"Don't make Hel-nee-chan, cry! Howl; SHIPSINKER!"

[Child, don't!] I tried to stop her, but I didn't make it.

The sword, Shipsinker expanded like a balloon. Even with only half a blade, it was still of a considerable size.

But.

[You can't beat him!] I yelled. Charles may be in control now, but what if that control snaps!?

"I know!"

[Just run!] I yelled again. [We failed! I failed! So just run!]

"Not... YET!"

[STOP IIIIIT!]

"Oh, shut up, all of you..."

No... no! NO!

[Child! Run! Run now! As fast as you ca-] I didn't even managed to finish my words, before I was swung. Like a guilottine, my blade made an unavoidable beeline for her neck.

I wanted to stop it. I really did!

But I couldn't.

Without even feeling the slightest resistance, I cut through her neck like it was air.

She's dead.

That nameless little girl... is dead now.

"You missed!"

"Impossible!"

[How!?] I couldn't keep myself from screaming in disbelief.

There was no way, that slash missed. I know for a fact that my blade passed right through the spot where her neck was!

So how!?

I didn't get the chance to ask my question a second time.

The child, threw the heavy 'Shipsinker' right at 'Charles' face.

It hit!

Severely disoriented, 'Charles' was thrown back, several steps!

"Argh!"

Then, as he was reeling back, - "Ha!" The child lunged at him.

Her arms were spread wide, as if she wanted to hug Charles - but the jump made clear that she was trying to tackle him.

There was no point! I wanted to yell!

She might be able to push 'him' to the ground, but that would be it.

She should've just taken that chance to run!

Why!?

Together, they fell backwards. Charles having been impacted by a sword and tackled, was slammed to the ground.

The child, was now on top of him. Then, she curled her arms around his neck, locking it in place. Was it an instinctive action or coincidence? Nevertheless, this way, 'Charles' woudn't be able to bite at her.

Her legs also tightened around his waist, this way, she wouldn't be so easily flung off of him, if he tried to shake her off.

"What do I do now, Hel-nee-chan!?"

[WHAT ARE YOU ASKING ME FOR!?]

"I'm the cure, aren't I!? What do I do, so that I can fix Senpai!?"

I was shocked.

'Charles' was probably also feeling the same thing.

What was this child saying? She was actually still trying to save him?

Even though... even though... the two of us... had already given up?

Charles had no more hope for salvation.

And I, I resigned myself the moment I learned that.

But she... this girl... why?

[WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?]

"Less questions, more instructing! TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!"

I had no idea why she was like this. But.

If she still believes, and if she is willing to go this far.

Why can't I?

[KISS HIM!]

"WHAT!?" Instead of the child, it was 'Charles' who was agape. "What are you telling her to -!?" That he was making such comments, meant that we still hadn't completely lost him.

Good.

"What's a kisu!?" Oh, man! The child's oblivious!

[Put your lips over his! Then insert your tongue into his mouth!]

"What the hell are you - mph!? Hrngh!" Like a virgin being r*ped, Charles struggled as his mouth was violated.

'What the hell is happening!?' Is what he's probably thinking right now. But it wasn't finished yet!

[Pour your saliva into his mouth! Wiggle your tongue wildly, too!]

As I finished giving that instruction, the child threw her head back. She then gasped deepy for air, "Haaaah!"

Then...

"No! No! NO -!?"

... she resumed violating the man who was almost three times her height.

.

.

.

What's happening!? What's happening!?

Ah. I'm getting a hot, french kiss from a kid.

Why the hell is this happening!?

Why the HELL IS THIS HAPPENING!?

[Charles! You better not bite her tongue!]

What the fu - Heleina!

Why are you -!?

[Don't move your mouth! You might bite her!]

Why am I getting kissed!?

[It's the cure! The kiss is the cure!]

What kind of fairy tale bullshit is that!

[STOP TRYING TO RESIST IT AND JUST ACCEPT THE DAMN KISS!]

How does that - eh... what? What's happeni - EH!?

[Now, quickly! Before the other guy, resurfaces - swallow her saliva!]

WHAT!?

[NOW!]

Alright!

*gulp* while feeling strangely satisfied and pleased with myself, I swallowed the child's saliva.

Frankly, my mouth wasn't the cleanest part of my body - so this must've been a terrible experience for the child.

But, for some reason... I can't feel any of the muck or meat scraps that should have been stuck between my teeth. Neither could I feel the dried blood that had solidified since some time ago.

Wha...t...?

Not only that... but... it seems like I can feel myself heating up.

Like... I was being... revived?

What's happening, Heleina!?

