Chapter 76: The Guardian Angel

Not giving any space, Number 3 looked sternly at the apparition in front of them, and with a decisive tone, she asked.

"Who are you exactly? What did you do to Aiden?! Speak up!"

A burst of melodic, bell-like laughter resounded all around them in response. Shortly after, they once again heard her mature voice in their minds.

[My name is Enya, and you can think of me as… hmm… let's just say, guardian angel. His wellbeing was and will always be my only concern. As for what I did…]

The figure walked next to Number 3. Placing her hand on her right shoulder, she leaned closer to her ears and whispered. This time, only Number 3 heard her voice.

[I did nothing. It's you who caused all of this, but I think you already know this.]

Then, before, Number 3 could react, she walked back, standing a few steps away from their group. Facing all of them once again, they could hear her voice inside their minds.

[Just so you all could understand, I will use simple terms. Aiden is currently in a deep sleep and will stay in that for at least a week. His reserves have to regenerate naturally. During the battle against the Nightmare…] 

At this point although they couldn't make out any features on the swirling energy that served as her head, they were sure that it turned to face Number 3 as she continued. 

[...he went through a sort of forced evolution, putting tremendous pressure on his soul. We were lucky it wasn't badly damaged, but the backlash caused too much pain for him to handle, and because of that, I had to put him to this state immediately.] 

Then she faced them all again, as she continued.

[I had to sacrifice a lot to be able to appear in front of you, but I chose to do so, as you 3 are the only ones he considers family in this world, and he wouldn't want to keep you all in the dark.

As she finished, they noticed as her body began to slowly dissolve around its edges. Seeing this, the apparition spoke again.

[It seems, I can't keep up my form here any longer. One last thing before I leave: The potion you are planning to make, will help him, although not in the way you are expecting. It will strengthen his soul, so such situations could be avoided in the future.]

As her body began to dissolve, even more, she looked at Lily. 

[Little Lily, it will be quite a while, but we will meet again eventually. You don't know it yet, but you also have incredible potential. Continue doing your best!] 

Finished, she turned around, not waiting for any response from them, she stepped into the white gate. Shortly after the white portal closed and vanished from sight as if it wasn't even there to begin with.

While Lily had a resolute look on her face and was tightly clenching her fists, Number 3 and Granny was still trying to process everything that just happened.

"Guardian Angel, huh? Interesting…" muttered Number 3 to herself after a while. Then, she turned to face the others and spoke. 

"Okay, I think we had more than enough action for one day. Let's rest on this and discuss it in the morning. Good Night ladies!"

With that, she simply walked out of the room, heading towards hers. She had to process everything alone. The apparition was right, she knew she was the one that forced the kids to take on this adventure, and train themselves in that harsh world that was created by his Grandmaster. 

She knew it wasn't fair to throw them in and expect them to overcome all the challenges. Granny and she made sure to tune the trials in a way that would fit them better, but the last trial, she wanted it to stay true to the original idea and be a harsh lesson for both. This world is cruel and unforgiving, and unless they are prepared to face this reality, they would only suffer. 

Still, she could have intervened much earlier, and pulled out both of them. Facing that otherworldly monster… alone, without any knowledge about it… She can only blame herself for this mistake.

As she sat down on her bed, she looked out at the window, gazing at the clear night sky. While there were no tears in her eyes, her voice cracked and was clear she was struggling as she whispered her grief into the night.

"I'm sorry…"

Meanwhile, Granny after wishing "Good Night" to Lily, also left the room, heading for hers to think about everything that played out. The potion the apparition mentioned, what they planned to make with Number 3 to give to Aiden… It was surprising that she knew about it. 

"Was she somehow listening in on us? Well, it doesn't matter in the end… She mentioned that the potion will help Aiden, and that's what is important. We have to make it, I will talk to her in the morning in case she changes her mind…" Granny thought as she entered her room.

Only Lily was left with Aiden. After both of her elders left the room, she turned around, facing her still soundly sleeping brother, and quickly snuggled to him. Giving him a peck on his cheek, she whispered a "Good Night, Brother!". Although it took her a lot of time, eventually she managed to sleep, even if just for a few hours.

---

Inside Aiden's Soul Space, the air trembled, and as it began to vibrate, a white gate made of energy formed. Staggering, and spent, Enya walked out of it and quickly fell face-first to the air that materialized in front of her. After a few minutes, she raised her head and turned to her back, looking at the boring darkness that surrounded this strange world.

Raising her hand, a screen that resembled Aiden's body appeared. Looking at the various vital signs, she sighed in relief, then waved it away. She was satisfied with their reaction, and even if Aiden would be mad at her at first, she knew he would understand that what she did was for him. 

Right now, the only thing Aiden needed was time, so he could regenerate all the damage the forced evolution had caused. 

As she spent all her energy, her figure dissolved into the air, only leaving the brightly shining ball of energy behind, as it floated lonely in the darkness.

---

Sticking to the shadows, corners, and the dark alleyways, the brown cloaked figure has finally arrived at his destination, a small run-down house on the outskirts of the city, in the Slums.

Without hesitation, he knocked on the door twice and stepped back while he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword. This section of the city was where the forgotten and the unwanted resided. Beggars, homeless, thugs… This place had nothing good to offer. 

On the other hand, it was also the home for various, special services, that even the nobility used from time-to-time. 

However. the service that the figure had intended to buy was not something that those lecherous bastards would have cared about. 

The door slowly opened and as a small crack formed, the face of a middle-aged man covered in horrendous scars peeked out. Looking at the cloaked figure in front of him and with a gravelly voice, he spoke.

"What is your business?"

The cloaked figure raised his hand and showed it to the scarred man. The man quickly took it and closed the door. After a short while, however, the door creaked open once again, and the scar-faced man peeked out. 

He looked at the figure up and down, as if searching for something, and eventually, his eyes landed on his hand covering the hilt of a sword. Although he couldn't see it, he could feel the power radiating from it. 

"Are you sure? This will be costly, you know…" asked the man, without looking away from the hand that tried to cover the ornamental hilt.

Seeing that the figure did not answer, the scar-faced man eventually sighed and nodded.

"Fine. We will make sure that the package will reach its intended destination with the requested privacy, safely. Whatever happens after the delivery is on you. The price is triple. Take it or leave it."

A low grumble could be heard under the cloak, as the cloaked figure threw a small leather pouch filled with coins to the scar-faced man. 

He grabbed it and without opening it up to check, he hid it behind the door.

"Be at the Southern Gate in 2 hours. Our men will be there waiting." With that said, the door promptly closed, ending the conversation.

As he turned around, the figure looked up in the night sky. With one last sigh, he determinedly whispered into the night sky.

"Finally, after so many years… I will find you all and we will be together again. And anyone who stands in my way will pay the price!" 

Shortly after, his figure quickly vanished amidst the shadows.