Cursed Soul: Ch.22

“Leah!”, I didn't even realize I was the one who shouted as I shot forward, my heart pounding in my chest as the demon pulled his claws down to her stomach to cut through her organs before kicking her towards me.

I quickly stopped and caught her body even as I was sent flying back, tucking myself in and tumbling across the cracked ground before to a stop.

“Lea-!”, I went to look at her wounds only to stare in horror at the sight of the five claw marks stretching from her chest to her abdomen, watching as her lungs deflated with every shaky breath she tried to take while blood poured from the holes in her upper body.

Looking up as I heard the crackle of thunder, I watched as Elise flew overhead with an enraged expression while bolts of lightning impacted the demon from every angle. Alya was screaming as she rained down arrow after arrow from above and Erica's bullets found their mark, but the demon didn't even flinch as it simply cackled while looking directly at me.

“Fuck! Focus! Come on! Come on! Hymn Of Apollo!”, I hissed as I called upon my most powerful healing spell, golden panels of light bursting into existence and encasing the two of us in a brilliant cube.

Yet, even as the light poured over her wounds and stitched both muscles and skin together, I gritted my teeth as I saw her organs not even trying to heal themselves as I cancelled the spell and restarted it over again.

“I can do this. I'm the most versatile caster here! Come on!”

“E-Eric…”

“Nope! You don't get to die! Not like this”, I gritted as I poured more ethernano into the spell, watching as the gashes in her body stitched together before I stopped as I saw blood pouring from her lips.

'Right, there's holes in her lungs, you fucking idiot! Focus on those first!'

“E-Eric, you know I'm not making it.”

“Nope! I'm fixing this.”

“You…you don't have the skills and that's okay,” She spoke as she held a hand up, to which I gritted my teeth as I tried to fix up the slashes.

Although, I knew it was a lost cause as I softly grabbed her hand and frowned as I saw how cold it was. I know that Hymn of Apollo was more of a spell to create powerful light that I can use as weapons with the secondary ability to heal cuts, but I was just hoping that I could force it to be able to heal organs.

However, as I continued to pour ethernano into it, I gritted my teeth as I saw the wounds not even trying to close as the blood slowly dripped out.

“L-Listen, I want you to stay strong, okay? You always you think you're not enough…but they trust you. I trusted you.”

“Don't talk like that,” I whispered as I felt the tears burning, forcing them back as she gave a weak smile.

“You'll protect them…like you always do. Even if you can't save someone…”

“Please, don't.”

“You'll save someone.”

“I can save you,” I spoke, holding a hand to her wounds and trying my best to pour more of Apollo's healing energy into her. “Just give me a few minutes.”

“Eric,” She spoke, my eyes focusing on hers as she struggled to squeeze my hand before resting her hand against the side of my face.

“I'm…I'm glad it was you,” She said and I watched as her hand slipped, tapping against the ground while the light faded from her eyes.

Staring at the still corpse in front of me, the silence was deafening as I looked down at my hands that were drenched in her blood. It was still glowing gold from the Hymn of Apollo around me, but it looked mocking now, bright and hollow.

With a thought, the screens of the cube shattered, drawing their attention back to me as I slowly stood up and looked up.

“Hmm, I was hoping she'd be in pain a bit longer. Her anguish was quite entertaining.”

“Alya, Elise, Erica, fall back,” I spoke as I walked closer, Alya looking as if she wanted to protest before she stopped as I looked at her.

“No, you're n-!”

“Elise, fall back,” I spoke, my voice quiet and firm as I stared at her and she looked back before nodding.

“Touched a nerve, did I? You Fiore Knights are all so sensitive,” The demon mocked as it looked at me and I slowly turned my gaze to it before dozens of small screens with the Ares logo appeared around my body.

“Hymn of Ares: Final Verse- Symphony of the Berserker,” I growled, the ground cracking and the air shaking as I slowly pointed at the demon who raised an eyebrow while snickering with a wide grin.

“This is war,” With that said, the air rippled as I shot forward, crashing into it with a punch as it was laughing. Its smirk vanished along with its jaw as the blow nearly tore its head off, but it rolled with it and spun mid-air.

Kicking me square in the chest, the force of the attack blasted me backwards and sent me skidding across the ground, but as I stopped myself and landed on a knee, I tapped a hand against my lips and felt my heartbeat speeding up as I saw the blood.

Good. I want this to be a fight.

The demon roared as it unfurled a pair of shadowy wings and dove, its claws scraping along the ground as I stood up right when it swung the first claw at me.

I ducked under it and moved out of the path of the other, punching it in the ribs only for the demon to catch my arm and flip me. To its surprise, I spun around and popped my shoulder out of its socket, a manic look in my eyes as I pulled a fist back and delivered a crushing blow to its chin.

