Mistress...please lend me your strength...
A magic circle appeared on the ground at her feet. Lightning flashed again and again as terrible black storm clouds appeared in the sky. A raging tempest descended upon them. “Ars Draconis... Falling Lightning!”
“I told you!” Izuna said. “Magic won’t—” She never finished her sentence. The twinkling stars in her eyes did nothing to stop the dragon of lightning.
Aisha hadn’t known for certain that her plan would work, but she’d at least had a solid basis for her theory. A great spirit she’d once summoned had told her that she couldn’t touch the dark power Aisha was now using. Even a being whose control over mana far outstripped any human could do nothing with it. Though Izuna could dispel and absorb the magic of the spirits, this power was far beyond what a human could manipulate.
“Aaaaaaaaaah!” Izuna yelled, turning her shining bow against the dragon overhead. “Strike it down, Bow of Azure Sky!” The dragon, however, harmlessly swallowed the bolts of light that flew up to meet it.
Lightning flashed in the sky all throughout Estoll as deafening thunder drowned out all other sounds. The clash lasted but a second. With a noise like a terrible roar, the dragon fell to earth atop Izuna. The thunder went quiet, and the black cloud vanished from the sky as if it had never been. Once more, beams of moonlight filtered in through the broken roof.
It looked like the aftermath of a war. The building had been utterly obliterated. There was no sign anywhere that this had once been a mansion belonging to a noble family. The wood was burnt to a crisp, and even the metal fixtures were red-hot to the touch.
Izuna lay on the ground, arms and legs spread wide like she was trying to melt into the earth. Somehow, however, her body seemed unharmed. Aisha had used the Eyes of Judgment, one of the abilities of the Dragon Eyes, to strike only at Izuna’s armor. Most of the force of the attack had dissipated into the surrounding area.
The gold rings vanished from Aisha’s eyes. Dragging her weary body, she made her way up to Izuna, step by agonizing step. At last, her voice might just reach the girl.
“Hey...Izuna?” she said. “I’m sure I’m going to end up saying something hurtful to you again someday.” She spoke slowly, trying to say everything that was on her mind while Izuna listened, lying flat on the ground. “If I think something’s wrong, I’m going to say what I think. I can’t just quietly approve of anything you do.”
Izuna had quietly approved of the dolls—of Analissia—for a very long time. She had allowed herself to think that anything Analissia said and did was correct. It had been a very easy attitude to take. That was why she’d ended up retreating from reality into a world of dreams.
But it wasn’t right. Izuna was Aisha’s precious friend. No matter how much it hurt, the right thing to do would be to tell her honestly that what she was doing was wrong. And so, tell her she did.
“I know I make mistakes sometimes too,” Aisha said. “But when I do, I want you to fight me. I want you to show me right from wrong. That’s what arguments are for, I think. And...” She paused and looked Izuna in the eyes—her beautiful eyes that reminded Aisha of the night sky. “And I think that’s what it means to be friends.”
Aisha’s magic poured into Izuna, rousing her exhausted body. She sat up, her body trembling, and slowly opened her mouth. Aisha waited patiently for her to speak. “Aisha...” Izuna said fearfully. “Do you still...want to be friends...?”
“Of course,” said Aisha. “We are friends, Izuna.”
“Even... Even though I was so selfish...and threw a tantrum like a child...? Even though I’ve done so many horrible things...?”
“You didn’t do anything that bad,” Aisha said. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m older than you. It’s okay for you to accept my kindness.” Izuna still looked anxious, so Aisha continued. “I’ve done terrible things to you too, you know. Do you still want to be my friend?”
“Are you...okay with someone like me...?” Izuna’s voice trailed off miserably.
“Izuna,” Aisha began, trying to find the words to banish her friend’s fears and close the distance that had opened between them. “I need you.” She held out her hand. “Do you want to make up?”
“Y-Yes!” Izuna took Aisha’s hand and squeezed it tight. “Yes! Yes!!!” Tears shone like jewels as they streamed down her face. Aisha wiped them away until the downpour in Izuna’s eyes let up. Izuna clung tightly to Aisha, as if she never again wanted to let go. As if she wanted to be told it was all right to stay like this for just a little while.
Gradually, though, something dawned on Aisha. Something that had slipped her mind in the chaos. “Izuna...you’re naked.”
Izuna’s armor had been destroyed, and she apparently hadn’t been wearing anything underneath it. But fortunately, the only one here to see was Aisha.
Izuna was already aware, but it didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest. “I don’t mind if it’s you who sees,” she said. She sounded oddly happy.
A chill ran down Aisha’s spine, no doubt just because of the cold night wind. She decided that she didn’t mind Izuna’s state of undress either—for the time being, at least—and held the girl tight in her arms.