[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights IV: Fated Holy War

Episode 17: Lingering Specter

*Eiko*

[A while ago]

I wiped the tears from my eyes. Miyuki had been quietly hugging me all this time.

"Why did that idiot have to die?" I mumbled, hugging the sphere of melted armor with my late husband's ashes.

"I've asked the same thing about Bastion before. I'm sure that Osamu and Anis asked the same thing when Sofia and Takeshi died."

"Except, Anis got back Takeshi. Even if he's stuck in the abyss right now, he's still alive."

"I know." Miyuki let go of me. "Anis is lucky, but she needs our help to make that a reality."

I placed my chin over the sphere. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to help much. You, Eiji, and Osamu dealt more damage against that monkey. If I could, I would retire as one of the Seven Hill Knights right now."

"You can't do that!"

I wiped away another tear. "I know, we are knights for life, but that didn't stop your son from declaring retirement."

Miyuki lowered her head. "I tried to talk him out of it, but that boy didn't listen. He felt like a failure after his best friend died. Thankfully, he got himself together in time for this war." She smiled. "Maybe that's what you need too, time."

"Maybe, but we don't have years, do we?"

She bit her lip. "Right, we don't."

I stared at the urn in my hands. What would Eiji tell me if he were here? Probably something like, "Why are you balling your eyes out, dummy? I thought that you didn't like me?"

I put down the urn, jumped up. "I'm not a dummy, you are!"

"W-what?" Miyuki asked, startled.

"Not you, him!" I said, pointing at the urn.

"Eiko, I think that you should sit back down. Rest a little more."

I slapped myself. "No, I'm going to go join the others! I can't stay here, crying all day. I still have a family to take care of, a Grand Dutchy to run, and a country to protect!"

Miyuki smiled. "Were you trying to psyche yourself up?"

My face reddened. "N-no!"

She laughed. "Alright, I won't force you to admit it. Let's go join the others. They shouldn't have gotten too far."

"Hope you're right. We don't even know how to get around this place."

"We could ask one of the Xelerians with knowledge of the region to escort us to wherever they went."

"True." I opened the door and rushed out.

"Wait, you forget something!" Miyuki yelled.

I turned around and drew the urn over to me using lightning.

"Hey! Way to treat your husband's ashes!" a voice echoed in my head.

Great, there I went again, imagining his voice.

"Who says you're imagining things?" the voice snapped.

I waved my hand at the mirage behind me, causing it to vanish. If it were a ghost, my hand should've gone through Eiji.

"What's wrong?" Miyuki asked as I continued.

I patted her urn and started walking toward the throne room. "I keep hearing his voice. You... didn't see him, did you?"