“Please, run…survive…find happiness. Your Majesty, I love this world, because you are in it.”
Suddenly, words he could never have heard rose in his mind. He tried to reject them, to push them back…but they kept returning, taking over.
“It can’t be…it’s not possible… If it’s true, then…what have I been doing all this time?”
-11-
ZORAS STAYED on the ground, stiff and unmoving.
Lunaère stared down at his back with pity. She said she wasn’t like him, but she didn’t seem entirely sure about that.
“What a tragic man… But perhaps his hatred is a reflection of the depths of his love,” she said. She sighed and looked back at the source of the curse, Zero, held in place by black fog. She touched his cheek, then looked at me. “We’ve talked for too long. We’re nearly out of time. Kanata, this is our goodbye.”
Tears spilled from my eyes. She was planning to use her own life to try and cancel out Zero’s curse.
“Lunaère-san… I’d rather let the whole world of Locklore be destroyed than sacrifice you,” I said.
She shook her head, then slipped her slender, white arms around me and held me tight. Her body was cold. I could feel the primal fear that the unholy impurity caused. But to me, it just felt warm and comfortable.
“If you say that, all the people of Locklore and all your friends will be angry with you. I know this isn’t the place for it…but it has made me so happy to know you care for me. But please don’t disregard my feelings. Please find a way to live, find your happiness.”
“Lunaère-san…you can’t say it like that, it’s unfair,” I said, and Lunaère patted my back like she was soothing a crying child.
“…Wait. If the lich girl does it, she’ll surely mess it up,” came a voice, and Zoras slowly stood. “I, Zoras…will fill this role. I’m confident my death magic is far better than a love-struck girl’s. Besides, it was I who removed the seal on Zero and modified the curse so it would spread to all of Locklore. Canceling it out will be child’s play.”
-12-
“YOU’RE GOING TO CANCEL out the curse…?” I asked, and Zoras nodded, expressionless.
“I am. I’m a lich, just like Lunaère, and my unholy impurity is plenty powerful. I also pride myself on the fact that my magic skills are a step above hers. I would be more suited to being turned into a curse to cancel out Zero’s. Or do you not trust me? Then feel free to cut me down, kill me, and have Lunaère throw her own soul against Zero.”
I didn’t get the impression he was trying to deceive us. Besides, I was willing to clutch at straws. If Zoras was going to sacrifice himself in Lunaère’s place, then I had no reason to stop him.
Except…
“I don’t get why,” I said. “You’re the one who plotted to kidnap Zero, then destroy the whole world. And now you’re going to sacrifice yourself to stop that?”
I didn’t understand what could motivate Zoras to go out of his way to expend his life and save us. Never mind whether I even trusted him not to betray us in the first place.
“…You’re right. I was the one who suggested this plan to the higher beings. But it was only because I needed to get them to compromise themselves when they’re normally so timid and focused on self-preservation. My primary goal was always revenge against the higher beings. If I can’t kill you and return alive, I can’t fulfill that goal. So I might as well annoy them. You two stopping the curse and surviving will be far more of a nuisance to them.” He spoke calmly now. There wasn’t any of the easygoing manner from before.
He let out a small sigh, then glanced at Lunaère. “And the rest is her doing. I was taken aback that someone who was in such a similar position to me could think of others as much as she does, could live such an upstanding life.” At that point he paused and bit his lip. “I…couldn’t do that. I was filled with my own hatred, and I twisted her final, pure emotions, sullied them, belittled them. I’m grateful that you made me realize that, Lunaère.”
His shoulders trembled slightly, and there was a trace of tears in the corners of his eyes. I could see he was trying to push down his powerful emotions. I felt like I was finally seeing his true intentions.
What he said just now made me believe we really could trust him. Any trace of mockery was gone from his voice.
“But…are you sure?” asked Lunaère. “If you do this, your soul will turn into a curse no one can ever save, and you’ll be trapped for eternity in the gaps between worlds.”
I gasped. Turning your soul into a curse needed a lot more courage than I’d originally thought. Had Lunaère really chosen such a route without telling me that?
“Let me tell you something, lich girl. Nothing is eternal. I was kept imprisoned by the higher beings as an Eternal Convict, threatened regularly with eternal suffering. Do you think that word will phase me now? Besides, the higher beings aren’t as all-powerful as they believe. They will face their destruction one day.”
Lunaère took a step back, and he moved to stand in front of Zero. He took in a breath, let it out, and then touched Zero’s forehead.
Then the chains wrapped around Zoras’s arms and legs burned with a brilliant blue-white light.
“What’s that?!” I said as I covered my face with my arm.
The chains of light quickly grew longer, wrapping around his whole body, layer after layer until he was held fast.
“It means that joining sides with you is a violation of my agreement,” he said. “You are desperate, aren’t you, Naiarotop?” He looked at the chains around his own body.
Those chains had been on Reniement and Lucifer too. Apparently, they had the effect of robbing the person of their ability to move if they went against the higher beings’ will.
“Urgh!”
I drew my sword.
I knew it was cruel, but I needed Zoras to cancel out Zero’s curse. If Zoras couldn’t move, then Lunaère would try to use her own life to solve the problem.
“Stop,” he said. “These chains aren’t so weak they can be dealt with by human hands.” He seemed calm despite the situation.