THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"He went that way!! Find him!!" 

"Yes, sir!" 

"Hm, I didn't think it would be like this." 

To think the forest of the betrayers was right outside Syldavie, I should smack those two's heads when I get the chance. But that's not the problem now. The real problem is that soldiers were waiting for me outside the forest and immediately started shooting arrows and scripts. I don't know what is happening but I can only flee for now.

Is it the after-effect of the fact that I fought the goddess? I am sure at least some soldiers among those who just attacked me should have recognized me. 

"And here I am transporting your ashes like a vulgar bag now." 

I have stored my mother's ashes in her clothes but I was worried it would come spilling out if I put it in N'donkeu's ring. Still, carrying it around as I run like this will have the same result. Let's keep it inside for now. Right as I transfer it inside the ring, a bunch of trees fall before me and an arrow passes right by my cheek. 

"You have got to be kidding me."

They appear, wearing armors as if we had seen each other only a couple of hours ago. 

"Hey, guys."

Farner is as always the most forward, with her sword planted on one of the trees she just busted down. Excia is holding her bow with an arrow already armed and Roxcia has that hatred-filled look in her eyes as if I just killed the whole world. 

"Hey, guys?" Farner makes a surprised face and looks at her sisters. Wait, don't tell me…Please, don't tell me she did that.

"You guys are joking, right?" 

"Why does he keep speaking as if we are acquainted?" Meetia, you are the most hateful bitch in the whole world!!!

"Farner, it is me. Kevin." 

"I know your name, servant of the devil. Just like I know that you have killed the saintess." 

"What?!!" Where does this come from?

"Our mother told us to-"

"Stop speaking with him and let's get this over with. He killed Rebecca so he should pay." 

At those words and without any other sort of warning, the sky darkens. Excia brandishes her staff towards me and the next moment, her script judgment strikes the ground right where I should have been if I hadn't used Disperse.

"Guys, seriously!!! It's me!! If this is a joke then it is a re-"

"A joke?" Farner's voice resounds behind me and I barely get the time to lower my head that I hear the sound of the wind getting cut right above my head after. "A criminal like you thinks we are a joke?" 

"Come on, I never said that!" 

Farner strikes again and again but I manage to dodge. Her attacks are a little sloppy, not too much but just barely enough for me to dodge them. But that was without her sisters entering the dance. 

Excia fires an arrow and although I evade it, it grazes my forearm. Then Farner strikes again and I manage to stop her by holding her hands before her sword comes down. Once she has started swinging, she is no different from Maria, nothing can stop it. Which means that the only way is to grab her before that happens. 

"Let go, criminal!" 

I bring myself close enough so that we can be face to face but before I can even speak a single line to the girl who had started blushing, I receive a powerful lightning ball from behind.

"Arghh!!" 

I am pushed forward because of it and we both fall, Farner and I, on the ground, with me on top of her.

Other scripts and arrows come but I use Sphere to protect us. 

"Your sisters are firing without a care for you."

"Killing the servant of the Longinus is more important than my own life!! You will perish for what your crimes!!" 

Farner shakes me off and punches me right in the face. She breaks my nose with a single punch and the taste of blood invades my mouth. You and your brutish strength. 

"As always, you hit like a gnoll." 

"What?!!" I block her hands on the ground as she drops her guard but Sphere breaks right after that. 

I jump to the side to evade Excia's arrow but then Farner kicks me to the next tree. I block it only for her to throw her sword at me. It passes right by my ear a cuts a bit of it. Ever since I can feel things, it is a bit easier to fight. I never knew your kicks were that hard. My hands is still trembling from it. 

"Are you okay?" Excia looks at Farner for a moment while she is coming back to them.

"Yeah, just open the path so that I can take my sword back." 

"Girls, please listen to me." 

It is no use but I should at least try. I got a good look at Farner's eyes earlier and There was something inside. I don't know how to describe it but clearly, those weren't the eyes she looked at me with before. Even the deep blue color they had as becomes clearer, hollower. 

"Shut up already!!!" Roxcia snaps off out of nowhere, as always. "What is there to listen to?!! You have killed her!! You have killed her and you dare to show your face here!! And you want us to listen to you?!!"

"You really were attached to her, weren't you?"

"Die!!" 

Roxcia unleashes a storm of different elements at me and while Sphere blocks it, arrows come amidst the storm and breaks it, allowing the storm to scorch me a bit. Then Farner appears and gets past me. I turn around only to find her already on her sword.

"Ahh!!" 

She swings it while it is still on the ground and clears up a whole part of the forest as she raised it towards me. Still, that was once again an unnecessary movement. I moved to her side and simply touches her stomach. You were always weak to that. 

"Kyaa!!" 

And indeed, she almost let go of her sword because of what I did but the next moment, another arrow comes, and that one wasn't from Excia but from soldiers. Whoever shot this didn't aimed properly since the arrow is going to hit Farner instead. I grab it before ie does and the girl's eyes shine for a moment. 

"He is here!! Support the heroes!!" 

The soldiers arrive like ants and I am surrounded from all sides. Then even he comes out, which means I should get out of here for now.

***

"Encircle him and make sure to keep your distance so that you don't get caught in the cross fire." 

William appears, wearing such an impressively decorated armor you would think he just came out of a ceremony. Why is he wearing that? Anyway, the soldiers are following his order promptly and they create a big circle around me and the heroes. Some of them are even behind trees. Would it be better to leave now? I don't think anything will change now that the goddess has done her thing. 

"Servant of the Longinus, surrender without resistance and you will received a fait and impartial trial before your execution. Resist and you will killed on the spot." 

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." I am even less convinced of her plan now that I see this. Even if I find the courage to do what she said, I have no proof that she will do her part. 

I jump then fly to flee from the soldiers and a barrage of arrows leaded by Excia together with scripts from Roxcia try to prevent me from leaving.

"Don't let him flee!!"

"Fire!! Fire!!" 

Sphere doesn't break since I am mostly evading the heroes' attacks but it starts cracking under such a heavy fire. Still, I manage to escape and continue to fly for another thirty minutes. I wonder why Farner and Excia didn't follow me. I thought they could fly as well. Maybe there is a trap up ahead? Well, there is no use thinking about it. 

I land near a cave and enter it to rest. I also need to think a little. I bring out the dagger she gave me and even now, it looks gross and frightening. 

"Is there really no alternative?"

"If she said the truth then, there is none that I can think of." 

"But then…Cissa, I know what you will say but-"

"It cannot be easy. I know from my memories that I too had to do something similar once. So, I think I can say that I know. I know it is not easy. But still, if there is really a chance that you can change things for good by doing it. Think it through and act accordingly." 

"So you won't tell me to do it yourself, huh." 

"This is a personal choice you will have to make. Whatever you decide, it must be because you decided it and not because somebody else told you to." 

"Sigh…How did we even end up like this?"