499. Exotic matter, 5

(Myls)

We flew from there for a while. Day and night without rest, exhausting our friend.

Blume told me the truth about her melting sword that hit Calamity really badly.

B - It was lead. I transmuted it to become even softer and warmer when exposed to her burning light.

M - That was brilliant.

B - It was a bet. I won this time.

Lying further is the paralysed body of Calamity. Wounded but alive. Imprisoned inside her own mortal but living body.

I wanted to keep her alive to hopefully avoid Magenta learning and improving her, to send her again stronger after us.

Blume saw a different opportunity as they fought. Something clicked in her. A different opportunity should we keep her alive. Something she got from her previous encounter with Licht many years ago.

Using the link of that creature to her god to send an infection remotely. A disease to destroy it or weaken it at least, on that same channel.

B - That won’t kill it. But that will make it weaker for a while. And then, maybe the bomb will work.

The nuke we sent up there may not blow up at all, depending on how it is digested and if the trigger Blume made in a rush actually works.

M - But if you sent your curse through the link that safeguards Calamity’s memory... It means Magenta will think she’s dead.

B - That’s right. It’s very likely she’ll be considered dead or compromised.

M - Then...

We look at the paralysed body at our feet. She can hear us.

And she surely understands the same things as us.

God will resurrect her out there.

A new calamity will come next time.

While her, the one wounded and restrained here, remains.

She’s cut off from her god. She’s cut off from her identity. And she’s lost her power of resurrection she counted on.

She’s still alive right now, and becoming aware of her desperate situation. All that is left of that human looking weapon is all that lies there right now. A life, and that’s it.

M - Then why haven’t you killed her?

B - Because I hate her.

I was surprised by the answer, though I can relate to the feeling. Everything related to Magenta I wish to destroy. But that calamity isn’t anymore. She’s just our prisoner now...

M - Don’t tell me you want to torture her...

B - I don’t.

She kneels and holds Calamity’s head. Her jaw has been damaged by drops of the molten lead. Her eyes are still sharp and overflowing with hatred, but despair and terror also show on her face now.

Blume is having a wicked smile on her face.

B - I want to turn that righteous messiah against her master.

Now it’s a devilish smile...

~

Against all expectations, we’re now caring for Calamity. We feed her and help her heal, and live on.

Blume does the surgeries at night. I help with the convalescence during the days.

I help her to move her arms and legs that have quickly thinned down as if her muscles had been consumed during their fight.

Day after day, silently, she slowly recovers from the wounds Blume gave her.

~

Sanïssia did a sea landing around an island, to rest and eat. We passengers set foot there. I was holding Calamity up as I walked, supporting her while body still unable to walk after all she’s been through.

She hasn’t said a word yet. Nor has she attempted anything either, yet.

She can barely hold her back when she’s put in a sitting position.

B - I halted and reversed her biological decay, but her body’s a mess anyway.

M - How could she become of any use to us now?

B - If you think she’s a burden, let’s kill her then, shall we?

Blume manages to grab one of my handguns. I hold her back feeling spiteful.

M - Stop that!

B - Why?

M - Just don’t!

B - Do it then.

She gives me back my weapon. I put it back in my leg holster.

M - I won’t kill her either! She isn’t a threat...

B - There’s more to it than that. She’s a mindless weapon. She’s an enemy.

M - Well the real enemy is one of your kind so fuck you!

Blume looks angry and pissed off. I think it’s just a show for Calamity’s mind. To show her we’re not merciless like Magenta. I guess...

B - You know what she would have said, if she were here?

M - I have a fair idea...

B - Good then.

Blume scoffs me off and leaves us. I was right, it was a show. One of Rose’s ideas was to give a chance to things alive. No matter what.

Calamity’s alive. And smart.

She could become an ally. The chance is not null. We should try it.

For me it would be difficult to kill a helpless human also... And that’s all she looks like right now.

She reminds me of the mindless roses...

~

After two days of sleep, Sanïssia awoke, and we resumed our sailing journey.

Calamity can now sit and walk by herself, trembling but alive.

Blume surgically removed her shard of artefact from her heart. Magenta’s battery.

Meaning she’s like a regular human now, without powers, and weak bowels even.

The roots of her burnt wings were also removed entirely. Meaning the fallen angel has completely, well, fallen.

Her hair grows. Grey. Not white.

She glares at us for hours, keeping silent.

We’re careful around her, but we don’t tie her up anymore.

What will become of her will be hers to choose. I think she understands that. What must be more painful to her is knowing what will happen when she happens to meet her resurrected self.

She knows it even better than we do.

And I think she hates it. And probably us badly too for doing that to her.

That resentment against me, I can live with.

Meanwhile... We see the next island. It’s holding big buildings...

We’ve reached the international spaceport island.

~