Trails in The Sea of Soul
Chapter I
The chime of the doorbell gave Minato a moment's rest as he stepped inside of a nearby store in his venture, setting about searching for the item he was seeking out with an air of passiveness to accompany the act. It took his eyes a few moments to adjust to the dimly lit interior, before his steady eyes caught each desired item in its designated aisle. Despite the shop being small and crowded, the atmosphere was tranquil enough to allow him to skim through with a bit of ease.
He bent down inspect them before gathering each item with him, gently placing it on the counter in front of the woman standing behind it. He gave a polite nod, allowing the woman to begin tallying up his purchases. It was only minutes later that he would walk outside, paying for what he found with a small smile of gratitude towards the clerk.
The soft rustle of the leaves around him served to ease away some of his still lingering doubts and uncertainties, casting a sort of amiable silence over him for the better part of his journey. The smell of freshness and life in the rural landscape acted as a sort of salve to his skin, drawing away heavy thoughts that plagued him with each step he took. Heaving a sigh, he continued forth along the dirt path leading out from house, one hand in his pocket clutching an item tucked inside if only for convenience's sake.
Even now, he can't shake the feeling of disbelief that he was indeed free from the great seal. The howling winds around him spoke volumes, carrying away with it a certain nostalgia tucked deep inside and giving space for his new found reality to seep in and remain there in peace. He stopped every now, taking his time to admire the small picturesque moments he encountered. The serene atmosphere, birdsongs, and even a light gust which occasionally blew past his face felt like nothing else out there but pure freedom to him now.
He could already sense that it was nearing late afternoon judging by how the sun had sunk from its highest point in the sky and was now giving off a mellow light, casting deep oranges and yellows onto their path. Finally, in a field not too far away he could make out an old farmhouse with smoke rising from its chimney. He continued forward steadily, feet stirring up bits of dust as he trudged through the land.
He let out a minute sigh and pausing for a moment, reaching into his pocket. His fingers meet something cold, almost as if it was beckoning him to take hold, an object which he had grown all too familiar with. The key of her oh-so-precious motorcycle. His grip tightened ever so slightly as the memories of his lover and their time together flashed in his mind.
The waves of emotion that coursed through him in the aftermath of that moment seemed to take a hold on him, filling his mind with scenes of what their future may have been had he not been burdened with the duty of being the Great Seal.
A soft exhalation left him as he slowly re-adjusted himself from the wistful mood he had found himself prone to lately, returning his focus to the present situation. He waited a few moments longer before moving forward, even more determined to help out his benefactor as much as he could for her kind hospitality these past few days.
The peace which blanketed the area was only disrupted by some occasional rustling of foliage as Mrs. Kasia attentively watered her plants, unseen from his field of vision but accompanied by something akin to a calming lullaby chiming out ever so lightly with each movement. Intertwined with this melodic backdrop, one could hear the quiet laughter of a child as Mrs. Kasia fussed over her son's attempts at helping her take care of them; a sight which seemed to bring a tinge of warmth and contentment to any atmosphere it graced.
Standing by the counter, he gently wiped his hands off before placing a creased up apron onto its hook. Greeting him were several dishes he had prepared earlier, steams slowly wafting into the air without interruption and creating quite an impressive aroma within their confined space. He smiled ever so lightly, his mind flashing back to the time when Shinjiro had taught him on how to prepare these particular dishes.
Letting out a sigh, Minato squared his shoulders and proceeded to call out for the small family, his voice soft yet clear enough to resound throughout the house. Mrs. Kasia was the first to arrive, followed by her son, his hand clutching onto his mother's skirt as he peeked at the table with wide, curious eyes.
It was a quiet yet enjoyable dinner, the silence being broken only by the boy and his mother's gentle laughter. As the two conversed, there were many moments when Mrs. Kasia took her time to appreciate Minato's handiwork in preparing the meal. Her eyes sparkled with a gentle sort of admiration, wordlessly mouthing out praise and approval without making it overly obvious. Her son was far less subtle with his enjoyment than his mother had been, cheering up just after taking one bite.
