All Web Novel
873. Longing For The Future (Arc 8 Epilogue Beginning)
873. Longing For The Future (Arc 8 Epilogue Beginning)
“I’m not the biggest believer in true love.”
Snap panned the camera to shoot a close-up of Cer minutes after Frost and Jury sealed their vows. She sat at the foot of a hill overlooking the celebration with a cathartic look.
“About a million ways it can go wrong. Hah. I wonder if mom and that bastard Typhon were ever in love in the first place. Mom passed the baton over to Frost. Who would’ve guessed that the weird human we had to recover would take us in as her own.”
She purposefully immersed herself in a bed of blue dahlias. Fragments of the past flashed in Snap’s camera. Old, shriveled and malnourished Cers surrounded her, as did Cer’s of a not-so-distant past. They disappeared into fine, golden particles as she pulled her hair back and smiled into Snap’s camera.
“Snap, I never got to thank you for showing mom that photo, did I? Don’t move, or I’ll bite you.”
Snap did not avoid Cer’s hand.
The adverse reactions that people used to have towards Cer were long gone. Though in the first place, it was never out of spite but more of as a running gag. At least not by the people close to her.
“I’m kidding.”
Like Ber, she wasn’t often surrounded by people. The twins and Galia were really the only people she considered close. Now, there were Healers who approached her with a carefree attitude, some offering her plates of food, skewers, or flowers.
Healers couldn’t hide their innate curiosity. Awestruck eyes looked up at her. Hands fiddled with the hems of their clothes. They argued innocently amongst each other, vying for Cer’s attention.
In the past, these would have been hurling stones at her.
“I’ve been thinking about what I want to do now. I’m practically a wolf without a moon to howl at. But I’ll find something soon. Love is in the air, huh? Did I ever tell anyone that I had someone I liked?”
“Brrr!?”
“Huh? What’s with that reaction!?”
* * *
“Expression is a beautiful thing, isn’t it Snap?”
Rows of meaty sausages and skewers sizzled atop a roaring grill. Ber expertly manned the outdoor kitchen with a brigade of Healers and several Moons. The Healers took on easy roles, such as food preparation, tasting, or occasionally stirring the cauldron of delicious, meaty or vegetable stews. Moons on the other hand helped Ber with everything else. She delegated as sweat dripped from her forehead.
Seeing how worked up Ber was over cooking caused the Moons to often stop and stare at her, admiring her passion for a role outside of fighting. The way she conducted the kitchen was not out of duty, but because of her love for cooking.
“It’s about time they sealed the deal. Look at Frost go. You wouldn’t think she was the ruler of the Nexus. Hey, Snap. Do you remember when Frost first told us her secret? I was happy. I had no way of knowing if I’d be able to accept myself, or if people would accept me if they knew who I really am.”
Snippets of a despaired Ber flashed as the woman smiled.
There was a time when Ber felt like there was no place for her in the world but her prison. She was exiled from not only her village, but also from herself. The stoic Ber who never used to talk to people was now delegating tasks, greeting guests and expressing her heart all with an eccentric flair.
“The Nexus keeps on growing. There’ll be plenty more mouths to feed. Not a lot of Moons know the concept of a warm meal. We’re all doing our part to break free from the past.”
The scowls and impassiveness that plagued the Moons had been broken down to the point where that stoicism became a formality rather than who they truly were. Smiles were everywhere. The Moons who helped Ber were inexperienced, and their faces reflected the genuine curiosity and humiliation that people took for granted.
“Since you’re here – what can I get you~?”
* * *
“Ayel Aun Canvas once said that the ugly and beautiful make up the colors of the world.”
Res recited the wise words of the man who taught her of a world she refused to see.
“My pessimism stopped me from seeing the world for what it is. Hardships help build a foundation for the paint, so that the vibrant colors can pop out more.”
She painted a picture of the ceremony with the tip of her tail. It would tip into an imaginary bucket of paint, transforming the tip into whatever color she wanted. A skewer entered the view of the camera as Snap offered her one.
“How thoughtful of you. Lately it feels like people have been taking care of me… This breeze is good. Reminds me of winter. Snap, have you ever wondered what lies beyond our shores?”
The video feed cut to a short montage of Res’ past. How she witnessed the massacre of their village and sightings of the incomprehensible beyond the horizon. How it ultimately led to her wanting to shield her eyes away from the world, and why she felt so much guilt towards Ber who couldn’t live the life she wanted.
Her eyes moved to the eccentric Ber and then to a Cer who was being dragged away by Healers.
She giggled. “I do too. One day, we’ll find out what really lurks out there. What the Stars are. I bet you they’re nothing like our Stars. Frost, the Arbiter, and – our resident Cer.”
The fear she once had of the unknown was replaced with optimism. No matter how dark the world was, there was always a chance for brighter colors to emerge.
* * *
“Mn. Snap. Bzzt.”
Ignis sensed Snap’s presence immediately. She stood around in the ceremony with the Sanguine Doves, exchanging crimson tools, weapons and accessories that were disguised as nondescript items.
“Bzzt~!”
“Did you want to play with me as well?”
The young girl had cultivated an immense level of trust between her and the Healers. For a person who wasn’t a Healer, she had the gift to cure what was beyond the scope of even the most powerful Healers.
Naturally, the Sanguine Doves – who were Healers that could control blood – flocked to Ignis. Frost was still new to how blood manipulation worked, so Ignis was the next best person. Enoch was undoubtedly the best choice, but not many knew just how powerful Enoch’s blood manipulation was.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
“Hm. Frost is always happy as can be. I read mama’s diary once. She said marrying papa was the happiest day of her life. But papa says that having me was her happiest moment. I won’t be sad for mama’s sake. Papa…”
Her life as a lone child made her dependent on people around her. But after Corrupting she felt like she had become distant. Her cold demeanor was an artificial wall that she couldn’t help but keep up.
She placed a hand on her chest and fondly looked inwards where her father resided.
“He wouldn’t want to see me cry again.”
The Ignis who once believed that she was the root cause of people’s suffering became a person who people flocked to for help. Pieces of her were used to create her items. They didn’t hurt the people who wielded it. Instead, it granted them a quality of life that couldn’t be found anywhere else.
Healers didn’t have to be afraid of being hurt so long as they had her tailormade backpacks. Right now, she had found success in creating a functional heart, lungs, and various organs. The brain and eyes were still out of reach, but she had hope.
“Lots of Repenters and Impuritas can be used to discover more things about the body. It sounds cruel, but they did crueler things to us. The red Healers want to help… People die too easily. People lose what makes them a person before they realize it. I was a slime once.”
Slimes followed her wherever she went. One appeared from behind her shoulder and snuggled against her cheek.
“I didn’t have eyes. It’ll take some more time before I can help Stella. Did you hear? She wants to go to school at the Academy. It’ll be hard for her, but I’ll do my best to grant her wish. Like Frost did for me. Does Dr. Ignis sound weird?”
“Zzzzt!”
“No? Mn. I want to make it a reality. I’m still young, but people listen to me like a teacher. I like teaching too. It’s fun. Wanna come with me? I was about to get a glass of milk. I like milk.”
Ignis’ cold demeanor broke into a warm, childish smile.
“It reminds me that I never was hated.”