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I finally could continue on my journey. It took us a few hours to eventually find a deal on a common ground, and thus I was now travelling with two new companions.

The first one was a mymu named Roi. She usually took the form of Qalendra, my beloved, that’s why I inadvertently think of it as female. Mymus doesn’t have the concept of gender, they just grow bigger after eating something and convert this mass into another mymu.

Anyway, I actually accepted to let it accompany me because it held many answers to my previous questions.

“Why was I sleeping in this cavern?” – “This is where you rest, Master.”

“Why am I holding such overwhelming power?” – “It is to fulfil your duty, Master.”

“Which is?” – “… I do not know.”

“Damn, another dead-end…” I thought with remorse. All I learned was that it was actually normal for me to wake up in this cavern. Was wasn’t normal, according to Roi, was that I woke up without anyone to assist me in my revival.

This so-called revival was also the reason why I lost my memory. I was currently incomplete, and only Aederinilitium could help me retrieve my lost heart. But as to why I had to revive, Roi had no answers for me.

I felt a bit lonely learning that nobody was here to help me when they were supposed to, but there was no point complaining about spilled milk. Besides, I now had an even more precise destination where I was even more certain I would complete both of my objectives. Two birds, one stone. I always loved this expression, and even more when I could apply it in life.

As for my second companion; his name was Nilie Linieïera. He was the boy I almost killed before Roi intervened and healed him back.

I first said his eyes proved he wasn’t of the human race, but there was also another determining factor nobody could neglect.

He had a pair of feline ears above his head, twitching every time he tried to focus on the surrounding to make sure there was no ambush.

After a few dialogues together, I remembered he was part of the yume’s tribes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t recollect much more than the name and a few irrelevant components. That was why our conversations felt a bit one-sided.

“Why do you believe I am a spirit?” – “Because you hold unimaginable power. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think many sorcerers can both tame a mymu and make people vanish just like that.”

“Why am I not a powerful sorcerer, then?” – “Ehm… Sorcerers are people that wield magic… And it’s a title. A title you obtain at the Academy. I know what a sorcerer look like, and you, spirit… No offense, but you don’t look like a sorcerer at all.”

“Then why is everyone saying I’m a sorcerer?” – “… You’re a strange spirit, aren’t you?”

But at least, our conversations were more interesting than with the mymu.

He decided to follow me because… Because as it is written in the Rules, it’s a spirit’s role to protect a yume. That sounded absurd and unfair, however I also found it quite amusing. After all, it would help me pay him back for what I inflicted to him.

By the way, I know he looked high-spirited now, but right after I accepted to take him with me, he suddenly collapsed on the ground. Roi examined his condition, and concluded the stress indeed took a great toll on him. He only needed some rest.

I had sympathy for him, but that didn’t mean I would patiently wait here until him woke up. So I ordered Roi to drag him until he recovered. He did, he woke up, but he also shrieked when he found himself covered by the mymu’s goo for a second time.

That was how we became a group of three random people, travelling together towards my destination.

When I asked the mymu where I could find Aederinilitium, it coincidentally pointed in the direction where I sensed the call. It reassured me to know the destination was the same.

It took us a whole hour before we finally left the forest, arriving in a huge wildland covered with lone trees and hills. It was much easier to admire the clearing blue sky without the canopy hovering our head, the dark clouds where nowhere to be seen anymore, adding a new light to the world I was used since my awakening.

I saw many yellow flowers blooming over there, but I couldn’t tell what their name was either because of my lack of knowledge in the domain or because of my amnesia. But I felt that if I became complete again, I would remember where or when I saw those petals.

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We made our way between the hills, there was no road but the path seemed to be clearer.

“How far is it, Roi?” I asked, not the first time in the day, curious about our current pace.

“We should arrive at dusk, Master.” She answered without a hint of annoyance. What a loyal fellow.

“At this rate… Are we setting for Propose? Then it is located somewhere near the mountain over there.”

Nilie showed me the tall peak on the horizon. I didn’t believe we would arrive at dusk anymore. I wanted to say securing a place for the night might not be a bad idea, but as neither Roi nor Nilie suggested it I hadn’t the courage to raise my voice.

I sighed, trying to give myself a bit more strength to take another step before Nilie stopped us.

“Wait. I see someone.”

I wouldn’t care whoever I met in my journey. I had the power to erase any obstacle in my way. I didn’t want to sound arrogant after what I did, not anymore, but I couldn’t hide the fact that it was still true. A mere thought and my issues were no more. So what should I fear in this world, except myself?

We closed the gap with the stranger until we were standing face to face. It was a swordswoman wielding a thick large sword at her waist, a petite girl was holding her hands at the opposite side. They didn’t seem to share the same blood, but I could tell at a glance that they behaved like a mother and a daughter.

