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Lailah pov
“Lailah, is something wrong?’ Sorey noticed that I gazed at them but speak nothing, thinking if I have something to say so he asks.
“Nothing, I am just in a daze.” The view in front of me is so beautiful that I am dazed by the view.
“Alright, by the way, I have a question from a friend. Lailah, have you met a hellion called Leo? I heard that he is an artist that likes you very much.” Sorey followed by a question like a usual talk.
“......Hmm….Let me think, there was a hellion keep murmuring my name and we purified it, he disappeared with an expression with satisfaction.”
“That’s great.” Sorey smiled and continued to carry the talk with a relaxed tone.
This is an Era of miracle, like the dazzling circumstance before my eyes. Pure ex-Shepherd, my first friend, a friend lost contact for a long time, awaken Empyrean of Void, the present Shepherd I keep searching for in this Era and the other companions traveled with me all gather in front of me in an inn and have a casual talk. Maybe there are influences from the wood material used in the inn with the tender lighting here, even if the situation is not very optimistic, I think the scene in front of me is heartwarming, like all the horror and sadness several hours ago disappeared without a trace.
Time flies quietly, memory roams in it, and I was hurriedly looking for someone not long ago.
500 years passed since the Era Maotelus slumbered with Shepherd Sorey, I have a feeling that Maotelus will awake in this Era. In this Era, I form a pact with a boy called Alpha.
Maybe he is another fallen Shepherd, my heart has felt this person in such a way. From the first time I saw Alpha, I have a strange feeling,I felt he is similar to someone as if I have seen him before.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMJQciGUE8
I thought he was a tender person who fights for his family with his everything, but at the same time he is weak, he will despair because of his tenderness. It is such a detail first impression I received since I first met him just in this Era. It felt like we had met before we were born, but we have just met each other. Have I forgotten something? Even if I know that a seraph will not forget but only not willing to memorize. From the time I have met him, I felt like I lost something as if I had seen how horrible he would be after despair as if I had regretted not being able to stop him. I have a complicated feeling that I have relieved a long time ago, but now I can’t leave him here. I don’t know whether ‘they’ are the same person, and I don’t know when did I first meet him, who am I and who was he. It is a rare case to let me feel a wave in my mind calmed for a long time, although I have witnessed countless Shepherd’s brightness with their ends, my mind fluttered for this normal younger. Is that I am finally broken down after 1500 years or else? Why am I feel different from this boy?
I remember that we first met in the sanctuary, no one sees me but still praying as usual case there, he just walks to me calmly and casually while the eyes of masses fixed on him, he didn’t mind their eyes and talked to me. He said he wanted to find the medicine for his sister and he wanted to do something for the world. As if he knew how the world works a long time ago, his eyes are cold but calm. He may not possess the passion like the other Shepherds but I feel that the calmness will lead him a good Shepherd. Since he said he wanted to do something for the world and I am affected by my suddenly unknown feeling to him, I formed the pact with him and made him a Shepherd. At the moment I formed the pact, a clip of a strange but familiar family flashed in my mind.
We started the journey, but I felt it would fail at the start because he is just like a Shepherd I knew that he bears all the things alone, I felt like he hid something and I can’t make him open to me.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4I8VPZ3G6Z
However, we still lost in the end. Though we gathered companions we lost to the unknown enemy. At that moment, his face told me that he is fearful of the enemy as if they knew each other. Just after we escaped and survived, he just cut the contract and escaped alone. He is too tender, worrying that I may be negatively affected by his growing despair, at the same time, he is too reasonable, he clearly knows that I am important to the world as the only source of purification flame before Maotelus awaken, he thought I must live, so he cut the contract.
As if something catches my heart like a claw, it is painful when I realized his decision. I thought I should be used to such parting but it is different this time. A voice deep inside my soul tells me to stop that I can’t let him to despair ‘again’, it should not be such end ‘this time’. I must go to find him, not allow him to do some stupid things and to stop him from ‘another’ despair. If I let him despair ‘again’, I can’t forgive myself. It is an unknown reason for the flame in my heart now burning bright, to let me feels life again.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yT1aAipuv
When I think of this person, I feel like everything I knew burning, something deep in my soul is waking.
