3rd Pov
Years passed after the tragedy in which Mirai and her little sister lost everything they had.
Now living hidden from their homeland, the two girls were forced to work as what adventurers were called in that era.
Explorer...people who would travel across the land and sea to discover new land and creatures.
This was the only thing Mirai could really do to protect her sole family...she couldn't stay at the same place for too long, she had to earn money and pass time with her young sister.
So this job as an explorer was the perfect rôle she could assume...there was no clear system, just a sort of main base of operation in the big city.
In fact most of the time, Mirai had to do mercenary-like job instead because an Explorer cannot make a full monthly living from simply exploring.
It was a dirty job but surely, Mirai made sure that nothing would lack for her little sister...
Now being respectively 24 and 17, Mirai had rented a small house in the northern continent ruled by the high human...
The reason she stayed there longer than any other place is because of her appearance...Mirai was incredibly beautiful, her sister too and this fact alone made the people there think that they were of the same kind.
With this, Mirai managed to settle down a little though she planned to leave soon.
Now in a small dining room, Mirai served dinner...the sun was settling down leaving for the shine of the darkness of the night.
Mirai : Eat when it's still hot.
Addressing her sister, despite the lack of educational facility or teacher, the younger sister was pretty smart and cunning.
She looked down at her plate, it was soup like any other day...they didn't have the funds to profit a luxurious dinner.
Not like it bothered any of the two...Mirai was fine with it while the sister was too young to remember what luxury Averion proposed.
Sister : Thank you...Onee-chan.
She grabbed her spoon and took a light sip before stopping any motion, her eyes portrayed a foreign doubt.
Sister : Nee-chan...have you not considered taking revenge for father and mother ?
As they grew up, Mirai was forced to tell her sister...the truth, how in a single day they lost it all.
And the little sister could see how big of an impact it had on Mirai...since contrary to her, Mirai had lived years with her parents.
The pain Mirai went through was much worse...
Mirai : I can't say I never thought about it...
Turning her head toward the window, the sun was half down creating a beautiful orange sky...
Mirai : But...everytime i look at the sky, I can feel my mother and father's eyes watching over me.
Sister : Won't they want to be avenged ?
Mirai : I doubt that...it's only now that i realized how great both of them are...
The memories of that tragic day were still vivid, haunting her every night...some day she would even avoid sleeping and keep herself occupied with the excuse of earning more money.
This was nothing short but a lifelong trauma...that she couldn't overcome.
Sister : Then...why can't I remember father and mother's faces ?
This was another problem...after being transported away with the runic teleportation circle, the younger sister seemed to have lost most memories about her family.
She remembered all the moments but when it came to her father and mother, it seemed like a blank state...their faces and love were totally missing.
Mirai : I don't really know...but it's better that way.
Before losing consciousness, the little girl had seen servants being massacred...surely a trauma was also eating her away and thus.
Her own memories decided to exclude those scenes.
Sister : How were our parents ?
Mirai : Mmh...Mother was the most beautiful and kindest woman in the world, she would often play with us using magic, sing lullabies when we couldn't sleep...she showered us with love.
Her tone turned sweet and bitter, talking about this reminded her of what she had lost yet it was comforting to remember those good old times.
Mirai : And father was the strongest...until his very last breath, he fought for what he believed...
Sister : I see...
Even if she couldn't remember their faces, this little sister looked down trying to hide a proud smile...
Sister ; I'll help Onee-chan achieve whatever she plans to do.
She played with her spoon shyly, they were the only one for each other...in a world filled with greed and sorrow.
Mirai : How can you be so cute...come here, let onee-chan give you a big hug~
Sister : W-wait !
When they finally started to regain what people would call a normal life...they thought nothing could go wrong anymore...
Not unexpecting the looming danger coasting through the distance...
Chapter 6 : Sorrowful awakening
Coming back home after a long day of work, Mirai went to the market and brought everything needed for a small birthday celebration.
After all, today was the day her little sister turned 18...since she was already considered an adult, Mirai decided to let her live more freely.
They were still in the northern continent, though they were currently holding some found to move away to another continent in the next few months.
Mirai : (They don't have any cake here...maybe i should bake one myself?)
As she pondered, her instinct suddenly kicked...she halted her march and widened her eyes as a loud explosion occurred at a fair distance.
It was several hours away in another district...followed by the shout of some high human...
High Human : Monsters ! Monsters are attacking !
Mirai : (What?)