And when she gazed at me… I saw an expression of surprise.

“You… You are awake?”

“Of course I-… Wait, do you know me?”

Was it possible? What were the probabilities? Was she… Was she really one of my acquaintances?!

“Of course I know you…”

I couldn’t believe it. It was real. I finally met someone who knew me who wasn’t a living puddle of water. I wanted to cry, but my body still hadn’t any tear to spare.

I was so happy, I literally trembled with joy at the thought of finding such a person.

However…

“Roi, what is the meaning of this? It is way too early.”

“My master awakened, so I took upon myself to guide him.” The mymu answered while bowing with respect toward the lady.

She glance at Roi with an expression I wasn’t sure I read well. Was she angry?

“You shouldn’t act on your own. You are only an assistant.”

“My master needed help, and there was nobody but me in the vicinity to answer.”

What was happening? I couldn’t follow their dialogue.

“Even so, you shouldn’t have let him roam freely. Stick to your role, mymu.”

“I am only doing what my master instructed me. It does not go against the rules.”

“It does.”

I couldn’t keep it any longer. “Stop! Stop it, both of you! Please!” I felt I needed to put an end to this conversation. They were talking about me like I was an object, which was… Unpleasant.

“What do you mean? You sound like you’re not happy I’m alive!”

“I am pleased to see you can still operate.” She frowned “But happy? Not at all.”

Rude. What did she mean?

“How can I be happy to see the one who ruined everything?

I suppose you lost your memory again? Then shall I remind you of all the atrocities you committed?”

I… Wasn’t sure I was prepared for that. I nervously gulped. “So this if how it feel when you’re going to be judged” the thought crossed my mind.

“Iorivalith, it is Aederinilitium’s duty to cure my master’s amnesia. A faulty process could-“

“Who cares about that? He’ll hear the truth one way or another.” The lady named Iorivalith stared at me. “But you probably already half-guessed. Didn’t you, Fallen?”

“I… What?”

“The wrath of the gods. The Fall. The flying fortress. Doesn’t that ring a bell to you, Fallen?”

It strangely coincided with the dream I had, but I still couldn’t completely reconnect all the dots.

“All those promises… Those EMPTY promises of freedom and happiness! LIES!!”

Her shoot froze us in place. I could feel her palpable anger scorching the area. It was the accumulation of many years of resentment. A boiling, sealed cauldron, ready to explode at any moment.

“And this yume… Did you also enslave it like the others? How many will you convert until you’re satisfied?”

“No, I…” I didn’t enslave anyone. I think?

But what if she said was the truth? I somehow always felt I was the one responsible for the downfall of the fortress, and if her words were true… Then was I the one who angered the gods?

Why… Why would I even do such a thing? Even if what she said seemed true, there was still something missing in the story.

For what reason would I go against the gods?

I may remember being the culprit, but at the same time I knew I wasn’t.

I was the culprit, but I did not… I couldn’t do such a thing. Because I had no reason to. It would go against my own words.

“You’re lying! I would never do such a thing!” I declared at her, denying her arguments.

But all she did was sigh in exasperation.

“That’s exactly how everything went south… Nohou, bring me the orb.”

“Yes, mom.” Answered the little girl before searching through her backpack.

For some reason, Nilie rushed at them. When did he readied his weapons? Besides, why attack now? Must have been his instincts telling him something dangerous would happen if they brought out this orb.

The sword was about to struck Iorivalith in the shoulder… But it was halted in the middle of the swipe. Iorivalith grabbed the blade by the hand as if it was a mere branch.

“I have no intention to kill a slave.”

A kick threw Nilie several meters above the ground, making the yume flying before painfully bouncing on the ground. This strength… Was not human. She wasn’t human either.

“W-What was that?!” I yelled in surprise, unable to comprehend what happened to Nilie.

“So you have even forgotten the blessings you bestowed upon us? How sad…”

“Here, mom.” The small girl delivered a red orb to Iorivalith. It was the size of a fist, but I could feel an eerie energy emanating from the artefact.

“You think you can win against me?” I threatened her. I still had a card I haven’t played yet. “Nothing can stop me!”

I only needed to think about it, and she would disappear. It was that simple. Nothing more, nothing less. So why was she still standing in front of me?

“Sure, I can’t face you alone. But you, you have forgotten everything. I imagine you can already use your miracle, and that would already be enough to change the world without you noticing anything. However, you may be omnipotent, but there is another one just as much capable as you.”

I sensed her energy gathering inside the orb, generating thunders and roars which contrasted with the area.

“The pact ends here, and you shall rot in Limbo, Fallen!”

She threw the orb at me. I had no time to dodge, as the globe manifested an ominous cloud that engulfed me, drowning everything it touched in darkness and revenge.