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"Finally I get to one-up you!"
Not long after saying those vague words, Nadge-Sparrow had fled the scene cowardly. Somehow he's not sure what that sparrow was after. But at least now he knows who was it that had taken over Archimedel's work at cultivating the new parasitic Jyamato and releasing them all around, even though technically his current DesiGra hadn't actually started on its 'game rounds'. At least, properly.
"Your sister's fate has likely been sealed by now..."
Ace paused for a moment as he was reminded of what Nadge-Sparrow had said to Tycoon. It should be alright, right? It's the reason why he told Tycoon to head to the place where Hakubi was last seen, while he kept the sparrow at bay. That should be the right decision, shouldn't it? Tycoon should be able to deal with it without him, right?
But somehow no matter how many times Ace tried to reassure himself that things should be alright, he still couldn't help having a bad feeling in his gut.
That shouldn't be a bad sign... right?
But...
Things don't always go the way you want, do they? Especially for things you desire most...
The moment he returned to the Desire Lounge, he already sensed that something was terribly wrong.
"Wha—what happened?"
His sister had turned towards him, looking so distraught—as if she had just been crying her eyes out moments before. But before he could ask what was wrong, Ace's attention was drawn towards the holographic display screen in front of him...
...and Ace suddenly felt as if his heart had just fallen into a bottomless pit.
Why—?
Why was Keiwa crying? Why was he looking so sorrowful... and why was Buffa lying on the ground?
"Sis—ter?" Ace turned his head towards Tsumuri as he barely could voice out the question he wanted to ask her at the moment...
"Sara-san...!" Tsumuri gasped as Ace found himself running out towards where Buffa and Tycoon were at—!
×××
The sun barely had set when he arrived at the scene. And it felt strangely empty...
Ace turned around as he saw Buffa stumbling forward, trying to leave. Ace grabbed the man by the collar and started shouting at the man.
"What... happened?"
And then Buffa spoke calmly, and he couldn't really tell if it was from shock or he really didn't care... but Buffa really confirmed the fear that he had been keeping inside his heart.
"Tycoon's sister... I killed her. It was a wholly different type of Jyamato... after I cut her down... she was swallowed into the ground."
It felt as if there was an invisible hand crushing the air out of his lungs at the moment. And there was a strange buzz inside his head...
If he was already like this for someone not directly related to him, how would—!
"Where... where is he? Where's Kei—Tycoon right now?" he gasped as Michinaga pushed Ace off him.
"How should I know—?"
×××
It had suddenly started raining... and it wasn’t just a mild storm. It was as if the weather itself was sensing the turmoil that just happened at this place.
Ace had been running around frantically, trying to call out for Keiwa. But because of the strong winds and heavy rain, his voice barely travelled far to reach anyone.
"Where are you? Keiwa!"
But suddenly he thought he heard a voice screaming so he just followed the direction he thought the voice had come from. And then he saw it... Keiwa was kneeling on the ground, being drenched in the rain and crying.
He wanted to rush towards Keiwa right away, but it seemed as if his feet were pinned to the ground. Keiwa started crying again—howling—as if he was expressing his sorrow with his whole body. Ace watched helplessly as Keiwa grasped their chest hard, as if the effort of crying was wearing them down... making it harder and harder to breathe. It's almost like Ace could feel the same pain and sorrow clutching his heart.
It made him think about his mother. And the pain he felt when he had to see his mother's marble body started to break into pieces... as she cried out painfully in silence. He was reminded of the dark flames of hatred that rushed into his being as he thought of how long Suel and his minions had used and tortured his mother—
—he had wished for everything to be destroyed into cinders at that moment.
A great burst of lightning suddenly lit the area, followed by a loud sound of thunder—and Ace thought he saw a looming black figure standing behind Keiwa. But then he blinked—and the figure was gone.
And for some reason, whatever hold that kept him rooted in his spot was gone and Ace rushed over towards Keiwa. Ace knelt beside Keiwa to check on them, and maybe finally take them away from continuing to be pelted with the harsh droplets of rain and the cold. But before he could do anything, Keiwa suddenly rushed to grasp him... as if realising that he was nearby. Keiwa's eyes were blank, unseeing... as he clung to Ace's body like some lifeline that they needed to keep them alive. Ace held Keiwa's body tighter as both of them continued to be soaked under the rain with only their body heat to keep each other warm.
After a while, Keiwa's breathing started to calm down and Keiwa lost consciousness... and Ace gently carried him home without a word.
×××
Ace did as much as he could think of—taking out Keiwa's wet clothes and drying him and putting a set of dry clothes on Keiwa before setting him onto the bed, making sure that his friend remained warm. He thought about preparing something for Keiwa to eat later... but later changed his mind about it. Because he doubted that Keiwa would've had any appetite anyway after everything that just happened.
So afterwards Ace hurriedly left the place, leaving Keiwa behind. Because as much as he wanted to stay with Keiwa, he was suddenly gripped with unexplained terror.
The black figure... the dark fury inside of his heart that he thought had been extinguished the day he took on the form of Geats IX.
For some reason, he felt that he shouldn't be around Keiwa when his friend woke up afterwards. Not just because he feared the wrath that would be unleashed afterwards from Keiwa. But more because he was afraid of what he'd end up doing if he remained by Keiwa's side. He might end up causing even more destruction compared to the time he was fighting Niram.
What was it that he was supposed to do now... with Keiwa? What could he do to ease Keiwa's heart, which was now full of pain and sorrow? Ace didn't know what to do... he was at a loss for what to do.
So he left...
And days later... Ace would end up regretting that he hadn't been there when Keiwa needed him the most.