"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you? I can do it you know?" Lucy eyed Emma cautiously as she struggled to move, crutch in hand.

"I'm fine." Lucy said as she dragged her tired and worn-out body forward.

"We can take a break if you-"

"I said I'm fine." The young lady grunted as she took another step forward. A long silence permeated into the air as the two continues to walk towards the orphanage. They would have already arrived at the place if Lucy had simply allowed to be carried over.

The autumn leaves gently sway from the sleeping trees as the cold autumn wind blew across the valley once more. A chill went across Emma as she slowly turns behind her. "Are you not cold Lucy?" The nun tried once more.

"I can move." And once more Lucy denied her.

Emma eyed the young lady as she stubbornly refuses to accept aid from her. Another long silence permeated the air as the two continues to move. Isn't this too hard? Emma thought as she turned her gaze slightly to avoid suspicion.

"May I ask you something, Lucy?" Emma asks softly, eyeing the young lady carefully to help her at a moment's notice.

"What?" Lucy replied without pause, stifling a groan before it can escape.

"How did you manage to reach that building? I don't know where you came from, but that building is considerably far. Did you got lost along the way?" Emma asked.

"I walk."

...This is going to be hard... Emma thought as Lucy offered no more than that reply. She’s too close off to approach, let alone talk. Emma thought as she continued to guide Lucy throughout the forest. ...Well, I guess nothing will be easy with her. Gods, please aid me in this endeavor... Emma silently prays as they continued walking.

The two continued their silent journey without interruption for an hour. Emma slowed down for Lucy to catch up as the young lady struggled to keep up. They made good progress for a while before a loud snap suddenly rang out. A moment later, a loud thud accompanied by a groan forces them to stop. Emma was not fast enough to catch Lucy’s fall as the crutch was broken in twain.

"Are you ok?" Emma hurriedly ran over as Lucy struggled to stand.

"No, I'm not. That damn stick just had to break now." Lucy said with a grimace on her face as she glared at the broken crutch with hateful eyes.

"Hmm, no good. It is already beyond use." Emma said as she saw the state of the crutch.

"Yeah, I think so too." Lucy replied in acknowledgement as the two search for a replacement of the broken crutch. They found nothing.

An awkward silence fills the air as they avoided one another's gaze. They all had the same thought in mind. "Well... I think it's about time, isn't it?" Thoughts of protest spark within Lucy's mind for a while. This time, however, she could offer no resistance as Emma turned with a small smile on her face.

"I can carry you." Emma said to a very dissatisfied Lucy. "Look, we would reach the orphanage at midnight at this rate. The cold autumn night would not be good for your wounds, so it is in your best interest if we reach there as soon as possible."

Emma said as she waited for Lucy to reply. She did not yield this time as she stared Lucy back in the eyes despite the unnerving, twisted scars on her face. After a long while and with a heavy sigh, Lucy nodded reluctantly as Emma's eyes beamed up.

"Hop on." Emma said as she lowers her back for Lucy to reach in. Lucy let out a low grumble before climbing on top of Emma's back. !...Urum's light... Emma thought when her hands touched the bottom of Lucy's.

Even here? Just how many scars does she have? Emma grimly thought when her hands supporting her bottom felt the uneven and rough scars running through her skin. "Hey, watch where you are holding." Emma snapped out of her trance when Lucy suddenly spoke.

Emma could only let out a small nod before continuing back on their journey. ...She's so light... Emma thought as she carried the young lady on her back. Her frail and small stature could be mistaken as a child for anyone who saw her from afar. Emma wondered what could have gone so wrong for her to find her in that abandoned building.

The nun could not help but feel an inexorably deep sense of pity for Lucy the longer she thought of her circumstances. "You can rest for now, dear. I will wake you up when we get there." Emma whispers in a calm voice as Lucy shook her head.

"I'm not tired."

Liar... Emma thought when Lucy replied sluggishly. "Is that so?... well, you can sleep anytime you want if you ever get tired." Emma said as she redoubles her focus on the trek back to the orphanage.

Throughout the journey, Emma made sure to walk at a brisk pace, but slow enough to let Lucy rest without disturbance. At first, the young lady refuses to even lean on Emma's shoulder throughout the way, but as time slowly passed by and the cold wind blew gently across her cheek, the fatigue seeps in.

