CHAPTER 7: A Destiny Devoured

In the depths of the quarter, the Warden stood in a dimly lit office, waiting as footsteps echoed against the stone walls. A hooded informant from Thalvaris stepped into the room, his cloak bearing the symbol of his homeland. His face was partly hidden by the hood, with only his mouth and chin visible in the faint light.

“We searched as you asked,” the informant said. “But we found little about the girl named.... Maika. Her past is unclear, like it's been hidden.. But.. There was something interesting about Etsuko.”

The Warden's eyes seemed intrigued. “Enlighten me.”

The informant adjusted a scroll in his hands. “We found records. Her bloodline is confirmed—she’s descended from those who once controlled The Greeds.” The Warden leaned forward as the informant placed the scroll on the desk. “Years ago, during the incident at Eiryu, the three Elyssian girls, Etsuko, Murasaki and... Totsuka, who died, attempting to escape from another facility, almost made it.”

The Warden’s eyes narrowed. “...Why did they fail?”

"Records show that Totsuka was consumed—sacrificed by Etsuko's Greed to help the other two reach the gate. Let's say... Etsuko betrayed them. Yet, they were still captured in the end." The Warden's eyes narrowed with curiosity as he leaned his chin against the back of his hand, scanning the scroll.

"She could control the Greed... That's quite rare."

The informant paused. “Her family once served as wardens, controlling The Greeds. But their power comes with a risk—those who use it too much can become like the creatures themselves. If Etsuko fully taps into that bloodline, she might become dangerous.”

The Warden pressed his hand against the stone table. “And Maika? Could she be useful?”

“We’re not sure. Her presence is unusual—like she doesn’t follow the normal flow of fate. Be careful. There might be more to her than it seems.”

The informant stepped back into the shadows, his cloak trailing behind him as he left the office. As the Warden turned, he noticed his assistant, Ryven, entering. “What is it this time?” the Warden asked, his voice slightly annoyed by the sudden appearance. “Just here to show you the record of the latest harvest. It doesn’t seem to be growing well before the winter. We might have to delay another year for the land to become fully fertile.”

“Of course, they’re getting weaker and begging for food. The guards are also useless,” The Warden sighed, pinching bridge of his nose.

“They... expected us earlier before next year.” Ryven added.

The Warden turned, and glared toward Ryven. “Then our rules need to get stricter if we want to meet their high expectations.”

Ryzen nodded, "Understood."

That night, Etsuko sat alone, the cold seeping through her thin clothes as she hugged herself tightly. The stone bed beneath her offered no warmth, and the distant sound of breathing from the other girls only deepened her isolation.

She leaned against the cold iron bars of the cell, her gaze unfocused as the image of the Greed’s face burned behind her eyes. Her arms wrapped tightly around her knees as the memory resurfaced—the sight of her friend’s half-devoured body flashing before her.

"You're a monster!" Murasaki’s voice echoed in her mind, sharp and accusing. Etsuko’s breath hitched, her chest tightening—

"Hey... Etsuko, right?"

The sudden voice made her flinch. She whipped her head around, startled, to see a guard standing outside the cell.

"Y-yes..." she stammered.

The guard's arm entering through the cells awkwardly, holding out a folded letter. "Ah, dammit... There you go. Your friend—Maika, right?—she gave me this to deliver."

Etsuko stared at the letter, her heart skipping a beat as surprise flickered through her eyes.

"I gotta say... I feel kinda bad if she keeps sneaking out alone like that. Ahem." The guard coughed and continued yapping "Not that I care or anything, but, uh... a girl wandering around at night’s not exactly safe, y’know?"

Slowly, she reached out, fingers brushing against the rough paper as she took it from his hand as he took his leave.

The faint moonlight trickled through the small window high above, casting a silver glow across her face. Her gaze seemed to glisten in the pale light, soft and distant, as if caught between hope and sorrow when reading it.

"Maika..." she whispered, her voice shaking as she clutched the letter tightly to her chest. Her eyes fell on faint symbols hidden beneath the normal writing—only visible to her.

A secret message spell...

The letter showed her how to use the spell to reply, a way to send her words back without anyone else knowing.

"It's not going to be easy for me, huh?"

That night, the sky hung like a void—fogged with emptiness, dark and hollow, with not a single star in sight. The air was thick with an eerie stillness, as they thought they might have a peaceful night, but suddenly—

The other girls awoke with a start at the sound of a loud thud. As soon as Himeji opened her eyes, she saw Maika collapsed on the floor beside her bed.

"M-Maika!" Himeji gasped.

Murasaki stood nearby, her eyes blazing with anger. "You don't understand... you're going to put us all in danger... or worse, Etsuko will eat you all!"

Maika pushed herself up from the floor, shaking her head. "How could you accused Etsuko like that..?," she replied, standing face-to-face with Murasaki. "I'm sure Etsuko isn't the kind of person who would betray her friends. She wouldn’t hurt me.."

Murasaki's expression twisted in disgust, her voice rising. "After all I’ve told you... and you still believe in her? She’s a monster!" Her shout echoed through the room, making the other girls went silent.

"We released The Greeds a long time ago because Etsuko was the only one who could control them... But she used Totsuka as a sacrifice to help us escape from the pursuers. I stopped halfway... because it was too late." Murasaki's voice cracked with emotion. "I’ve hated her ever since.."

The painful memory flashed through her mind—Totsuka, kind and gentle, holding her hand as they played beneath the trees with Etsuko. They had bonded over being the first slaves forced to toil in the fields. But that bond shattered the night Totsuka died.