Just by intuition, I search for him in the ancient temples, and one day I found a ruin of ancient Lady of the lake. I saw my ancestor felt despair in the repeating fate of failure and lost, at last, she ran away and abandoned her responsibility which leads a disaster to the world. I felt sorry for her, and I felt the same way, clearly understood that I am trying to lie to myself that I am not tired. I know I can’t abandon the responsibility that easily but I am also afraid that I would be like my ancestor someday.
Surely, a long journey I have been. From the time Maotelus just became an Empyrean to the time he fell asleep, a long sleep. I thought of those very ancient memories of mine.
“You are Lailah...I had heard you from Edna. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Eleanor.” I remembered it is my first contact to human, Eleanor was the first human formed the pact with me.
I asked what did she want, human all have their wish.
She said: “ I want to protect people from daemon, and find a way that Malakim, Human and Daemon to coexist.” It is a selfless great dream to wish.
I asked: “Wasn't Daemon dangerous? Why would you want them to co-exist with us?”26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3csZ18zJq
“I thought them unforgivable at first too, but then I got a chance to travel with a daemon, forcefully.” she smiled and answered, but I thought that should be an unpleasant memory.
“She became an important friend. In the journey, she shows me the possibility that Malakim, human and daemon can be coexisting, peacefully. We fight, we chat, we eat, we laugh and we live together. She said, we are all living in the world, rational or not, we have to deal with it.” She said longingly while unconsciously showing loneliness in her eyes. At that time, I thought this person is pure and be honest with her feeling.
“Maybe I tell you next time.”She gave a lonely smiled, maybe the daemon friend she said has gone.
Eleanor is the first few Shepherds to have such thought: to coexist with the daemon. She gave me a brand new concept to view those creatures living on the earth including daemon, seraphim, and human. The Shepherd after her all tend to stand against daemon, they thought daemon must be purified.
She kept her will until the end of her life, never despair. I became the lady of the lake then, passed on her spirit to the one after her and travel with countless of Shepherds to save the world until an era without Shepherd. I left the holy sword and went searching for the Shepherd myself, but the malevolence was overflood that my temporary vessel was not good enough. I fainted and be rescued by a seraph. Surprised me that the seraph that rescued me is the reincarnation of Eleanor and still possessed her will, but it was a short period to a reunion. Soon we were separated by the presence of Lord of Calamity. Maotelus told me to wait for the next Shepherd and she went fight against the Lord of Calamity with her friends. I haven't seen her by then, I guessed she died again, I am sorry for that.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaB2xs7wYr
However, I still fight, live for our earnest wish for a better world where seraphim and humans can be coexisting.
The first pact former after the era without Shepherd arrived was a tender Shepherd, when he came, he already formed the pact with Maotelus, but he still needed my power to aid. We traveled together and he tended to bear everything alone. Her journey with him ended when he told her that he wanted a rest. However, he was actually going to build a village where humans may live with seraphim peacefully. His wish didn't come true by the force of war ruining his dream. Just by a second, the village set on fire, village exclaimed for help or were killed by the soldiers, his friend of Roland's general betrayed him. He fell in despair at last and cursed the general, the general then became the next Lord of Calamity. I got to know these things in the journey with the next Shepherd.
The next Shepherd was a cheerful boy with a dream to make the world where seraphim may co-exist with human harmoniously. He was inexperienced to all the things in the world, which made the pre-education very important to his perception of the world as a Shepherd. This time, I taught all the things as I could, make sure he won't bear all the things alone to despair. He did it, at last, sacrificed the time of himself to purify tainted Maotelus and share his resonance with the world to raise the next Shepherd. I didn't know whether it is the best, he didn't know what will he be after the purification finish and I couldn't think of a better option, I felt sorry that to make him come up with that option, after all, I taught him the way to be a Shepherd. “As long as I remembered my dream, I will still go for it.” He said to his friend before the last battle.
