Our picnic was cut short.
And that day was coming closer and closer—the day when this montary six-month period of peace would co crashing down into pieces.
So, before then-
"My na is Senuela, little ladies. I recognise the Lady Es of Light, however, I am sorry to say that I do not know you three girls' nas." She smiled apologetically as she led us to St. Neuvae's Clinic.
"I'm Alora, Es's sister. This is Hilda, my Sword Maid, and the older girl is Lily, Es's maid." I kept our introductions short but made sure to reveal my connection to Es; selfishly, I want her to see the intimate connection between us.
"Mhm, it's nice to et you, sweet Alora of Light." Senuela warmly smiled at with a crinkle in the corner of her lips.
Her age was starting to show.
It's the fatigue.
It's the struggle.
...I know what it feels like, I'm lucky to be still young.
Had I been her age, I'd look like a grandpa already-
Grandma.
I'd look like a grandma.
"Say, little dummy-" Hilda leaned down and whispered into my ear, "-are you sure it's safe to follow her? We don't know her."
Es's ears perked up from behind; she had heard Hilda's whispers.
I shrugged in response, "No one can hurt us in the Domain of Light, that much I can assure you of."
They would never let Es and I be injured, or worse, killed.
The personification of madness and mother would never allow that.
Anyways.
Soon enough, we arrived at St. Neuvae's Clinic.
Ms. Senuela led us through corridors and stairwells containing other parents and so stumbling victims.
The atmosphere, put simply, was grim; laden with despair, with the agony of the dying.
The building's architecture was pristine and well-maintained, but it couldn't prevent the odour of death perating its halls from digging into the visitors.
Unlike our previous visit, we were led straight into the pits of the Clinic's abyss.
Cries.
I could hear distant cries.
Not of victims, but of the parents, of the family mbers, of friends and family grieving in the hallways.
Death and despair.
This was the reality of Flamm's, a disease targeting children.
Hilda clung to , visions of Yulei seemingly flashing through her eyes. Lily hovered over Es, blocking her eyes from landing on the grieving people.
Senuela looked back at us apologetically, yet her selfishness kept her going to her son's room. She understood that this wasn't sothing she should be putting innocent children through, but for the sake of her son, as a mother-
She'd do anything for him.
Just as I'd do for Es.
But I forgive her for putting Es through this ordeal, because she'd provided with a crucial clue to the origin of Flamm's and the aning of the white haze.
Senuela is, in a way, helping keep Es, my lovely sister, safe.
Still.
I do kinda fit into this environnt, with the whole crutches situation and everything.
Anyways, snug comnts aside, we eventually arrived at a door.
Beside it hung a plate with the na:
[Leon]
Leon, right, that was the na of her son.
I vaguely recalled his brown hair and mute personality; mute, he couldn't talk-
Suddenly, it made sense now.
We looked at Ms. Senuela, and she looked back at us. Holding the door handle, she gave us the best smile she could muster amidst the exhaustion and-
Creak.
-the door was pushed open.
A simple, neatly decorated room with a hospital bed lying beside a window. On a chair beside the bed was another brown-haired boy holding a book, and lying on the bed, staring at us with curiosity...
"Leon, mommy brought so guests."
It was Leon.
The dying boy.
He seed even younger than , yet he was dying nonetheless.
"Were you reading with him again, Philip?" Ms. Senuela walked up to the boy at Leon's bedside, Philip, and patted his head.
"Yep! Reading! and Leon!" His vocabulary was lacking, but the passion more than made up for it.
But now both were staring at us with curiosity; and Leon, that boy, he's staring at , and only .
Seemingly recognising , his cheeks oddly flushed and he hung his head down, cutting eye contact.
...Why do I feel like I recognise what that emotion is?
"..."
I definitely do.
But nope.
Let's ignore it.
I was way too uncomfortable with the notion of a boy, or man, being attracted to . The fact that he's younger than helps, it doesn't feel too weird, but if at so point a grown man were to look at that way-
Ugh.
A shiver of disgust shot down my spine.
That would be way too awkward.
Anyways.
Seeing that look on his face, and seeing Ms. Senuela alternate her gaze between her son and I, it beca clear why she asked to co along.
