Under the Moonlit Sky

It’s been approximately two months since I told Mythria the World’s history. I knew it was a bit of a timeskip, but who cares? Or maybe someone does, but whatever.

We grew closer during the past two months, or at the very least, that was what I would like to believe. However, the days we’ve been living have been quite dry lately ( what with the very limited things we could do together within the island ). With that in mind, we could be found around the center of the grasslands. Sitting together under the moonlit, starry sky for a change of pace. It was around nine in the evening, and we decided to go have a picnic in an open area.

We were eating quietly at the time, appreciating nature’s company as we stuffed ourselves full. The gentle evening breeze that was neither too warm nor cold felt perfect to the skin, and the scent of the soil being carried to the air invited a sense of nostalgia. The noises of the Cicada became our musical accompaniment, while the moon and the stars watched us from above. It was a perfectly great night for a picnic. So peaceful you would even forget that the World had already ended. Countless little fireflies of mostly blue colors danced around us, as if inviting us into a waltz. The two of us ate with satisfaction painted in our expressions, while our mealbox became emptier and emptier. After a while,

“Puaahhh…! I’m full!”

Mythria exclaimed.

“That was delicious. How did you even learn how to cook so deliciously in such a short time?”

Mythria held a finger on her chin as she searched for an answer,

“Am I secretly a genius?”

She learned how to joke, huh? Or is she actually telling the truth?

“Haha! You might just be one.”

A short silence…

“The sky is so beautiful…”

“I agree.”

The sky, dotted with countless twinkling little stars, was covered in a deep shade of blue. It was oddly relaxing, but there was also a feeling of longing. I couldn’t tell exactly why I felt that way, but it was like… I wanted to be free. The same way the moon floats above the Earth, watching over the Planet chained to nothing. I wanted to be free… from my responsibilities… from my immortality and power. I wanted to get rid of it all, and that was why…

“Hey, Zel…”

Mythria interrupted my thoughts. I urged her to continue while keeping myself silent.

“I have decided.”

Imaginary question marks appeared on top of my head. I don’t usually do it, but I tilted my head in anticipation of her words.

“I want to search for my memories.”

I widened my eyes while looking at her with shock.

Why do I feel like a parent who’s so proud of their daughter already having grown?

“Then you must go on a journey, I guess.”

She nodded. What is this feeling, I wonder? Why do I suddenly feel so lonely? A bird is trying to leave their little nest. I should be happy. But somehow, it felt to me like our times together were slowly, but surely ending. It invited a melancholic feeling from within.

“The World below may have already been destroyed, but it hasn’t vanished. It’s still there, waiting to be discovered. Waiting for someone to walk on it again.”

In response to her resolve,

“You’re right. It’s not like the World has completely been destroyed already. After all, we are still here. We are proof that the World still lives, albeit teetering ever so slowly towards the inevitable. Just tell me when, and I’ll gladly send you down.”

But please… make it out alive…

Why did that thought cross over my mind? I wonder. Once I achieve my goal, nothing else would matter anymore. After all, once I’m gone, what’s left to do? None at all.

“I want to journey on in search of my memories, but…”

She paused for a moment, seemingly gathering her resolve before speaking once more.

“When I finally find my memories…”

…

“I want you to be there with me.”

I wasn’t aware of what exactly her words meant, but there was a certain feeling that punctuated her words.

“Hoho, scared to explore the ruined World now, are you?”

I gave her a teasing smile as I lightly pushed a finger on her side.

“Stop tickling me, and I’m not scared! >.<”

“Haha! Alright, alright. My bad.”

Silence yet arrived. Our discussion seemingly unfolding in a sluggish manner.

“Do you not want to go with me?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go with you, but…”

“But what?”

“I don’t want to leave this island alone, either.”

She looked at me with an oddly seductive expression; her eyes narrowed down not in a frown, but in a more teasing manner.

“Is that really true? Hmmm…. Are you sure you want to let me go alone?”

Huh… when did she learn how to speak like that? She grows up frighteningly fast. Although her appearance remains childish.

I scratched my head,

“Well, if I feel like it. I’ll join you.”

She whispered, “I’ll be satisfied with that for now, but I won’t give up.” as she stood up. She walked a few steps forward before facing me.

“I don’t know how important my memories are to me, but I’ve decided I need to look for them because…”

She fidgeted ever-so-slightly before continuing

“I want to be more complete.”

Huh, what was so embarrassing about telling me “you want to be complete”? I really don’t understand this part of her.

I kept myself silent, and only smiled back at her. Not long after, she continued. This time, her arms opened wide at me.

“To me, you’re the most important. That’s why… I want to be complete so that I can proudly say to everyone that Zel was the first to find me.”

Again, I’m not sure what she’s talking about. There’s nobody but me who could have found her. Or perhaps, she was talking about the possibility that she could’ve been transported to a different World, where another person would’ve found her instead of me. I still don’t get it, to be completely honest. What’s so good about being the first one to find her? Well, anyways, I kept looking at her seriously.

“Zel, I love you!”

She pounced right after saying that last line. My reflexes are more than quick enough to avoid her, but when I thought about how she’d land face-first on the ground if I dodged, I reigned in the desire to evade and just let her hug me.

“hMgmgg…hmgmg”

It felt to me like she was saying something, but when she was vigorously rubbing her face against my chest, I couldn't really understand. Although right at the moment I could already feel her warmth, she abruptly stopped, got up from me, and blushed the same color of a tomato.

“Hey, you were the one who hugged me. Why are you the one getting shy?”

“N-nothing much..?”

What was that answer? But anyways, the mood is getting a bit too sweet, so perhaps it’s time we get back home. I don’t want to awaken an emotion already long dead within me, especially since I know I’ll eventually leave her behind. It’s better to bury any potential attachments as it would only be more difficult for me to separate myself from her later.

That night, as I was sleeping, my own voice appeared inside my head. That secret promise I made, and about how I’m always teetering towards breaking that promise made me just a tiny tid bit guilty.

I convinced myself there was nothing wrong with breaking that promise, because first, I already had one singular goal before I even met Mythria, and second, she didn't even know about that promise. After all, I made it solely on my own accord, without making it known to her.

My goal to dispel my absolute immortality, and free myself from the grasp of the material universe hadn’t grown any weaker. After all, I’m tired of this Universe constantly taking away what’s important to me while I remain stuck in place, seemingly in stasis.

And… I don’t really want to say this to anybody… but…

Supposing that Mythria is NOW important to me, then all the more reason I need to realize my goal. After all, it would feel better for me to disappear knowing she was right there with me until the very end. Knowing that someone will remember me even after I’m gone. That’s something I never really got to experience ever since immortality took away my humanity.

These were my thoughts at the time.