An uneasy feeling invaded her whole existence, she dropped the grocery and quickly ran off toward her home...moving through the panicked crowd.
Even if the high humans were naturally stronger than normal humans...they were not much different in terms of civilization.
Just more advanced, a big percentage of the high humans weren't fighters...
Mirai : Please be safe...
Clear fear in her eyes, she was heavily slowed down by the crowd but using any power would alert the guards...
Still, if something happened to her sister...then-
Mirai : I can't let this happen !
She tightened her fist and jumped, landing on the wall she started running vertically without bothering to be seen.
Her breath ragged as she panicked when her house came into view, the windows were broken and a heavy smell of blood flooded even the outside.
She quickly jumped down and kicked the door open...in a particular way, the door was fully intact as if nothing happened.
Mirai : Huh ?
Upon entering, Mirai let out a relieved expression as her little sister was just sleeping...the room inside was fully safe, no blood or sign of monsters.
Mirai : Thank god...you are safe.
Catching her breath, she went to her sister's side and knelt down gently grabbing her hand...it was warm...yes warm...
Mirai approached her head and placed her forehead right on top of her sister's.
Mirai : I'll protect you so don't worry...
An oath...an oath she wanted to respect...
The episode closing on this heartwarming scene, it wasn't the same for Future Mirai...
As she stood there, staring at her past self and little sister with pity...the reason ? Because there was no warmth there.
Mirai : How pitiful.
Her eyes grew even colder as she stood there at the door frame...no one could see her, no one could console her just like her past self.
From her point of view, the scene displayed upfront was different from the one Past Mirai saw.
Laying on the ground...her little sister's body was cold, her eyes were mutilated and several scars could be seen decorating her skin.
All around the room were different kinds of monsters, mutants and beasts...everything was a mess, blood overshadowed the original wall.
What Past Mirai saw is merely the projection of what she wanted to see...after going crazy.
The shock of losing the only family she had left was too much...she instantly denied the reality, holding her little sister as if she was still alive.
But for Future Mirai, she saw the world without a filter...this was the harsh reality of a girl who had truly lost everything now.
A girl who would never accept the death of her little sister...
Past Mirai : Everything will be fine...we'll be together forever...
Her words just fueled her future self's anger, Mirai quietly watched before turning around.
A floating text appeared as she got out of the house...
« Chapter 7 : A new Hero »
Several decades had passed, Mirai had continued to live her life...but one thing had changed, she was deemed as crazy from many people's reports.
Since she would often talk to the air as if someone was there...for her, she would constantly see her sister as a ghost.
They were just hallucinations as she still believed in her survival...this is also the reason she chose this new path.
A road filled with grief and revenge...monster, human, not all living creatures were against her.
She didn't have anyone, so she'll fight for herself...until all those that had caused her grief would be gone.
Relentlessly hunting down humans, she was soon proclaimed as a hero of mankind here to save humanity from those evil races.
But a hidden factor, she was sharpening her fangs so she could one day go back to her homeland and recover everything that was hers.
The ghost of her sister kept whispering those words... « Avenge me » « Avenge us » « They took everything from us » « Kill them all »...
Mirai : (I need to get stronger...once i kill them all, father, mother and ***** will be proud.)
Her sword teinted in crimson red after killing countless monsters/humans and all kinds of creatures.
She moved forward and forward, becoming an enlightened human rather than a saint on her own...her desire for power and conviction ultimately led her to be given a Hero egg.
In front of the world, she was a hero going by the name of Mirai...but her heart would never forget her origin...she belonged to the great duchy of Averion.
The most prestigious blood flowed through her veins, born from two geniuses...she vowed herself to follow that path.
All this led her to the future...as one day, she stumbled onto a specific cave leading to a sort of dungeon.
It wasn't a place listed on any map, this was a whole new dungeon with tresors and secrets.
She didn't think much before jumping in and started exploring, the inside was a large simple labyrinth...
There were no monsters or loot, only an endless Labyrinth in which Mirai felt herself trapped.
She felt like walking in the same room over and over despite going down stairs every once in a while.
Mirai : Mmh...I'm definitely walking in a circle.
Looking around, on one of the large pillars present was a large cut...that she had made previously after realizing something was wrong.
She went down another floor yet the cut remained...meaning, the access to the lower floor led her to the current floor.
Mirai : You think so ?
Starting to talk alone, Mirai started looking further into the room's detail...she couldn't be just stuck here, there must be a solution somewhere or somehow.
