Goodbye

Jarathia | Jarathia City | Mersa's Mansion | Infirmary

The room is sterile-white, all clean and too bright. Hanla hauls herself upright, pain streaking down her stitched-up right arm.

“Ouch,” she mutters, trying to move her fingers until they twitch—enough to be reassuring. Her leg looks like a mummy’s, with all the bandages. She tries to take a step.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch.”

Nine sits on the window ledge, his own wrecked body wrapped up just as much. “Finally done sleeping?”

“Hehe. Yes.”

“I woke up yesterday. Three days since the fight.”

“Ohh. That’s a lot of days.”

She wobbles over to the window. Outside, the sky and air is clean—so clean it gives her goosebumps. She breathes it in. “Wow.”

Nine’s mismatched eyes catch the light—one blood red, one crystal blue. Bandages ladder his arms; a thick stitch runs his neck.

“Somehow we did beat it,” she says.

“Sure. In two days a ferry is coming.”

“Departure?”

“I like Jarathia. Really. But this place is full of bad memories. I’m just happy it has a future.”

“I understand, vice leader.”

The door bangs open. Sunthia bursts in. “This voice… EVERYONE—OUR HEROES HAVE AWOKEN!”

“Oh no,” Nine sighs and twitches like he might try to vault out into freedom. Hanla hooks one arm in his, trapping him.

“Hehe.”

“They already drove me mad yesterday,” he grumbles.

“Being praised is part of our job,” Hanla teases.

“But—”

Footfalls thunder toward them. Mersa and Beatrix rush in; more voices echo from down the hall.

“Tyrese, Jenna—we need a celebratory party,” Mersa declares.

Jenna appears on the stairs, eyes bright with relief.

Meanwhile, Mersa strides up to them. “Could you tell me what that huge magic beam was? And the gigantic sword?”

“A secret.” Nine replies.

“He used magic and opened the core with it.” Hanla adds.

“No secrets, right, heh… Ok, so I assume Jerome knew I would take his sword. As a last ditch effort.“

“Jerome? But he died,” Mersa argues.

Nine glances past them to the split volcano. “He was channeling his mana network into his sword. He knew I’d fight with it. A stupid plan—but it worked. And I can’t shake the feeling… he did what he did for this very outcome.”

“If mine rates were rising and they knew about the first calamity… and he knew what would come next…” Mersa’s jaw tightens. “We can call it stupid, but I think he predicted what you'd do. And was gambling on that outcome, which was risky, but…”

Hanla frowns. “But why gamble like that? I won’t oversell us—it was pretty close. That gamble and then all the mind games…”

Maxwell drifts in, slower than the rest. “Honestly? I don’t know what Jerome was thinking with that… suicide move. But he channeled a lot of energy into that sword. And none of it was random. We bandits control the docks. A very special captain called us about a girl who beat Royal Guards in Regona and wanted to be an adventurer to help people…”

Beatrix squints, then snorts. “Ah, that’s something I was wondering about too. Jarathia’s not a beginner’s island. And you start here, of all places? I didn’t want to overthink it. But I was sure your arrival here wasn't a coincidence. I thought it must’ve been staged somehow. And now we know how. Also, your next ferry will take you to Souri—a wasteland, sure, but it’s much more appropriate for beginners,” she grins.

“Smart, Jakob… This information, and the hints…” Hanla grins.

With hindsight, it makes all the more sense—why he was talking about Jarathia. Jakob... But it still annoys me a bit that he played me like a chess piece.

“I was a pawn.” Hanla mutters. She looks around, exhales. “But I won a really strong adventurer friend.”

She glances at her brooch—then at Nine’s too. Both display a stamped question mark. “Why? A question mark?”

“I told the central guild of your deeds—with proof.” Beatrix says. “Beating an epic-rank calamity and a legendary-rank calamity in three days?” She cackles. “Your final rank-up will be insane. Word of you will spread like wildfire.”

“And our alliance will scare Alpas,” Mersa says, “a lot.”