[Your blessing is being negated!]

Huh!?

[You were blessed with the complete inability to feel mana - a form of energy and henceforth, a type of 'heat' - outside your body!] (1)

I know, so!?

[This child's blessing, though having faded away, is the ability to share heat! It's the default blessing that any female wielder of an Arch-Blade is bound to recieve!] She began to explain. It was at this moment, that the green-haired child inhaled deeply once more.

And once more, I was violated.

[Of course, it couldn't be just any girl! They had to have the qualifications! It's really nothing more than coincidence that this child was able to find me! But, if she shares her heat with you -]

...Then, I can also use mana again - Why didn't you tell me this before!?

[You didn't ask!] I was yelled at again. [Do you get what you should do now!?]

Yeah... I do...

[Alright, good! Child! You can stop, now!]

"Hooooooh! Hai!" The child wiped the saliva off her mouth with her arm and trotted away.

Then, quickly, I grabbed at the surrounding mana. I grabbed at everything that could get, my grubby mitts on. The mana in tthe trees, the ground, the lava - everything, I began taking all of those in.

Of course, my vessel, had a limit to how much mana it could hold at the same time.

Because of this, even without my wanting to, the excess mana would purge itself, releasing into the atmosphere.

This was what I was now banking on.

Heleina, get ready!

[Umu!]

With that as the signal, I forcibly controlled the purge.

Rather than the new mana, I made it so that it would be the old, blackened mana, that I long since held which would be purged.

'NoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooOOOOOOoo!!!'

I can almost hear 'it' screaming in agony. My 'instincts', they all told me to stop. That, if I continued, then I'd be doing something irreversible.

Heh. I scoffed at it's ugly mug.

Sorry. But, I'm done taking orders from you.

.

.

.

Heleina, who was on standby, took in the scene with the utmost seriousness.

Pitch-black mana was being released like a cloud out of Charles' lying body.

The cloud was so dark and so dense, that not even the light of the lava around them, seemed capable of piercing through.

Then, this cloud, large and imposing - began to condense as more and more of the substance escaped out Charles.

Slowly but surely, the mana being release began to weaken and soon enough it stopped completely.

At this point, the mana having been fully condensed - had become something completely different to before,

Floating two - three feet above Charles, was a stone. The stone was made of pure, pitch-black energy. More specifically, it was the solidified essense of the Zombie Lord - a powerful artifact that could store gigantic amounts of mana as well as act as a catalyst for large scale spells. Only nine of which, had ever come into existence.

Heleina anxiously waited for what would happen next.

Was there going to be a new enemy?

Is it going to explode?

Would it go to a different host?

Several different worst and best case scenarios came and went in her 'mind'.

Then, it happened.

*plop* the stone fell down, right on top of Charles.

It tumbled for a bit, but it eventually settled at his abdominal area.

Several moments later, Charles then began to push himself up.

His movements were slow, almost slower than even a turtle. But he was moving nonetheless.

Heleina wanted to call out, but she didn't seem to find the chance to do so.

Charles then opened his mouth. Heleina was both eager and scared of what he might say next.

"... Heleina..."

But, hearing the deep, blood-thirst filled words that came out of Charles' mouth, made Heleina's heart sink.

'We failed' she almost said it out loud.

But his next words blew all the negatives away.

"I'm back."

[Charles!]

It was a happy conclusion and a happy reunion if there ever was one.

But, there was a lot of sacrifices made to reach this ending.

[We did it, child! We really did - CHILD!]

"Kid!"

Just a few steps away, the green-haired girl was biting her lip to the point that it bled. Tears were running like rivers down her eyes and her nose was beyond runny.

The child, was bawling her heart out, but she was trying to keep it down, so that Heleina and Charles wouldn't notice. Not that there was a chance of such thing happening.

After all, Charles, having quickly caught her figure - strained his body and ran towards her, while almost tipping over.

As he neared, he also picked up Heleina. When they arrived close enough, they were equally shocked when they found out he most probable cause.

Her hands.

The child's hands, were burnt. 'Shipsinker's handle was deeply branded into her otherwise, smooth, milky-white, soft skin.

[Oh, no...!]

"Wait! I might still be able to fix this!"

Charles quickly took her hands, trying to administer White Magic. But "Iyah!" The child pulled her hands away, because of the pain.

He and Heleina didn't notice it yet, because of the dark lighting - but the injuries on her hands were far worse than what they thought.

There were numerous third degree burns, big and small, all around her left hand. While a large second degree burn was on her right hand.

"Stop being a baby and give me your hands! I can still-!"

That's why, no one could possibly blame Charles for getting angry and snatching her hands forcibly, right?