The rest of the dinner was a peaceful affair, their pleasantries exchanged and stories shared over meals that Minato had prepared. Once nightfall came upon them, he retired to his sleeping quarters with a sense of content, hoping that the peaceful atmosphere and days would remain as such in the future.
He watched the night sky from his window, just as he had always been ever since his arrival in this new world. The gentle light of stars glittered and twinkled as they were carried across the dark horizon by wisps of cloud on a frail breeze. His gaze was mesmerising yet melancholic all at once; adrift in thought, gazing into an abyss that held unknown secrets beneath its depths unknowable to the majority of mankind.
The moonlight cascaded and illuminated everything it touched with a majestic hue which only further enhanced the tranquillity present around him; for not even a single sign of jeopardy or malevolence whom one might expect to join them during this age-old ritual invaded this silent wraithlike beauty, none whatsoever except his own murmurs echoing within his thoughts as time endlessly dragged on.
Unfortunately, despite his aching body and his mind's call for much needed respite, he just couldn't rid himself of that mental habit to watch for the arrival of the Dark Hour. That urge to stay on high alert, just in case something out of the ordinary, no matter how unlikely, would happen.
That same internal impulse kept pushing him to maintain his vigilance and never let it down in times of danger. It was a sense of duty he had been so accustomed to during his past years, one that seemingly remained embedded within him still; an unbreakable part of himself that could not easily be forgotten despite the numerous confirmation that the Dark Hour did not exist in this world.
He let out a deep sigh before turning around and move towards the bed, picking up an envelope from the nightstand as he did so. Sitting down, he turn on the orbal lamp and put his back against the headboard. He knew that he had read it countless times already by now; yet, its familiarity seemed to offer him a certain level of comfort as he proceeded to unfold the letter. It felt smooth and soft beneath his palm; the great care with which it had been written evident in every single paper, its content detailing his attentant journey and her attempt to set him free from the Great Seal.
It had been one of the few items Kasia Osborne had found him with when she first discover him laying unconscious in front of her house. The other items included his Evoker, the fake firearm still retaining the scuff marks it had gained through the thousands of battles he and the rest of SEES had experienced during the Dark Hour. Mitsuru's motorcycle key had also been one of them, before he took the object and place it in his pocket along with a small photograph depicting him and the rest of SEES.
The last item was something that Elizabeth herself seemed to had made specifically for him. A glance to his side revealed a single longsword leaning against the wall, its blade reflecting the light in the dimly lit as if trying to capture his attention with an enticing shimmer and lustrous shine.
A small note had been attached to the weapon's handle, obviously written by Elizabeth herself.
'A small gift for my dear guest, worthy of the Redeemer of Man, of the one who represent the might of the Universe...'
The sheer beauty of the weapon was enough to take his breath away when he first saw it. He had realized that it is, in fact, a Nihil Blade when he first touch it, his various persona reacting differently at the slightest contact with the special material used in its design.
He returned his gaze back towards the letter and quietly read its content with ease, having memorized every single word at this point in time as if they were written on his heart itself.
His fingers traced the last few sentences of the correspondence, that same words always putting a gentle smile to his face every single time he read them...
'Rest assured, my dear guest, for we will meet again...'
Eventually, he folded the paper and put it back down onto the nightstand, extinguishing the orbal lamp with a small flick as he move his feet towards under the covers. Surrounded by heavy darkness, he slowly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Those same comforting words being his last thought before he let go of consciousness...
Author's Note: It was supposed to cover up to the Jaeger's Attack on the house, but oh well... Gonna get back to Honkai Impact 3rd crossover. Hmm... It still felt like I'm forgetting something...
Edit: Haha... Turns out I only uploaded it into the document manager but forgot to post the chapter... Hahahahaha... Hahaha... *Sigh*, I'm such an idiot... Anyway, I probably rewrite this entire chapter later on. Kinda felt like it was missing a lot of important detail now that I looked it over. Also, somehow, it doesn't feel 'Minato' enough...
Disclaimer: Persona 3 belongs to Atlus; Legend of Heroes series belongs to Nihon Falcom.