrain Roche, even if he hated watching his master fall.

"Annoyances, all of you." Caster said as more golems appeared. The homunculi fell easily but Astolfo and Chiron did their best to attack the bigger golems. Eventually one of the master's had enough watching his creations be destroyed, and charged Caster himself.

"Caster, you brute."

"Gordes, no!"

Caster grabbed him by the neck and called for his golems to throw him to the water.

"You will suffice." Caster said. Though he struggled, Gordes knew he could not escape. He was thrown in and began to transform. The creature grew as Gordes screams echoed loudly. They could see what appeared to be a giant man being formed. His body slowly disappearing into the center, pulling his skin and bones. His face being the last sight anyone could see before his demise.

"If this is all I am good for, at least I can say I'm a man who died with purpose." Those were the last words he uttered before only the giant remained.

"Now you will see my greatest creation. It doesn't matter the core. Humans are all disposable."

"A paradise where only your creation exists?" Archer said, drawing his bow.

"If you do not see it, then you will be exterminated." Archer's arrows fired at a rapid pace, piercing Caster several times. He began to fade away as his creation still stood to conquer.

"Teacher, no." Roche whimpered. Fallen to the ground on his knees.

"Leave now, Master." Rider asked, and she obeyed, but wanted to save another.

"Roche."

"He can't be gone." he said, frozen in place. "His golem is still here."

"Achilles, follow me." Chiron commanded. But, he wanted to know he would not harm Hazel further, given her weakened state.

"Are you sure you can sustain me for a battle?"

"I must." He admired her confidence, and knew the sooner he took down the giant, only then could he allow his master to rest.

"I'll make it quick." He said and summoned his chariot and rode off. Hazel grabbed Roche, now numb from what he had just witnessed, and ran to a safe place as the battle carried on.

They kept running until Hazel found another clearing over a small pond. Roche was still in shock and sat down once Hazel declared it was safe. The base of his palms drilling into his head. Hazel had gone to get a drink of water when Roche spotted a rock beside him. Upset with his failure, he began pounding it into his head.

"He's gone. His golem. Gordes."

"Roche, hey." she turned to see what he was doing.

"Why? He wanted to use me. After all I've done to help." She grabbed the rock from his hand and threw it into the water. She held him close as he curled up in her arms. Though he resisted her grasp before, the warmth of her arms wrapped around him was a sign he was not alone.

"Why are you hurting yourself?" she asked, trying to scoop water to pour on his wound, but now he wouldn't let go.

"It should have been me." He spoke softly, tears beginning to burst. "I was the one he wanted. I'm so stupid. Why does everyone fall? Again and again. I looked up to him. And he just saw me as a pawn. I just wanted to make golems. To be his apprentice. He's not what I imagined."

Hazel hugged him tighter. The child was hurt. His dream had become a nightmare. Everything he thought he was helping make was just for a selfish dream.

"Many try to touch the heavens and get punished. Some get close but no matter what they will always be grounded." The battle raged on in the distance, but the noises did not phase them.

"What happened to Berserker?"

Hazel smiled. She could relate to his pain. "He wanted a different path too. I wasn't going to be a part of his wish. All I can hope is that he is pleased with his new master."

"Aren't you hurt?"

"Yes, Roche. But I have others I need to look after. He will have to wait for me to return. Right now, I'll go where I am needed."

There was a pause as the water rustled.

"Can I stay with you?" Roche asked innocently. The facade of a genius had begun to fade into a scared child. Hazel knew students like him, never learning love, only to embrace and rely on their gifts. She wanted him to feel safe, but could see his frustration riding up again.

"They don't talk to me like you do. I wanted nothing more than to learn from him, but he didn't see me. No one ever sees me except my golems."

"Roche…"

"I thought he wouldn't betray me. And Berserker liked you. Why doesn't anyone tell the truth in this stupid world?" He went to hit himself again and Hazel stopped his hand and hugged him closer. She didn't want to see any more bloodshed tonight.

"Because that's why humanity sucks." She said and he started to listen.

"You know Berserker was a product of my rage. Because Lancer of Black and Darnic killed my comrades. If he wasn't of that class I have no doubt that he would be something like Rider of Red."

"That bothered you?" She wanted to change the subject. Have him see what led to her rage.

"Imagine if you came back and your factory was destroyed. No golems, plans, or anything. Would you confront the person who burned the place down or rebuild?"

"I'd be mad but I would pick up the pieces." She smiled at his response.

"See, you're smarter than me." Hazel paused. "It's not worth it. There is too much stuff in the world not to care about anything."

Roche smiled a small grin, resisting his eyelids slowly closing. It was nice to finally have a friend, though he feared it for a long time.

"So this is who you are?"

Hazel paused for a moment. She had not opened up to the Master's or Servants except for those she knew. But she knew she wasn't a monster now. She didn't need to fight all the time. In this moment, all she needed to do was comfort a child.

"Yeah. This is how they knew me." She leaned back on the grass, Roche's head still curled up on her shoulder. But a faint howl in the distance made him jump.

"Don't be frightened. You're safe." Hazel said, her eyes beginning to shut too. She could feel a strong pull of mana. Clearly Rider was enjoying the fight. A nap would only help him.

"You see me. Thank you." Roche said before drifting off to sleep. Hazel watched to make sure he remained that way. She could feel her eyes becoming heavy, too. As she stared at the sky, a moon glowing over the pond. Though it looked the same as when the night began, everything had changed. But war had no master, the only thing it promised was the unpredictable.

"Rest now, Roche. A new day will come." she said softly, and closed her eyes on the world.