Despite her best efforts to ward off the dreaded stillness of the void, Lucy's young body could simply not resist the offer. Like great steel weighing her eyes, Lucy slowly closes her eyes, finally surrendering to its sweet embrace.

A faint smile stretches across Emma's lips as the young lady finally leans at her back. Her soft heartbeat, her warm breath, and the small warmth that radiated across her body, all of it made Emma feel a warm gladness wash over her.

After several more hours of walking, the two finally reached the orphanage on top of the hill as the sun had finally begins to set across the horizon. The orphanage had seen better days. Held together by aging wood and old stone, it was a humble place, but a home nonetheless. "We're here Lucy." Emma softly whispers as Lucy snapped her eyes opened.

Her eyes widen for a moment as the beautiful sun sets behind the orphanage, creating a mesmerizing sight of peace and tranquility. Lucy stared at the scene for a while longer before noticing a pair of shadows approaching them from afar.

Lucy immediately raises her guard ready as two other nuns approached her and Emma. "Urum's light sister Emma! I was worried you have encountered trouble at the forest when...?" The sisters slowly halt to a stop when they noticed a small lady being carried behind Emma's back.

"Sister Emma this is..." One of the sisters asked as Emma let out a proud smile.

"Sisters, this is Lucy. Lucy this is sister Rose and sister Ivy." Lucy slowly nodded in reply as the two eyes widened in surprise.

"U-urum's light..." One of the sisters gasped as she pointed towards Lucy's scarred face. Their eyes were filled to the brim with pity and horror as they begin to see clearly the injuries that marred Lucy's face.

...Stop staring at me. Stop it. Don't... don't look at it. I already know. Lucy managed to hold her tongue as she endured their gaze.

"There are a lot of things to discuss, sisters, but can we perhaps move it some other time? She really needs rest after all." Emma explained as the two nodded instantly.

"But of course! Please come in." The two replied as they cleared the way for Emma towards the orphanage. As they approached the door, it suddenly opened, revealing several children who were waiting eagerly.

"Sister Emma! Welcome back! Are you..." The children surrounded Emma as they begin telling how their day was.

"Hello sunshines." Emma whispered softly with a smile as the children continued talking about their day. Eventually however, they had to notice her.

"Hmm? Sister who is she?" One of the children pointed out behind her. One by one they slowly realizes Lucy as they eyed her curiously.

"Children, this is Lucy. She will be joining with us today. Lucy, these are the-" Emma could not finish her words when she saw the petrified faces the children had.

Their eyes stared in fear as they looked at what was behind of Emma. The nun slowly turned what was causing them to freeze in fear when she saw Lucy staring down coldly at the children. Emma felt a brush of winter tickle her spine. It was no wonder why the children could not help but freeze in fear.

"Lucy?" Emma called out, alarmed to the coldness of her gaze. Lucy seemed to snap out from her stupor as she hurriedly hides her face behind Emma's back. "Hik-" Emma turned to see the children beginning to cry as they were released from their frozen state.

"Hey, hey what's wrong?" Emma tried to calm the children down but failed as they simply continued to cry. The orphanage was soon embroiled in a loud symphony of cries from the children as they backed away from Lucy in fear.

Emma struggled to calm the little ones down when Lucy slowly, but surely, reaches out. For a moment, Emma's heart dropped as she quickly turned back to Lucy to cut her off. She never had the chance when she saw the worried and longing eyes resting within those sapphire like eyes. It felt warm, caring... and terribly desperate. Yearning for... warmth.

"M-monster!" It took all from Emma from shouting out in dismay when she saw those desperate eyes withered and died. Rejected once more by the world. The nun's heart weep in pain as she watched Lucy pulled back her hand, burrowing her face further behind her back as the young lady trembled slightly.

"Ah no! She is not a monster, Lucy is-"

"Wah!" Emma failed to convinced the children as they continued to cry.

"Ah. We will take care of this sister Emma, for now take her somewhere else." Sister Rose and Ivy suddenly came out from behind as they begin to pacify the children. Emma wanted to protest but soon nodded heavily as the children did not look like to stop anytime soon.