I watched as my punch knocked its jaw out of its place right as I popped my shoulder back in with a grin, grabbing its claws when he tried to attack me from both sides and deliver a headbutt to its chest that knocked the wind out of it.

It was quick to recover and delivering a powerful blow to my side, feeling my ribs snap only for the Hymn of Apollo to form beside my injury and snap my ribs back together.

“Oh, we're not ending this easily!”, I snarled as I grabbed onto its arm, bringing my fist down and breaking its arm before punching forward and grabbing onto its lower jaw.

With a roar, I ripped my arm away and the demon let out a shrill shriek as I tore off its lower jaw. Black blood spurted everywhere as I held its jaw in my hand, taking deep breaths while watching as it thrashed and clawed wildly at me.

Its blows cut deep into my body, but I kept it away from my vital points and slipped into its guard, delivering a powerful elbow to its gut and then driving a knee into its jaw as it folded in half.

“You want agony?!”, I asked, glaring at its red eyes while pulling my fists back. “I'll show you agony!”

The Hymn of Ares appeared in a large form behind me, its sigils spewing out ethernano that drenched my body as I delivered the first punch.

The next one came just as the first, the impact knocking the wind out of it as my fists blurred and each blow had it gasping for air. However, the demon soon found itself fighting back as it stabbed its claws into my thigh.

A pained growl came from my lips as I grabbed onto its wrists, the two of us holding each other's glares as it gave me a bloody grin.

“You think you're winning? You're breaking and you're all alone, little caster!”, It snarled, but I just stayed silent while tightening my grip on its wrist.

'She's gone and I couldn't save her,' Pain is temporary and grief is just a drumbeat in my chest, but right now, the source of it all is right in front of me and I'm going to make sure it never hurts anyone again.

“Hymn of Hephaestus: Burning Core!”, I snarled, the ground under and around us bubbling as my ethernano latched onto it and made sure it couldn't escape this time.

The demon tried to pull its arm back, but its eyes widened as I just smiled and tightened my grip even more, a pained cry escaping its lips as I snapped its wrists while molten chains erupted from the ground and wrapped around its body.

“Hymn of Hades: Eternal Anguish!”, I growled as I dipped my finger into the molten lava, the Hymn of Ares keeping the heat at bay for the most part as I slowly drew ethernano to my finger before beginning to trace a runic barrier onto its very form.

You shall suffer for all eternity. No one shall let you free. Any who try will have their lifeforce siphoned and used to increase the anguish you shall feel even further. By how much depends on their ethernano levels and how much they truly wish to have you free. This I decree by name of Eric Creed.

“You…will suffer for all eternity. No escape. No end. No mercy,” I whispered as the cocoon of molten magma surrounded its entire body, leaving only its screaming face exposed before the magma wrapped around its face and the seal finished.

The runic barrier pulsed violently as each sigil anchored itself into the cocoon like nails being driven into a coffin, the crowned skull sigil of Hades forming on the front of the cocoon where its head was.

The magma began to shift and turn into pitch black obsidian as I walked closer, standing face to face with the demon before I spoke my final words to it.

“She was better than you…and I won't let your name be heard longer than hers,” With that, the final rune sank into the cocoon before it shrunk down, the obsidian twisting and forming into a sphere as the demon was finally sealed away.

Yet, as I stood there and watched as the sigil of Hades pulsed like a slow heartbeat, I didn't feel anything when I collapsed to a knee with my vision blurring and my ethernano reserves nearly dried out.

“I told Elise to take Erica and the others back,” Alya whispered as she knelt in front of me, wrapping her arms around me while I felt her own tears on the back of my head.

“You did what you could, Eric.”

“But I didn't,” I whispered, hearing how hollow my voice sounded as I felt the tears flowing.

Why? Why do I feel this attached to a woman I just met a few weeks ago? Was this the consequence of having ethernano? A mage needs to be in-tune with their emotions in order to use their spells to their full extent, but as one gets stronger, does that mean that one feels love and anguish far harder than anyone ever could?

'What would happen if this happen again? I…I can't…I'm not the soldier I thought I was.'

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“Many of the soldiers that had fought a week ago in the siege against Boscovia are nothing heroes to our people. Regrettably, we lost many wondrous and capable soldiers during this mission, one of which being our skilled Leah Maverick,” General Sparda spoke solemnly, his voice echoing over the rows of silent Rune Knights and civilians watching on.

I stayed silent as I stood on the stage beside him, my eyes fixed on the one casket that had a red flag with the symbol of the Scarlet Mantis in black on it.

Leah's name was etched onto the steel plate at its top and as I felt a hand on my shoulder, I gave a shaky yet thankful smile to Elise as she smiled back while keeping her hand on me.

It was one of the few things keeping me steady.

“Leah Maverick was more than a soldier. She was a light in the dark, a friend to most, but more to others,” Sparda continued and I had no tears left as I simply watched the man speak.

