Under a Sky of Blues - PT 2

(About a month ago…)

Edward’s mind was filled with visions of the dark hallways leading to his cell.

For some reason, on that specific day, the door was left open, and along with Peter, he didn’t miss the chance to escape.

He was finally far from that hell, but all they could see around them was the dark gray of the seawater.

Many times, a thought crossed his mind: “After everything we went through, are we really just going to die in the middle of the sea?” It was such a stupid thought, and he hated it.

Darkness slowly consumed his mind as his body began to wither under the heat of the sun. That small boat was going to be his grave.

Amidst the darkness in his mind, an image emerged: a man dressed in a red suit, with long, tied-up black hair, bearing the appearance of some kind of twisted aristocrat.

A feeling grew like a flame from his chest: the thirst for revenge.

“Psyqui, you will pay for this…” he thought to himself.

Amidst his rage, he suddenly woke up.

“Uahh!!” The way Edward sat up startled a girl.

Still dazed, he spoke, “You… are you an angel?”

“Angel? What’s that?” Arya replied.

“You know… those beings with little wings that protect humans…”

“Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such a being, but maybe I’m just out of context.”

“No, it’s fine…”

He glanced at the glass of water the girl was holding in her hands. It didn’t take long for him to realize that she was the one who had saved his life. Feeling a bit more at ease, he lay back down.

“My name is Arya. What’s yours?”

“Edward… Edward Way. Seems like I haven’t reached the point of forgetting my own name.”

“That’s a beautiful name.”

“Is yours just Arya?”

The girl looked to the side. “Yes…”

“Where is Peter? The other guy who was with me.”

“In the room next door. The professor thought it best to keep you two separated, each in your own bed, for comfort.”

“Professor? So you have professors around here too.”

“Yes? What do you mean by ‘around here’? Are you a traveler?”

“I come from a distant place. To be honest, I still don’t know how I ended up here.”

“The professor said he found you two in a boat on the beach.”

“Yes, that was our escape route.”

“Escape? What were you running from?”

“A monster.”

“You mean a demon?”

“…Yeah, I guess so. Are they common? Some kind of race? Are you one of them, by any chance?”

“That’s a lot of questions, let’s take it slow. I don’t think they’re common, and I also don’t believe they’re a species of animal or anything like that. As for your last question…” The girl placed her fingers on her head. “I don’t have horns.”

“I’m sorry. I just called you an angel, and now I’m calling you a demon. I seem to be contradicting myself.”

“It’s okay, I didn’t take offense, but I still don’t understand what an ‘angel’ is.”

“Right...”

“Oh! I’m sorry! Your body still needs to recover. I’ll let you rest for a bit.”

“No, stay a little longer, please. It’s nice talking to you.”

The girl, however, had only one thought: “Has he not noticed the Scent of Death on me?”

Whether he had or not, she rarely had the opportunity to talk to someone, especially someone her age. So she decided she would answer all the questions he had.

“All right, what would you like to talk about?” she said with a smile.

That was how love began to blossom between Edward and Arya, a romance between a boy who had lost his way home and a girl who couldn’t remember her past.

Through words and simple gestures, a desire to know each other, a natural chemistry that started growing exponentially through small details.

…

(Back to the present)

Arya and Edward were chatting cheerfully and carefree, sitting on a rock near the shore. They watched the moon in its splendor in the night sky, adorned with countless stars.

“Did you know? All souls become stars in the sky,” the girl gazed at the sky with a hint of unease.

“I think Belchior once said something like that.”

“Since necromancers have the power to bring the dead back to life, we are called star thieves. At first, I used to hear some villagers call me that.”

“If you’re a star thief, then I must be your accomplice.”

“Accomplice?”

“Isn’t that what they call those who assist thieves?” Edward was resolute. “I don’t believe you’ve done anything wrong, but if they think you’re a thief, then I’ll stand by your side to prove your innocence. And if they refuse to accept your innocence, then I’ll be your accomplice.”

“Becoming my accomplice would only bring you trouble.”

“I don’t care about the trouble that may come. I want to be by your side.”

“B-By my side?”

“Yes, but I still believe you’ve done nothing wrong, so maybe ‘accomplice’ isn’t the right word.”

“What word are you thinking of?”

“I don’t know… Maybe boyfriend?”

(B-B-Boyfriend?!?!) Even though Arya had tried to prepare for this moment, she still couldn’t believe it when it finally happened.

Those words exploded like a bomb in Arya’s heart. What he had just said… was it really what she thought it was? Did he really just ask her out, or was it a misunderstanding?

“B-Boyfriend!... You want us to be a couple?”

Edward looked deep into her eyes. “Yes. I want you, Arya, to be my girlfriend.”

“Be your girlfriend…? You really don’t mind my burden as a necromancer?”

“I’m absolutely sure. I don’t care what others think of you. I know you are a kind person with a good heart, and I will prove them wrong.”

"... But don’t you need to travel back to your true home? Is it really okay for me to become your girlfriend? Won’t your parents hate me for being a necromancer?"

"They really shouldn’t worry about that. There’s no problem, Arya. Everything depends on your answer." Edward gently held her hand.
"You said you wanted to start a family… And I want to become your family."

