Looking down at the sick Sapphire, a reluctance in me began to rise up. This wouldn’t do. I wouldn’t allow myself to lose someone else. I immediately grabbed her and picked her up, causing those watching us make noises of surprise. I didn’t wait for permission though as I left my soul world with her, appearing back within the boss room.

“Everyone, to me now!” I gave with Slave Communication.

“Master?”

“He’s back!”

“What’s wrong?”

Voices flooded into my mind as I reconnected with all of the girls. One by one, they started to appear in front of me. I wasn’t quite sure how they arrived so quickly, but each girl had her ways. Celeste’s speed couldn’t be matched, and she moved like the air. Shao seemed to dance through the shadows, rising in a way that reluctantly made me think of Twilight. Elaya simply appeared from nowhere, using some kind of teleportation circle. Miki was probably the slowest, but she arrived from the safe room after only a minute or two.

Shao wore her typical dark robes, but Miki had also started wearing black dresses which made her pale skin even more pronounced until she looked nearly white. Her once pale white hair had black streaks in it down, and it gave her a goth-like appearance. Since being Lady Death, she had drastically changed. Meanwhile, Elaya wore a fine dress fit for a queen, and Celeste wore a simple fairy dress. They hadn’t changed much at all.

Once all of the girls were in front of me, I looked across them. The appearance of Celeste, Miki, and Shao hit me the hardest. Other than Lydia who still had yet to return, all of the other girls were here. These were the five that had been part of my party. We had fought innumerable enemies together and ventured into the darkest part of dungeons. We had experienced life and death together. Yet, I knew that even if Lydia appeared in the next second, our group would never be able to form again. Terra was gone.

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Was it possible to replace her? Carmine also had high defense, so from the idea of having a tank, another could be found. However, that wasn’t what mattered. Terra was Terra, and she was a vital part of our formation and our lives. In an instant, she had disappeared, giving her life for gaia. No… she had given her life for me. Had I been strong enough, she wouldn’t have needed to sacrifice herself to ignite that bomb. Even after all the growth, I had achieved, I still wasn’t strong enough.

Just thinking about it was enough that I almost broke down. My body shook, and Sapphire still resting in my arms felt as heavy as a mountain. However, Sapphire had a small dwarf body. She wasn’t particularly large. She wasn’t like Terra, whose heavy golem body was at ends with her small stature. The image of her appeared in my mind again, the last scene of her own a few hours before as her body broke apart. I had already tried to resurrect her and failed. Her soul didn’t come to my call.

“Master, what’s wrong?” It was Miki who seemed to notice the sadness in me first, but the other girls were quick to follow.

As soon as she asked that question, my legs didn’t feel like working anymore. I fell to my knees. The girls all let outcries, and Celeste carefully floated Sapphire out of my arms as I fell to the ground. Miki grabbed me from one side, while Shao grabbed me from the other.

“Why does Master feel despair?” Shao asked, her eyes fearful.

“He’s… lost something,” Miki responded, uncertainly. “I’ve seen that look too many times. It’s the look of someone who has lost a loved one. Master…”

“Where is Terra?” It was Celeste who asked this.

Leave it to her to be the most observant. Celeste quickly dug into the heart of the matter. As soon as the name was said, I felt a tightening in my chest.

“Sh-she’s gone…” I barely managed to get out.