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In the time he and Maotelus were resting in peace, I continually fight for our dream with many Shepherds. It is indeed a long journey and there is never an end.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LNomKbK5r
May all those souls lost on the way of our dreams rest in peace, weep them with the stories of the Shepherds gone. The stories will pass on, the spirit will carry on, until the day our dream come true.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdsUDqpyCM
The numberless time I sit beside the pedestal of the sword, waiting for one arrival. I can never forget the memories with the lost soul, I can never rest until our dream come true.
“Lailah.” a cheerful and hearty voice called, makes me think of Sorey immediately.
“Sorey……” A warm touch in my heart fills my eyes with tears.
“I’m back.” The boy in front of me smiled brightly and warmly like a sun.
“Sorry to keep you alone, Lailah.” Another female voice called after several steps, the voices both too nostalgic to me and I can’t stop my feeling arise.
“Eleanor……”
This day, I met both my dear long lost friends, they both had a long-forgotten cloistered sleep. They lend a hand to me together. I reach my hand to them but wonder if this is a dream that it would disappear in the next second.
I never expect they still live. Is it just dreaming of my heart?26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAnqfYAULq
Now I'm crying don't know why.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3JWZo2A3r
Where do all the tears come from?
“Lailah…” Sorey shocked a bit while called my name longingly from his heart. It must be rare to see me filled with tears and I can’t dry up the spring of my tears.
“It is fine, we are here for you.” They both catch my hand and hug me to calm me down.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMthjJ8Sfj
I know, even if they are not here, they will be in my heart, become one of my light. I held them with my arm, erased my doubts and horrors. What I wanted is the future we dreamed and fought for together, and I will move my feet for our faraway ideal while grip tightly onto these certain bonds we built.
In this Era of miracle, Shepherds in the past and present gather with lords, my lord, Maotelus, is here again to fight with us. Then the Shepherd I have found finally presented, I’m glad that Alpha hasn’t despaired yet and somehow determination return in his eyes. I have forgotten that how we escaped from a bunch of dragons turned from our friends by the ‘Lord of Calamity’. We just ran and survived but his heart has broken from that time. I guess he has not fully recovered from the lost, neither I am. When I try to talk to him, Zaveid just said it would be fine to let him do the job.
Here we gather and we talked for the after stories, sharing the joy and sadness like the old days. Such a moment of such peace in my long tiring journey, it must be a longing of my heart.
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3rd pov26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYehIOddKJ7
At night, Alpha sits in front of the bar desk, gazing at the glass with only ice left in it. Then the bartender gives him another cups of Whiskey with a clear sound of ice and glass hitting each other.
Alpha: “I didn't order for one more.”
“It’s my treat, boy,” Zaveid stated with a bold and generous tone.
“.......Zaveid.” Alpha noticed the presence of Zaveid.
“What makes you troubled?”
“A lot.”
“Say it, I have plenty of time.”
Alpha looked at Zaveid, he knew that the man in front of him is reliable, he has asked him for a favor to take care of his 'sister' too, and he thinks he is asking too many things from this man.
“Why are you hesitating? I say I don't mind at all. It is fine for a boy to rely on the older one.”
“I am already an adult.” Alpha insisted like a kid.
“It doesn't matter. Besides, your actual age is six years old.”
“...! How did you?!”
True, Alpha and Beta came to him with the appearance of 10 & 6 years old respectively, but that was the time they just escaped from the facility, so both of them were just nearly baby from the test tube but possessed the knowledge to the world.
“I heard it from Eleanor, you guys are clones, right?” Zaveid said while remembering the words from Eleanor.
“......Did Beta know it?” Alpha became a bit nervous when concerning his ‘little sister’.
“No, she didn't, and I don't plan to tell her. Besides, this doesn't matter to me.”
“Doesn't ….matter?” Alpha doubted.
“You are just a living entity in the world, like us.” Zaveid ensured with a firm tone that comforted Alpha a lot.
“......You said the same thing as the original of Beta.” Now Alpha started to remember the raven-hair woman who full of contradiction just said the similar words as Zaveid.
“You mean Velvet? Have you met her?”
“Yes, she told me to live and take responsibility as a brother.”
“So she will say something like that......Can't agree more, to think how long you have left your sister.”
“Yes, it is a miracle that we live until now.”
“What do you mean?”
“A fast production product like us are not expected to last long, 6 years is a long time already.”
