Ch. 7: Eyes Clouded Over
The night wind blew fragments of dust around…-.
Nox: “…I’m tired, so my hand might just slip.”
The suggestion from his cold smile lingered as Nox wiped out the attacking graverobbers in the blink of an eye.
OO: “Nox…!”
Nox: “…”
I started to rush over to make sure he was alright, but I was met with a sharp gaze.
OO: “…!”
I felt a shiver run up my spine and my feet froze.
(He doesn’t look like the Nox I know…)
Then Nox smiled like he always did as I stood there, keeping several paces between us.
Nox: “It’s alright now, don’t worry. They’re just unconscious.”
OO: “Nox… are you hurt?”
I was nervous as I asked, and I saw his eyes cloud over once more.
Nox: “Hm, I wonder… do you want to touch me and check?”
His words were an invitation, and his question seemed to be a test for my heart.
Ch. 8: A Voice That Won't Reach
The moonlight shone down incessantly, and Nox’s pale skin made him stand out against the darkness.
Nox: “Hm, I wonder… do you want to touch me and check?”
Nox had fixed his gaze on me as he offered me the challenge.
I remembered how I had refused his touch a number of days ago.
(I really did hurt his feelings then, didn’t I…)
Seeing the pain in his expression caused a lump to form in my throat, making it so I couldn’t answer.
Nox: “…I’m kidding. I won’t ask you to do something you don’t want to. Come on, I’ll escort you back to the castle.”
Nox picked up the lantern he’d set on the ground and walked ahead, leading the way.
I watched as his form seemed to meld into the shadows, disappearing from view…-.
(Why… I feel like if things keep going like this, Nox is going to disappear.)
As I moved to chase after his fleeting form, I became aware of a person swaying in the corner of my vision.
Graverobber 1: “I’ll get you for that…!”
OO: “!”
The man’s eyes were bloodshot as he charged, his knife positioned to stab Nox in the back.
OO: “…no!”
Before Nox could turn around, I instinctively ran at the man’s arm.
Graverobber 1: “Outta the way!!”
I desperately clung to him, as he tried to shake off my grip without caring about how it looked.
Unable to get up his defenses, we fell towards to the ground, and in that moment…-.
OO: “…!”
I felt an intense impact to my head and all my strength left me.
Nox: “…move.”
Graverobber 1: “Guaaa…!”
I heard Nox’s scythe swing through the air, and then the graverobber’s voice echoed into the night.
Footsteps rushed towards me, but I could only just barely move my eyes.
Nox: “OO! Don’t close your eyes.”
OO: “…Nox…?”
I tried to sit up, but the best I could manage was speaking, my voice coming out rough…-.
Nox: “Don’t try to move. I’ll carry you back to the castle.”
His voice was frantic, which I’d never heard before, but also very far away.
My vision was getting hazy as well, and I could tell the edges were growing dark.
(Did Nox… get hurt…?)
My fingers wandered, trying to make sure he was alright, when a large hand enveloped mine.
Nox: “OO…? No, don’t close your eyes… look at me…!!”
I couldn’t respond to his grief-stricken call and I felt as though my chest was warming up.
In the end, I slipped into a deep darkness.
Ch. 9: Overflowing Tears
I suddenly felt myself regaining consciousness, and I opened my eyes to gaze at a familiar ceiling…-.
I realized I was lying down in a bed back at the castle.
Nox: “OO… can you hear me?”
I moved only my eyes and saw Nox, his face pale, sitting beside the bed.
OO: “Nox…?”
(Why is he making that face…?)
I wanted to ask why he looked so incredibly sad, but my throat was raw and I couldn’t seem to get control of it enough to speak.
(It’s cold…)
I felt a chill that went deep into my soul, and my whole body felt numb.
Nox: “I know that all things will meet their end, but…”
It was like a dam breaking, his words coming out in waves through trembling lips.
Nox: “But I really wanted to spend more time talking with you. And there are things I still wanted to tell you…”
I felt droplets falling on my cheeks.
The falling tears felt warm against my frigid skin.
Nox: “That’s why from now on, I want you to be beside me. Always… I never want you to leave.”
(Don’t cry Nox. I’ll always be with you…-)
I couldn’t fight it as my consciousness started to slip away again, but I prayed from the bottom of my heart that I wouldn’t be leaving him alone.
Ch. 10: Promise of Eternity
While in a pleasant doze, I heard someone’s gentle voice…-
Nox: “…good morning OO. It’s time to wake up.”
I slowly opened my eyes and saw the vivid sunlight spilling across the room.
(Huh? I…)
Nox: “Haha, looks like you slept well.”
Beside the bed was Nox, smiling at me.
OO: “Nox…?”
Nox: “Do you hurt anywhere or feel off?”
OO: “No… I’m alright.”
I sat up on the sheets and strangely my body felt light and completely well-rested.
(I feel like I’m forgetting something really important…)
The discomfort I remembered as soon as I woke up quickly slipped through my fingers.
Nox: “I’m glad. I was a little worried since you weren’t waking up.”
Nox smiled in the bright sunlight.
A shining stone was grasped in his hand.
OO: “Is that… a Recollection Stone?”
When we had met up, I remembered them from when Nox and I had walked through the cemetery.
(They’re a person’s precious memories, and the crystallization of their strong feelings…)
Nox: “…yeah. They really do contain strong, powerful feelings. I didn’t think we’d be able to have a clear conversation like this.”
OO: “Eh?”
I tilted my head to the side, and Nox’s smile widened.
Nox: “No, it’s nothing. We’ll be together from now on… OO.”
That beautiful smile reminded me of glass, like it could shatter at any moment…-.