Mirai : Yeah...the formation of this labyrinth is complex and affine, no one would develop such a space to hide nothing.
The cold pillars were all the same, dozens of them were inspected but it resulted in nothing...this is when Mirai thought about thinking differently.
The space within this labyrinth seemed altered...controlling such a concept wasn't possible, so the remaining solution is...
Mirai : You're so smart...the solution was evident.
Smiling to her own vision, Mirai closed her eyes and drowned herself into the surrounding magicule.
This was when she started to see it...tiny little light surrounding her...those were lesser spirits.
Mirai Averion, the human beloved by the spirits...
Mirai : So pretty...
Reopening her eyes, those lesser spirits were clear to her now...they were lined to form a sort of pathway.
As if begging Mirai to follow them...seeing no harm in that, she executed and slowly made way through the Labyrinth.
A long walk as she explored the entire structure...following the spirits allowed her to break free from the endless loop that this place had created.
Finally, she arrived at the very bottom of this labyrinth...an immense room with a single large pillar made of blue crystal.
Mirai : What is this place...
The sight was enchanting, the power that this place exuded was intense...as if this was the very center of the world.
She quietly watched as the lesser spirit suddenly became more agitated...they guided her to a sort of staircase leading to the very top of the pillar.
She didn't hesitate long before following, each step becoming heavier as she was affected by a strange energy...someone on top was warning her.
It wasn't killing intent, just enough magicule to make one hesitant of taking another step...thought it was meaningless for Mirai as she just kept moving forward.
Until she reached the very end, standing at the roof of the pillar, she froze at the sight of a beautiful lady...
She was simply standing there playing with a spirit with her finger, her face portrayed a dignity superior to that of a noble.
Her presence was almost divine and those transparent wings scratched on her back accentuated this feeling.
Ramiris : To think my first guest would be this interesting.
Spirit queen, Ramiris...one of the most powerful beings active in the central world.
Mirai : You...aren't human...
Naturally, Mirai was on guard...this being was unlike anything she had met before.
Ramiris : No need to be so tense, I'm merely a guide for the hero.
Mirai : Hero ?
Ramiris nodded with a content smile, she let go of the spirit and gracefully approached Mirai.
Ramiris : I was tasked to guide the humans worthy of being called « hero » and it seems you have the qualification to receive my guidance.
Mirai : What are you saying...
Since Mirai was the very first visitor and hero candidate, it was normal for the process to be slow.
In fact Ramiris was grateful to fate for her first « customer » to be a wielder of the hero egg.
Ramiris : A human that guides others, that's what my purpose is.
Mirai : No matter how you look at it...it's suspicious, why would a species that shares only a part of our appearance help humans ?
Ramiris : I see, you seem to have quite the hatred for your own kind...well, this is just how God designed us.
Ramiris sighed before pointing her finger toward Mirai's chest.
Ramiris : Humans are the core of the world's civilization and a race preferred by the gods...I am nothing but a guide, there is no need for me to overthink such matters.
Activating her power, Ramiris looked into Mirai's soul...
Ramiris : I see...you are a rotten apple.
Mirai : Huh ?
Ramiris : You hate humans and monsters equally, you seek revenge yet you are loved by all spirits.
Spirits were beings who moved by instinct...they would rather look into one's soul than their physical appearance.
This was something odd even for Ramiris, Mirai had two layers on her soul...a sphere made of pure light while being covered in a deep darkness.
Someone like that would make the spirits flee on sight normally yet...all of them wanted to be used by her.
Ramiris : What is your name ?
Mirai : I won't give my name to someone who has yet to introduce herself.
Ramiris : Oh my~you got quite the character...
To Ramiris, this girl was like a lone wolf...she was all alone and desperate for something.
Ramiris : Fine, I am the spirit queen, the guide of mankind, Ramiris.
Mirai : Spirit queen ?
Ramiris : Yes, those little lights you see floating around you are my children and subject, now mind you introduce yourself ?
Forcing a dark smile, Ramiris wanted to actually make some progress with her first guest now...even if Mirai didn't fully trust her.
Mirai : Just call me Mirai...
Ramiris : Mirai ? That's quite the charming name.
Deciding to hide her last name, she did it not out of shame but mistrust...if Ramiris ends up betraying her.
The mention of Averion would lead to all those pesky dogs who dared biting her family would come for her.
Ramiris : Then, Mirai let's start.