Murasaki clenched her fists as the image returned—Etsuko standing still, watching as Totsuka was dragged away, her terrified screams fading into the dark. Murasaki’s young blue eyes had reflected the terror that haunted her to this day.

"But... we were just bait," Murasaki spat through gritted teeth. The air grew heavy with fear as the other girls exchanged nervous glances.

"It can’t be true..." Maika stepped forward, her eyes unwavering despite her racing heart. "You were childhood friends... Isn't she all you have now?"

"Stop talking like you know anything!" Murasaki shoved Maika backward, her breath ragged with anger. Without another word, she turned to her bed.

Maika stumbled, falling to her knees, but Yami quickly helped her up.

Noticing her shaky breaths, Yami sighed. "That Murasaki... She's been our most senior ever since we were moved from one facility to another," she whispered, holding Maika gently.

Maika glanced at her, hands trembling slightly. "Moved from one facility to another..? How much pain must she endured...?"

Yami shrugged and guided her toward the bed. "I don't know. I’ve only known her as a skilled Elyssence user. She rarely interacted with Etsuko much—at least not that I saw." Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, Yami tilted her head. "Maybe acquaintances... but with a lot of shared memories, hmm~?"

Maika paused, curiosity stirring inside her. She had never known that Murasaki and Etsuko were childhood friends. But... was Etsuko really a traitor?

That day, Maika still hadn't received any news about Etsuko since then. As she sat at the worn wooden table with Himeji. The faint light filtering through the small window illuminated the faint sorrow in her eyes as she checked the small clock in her hand. The days were ticking down.

"I wish... it would come sooner... so I can help you all," Maika murmured. To Himeji's notice, Maika's gaze looked unusually sorrow.

Then she tilted her head slightly, offering a faint smile. "I may not be able to see the clock... but how many days do you think we have left before we escape?"

Her words, filled with trust and hope, warmed Maika’s heart. Despite everything, Himeji believed in her.

Maika managed a soft smile. "A few days from now. We're close."

A guard approached Maika, handing her a folded letter. “Hey, you. I forgot to send you this. Now I gotta get to work!” he said before hurrying off, muttering, “Geez, that was exhausting. From the underground to here...”

Underground...? Maika thought, tilting her head slightly.

As she took the letter, Himeji stared in surprise. “Y-you asked the guard to send a letter...?”

“Yes. It doesn’t seem harmful, I guess... Many elder elves do that for their friends.” Maika offered a gentle smile.

“You’re friends with the seniors!?” Himeji gasped.

Maika’s smile faltered slightly as she realized she had forgotten to mention Shiba. She carefully unfolded the letter. Himeji leaned closer as Maika read aloud the visible message: I’m fine. I hope you’re doing well.

“Oh, thank goodness...” Himeji sighed in relief.

Maika squinted at the paper, her lips curving into a proud smile. “Thank god.. That took you long enough to finally learn the spell.”

Himeji tilted her head curiously. “What did she say under the spell?”

Maika folded the letter with a steady hand, “Let's be prepared. We’re escaping tomorrow.”

She looked confident—she had planned through and through, encouraging the other girls with the help of Shiba and Etsuko, through the letters. Giving Etsuko the hope to try her on the Greed for the last time.

Inside the chamber, Etsuko stood before the iron door as a guard sneered. “Think you’re brave, huh? Then good luck.” He shoved her inside, locking the heavy door behind her.

Etsuko stood tall, though her legs trembled slightly as her gaze fell upon the Greed in the distance. She clenched her fists. This is nothing. Let’s go.

Her hands shook as she clutched the bucket of rotten flesh. The flicker of the sapphire heart beneath the creature glowed faintly, pulsing stronger as she approached. The Greed stirred—a low, guttural growl echoed through the chamber. Its form, a mass of shifting shadows and jagged limbs, began to rise. Eyes like burning coals locked onto her, filled with hunger.

Her ancestors’ words echoed in her mind from the days she spent with her family before they were lost to the Greeds: “Give them food as if you tame them. Just be in the right mind, as long as the sapphire heart is within you.”

Etsuko’s breath hitched, but she steadied herself. I can do this. She stepped closer, holding out a chunk of meat. The creature screeched, its maw opening wide—rows of jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light.

Etsuko gasped, stumbling backward. But her mind defied her trembling body as she shouted with fierce determination:

"Please eat and be MINE!!"

The meat in her hand pulsed with energy as a dark fog swirled around it, twisting and coiling in the air. With all her strength, she thrust it forward, pouring every ounce of her will into the act.

But the sudden sapphire heart beneath the creature shattered with a sharp crack.

"Wh-what?" Etsuko gasped, caught off guard as the sound echoed through the air.

The Greed lunged. She stumbled back, but it was too fast—shadows swallowed her whole, their cold touch reverberating through the stone walls.

“Death is a penalty for the unfortunate who challenge fate. But the question is... can a young girl survive against a monster?”

Totsuka's voice echoed through Etsuko’s memory. They had lain beneath a tree in a field of soft grass, reading from a worn book. The sky above was bright and endless, the wind carrying the scent of blooming flowers.

Young Etsuko frowned at the words. “...”

Totsuka smiled and nudged her. “Hey... listen. It’s not about right or wrong... it’s just destiny, you know?”

“Destiny?” Etsuko lifted her head.

“Yeah! Like what we have now!”

Murasaki plopped down beside them, her grin wide and full of teeth. “I believe she’ll survive!”

The memory faded. Murasaki stood alone in the present, her eyes wide and dark with shock.

Gasps and cries filled the air as Maika, Himeji, and the other girls clutched each other, grieving after the news by the guard.

“Etsuko... died, devoured by the Greeds,”