"Then I will leave it to you," Emma whispered as she carried Lucy away from the children. Emma hurriedly walked between the hallways as she did not want to escalate things any further than it already has. Soon, the noises faded away from the distance.

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A heavy silence blanketed the two as Emma did not know what to say. She knew she had to say something, but simply did not know what. "Are you sure you still wanted me in sister?" Lucy broke the silence first as she waited for Emma to reply.

"I'm sorry for the children. They-"

"No no, it is fine. Really, you can't blame them for simply being too young." Lucy whispered as if she had expected this. The heavy silence continued, as the two did not speak for a long while.

"I... I still think you should join us sister Lucy." Emma finally answered as Lucy raised a brow.

"Did you not see how they react?" Lucy said.

"Yes, but all the more reason for you to stay." Emma replied as Lucy continues to get confused.

"Like you said, they are still young. They still do not know the right and wrong in this world." Emma explained. "I think it would be better for them to interact not only with the beautiful things in the world but as well as the ugly so they may one day accept others for who they are." Emma replied.

"Making me as an example, eh? You sure know how to use what you have, sister." Lucy bitterly chuckled as Emma's eyes widened further.

"I-I didn't mean it that way! I only-"

"Peace, sister, I know what you mean." Lucy cuts off as Emma reddens slightly.

"...Just so you know, I did not mean it that way... I only wished for them to accept others like you..." Lucy did not reply to Emma's whisper as they finally reached where they were heading to.

"A clinic huh?" Lucy muttered as her eyes quickly catches the things in the room.

There were several sick beds spread apart at a distance. Although crude by noble standards, the bed was far more better than Lucy had expected as some of the beds were made out of cotton and not straw.

Emma gently placed Lucy towards one of the cotton beds. "Wait here just a moment, I will get you something to eat." Emma said with a smile as she hurriedly rushed out from the room. Left alone to her devices, Lucy begins to observe the room further as time ticks away.

The clinic had 12 beds in total, mostly made out of straw but some were cotton just like Lucy was lying into. There was a small window at the head of each bed as lighting and ventilation easily checks off the mark from Lucy's check list inside her head.

The smell of freshly changed straws, the soft sunlight beating down on her head, Lucy was impressed just how well it was considering it was just an orphanage. After a good 5 minutes had passed. hurried footsteps soon caught her attention. Lucy turned her attention back at the door as she could hear someone briskly walking towards the room.

Her eyes widen when she saw Emma holding a tray of assorted foods. A large bowl of porridge, two bananas as well as water. Lucy instinctively swallowed back her drooling mouth as the food was simply too appetizing for starve and hungry stomach.

A small smile crept up on Emma's face when she saw Lucy staring at the food intently. "Eat slowly, otherwise you might upset your stomach." Emma said as Lucy hurriedly nodded. Lucy gratefully accepted the meal before chowing down as fast as she can.

"H-hey! I told you to-" Emma could not finish her words as Lucy choked on her food. She immediately grabbed the glass of water nearby before drowning it away with a huge gulped. "... I told you to eat slowly." Emma muttered as Lucy slowly reddens.

"...Just slow down, there are more in the kitchen so there is no need to rush." Lucy slowly nodded as she grabbed another spoonful. This time, she chewed slowly chewed on the meal under Emma's watchful gaze.

Half an hour passed by when Lucy finally finishes her meal. "How was it?" Emma asked as Lucy wipe her mouth in satisfaction.

"...It was delicious..." Lucy replied in a delay as she endured under Emma's watchful gaze.

"Really? That's good." Emma nodded in satisfaction.

"We can finally begin healing those feet of yours." Emma said as she pointed to Lucy's cauterized wound. The way the skin twist and deforms from the fire made a very disturbing sight that Emma could no longer ignored.

Lucy let out a heavy nod as she let Emma washed her feet first with water. Throughout the process, Lucy watched Emma with steady eyes as if she was used to it. She did not pale as Lucy would have expected, but rather took it in her stride. "Ok, now we can begin. It will be slightly painful, but it will be over soon, ok?" Emma said with a smile.

