The Life Lost
Stella is holding the knife passed to her from Lig in her trembling hands. Her tears flow while she is saying something to the priest. However, the priest gave out some orders, the knights start moving and dragged somebody out.
Looking at the people who were dragged out, Stella froze. That is natural. Because the ones the knights brought over was, Stella’s parents and her young brother.
Stella’s parents face Stella and say something, Stella hesitated between her parents or me. Though her brother is just looking without knowing what is going on.
The priest who was tired of waiting for the hesitant Stella gave out an order and, the knight raises his sword towards the brother. Then, it was swung down towards the brother.
But, the knight’s sword stopped right before it touches the brother’s head. Stella probably said something.
Stella grips the knife with both her hands so tightly that it becomes white, and move towards me. Aa, as I thought, Stella as well huh. Well, it can’t be helped. As it is, if she had continued resisting, her brother would’ve been killed.
It seems that my heart is already broken. To feel this much hatred for the Stella whom I had loved that much. Stella’s tears flow as she is saying something to me but, I can’t hear anything. Even if I had ears I don’t think I would want to hear it.
Stella stabbed the trembling knife into my chest. I no longer feel any pain. Getting used to something is scary. I just look motionlessly at Stella. Stella who saw that I have no reaction, removes the knife and left while covering her mouth.
But, it seems that Stella is the last. With this, I can finally die. I can finally be released from these pain and agony. Though I’m really apologetic to Kaa-san……Kaa-san?
Come to think of it, after I’ve been brought here, I’ve not seen Kaa-san even once. Of course, she’s not with those who stabbed me with the knife.
Right when I thought about it, I have a bad premonition. The me who is being called the demon is being treated this way, the villagers who are in the same village, are being falsely accused of hiding me, stabbing me with a knife to prove that they are not my companion.
If that’s the case, what about the mother of me who is called the demon? When I thought about it and look around, seemingly knowing what I was thinking, the priest lets out a loud laughter as he instructs the knights.
Then, somebody was dragged out. No, it’s obvious even without saying ‘somebody’. There’s no way I wouldn’t know……because it’s my precious family.
Kaa-san was dragged and brought here by the knights. Wounds all over her body, I couldn’t even tell whether she’s alive or not from where I am. Her legs hanging loosely, there are deep wounds when looked closely. Could it be, the tendons on her legs were cut so that she couldn’t escape?
I subconsciously attempt to move towards Kaa-san. However, there is no strength in my tattered body, I collapsed on to the ground that’s dyed in my blood.
Then, the knights kicked me who moved as I pleased. Shit, even though I wanted to go next to Kaa-san. Why are these guys getting in the way! Although I want to kill all these guys, I don’t have the strength. The strength to break out of this situation.
The knights stop kicking me, another knight brought Kaa-san right before me. Then, the priest shouted something while pointing at Kaa-san.
Kaa-san seemingly realized at that moment, looks at me who’s covered with injuries, even though it carries a sorrowful expression, she smiles at me. Just by looking at Kaa-san’s smiling face, the tears I thought had dried up starts overflowing.
I have to do something to save Kaa-san! I begged for help from the surrounding. Because my ear couldn’t hear, I don’t know what kind of voice I was raising. I shouted as loud as I can.
The knights start hitting me in attempt to get me to stop but, I didn’t stop even then. If it comes down to this, I’ve already given up. But, it has nothing to do with Kaa-san. I want Kaa-san to live.
I continue shouting while thinking that. Perhaps getting pissed off at my shouting, the priest lets out magic towards me. They were small arrows of light but, about ten were released towards me, stabbing into my body.
In the opening when I flinched at the impact, the knights came to gag my mouth. I struggled against it but, when surrounded and held down by adults, I couldn’t even quiver.
I fell to the ground as is. My hair was pulled and forcefully made to raise my face. I was fixed in place so that my eyes wouldn’t move away from Kaa-san.
In front of my eyes, the priest is saying something, Kaa-san is forced into a posture where she’s on her knees with her head sticking out. Then, beside her is a knight holding his sword.
……No, no way. St, stop. Stop it! I’m begging you so please stop it! It has nothing to do with Kaa-san! It’ll be over if I just die!
“UUuuu!! UUu!”
I struggled but, being held down there was nothing I could do. The knight who has completed his preparation during that time, raises his sword overhead.
Please stop. I’m begging you. Is there nobody!? Is there nobody to save Kaa-san!?
At that time, in my ears that shouldn’t have been able to hear anything, I hear a certain voice.
“Hardt, I love……”
When I look at the owner of that voice, the knight’s sword has swung down. Then, in front of my eyes was, Kaa-san’s head in the air still carrying the smile.
At that moment, there was the sound of something snapping in me. I continued screaming at the same time. I won’t believe in anyone anymore. There was only hatred overflowing out of me.
Even if my throat were to split and I was to vomit blood I couldn’t stop shouting. My vision dyes red, every human being appears as hideous monsters.
If I had the strength to kill these guys. If I had the strength to save Kaa-san. I could do nothing but shout. Nothing. Helpless. I hate such a me. More than the priest, more than the knights, more than the villagers, I hate the me who was unable to do anything as Kaa-san was killed, unable to do anything but watch Kaa-san be killed!
Maybe to shut me up, the knight slams my head into the ground with all his strength. My teeth broke, the insides of my mouth cut but, I no longer feel any pain. I continue to glare at the knight.
At that time, I’m somehow bothered by the scenery behind the knight. I don’t know the reason. It’s just that, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Thereupon, suddenly the space behind the knight starts splitting.
It wasn’t a metaphor, it went ‘Paki Paki’1 like it’s cracking. To that spectacle, the priest, the knights, and the villagers only watched silently. I was also silent.
Then, what came out of the space was, a skeleton2 who’s donning a black robe. Holding in its hand a staff that could be thought to be rather splendid.
I don’t know who this skeleton is but, the only thing I do know is, nobody here could defeat it. The skeleton releases miasma of death. The knight who was holding me down died just from breathing it in.
But, nothing happened to me. I’m not suffering or dying like the knight no matter how much I breathe it in. On the contrary, thanks to this miasma the pain in my body has faded.
The skeleton came straight to my side, shouldering me in the hand that’s not holding the staff. When that happened, I somehow felt a peace of mind. I don’t really know the reason.
The skeleton points his staff towards me and, I suddenly got hit by waves of drowsiness. I can’t sleep like this. I have to go to Kaa-san’s side! But, contrary to what I’m thinking, my eyelids gradually closes. The last thing I saw was, the knights releasing magic at the skeleton and, Kaa-san’s corpse.
- Onomatopoeia
- This here is the kanji for skeleton, later on in the story there will be katakana for skeleton.This is will be used to differentiate the two of them.