“Let’s hope so.” Nine says.

“You mentioned a party. Is it today?” Hanla asks.

“Why not?” Mersa smiles. “I heard you want to travel.”

“Yeah,” Nine says, “to another island. But which one?”

“Souri. I guess?” Hanla offers.

“Their desert nagas are dangerous.” Beatrix warns. “But I think—”

“DESERT NAGA ACTION?” Hanla crows, punching the air.

Nine’s grin is answer enough.

Sunthia’s cheeks color. “So… you’ll leave.”

She meets Nine’s eyes—red to blue. “I will keep fighting. I promise.”

“I’m glad.” He says.

Jarathia | Ember Alley | Afternoon

Nine and Hanla walk up the lane to Chisa’s house. A knot of locals already huddle around its front, spitting at its door.

“You killed our father!” One snarls.

“My daughter was so young!” Another cries out.

Nine keeps walking until he and Hanla stand in front of the house.

“Don’t disrespect the dead,” Nine says.

The locals round on him.

“She killed—”

“She is dead,” Nine cuts in, voice flat. “Not here. Dead. And disrespecting the dead is something I despise. One more spit, one more disrespect, and I swear I will—”

Hanla’s hand closes on his forearm. “Don’t worry. She’s dead. You’re grieving—that’s normal. But being disrespectful to another life isn’t the solution. You have a future. Stay strong and live it.”

The mass’s anger falters as they hear the heroes. But a small girl pushes through the crowd—Sunny.

“She… she killed my father, Crystal Hero,” Sunny says, her lip trembling. “She killed my family. ONLY I SURVIVED! Why… How can I— She said… she said they had to clear things up between adults. Then she killed them… my mother and father.”

Sunny breaks down in tears.

Nine kneels beside her. “She didn’t kill you.”

Sunny sniffles. “Yes. And she wanted me to give you a letter. But… but—”

“So keep living, Sunny. Want to give me the letter now?”

She nods, sniffles and, with watery eyes, presses a folded page into his palm. The locals watch, noticing his calm acceptance, and begin drifting away.

“Little girl, do you have a home?“ Hanla gently asks.

She shakes her head.

“You don’t have one, do you?” Nine clarifies gently.

Sunny shakes her head again.

“Sunny, I have a friend. His name is Mersa.”

“The scary Ice Mayor?” She whispers.

“Yes. He’ll take care of you.”

“Nine?” Hanla asks, wary.

Sunny nods. She hugs Nine; Hanla lets out a soft, helpless smile. “Aww. She’s a cinnamon roll. So cute.”

Sunny steps up to Hanla and bows. “Thank you for saving Jarathia. Are you sure… the Ice Mayor—?”

“He will care for you,” Nine says.

Sunny nods again and slips away.

“Isn’t that asking too much—caring for the daughter of Rizario?” Hanla murmurs.

“That’s why,” Nine answers. “I see that Mersa still carries some hate. Better he gets the complete picture, the complexities. And she needs to understand the causes. It will help them both. Also, I think the people will start to hate the old mayor and maybe even his daughter. Mersa would be able to protect her.”

“True.” Hanla says. “Mersa has a good heart.”

Nine turns, places his palm on the door to Chisa’s home, and pushes. Wood creaks; the door gives. They step inside.

“You want to say one last goodbye.” Hanla says.

“Yes.” Nine’s eyes roam over the walls. “She’s somehow become the enemy of the island. It’s… eerie.”

“She was unstable, Nine.”

“It still hurts.”

They pass through the hall, looking at the pictures on the wall. In the living room, Nine sinks onto the couch. For a second he hears them—children. Sees his younger self blushing at Chisa’s cute laugh. Hanla sits down beside him, quiet.

“It’s a nice home,” she says.

“I lived here for a while.”

“Mhm. We can stay a bit longer.”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I want to close this part of my life as soon as possible. Otherwise I’ll be stuck in it forever.”

“Wanna read the letter?”