Emerald light glowed from Emma's hand as she gently touched Lucy's wound. The mere touch of the light was akin to alcohol being doused on a gnashed wound. The cooling wave washed Lucy for an instant before a searing burning pain engulfs her entire feet. "Erak." Emma whispered as the light slowly mend her wounds.

Lucy let out a groan but did not speak otherwise as the wound slowly heals back to its natural state. As the dead cells were slowly being replaced with healthy new ones, color begins to return from her feet until finally even the twisted skin reverted back to its smooth surface.

"There we go." Emma whispered as sweat begins to form in her face. "Now let us heal that face of yours." Emma said with a smile as she reached her hand towards her face. Lucy reflexively dodged her hands as if she fears it.

"Lucy?" Emma asked as she noticed her refusal.

"I'll keep my face as it is." Lucy replied as Emma fervently shook her head.

"That won't do. I know it might be painful for a while, but it will bring your beauty back again." Emma said as Lucy shook her head in disagreement.

"No." Lucy simply said as she stared at Emma coldly.

"Lucy..." but Emma was not the one to back down when it comes to the injured. "Those wounds might worsen as time goes by," Emma said as she gently reached out once more.

Lucy dodged her again and again no matter how much she tries to reach out for her. "Lucy, those wounds will remain as a scar if we don't treat it now. Do you really want that?" Emma asked as she stared Lucy in the eyes. Despite her words, however, Lucy remained firm within those eyes. Though a tinge of regret lingers for a moment.

"...I need it." Lucy whispered as Emma's pupils shook.

"W-what?" She asked, surprised, as the mere thought was inconceivable for her.

"...There are... some people after me... my face would simply bring more trouble than it is worth." Lucy replied as a tinge of regret infested her lips.

"What?! What did you just say just now? Someone is after you?? We should tell the guards! They can-"

"No, not that. Anything but that." Lucy cuts off Emma's reply before she can speak further.

"B-but..." Emma tried to protest as Lucy firmly shook her head.

"These men are more powerful than you think, sister. They have eyes and ears across the realm that you would not believe. The fact I am still able to hide from them is a miracle in and of itself. And eventually, they will find me. But these scars... they would hide me. So please, do not heal these scars."

Lucy whispered as a skeptical face slowly emerges from Emma. "Just what exactly did you do to offend these people?" Emma carefully asked as Lucy stiffen. Her hesitation made Emma's suspicion soared as she refused to look her in the eye.

"You... you did not harm anyone else, right?" Emma's throat stiffen as she never had thought this possibility before. What if she's a murderer? She wouldn't harm the children...right? Cold sweat broke from Emma as she noticed Lucy slowly opening her mouth.

"...I just want to be hold..." Lucy softly whispers as Emma's eyes widen in shock. After days of wandering alone between the tether of life and death, Lucy's mind was anything but stable. A rare moment of weakness ensued as the tired soldier from within spoke out. Lucy turned to face Emma with broken and tired eyes, longing for them to be filled but knowing they could not be healed. In that instant, Emma saw those eyes once more. Pure and desperate eyes.

"... I tasted it once, you know? It was so sweet, so warm... but I was blinded back then. I chased a man who did not spare even a shred of its warmth when... when those guys... when those guys gave everything..." Lucy's voice broke as she recalled her men.

"The simple dinner over the campfire, the hearty laughs while drinking... all those simple things... I would have given my life to live through it one last time." Lucy silently weep for the fallen as she paused to take a breath.

"...They are gone now, Emma." Lucy silently croak the words as Emma stood motionless, waiting for the young girl to continue. "...They... they are gone now. All of them... every last one of them... they... they were... they were- Kalva be damn." Lucy failed to keep the sorrow from within as she groan in pain.

Emma silently watched the girl's mask slowly crumble as she cradle herself in her arms and weep. Similar to those whose family died. She did not embrace Lucy; she did not dare to do so so recklessly when even she did not know what to do.

It was miserable, heartbreaking. Emma pity the poor girl in front of her now, but she can't bring herself to comfort her. As much as she wanted to, Emma knows full well how reckless pity would do more harm than good.

