< 314. Waves, liberation, confession. >
#314
Blue blood soaked the sandbank. Abel’s headless body slowly tilted. As he fell the hilt of the sword fell from Ronan’s hand.
Deep. La Mancha which fell from the tip was deeply embedded in the white sand beach. Abel did not wake up again. Ronan who was repeatedly closing and opening his eyes cursed.
“Whew… the plague….”
The fatigue that had accumulated so far was coming all at once. The curse was gone but this was a separate issue.
Now I could instinctively feel that time was running out. Suddenly Rin’s voice rang in her head.
[Ronan. Come to your senses.]
“It’s late.”
Ronan chuckled. His condition had already deteriorated to the point where he could not see clearly. In the hazy hazy vision the only sound was the sound of red waves crashing.
“…I’m exhausted.”
dump. Ronan who had been staring at the horizon collapsed in his seat. The feeling of gentle waves soaking his legs wasn’t that bad.
[Are you…dying?]
“maybe.”
[No…that’s not possible.]
Ronan answered harshly. Lin’s voice which was always calm was full of moisture. What does she have to do with the topic of a sissy sex sword?
“Thank you Lin. “Thanks to you I was able to come this far.”
[Don’t say that. There must be some way…!]
“doesn’t exist. “You know.”
Ronan laughed. Of course I wanted to live if possible. Because he hated words like ‘sacrifice’ and ‘death in the line of duty’ more than anyone else. He would rather be a coward and die alive than become a hero and have his name engraved on the memorial stone.
But he never expected something like this to happen to him. Isn’t he a hero from legends who completely saves the world and oxidizes it?
“Anyway I’m out of luck….”
Ronan grumbled. Of course he only said that but his mouth was smiling.
He would die here but what he protected would live on for a long time. Ronan unable to bear his fatigue was about to lie down. A familiar voice came from not far away.
『…I lost.』
“what…!”
For a moment I got goosebumps. Ronan reflexively turned around holding the hilt of his sword. Abel’s head lying there was looking at him.
“…Are you not dead yet?”
This was dangerous. Ronan aimed the tip of his sword at Abel.
His arms were shaking as he reached his limit but he couldn’t help it. He had to kill it completely at all costs. Abel’s mouth opened again.
『Stop it. The moment your head was cut off your connection to the source was already lost. I will soon disappear.』
“How can I believe that?”
『Well actually it is already disappearing. Look at me carefully.』
Ronan heard those words and narrowed his eyes. Although it was blurry I could see Abel’s head slowly shrinking.
He was scattering like particles of light like giants who had been robbed of their source. Ronan realizing that Abel’s words were true lowered his sword.
“Whoa…damn. “I thought I passed out.”
He thought his liver was going to fall and fall into pieces. Although he was in great shape Ronan did not have enough strength left to deal with the resurrected Abel.
“hey. Let me ask you one thing.』
“ok?”
『If I had followed my brother’s method instead of mine would people have stopped killing each other one day?』
Ronan narrowed his eyes at the sudden question. It didn’t seem like they were plotting some strange plan since everyone on that side was dying anyway. He sat down again and shook his head.
“You don’t know that. But probably not much would have changed.”
『Then why did you stop us both? I saw a memory when my brother closed his eyes. You opposed not only my plan but also your brother’s plan.』
Abel asked with a questioning tone. As a crooked but utilitarian person he could not understand Ronan who did not sympathize with the ideology of either the savior or himself.
Perfect! Ronan suddenly stretched out her arm and hit Abel on the forehead with the back of her knife.
『Ugh! What did you do…』
“Yumma. Are you calling that a question? “Anyway your brother and your father are very vain.”
『What?』
“People are not idiots. Of course there are a lot of dead bodies but there are a lot more healthy people. “I’m sure you would have done it on your own even if you hadn’t cleaned up the poop one by one.”
Ronan said. It was the first time since Ahayute that I had a conversation with someone who had just had their hair cut off. Abel crushed his face and shouted as if he were protesting.
『How can you say something like that even after looking at memories of the past? You saw the battleship Dainhar which was built to destroy other stars and the shelters provided to avoid the fallout of a nuclear war! Do you think there is any room for rehabilitation for the beings who create such things?!』
“Oh fuck it’s a surprise. “Why don’t you be quiet?”
Perfect! Ronan hit him on the head again with the back of his sword. Abel who was left with nothing but her head could do nothing but vent her exasperation.
『Ugh…!』
“Just shut up and trust me. Father and you should have been bystanders. “Even if I wanted to teach him I should have just given him advice. The problem was that he tried to move the horse himself.”
『It is an outrageous indulgence. How on earth can you have such faith?
Abel was now truly shocked. Since she received the blood of a savior she should be able to think from an immortal’s perspective. Ronan who had coughed up some blood answered without hesitation.
“Because I have changed.”
『What?』
“I was originally the head of two heads. But somehow I started living life one more time and changed my mind. “It’s hard for me to say this but I’ve really changed a lot.”
Ronan burst into laughter as he remembered his past life. Looking back now it was truly a life of extreme scum. He continued.
“I knew then. People can change if they have the opportunity. “I was a bit of an unusual case but most people have a better mentality than me so they will be able to come to their senses without such a big incident.”
『…Was that really the reason?』
“Don’t say it’s the only thing you can do man. “What do you think is the reason you lost to me right now?”
Abel silenced her with a sharp question. No matter what anyone said the results were already out.
It’s not funny that it’s because I’ve changed. Abel who was thinking about those words laughed. There was an awkward silence for a long time.
『…I will tell you how to survive.』
“what?”