All Ramiris had to do was to guide Mirai to summon a greater spirit of Light so her hero egg would hatch.
But nothing went as expected, the moment Mirai stepped up to summon a spirit.
Ramiris flinched...the spirits suddenly got scared, praying to summon a spirit is the same as revealing your intention.
What Mirai wanted the most...was power and the reason is revenge.
Ramiris : (Such darkness...the spirits of light are going crazy yet her natural affinity attracts all of them.)
The situation is the same as a bunch of crazy men walking through a wall of fire to get to their beloved...
Ramiris : I need to stop here...even if it's the first time, this is too much.
The agonizing cry of the spirits terrified her ears, Ramiris had to make a decision...she concluded that no matter what.
Mirai was too dangerous to be kept alive...this thirst for revenge is enough to break the balance of the world in the near future.
Ramiris : I need to kill h-
She raised her hand to do what she had to do...but was cut down as a voice resonated in her mind.
Veldanava : (Wait Ramiris, let this human do.)
Ramiris : (What ? B-but Lord Veldanava ! The spirits are suffering!)
Veldanava : (I will compensate you later, for now just observe.)
The sudden intervention from the one called god...Ramiris could only bit her lips and retract her previous claim.
She looked ahead as Mirai messed with her people...but as time passed, she realized what Veldanava was after.
Mirai...this girl wasn't just acquiring a spirit to later awaken the hero egg...no instead, she was awakening herself on the spot.
She used the spirit's force as fuel to grow her power...in a mystic like environment, the queen of spirits could only watch for long hours as all kinds of spirits were devoured to create a new hero.
Ramiris : (This is unbelievable...)
This simple girl who happened to be the first guest in her grand duty...had left the most exceptional yet bitter experience in Ramiris's mind.
Mirai : (I can feel my body swirling with mana...this sudden surge of power, is this the mysterious phenomenon some had called awakening?)
This notion was still uncertain...Mirai who had experienced the effect by becoming a saint could deduce that much.
It was only recently in the last decade that people had given a name to such a phenomenon...where one suddenly gets an increase of power, and achieves a natural ability surpassing that of a normal human.
Her body covered in a bright light...the impossible happened at the very first try, no True hero existed before her.
And Mirai had become one using her own means...a dark smirk crept onto her face as she listened to the Voice of the World announcing her awakening.
Mirai : (A true hero ? Haha...isn't it great?)
Ageless body, unlimited stamina, power that transcended humanity, immunity to most magic...new skills and power.
What would happen if you gave absolute power to someone who had already lost their mind ? Only a disaster will occur.
Mirai : Hahahah !
Holding her face with both hands, she laughed maniacally as she fell onto the ground.
Mirai : (That's right...now I'm ready...)
Her pupils shrank in craziness, the ghost of her sister genty knelt beside her whispering in her ear.
Sister : That's right Onee-chan, now you can avenge us, you can kill them all.
A whisper coming from the deep bottom of her own desir...for the best or the worst-
Ramiris : What is your plan...Lord Veldanava, to let such a thing be born...
Calling this a True Hero awakening didn't suit well for the spirit queen, this was more like the birth of a fallen hero...
And surely, this simple decision of letting her live would radically change the world, but that was outside Ramiris's vision.
As she did as per her duty and sent off Mirai after she was done awakening.
Following that day, blood spread across all continents...the name that people once praised as a hero was now tainted with malice.
A lady who proclaimed to be the heir of the once great duchy of Averion appeared suddenly, this name who had been buried over time once again shone.
The uproar caused the empire to fall into crisis...the new emperor who is the son of the one who had betrayed the duchy immediately asked for Mirai's head.
But the difference in power was too big...if the strongest human was a gun, then Mirai is a blackhole that constantly got stronger.
A city, an entire nation ending with the entire continent...she had massacred all those involved with her family's demise.
It took her years, her appearance didn't even change, only the color of her aura which gradually turned red from all her victims.
The Vengeful spirit...this was the name given to her, a title that brought terror to all continents...a peerless beauty who never aged and stopped until the destruction of her enemy.
Once again, the name Averion was brought on the lips of any living being...but this time, instead of loyalty and joy, it was fear and anxiety.
However, the woman concerned was different from what everyone thought of...Mirai was currently standing under a heavy rain.
She had finally achieved her revenge...standing in front of her was a pile of stone she formed with care.
Her fingers were dirty as she didn't want to use any magic, she dug the stone in the ruin surrounding the destroyed castle she was currently standing in.