She wanted him to feel sothing one last ti before his end.
Fine.
I'll play along.
Hilda, Es and Lily, recognising that Ms. Senuela wants and not them, took a step back.
Sighing, I hopped over to Leon's bedside on the crutches.
"Pretty girl!" The boy with the book, Philip, shouted in my ear, almost spooking into dropping the crutches.
You can't even see my face, how could you say that?
Nevermind.
"Leon, this is Alora, the girl you t before." Sitting on Leon's bed, Ms. Senuela rubbed his head.
"Do you want to say hi to her?"
So she said, but Leon imdiately lifted the covers and blocked his face. At least, mostly blocked his face; his eyes were still in view, sneakily shooting glances in my direction, then turning away with bright red, steaming ears.
"Looks like he's a bit shy~" Chuckling, Ms. Senuela gave his head a tiny bop.
Snuggling the boy, she looked towards .
And her eyes.
They...
So pretty.
As pretty as mother's.
Undoubtedly, with no falsity in my thoughts, I could state that Ms. Senuela's eyes were the third prettiest pair I'd ever laid witness to.
Those were the eyes of a loving mother.
She was grateful, grateful that I could let her see another aspect of her son in her final monts.
...Grateful that he may go out in peace, in the heavenly embrace of his mother's arms.
I had co here for my agenda.
I had co with what most would call evil thoughts.
In return, I received the gift of being one of the last to watch this loving mother's spark of life, and one of the last to et this dying boy.
Death was before .
As close as it has always been.
The reality of it all slamd like a truck.
This was a dying boy, a dying son; that was a grieving mother, a wonderful mother.
Before were the final monts before this picturesque scene would shatter—left irrevocably broken.
Beholding this scene, I stared at the shy boy; at his flushed cheeks and slim smile that had risen onto his lips at so point.
His brown hair.
His dark eyes.
His thin body, his weak body...
That could have been .
That could be Es.
Philip tapped my arm, "Go!" He nudged along.
Ms. Senuela spread her arms, inviting to the bed.
And I followed.
I rested the crutches on the side of the bed and pushed myself onto it, leaning into Ms. Senuela's embrace.
Leon flinched and dug his head into the covers.
But my eyes were not trained on him.
They were stuck above his head, gazing emptily at what I had feared most.
Yet.
I did not stop.
If this were Es, if this were soone I cared for...
BeHuman.
BeHumanforonceinyourlife.
Thiscreaturemustatone.
Pomf~
I lay my fingers on his head, feeling the steaming warmth emanating from his scalp.
There were no words to say, but if this child could only receive consolation from this broken stranger, then so be it.
Consider it a favour repaid.
His head rapidly burned up, he tried to squirm out of his mother's embrace, to escape my touch-
"Hold still."
-but she didn't let him.
"This is a present, Leon, my dear son. From to you. A final present." Ms. Senuela held him close, allowing to connect with the boy.
My fingers didn't stop running through his scalp.
And.
At so point.
I was no longer chasing his hair...
My nerves subconsciously tightened, sending copious volus of adrenaline pumping through my veins and almost bursting my already damaged heart from the inside out. The amalgamation of pain and adrenaline attempted to throw into a high-
"..."
-but I did not allow it.
For.
At that mont.
I was not chasing his hair, but the white haze.
The white fog oozing from his scalp, escaping his life.
This white haze...
It's life.
The gardens.
The hills.
The greenery.
The city.
This white haze is everywhere.
It's leaking from everywhere.
Life is leaking from the Domain of Light.
Unprecedented fear tightened the noose around my neck, dangling the guillotine above my head precariously.
Flashes of the being of madness crackled through my vision.
I could almost see it.
The personification of madness.
That thing.
This is its doing.
Not mother's, not the Mistress', but the madness of this damned Doman of Light.
The tension drowned with a feeling of suffocation;
Just what are you planning?
What is this Domain of Light?
What is the purpose of this white fog?
...And why can I absorb it?
Why am I absorbing it?
And why?
Why, even now?
After knowing the truth?
...Do I still want to absorb it?
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