Reaper's Crown

Ch. 61

"Do you want a bite?" Chyuuichi tilted his head. "It tastes like, um!" he snapped his fingers twice. "The... the..." he closed his eyes, in frustration. "Damn it, just try the thing!" he stuffed the food into his surprised hands.

After a few seconds, Atomu hesitantly took a bite, and the flavour soon stormed in. He recalled the luscious cookies they bought in Magna, a few days before setting out towards the Star Sun Cave.

He remembered eating them in a quiet moment, although Chyuuichi didn't seem to be hungry back then.

His eyes weren't shining, and he seemed... sad.

It's different now, however.

Chyuuichi gleamed in Atomu's eyes as much as Mariam did, simply because he found it joyous to watch Atomu eat something he also liked. The Paladian smiled, despite... not wanting to.

If Chyuuichi was gone, would he ever be able to tell that story? Would the Mirillian even be able to open up in the first place? Atomu liked the way things always were. He didn't need changes, he valued Chyuuichi as the person he was and took notice when things were going dire.

He preferred a life where nothing would trouble, him and no pain would make its presence known.

The Mirillian seemed happy, but then again, his condition was getting worse and worse with each second. His hands were pale, and when he touched the fruit, it absorbed the coldness of his fingertips.

Chyuuichi was tired.

Maybe, the thing Atomu believed in was that Chyuuichi was going to be cured in Orania. Maybe, he could live another day and reach Saprhith without a bigger strain. Maybe. Why was he doubting his thoughts? Again, more questions. They didn't hurt, but he felt like they should.

Rowan stepped forward. "Okay, Mariam Halfspade," they said. "If you're not a fairy, then prove it!"

"Didn't I already do... a good enough job?"

"No!" Rowan pointed. "Come on, hurry! Hurry before I change my mind!"

"Yer not the leader!" Chyuuichi raised his voice, Rowan quickly covered his mouth with their hand, further stuffing the fruit down his throat.

Mariam sighed, smirking again. Despite Rowan's cocky attitude, she didn't seem to care. A vine grew out from below, quickly caught in her hands, lifting something from inside the tree.

Vines turned into lush leaves, which, in turn, moved towards something resembling an open casket. Bancho's body lay on the soft grass, his closed eyes as peaceful as the way they were found.

Rowan stepped back, a little shocked.

"Hm." she chuckled. "Bancho," she uttered his name. "Your friend here was the first who ever stepped into Orania. I guess he believed as hard as you did." she beamed, squinting her eyes. "Bancho," she repeated his name, and even though the sight of someone's dead body could bring them to tears, Mariam didn't cry. She kept smiling, as if this was something to celebrate, strangely enough.

"I always knew about Errarion," she muttered. "Its stories, its quirks, dangers along the way. But he was the only one who dared to tell me a different story. He was... lying." she smiled. "Lying in the face of someone that isn't necessarily human. Powerful, stronger than the Wise, but then again, he had it in him to make up stories which never existed," she explained, Rowan furrowed their brows. "Tales of demons he didn't slay, lost parchments of a world far beyond Errarion. Beautifully fabricated, to surprise me. I admire him for that. Creating a domain where he's the one always avoiding pain."

"Nobody ever came close to impressing me in such a strange way. He didn't change or become someone new under Orania's dome, but rather... showed me a part of what humans can create by themselves. I rewarded him for that, with the most sought-after possession in this world. Something... holy, which I don't possess a copy of. Who knows where it tumbles now? One thing's for sure, though. It's never coming back to who it belonged to." she placed her hand on his face.