Chapter 14: Reunion

The snow was coming down, it covered the ruins of the cathedral conflict aftermath. The ceremony was interrupted by a huge incident. Words of Archbishop Arthur passing were carried by the winter wind, the whole town was in a desolate state of mind. Yato and Luke carried both unconscious girls to a healing room in the cathedral. The silver-haired girl fell unconscious after the knights came back to the church to assess the situation. No one saw exactly what happened to the old archbishop. The demon that had possessed him left nothing but soot remains from the holy fire of the brand. Archbishop Gabriel ordered the cathedral to be closed off until further notice, and it got the townspeople talking.

“What's our next course, Yato,” Luke asked, eyeing the blue gem on the girls’ body. The serpent was locked in an ethereal bubble, Uriel had taken it to Arthur’s studies where he had stayed before his untimely passing. She desperately searches for ways to undo the living tether that binded its life to Hainé and Lilia.

“I don’t know, the spell I had spent the last two years on was incomplete, I had thought it was enough to separate a human essence from a demon. Seemed like I was still missing a step, or maybe more,” Yato cursed himself, Luke knew he was researching something on the side after the incident two years ago.

“What was the spell anyway, what you conjured was something even the Testament had no records of.”

Judging by the reaction of the angels, it seemed like no one else knew what Yato had planned at that moment. One late step, and this cathedral would have been a rubble of ruins had the serpent taken full control of the Armiger.

“I had an epiphany, after the incident two years ago, I had a theory. If the brands’ power was to purify a demon essence. Wouldn’t it be possible to direct that power in cutting off the source of the afflicted. That if the unison of the demon and human essence hasn’t progressed too far.”

The black haired young man explained the process of the brands, they have the power to completely burn a demon with holy fire. But to Yato, he asserted at its base, it was merely a process to cleanse the demon essence. So if he were able to make the process to isolate the demon essence, like a skillful surgeon with their scalpel, he would be able to eliminate the serpent tether from girls.

“I see, and this would only be possible with the miracle of the brands, no healing or separation spell on this continent can accomplish what you’re trying to do,” Gabriel surmised, he adjusted his glasses as he wrote down the details in a small notebook.

“But why? While I applaud you for coming up with such a thing, it can save numerous cases of demonization across the realms. Why would you of all people painstakingly come up with this?”

Gabriel’s question seemed to be directed at the vagrant hero, something he wasn’t telling them.

“I…”

Before Yato could say a word, a noise of moaning came from one of the girls. The silver-haired maiden seemed to have woken up.

I had a dream, in it I was surrounded by knights, they all had their spears facing me.

“Haine the Scornful, I charged you with demonization, and your affiliation with the demon forces across the realm.”

It was Archbishop Arthur, his face cold as he declared I was to be executed. I looked at my body, the dragon scales had come back. I drew Durandal at the archbishop, instantly killing him. He fell in front of me, his eyes wide as blood painted the ground.

“Your brand will be mine, scornful maiden,” the severed head laughed.

I panicked and turned to run but the knight had blocked my path. As the men readied their spears, I summoned the silver sword to my hand. However, it burned as I held it, completely singed off my right hand. I writhed in pain on the ground, the knights all thrust their spears at me. Then I saw Lilia jumped in front of me blocking the blows, blood smeared all over her face. The horror sight made me scream, the little girl fell over and faded into dust. All the hostile knights were now gone too. Leaving me alone with a single serpent.

“I don’t want this anymore, let me die!”

I screamed with all my heart. Next thing I knew, I opened my eyes to a stone ceiling. I wiped my brow of sweats, I controlled my breathing, my heart was beating extremely fast. I realized it was all a dream.

“Are you okay?”

I looked to the corner of my eye, it was the black-haired hero, with the man named Luke next to him. Gabriel was on the left side of the bed, his face full of concerns as he knelt down and held my hand.

“You were sweating a lot, did you have a bad dream?” Gabriel asked.

I nodded, it was twice now that I had two nightmares. This one in particular was off of recent events, it made me feel terrible.

“Where’s Lilia, Your Grace,” I asked earnestly, after that dream, I wanted some reassurance.

“She’s right here, she’s safe, thanks to you,” Gabriel replied softly, I immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

A sound of whimper came from my mouth, droplets filled my eyes. It hit me right then Lilia was still in danger, I had connected her to the Leviathan. Our lives were at the mercy of a demon. I covered my face to hide my tears but it was all too much pouring out.

“I’m so sorry, Lilia, I’m so sorry everyone, I let you all down. Because of me, His Grace Arthur is dead, Lilia could die at any moment. This is all my fault.”

My crying voice could be heard across the entire cathedral, I curled into a ball, I felt like screaming

“I tried very hard to please everyone. I did things I didn’t want to, I didn’t say no to anyone. I did everything asked of me, and still some suffered. I hated myself for being so powerless. I hated myself for not being good enough. I hated being so useless when it counts. I hate it. I hate it all!”

Gabriel tried to console me, but the black-haired boy stopped him. They all let me drown in my own tears. My tantrum went on for some time, no one in the infirmary stopped me from crying, they all watched in silence.

I wiped my red eyes, they hurt from the tears drying up. Gabriel handed me a handkerchief to clean my face.

Suddenly, the little maid got up from her bed. I must’ve woken her up from my nonstop outburst.

