90 Voices (1/2)

When Edge heard Setsuna's request he couldn't help but clench his fist. He knew that he wasn't strong enough yet to make a difference in a battle of this scale. He then spoke to Tsukiyomi and Tanith.

”Tell me the truth, if the two of you go and face them can you win?”

”If you would offer me all of your mana, and I'm willing to sacrifice half of my own life force. I would probably be able to decimate around half of them. But in my usual form, I'll only be able to beat twenty at most.” Tsukiyomi who usually exuded an air of haughtiness and pride answered with a frown. She didn't even do her usual arrogant laugh.

”If I fought in my true form and attack as aggressively as possible, I would at most be able to... I can't even make an estimate, the way humans fight has too many tricks in it... So, I could probably kill a lot of them but not all of them.”

When Edge heard the answers of the two he clenched his fist until it bled a bit. Even there most powerful fighters had no chance of victory.

”Edge it's alright. I know what's to come and our clan really deserves it. I just hope you can save my brother.” Setsuna grasped Edge's shoulder and smiled at him. When Edge heard what Setsuna said to him, a memory of his past life flashed before his eyes.

...

Back then he was in a village that was devastated by a bandit attack. As he was walking by he saw a wounded mother. The mother spotted him and without any hesitation raised her baby and asked.

”Please save him.” She didn't even think of asking him to save her, all those eyes saw was a person that could save her child. The same eyes his own mother had when she hid him from the demons to save him.

Now Setsuna was showing the exact same eyes. Edge didn't like it, he didn't like it at all. He still has no idea what has happened to his parents. Now he was about to flee while his friend stays behind and dies for him.

Seeing him looking like distraught Sarah tried tugging on his hand but there was no response. It was at that very moment time stopped in Edge's eyes. It was as if he was in a space that was for him alone.

In that space, Edge could hear various voices.

”Why are you going to flee while such an exciting battle is right in front of you?”

”It's time to let loose and have some fun!”

”Yeah, what's there to fear, if you lose you simply die. That's not really a problem.”

Each voice sounded different but all of them felt like they were being spoken by the same person. He didn't know who the voices were, but Edge still responded.

”But if I die, then what about my sister, what about my friends, what will happen to them?” Edge asked and one of the voices gave a simple answer.

”They will continue living. That's the way life goes, people die and you can't do anything about it.”

”But I can do something as long as I'm alive. If I die then that would be the end.” This time another voice answered.

”Are you doing something now? You aren't doing jack sh*t, you're just about ready to run. Actually worse than that you wanted to make the two ladies fight for you. Why would you even think about giving them the chance to fight such a glorious battle.”

”All you guys keep on talking about is about fighting. Don't you understand that I'm not strong enough to fight that kind of battle?!”

”Tsk, why do you keep on lying to yourself.”