Chapter 33: Why did you bring me back, Eita?

Eita sat next to Vera, who was awake and lying in bed. “Vera!!” Bern cried with relief, “Thank goodness you woke up, Vera.”

Vera, holding his head, asked, “What happened…?” It didn’t take Vera long to recall everything that had happened. He jumped up and cried out, “Valwa…!”

Eita spoke sadly, “Lazith couldn’t save his soul.. Because of his head…” Vera fell silent for a while. How much Vera looked up to Valwa… Vera clenched his fists, his body trembling with rage, “Why…”

Eita asked, “What?” Vera continued, “You should’ve finished the mission. If you still had Lazith with you… Why didn’t you end them?! Why did you wake me, when everyone… everyone trusted us… And then they left…”

Bern said, “Wait, Brother Vera… They had a Light with them!” Vera snapped at her, “We could’ve beaten him!” Bern’s eyes grew wide in fear, and she stepped back a little. Eita also felt panic as she said, “Forgive me, Vera… Forgive me, everyone… I…” Her head drooped, and her voice trembled with sobs, “I was scared… Afraid of dying… I didn’t want to die and leave Lazith… I’m sorry!!” She buried her face in her hands, weeping.

Bern said, “Eita…” Vera’s expression… was truly frightening… Bern had never seen such a look on his face before, and she had never been afraid of him until now. Vera said, in that chilling expression, “You betrayed us… You betrayed all of us… You could have finished the mission…”

Eita shook her head, muttering, “No!” Vera grabbed her by the hair, ignoring Bern’s screams behind them, and dragged her outside. But for a few seconds… he froze, staring at the sight before him… All the community… were still seated in their chairs.

He hadn’t seen them… in a long time… Eita covered her nose from the stench, shutting her eyes as she broke into sobs. Vera glanced at her and mumbled, “You’re covering your nose?” He seized her hair again, pulling her head up and speaking in a disturbingly calm voice, “Look around you, Eita… Look at the ones you betrayed… Look at those who trusted us and left…”

Eita’s sobbing grew louder as Vera hurled her to the ground. She choked out, “We couldn’t have beaten him!!” Vera leaned close to her face, screaming, “Then you’d have died!!! And left me to die as well… Why?!”

Vera’s body wavered; he wasn’t fully healed. He continued, “Why did you bring me back to this life?!” He nearly collapsed but caught himself on one of the chairs. It felt strange to the touch—slimy, yet solid, and uneven.

Vera looked at what his hands had landed on—the decaying hand of one of the dead old women. He fell to the floor, still holding her hand. He tried to catch his breath, staring at her face… Then bent his head over her hands.

Eita and Bern—who was clutching her—heard Vera’s sobbing, which began to escape and grow louder… and louder… until it filled the entire temple.