Around her were dozens of corpses, freshly sliced and devoid of life...Mirai couldn't care less about anything before looking at her stone work with empty eyes.
Mirai : I did it...father and mother...can you see it ? I finally killed the last one of those bastards...
The location she was standing at was the former grand castle of Averion, the only place she ever called « home ».
The pile of stone she had made herself was the grave of her parents, that she could finally honor and pray.
Mirai : I'm sorry for being late...
The former duchy of Averion who was given to another noble after the tragedy, Mirai made sure to keep this place as the last piece of her revenge..
She wanted to plant this grave as a consecration of her life...she lived for this revenge and finally everything was done.
Mirai ; Huh ?
The heavy rain hit her face, her eyes widened as she saw a figure appearing beside her parent's grave...
Mirai : What are you doing...sister ?
The ghost that had followed her for so many years, whispering encouragement to take revenge...was now right in front of her.
A bright smile that seemed to chase the rain away, the second daughter of Origin and CATHERIN Averion.
Unmei Averion...
Mirai : W-what are you doing ?
Unmei simply smiled, her hands behind her back she opened her sky blue eyes which reflected the world.
For a brief instant, Mirai's field of vision was cleared of all nuisance...in a vast space where she and Unmei were standing.
Unmei : I have been waiting for you...Onee-chan.
A warm whisper unlike anything she had heard for the past few decades, Mirai was too stunned to move...she could only watch as Unmei extended her hand.
Unmei : Please stop this madness now...come with me.
Mirai shook, she stared at the hand offered to her...before reaching out her own hand, this was like a proposition to end it all now.
To finally move on from her desolated path...she genuinely wanted to grab her sister's hand which felt more honest than anything Mirai heard for the past few decades.
But as Mirai started moving, a sudden pitch of darkness made its presence known from behind...
Mirai : Wh-
Turning around, she saw another Unmei...the one who had been accompanying her for decades.
Her expression was dark, she quietly approached and whispered those same hateful words.
Unmei (2) : Don't listen to her, the world did us wrong...our revenge has yet to be done.
Unmei : Onee-chan...
The two sides clashing, Mirai was too perturbed to make a correct judgment...the darkness that held her from behind slowly ate her away.
While the warm light upfront tried to suck her back...
Mirai : I-i...
She was actually scared, the lounging sense of loneliness creeping inside her heart.
Unmei : Get away from my sister, you parasyte !
The light blowing out brighter, slowly Unmei (2)'s facade was washed away...revealing its true appearance.
A humanoid form made of glitch...something that didn't make sense when looked upon reality.
Mirai : W-what are y-mmh !
Before she could finish asking, a hand covered her mouth...the one who had impersonated her sister for all these years stared right into her soul.
This figure had no eyes or facial features, it was just a manly form made of glitch...still Mirai could feel what she would describe as eyes fixating her.
Author : Shut up...you should have never existed, who dare you mess up with this story ?
His words dipped in venom, the darkness he excluded spreaded across Mirai's body...pushing the light further away.
Mirai : N-no...get away from me !
She struggled, trying to break free from these chains of darkness...she had finally opened her eyes, the faces of her parents were clear.
They would have never wanted her to pursue such a path...all this time, she was manipulated.
Author : How sad, if only you waited a little more, you would die peacefully.
Breaking her mind slowly, this is the fate decided for Mirai...a slow and mentally torturing journey that will result in a conclusion surrounding her tragic death.
Author : But whatever, just die your useless side extra...don't you dare mess with this story...you will just waste this wonderful story.
His hands harshly grasped Mirai's neck, strangling her...Mirai felt her consciousness shaking, for the first time in decades she felt powerless.
Her fighting spirit was broken the moment she realized she was being manipulated...and now, she was just going to die like that.
Thousands of regrets in her heart...
Mirai : (Is this the end ? How am i going to face father and mother now...i-i am pathetic...)
Her lips quivered, her hand loosened as she started accepting her fate...before a flash illuminated her mind.
She remembered the sole true connection she had after losing all her family...when she was traveling to commit her revenge.
She sometimes would feel the tension, the hallucination of her sister would disappear...the Author's influence weakening.
Those times where she was being herself...at the time, only one person opened her heart....
Mirai : (Right...didn't I promise him to get back to his side ? So we could start a family ? Why did I leave him again?)
She promised this man...yet the influence of her ghost sister forced her out to continue this massacre.