Ronan who had been dozing off raised his head. I thought this was some kind of nonsense. Abel who had lost about 30 percent of her hair before she knew it spoke to her.
『My personality will soon disappear but my original power is still alive and well. Tear my chest and take my heart. Then you will become like me and enjoy strength and eternity.』
Abel rolled his eyes at her and pointed at her own sprawled body. Ronan raised his eyebrows.
“Have you developed a late senility? ‘Why are you suddenly telling me that?’
『Well I wonder why…』
Abel dragged her by the tail. She couldn’t think of a suitable answer. He turned his gaze back to the sea and laughed.
『I guess he has become senile as you said.』
“It’s amazing.”
She didn’t seem to be lying. Ronan staggered to his feet. For some reason I kept feeling like people around me were popular.
‘They must be souls trapped in the source.’
If what Abel said was true his heart would contain all the souls that the giants had collected so far. Not only was it not enough to save his life but it was an opportunity that would never happen again to have all of that power.
“…This is the heart.”
Ronan soon reached the corpse and stopped. He didn’t have to worry anymore. He thought of the faces of his loved ones and swung his sword.
Sigh! The tip of her knife pierced Abel’s chest. However it was not a movement to cut but to stab and explode. Abel sensing that her blade had pierced the source burst into her light.
『Yes you bastard…! What are you doing now!』
If things continue like this the source will be destroyed. Instead of answering Ronan twisted his sword. At the same time that her origin was completely destroyed Abel’s body oxidized into light.
Quaaaaa! At the same time lumps of light that looked like will-o’-the-wisps poured out from his heart. There seemed to be billions of them but I couldn’t even count them. Ronan whistled in admiration.
“It’s spectacular.”
『Why…!』
Abel was embarrassed. The liberated souls were flying toward the star-filled night sky. I’m not sure what will happen but they’ll probably go to their paradise. Somewhere in a distant universe.
For some reason it seemed like cheering could be heard. There were as many souls as there were visible stars so it seemed like there wouldn’t be enough time to see them all disappear. Now only the lower part of her nose remained Abel opened her mouth.
『Foolish thing…you can’t survive anymore. You’re kicking away your only chance.』
“doesn’t care. Because something like that shouldn’t exist in the world…”
Slurp. Suddenly Ronan who was looking up at the sky fell down. A familiar sensation was taking over his body. The five senses are blocked one by one by the falling darkness. Death was about to kiss him.
“…You’re just acting like a fucking brat.”
If he was going to die he wanted to die while looking at the sky. Ronan mustered the last of his strength and turned his body over. Unlike his previous life a distant sea of stars stretched out before his eyes.
This was the world he protected. I could no longer feel the wind or waves. The vision focused on the bluish motherhood was slowly darkening.
“Still…it was fun.”
Ronan muttered. Just like his first life there were still many things he had not accomplished but strangely he had no regrets.
Soon silence fell. Abel sensing her confusion called her.
『Hey Ronan.』
But no answer came back. Although the snow had long since disappeared it was not difficult to guess the situation. His mouth was closed and the rest of him had a wry smile on his face.
『…You really resemble your older brother a lot.』
It was truly a heroic end. Now it was his turn to leave. Maybe it was because it was the last time but something similar to Zuma Light was passing through my mind. What came to mind most strongly was of course Cain’s face.
“older brother….”
Abel removed his mouth from her. In his fading consciousness he was walking with Cain on the cold earth of his hometown.
『I knew it. I…wasn’t your younger brother…or anything…』
The belated confession mingled with the sound of the waves. Abel knew long ago that he was not Cain’s biological brother. Looking back it seemed like it was then that he began to harbor resentment toward his older brother.
『Still you…always held my hand…』
But Cain always took Abel’s side. He encouraged his only younger brother saying that things can change even if the world points fingers at his cruel actions.
Abel knew. He knew that if he hadn’t betrayed them they would have remained good brothers forever. Now he seemed to know what he should have protected but the end was already near.
“brother….”
Abel gritted his teeth. It was just sad that the eyes that could shed tears were gone. Lips disintegrating into light muttered the last words.
『I’m sorry.』
That was the end. The last remaining particles of light disappeared beyond the night sky. Before we knew it the sea had reached a high tide and had erased all traces of the two people.
****
“Ugh….”
Ronan opened his eyes. His head felt dizzy as if he had just woken up from a long sleep. The star-filled night sky disappeared everywhere leaving a completely white space.
“I see…I’m finally dead.”
It wasn’t difficult to guess the situation. Because my body which was in such a state of complete disrepair that there was no way it could ever get better was completely healed.
Even the sword was still there. He who was lying down got up and touched his forehead.
“Huh?”
Suddenly I felt a strange feeling in my pants pocket. He put his hand in and out of hers and tilted his head. A small round sphere of unknown material was sandwiched between the index finger and thumb.
“…What is this?”
It was an item I couldn’t remember. I couldn’t tell when it came into my pocket. It was the moment Ronan put the sphere back into his pocket. Someone’s footsteps were heard not far away.
“What? There were people besides me…”
Ronan turned his head without thinking. And he froze in place. He was standing with Ade Shan wearing the uniform of a general with his back to him.
“It was a lot of hard work. “Corporal.”
“General? “Wait a minute you next to me…”
But what really puzzled him was the man next to Adeshan. There was a face there that he had only seen once a long time ago but could never forget.
A believer I met in the Baidian Mountains. The elf man with long ears had clearly been turned to stone in the aftermath of the fight. Ronan who made eye contact with his man barely opened his mouth.
“…Sarante?”
