THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

I use Tremor and inject all my power into the raizen. As it hits her wings, lightning sparks fly everywhere and the air around us vibrates from the hit. Still, I am pushing her. I can feel it. 

"How dare you!!!" 

"I will dare!!! As many times as needed!! I will fight!!! Whether it is you!!" I push even more and her wings start cracking. Cracks appear everywhere on the three wings she is using to block my attack. "Or anybody else!!" 

Finally, with a last push and another explosion that resounds behind her, her wings break and explode like glass that got shattered. Thanks, N'donkeu. Though, I didn't need it. 

"You trash!!" Her aureola releases those spikes once again. Shit, I forgot about them. But it's okay. I will let them hit me so that I can stay close to her and finish her of…

"You will not!!" Once again, Rebecca's voice comes out and the spikes stop. This is a chance!! 

I strike Meetia with all my strength and the raizen runs through her body. Blood finally spurts out as she falls backward. When she hits the ground, I aim for her head to finish her off but something then stops me at the last moment. 

"Stop!!" Maria appears, holding my hand. 

"Hufff…Huff…Why are you…Huff…Why are you stopping me?" We can't let her alive.

"You can stop now. She has been defeated." N'donkeu comes to me as well. 

When I look at Meetia again, her face, her hair…Everything has turned back into Rebecca. The only thing remaining is the aureola above her head that is still there.

"How dare you…you guys just keep humiliating me times and again. But I will have my revenge. Mark my words. You foolish and unworthy that have fought against your own god. You will have the worst possible life imaginable. I promise you that…" 

As Meetia is saying her last words, the aureola finally disappears and then the person lying on the ground in front of me starts coughing blood.

"Cough!! Cough!!! Urgh…" Rebecca seems to have taken full control of her body. And with that, the after-effects of the fight appears. 

Her arm that fell off before does the same once again and blood starts pouring on the ground. The same goes for the wound that I gave her. Her eyes are completely white as if she has turned blind. And her cheeks have caved in a lot. 

"We cannot heal her anymore. Holding the goddess in her body has destroyed it internally. No matter what we do she will-"

"I am not blind. I can see that." I didn't even ask you anything. 

"It is her last moment. You should at least say something." 

"Maria…I don't think so." That woman abandoned her own child. She lived a happy and comfortable life while thinking he was dead; without ever trying to search for him. She had the nerves to smile while he was suffering. To enjoy life while he was facing death times and times again. She…

Maria touches my cheek out of nowhere and shows me a delicate and warm smile. No, no, and no. I will not.

"Those tears cannot be tears of joy, right?" 

"I am not crying. This is just dust that got in my eyes." 

"Cough!!" Shit!! You guys and your fucking goodwill.

I go to my mother and take her hand. Her hand…it is so skinny I can see the bones everywhere on it. 

"Cough!! Who is-Cough!! Who is-"

"Save your strength. It is me."

"Ke-Kevin." 

"Yeah."

"I see. So-Cough!! Cough!! All that dream was not one after all." 

"It seems so." After that, my mouth closes. I don't know what else should I say. What can I say now? What would change anything anyway? You are going to die and I will move on. Is there really anything else to say. 

"I-Cough!! I am sorry." My mother apologizes abruptly and maybe it is because of what I was thinking just now, but my heart jolted. What are you getting happy about you stupid heart of mine?!!

"Sorry? The time for that is long past, mom." 

"Cough!! I never forgave myself. Cough!! Not even once did I ever-"

"I said the time for that is long past and gone." 

"Your father-Cough!!" 

The amount of blood coming out of her body has decreased significantly. Her hand that was slightly hot earlier is already cold as well. Her blood has even touched my knees now. Which reminds me, I haven't released the dragon's scales. When I do, Rebecca's body vibrates. Her hand especially reacted as if she couldn't feel my hand until now. 

"He is alive and well. Don't worry." He was when I last saw him anyway. 

"Please, make peace with him. He got eaten away by guilt for all those years." 

"What about you? Weren't you eaten by guilt as well?" She has stopped coughing all of sudden. 

"I faced it, unlike your father." 

"Anyway, is this really what you want to talk about?" 

"I just want to hear your voice." Earlier, Rebecca stopped coughing and now, she even raises her hand and brings it to my face. Isn't she blind? How does she know where it is? 

She placed it on my chest first then brings it upwards slowly until she touches my cheek.

"You have grown so much. My little dragon has become a full-fledged dragon, I see." Rebecca starts crying. Tears flow from her eyes first, followed by blood next. Her body really can't hold on anymore. 

"Should I finish you off?" 

"Kevin!!" Maria screams my name but I see N'donkeu blocking her from the corner of my eyes. 

Without answering, Rebecca starts caressing my cheek. 

"You don't have to cry, you know? Mommy will always be there for you." 

"I am not crying. This is…Anyway, will you answer?" 

"Fufufu. You have stayed the same sweet and gentle little boy that I gave birth to." What is there to laugh about right now? "Protect the heroes, my son. Protect the people. Even when it is hard…" Her hand fall and when I grab it, it turns into ashes. Her body also starts gradually fading into ashes as well. "No matter the choices that you will make, know that I will always be with you, okay?" When only her torso and head and left, she looks at me with a smile. The only smile that I ever remembered. 

"…O-okay." Don't cry. Don't you dare cry! "I…" 

"I love you, my son." And with that, her body completely turns to ashes. In the end, I never told her that I forgave her. In fact, did I really? Did I forgive her?

"We will never forget your sacrifice, Rebecca." 

"May your soul watch over us from the heavens." 

My mother, Rebecca Koersombre, on this day, has passed away.