Now that everything was coming to an end...she felt regrets, she regretted so much...
Mirai : (I want to live...i want everything back like it was before...)
A tear leaning down her cheek, Mirai finally closed her eyes...a bright shine broke her focus as Unmei confronted the darkness once again.
Not to prevail as Mirai was now...dead...
Or so she thought, the moment after...she woke up in her bed, the sight of her mother singing a lullaby immediately moved her heart.
Hoping that this wasn't a dream...and sure it wasn't, she had gone back into time before the tragedy where she lost everything.
Mirai : (Regression ? Did I really go back in time ? T-then...can i save everyone?)
Hope dwelled in her chest...she smiled ready to make all the sacrifice to protect what she once lost.
But this time, her enemy was much closer...the Author formally got in her way...one try, two, three, four...
Death by invasion, death by the storm dragon's rampage, death by a monster invasion, death by illness.
Mirai watched as her family was decimated again and again, lives stacked one on another...before she knew, Mirai had lost count of how many times she retried.
Everytime she woke at her mother's singing, she was reminded of each time her mother expressed her love before being executed.
She saw all kinds of possibilities...where her family just died when she could save them.
Her mind was broken long ago, she kept restarting while losing her emotion...she once thought if it was truly what she wanted.
And each time she hoped that it would be her last time...the only thing that kept her sanity going was the sole survivor in each of these realities.
The one she saw as a friend, a companion then a lover...in each reality he stood at her side and died at her side.
If Catherine was the first sight she met after regressing, this man was the last she saw as she died...
And right now, again...he was right behind her as she faced the Author once again...
Her swordsmanship and magic had transcended the realm of mortals by now, she had gained new skills and knowledge yet she had failed to defeat her nemesis...
She who had changed the fate of the world...couldn't save herself from her own fate.
Mirai : (I'm tired...)
Swinging her sword, the divine blade [Destiny] forged during her early regression...Mirai one again fought against the Author.
And half way through, she had realized that even if she won nwo...it would be meaningless as everyone she loved were already gone.
Only one remained at her side...
Mirai : (What's the point of continuing?)
Her form weakened as she readied herself to lose another life...only to wake up in her bed once again.
This was just another try...
Author : That's what you thought, right...
With pure malice, the Author was unaffected by these time loop...he always stood in her way.
Ending her life over and over...if he couldn't stop her from coming back, he shall at least break her spirit until she won't ever stand back.
Her fighting spirit had already reached rock bottom...all that is left to be done is to pin her down with a last greater shock.
Mirai : Ah ?
As she stood still waiting for the final strike, her body jolted as the unexpected happened...instead of receiving the final blow from her nemesis.
She felt a scorching pain extending past her chest, looking down...a sharp blade had just pierced through her heart from behind.
Her eyes widened horrified, with ragged movement she turned around to see the man she had loved for so long...betraying her.
Mirai : W-why ?
Her physical body didn't really matter, she was a true hero in core...a being who transcends humanity, what truly pained her...
Was the fact that she was betrayed by the sole light that kept her fighting after losing her family...
Like a vase filled to the brim...a single droplet purposely let down shattered her whole world...
Author : What is the worst suffering known from mankind ?
Betrayal...everything was thoughtfully calculated, from the very first time to this last one...
The more you cherish someone, the worse the betrayal becomes...planting a seed that will slowly corrupt your mind, becoming what he wants to live for.
All so this sweet dream becomes the most heinous poison...
Mirai's eyes shook...tears streamed down as she realized the situation she was in, her identity was once stolen and now her heart too.
Mirai : (This is truly the end...)
The man who she had trusted everything...just stared at her coldly, he was just a pawn created for this very moment.
« I won't apologize for this, it's your own fault for fighting a losing war. »
Those insensitive words were followed by the heroine's blood...he had retracted his blade letting the woman he had tricked fall down.
Bathing in her own blood, Mirai laid there on her stomach...her vision blurred and the harsh words of those around turned deaf.
Mirai : (All this...for such a mediocre result?)
While the lingering feeling of defeat was bitter, she felt strangely at ease when it came to dying...despite knowing that even if she woke up again.
She wouldn't have the strength to fight back...what would happen if she saw her family being executed right in front of her eyes again ?
And this time, she won't even have someone to rely on after their death...
Mirai : (I wish i could just disappear...will this pain stop then?)
She felt lonely above all, everything around was a vast void devoid of any warmth.
This was the space she had unconsciously created while losing herself...a place that fully characterized her...
