Chapter Text
The chances that I would get out of here alive were as slim as none. But she; my little angel, she had to. Even if I, for some miracle, do manage to live, I'll give it all up for her. The real miracle of life. The real miracle of my life.
As she, in the midst of darkness―including mine―was able to shine like a beacon. One of hope.
My feet moved faster than it ever did, and mana left by body by every breath that I took. I was willing to risk it all, give it my all, even if it kills me. My daughter will leave this place alive.
I looked at the child in my arms, her eyes wide open. Even in the rumbling turmoil, she remained still and quiet. As if she knew what was happening. And for a moment, as we met each other's gaze, I could've sworn that I saw a glimpse of her smile.
My chest swelled up with all the love that I could give. Love that I could only wish would be enough for my darling child.
I hope she forgives me.
As I stared into the most mesmerizing sea green eyes, I felt myself get lost in them. As if I was swimming in the deepest waters, not breathing yet not having the need for air. At the very end of the mystifying journey, I saw him; Rias. The only other person I knew that could manage to get me lost in his eyes―my child's father. Sadly, he is no longer with us.
I could only imagine the pain that she would feel once she realizes that she would lose me too.
It was tiring to run away. Not only was my wounded body gradually becoming incapable of handling it, but so were my mind and soul. Even so, I continued to move my feet, staggering a few times while doing so.
Deep into the forest, I saw a knight. He was only waiting there, eyes set on me, and I already knew what it meant before he even had the chance to make a signal. I nodded at him and he nodded back. I could feel my eyes sting from from how overwhelmingly quick the events were passing.
The realization that dawned upon me made my breath hitch. This was what they were talking about so earnestly whilst we were in hiding. My eyes started to blur with tears, touched by the lengths that Rias took.
I found myself within the depths of the forest, being greeted by the calming breeze of exuding petrichor. My eyes proceeded to search intently for the brave knight. We caught glimpse of each other and the blink of an eye, he was bowing in front of me.
Just when I thought that Rias had already given his all, now standing before me was proof that he was all the more better than how I could ever expect him to be. Even in death, he never failed to protect us. I could never be more grateful, my darling. Mere words will never be enough to express just how much you and our Tia mean to me.
Carefully, I placed my daughter in the knight's arms. "Protect my Tia for me, Sir." I lowered my head as I implored such a burdensome request. When I raised my head, I was met with fierce and determined eyes. I could just feel the willpower that he possessed. As if telling me that he was willing to risk―give―his life for the sake of my daughter. And while I was remorseful that we were being a liability to him, it could never be compared to the gratitude that I felt.
"It is of my own volition, my lady. The captain placed the little miss in my protection since the day that she was born and almost immediately, she was able to find her place in my heart. I would be damned―I will damn myself if I were not able to fulfill my duty."
I smiled and nodded as I gave him my thanks. Maybe... if sir knight were to live, he could give Tia the parental love that her father and I would fail to give her. My gaze drifted back to my daughter, having so little time left together.
My hand went to stroke her hair one last time. Her locks that were a deeper golden color that mirrored her father's rather than mine of a very pale ivory, and I cherished the strands of hair that were as pure as snow mixed in between. She leaned into my touch as my thumb reached her cheek, and I couldn't help but let a few more of my tears fall.
Suddenly, the ground started to rumble, getting more turbulent by the second. I took a deep breath and kissed my Tia goodbye, giving the knight my words of parting as I ordered him to run. Run away to the east, where they will never reach her.
"I love you," I whispered into the air as I gazed at my daughter's disappearing figure. My eyes found its way to look at the stars, reminiscing the fondest of my memories. Our daughter is safe now, Rias. We'll be together again soon.
A smile swept onto my face as I went back to where the enemies were, ready to fend of anyone that dared to follow my daughter. They wanted to kill us all off. Surely, they wouldn't let my Tia escape so easily. I was proven to be correct for just as I stepped outside into the open, I was promptly met with one of the faces that I have come to loathe with my whole being.
A pair of hands wrapped its fingers around my neck, suffocating me. The sadistic bastard took advantage of my many wounds and planned on taking my life away slowly.
But I wasn't going to let my final act conclude with an anticlimactic ending. Instead of waiting for the monster to end me in my limp state, I gathered all of the mana that I could take in an attempt to end myself on my own accord.
I tightened my grip on the arm holding me up, smirking as I spat my blood on the blurred face in front of mine. In turn, the grip on my neck started to loosen, knowing full well what I was about to do. "Have fun healing this, you fucking asshole."
