Chapter 21

I felt Leah clutching my arm as we watched. It seemed Tsarina was unable to stand, and Rin was taking no chances as she stood from a distance, sticking Tsarina with throwing knives to whittle down her HP. They seemed to be talking to each other, but it was impossible to tell what they were saying.

The crowd took a more agitated tone, perhaps because of the anticlimactic direction the fight seemed to be ending in, or the fact that Rin was basically torturing someone who was helpless.

“Come on, Tsarina!” Chris yelled as loud as he could. “Just gotta get her a couple more times! Stand up and take a dive for it! COME ON!”

“It’s hopeless,” Victoria said, blowing out a puff of smoke. “She should just forfeit at this point.”

I clenched my fist, feeling a surge of frustration at Victoria's words. I didn't want to give up on Tsarina – not when she had fought so bravely thus far. I looked over at Leah, who shared the same determination in her eyes. We couldn't just stand there and watch her suffer.

But then, something changed. A sudden burst of energy seemed to envelop Tsarina, and her body began to glow with a fiery light. A massive, flaming bird appeared around her, its wings spread wide and its red eyes focused on Rin. The crowd gasped in awe as Tsarina's health started to rise rapidly, eventually reaching 2,550.

“What's happening?” Leah whispered, her eyes wide.

“I don’t know, is that a red knight skill?” I asked, my heart pounding with anticipation.

“It's her blessing,” Victoria murmured, her pipe hanging between her fingers limply; she looked like she might drop it. “The blessing of the phoenix. I don’t believe it.”

“WOOOOOAH!” Chris cheered and hugged Alura, who up until now seemed as hopeless as the rest of us. He shook the smaller girl aggressively as he cheered. “Are you seeing this right now!? Am I dreaming?!”

“She’s going to do it!” Alura cheered. “Look at her HP! She can win!”

“YEAH! WAY TO GO GIRL!” Hope yelled, leaning as far over the railing as she could. “SHOW HER WHO’S BOSS! TSARINA!”

Even from the stands, we could feel the heat of the phoenix’s flames. Tsarina lunged at Rin, who was reduced to a sitting duck. Within moments, the final blow was struck, the flaming sword plunged into Rin's stomach. The arena fell silent for a moment, and as the sword was pulled from her gut, the crowd erupted into cheers.

My eyes remained fixed on Tsarina. Even as both of their HPs were restored, she looked as if she was barely holding herself together. The toll of the battle clearly weighed on her. But there was something else in her gaze, something haunted, as if the sudden surge of power had come at a cost.

We eventually made it back to the guild hall, Where Tsarina received yet another standing ovation. She raised a hand to the cheers, though the stoic expression on her face showed how little she cared for the extra attention. It wasn’t long before she was pulled into the madness, then set at a table with a big mug of booze placed in front of her. Alura just barely managed to stick with her.

Chris and Hope, meanwhile, seemed to revel in the excitement of the celebrations. Chris turned to Hope, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Hey, Hope, can you help me with something?”

Hope raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. “What do you need?”

“Help me sit down with that table full of girls over there,” he said, pointing at a group of attractive women, all wielders of different classes, chatting animatedly amongst themselves.

Hope sighed, rolling her eyes. “And why do you need me for that?”

Chris grinned, leaning in closer to her. “I need another girl to give me an intro. It feels more natural that way.”

Hope shook her head, but eventually agreed. “Fine, but you owe me one.”

Together, they approached the table of women, and with Hope as his accomplice, Chris smoothly slid into the conversation, charming the group with his charisma.

I couldn’t help grinning at Chris’s antics, but the noise and excitement of the guild hall soon became overwhelming. It seemed parties like this were not my scene – in fact, I was fairly certain I didn't like them in my past life either. I may not have any memories, but I felt that was a safe assumption.

I felt a tug on my arm and looked down to see Leah, fidgeting nervously. “Um… this is… a bit too much. Want to go somewhere quieter?”

