Eryn and I

Seeing Eryn again was a greater surprise than the rare hand that she had gone out with. Despite encountering an embodiment of her not long ago when facing the Architect, I couldn’t help but think that it was not a trick of the mind this time. My attention went to Kami-sama, who had stood up from his seat to allow for the rest of Eryn to appear.

“What’s the meaning of this?! Why is Eryn here?!”

Kami-sama simply raised a brow, as if asking how I didn’t notice.

“What do you mean? She came here with you. Her soul’s been attached to you since you’ve been summoned here.”

I looked at Snazzy and Diesel, who gave me indifferent gazes.

“The babe’s been wrapped around you for a while now. Don’t tell me you haven’t felt how strong of a bond you two have? I’m a ‘Creature of Connections’, so I can tell or something.”

Snazzy reached out toward the space above the table and gave a flick. Suddenly, a thin strand glowed blue like it had been strummed. The two ends of that strand were connected to Eryn and me.

Surprised, I stood up, verifying that the strand continued to remain attached as I moved over to the side and toward Eryn. Approaching her with a puzzled look, it finally hit me that she had been by my side this entire time.

“I did it, Eryn. I got our world back. I-I stopped it from going into ruin.”

There was so much I wanted to say since she had left me, passing on her powers so that I could forge ahead and overcome the Architect. But that ended as she turned toward me with a smile.

“I know. I watched the entire time.”

She stood up and wrapped me in a hug.

“I never doubted that you would succeed. That was why I decided to give my life to you. Without me, you forged your own path, embraced everything that was you, and became the hero that I wished for all this time. You no longer did it for me, but for everyone around you. Your ambitions grew far beyond the small mindset that you once had.”

I had started the journey with a simple desire to protect the girl before me. I had made a promise as her Electi to be by her side. And even after all the things that happened and we went our separate ways, I could still feel a connection to Eryn. I held onto it like it was the most precious thing, and Eryn had done the same.

But such a desire wasn’t strong enough compared to the ambitions that the Architect held. So, Eryn set me free from it. She gave me her power and pushed me onward, so that I would think the connection was gone. Since I was no longer her Electi, I was free to move forward without the shackle of someone left behind.

And from afar, she watched as I gathered my companions once again and challenged the one that started everything.

“The ‘Electi’ system is not such an uncommon thing, though it may show up as different forms in other worlds,” Kami-sama interjected. “There will often be a need to summon a person that can break the status quo. A person needs divine help when they find that nothing around them serves to complement their own abilities. Thus, we look to the stars and grab those whose skill sets are far removed from the summoner.”

Summoned people were needed simply because no one in the world fit the bill. Even if the matches appeared to be somewhat random at first, in Kami-sama’s eyes, there was always something unique about them that could turn the tide if used properly.

Kami-sama chuckled.

“Even if that ‘Electi’ system became distorted by those so-called ‘gods’ on Leguardia, it brought the two of you together. You found each other’s strengths, covered for your weaknesses, and proved that not even all the power in the world could stop a pair that embraced each other. Not every pair has the conviction to trust as they should, but when they do, that is how miracles come about.”

“Even with the messy kind of relationship that we have?” I joked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Kami-sama folded his arms and nodded. “Trust is not the same as love or devotion. It may be mistaken as such, but in the same way, a person’s connection with another can become twisted when trust is substituted by other things. The trust that everyone held with you, Claude, is the very reason that you prevailed.”

“I see… well, I’m thankful that it ended up that way. But… now what?” I pointed to the hand that Eryn ended the game with.

With that Kokushi Musou, Eryn’s score jumped right past mine, making her the winner of the mahjong match. And earning her a favor from Kami-sama.

“Oh, right! The girl is the winner! How silly of me, what would you like to request of this old deity? Heaven’s the limit for entertaining a god!”

My gaze turned back to Eryn, her ghostly form thinking of a request. But I had a feeling as to what she was going to ask.

Revival in our world. I wanted her to come back, and surely, so did the others. Eryn looked toward me, as if the ‘connection’ between us was used as a telegraph for my thoughts. Now that everything had been dealt with, she would be free to live in a world where destiny didn’t oppose her.

The truth of the ‘demons’ had been revealed, and we now knew that the once-conflicting energies of Leguardia would normalize. The concept of demons would disappear soon enough, now that the planet was healthy.

She could go back to her old life and simply enjoy what she had fought for.

“I wish to take Claude’s place as the core of the Earth.”

Her answer made my jaw drop.

“But why would you-”

My complaint was swiftly swatted down as Eryn gripped me by the cheek.

“There you go again, trying to be a hero for ‘me’. All I did was sit around and watch you do all the work. So you should bask in your praise for a bit, surrounded by those you saved. Leave the Earth to me instead. Someone still has to do it, you know.”