"Iyaa! NO! It hUrTS!"

Obviously, after having done so, Charles also noticed. The fact made his chest tighen to the point he could no longer breathe.

But it didn't change what he needed to do.

"[Merciful Light]" without even a chant, Charles invoked the Saint Class, Healing Magic - producing a thin veil of light around her hands.

Although, quite contrary to his appearance, Charles is not actually a user of the Black Magic system, but rather - he was a Saint-ranked practitioner of the White Magic System.

The thin, glittering white light, began covering and then concentrating on all the wounded areas.

"Ah... uu..."

The child's expression, from one of being in absolute agony - gradually softened as time went by.

And soon enough, the light began fading away.

Wheter it took 10 seconds or 10 minutes, none of the three were sure.

But there was one question that needed to be answered.

[Did it...] 'work', is what Heleina wanted to say. But, the answer was right there, 'in front of her'.

Charles and the child also saw that answer.

But, only the black-haired man, vocalized it.

"I'm sorry." He muttered with his head down. "I'm sorry, I was too late." He continued.

He just couldn't bring himself to look at how terrible the injuries he had made the child suffer through, were.

The child was also in a similar state. Yes, she 'loved' them. But, as a child, it was only natural to put yourself first, no? It was a kind of childish selfishness.

She was hurt badly, and now, she was terribly injured. It was only normal for her to start hating them, yes?

The two, Charles and Heleina were preparing for that - the repurcussions.

They made this child, suffer through numerous terrible occurences - just to try and bring back one person.

They succeeded, obviously. But, wasn't the one, who paid the biggest price - the girl in front of them? They owed so much to her now, that they had no idea what to do anymore.

Not even the fact, that several tens of thousands have already died just across the forest - or that Charles himself had commited uncountable atrocities during the span of five months - seemed to reach their minds at this point.

To the them of right now, only the still silent child, meant anything. Whatever the chaos happening elsewhere, was of no mind.

Anxiously, they waited.

Patiently, they waited.

Frozen still, they waited for what she would say next.

And then, she raised her head, looking at them straight in the 'eyes'. Opening her mouth, she said;

"It's okay... you know?" She said. Her voice was feeble and slightly hoarse, and her face was stained by all her crying. Still, she was smiling, at them. "It does... look kind of cool, though. Don't you think, senpai? Hel-nee-chan?" She continued. "Plus, shouldn't you... be saying something else... right, about... now...?"

Her eyes were blank as she said all this.

"THANK YOU!" Charles was downtrodden. Heleina was even more so. Overcome with guilt, Charles pulled the girl into an embrace - tears collected at the edges of his eyes. Heleina - she was beyond frustrated and was deeply hating herself. She began cursing her very being and her confining limitations.

She too, wanted to hug her, to beg for frgiveness, with all her 'heart'. But she had neither the body to do so, nor the heart. So, she could only leave it to Charles.

"THANK YOU!" "THANK YOU!" "THANK YOU!" "THANK YOU!"

"It's okay... senpai... it doesn't really hurt anymore, you know?" The feeling of her palm sliding across his back - patting it - made him sick of himself. It made him want to kill himself for his stupidity, for his weakness.

And, for his inability, to do the one thing, he should've done right.

He uncoiled his left arm from her and took hold of her right hand - the one that was patting him. The feeling of her palm rubbing against his, made his heart black and his mind a raging red. If malice and hatred could kill, Charles would've commited suicide several hundred times over, by now.

But, rather than concern himself with such personal things - he knew he had something much, much more important to prioritize.

"Thank you... ... ... ... ...I'm sorry... I know... I've caused you great harm... I've given you scars that might never heal... but - if you would let me -" He breathed in deeply, it seems he had forgotten to breath quite some time ago and only just now, inhaled.

"If you would let me; I'd like to take responsibility." He said, with serious voice, staring right into her eyes.

She sported a dumbfounded expression after hearing that.

The child, stared back for a while, before blinking slowly. And then, once again, slowly curling her lips into a smile, she said;

"Are you... proposing... to me... senpai? Because, if you... are... then-"

"Yes! I am. For as long as you'll have me. No! Even if you don't want me anymore - I won't stop!"

"Hehe... isn't that... kind of - what was the word?"

[... stalking?]

"Yes, that." She giggled. Then, color slowly returned to her eyes as she stared right into Charles' eyes -this time, for real.

"I accept, senpai! Please take care of me, for a very long time!" Smiling brightly, she answered.

"I will! Forever!"

[Hey! I'm here too!]

"Ah! Hel-nee-chan, as well!"

/p