Mirai : (No...I still want to live, but is it really worth the suffering?)
Her neck snapped, she shifted her vision up...a weird hallucination materialized the two people she always wanted to save.
Mirai : (Even now...when I'm begging for some hope, you two are the only people I can think of...)
Her father and mother, they were already gone in this reality...the reason for their death was forgotten as Mirai's memories started mixing every reality's information.
Mirai : H-help me...please...
She whispered weakly before losing all strength and falling asleep...at this point, she was no more conscious of what would happen.
But contrary to what she thought, the people who were standing there weren't hallucinating...Origin and Catherine both were truly here.
They had always watched their daughter...even when she was at her lowest, they couldn't help but encourage her.
It pained them seeing her struggle, it made them proud when she became stronger and it angered them when she lost all hope.
Origin : I'm sorry dear...but-
Moving from his spot, he walked closer until the freezing body of his daughter was right at his feet, he knelt down hugging her gently in his warm arms.
Origin : I can't rest while knowing my daughter still needs me.
Smiling, he turned toward his wife who nodded understandingly.
Catherine : Don't worry...take care of our sweet little baby, I will be there waiting for the moment you come back.
Origin : Yeah...It won't take long...
Catherine disappearing, she chose to exclude herself knowing what would happen next...Mirai's body glowed before awakening again.
Opening her eyes, the blue shine that she once possessed was gone...instead it was a dazzling purple.
A being born from Mirai's wish to change everything...a Manas, once called the ultimate skill Lord of Fate.
A powerful skill Mirai learned to use as lives passed...though she was never able to fully control it.
Not even knowing the existence of the Manas dwelling in her soul.
Each time she failed, Manas : Fate would appear and restart everything...she lived for her sole goal of helping her master save herself...
But now that she was broken...no matter how many times she retries, Manas : Fate couldn't do anything...
At least, she couldn't...Manas : Fate could only turn to the one being her master trusted the most.
Manas : Origin Averion...will you anchor that free my master ?
Facing him in the body of his own daughter, this isn't their first interaction...Manas : Fate had predicted that one day...
Her master will fall too low to ever get up again...Fate isa complex aspect which cannot be calculated by normal means.
At a point, even Manas : Fate couldn't see a reality where Mirai won...but that doesn't mean there was no way.
Origin : Yes...isn't this the rôle of a father to get rid of the children's bully ?
Honest confidence, aware that the path will be even more difficult than for Mirai...since Origin Averion is merely a genius in human standard.
Even so, he was ready to go through hell to save his offspring.
This brought a subtle smile on the manas as she nodded...accepting this oath.
Manas Fate : Reality will be changed once again...you will not remember anything about the past and future, you will become a new existence that will bear my master's fate, are you still willing to go through that ?
Origin : Yes.
To defeat the Author...they needed a plan, a whole new scale where they would watch the Author from a higher dimension.
Using Fate to alter the very foundation of the world...
Manas Fate : What people call the story...we will alter everything to create a new reality, a new possibility.
Changing the law of creation to the point where only the almighty god and his will might realize it.
This was her plan, she will seal Mirai's power and memories...give her a new identity so she won't have to go through the hell she had experienced.
Instead, Origin Averion will bear all this suffering...l her pain and sadness, everything will become his even her power.
Manas Fate : But be aware, your existence itself will become a chess piece for the greater picture...you will become a pawn that will be discarded once your purpose has been fulfilled.
Origin : If that is the fate I must follow to help Mirai...
The world surrounding them broke light glass...the past, future and present mixed together spinning all around.
In the vast horizon, a blue scaled dragon could be seen sleeping seemingly ignoring what the two were doing.
Manas Fate : I will assist and consider you as my contractor.
Origin : Very well...but before that, can I ask you a question ?
The world still spinning, Origin had no problem with the life ahead of him but something else bothered his mind.
Manas Fate : What ?
Origin : Will Unmei Averion exist in this new reality ?
This question came on unexpected to even Manas : Fate, her eyes calmly analyzed the man standing in front of her.
A long minute or maybe more passed by, before she finally answered with a negative shake of her head.
Origin : I see...I guess it can't be helped.
He had knew the moment he saw Manas : Fate...the translation of Unmei in ancient langage is « Fate » or « Destiny ».
Mirai didn't awaken a Manas on the spot...no, it was the sacrifice of her sister, Unmei that allowed such a miracle.
