‘T-that’s… impossible..He was right under my nose…this entire time?!’

I mutter incomprehensibly to myself, drowned by the reveal. I’m in disbelief… but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. I can’t seem to understand why I believed so strongly that Soulweaver could not hide from sight. Somehow, I was certain that I would know the moment I laid eyes on him, just by looking at his soul, but It’s just as he said, the power to see souls was never mine in the first place, it was always his. Why would I recognize him if he did not want to be recognized?

Seriously, who did I think I was? A third stage [enlightened] being caught by a first stage? How ridiculous is that line of thought… and yet, I was convinced that would have been the case if Soulweaver ever decided to infiltrate DaiKar.

‘How could I be this stupid…?’

This is just irrational, and very unlike me, right? I’m…logical. My sense of reason, my insight and my logical thinking are things that I pride myself on. I’m not particularly strong, fast, handsome, or charismatic, but I can think. That’s what I believed, until now.

I look down at my battered and broken hands, nothing makes sense anymore.

‘Were my… thoughts tampered with?’

Another voice answers, still mine, but from a different perspective.

‘Haha…so if I make a stupid mistake, then that must mean my thoughts were tampered with? What an easy way out… it’s simpler than that…’

I get it.

‘I’m just… nothing special.’

I hadn’t considered that option, but it’s as simple as that. Perhaps because I was afraid, or because it was easier to believe, I convinced myself the soul link only allowed me to see souls, no more, no less. I knew deep down it must have granted Soulweaver some degree of control over me, but the thought quickly waned, disappeared. All that remained was my conviction that I had the situation under control, with nothing to back up my claim.

I chuckle softly, a sudden realization gripping at my chest.

‘…It’s probably my fault they’re all dead… isn't it? I…I led him here…’

“It’s…It’s my fault…!!” I mutter, my face contorting into a repulsive grimace.

“Ah, a heart demon? Was the shock too great? What a shame.”

My vision, blurry and unfocused, lifts to him. Nothing comes out of my mouth, I just stare.

When we lock eyes, immediately, Soulweaver’s crazed smile narrows, one of his other personalities taking over, and he completely loses interest in me. The glint of madness is exchanged for chilling, calculated demeanor. He turns to Selena this time, a stern expression on his face.

“Let’s not make this any more difficult than it has to be, Selena FullCastle.” He says, a rigid look in his eyes. “I’ll take these two brats, and you…can do what you wish with the rest.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Selena scoffs, an uncaring, dismissing scoff. Then, she draws an arc in the air with Nocturne, racing an attack that aims right for her enemy. Soulweaver lightly tilts his head in response, and at a speed I can not perceive, something cuts him, drawing blood from his cheek. As her instrument returns to her side, Selena’s gaze pierces him, a gaze as sharp as her strikes.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to leave empty handed. Father’s orders are absolute.” She retorts.

Soulweaver narrows his eyes, displeased. “…Do you truly believe you can best me? Has fame gotten to your head…?

Selena, however, is unfazed. Her eyes dart around, scanning her surroundings. With a fluid motion, she traces another arc with Siren, forcing Soulweaver to leap aside to avoid the strike. The attack misses its mark, but that does not seem to affect Selena’s confidence in the slightest.

Her voice rings almost mocking. “Perhaps if you were at the apex of your power, there would be room for negotiation… but if it’s just this shell you’re using, then…”

Once more, she marks the end of her sentence with an attack. She swings both Siren and Nocturne this time, cleaving through the trees behind, but still, Soulweaver evades.

Selena, however, seems satisfied. “Yes…I think I’ll be more than enough..” She taunts, condescension in her words.

Again, the atmosphere shifts. Soulweaver’s eyes change, darkening with crazed malevolence. “Foolish…” He hisses, his voice dripping with disdain. “Pfff…haha….HAHA! IS IT MY TURN NOW?”

