58: Keeping a promise hurts

Ornis raised his blade towards Melina. 

"This time, I'll make sure to finish you up properly!"

"Wait, Ornis!"

I shouted at him from behind. I wanted to deal with Melina personally.

"Please allow me to deal with her."

"The situation is critical. Although I am sure you are capable of it, there are higher stakes going on now."

"Please. I promise it will only take me a few moments."

"Hmm… very well. I guess I do owe you for getting me out of that cube. I'll slay the rest of the insects until then. But don't take too long!"

"I understand. Thank you."

Phew. I'm glad things worked my way. I made a promise to Lorina. I promised that I would bring Melina's body back so she can properly bury her. Odin told me that Ornis' sword can destroy even the soul of the target. And I didn't want her to suffer anymore. Besides. I know exactly how to deal with her. It's gonna be an OTK move.

Melina raised her hand upwards and was preparing to launch a spell. And that's the moment I shouted:

"Odin! Persia! Do it now!"

"Sorry for this, onee-chan!"

"Sorry, Milla-nyan!"

The reason why they were apologizing right now, was because I ordered them to kick me in the back as hard as they could. I needed to get close to Melina as fast as possible so the battle doesn't drag. The momentum from their kicking force is faster than the momentum I can generate on my own. And as instructed, they both kicked my back with their lower part of the leg and I was sent flying towards Melina at a tremendous speed. Shit. It hurts… my back is gonna be so sorrow after this… but brush it off for now. Gotta focus.

With my Demon King eyes I could see each and every one of her cores that were inside her. And the one I was aiming was… the Slime King's core. At the speed I was going Melina couldn't react in time so I crashed straight into her. I thrust my hand into her stomach, piercing her skin. The reason for this was so I can grab the core. And using a similar principle like the one I used for breaking the cube that trapped Ornis… I shattered the core. 

"Guah!"

Melina couldn't help but cough blood. Once I separated from her she tried firing some spells at me… but because the hole I made in her didn't close up anymore she eventually fell to the ground because of the blood loss. When I confirmed that it was ok, I got close to her and laid her on her back. She was dying. Her body started to get cold. Yet despite this, despite her eyes were still devoid of life, she had a smile on her face. She tried to move her lips. Because she was dying the crystal around her neck that was used for controlling her released it's effect. She could talk. I was about to hear her final words.

"... Thank you… for stopping me. I am… sorry for everything I did…"

Crap. I feel so sorry for her right now. But I had to resist the urge of using Phoenix Tears on her. If I healed her, the necklace would just trigger again. 

"Tell my sister… that I love her, but sorry… I don’t deserve to have her love after what I did. The love I have for her isn’t worth mentioning right now. The curse that I wanted to escape from... followed me like my shadow. I have tried so hard already to… resist, but I still couldn't escape being used, being threatened and facing destruction…"

"It's alright. It wasn't your fault…"

"I must have caused her… lots of pain…"

Her voice was getting weaker.

"Please tell her to not waste her tears on me…… And that goes for you too… Please do not cry for my sake… otherwise...

I’ll misunderstand that you care for me too…….

Your highness….. Please do not be sad because of me…….

Go and be a good king. I shall watch over you and my sister from the heavens….. I hope both of you… can find happiness…"

When her blood flowed out... When she was about to lose her conscious... When she saw Milla's face in tears, she couldn’t help but wonder……

If only I had gone with my sister back then… if only I have met you sooner, could we have reached a different ending?

With those final thoughts, Melina's eyes closed and her breathing stopped.

"Odin…"

"Yes, onee-chan?"

"Please put her body in an ice shell. I promised Lorina I'd bring her back."

"As you wish."

I kept my back at Odin all this time. I wasn't ready to show my face to anyone. I couldn't let them see me cry. But I couldn't help it. Maybe I just had too big of a heart. I didn't know Melina at all. Yet my heart was moved to the point of tears. It was the first time I lost someone. The first time I couldn't save someone. Her blood was on my hands. I was angry. There was no way I will forgive that Pope. I was one step away from accidentally activating my Berserker Mode. No person should face such a fate.

By the time Odin finished her spell, Ornis also finished off the remaining of the soldiers. I also managed to set my face straight and keep my emotions under control.

"Hurry, fellow kings! We can't waste time! We have to chase that filthy human and stop him before it's too late!"

Ornis looked panicked. Just what the hell was inside this mountain that he's so afraid of? Regardless we all rushed inside to chase the Pope.

------

When we arrived in the heart of the mountain we saw a big black orb floating surrounded by chains. And the Pope was banging the orb with his staff.

"I have done everything you asked! Now break free already and grant my wish!"

"You fool! Stop!"

But the Pope didn't listen to Ornis. With another bang on the orb, the chains surrounding it… all shattered. And in that moment a black tentacle extended from the orb and skewered the Pope.

"Aaaa!"

He started to spit blood like crazy. Serves you right, you bastard.

"Why?... My Goddess… I did everything you asked me… I clearly received your vision… you promised you would make me… immortal… you promised to make me… a God…"

In the next instant, the tentacle pulled the Pope inside the goo looking orb and swallowed him full. A surge of magical energy was released. It was huge. I never felt anything like it.

"Damn it!"

Ornis rushed like crazy near the orb, extended both his arms forward. It seems like he was generating some sort of gravitational force and was trying to keep the orb from falling apart.

"Don't just stand there! Help me! I… won't be able to hold it alone!"

Odin and Persia also rushed to Ornis' side and in a similar manner extended their hands to maintain the orb. I better get in there too. Is what I thought. But as soon as I took the first step… my body feel on the ground.

"Lady Milla!"

Grace was shouting from behind, but I couldn't hear her. For some reason I collapsed and my vision turned dark. Just how you pull out the plug from your TV, I felt that my plug got suddenly pulled. What… just happened to me?