“.......Then, live the time as much as we can.”
“Yeah, I will search a way to strengthen her life too but one thing I must solve is a seraphic arte planted inside us. Our father may execute us at any time, I guess this also planted inside Velvet and her friend.”
“You don't need to find it alone, we may help you. So, mind explain in detail?”
Alpha explained it in detail and with the supplement of his works in the facility.
“Great! Let's get the work started! “ Zaveid praised as he listened.
“Huh? How?”
“First, let's tell everyone about the news you get. Oh, looks like the ex-shepherd has got his friend back.”
“Ex-shepherd.....Sorey was the Shepherd in the tales?”
“Right.”
Now Alpha eyes filled with admiration and respect.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSVFBDIFbf
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With the aid of Zaveid, Alpha managed to be accepted in the group. Now everyone knows about the situation. They will go tackle the set arte in themselves.
“Execution arte...Can't believe such evil arte was developed among seraphim.” Eleanor said.
“There are various types of seraphim, just like humans,” Lailah said.
“Yeah, but the Seraphim I know are all kind!”
“How about Symonne?” Mikleo thought of the female seraph set numerous illusion traps to stop them.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAceKckzyQ
“I believed she has her kindness too.”
“But it is not the case for Tartarus.” Alpha said.
“So he really is a seraph......”Sorey murmured.
“You noticed all the time?”
“I somehow noticed. He acted like a long life being and he judges human.”
“ If this is true. I am disgusted that I am in the same species as him.” Edna thought of his disgusted attitude.
“ Maybe we should find a supercentenarian seraph to ask about.” Alpha suggested.
Everyone gazed at Lailah.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6GD7NkjxE
“ Oh my, look at the brilliant star sky~”
Then they looked at Edna.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt5Yk94oY2
“ What? That's rude, and I haven't left my home for a long time, you should not expect me to know.”
Then they gazed at Zaveid.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISgRKTdXmu
“ Glad to see youngers rely on me, but I am just a troublemaker, I know nothing about this.”
Ok, the place filled with silence until the second-young seraph speaks.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUr4cWcPFt
“ Maybe I know one, her name is Grmiore. She reads a lot of ancient books.” Eleanor suggested.
“ Let's give a try, where is she?” Sorey said.
“ Last time I met her in Meirchio and I asked a favor from her, but that is already 700 years ago......” Eleanor remembered she let her take care of Rokurou.
“ At least we get a direction,” Edna commented.
“ Agree, let's go together.” Lailah clapped her hands to cheer up.
Then everyone agrees to go to Meirchio to find Grimoire.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eTSQsCsgX
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On their way to Meirchio, a terrible howl sent.
“ AWROO-----” The group tensed when they hear the howl.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCJ8J5KMr4
That's is the same howl as they have heard in the forest of Magiland. The sad and torn breast howl, such heartbreaking voice to let Sorey feel like the wolf is crying.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEfUalZVf0
It also a possibility for a hellion attack, the group all prepared with their weapons.
Following the reaching brush sound of plants, strong wind blow them away like a storm. A giant wolf is running pass them and then turned its head to them.
They met a giant wolf, no, a werewolf but it chooses to act like a wolf. It is covered in black furs like the color of Velvet’s hair and coat, its limbs have metal attached on and it possesses golden iris.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEPQ8Rgb8b
“ No......”Eleanor moaned when she recognized her friend immediately.
This is an unavoidable battle.
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A.N.
Very unstable word count that it returned around 3000 again this time.
I am not familiar with Lailah, it should not be that sad but I let it became sad in the previous chapter. That may be kind of OOC. I am not making Eleanor into the main character either but just supply the information I told in the side story.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qOdfotKws
I am trying to connect Lailah to a character with the reincarnation stuff, all the special feeling to Alpha is because her memory as Celica/ Seres awaken a little and it reacted to Alpha who is a clone from the Earthen Historia. Sorry that no bad puns...( still studying......).26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6F47jJUZ3s
The problem of Alpha seems solved but it can be more reaction with Beta....hmm, but I still figuring the way to write them as I can't write 'Eizen and Edna' well either.
P.S. Reference lyrics from “My long forgotten cloistered sleep”.
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