Something was falling, silently and at an incredible speed. Even with her enhanced vision, Ariya couldn’t make out what it was. However, she had a feeling that it was because of Inori, and had something to do with all the huge rocks that they’d collected.
Upon impact, multiple shock waves sent everything in the area flying. Ariya instinctively knew that she was in danger, so she immediately used defensive magic, while Fenrir and the wolves hid inside the shadows. She’d been confident that there was enough distance between her and Inori’s attack, but even so, her defensive magic barely held up against the shock waves. It just showed how powerful of an attack he’d unleashed.
The gigantic bugs that had filled the area had been completely demolished. It was as if they’d been stepped on and smooshed. Their appendages had been torn apart, their exoskeletons ripped to shreds, and their blood had spurted into the sky.
When things had finally quieted down, Ariya dispelled her defensive magic and observed the scene in front of her. There wasn’t any sign of grass on the once-green field. It was as if the entire area had been turned upside down, littered with bits and pieces of the bugs.
It was the scene of a disaster. Before Ariya even realized it, she’d fallen, trembling, to her knees. She couldn’t find the strength to stand up.
“Thisss... This is the power of our masterrr?” Fenrir asked, emerging from the shadows. Though no enemies remained, his fur was standing on edge. He was clearly guarded, but unlike Ariya, he was still able to stand.
It wasn’t entirely due to fear that she’d gone weak, though. She remembered the events that had happened in the Rising Sun Kingdom: protecting Inori, being cut down, Inori killing all the knights, and then him drinking her blood. When she had next awoken, her home had been burned to cinders, and Inori had killed everyone involved in the castle, whether or not they’d been involved in the coup. He’d even slain the warrior known as humanity’s strongest.
Her brain had accepted his claims, but her heart had refused to do the same. After all, how could someone who seemed as harmless as Inori possess such great power? It was hard for her to believe that he’d truly been solely responsible for the destruction of the Rising Sun Kingdom.
Perhaps if she’d witnessed the events of that night, she wouldn’t have held these doubts in her heart. Perhaps, if she’d known his strength firsthand, she would never have declared that she’d one day surpass him.
The scene that lay before her eyes had turned that entire notion on its head. He hadn’t been lying or exaggerating. He really did possess the power to take down the entire castle. But even so, his opponents back then had been mere humans, not monsters. What he had been capable of back then was nothing compared to the destruction he was capable of enacting now.
For the first time since they had met, Ariya was afraid of Inori. Her legs were weak and trembled, making it impossible for her to stand. The blinders had come off. She was now fully aware of how high the wall which separated them was. Her heart sank. She hadn’t necessarily given up, but she was no longer clueless as to how difficult of a feat it’d be—it seemed to border on the impossible.
And then another feeling began to surface inside of her—it was excitement. Witnessing this almost cataclysmic event elicited admiration for Inori within Ariya, which confused her. A voice called out to her from inside her mind: You, of all people, should know why you feel this way.
Shut up, Ariya spat at the voice in her head. I’m not like him. But at the same time, Ariya knew that that inner voice was right on the money.
In the next moment, a black haze descended upon the field. Black Wind was connected to Inori’s Shadow Storage, so most likely what he was doing now was collecting the bits and pieces of the bugs. This theory of hers was proven correct when Black Wind dissipated and there wasn’t a trace of any of the bugs left. All that remained were countless craters.
“Hm?” Ariya was snapped out of her daze by Fenrir, who seemed to have sensed something. “Thisss...”
“What’s the matter?” Ariya asked.
“My connection with our master has been severrred,” Fenrir said, frowning.
“That’s strange.”
“Could something have happened to himmm?”
Suddenly, all the feelings she’d been carrying for Inori turned to concern. Even if he was incredibly difficult to kill, it wasn’t impossible. Fenrir must have been thinking the same thing because he had become obviously restless. They wanted to run to Inori, but they weren’t sure where he was.
“Ariya.” A spirit clad in black flew towards them.
“Sylph! Do you know where Inori is?”
“He’s up on that cliff. He collapsed all of a sudden.”
Ariya and Fenrir immediately followed Sylph to the cliff, and just as she’d said, Inori was unconscious on the ground. There was also a girl who was tied up and unconscious.
“Inori?! Wake up!” Ariya said, giving his head a shake. “Ah, hang on—if this is a concussion, I should be more careful with his head. What was I supposed to do in this situation again? Uh...make sure his airways are clear and then roll him onto his side.” Ariya muttered in a panic, trying to draw on all the knowledge she’d gained about first aid.
“Calm down,” Sylph called out. “He’s not hurt. He’s perfectly healthy.”
“Then why’s he unconscious?!”
“I...I don’t know.” In the meantime, Sylph had been trying to figure out why she couldn’t sense Inori’s soul inside his body. I can tell that his body’s fine. If anything, it feels like his body has been put in stasis or something. If his body had been put in stasis, though, then it shouldn’t have been possible for Inori to die. Sylph decided not to share the fact that his soul wasn’t in his body with Ariya and Fenrir as it would only make them freak out. The only thing they could do was patiently wait.
“Wh-What should we do?”
“Physically, he’s fine. We just need to wait for him to wake up. Why don’t you let him use your lap as a pillow or something?”
“Wh-What?!” The relief Ariya felt when Sylph said Inori would be okay instantly turned to surprise at Sylph’s suggestion, and she froze.
“Why are you freaking out? There’s nothing weird about lap pillows.”
“T-True...” And so Ariya nervously rested Inori’s head on her lap. “This is merely a first aid treatment for his recovery. I derive no enjoyment from this whatsoever...” she murmured.
✦ ✦ ✦
“We can hear you,” Sylph said.
“Eek!”
Fenrir spoke up. “We will secure the perimeterrr.” He led the other wolves to the forest, leaving Ariya, bright red, with Inori’s head on her lap.
Somehow, the expression he wore at the moment was different than how he usually looked when he slept. It was much calmer, much more peaceful. Ariya stroked his head while gazing upon his adorable, childlike face. I’ve been by his side ever since I left home, she thought.
Inori was an unknown entity to her. She couldn’t understand his thought process at all. He was also someone that she needed to surpass. But more than anything, she was realizing now just how important he was to her. As much as I don’t want to admit it...I may be in love with you.
“Wait...” Sylph said, as if she’d had an epiphany. “Maybe this is my chance to run away.”
“Huh?! Are you crazy?!” Ariya exclaimed.