12 Reborn for a Wish (1/2)

”I beg you...Please spare the lives of my children, they're all I have...I beg you...” Cried a familiar female voice.

Nion opened her eyes and realized that she was back to that scene at Elpida's borders when she executed Pipola, the mother of Asta and Alexis.

”I am so sorry for what I did to you...All of you. I cannot find the words of how guilty and ashamed I feel for destroying your lives...” Nion lamented.

Unable to move or to interact, an immersive wave of unknown emotions were filling up Nion's heart. Immediately she realized that her heart and mind has been connected with Pipola's. Nion was caught prisoner of her nightmare, forced to relive the horrors that she made go through to Pipola as if she was in her skin.

The mother of two could barely breathe, fatigue engraved on her worn face. Her sorrow grew more profound each second, she was begging the emotionless silhouette of a young silver hair death goddess to spare their lives.

”I am the foolish one, I am the one who brought them here! I am the one who has disrespected the great land of Aleksithimia's order!” Cried Pipola.

For her, every day was a challenge, she was doing her best to offer everything she could to her children, from the moment she woke up until her body could do no more. Alone, without any other support, she spent her life watching over her little treasures from being hurt or taken away.

Pipola was at the edge of what her body could take, the pain has been redirected directly to Nion as she could feel all the bruises and wounds that Pipola had all over her freezing body that was barely covered with ripped clothes. Her eyes became glacier blue under the sheen of the dying sun. Pipola was fully aware of what was about to happen, she refused to pass out and leave her children to the mercy of the non-existent justice. The despair of being caught and having no strength to fight flowed through her veins and deadened her mind.

”Please, spare their lives! I know your law is absolute!” Said Pipola as she tried her best to calm her voice and intonation.

Both Alexis and Asta were glued to their mother, despite the difference in their age, they understood that something horrible was about to happen. Their mother's long blond tangled hair was blowing in their faces, obscuring the death goddess.

Outcast and frightened, they had nowhere to call home, all three knew that this is as far as it goes for them in this universe full of lies, injustice, and despair.

The bloody moon hung above the evergreen forest behind them as their cries stained the autumn wind passing by. The cradle started to hover over the ground with the sun shining its brightest light, deciding the family's dreadful fate.

”I am ready to accept death for the unforgivable actions I've committed! I disrespected the great prosper rules and soiled your lands.” Said the mother of two.

The wind crackled as Nion's shadow and the mother were looking at each other without a blinking an eye. Unstoppable tears of accepting one's death were endlessly flowing from Nion's eyes as she was forced to relive the scene that she wished never existed. Agonised she struggled as if there was no gravity around her, just a floating object that could not look away or even close her eye, she was strained to watch the scene until it reaches its climax, consumed by the desire to wind back time and slow it down so she could change every regretful action she has made. Nevertheless, how far would she need to rewind...?

”Please, leave my children alive. I beg you to spare them, that's all I ask...” Begged Pipola.

”So be it...” Said the death goddess as she raised her arm read to conclude this pitiful sight.

The shadow slightly moved the wrist that triggered the solidification of the blade, its tiny metallic wires began merging among themselves into a solid form. The solidification process looked as beautiful as terrifying for its victims.

Pipola turned towards her children and put her arms around them bring them closer to her chest. Salty tears mingled with the dry wind whipping their mother's hair around. Forsaken by everyone, alone, scared and devastated. Her heartfelt butchered when she realized that she is spending the last moments of her life letting her beloved babies continuing without her.

”Alexis sweety, from now on...You should take care of your brother... Asta, my love...Be sure to listen to your brother! Try to eat and sleep well...” Cried Pipola as she hugged her boys, while all three of them crying altogether.

”I will pray to the Gods and Heavens...I will pray the devil himself if it means to protect you! Because I... cannot protect you anymore...” Cried Pipola barely able to express herself.

”Don't leave us! Please! Don't leave us!” Both Alexis and Asta begged her to stay.