The sole being who had fully witnessed her corruption...she was the light that tried to chase the down the darkness.
Manas Fate : Unmei Averion is gone, her existence is no more...
To give another chance to her big sister...she had offered everything she had, Manas : Fate isn't Unmei Averion.
But she inherited everything from the second princess of the greatest duchy.
Origin : I see...in the end, I wasn't able to protect both my treasures...
He said with a sad smile, looking down...this in a sense added more determination to save his only remaining princess.
Manas Fate : Our time here is coming to an end...
And before they knew, it was time to restart everything...to create a whole new scenario...
Origin : It seems so...
Manas Fate : I will wait for you...at the very end.
Origin : Yeah...hopefully, it will be a victory celebration.
His body started glowing, it was time to leave...still Origin took a good look at the Manas, it was the last itme perhaps he would see his daughter as the father he currently is.
A Manas is a being that serve a single purpose...Manas : Fate's expression was cold to emotionless but even then, Origin could see through her facade like a paper wall.
He smiled and shook his head...she said she had inherited everything from Unmei, meaning Manas : Fate's whole personality is modeled from the second princess.
At the very last moment, Origin could see his two little treasures...as a whole.
Origin : (You don't have to worry anymore...I will take care of all the bad guys, so rest easy Mirai...)
Closing his eyes, the creation of a new reality was successfully completed...
The trial ending as the chapter concluded, Mirai was led back into the trials hall where only the last door remained.
Her expression was dark to almost cold, she had just witnessed the true hidden right under her nose...
This was the truth about her, the light pending in her chest even now...she now understood Manas : Fate's words.
She wasn't ready to face the consequences of her past...if Mirai Averion once broke down under all this pressure, what makes the current her.
Who is much weaker than her past self...what would make her worthy of my fighting ?
Mirai : There is only one answer...
Lifting her head up, she stared quietly at the final door...leading to the trial of awakening.
Mirai : Who am i ?
This is a question that repetitively flashed in her mind, now she had an answer...
Mirai : I am Mirai Averion, the daughter of Origin and Catherine Averion...and the hero that wields the power of fate.
Taking a step forward, she crossed the last trial gate...all her doubt and fears were washed away as Mirai Averion regained everything she once had.
This last trial had just the word « trial » listed as a name...the inside was just a long corridor surrounded by space, a corridor that led toward the outside world.
Each step she took awakened a part of herself...her swordsmanship, her magic, her memories...everything was being absorbed into her soul.
The shackle binding her broke down...breaking free from her own trauma.
Mirai : It's time to go back...i run away for far too long now.
On the northern coast, Manas : Fate carefully watched the battlefield...Velzard and Guy had resumed to their fight.
Freezing the land and burning the sea...Velgrynd was still dealing with the allied force though she dominated the whole confrontation and was now focusing on the Manas.
Kyuri was still rampaging in the ocean...
Manas Fate : It should be time...
Closing her eyes, she had just felt the burden on Mirai's soul weakening before fully breaking...this could only mean that her master was background.
A faint smile formed onto the Manas's lips, at her feet...the collapsed Horizon and near her a frightened Eleonor.
Everything happened so fast yet so slow...but finally it was time to back down so the true main character could finally.
Eleonor : Wait ! Yuu-chan ! What is happening ?
While Manas : Fate remained neutral to anyone approaching her beside her enemy...she was particularly sensitive about Eleonor who was desperately trying to grasp the situation.
She knew that the Yuu she was referring to was already gone...still, she felt no guilt or empathy.
Manas Fate : She was happy...at the very end of the road...
Still she left with such twisted words, Eleonor wanted to ask more but her vision was blinded as Manas : Fate's body exploded in a bright light.
Forcing those too close to cover their eyes...a body made of pure light, Mirai slowly broke free.
Cracks appeared all over her...as if the light surrounding was a secondary skin...a large chunk shattered first revealing her left eyes.
A Crystal blue that seemed to reflect the world itself, her hands and shoulders followed...her hair then her knee, until everything broke.
A lady who appeared to be in her 20...a flawless pale white skin, long white haired that screamed the aspect of winter.
Features that would put any woman to shame, a perfectly rounded hourglass figure with long fabrics made of ancients material covering her skin.
A cape reaching down on her back coming from her shoulder, a light armor that favorized agility and a divine sword decorating her wrist.
This was Mirai Averion...a forgotten True hero that incarnated the very will of Averion.
Mirai : It's about time I finish what I started.