In a dark corner, space fluctuated violently before a crack opened up and expelled a man and two women.
They were instantly hit by a huge chaotic space current and almost blew away. Thankfully, the defenses they propped up at the last minute saved them. But their defenses didn't stop them from being hit by the gray space currents.
Sarah carefully held the unconscious Varian in her shield while Enigma covered him in gravity armor. They held two shields around themselves as well.
But with the sound of glass cracking, their shields started to crack as countless small gray particles hit them. It was an endless storm that wanted to devour them whole.
If they were at their peak, Enigma and Sarah wouldn't have a problem staying in this chaotic space for a whole day. But now they're already tired from suppressing the Undead.
They wouldn't even last an hour. So, the women decided to check out the surroundings to reach a safer location.
But all they could see was the sea of gray currents in the endless darkness. Not even the twinkle of a single star was visible in this gloomy space.
Thankfully, Enigma herself had Darkness powers and easily explored the location. Sarah, on the other hand, waved her hand and spread out a light wave, illuminating the surroundings.
However, all they could sense and see were gray space currents and gray space particles.
They moved from one place to another using their powers but it all seemed the same. While they had already moved hundreds of miles, it felt like they didn't even move an inch.
It was so frustrating that even the usually calm Enigma sighed and called for a break. Since she was tired from the earlier battle, Sarah agreed.
A white barrier shone in the endless darkness. Inside it, a young blonde was sitting with a young man resting on her lap. Facing her was a woman with silvery white hair and violet eyes.
The white spherical barrier carried them in space like a boat on a sea. It shook sometimes, it even had cracks, but it continued to travel without a destination.
Inside the barrier, the two women drank some potions and let their bodies recover. But even after that, they didn't utter a word and let the uncomfortable silence settle in the air.
Finally, Enigma looked at the unconscious young man and asked with a trembling voice she tried to stabilize. "…How is he?"
Sarah intertwined Varian's warm fingers with hers and rested her forehead on him. "I slowed down the time of that death energy in his body."
Enigma's heart sank at the answer but her expression didn't change. Only her shaking eyes told how she was feeling. "How many months?"
'How many months does he have left?' She couldn't bring herself to ask that.
She already checked Varian's situation and to her own despair, she realized that she couldn't do anything to the strand of energy inside him. In fact, not even a Sovereign could solve that energy.
That's why, even though her chest felt heavy at the thought of his death, she concluded that Varian couldn't be saved.
The only question was how long he would still be around.
"Months?" Sarah raised her head and looked up at Enigma with teary red eyes. "I wish we had months. I don't know if he can survive even a full month."
Enigma looked at Varian's pale face and bit her lip.
She had seen him since he was a child. She saw his bright smile. She saw him train endlessly for years without ever complaining about the lack of results.
She saw his care for Sia. She saw his tears when he nearly lost Sia. She saw his pride in his late father. She saw his maturity in enduring the school where they constantly compared him with Sia and endlessly mocked him.
She saw his madness, his despair, and his grief when he lost his mother due to the girl he cherished.
She watched him grow from the heights of optimism to the depths of despair. And pull back from that despair and face his challenges once again.
She saw a downtrodden, depressed Varian who hit absolute rock bottom in life get up again. She saw him fight, risk his life and win.
She saw him grow step by step. From someone who barely awakened to a genius who saved the world multiple times.
She watched him give his heart without holding back and risking everything for that love. She saw a man who always said he wasn't a hero but risked his life every time when he had no reason to.
She felt like a silent companion in his journey. Staying by his side, watching him, cheering for him, and wishing him a good future.
As someone who spent most of her time in endless darkness, Varian made her feel less lonely. He made a bond with her without even knowing her. And it was a bond long before she even talked to Sia.
That's why she wanted to accompany him on his journey. She wanted to see what he could achieve. She wanted to see him through all sorts of things.
But she never thought she'd see him dying in front of her eyes.
Enigma stretched her hand to touch his cheek but the repulsion stopped her at a little finger distance.
The distance of a little finger. It was nothing and everything.
"I…" Enigma felt as if a lump stuck in her throat. Her chest grew heavy and her shoulders shook.
In the end, she withdrew her hands and clenched her fists at her sides as she lowered her head and sobbed in a muffled voice.
"Liar…you liar!"
He lied to her. He lied to Sarah. He lied to Sia.
"I told you they're planning to kill you…"
She wanted him to be safe. But he didn't listen to her. He never listened.
"You promised you'll not participate in this war once you save Mars' planetoids…"
"You promised you won't come into the Despair Abyss…"
"You broke the promise!"
"Y-You liar…"
"Please…"
Please live, even if you want to lie again, I'm willing to listen.
Just...Stay alive.