“We remember her not only for her skill in battle but for her unwavering faith in her team and in all of us. I would only ask if her beloved, Eric Creed, would be willing to say a few final words,” The man spoke as he turned to me and I stepped forward, Elise letting go as I approached the podium.

“Leah wasn't just the best of us. She was the one who made us better. She saw things in us that we could not see in ourselves and when the time came for fighting, she did not hesitate to be the first to battle, even if…even if it meant giving up everything,” I forced myself to continue despite hearing my voice crack, looking over the crowd before nodding with a smile.

“She…she told me something before she passed. She said, even if we can't save someone, we still carry on the ideals, hopes and dreams that they have. As she always liked to say, our failures do not define us, but what we do after does. I…I could not save her, but I'll carry her voice into every battle. Every fight and every time I doubt myself, I'll remember that she didn't. Thank you,” I whispered as I stepped back, smiling thankfully at the light applause while taking my spot next to Elise as Sparda took over.

“You okay?”, She asked and I nodded with a smile while giving one final smile to the casket.

'Rest well, Maverick. I'll make sure to carry your ideals, hopes and dreams from now on.'

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“You know…I used to think you were kind of this nervous wreck.”

“Really?”, I asked, watching as Leah giggled and nodded as the two of us laid on the carpeted flooring of her office.

“Yeah, you always had this twitchy look even when you were hanging out with your friends and you were always in the library.”

“Hey, I was crafting up battle plans, runic patterns and strategies, okay?”

“Uh-huh, and what about the times I tried to talk to you over the past week and you kept disappearing?”

“Oh, I just knew you were going to jump my bones so I'd figured I'd spare us both the awkwardness.”

“From what I'm seeing, you're quite confident,” She spoke with a smile as she turned her body, running her finger over my naked chest while I rolled my eyes that lingered a bit on her exposed chest.

“I'd like to think you make it easier for me.”

“Oh, so now I'm your charm of courage, hmm?” She asked with a knowing smile and I nodded with a small smile while tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Maybe…or maybe, you're just the first person who doesn't make me feel like I have to pretend.”

“You don't have to pretend with me. Not ever,” She spoke softly as she leaned her forehead against mine and I smiled as she gave me a kiss before I blinked as she laid her head on my chest with a sigh.

“When you decide to retire, I'm going to do it with you. By that point, we'll have enough money to buy a small house and just live out our lives. Do you think you'd want that?”, She asked as she looked up at me and I nodded with a chuckle.

“As I'm feeling right now, that sounds just like heaven to me.”

“Eric, are you there?”, I blinked as Elise's voice snapped me from my shock, standing up from my bed and opening the door to my room to see her standing with a shaky smile.

“Hey.”

“Hey, come on in,” I muttered and she nodded as she walked past while I closed the door behind her before sitting back on the bed while she sat down beside me.

“I wasn't sure if I should come or if you would even want me here,” Her soft voice was uncharacteristic of her and as I looked over, I saw the flickers of pain in her eyes before softly grabbing onto her trembling hand.

“It's just…after Leah and everything, I felt so hollow and I thought that isolating myself from others with help, but the silence just grows louder and louder with every second that passed,” I spoke, my voice rough as she looked at me for a moment and nodded.

“Can I tell you something that's been bothering me?”

“Sure,” I spoke and she nodded slowly while taking a deep breath.

“I'm scared, Eric. I'm not just scared for the next mission, but for all the ones after. Every morning I wake up, I wonder if this will be the last day I see the sun. My family all wanted me to pursue this life, but…but I don't know if I'm cut out for this.”

“…Have you told your aunt?”, I asked and she looked at me before slowly shaking her head.

“No, I haven't.”

“Then, do it. What have you got to lose?”

“…You,” She whispered and I looked at her to see her looking back with eyes that shimmered with unshed tears.

“I don't want to lose you, Eric, not before I even get the chance to hold onto something good, even if it's just for tonight,” I knew what she was talking about and I just continued to stare at her hopeful look before giving a shaky smile.

“I don't know if I'm strong enough for any of that, but…I'm here with you.”

“That's all I need,” she spoke with a fragile yet graceful smile and I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her body relax as we laid back and just looked up at the ceiling.

While I'm sure it's not what she had in mind, I think it is also what she needed the most.

'And so did I. I know what I must do.'

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“I wish to withdraw myself from the Rune Knights, sir.”

“…What?”

A/N: Hey~!! Sorry about missing last week, but to be honest, I think shifitng this to a bi-weekly thing has done wonders for helping me figure out the story so far. Don't worry, it's not going to be a permanent thing, but just know that I might do it now and again.

Anyway, the mini war-arc is over and we're finally diving into…the Sun Village~!!

Next chapter: 'Fired!' and On to Find the Sun.

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!