Trying to Save my Favorite Character from His Tragic Fate

Chapter 95: Inside Kyrie's Memories

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The old shaman collects the tapes, merging them into a glowing diamond-shaped object that floats inside her boney, long hands. Interlocking her fingers while pressing the object between her hands, she murmurs a long and strenuous enchantment, and when she spreads her arms wide, the diamond-shaped object expands and forms a round mirror with a thin frame. 

Then, scenes of Kyrie's memories start to project on the mirror.

Everyone stops and stares at the memories of the man who only wished to save his favorite character.

The memories projected in the mirror quickly change from one scene to the next, all showing Kyrie reading the novel at different stages of his life. They all watch Kyrie grow over time, what places he has gone, and what mood he was in.

Throughout the memories that they watched, only the novel remained unchanged.

The novel gave Kyrie strength. He loved the courage from his favorite character, so he also gathered the courage to change his own life. 

***

Wearing a graduation gown, Kyrie walks out of the school building. He watches the parents and graduate students reunite after the ceremony. In all of the parents' arms hold at least a bouquet, and they receive their children in open arms.

Kyrie clenches the side of his diploma as he stands away from the main crowd. Although he misses his parents, he stands proud while watching his classmates' warm interactions, "Ian, I got through high school"

Another scene flashes onto the mirror. Now, Kyrie sits in front of his computer. His heart thumps loudly as he clicks to read the email that just came.

He throws his fists in the air and dances around the room while giggling like a maniac. Letting his body slump on the couch, he lets out a sigh since he has worked and studied intensely for the summer, and he looks at the ceiling while whispering, "Ian, I got into my dream university"

Then, the scene flashes again.

Kyrie looks haggard, and his eyes red and tired. He carries a small bag on his shoulder while leaving the hospital room. He turns back to look at the hospital bed he stayed in for months after getting betrayed and beaten close to death. He straightens his expression with eyes that are filled with a renewed spirit, "Ian, I got through the hardest chapter in my story, but I will be brave and move forward again."

Another scene comes in.

Kyrie's forehead beads with sweat, and his hair is long and tied back. He dries his sweat off his chin on his sleeve. He has run out of the kitchen through the back door to receive an important call. While responding to the call, Kyrie nods while replying to the caller. His eyes tear up. When he ends the call, he slumps down. Tears trickle from his eyes, but he lifts his head, holding back from balling his eyes out. 

"Ian, I finally got into the job that I wanted." 

Tears roll down from his eyes. He has applied for more than a hundred jobs, and finally, he has been able to find the job he wanted.

"Kyrie!" An angry voice comes from the kitchen, "We need you! Come back quick!"

"Yes, chef! Coming!" Kyrie rushes to the kitchen after drying his tears.

Throughout Kyrie's happiest, saddest, angriest, and most confusing life moments, he spent them with courage that he gained from a novel character. There might be some people who would never understand, but the meaning behind things that are kept close to the heart; only that heart's owner can truly grasp the depth and importance.

The train appears in the mirror. 

Kyrie couldn't stop his tears despite squinting his eyes to focus as hard as he could when he read through a particular paragraph. He had to stop several times to wipe his tears since his vision would blur. When he reached the end of the page, Kyrie continued to scroll up in hopes of a continuation. Nonetheless, he meets with just two words on the footer of the current page - the end.

Ian's heart breaks as he watches Kyrie's anguish. Kyrie continuously wiped his tears with his sleeves as he tried to calm himself down but failed. 

Then, Ian watches Kyrie meet the small god, Yue. Despite watching the shocking revelation, Ian, still with tears in his eyes, chuckles when Kyrie got scared out of his wits when Yue appeared in front of him as a little girl. 

He watches Kyrie deciding to enter into a completely different world for his sake.

'I can be the one who can protect him! I can be the one to make him happy! I will make him happy at all costs!!!' Kyrie's internal thoughts sound from the mirror.

Kyrie's unyielding resolve takes Ian's breath away. 

***

'How foolish' Ian couldn't control a whimper from escaping. 

Even throughout the lives he has experienced from all the loops, nothing has prepared him to deal with such overwhelming warmth that invades his heart. Kyrie's sacrifice almost seems too good for him. He is nothing but a grim reaper, a curse to anyone who meets him. He would never hope that his wretched life could become a strength for another.

'How can you confuse courage with my inability to face the people who await me on the other side?'

Ian squints his eyes to regain his focus. Bloodlust slips from his body when he pins his eyes on Sil. He clutches his hand from the reattached arm. Walking towards Sil, he gulps down the mana potion he picks up from the floor. Releasing his mana, he quickens his pace towards Sil.

He swiftly summons shadows who follow him as they swim through the ground. The shadows shoot up like stakes, penetrating through numerous parts of Sil's body. Sil gasps in pain and his clothes start to dye with the blood that gushes from his wounds. 

Ian slams his sword down towards Sil, who catches it with his own hands. The sword digs into Sil's palms. 

"Aren't you glad that you know now?"

Ian deepens his frown when Sil dares to say such words. 

"At least you know the things that Kyrie always likes to hide within him! Aren't you happy to see such devotion? I was with him all those times, and all he thought was you!!!"

Sil summons all his strength and pushes the sword away. The sword has torn some skin off the sword when the blood coagulated on top. 

"Aren't you glad that all he thinks about is you?" Sil's voice breaks, "Even though Even though I was there! I was right next to him!"

Ian shakes in anger, "You simply don't get it, do you?? You don't take advantage of the people you love!"

Ian speeds towards Sil, but Cynthia interrupts in between. She breaks Ian's sword, and Ian backs up to deflect the shadows that sneak up on him from everywhere. 

"You don't touch what belongs to me," Cynthia's expression darkens as her eyeballs bulge in rage.

Ian quickly looks at Kyrie, who is still floating in the air. Noticing the sound of footsteps walking towards him, he turns to see that Imogen and Laurel have joined him.

Laurel sniffles while she dries off her tears, and Imogen possesses an eerie silence while she gazes forward.