"..."

In reality, there was no need for an answer, as everyone already knew what it would be. Arya had wanted to confess even before him but hadn’t had the courage. Deep down, she feared being rejected for being a necromancer, but for the boy, that was never an obstacle.

"Edward… I love you." The words that had been trapped in her throat were finally set free. "Yes, I accept. I accept you as my boyfriend. And I want to be your girlfriend."

"..."

(SHE SAID YES!!! I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE I MANAGED TO SAY ALL THAT WITHOUT STUTTERING!) Edward’s mind was in euphoria.

"cough ehhh. Uhum, hmm." After composing himself, he spoke: "Arya."

"Yes?"

"I love you. With all my strength, without a single doubt, I love you. I promise to stay by your side forever."

The girl replied with a gentle smile: "I love you too, Edward."

As the two exchanged shy glances, their hearts beat faster and faster.

Arya felt Edward’s hand approaching, searching for hers. Their hands intertwined delicately, transmitting a comforting warmth.

Their eyes met, still timid but revealing an intense love. In that silence full of anticipation, she closed her eyes, waiting for the touch, as Edward slowly brought his face closer to hers.

And then, Edward’s lips softly touched Arya’s.

The kiss was gentle, with a sweet taste and full of emotion. A shiver ran down their spines as the magic of the moment enveloped them.

The two surrendered to the kiss, diving into a universe that belonged only to them, a universe where only they existed, and time seemed to slow down. Their feelings intertwined more and more, strengthening their bond.

Finally, their lips parted, their shy eyes still closed. Neither of them could contain the joy in their hearts, and they ended up showing bashful smiles on their faces.

Even though shyness still had its place, that kiss was enough to overcome it on both sides.

In that magical moment, they knew that this love story was just beginning…

"Kyaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

The sharp scream shattered the silence between the two. Edward and Arya were startled by the horrifying sound, turning their eyes toward the village to understand what was happening.

Several lights began to glow, like flames spreading in a fireplace. A mix of screams echoed through the forest. Those lights… They really were flames coming from the village.

Something was happening… Something bad was happening.

(A few minutes earlier, in the center of the village.)

The adults were busy setting up for the farewell party, while inside her home, Helena was absorbed in another one of her books.

The village was mostly made up of elderly people, and Helena was one of the few children left there. But due to her shy nature, she couldn’t socialize with the others. That’s why she preferred to isolate herself in a corner, buried in her books.

A whistling sound began to emerge from the forest. Helena quickly recognized it—it was the tune she had taught the "man of the forest." He was out there, maybe looking for her? Could he be planning another performance?

As the sound persisted, the girl’s curiosity grew more and more, and in the end, she gave in.
She stepped out through the back door of her house, heading toward the forest. In her little head, the man would be the perfect guest to liven up the party.

Standing at the forest’s edge, she sang cheerfully into the darkness. A few seconds passed, and then he appeared again, performing his usual bow for the girl.

The demon slowly approached the girl. Upon reaching the boundary of the Utopiosphere, his body could no longer move forward. But instead of trying to cross the barrier, the demon pointed at the amulet that was suspended on the pedestal.

"Hm? What is it? Do you need this?"

The demon nodded affirmatively.

"I can’t take it. My mother said it’s dangerous."

The demon lowered his head, pretending to be sad—a dirty trick he had learned to manipulate children’s hearts. If it didn’t work and she refused to lower the barrier, he would simply turn away as if he were dejected… but that wasn’t the case.

Even knowing it was dangerous, Helena decided she would help her "friend." "If it’s something he needs, it must be important to him," she thought innocently.

"Alright, I’ll get it for you, but then you have to come with me to the party. I want to introduce you to the rest of the village."

In an act of foolishness and naivety, the girl made the biggest mistake of her life. She walked over to the pedestal where the Utopiosphere amulet rested, stretched out her little hands to reach it, and removed it from its place.

In her innocence, the girl carried the amulet to the demon, handing it over to him.

The demon held the amulet between his thumb and index finger, examining it curiously. Then he crouched down to the girl’s face and whispered into her ear in a hoarse voice: "Thank… you…"

She was about to smile and respond when the demon crushed the amulet between his fingers. The sudden action startled the girl, who took a step back.

"Helena! Run!" As she stepped outside to look for Helena, her mother came upon the bizarre scene unfolding at the forest’s edge.

When Helena looked back at the "man of the forest," she noticed small red lights beginning to appear behind him.

Accompanied by macabre growls, several bestial demons began emerging from the forest, their sharp claws and fangs gleaming with a sinister glow.

The demon who had deceived Helena finally revealed his true form, shedding his human disguise.

His hands turned into long, sharp claws, his body grew and became covered in black fur. His top hat fell to the ground as horns began to sprout. His "mask" was revealed to be a modification of his own face.

"Kyaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!" The desperate scream of Helena’s mother spread through the village, but it was useless. It was already too late.

[
Oh! Poor Helena! So easily deceived, falling for a demon’s lies!

Her death will mark the beginning of a tragedy, but her body will turn to dust and rise to the stars!

Burning like a match, you will incinerate the lives of all you’ve ever known! What’s the worst thing I could say? Farewell and good night!
]