Chapter 10: One Step Closer

The night was turning much colder, and the wind suggest a chill till dawn. The moon, full and high, threw such a light that every tree limb cast a blue shadow. Only the brightest stars shone out against the indigo sky.

After getting a comparable amount of distance away from that mysterious man, Keisuke laid the protesting Erin down. Her viridian eyes are squinted sharply and so are her words.

"Here to satisfy your lust now? Hah! I should have known! That's all you ever wanted from me! You even killed my friend! Murderer!!"

"You wound me."

Keisuke was light headed with nerves and irritation. He's been listening to Erin's nonstop protest for hours.

Patience, he quietly told himself.

As the tune of silence drew, Keisuke could not think of anything to say to her. There was so much for him to think about. Why would people of the same race be out there to take her life? Have she done something unforgivable or was she merely cast away?

"".....""

Keisuke passed a hand over his forehead, and Erin realized that his fingers were trembling. His complexion was pale and his eyes reddened, as if he'd had no sleep. He looked ill to her, as a matter of fact.

Going through the cycle of death six times, five of which are the most brutal deaths one could possibly imagine, Keisuke is abnormal in this regard. What's worst, he woke up from death twice with him killing another person. How can a regular boy keep his sanity in those situations?

He's distracted himself. The feeling of relief once they were safe was so intense that his knees shook, and it reminded him of the cruel things that he had done to achieve that safety.

They sat quietly for a while, both were waiting for the other to open their mouth. Erin felt cold runnels of perspiration beneath her clothing, damp patches blossoming at the pit of her arms. She watched Keisuke with dilated eyes, thinking that whatever words that would come out of his mouth is plastic. But Keisuke kept his mouth shut, which annoyed her even further; to the point where she want to throw a pebble at his face.

"Hey!! Say something!!"

Keisuke visibly flinched, but his lips were sealed tight. Finally, a sigh came from Keisuke that pierced through the suffocating space of darkness. He took the space beside Erin, where their knees are already somewhat nudging each other.

One second, two seconds, three seconds, four seconds, five seconds, six seconds, seven seconds---

"I'm sorry."

Keisuke swallowed everything and just thought that he'll accept the blame. His eyes are gazing upward, his apology came in a hoarse tone.

"Once again, I'm sorry... I'll apologize as many times as you'd like. You can hate me as much as you want, but no matter what, I'll be here pestering you."

Keisuke said in an awfully aching voice that almost undid her. Erin is intellectual enough to realize what is right and wrong. Trembling with despair, Erin was terrified that she might burst into tears. She was disgusted at herself for lashing out her troubles to someone like Keisuke.

But she needed someone to vent her troubles onto, something to distract herself, or else the sadness and confusion in her heart would swallow her whole. She's aware these harsh truths are hard to confront, yet however she clearly see these flaws, she nonetheless believe what she wanted.

"Why... why are you so nice?" She asked in a trembling voice. "You should be hating me. Be mad at me."

Keisuke's left shoulder was violently pummeled by punches that doesn't even tickle. It lacked the strength and vigor that she always possess.

"Leave me alone..."

The words fell from her lips in the softest whisper, but they ignited like a spark in Keisuke's brain. Surprisingly, this did not anger him. He looked as though he understood and walked away.

He tightly clenched his chest as he turned his back to Erin. He's hurt. Badly badly hurt. But he knew that he had to get away and give her space. His muscles ached from exertions, sweat poured over his body, his breath wheezed through his lungs.

"I can't believe what I'm doing."

He cast his eyes to the darkened path and kept walking, frustrated at his own shortcomings. Suddenly, balls of light illuminated his pathway and an unexpectedly familiar warmth jolted through him. His heart began to pound.

"Erin?"

He said her name, half prayer, half curse. He wanted to reassure himself that what's happening is not a dream. Erin held him from behind, her arms are placed on his chest. She leaned her head on his broad back, as if she wanted to listen to his resounding heartbeat.

"I'm the one who's sorry."

She was shaking. He was shaking, too. For so many reasons, he wasn't sure as to what led her to do this.

"Damn, damn, damn," Keisuke kept repeating.