…
……
Before long, night fell, and the numerous stars began to shine in the distant night sky…-.
Nox had returned from his patrol, and he held a small flower.
Nox: “Do you remember this flower?”
OO: “I do. It’s the flower the girl in town gave to you.”
(It wasn’t all that long ago, but it still feels so nostalgic.)
The light of the moon fell on the flower, and it still gave off a pleasant fragrance.
Nox: “I had her tell me where the flowers bloomed and went to pick one. Because you said it was beautiful.”
His white fingers reached out and placed the flower in my hair just above my ear.
Nox: “It really does suit you.”
OO: “…thank you.”
I smiled, feeling a little giddy, and Nox smiled in delight as well…-.
Nox: “No one can see you other than me now. And you can’t go anywhere else… but I will always be with you.”
OO: “Eh…?”
My heart pounded at his incomprehensible words.
Nox’s eyes gleamed with a gentle light, as if trying to dispel my anxiety.
Nox: “Nothing will be any different. I’ll give you anything you want. Whether it be this flower, or my own life. I’m the only one who can grant your wishes.”
He took my hands and gently held them to his chest.
The gesture seemed to be to make me feel better…-.
Nox: “I vow to always love you. Let’s be happy together, alright? OO.”
OO: “Happy…”
I wanted to be with Nox, and that feeling negated my fleeting anxiety.
I searched for the right words to say back as he looked at me with that handsome face.
Nox: “I understand your answer. …a promissory kiss. That’d be nice from you.”
His finger lightly touched across my lips.
His lips curved up in an arc, and he smiled in a seductive way that said I couldn’t really refuse…
(So mean…)
Even as I thought that, I moved closer into his embrace.
The first time our lips met felt so incredibly sweet, and yet I tasted the faintest hint of tears.
END
Secret Story: Broken Heart
The moonlight fell on OO’s white face…-.
She said my name, forcing her lips to move even as they lost their color.
OO: “Nox…?”
This was the last conversation her and I could have together…-.
No one had said it, but I knew that’s what it was.
Nox: “I know that all things will meet their end, but…”
(I wonder, why wasn’t I looking at you back then.)
It was the first time since I’d been born that I had been afraid of rejection.
Joy and sorrow, to me those were always things that other people felt.
(When you’re near, and only then, do I feel warm.)
I remembered the time when she’d grasped my hand.
————————–
OO: “Sorry, I just… I don’t think you can’t feel anything Nox.”
Nox: “Why do you think that?”
OO: “Someone who truly couldn’t feel anything wouldn’t think about the happiness of this flower.”
————————–
Nox: “But I really wanted to spend more time talking with you. And there are things I still wanted to tell you…”
I wanted to apologize for not being able to protect her.
And for hurting her when she had been the one to give me my first taste of emotion.
(I still haven’t been able to tell you how important you are to me… and that I love you.)
The second I realized that, the tears overflowed and fell on her cheeks.
Nox: “That’s why from now on, I want you to be beside me. Always… I never want you to leave.”
I didn’t know if my words reached her, but I felt as if she were smiling kindly at me…-.
…
……
I didn’t know how much time passed after that…
I just continued staring into the darkness, sitting at her side as she slept on quietly.
(I’m sorry OO… I’m going to do something I don’t think you’ll ever forgive me for.)
I didn’t care if I was falling to the same level as those blasphemous graverobbers, disturbing the peace of someone sleeping in death.
Even so, just once more… I wanted to talk to her one more time.
Nox: “I wonder if you’ll be mad at me. Or if you’ll just smile and tell me I was being foolish…”
As I imagined the conversation, I gently stroked her hair where she lay on the bed.
(…I’d like it if you could smile again.)
Holding onto that wish, I let out a breath and gripped her bright Recollection Stone…-.
…
……
In the light of the morning sun, the faint light of her freed soul gathered together…-.
I checked to make sure it was molded properly to look as if OO had been sleeping, then slowly opened my mouth.
Nox: “…good morning OO. It’s time to wake up.”
I said it several times, then her eyelashes fluttered slightly.
(It’s alright. Open your eyes…)
To make sure she didn’t feel as if anything was off as she woke up, I made sure to act as if nothing had happened.
Finally, OO slowly opened her eyes.
Nox: “Haha, looks like you slept well.”
OO: “Nox…?”
Nox: “Do you hurt anywhere or feel off?”
OO: “No… I’m alright.”
OO sat up in the bed but her eyes seemed to waver slightly.
Her expression seemed as if she were trying to remember something she’d forgotten… but then failed.
(I wonder if you’ve caught on to what happened, or…)
As I watched her, I realized it was possible she’d forgotten about what happened.
Nox: “I’m glad. I was a little worried since you weren’t waking up.”
There was no reason for me to intentionally remind her of something so traumatizing… so I simply smiled.
Then, her gaze happened to land on what I held in my hand.
OO: “Is that… a Recollection Stone?”
Nox: “…yeah. They really do contain strong, powerful feelings.”
Normally, the souls I see are vague and unclear, and even if they coalesce into a form, those are unstable most of the time.
But in extremely rare cases, when a person leaves behind an extremely strong desire, their soul can take on the same form they had while alive… just like hers was now.
Nox: “I didn’t think we’d be able to have a clear conversation like this.”
OO: “Eh?”
She tilted her head in confusion, and I just smiled again.
Nox: “No, it’s nothing.”
(I don’t know what desire was held within your Recollection Stone. But… that’s alright. Because my desire has already come true.)
Nox: “We’ll be together from now on… OO.”
The overflowing happiness made my heart feel like it would burst open, even as the soul of the person I loved was bound for eternity.