Nine nods. He breaks the seal and unfolds the page.

Oh hey Nine,

Surely you must think: I am different here, somehow friendly like I was in the past. It’s different to write. I want to say, ARGHH—
Sorry, I really hope I had the guts to say it directly. But if you read this letter. I am dead. The red dust syndrome is spreading and I am stuck too deep in the rabbit hole of this island.
I can’t be sure, but I hope you’re still not a killer.
I kind of hope this letter never reaches you.
You know talking about feelings is a little difficult for me.

Hmm, so how was your breakfast? Kidding.

Jerome died. I saw you, you were talking to some imaginary figures. You were talking about really dark things. As to why Jerome killed himself… I want to say, he surely has a plan. But he didn't even tell me. That idiot. For a short moment I really hated you, but… even if I wanted revenge. I would have to give up.

Nevermind, I’m dead now and I don’t want to write a letter full of anger. But…

It broke my heart, how this always calm and caring guy said something so dark.
Losing his hope…
Nine, this world, you saw it. It's beautiful. If people like you exist. Then I can still hope too. Not just for Jarathia’s sake, but in general, for the whole world. You and that new girl… I hope she is on your side. Otherwise I’ll haunt her from the afterlife and make her pay.
You make this world a happier place.

I’m being honest and so I'm sure your pure heart will feel guilty. But I want to say it. Or write it, I guess… You know it already: "Chisa is always aware". I will never let you lose sight of how precious life is.
That's why I could do it. I lost sight of it myself and have no clue how much a human life is worth anymore by now.
We need to reset things to zero, otherwise our homeland will collapse.
Before your efforts can start, I need to end their lives for the sake of Jarathia.
To keep your hands from turning bloody. Then I can die… and will transform into something terrible, I know.
I chose this path. It’s mine now.

I’m crying right now, you know? I’m writing and writing… but I still haven’t reached my real point for writing this at all.

Nine, my dream was to live a life with you. Become adventurers. And after we’d reach our goals, we would settle down. We’d have two kids, a boy and a girl, in a lovely home. And every day would be great, because we would make sure of it. Jerome would come by every week and try to look cool in front of the kids. And fail, but make them laugh.
Right? Then again… in his last moments. He was composed, wasn’t he? I’m sure of it.

Mhhm, I hope I can live in this dream in the afterlife. I hope there’s something after.
I really hope so.

Because, Nine, if there is… I will wait for you there.

I love you.

Nine grips the letter until it crumples. He bites his lip. A tear slips out, then another.

“I loved you too,” he whispers. “Why did you never join… I didn’t care about your past. For me, you are just Chisa— I want— I just… wanted—”

He breaks, shoulders shaking.

Hanla takes his hand.

“I wanted to help her,” Nine says, breath ragged. “I wanted you and Jerome to come with me. I hoped that… after this hellhole… we could join up. But you are gone. I—I want to give up—but—”

He stares ahead. For a heartbeat, Chisa kneels before him in memory, smiling, reaching for his other hand.

Hanla and the fading Chisa speak as one: “Never give up.”

Chisa dissolves. Only Hanla remains. She pulls Nine into a hug. Thin crystal thorns shiver up from the floor, nicking her arms.

“I’m here, Nine,” she says, holding him tighter.

The spikes creep higher—then crack and fall away as Hanla’s body takes on the crystals’ properties, breaking them again and again.

This letter, this island. Of course he wants to leave—two years of fighting and for what? He only wanted to keep his friends. I wish Chisa could’ve joined us.

Nine’s eyes meet hers. “But why… why bank on this outcome? I myself didn’t even know if Mersa would reach it.”

“People fight for reasons they don’t understand,” Hanla says softly. “She did understand. She fought for someone she believed in.” A beat. “She believed in you.”

Nine bites his lip, nods, breathes in deep. He rises, places the letter on the table.

He takes a pen from the shelf, writing below her last sentence: I love you, Chisa.

Hanla tilts her head. “Wanna go?”

Nine nods.