“WHY THE HELL DID YOU KILL HER!!!”

Her sword was drawn covered in flames as in a matter of a second, she moved next to him and slashed down.

BANG!

However Sain expected her attack the moment she started to charge at him. She was always hotheaded and true to her feelings, something that made him irritated when she ignored his orders and the past but at the same time made her likeable as a person.

Sain slipped through her first attack which hit the ground. Her Katana was quite powerful, even more so than his spear in pure power, if he were hit...

A second attack came with the sword rebounding off the ground to him once again. This time he could not dodge...but...

Clang!

Sain had used his spear to block the attack perfectly. Timing and strength to the exact moment were required to block Lyndis who had twice the strength he did which was only possible since he knew everyone's strengths and weaknesses to heart. If he could not do that, how could he lead them?

Both weapons grinded against each other as Lyndis pushed forward and Sain not backing off.

“She was our friend! She needed up to help her! She was weak and defenceless! So why the hell did you kill her?!”

From the looks of things, flames were coming out of Lyndis' body. This was either two things. One was the skill 'Life Burn' which did that or the more frightening ability of her 'Genesis Flame' which allowed her to use a similar effect without the same costs.

However Lyndis' health was decreasing which meant she was using the first thankfully. First he needed to take some distance else he would not be able to dodge the flames at this range.

“Mana Bolts!” he chanted sticking his hand in her direction and fired. Several tens of shots fired though from this range, it was easy to dodge with enough speed. Another clash ensured with Sain taking some damage from the flames though they were on a low level.

Thus he decided to talk to Lyndis at least. To make her see her wrong.

“She was not our friend but an enemy. She did not need us to help her, she used us for her goals. She was a spy for [Little Droplet] and endangered us all. That was why I killed her!” he said in a shout at the end.

He activated D.B Enchanting and poured his Intelligence and Wisdom stats into his Strength and Agility stats and whacked Lyndis away with strength that surprised her.

Right now, aside from her use of fire as a weapon, he was even with her.

However he noticed she was shaking...in anger now.

“IS THAT WHAT LIES YOU CAME UP WITH?!” she shouted now using 'Boost' and activating 'Genesis Flame' as well.

With a curse he did the same and used 'Boost' along with his 'All Knowing Eyes' as well.

“BURN!”

A great inferno of a fireball appeared in front of Lyndis and threatened to melt everything away as it came close to it. At this range, he could no escape. He silently cursed as he activated D.B Echanting and poured all of his stats save Vitality, Endurance and Stamina into Agility and sprint away to the side.

He barely did not make it with the giant fireball that was the size of a building coming up and about to consume him.

“Barrier Queen Art: Flow Diverting Barrier!”

With that shout, all of a sudden the fireball that was about to consume him went around him like he wasn't even there. It quickly disappeared as it passed through as well. It looked like Lyndis did not want to do any damage to the surrounding area and prevented it from exploding.

However Lyndis screamed, “Miriel! Why the hell are you helping him?!” seeing that Miriel protected me.

“Why the hell did you attack Sain all of a sudden?!” Miriel shouted back, it looked like she was prepared to attack Lyndis at any moment. Soon enough, the rest of the group came seeing there was a fight going on, though they did not expect it to be with Sain and Lyndis of all things.

“What's going on?” asked Shadow looking around as well. He too was shocked that Lyndis would attack Sain.

Serena then asked, “Why did you attack Sain?”

“....”

However Lyndis was silent on the matter but only pointed to the corpse of Aria.

“That's...” A combination of Miriel, Shadow and Serena gasped seeing her dead all of a sudden, only after she was reunited with her siblings. Even Raven was frowning right now as they all looked to Sain.

“....”

However, like Lyndis, Sain refused to say anything on this matter. But he did say, “There are a lot of things to be explained. So much that a few words cannot summarise them.”

“You mean what I am feeling towards you right now?” asked Lyndis sarcastically, “Hate, Disappointment, Disgust? Indeed a few words cannot say what I really feel like now.”

It looked like she calmed down for the most part but those words really stung him, after all he did for her.

“You know what pisses me off the most? The fact that you are calm. You were so calm when you killed her. So calm when I attacked you. Even now you are so calm like it all doesn't even matter to you” she said in a strained tone that was already breaking down, about to betray her feelings on all of this.

“....”

“Look, why are you so silent? You don't even want to defend yourself, how can I even trust you now?” she asked to which Miriel could only say, “Lyndis..” in response. This kind of thing should not fall into the ears of others thus she already casted 'Muffletone' around them.

“Let me ask you all this” said Sain suddenly causing the rest of them to react in different ways, “How much do you know about me? After 4 Years in this game how much?”

“....”

No one was about respond to that question Sain asked them. He looked at Shadow and Miriel first.

“I know that Shadow, you are a person who fears to be forgotten, how could you not making those remarks for that purpose. How you fight, express yourself and act are all based around this lone fact that you don't want to be alone. I also know that despite the coldness Miriel showed us, she is warm and kind inside to the point where she strains herself finding information that may be useful to us. All her efforts were on supporting everyone as best she could.”

Next he turned to Raven and Serena.

“I know that inside and without talking, Raven you are in fact afraid of a lot of things and your kindness stems from there. Even your anger issue that has finally calmed down a bit as well. Serena, you are one of the most determined people I have ever met, working hard to overcome your fear. You will definitely be a strong person one day.”

He finally looked at Lyndis who looked all shocked right now.

“I know that Lyndis, you are a hard worker making up what you lack with hard work. How you are hotheaded and decisive around your emotions is your greatest gift and greatest fault. You are unable to look pass something you are set to see. That is why you missed what Aria did from that first moment you went to save her.”

And now he looked at all of them at once.

“Now what do you all know about me? After all this time I know all of you, but do you know me?” he asked them once again.

“I...” Lyndis looked at him conflicted shaking her head, “Don't know you...”

Everyone took a glance at her but Sain knew what was going about in their hearts about him. The kind natured, good willed and trusting man to a fault was a lie. Even if they did not see it, even if they did not wish to see it, it was still a lie.

“I cannot stay with you anymore” Lyndis finally shaking her head unsure on many things right now.

Lyndis has left the party

With that, she started walking away...one...two...three...more footsteps followed her as well.

Serena has left the party

Raven has left the party

Shadow has left the party

And with three messages that confirmed what had happened. He in the end took one last glance at them and then turn around not looking at Miriel and back to the city.

“We still have work to do. We need to clear out this city of any enemies to the Kingdom and finish the Guild Quest. The others will get experience and contribution even if they have left” he said to Miriel in a neutral tone, hiding anything, everything away now.

Miriel did not blink or say anything but nod to his words. Since back then, she decided on one thing. She would stay by his side no matter what, even if that path would ruin him. She would not allow him to suffer alone.

“....”

Sain looked up in the skies that were so clear. So why did it feel like raining?

“Ahh....in the end they could not accept it...”

He let those words out hiding the pain he was in now. Everything would be all right in the end. But could he be allowed back into that?

Before that, how more could he endure in this world where even now he would not be accepted by those he protected?

Onwards?PreviousExitNext

Author's Notes:

- This took way to long to write for reasons simply because I spent most of the time today reading and not writing