Crackles of blinding light came out of the woman. She emitted ice so cold that it shed layers of her captor's skin and an energy so concentrated that it burned her foe's numbing muscles. In an instant, the whole area within a mile radius was engulfed with her deadly magic, involving most of the enemies scavenging for her daughter within the forest in the crossfire.
The end of a brave woman's efforts bore two seemingly lifeless bodies. One, undeniably a corpse. While the other, who was hanging on the numerous shards of ice that pierced several parts of their indistinguishably fried body, struggled to breathe and was left on the brink of death.
October 10, 5:00 AM (Hage)
Father Orsi was on his way to the farm to collect the church's supply of nomotatoes. A bit groggy from just waking up, he headed onto a creek near the fields to wash his face away from sleep. Taking care of the two newborns that he took in that same month was starting to take a toll on him.
Stumbling lightly amongst the scattered rocks, he didn't notice that the last "rock" he stumbled upon was, in fact, not one of the solid minerals.
Reaching the creek, he washed his face, the other half of his consciousness slowly returning to him. With his mind alight came the ability to notice the mellow note of soft cries. Ones that only started when he accidentally kicked it earlier. Flustered, he immediately faced to the direction from which he came from. About a meter away from him, near one of the bushes, was another newborn.
Her cries harmonized with the peaceful flowing of the water, surrounding Father Orsi with a certain calm ambience.
As he approached the basket of the newborn, her appearance slowly came in to view. It was as if she knew that someone was approaching her by the way her breathing immediately slowed and her cries became silent. She had a blank look on her face and kept her eyes wide.
Orsi Orfai was taken aback by her sudden behaviour. She's probably been put in this situation a lot of times already for her to have adapted such an action. He held a small frown that he made into a smile at the sight of her, wanting to seem approachable for the newborn.
He kneeled in front of the basket where she laid, having a soft look in his eyes. He was going to take her in.
Father Orsi glanced at her short tousled hair. They were a golden blonde that mingled with the sunlight. Her eyes were a striking sea green, containing an enigmatic origin being overshadowed by a sense of child-like innocence. As she let her guard down, her stubby fists started to rub her face then proceeded to reach out to the man looking upon her.
Like most newborns, she was letting out soft whimpers as she moved, taking every bit of effort that she could muster.
Orsi moved her blanket down to read her name. "Eris.. huh?" Eris wobbled in her place at the name that she was called.
The man lifted her well sewn basket up with her still placed inside it. As he held the basket, he felt faint traces of magic. It was most likely a spell that hid her and faded once he came in contact with it. The newborn's mana pool overpowered it greatly that he didn't realize the traces on the basket until he held it.
'Perhaps she was a noble,' Father assumed. Deciding to think about it later, he started to coo as he made his way back to the church.
"Hm.. another one, huh? In the same month as the two, even." It was quite the odd occurrence for him. Was October leave your newborn in the orphanage month? Not once in all the years that he's ran the church has he gotten three children in one month. All newborns, no less.
"Shh, there's a good girl." He smiled fondly as he rocked the basket. The newborn replied to him with a small smile. "You're quite a sweet one, aren't you."
"You look about the same age as the other two. Maybe... a little younger?" He mumbled as he observed the size of the child's body as well as the length of her hair. His eyes caught a necklace placed beside her, previously tucked in below her blanket. "Oh, you also have one... Do you know Yuno, little Eris?" Orsi asked as he wiped some dust off her cheek. Eris then grabbed his finger once he mentioned the name he had gotten used to calling. He raised his eyebrow at this, thinking that maybe she did.
Eris slowly drifted off to sleep as she held his finger. Father chuckled quietly. "Or maybe she just reached out because she wanted to hold my hand as she slept."
The thought that she and Yuno might be relatives crossed his mind, but it was quickly phased out. They looked nothing alike. Too different from each other to even make a connection. Although they both held a certain comparable air to them.
The stone on Eris's necklace was purple with a white star in the middle and seven moon phases―excluding the full moon―of different colors surrounding it. As if the star was the sun and the moons represented the colors of a rainbow.
"Well, no matter who you are and how you began, you don't have to worry anymore." He says as he looked towards the sunrise, enthralled by the varying hues that filled the sky as the sun woke up from its slumber.
As of today, the little girl would have a home. Together with Father, Asta, and Yuno.
Father smiled at the thought. Such special children they are.