He knew he was displaying a deplorably limited lack of vocabulary, but the aftershock was just too great, prohibiting him from verbalizing any other word. He consoled himself with the fact that it could be just a dream. Illusions playing him for a fool.

"I'm so lost Keisuke... I don't know what to do anymore."

"....."

Keisuke had grown quiet in the midst of his confusion. Centimeter by centimeter, inch by inch, he could feel her getting accustomed to his warmth.

"I've already lost everything... Gave up everything... Threw everything away..."

Keisuke fought the urge to turned around and embrace her. He stood silently, his eyes are gazing upward to the stars, hoping to find the words that could ease her broken heart. To find the words that could stop the tears from flooding his backside.

"Just tell me why Keisuke," her voice began to break. "Why are you so adamant in protecting me? I feel like if I don't know your reasons, you'll betray me too."

Keisuke suddenly began to tremble with something, some emotions that he kept hidden inside. That even if all hell break loose, he would not forgo no matter what.

"You look like her," he said. "I was searching for answers. Why was I sent here? Why was I sent here in this parallel world. And then as if God answered my prayers, I met you. You, who looks so much like Reina. I feel like my chest would explode whenever I look at your face. I questioned myself. Maybe I was sent here to repent for my sins? To repent for my sins for killing her! My actions from back then, I never understood. Not a single one of them. Why did I push her to die? Even though she's the most damnest important person in my life! It's as if I was possessed and was a different person entirely....."

For three years, Keisuke held into these feelings. Unable to acquire an answer for himself. And now he could not hide his brittle state from releasing these pent up emotions. Erin could feel his tears trickling on her arms yet she could not say anything. She could not do anything but give him the warmth that he most probably needed right now.

Even though he's but a mere stranger, Keisuke's vulnerability touched that spot in Erin's heart that was so often closed.

"That's why Erin... If you could trust me once more, I'll be your family."

When he was done doubting himself, he turned fading eyes to her face. He could barely see her, but the serenity in her gaze was unmistakable. A soft glow had settled at the corner of her pale green eyes. Smiling beautifully, her eyes blurring, she stared into Keisuke's.

"Even if the whole world would cast us away, as long as I exist in this world, I'll always be on your side. No matter how many times fate will force me to jump into oblivion, or these eyes of mine be cast into eternal darkness, I will be here to support you. Not because I see you as her replacement, but..."

Her arms intertwined around his neck and she brought his mouth down to hers. For an instant, their lips touch; fleetingly. There was the hot taste of need in her lips. The unexpectedness of it knocked the wind out of him. But what kept him absolutely breathless was how good that need tasted. How much he wanted her to need him. How much he needed her to need him.

"Idiot."

She stared at her reflection in his teary eyes as she mentioned a single word that was ragged with emotions. Words that Erin wanted to hear all this time came from a stranger.

"I will show you," he spoke in a gentle and low voice. "That you would have no more need for tears."

The surroundings spirits and the brightest stars lay witness to his oath. Reaching to his pocket, he pulled out the crumbled flower. Bending his arm at his elbow, he stretched out to slid it to her ear.

"Really now..."

She murmured softly, while mopping her tears with her hands, then giving up and simply pressing her flooding eyes onto Keisuke's reliable chest. Erin began to cry in earnest, wracking sobs that caused her ribs to ache.

"This hurts Keisuke.. It feels like it would never end.."

"I know... I'll listen to everything."

Erin nodded her head, her face still buried in his chest. Keisuke kissed the top of her head, quick and hard, surprised at the anger sweeping through him.

"Taking advantage of the situation.. You're really a pervert.."

"I think I deserve it."

Keisuke kissed the top of her head again, a little softer this time, and realized her hair possessed the richness of raw silk. He held her, patting her back until her sniffles ended.

The two of them connected, acquiring the mysterious and intangible bond between two people that deeply trust each other.

But it was just the beginning.

Be it humans... Be it elves... Be it dragons... Be it demon lords... Or even Gods... All denizens of Aestrea... All are swept in a mighty current that they could not see nor feel. And in the midst of this gigantic turbulence is a young boy who came from a different world.

What kind of path will he choose?

Will his ability allow him to fulfill his promise, or will he lose everything because of it?