I was grateful to hear her voice my own thought, and I had a feeling aside from not being a partygoer, I probably never had a girl ask to go somewhere quiet with me, so that was a welcome bonus.

“Yeah, got anywhere in mind?”

She stepped ahead, looking back over her shoulder with a smile, her green cloak flowing behind her. “I know a place.”

We made our way through the crowded hall, down the corridor which led to the statues and the bedrooms, but took a turn that led back onto the city streets. We stepped out into the cool night air, the noise and chaos quickly fading behind us. I hadn’t walked through the city at night like this before, but it had a distinctly more ambient feel. The streets were lit by hanging torches, the stars overhead shone brightly, and the usually busy streets had only a few stray pedestrians coming and going. The castle itself, a dark, pointed silhouette, consumed the horizon.

“So where are we going?” I asked.

Leah glanced over at me, a playful smile on her lips. “It's a surprise, but trust me!”

She seemed excited about whatever this was, so I was happy to oblige and join the mysterious side quest.

We continued walking, passing by small shops and homes with their lights dimmed for the evening. The atmosphere was calm and peaceful, and I found myself enjoying the quiet company of Leah. She seemed to know the city, navigating the narrow streets with ease.

“You know your way around quite well, huh?” I asked.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

“Mmmmm, a little. When we first got here, I had a lot of trouble sleeping. So I started leaving the guild and just walking around at night until I felt tired. Something about the air at night relaxes me. It almost feels like a waste to not take a chance for a nighttime stroll whenever I can.”

“That makes sense. Usually, if I can’t sleep I just lay in bed.”

“Doing that drives me crazy.” She made a fist and knocked the side of her own head. “This stupid brain of mine doesn’t know how to shut up if I’m just sitting still!”

I grinned, though I wish I had something personal I could share in return. Not having any memories didn’t make it easy. The only stories I could tell are all stories she was already there in person for. The only thing she might not know about me is the fact I was infatuated with her, but I couldn’t exactly come out and say that. I at least knew enough to know you can't just tell a girl something like that without some kind of build-up. Maybe I could ask Chris for tips. He seemed comfortable navigating romance, though I doubt I could match his approach. Hope might be able to help as well, but the teasing that would open me up to would be a Pandora's box that could never be closed again.

“So what are you thinking about right now?” she asked.

“Oh, nothing much.”

“Ah,” she wagged a finger. “You just looked like you were thinking about something, though.”

I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to share my thoughts with her. But as I glanced at Leah, her curious expression and the warmth in her eyes made me feel comfortable enough to open up.

“Well, I was actually thinking about how it's a bit difficult for me to share personal stories, you know, with my memory loss and all,” I admitted. “It feels like I don't have much to say.”

“Yeah, I get that. But you know, it kind of makes me feel excited at the same time.”

“Excited?” I asked.

“Sure. Starting over with a completely clean slate is a rare opportunity. It’s like… I have a chance to make a new life from scratch. There are so many possibilities open, and as I learn more about this world I know I’ll see more directions I can travel in.” Her eyes were wide as she stared ahead, then she giggled and nodded her head, her cheeks lightly dusted with blush as she looked back at me. “Yup! It’s exciting! I feel really lucky!”

Maybe John was right and we were in heaven, because there is no way she was anything less than an angel. Her positive outlook was contagious. Instead of focusing on what I had lost, I could focus on what I had gained – new friends, new experiences, and a fresh start.

“You know, I hadn’t thought about it that way but you’ve got a point. This isn’t so bad if you think of it that way.”

She beamed, clearly pleased that her perspective had resonated with me. “I’m glad!” She then pointed and picked up her pace, cloak flowing behind her. “Oh! It’s right over here! Come on!”

As we turned a corner, I noticed a break between the buildings, revealing the entrance to a park. Trees with lush foliage created a canopy of leaves overhead, filtering the moonlight and casting dappled shadows onto the ground below. A pond shimmered in the distance, reflecting the night sky and the surrounding greenery. A stone statue of a dragon stood silently, watching over the serene space.