Soulweaver’s fingers wrap around the handle of a sharpsong that appears to have been resting on his back until now, and with an eerie grin, he points it to Selena. “So… little Selena wants to play… doesn’t she…? Let’s see if she’s gotten any better since our last meeting…!!”

There’s no more room for words. The figures blur, and the air splits as they disappear from view.

BOOM

The first clash sends out a wave of pressure that knocks me over, sending me tumbling backward. The confrontation, however, does not end there. Again and again, they clash, disfiguring the surrounding terrain, turning it into a mere shadow of what it once was. Their confrontation is mighty, beyond what I could ever imagine, and yet, somehow I feel as though they’re still holding back. The thought chills me; just how power do they really possess?

Eventually, they stop, pausing in the relentless fight. I look at both figures. Selena, is unscathed, save for a bloody incision along the side of her neck which seems to have missed her artery, but only by a hair. Soulweaver, however, is in a much worse state. His body is a canvas of wounds, crimson rivers cascading from cuts that mar his skin. it’s as though he’s forgotten how to block, as if Selena’s offense was truly flawless.

Though he seems to be losing, Soulweaver brings a finger to his mouth, a grin tugging at his lips. “Hehe…If you had hesitated for just a moment, your head might not still be on your shoulders…” He seems discontent, almost disapproving, in his own, insane way. “Your attention seems… divided, wouldn’t you say?”

‘What does he mean…?’

Despite the question hanging in the air, Selena does not grace him with a response. Instead, she moves, and the battle resumes, fiercer than ever. As a whirlwind of sparks cover the battlefield, I find myself in awe of the display. I wish I could learn from this, soak in their battle expertise, but unfortunately, I cannot see anything. It’s all happening too fast. I catch blurs here and there from time to time, but that’s as far as it goes. This battle is simply too far above my level, like an ant trying to understand a fight between two dragons.

Suddenly, an especially powerful clash resonates, and again, they stop, stepping away from each other. Soulweaver is clearly in an even worse state, more of his body covered in wounds. From head to toe, it seems there isn’t a single part of his skin that hasn’t been touched by Selena’s instruments. Selena, on the other hand, still only bears a single mark, the one on the side of her neck, but it is now deeper. It trickles with slightly more blood, and seems to soon want to cut into the artery.

At first glance, it seems to be obvious to say that Selena is winning, but even if I can’t understand their battle, I understand the result… None of Soulweaver’s wounds are life threatening. He’s hurt almost everywhere, but his vitals remain untouched.

A chuckle falls from Soulweaver’s lips. “See…? You’re not taking this seriously enough, little Selena ...Are you really willing to die to protect them…?”

‘Is he talking about us?! She’s been protecting us…!!?’

Despite her neck so dangerously dripping with blood, her gaze does not waver, not even taking the time to consider Soulweaver’s words. With one hand, she fixes her hair, shoving it out of her face. “...You talk too much.”

She crosses her sharpsongs on top of each other, in a manner that strangely resembles Melodica’s crest, embodying its strength and poise. “But you are somewhat right… I’ll take this a little more seriously.”

The air around her tightens, becoming dense and electric. She seems to be doing nothing at all, but her soul tells a different story. Its brightness, already overwhelming, increases, so much so that it seems to spill out from her body. It doesn't stop there, however. It expands further, until it becomes so bright and vast that gazing upon it is blinding. Finally, she breathes in, and a single note hangs in the air, piercing through the silence she had created. That note does not stay lonely for long, more follow in its steps, until ultimately, it unfurls, like a melody.

Her gaze momentarily lands on me and she addresses me for the first time since she’s arrived. “Watch carefully…” Her words linger. “Perhaps this will help your inner turmoil…”

Before I can reply, Selena’s eyes shine with a glint infinitely stronger than before, and a certain aura seems to halo around her body. Her gaze never leaving Soulweaver, she utters a series of words that are unfamiliar, yet resonate with an unearthly clarity

“Behold… the symphony within me…

…Allow me to serenely present - [Whispers of a Silver Sea.]”