“Lady Hainé, your crying is loud,” Lilia teased, she walked over to me, slightly staggering over.

“Lilia… I…” in an instant, Lilia jumped forward to embrace me.

“I had no idea you bottled that up all this time, I failed as your attendant," Lilia smiled, hugging me tightly.

“Lilia…” I felt the waterworks coming out again. I returned the embrace and buried my face in her chest.

The men in the room only smiled at our little interaction, they must’ve found it to be heart warming that I had calmed down.

“So what’s going to happen to us, Lord Hero,” I asked, wiping away the remnant of my tears.

“Don’t call me that, just Yato is fine, right now we need to find ways to separate the serpent from your lives, if that thing dies, you two will too.”

My face grew grim, if it was just me, I didn’t mind, but with Lilia involved I couldn’t bear the thought. Yato put his hand on his chin, then he turned to ask me.

“It’s been bothering me, how did you come in contact with the Leviathan?”

My body twitched at that question, I knew someone was going to ask me that eventually. I explained to him the scenery I was in and how the demon lord had the serpent enter me before I ended up in that form.

“Impossible, we saw him die in that castle!” Luke raised his voice.

“It would make the most sense, the serpent had no will of its own, when I gave the shell to that angel, it didn’t make any attempt to escape at all.”

Yato elaborated on the serpent behavior, it was weirdly docile after it was extracted from me. It didn’t make any resistance nor did it lash out. However, it kept its eye on me before being taken away by Uriel.

“So right now our only lead is back to that castle,” Yato suggested, then turned over to Luke.

“Don’t be ridiculous, it took us three months via horse, we almost died in doing so,” Luke protested.

“I don’t suppose you have any better leads, go find Bee,” Yato smirked.

“No need, I heard everything.”

A man's voice came from out in the hall, stepping at the doorway was a tanned man, he was muscular and wearing clothes that weren't from this realm.

“It’s you! From that time when we went out!” Lilia exclaimed, then she hopped over to greet him.

“I didn’t expect you to be the Armiger when I saw you back then, pleased to make your acquaintance,” the muscular man introduced himself, then he patted Lilia’s head.

“Bee.”

Yato yelled and tossed a single circular blade at the tanned man. He caught it out of midair nonchalantly, I wondered how close they were to be able to communicate like that.

“I take it our next destination is decided?” Bee asked.

“A bit of a detour, we’re going back to Invidia.”

The tanned man sighed, Luke however was still protesting about the length of the trip. It was lively just seeing everyone interact.

“I’ll see how Uriel is doing, she might have found another way,” Gabriel spoke up, he looked uncomfortable, maybe he doesn’t like the current crowd.

“Gabriel, what did Michael tell you before he left.”

Luke shot a question at Gabriel, we all turned towards the Archbishop.

“He said to give Lady Armiger some time, that’s all,” Gabriel said hastily, then stormed out of the room. Luke’s eyes were serious, he motioned something towards Yato, the hero nodded before discussing the plans for the trip to Invidia.

“We’re a handful aren’t we,” Lilia smiled nervously, I nodded in agreement.

“At least we can go on an adventure! Our dream is becoming a reality!”

Lilia really had her priorities, I laughed at the suggestion. Then at the doorway was a face I never thought I’d be seeing again.

“Marty?” I covered my mouth in shock. The red haired woman appeared from the door, she looked the same as I had last seen her.

She dropped her bag, spilling its content all over the church floor, and rushed to my side to hold me in her arms.

“Woah! Milady, someone you know?” Lilia exclaimed, she stepped aside as Marty almost hit her while running to me.

“M-Marty, it has been some time,” I laughed nervously, patting her on the back. She held me firmly, I remembered this feeling. It reminded me how she hugged me back on that lake. She was warm, I could smell edelweiss from her.

“You've been through so much, haven’t you, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Marty said softly.

My mouth trembles, I had thought I was out of tears for the day, but I felt more was incoming.

“I tried very hard,” I cried, then held her. Luke smiled at Marty, saying not a word.

I told her what I had been doing for the last half a year, letting her know I managed to send a letter to Alfred. As well as introducing her to Lilia. I had asked her where Charles was, she said he was over at Alfred. I hope the little boy wasn’t causing the blacksmith too much trouble.

“So is there anything to be done for both girls, Hero Yato?” Marty asked the band of heroes.

“We need to go to Invidia, staying here would put the girl’s lives at risk, we know too little of the Leviathan,” Yato explained.

“What are you doing here Marty? You seemed to know Yato and his crew,” I inquired, it was strange timing that she came after Mister Bee.

“It was thanks to Marty here that I managed to come to Albus.”

Supposedly, they were stuck in Aether Citadel, Yato mentioned someone went by the name of Belle managed to instantly teleport them right in front of the cathedral. Belle’s power allowed her to travel far distances so long had she been there herself. There was another condition she shared, if there was someone’s memories she can use as a medium, the jump would be possible. Marty had gone to Aether City, she just happened to be at the Basilicom looking for me where Luke had found her. Then the rest was history where Yato had shown up in front of the church.

“That’s right, can’t Belle just teleport us there?” Luke exclaimed.

“It would likely make the trip more timely,” Bee followed up.

Yato thought to himself for a moment then decided they’ll be traveling to Aether Citadel.