The villager’s escape turned sour after the ebb of monsters managed to capture some people whom they used as hostages. Scylla planned to use her scream to make everyone unable to defend themselves and isolated in their bedroom for easy picking. But because of Alphonse, a large group formed, and although about 80% were paralyzed by the scream, the remaining 20% were able to rescue and protect them. As such, the number of civilians able to fight snowballed until the invading sea monsters needed to change plans. Right now, the goal was to simply weaken and delay the villagers until backup came and use the fact they bundle together to round them up easily.

In the wealthy district, the situation was dire since Alphonse didn’t visit them, and the monstrosities were focused on this side. Luckily for them, a few well-known mercenaries employed by rich merchants were now protecting the villagers. Among all the riffraff, a band clothed in white distinguished themselves for their bravery and strength as they changed the calm dainty streets into a grim scene of mutilated walking fish.

Rouhong in the west and those brave heroes in the east, Scylla’s plan was being foiled. The monsters she sent were simply too weak and if she wasn’t able to capture enough people, it would make her attack a complete failure. Retreat wasn’t an option for this goddess as she needed to recoup the cost of making her army and also expanding it. So, with this in mind, she let out another piercing scream. This one didn’t paralyze anyone but instead instilled fear into people’s minds. It was a call for her three children, ordering them to join the fight. The eternally unborn child’s cries followed suit as she lamented the ongoing suffering. Her sobs gave shivers to everyone with an ear to listen to, but her violet tears couldn’t change her prison’s actions…

I remember the list you made when you knew I was coming.

All those wonderful names whether I was a boy or a girl cooking in your mind…

Pleione…I loved that name and couldn’t wait to be born.

I remember the cloth you bought me with the little money you had.

All those wonderful siblings that I wanted to play with…

Pleione…I loved that name and wished anyone could call me by it.

I remember when you promised to keep me safe.

All those wonderful promises made me happy…

Pleione…I loved that name but I think you forgot it.

Pleione, Pleione, Pleione. Why won’t you listen to Pleione’s cries?

You keep feeding Pleione those I wanted to meet!

Pleione wants to drown in her tears; Pleione just wanted to be born…

Please save me,

call me by my name,

and Pleione will follow you to the end of time…

❀

While this chaos was happening, a fragile peace reigned over a cliff overlooking the empty gulf. On a small wooden table covered with a few orange leaves, two warm cups of tea were served to a man and a young girl.

“Let go of me!” Tsuki was forcefully seated as roots entwined around her legs and formed a kind of throne.

“Ho Farishta,” said Carlson with emptiness in his eyes. “I did as you said! I followed our promise! So why did you make me wait?”

“Wha-what? I don’t understand. I don’t…please let me go—”

“—NO! you promised me. If I made those people happy, that you’ll stay with me forever. My dear Farishta. I know it’s you. Do you know ho—”

“—SHUT UP! I’m not your wife! She’s dead!”

“I know, I know…I was the one to put you out of your misery. But you're back! You don’t have to hide it; I know it’s you.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Tsuki was at a loss for words. This man was insane, she said to herself while struggling to get up.

While escaping, Tsuki was met with a few sea creatures entering people’s houses and pulling the residents with gnarly poles, hooks, and bills as they screamed in pain unable to do anything. She was even almost caught by a tall and thin, flying sardine but a man who managed to break free from his captor by tearing off its antenna-like eyes attempted to save her. Sadly, all he managed to do was take the attention of the monster from Tsuki, only because he was bigger than her, and his heroic action rewarded him with his gut getting pierced by a man-catcher too small for him.

Tsuki ran as fast as she could, using her lantern to illuminate the dark places no one knew about, and somehow found herself going in the direction of Carlson’s house which was secluded from the chaos. Even so, her tired mind was the one falling into a dark abyss.

Twirling stars and croaking trees.

Dancing rock and whispering grass.

“Samsara, did you know what she does? She kills everyone she loves!”

Gushing moon and singing cloth.

Spinning tale and mocking time.

“Moksha, she’s not even human, it’s no wonder you don’t want this pig.”

Grinning clouds and crying void.

Burning sea and shouting flowers.

“Sunyata was even wounded by her! She should be punished for that!”

The girl walked on a path of her own making as deep-rooted issues flared up from all the stress afflicting her mind. She walked not even seeing the path ahead until she was awoken on a throne of branches.

❀

Tsuki was forced to listen to Carlson rambling about how much he missed his wife and how he somehow made himself believe that he was fine with living alone. She didn’t care and was honestly creeped out by him.

“Honeybun? Why don’t you drink some tea? You look tired.” Said the madman who pointed the cup in front of Tsuki with a long finger.

The cup itself was quite welcoming and warm. It was the same model he had gifted the girl alongside the bag. Inside was a liquid with a discreet green color but with a strong medicinal smell.

Even if Tsuki wanted to drink it, she couldn’t: her arms were wrapped in vines and so was her mouth after shouting too much. She could only give a pleading look at the man which somehow shook him.

“Ha, it’s right. I’m sorry my dear, I’ll undo those pesky vines immediately.” Said he as the girl’s mouth and arms were freed. Only her chained legs stopped her from running. “Drink. I made your favorite.”

With trembling fingers, Tsuki placed one hand across and another below the cup. Her delicate skin brushed over the cloisonne of stone: smooth and cold, porous and warm, and all the between. It was as if the tea seeped into the cup itself to bring life to the tree made from stones. Taking the cup closer to her face, the fume of this concoction invaded her nose, making her sick of the deep unnatural smell.

Not risking it, she threw the cup at the man’s head as it shattered into sharp fragments cutting apart Carlson’s left cheek. In that instant of pain, Tsuki saw it clearly, Carlson’s eyes regained their intelligent shine as if this man was brought back from the dead.

Instantly, the root binding Tsuki’s legs were undone while Carlson removed his shirt to display a disgusting eel measuring two meters digging into his thorax and wrapping around his heart. Without missing a beat, Tsuki lunged at him with her black dagger in hand. Instinct made her move, not an action born after seeing the eel.

But before she was able to land a deadly blow, more vines sprung up and locked her in place. The dagger was just centimeters from piercing the eel dancing around Carlson’s visible heart.

She looked into his eyes and only one side was still awake and fighting the control of the parasite. Neither could gain control of the other which led Tsuki and Carlson to be frozen in place.

So close yet so far, the dagger was ready to spill more blood, but the eel simply did what it had to survive. But if only the dagger was longer, if only she was faster, if only she was stronger…If only the dagger could cut her foe.

This dagger she could manifest from a piece of cloth, this dagger she could change the sharpness of, this dagger that made her tired after using too much. Tsuki then realized in this instant what this tiredness was all along. It was simply what was sacrificed to manifest the blade. Sacrificing a leg to cast a spell; sacrificing her energy to create a blade. They were the same: give and create.

Tsuki focused on this dark blade, imagining it piercing the man in front of her. She thought about spending more energy, but if she did, she wouldn’t be able to run away from the village. Fat, muscle? She almost had none. She also couldn’t accept damaging Alice’s body in any way that could leave a permanent scar. She raked her brain trying to figure out something and did just before Carlson was about to lose control of his body again.

*Splotch*

A large hole was opened in Carlson’s chest completely vaporizing the eel and his heart along the way. In the girl’s hand was now a magnificent dark glaive with painted white fish swimming with grace along the shaft. The curved blade which ended its course in the ground shined brightly as white and black flowers grew around it…