The sound of crickets chirping filled the air, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves above us. A stone path wound its way through the park, leading towards the pond. We followed the trail, with me observing the park in quiet awe.

As we reached the pond, Leah turned to me and explained, “I heard about this place from someone in the guild. They said that this park has some kind of magical energy that can replenish your HP and Mana. It's one of the reasons I like to come here when I need to recharge.”

We continued along the path, eventually coming to a bench situated in front of the pond. We sat down, the moonlight reflecting off the calm water, creating a mesmerizing scene that seemed almost otherworldly.

“It's beautiful here,” I murmured, my eyes scanning the peaceful landscape.

Leah nodded, her gaze fixed on the pond. “It is. I love how quiet and calming it is. It's the perfect escape from the chaos of the city and the guild hall.”

As we sat there, the soft sounds of the night surrounded us. I felt a sense of peace and contentment that I hadn't experienced in a long time.

“So I was thinking...” Leah started. “We all should come up with some kind of a goal for our new lives. You know, something to work towards, that can give our lives meaning, and we can all help each other along the way. That way, whenever we are fighting, we know it's for a good cause. I bet that can make us stronger!”

“I see,” I said. She certainly was on a high tonight. I admired her positivity, but wished I could do more to match it. “Do you have something in mind already?”

“Kind of, though it makes me nervous,” her eyes lowered. “I want to learn about monsters, and find the ones that can be peaceful. So I can show people like Victoria that there is more to them than just wild beasts. I’m sure that's true for some… but the wolves… they are not so different from us. They can get happy or sad, and even scared, I’m sure. I want people to know that.”

“I see what you’re saying, but monster hunting seems like a necessity in this world.”

“I know, and it is not that I want monster hunting to end entirely… I just think, when you kill another living thing you have to at least respect it as something that was alive. What Mathew asked me to do scares me, because if I help research monsters but that just leads to killing them more effectively, I would feel terrible. On the other hand, though… maybe there is some good I can do.”

“Since it's you, I’m sure you can,” I said. “I doubt there are many wielders who would even begin to think the way you are right now. Being able to simply show that there is another path when it seemed there was none before is probably enough alone to change people's hearts.”

Leah smiled brightly. “Do you really think so?”

“Yeah, I do.”

She stared into my eyes for a moment, then blushed and looked back to the pond. “Anyway, that’s my goal. Do you have one?”

I thought about it, and I couldn’t say I did. “I don’t know yet.”

“There has to be something you want.” She rocked her feet forward and hopped off the bench. She then turned and pointed at me. “Go on! Say the first thing that comes to mind! Even if it's wrong, you can always change your mind later!”

I hesitated, still not sure what I could say to that. She was kind of putting me on the spot.

“It doesn’t have to be anything big or world-changing. Just something to give you a purpose.”

“A purpose, I guess...” I looked into her expectant eyes. The moon illuminated her under scattered shadows. Really, there was only one thing I wanted. “I just… want to be with you.”

She froze, and for a moment it seemed even the crickets felt awkward, as I’m pretty sure they stopped chirping.

She turtled into her shoulders and turned away. “GYAAAAH! What are you saying all of a sudden?!” she yelled, clasping her hands over her cheeks.

“A-all of a sudden!?” I stood up. “You’re the one who told me to- uh...” I scratched the back of my head as she shot me a wry smile.

I cleared my throat, letting my eyes go to the moon’s reflection on the pond. “Well, that’s it. You said to say the first thing on my mind, and that's it. You are what makes me feel comfortable in this world, and makes me feel able to fight. I don’t have any great ambitions like you, but if I can support you and help you achieve your dreams… then I guess, that would be all the motivation I need to move forward.”

My eyes came back to her as she stepped forward and held out a hand. “Want to walk around a little more?” she asked.

I looked into her eyes, communicating more than words ever could, then took her hand.