The sound of sobbing filled the room. "I was a coward who couldn't protect her. I escaped by myself." Matthias' voice was remorseful and full of regret. His crying made his eyes swell up and his breathing laboured.
Dylan snapped out of his trance, he clenched his fist tightly and his face distorted with painful sorrow. He forcibly suppressed the rage and despair building up inside of him and comforted his dear friend. "Don't agitate your wounds. I don't want to lose you too." His voice was soft and almost sounded like a plea.
"I promised you that I wouldn't let any harm come Sherry ways. I promised and yet, she protected me instead." Matthias covered his eyes with his arms and continued after calming himself down. "While we escaped, Sherry chanted a teleportation spell but in the end she used it on only me. She could saved herself, she could've survived and yet she chose to save me instead." Matthias' voice was full of anguish and gratitude and a little anger.
"It sounds like a Sherry thing to do." Dylan muttered. Sherry had a pure and untainted heart. She loved to help people and felt distress when she saw another in pain. She was righteous and selfless, too selfless. The tempering of many hardships had taught her to not be so trusting and selfless but it seemed that at the last moment, she still clung onto this belief. It was admirable and saddening that it was what costed her her life.
Silence befell the room. The two men were lost in their thoughts and did not speak.
"We ran into the Great Mori Forest. Bring her home before its too late." Matthias suddenly said, breaking the silence. He then succumbed to the fatigue brought upon by his injuries and the recovery spell that healed them.
"...Thank you." Dylan whispered under his breath and left the room. When he arrived outside, Dylan put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.
A strong gust of wind blew around Dylan, forming a storm. Dylan's hair and clothes fluttered as a big bird suddenly appeared in front of him, seeking to be pampered. The bird was bigger than Dylan, its head itself was bigger than Dylan's torso.
Dylan rubbed the bird's beautiful white-green feathers. He hugged it head and whispered to it. "Do you mind taking me to the Great Mori Forest?"
The giant bird sang softly in return. It sensed Dylan's foul mood and did not wish to upset him any further. It lowered its body so Dylan can hop on a flapped its wings. Powerful winds were generated, the trees were shaking like they were going to fall. The bird and Dylan took off, flying into the distance at great speeds. A barrier was casted in front of Dylan to protect him from the harsh winds and cold air. They arrived at the forest that would've taken two days to reach by carriage in only ten minutes.
The two landed in front of the forest. "Thank you." Dylan thanked as he hopped off. The bird sang in return and transformed into a smaller version of itself. Its majestic appearance looked a lot more cuter now, small and round. The bird hopped onto Dylan's head and made a nest of it. Dylan didn't mind and paid no heed to it. He walked into the tranquil forest, searching for signs that would lead him to Sherry.
Each time he saw new cuts made on trees and the forest floor, a bitter feeling would overwhelm him. He frowned and continued to walk. Eventually, the marks become fiercer, scorch marks would appear every now and then and blood could also be seen. Dylan identified it as human blood.
Dylan arrived at an area where the marks where the most concentrated. Magic was recklessly flung around. Trees were uprooted, holes sunk and fires burnt. Splatters of blood also decorated the scene but there was no body.
Dylan closed his eyes and focussed. He circulated his mana and took in a deep breath. He felt the calm and serene mana of the world, it was cool and refreshing. But remnants of other's mana remained in place. There was a warm and lively one, that belonged to Matthias. There was also some he did not know, they were cold and dark and sharp. Then there was a comfortable one, it formed the appearance of a human and embraced Dylan.
"Sherry." Dylan felt tears well up in his eyes. His arms opened wide and embraced at the thin air. He couldn't touch her. Dylan knew why, this was her dying mana. When a person left the world, their mana would stay for a little longer, and that mana could move on its own. Often times, it will form the appearance it had when alive and spend time with their loved ones before disappearing. For Sherry's death mana to appear, it meant that she was truly no longer in this world.
Sherry's mana formed a slight smile just like the one he envisioned previously. It mouthed some words as it could not speak, 'thank you, goodbye.' it said and disappeared.
"No, no, no, no, n,o." Dylan hugged the mana closer to him to no avail in attempts to keep it here. The mana passed through his arms and floated upwards towards the sky. With a gust of the wind, pink petals flew around it and Sherry's remaining mana in Diva dispersed. "Don't go Sherry. Don't go." Dylan reach out to the sky, his tears falling down his cheek.
The despairing knight fell on his arms and knees. He wailed loudly, punching the ground in frustration. He screamed and screamed his heart out. The bird on his head fluttered upwards and flew around him in concern. In the end, it just turned bigger and wrapped its wings around the mourning man.
Dylan's shoulders shook with lost. He emptied heart felt only pain and rage filled it up. "I will kill them! I'll kill the one's responsible for this! I'll kill them all!!!" The thirst for revenge overtook Dylan and became his sole goal. His eyes sharpened with unconcealed bloodlust and froze those who laid eyes on him.
___
Dylan woke up in a fluster. Cold sweat drenched his clothes and soaked the pillow. His eyes flickered with a mess of confusion, lost, panic and rage. He huffed and puffed, his chest heaving up and down rapidly.
The blue light unique to before dawn slightly brightened his surroundings. Dylan found himself in a room he wasn't familiar with and funny little things he'd never seen before. He sat up and ran his fingers through his wet hair. The memories of yesterday flashed through his mind. The frantic beating of Dylan's heart slowly calmed down and his breathing stabilised.
Dylan quietly cast cleansing magic on himself and got out of bed. He changed into his training uniform and retrieved a heavy sword out of his storage. The best way to get rid of his unpleasant thoughts was to clear his mind.
Dylan opened the door and snuck out into the garden. The sky was a beautiful dark blue and on the verge of breaking into dawn. With each swing of his sword, Dylan could feel the refreshing air caress his skin and cool him down. He allowed himself to immerse himself into nature and melded with the background. Tranquility filled him up, soothing his rampaging heart.
Clack, the door opened. Sherry, in her purple pyjamas stood in front of it. A slight smile curved on her lips. "I knew you would be here."
Dylan stopped moving. He stared blankly at her mesmerising countenance. The first rays of light behind her back was like a halo, it amplified her beauty, highlighting her good points. Sherry cute little dimples looked extra endearing and her eyes just enchanting. It was as if she were a goddess.
Dylan took a hesitant step forward. With each step, he grew bolder and faster, arriving in front of her in no time. Without any warning, the man pulled Sherry towards her into his embrace. He tightly hugged the girl and did not let go.
"Dylan?" Sherry asked. He was acting somewhat strange today.
"A minute. Just stay still for a minute." Dylan whispered in a low voice. Though she was still confused, Sherry obediently nodded and accepted his embrace. The other party's firm arms shook slightly with emotion but as time passed, the shaking stabilised and he was calm again. Sherry hugged Dylan back and gentle stroked his back.
"What happened?" She sounded so mature and reliable that Dylan thought he was going to tear up again.
"No, it nothing. I had a nightmare is all." Dylan replied, his voice was pleasantly deep and husky.
"Oh" Sherry did not say much and hugged him back. She turned her head sideways to listen to the strong beats of Dylan's chest. It was beating calmly in a soothing relaxed way. He was better now.
"Thank you." Dylan muttered.