After so many years of hiding and running after a better life, the only motivation that kept the mother willing to wake up and live another day was about to vanish. For the first time, Nion understood what was driving her to find Asta so badly. She finally realized that the feeling that was pushing her to the limit was something that is called ”mother's love”.

Motherly love is the kind of love that would move heaven and earth for a child. It is the kind of love that would take on anyone, any place, any time if they threaten the wellbeing of the children. And it is the kind of love that says ”I would give my life for my children any time, at any place...”

No pain Nion has ever experienced before was as intense as the one she felt while going through the emotions received from the mother.

Nion's shadow started growing its darkness, enveloping everything around, only a little space where Pipola was kneeling stayed intact. Various shades of black, white and grey were overlapping each other that looked like the pandemonium of wild emotions that were trying to express themselves in the astral world.

”You've done nothing wrong...The world we live in is wrong...” Pipola pronounced her last words.

Everything turned black, distant screams slowly faded away as Nion's spirit was leaving the physical body while both hearts got disconnected.

Shocked, dizzy of the heavy emotional charge she had to go through, she was returned back into the obscurity of the void.

Her feet touched the solid ground as soon as it did, the burning feeling enveloped Nion's arm, then another, the bright fire enlightened the darkness. Nion's jacket was surrounded in orange flames. Although she could feel the heat, it was painless.

Next time she blinked her eyes Nion found herself being engulfed in flames as she walked out from the bonfire while carrying the crisped body of the perished child. Once again, her body and mind were trapped within the unresponsive body that was moving on its own.

Behind the flames, a thin female silhouette has jumped into the flames and tried to pull Nion out of it. Victim of delirium Nion thought that the masked man with the yellow crest has come back to take the child away from her; In less than a second, she unshelled her weapon and delivered a devastating blow to the stranger who happened to be Seànn who tried to help.

The attack was so devastating that Seànn flew out of the fire like a bullet and landed on her back in the watery mud. Luckily for her, she could protect her face with the metal plates that are implanted directly inside her 'Keeper' outfit so it could absorb most of the impact, which saved her skull from being split in two.

Drunk in hate, Nion had fallen into an unstoppable hysteria of emotions of hatred that took over her body. Unable to recognize or hear Seànn's voice, she became an unchained beast who could not tell who friend or foe anymore.

”That is”—cough, cough— ”Not good.” Pronounced Seànn as she tried to stand up.

Nion carefully put the deceased body on the ground as she fixated her enemy and then whispered.

”It will be over soon.”

”Operator, request immediate connection with the HQ, Quarta is going berserk.” Ordered Seànn.

Nion stepped away from the body and then walked towards the wooden cross where the masked man left his message craved on the human skin.

”Everything... Everything... Everything...” Mumbled Nion.

”Mitera Server is currently offline. Please ensure the stable connection to the server.” Replied operator.

”Out of these times when I actually need it...” She desperately said to herself. ”Got to deal with her on my own then.” Said Seànn.

”If only...You never existed...!” Nion hysterically mumbled then grabbed the wooden cross with her hand and ripped it off the ground. ”Ah! I got it... I just have to kill you...” Nion looked at Seann with a twisted smile.

Seànn knew that things will turn ugly very fast if she doesn't calm the situation down as soon as possible.

”Nion I came here to help you, please listen to me.” Seànn called Nion.

”Who cares now...You are going to die either way.” Mumbled Nion as she ripped off the 3 meters long wooden cross from the ground.

”I am not your enemy.” Seànn called Nion.

”Hey...What do you feel when you kill people...?” Asked Nion as she put the cross over her shoulder.

”Let's just calm down here all right? Put that thing down, I have no intention to fight you.” Advised Seànn. ”Operator, scan for a 'Non-Lethal Takedown' option.”

”Reattach the 'Kanjöga' to its wielder to stabilize the emotional pressure.” Advised the operator.

”Back then you said that you will enjoy seeing me suffer, huh...” Said Nion.