THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"I really wonder what happened?"

"Like hell, I would know."

"I wasn't asking, Two."

When I came to, I was in the inner space, with Two sitting near me. He looks a bit weird because his face and body looked pale. Like a really sick person. He kept saying that he didn't know why he was like this so I didn't ask further. But since he confirmed that he felt pain as well, it means whatever Tatiana did affects not only my body but my soul as well. It was even strong enough to wake Cissa up. But then, does it mean Tatiana isn't the one who prevented me from using my draconic power? Or is it the opposite?

"I should go back. They need my help." I can't just stay here and do nothing..

"It's no use."

"What?"

"Right now, you are disconnected from your body. Even if you decide to go back, you won't be able to."

"What do you mean disconnected?!" I sit on the floor and try to imagine that I am waking up but nothing. I try my best but nothing happens, I am still stuck here. Why?! What is happening again?!

"As I said-"

"I don't have time for games, dammit!!"

"Neither do I. But still, you can't do anything right now."

"And why is that?!! Tell me instead of speaking in a roundabout way!!"

"What do you want me to say? Did you not do what she asked?"

"What she asked?" Did Cissa tell me to do something? "Wait, to let go of everything?"

"See? There is no need to yell now, is there?"

"So to let go meant to actually leave my body to her. She could have just said so."

"Well, you didn't ask."

"You think I could have in that situation?"

"Well, now we can only wait."

"Right." Please, Cissa. Save them.

***

"It should be good now."

"How do you know that, Two?" Cissa didn't say anything.

"Just try."

"…Okay." You and your…When I open my eyes back, Willhem is in front of me, sitting with wounds, holding Hendrick's headless body. K'nor is on my right, licking his wounds.  Everything around us is only destruction. The trees are blown up and broken, the ground is scorched…This is the result of fighting Tatiana? No, this is the result of Cissa fighting with my body? Then I must have a lot of unused potential.

Willhem isn't crying but from his enraged face, I know that he is hurt by Hendrick's death.

"I am sorry." He looks at me as if I was supposedly dead.

"You…You are alive?"

"Huh…Yeah, I a…"

***

"Ugh…Where am I?"

"We are still in the forest." Willhem's voice is the one that greets me when I wake up. Why did I faint earlier?

The scenery around us has changed though. We are now inside a cave. It is the middle of the night and it is raining outside. I am actually sleeping on K'nor's stomach. His wounds have mostly closed but he doesn't look that great.

Willhem isn't in a better shape. He has bandaged his arm and the left side of his face. His whole chest is bandaged as well. It seems I was the lucki…I look at my own body and I am bandaged all over. My stomach, my left arm, both of my legs…Everything is wrapped tightly. I drag myself and sit down.

"They really did a number on us, huh."

"Yeah. Thankfully, you were there or I wouldn't be alive right now. Thank you, Kevin Dragonroad."

The way he looks at me…Willhem's eyes are the same as a lot of people I have seen before. People who have lost what they thought precious because they were weak.

"So, they are all dead."

"Yeah. While you were fighting Tatiana, her comrade started slaughtering them. I tried to stop him but sadly, I wasn't strong enough." Willhem then smiles. "Those bastards went ahead without me, dammit." It is weird to see someone crying tears of sadness while smiling brightly like that.

"I am sorry."

"There is no need to be sorry. As I told you before, we already knew the consequences when we decided to become mercenaries. Our lives weren't going to end peacefully nor were we going to die as heroes."

"But it is still sad."

"…Yeah. It is. I won't have drinking buddies for a while."

"Yeah."

A wind of sorrow and silence comes and our mouths close. I can see their faces in mind, drinking happily, eating joyfully, telling dirty jokes, and such. But no, there won't ever be any more of that now.

"Why did it turn out like this?" What happened back there?

"I don't know…Actually, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"You aren't a human, right?"

"…Why?" Did Cissa use our draconic power? She must have if he is asking that question.

"Because of a lot of reasons. First, your hair and eyes suddenly changed colors. And those eyes of yours, I have never seen somebody with those kinds of eyes. And the power you had back there. The way you were handling Angas; I am not that surprised Tatiana decided to retreat."

"What?!!" She retreated? "I didn't defeat her?!"

"No. Although you managed to wound her and her comrade greatly, you didn't defe…Wait, you don't remember what happened?"

"N-not entirely, yeah." I can't tell him it was all Cissa's doing.

"I see. Well, you managed to take an arm off her and cleaved the annoying other guy in two. That's when she decided to fall back. Though she got you good as well. Your stomach was completely pierced through and your legs were both broken. I dealt with the poison that she gave you but I am amazed by your regeneration's abilities. It's like you are immortal."

"Not really." So, neither Thando nor Tatiana are dead. Then what was the point of this battle? What was the point of their deaths? This is so frustrating!

"Well, now that you are up, I am relieved. I can finally get some shut-eye."

"How long was I out?"

"Three days."

"What?!!" I was unconscious for three days. Now that he mentioned it, I notice that Willhem's eyes have some pretty big dark circles around them. So he stayed awake all this time even though he was wounded himself. "I understand. You should rest."

"Oh don't worry. I will."

He lies down right where he is, next to the fire and the next second, he is sleeping.

"Thank you, Willhem." You said I saved your life but it is actually the other way around. If you weren't there, I would most likely be dead.

K'nor is also breathing heavily. The fact that he didn't move much even when hearing my voice means he is also badly hurt. Maybe he has some internal wounds.

"Hold on, K'nor." I start healing him and his breath gradually calms down. I will take care of Willhem after that.

***

"Hnrgh!! Wow! I feel great! You healed me during my sleep?"

"Yeah."

The afternoon of the next day, Willhem finally wakes up. The circles under his eyes have almost completely disappeared and his face has brightened a lot compared to yesterday.

K'nor woke up this morning and after licking my face a bit, he went outside to find some food. He came back with a rabbit first, then another one, and finally a deer. The rabbits must have been for us since he started eating the deer outside.

I had already cooked the two rabbits when Willhem woke up so he just takes one of them on the brooch and starts eating.

"Too much salt."

"Yeah, sorry. The bottle was broken when I brought it out of the bag."

"What about the other seasonings?"

"Wasted as well."

"Shit. Bal would be furious."

"Yeah, I am sure he would." The atmosphere once again goes into sad mode but only for a moment. Willhem tears off the rabbit's meat with such rage sadness can feel it doesn't have its place here.

"I also took the others' bracelets. They were in the bag, right?"

"Yeah." Though they were covered in blood.

"Good. I will return them to their families once we finish this war."

"I will come with you."

"Of course you will. You are our captain, remember?"

"Fufu. Yeah, that's true."

We eat rapidly then throw the bones in the fire. We fought and lost but we are alive. So now, it is time for revenge.

"AH, yeah. That reminds me. That woman said something weird while leaving."

"What was it?"

"Hm… 'It would seem he won't be useless after all.' That crazy bitch must have plans for you."

"Whatever plan she has, I will destroy her before."

"I do hope so. Though I will have defeated her by then."

"Yeah, in your dreams you mean."

"Ahaha! You think a shrimp like you can do something before I can?"

"Of course I can."

"Oh…Confident, are you? We will see."

"There is only one way to see that, Willhem."

"Yeah. Titan."

It is time for payback, Tatiana.