Chp 8 The Truth of the Goddess

Finally I managed to get myself upload this chapter after a long break(sorry...), and I'll finished it in the school (that means update!) so plz keep checking this out!

Sorry for three months of waiting!

In ΣFort Auf--

Shugo, Rena, Kite, and Carl were standing in front of a weapon shop.

"……" All of them were in silence. They were supposed to share the information they've gathered 3 days ago, but when they saw what happened to "The World", all of them went speechless. One of the stone-made bridges that were supposed to link two floating lands together is broken, and nobody can go to the isolated land. The artificial sky were covered with clouds and kept raining.

"……Could this be Morganna's doing?" Finally Carl took a deep breath and asked.

"I don't think it is as when Aura executed her reborn program, she 'died' with Morganna and came back to 'The World'." Kite shook his head and replied.

"…I remember that Balmung once said that Aura is the omnipresence of 'The World'. Does this related to her?" Rena asked. Shugo stared at his little sister, his brain kept echoing Rena's words. Is it true? If it is, then there must be something wrong with her…he thought.

"The possibility exists." Kite simply replied.

"Then we'll have to go and see her!" Shugo said, a bit over-voiced. Everybody stared at him. Silence.

After a few seconds…

"Okay. But only three of us can go." Kite said. Carl turned her face to side.

"You guys go ahead, I don't mind." She mumbled, with a frowned face. Yes you mind…Everybody sweated.

"Wait a minute! If three of us go to see Aura, and one of us stayed, then why do we call for a meeting?" Rena asked. Everybody went silence again.

"Looks like it can't be helped," Kite sighed, "Shugo, you'll go alone." Shugo's eyes almost popped out. "Alone?!" He repeated.

"Yes so that we can do what we planned while you go and check if she's okay or not." Kite replied as everybody was staring at Shugo.

"……okay…but I don't have any virus cores…" before Shugo could finish the sentence, Kite transferred some virus cores to him.

"I still have some left so feel free to use them." Kite smiled. Shugo hesitated a bit, and then nodded. He left.

In Net Slum--

A woman dressed in black with long auburn hair and crimson, cat-like eyes was sitting on a trunk. The leaves on the trunk were dense but there was enough space for her to have an eye on the ground while nobody could see her.

"…………" she stared at the ground, where a girl in white sat on. The girl rolled up herself under a tree and nothing more.

Somebody has to do something with this before she turns herself into a statue…the woman thought, yet didn't do anything.

She knew that she herself wouldn't be the person who can help the girl.

Suddenly, a boy transferred into Net Slum.

The boy—Shugo walked slowly in Net Slum. He dared not to break the peace in Net Slum so he just walked to find Aura.

After a few minutes, he finally saw Aura, who was sitting under a tree. She seemed so tired as she rolled herself up and didn't move. Is she

asleep?Shugo thought, although he kept walking to Aura.

"Aura…" he whispered her name near her ear. Aura didn't move. Shugo frowned a bit, then tried again with a louder voice.

"Aura…it's me, Shugo…" he said. This time, Aura turned her head to Shugo and stared at him. Shugo was a bit surprised as he saw that Aura's

clear azure eyes had turned hazy.

"Shugo…"Aura whispered, sounded half-conscious. Shugo sat next to her left-hand side.

"Are you okay? I mean…'The World' now is in a bit strange situation and you seem so tired…" Shugo asked. Aura didn't answer his question.

She put her left hand on Shugo's bracelet. Then in few seconds, the conversation between Morganna and Aura popped into Shugo's brain.

When he knew about the conversation, he felt happy but doubted. If Aura is more than an AI, then why does she look so tired and……hopeless?

At the same time, Aura let her head drop on Shugo's shoulder, and whispered Shugo's name again. Shugo looked at Aura and was

astonished to found that she was weeping on his shoulder.

"…I don't have a choice……I really don't……" Aura sobbed. What…? What do you mean? Shugo wanted to ask her, but he knew that he wouldn't

get his answer, not when this girl is sobbing so hard. Since they had met in 'The World' four years ago, he always knew that the girl was

emotional, even as the goddess of 'The World'. As her closest friend…well, may be her closest friend, he knew that it's not the right moment to

ask her for the details. He put his arms around Aura softly, and gave her a hug.

"…Don't worry…whatever it is, I'll be with you…Rena, Kite and Carl too will give you a hand...you can count on us." Shugo said, and brushed Aura's silver hair to comfort her.

Suddenly a black shape fell down and landed before Shugo and Aura.

"Hmph, you think you can help her with your power and your friends? I'll tell you kiddo, even the legendary heroes are by your side, you'll

need more to help this girl." The black shape—Morganna snored and stared at Shugo arrogantly.

"Who are you? What do you mean?" Shugo shouted back. He stood and pointed at Morganna using one of his daggers. Aura too stood up,

staring at her sister with confusion. Morganna let out a smile, which resembles the devil's smile. She then charged at Shugo with a big red

wand. "Whoa!" Shugo ducked Morganna's attack with just 1 cm distance. With no hesitation, Morganna swung her wand. Icebergs fell from

the artificial sky. Shugo cased the attack "Blazing Wheel" and melted all the icebergs that were going to hit him. Just when Shugo planned to

case an attack on Morganna, Morganna pointed at Shugo's daggers. In the next second, Shugo's daggers vanished. "Damn…" Shugo

murmured.

"Listen now, heir to the twilight bracelet—what you're going to face is a matter that affect the whole 'The World'. You take one wrong step,

this world falls into darkness. You get that, kiddo?" Morganna stared at Shugo and warned him, her evil smile faded. Shugo stared at the

ground for a few seconds, his left hand touching the twilight bracelet.

"……I don't care what will come to me—as long as I'm the heir to the twilight bracelet, I will not allow 'The World' falls into darkness—I'll make

the goddess's wish come true!!" Shugo declared, courage shone in his eyes. He then aimed at Morganna with his right arm, without noticing

Aura was running towards Morganna from his back.

"Data…Drain!!"

"Kyaaaaa!" A scream. From a girl dressing white.

A golden light pierced through the girl. The girl screamed with pain, then fell. Morganna caught her, then sat on the grassland.

"…Aura." Morganna called. Shugo was frozen.

…………What did I…How can I……………his mind was in blank, only repeating these words.

Aura slowly opened her eyes, half-conscious. "Shugo…" she called weakly. Morganna turned to Shugo and shouted, "come here, kiddo!'"

Shugo slowly walked to Aura. He fell onto the ground and stared at the half-conscious girl.

"Aura…I'm…I'm…" he hardly could speak. Aura weakly raised her hand, and touched Shugo's face. Her eyes became clear again.

"Thank you…Shugo…I always know that…you are……the one......sister...please stay by his side...and help...him...to..." without finishing her sentence, Aura passed out.

'The World' was in blank for a second, then went normal again.

"……………………" Shugo was in silence. Morganna softly let Aura lie on Shugo's arms.

"I see. So she trusts you. Then everything is on your hand now, the heir to the twilight bracelet." Morganna stared at Shugo, then said.

Shugo was hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Morganna then vanished, leaving the goddess and the heir to the twilight bracelet in Net

Slum.

Plz R&R!!!

Previews of Chapter 9 & 10: The goddess realized that she was not alone, as a shadow of herself is by her side. Meanwhile, what did Kite, Rena and Carl discovered? Plz wait and check for updates!!