“But I…”

Eryn brought her forehead up to mine, staring into my eyes. I would never forget those fiery eyes that never gave in once she decided.

“Even if we are apart, we remain connected always. Just like how you wished for our friends to trust you with this task, let yourself trust me now. A bit of time is all I ask, for us to grasp our own fates. This is what I wish to do as Eryn Faulkner, so let me do my part in being a hero as well.”

Eryn’s face held no sadness, nor did it seem like she was trying to hide behind any resignation. It was simply full of determination and pride. I couldn’t say no to that.

“Alright, I’ll go home then. But don’t think I’m going to give up. I will come for you, no matter what.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Eryn gave a knowing smile.

“Send me back home, Kami-sama. It looks like I have lots of work to look forward to.”

I had left that part up to my friends, but bonding with the Earth’s core had always been a temporary measure. Long enough for a second core made of Resonance Stones to be constructed as a substitute. That was the only reason Katalina agreed to the plan. But now, Eryn wanted to take my place instead.

“Very well. I will accept that wish.”

Waving his hands in the air, Kami-sama made a few odd swirls with it. Suddenly, I felt an enormous amount of power suck right out of me and travel along the thread connected between Eryn and me. Likely, the powers that I collected were now sent to her.

With another wave of the hand, a swirling portal formed behind me, presumably the exit.

“Wait! Before you do…”

Eryn moved over to Kami-sama and whispered something to him. Then, she bolted towards me and pulled something from the back of her hair. Cupping it in her palms, she handed it to me.

“Here. A memento. And a promise. That we will meet again.”

I stared at the object. It glimmered in her palms like fire. It was the hair clip that I had given for her seventeen birthday, the first present from me. In my eyes, this Sunfire Hairpiece was the embodiment of how Eryn lived her life.

“Sure, but why? I don’t see a reason to- whaaa!!!”

All of a sudden, Eryn pushed me backward. Like I had fallen through that portal, her form quickly grew distant as I zoomed away from that space. A familiar feeling swept through me as I swim backwards through the darkness, until I once again felt the beating of life around me. Moments later, my limbs hit water.

Given that I absolutely hated to swim, I panicked and flailed around for a bit, trying to figure out where to go. My head finally broke the surface after a struggle, and eventually, I managed to drag my body to the shore.

Huffing and puffing, I looked to my hand, where I had been holding something that made it harder to swim. The bright glimmer that it gave off caught my eyes, but I shook my head a few times to clear the extra water in it. Looking back at the hair clip, I wondered why I was holding it in the first place.

“Hmm… there has to be a reason, right?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you sure that you don’t anyone to remember?” Kami-sama asked Eryn after Claude left.

“It’s better this way. He’ll do so much more if he has one less thing to worry about. The world can forget about the tragedy of Eryn Faulkner. It’s the only way that I can start anew.”

Eryn heaved a sigh. She had remained with Claude all this time, but now, she knew things would be fine. Destiny had dealt her a strange hand, but that was something that she had grown used to. Just like what Claude usually did, she would roll with whatever came her way.

But for now, she would rest. Rest and see a world revive by her touch. She could feel pride in having a part in that.

“Too bad that you decided to take this route. I could have used a pair of new helpers across the different worlds,” Kami-sama said.

“You have that jellyfish and self-rolling carriage, do you not? Aren’t we a bit too normal in comparison?” Eryn scoffed.

“The door remains open.”

“I’m sure that Claude would have turned you down no matter what. We have our own worlds to take care of, so thanks, but no thanks.”

Eryn turned and walked through the portal, to start her new role.

“Aww, would have been fun. She’s got some fire in her, just how I like it!” Snazzy groaned as he waved, slowly disappearing back to where he came from.

“Well, isekai waits for no one… Guess I’ll grab a pint of gas before I do….”

The truck’s engine roared to life as he sped off and into the darkness as well.

Kami-sama stared for a moment, heaving a sigh at the silence.

“Well, you tried,” a new voice spoke behind him. Kami-sama turned around to see a woman in a maid outfit. Her face had a motherly understanding of the situation.

“Maybe things would have gone differently if I had sent a more ‘dynamic’ helper to Leguardia.”

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t meet your expectations, but it was you that suggested that I be a ‘normal’ maid to Sistina.”

“Hoho, that I did… well, I can always try again after they’ve had their fill. A lifetime is a drop in the bucket. But for now, back to the daily grind. More unfortunate souls to balance across the worlds.”

“The world moves on, regardless of what happens. That is all we can do, even as gods.”

The woman’s attire converted back to a Chinese robe to reveal a hidden beauty reminiscent of staring at a full moon. A flock of geese landed behind her, honking in approval. She walked away gracefully while beckoning for them to follow, flashing cake to keep them in line.

It was just another day in the rift between otherworlds.