Parallel Vol. 3 [LEGACY EDITION]

Chapter 20: Aygor's Hammer

"... Hello, Hello,

Can't you hear my voice?

Hello, Hello,

Can't you hear my song?

Hello, Hello,

I am standing here, right here,

Why can't you hear me?"

Kashi felt his chest constrict as the familiar song drifted in his subconscious. It took him back to that familiar, hopeless 20 sq.m apartment. A young woman, barely out of her teens sat in the unfurnished room, blank sunken eyes, and disheveled hair robbing her of whatever beauty she once had.

Kashi... No, that's wrong... Suzuki was huddled in a corner of the room, his school bag on the floor ahead of him. Consciously, or not, the bag seemed to resemble a wall between the vacant-eyed woman and him. From the woman's throaty voice, came a song whose lyrics Suzuki had memorized in and out as he had heard it every day for as long as he had lived. But this was not the part that scared him. It was the silence that would follow when she finished singing that song. Or even worse...

The woman suddenly turned to Suzuki, an enraged, mad glint in her eyes. "Why can't he hear me? It's your fau—"

Terror seized Kashi's heart as his eyes snapped open, red with panic. Surprisingly, the song continued, but this time, something about the lyrics was different, and soothed his frantic heart. Unfocused eyes cleared, to see a beautiful petite face, adorned by a crown of aqua blue hair. Her eyes were closed, and from gentle lips suffused the song that he never thought he would hear again.

Only after he had finally relaxed did Kashi realize his head was resting on her lap, and her fingers were gently combing through his hair. He gazed at the songstress, reluctant to move an inch in fear of alerting her to his woken status. Unfortunately, movement on his chest forced his gaze downwards. Luckily, his head was elevated or this would have been really annoying.

Scratch that thought.

This was very annoying regardless.

Kashi groaned as he weathered Kira's mocking leer. The wolf—who retained her cub form—smirked, laughing eyes clearly mocking the daeben. She looked up at Lunette, then back down at Kashi. Her smirk widened even larger. What delighted her even more was that she could tell Kashi wanted to throttle her, but did not want to risk moving.

Intending on taking full advantage, Kira's placed her right-foreleg on Kashi's nose with a devilish grin. At least for these precious few seconds, she was Kashi's master. She recalled how Kashi had tortured her with that sand-like thing as a cub whenever she failed to hunt. Since then she'd never gotten a chance to gain an overwhelming advantage like he'd had then. Now she had it, and she fully intended on maximizing it.

Kashi's eye lightly twitched as Kira's claws extended from her paws and dug into his nose. He was loathe to admit, but it really hurt! Kira noticed the daeben's pained expression, and with a triumphant snort, hopped off the daeben. She snickered silently then dashed off for the exit, most likely to inform the others that Kashi was awake.

Realizing this, although Kashi wanted to stay as he was a little longer, he knew the others would soon arrive. The last thing he wanted was for Syèl to walk in on them. He could only imagine the grief that would follow. So, he reluctantly raised his right hand and tapped Lunette on her cheek. He felt Lunette slightly tremble from his touch, and struggled to keep his racing breath in check as a pair of aqua-green eyes gazed lovingly down at him.

Lunette, upon realizing Kashi was awake, was slightly red in the face, but she made no move to push him off. "... You finally woke up."

"Ah," muttered Kashi as he reluctantly sat up and took in his surroundings. He was still in the glass dome; apparently, they had chosen not to move him while he slept. Well, judging from the injuries he had then, it was no surprise. His gaze travelled to the numerous glistening glass stalactites that had formed on the ceiling from the pieces of rock that were too hard to be blown to smithereens. Someone had erected some burning lamps and magelights along the walls and ceiling, giving the chamber of glass a starry feeling.