And so, Emma silently stood there as she waited for Lucy to let everything out that she was holding onto for so long. When Lucy did finally calmed down, her cold voice returns as her dull eyes emerge once more.

"And if it was some kind of curse, I was the only one left alive... everyone died... but me... just why did they take everyone but me? Why could they not just take me with them??" Lucy whispers coldly as she turned back to Emma.

The dull sapphire eyes washed over Emma as Lucy whispered in a tired voice. "I can't keep doing this, Emma. I just can't." Emma's eyes widen in fear as the cold monotone voice rang clearly in her ears.

"Every day, every hour, every second I spent on this goddamn life is nothing more but torture. I am alone! Every time I close my eyes I see them, Emma, I see their dead eyes opened, crying out in pain as I left them to die!"

A scream almost escaped Lucy's lips as the betrayal replayed inside her head again and again in an endless loop of torment. "Kalva be damn, I should be dead. I should have died on that day..." Lucy whimpered as her pupils trembled for a moment.

Emma opened her mouth to protest but stopped as Lucy's next words slammed into her like a titanic wave. "... but I'm scared Emma... life might be scary without them... but death... it still terrifies me... as much as I want to join them, I don't want to die..." Lucy whispered. "I... I am a coward. After all I had said, I still want to live... what should I do, Emma?" She stared at the nun, grasping for any answers in her desperation before her gaze slowly sinks back to the ground.

Oh, child. Emma thought to herself as she slowly reaches in. The young lady was in so much distress that she did not even notice Emma gently rubbing her back as her gaze remained fixed. Urum, please aid me. Emma silently prayed as she begins comforting the shaken Lucy.

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"You can use this room for now, since we still don't have a sister to add yet... but we will have one soon." Sister Rose added in with a smile as Lucy nodded stiffly. "Hey hey no need to be so stiff, we are family now." Rose smiled as she patted Lucy in the back.

Lucy flinches slightly as Rose's eyes widen. "Haha, sorry am I being too close?" Rose said as Lucy could only nodded stiffly. An awkward silence fills the two as Lucy enters the room and pretends to be busy. "W-well I will leave it to you then! Make sure to call for me if you need any help!" Rose cheerfully added before running away in embarrassment.

"Ah! There's also spare clothes there, so please use them!" Rose added before vanishing completely deeper into the hall. Lucy's gaze traced back towards the spare clothes they had spared for her. It was a simple white top with an old and worn-out brown blouse. Compared to her ruined clothes, it was a much better alternative.

Lucy bolted the door shut before changing. A few moments passed; Lucy changed through the clothes with ease as she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Much better..." she mumbles as she begins eyeing the room.

It was incomparably smaller compared to her old room. The bed's size was incomparably smaller than her old room, and it was made of straws. There was a mold growing in the corner of the room, above it was a small window that time did not treat kindly.

The scent of straw tickles Lucy's nose as she sits down at the bed. It wasn't as soft as her previous bed, but it was certainly better than the ground below. Despite the cover of the sheet, however, some straws managed to poke out, causing mild discomfort.

Lucy turned her gaze towards the source of light as she prepared to end the day. A lone candle stood against the room as it tried its hardest to stop the encroaching darkness. Lucy stared at the candle aimlessly as if slowly burning out its life.

She stared at the candle for what seemed to be hours as her body once more felt hollow. It felt so hollow, like a shard of herself was removed from her entire being. Staring at the frail flame seems to push back the hollowness, albeit in a very minuscule way.

The small flame flickered dangerously as a gentle breeze blew across the room. Its light reflected on Lucy's dull gaze as her mind wandered in thought. ...How long can I stay here? It was the question she wanted to know the answer to the most.

Lucy did not exactly think far off into the future back then, as she only wanted to escape. Her desire to abandon that accursed house has blinded her of the future. Forcing her to walk through the path of a fugitive.

Constantly hiding from the eyes of the authority, sleeping one eye open as the fear of being caught off guard permeated her every being. Yet despite all of this, Lucy felt it was the better option. Running away constantly seemed more appealing than dying.

... If I had to run away for the rest of my life, then so be it. I will endure... I... I have to... for them, I have to. A few more moments later have passed before Lucy finally blows the life of the candle, plunging the room into the cold night.