Chapter 22
Karasune
Tokiya was trapped with no one to help him. Sure, he just tamed a somewhat wild beast and survived dying, but that didn't make the punks any less threatening. There was no doubt that Tokiya could take at least three of them, but he counted seven of them. That number was something he couldn't handle.
The red-haired punk stood at the front of the group. His expression was mischievous and cocky, showing Tokiya that this delinquent might have wanted more than just money. The punk took a step forward.
"So, are you going to give us that money now? You seem smart, so I hope you'll make the right choice."
One of the delinquents shouted from the crowd.
"No smart person would walk around with that much money in their hand!"
All of the delinquents, including the red-haired punk, began laughing furiously, making Tokiya frown and suck his teeth.
"I'll admit that walking around with two gold coins in my hand wasn't the smartest move. But should I really hand over the money? I just don't see myself being able to take them all by myself. Maybe if I had some sort of weapon..."
Tokiya's eyes widened with realization. He smirked and glared at the delinquents with newfound confidence.
"No, I won't give you the money. I think it's about time you punks learned a lesson."
He quickly reached inside his jacket and pulled out the purple dagger that Karasu gave him. He waved it around in a mocking way now that he had the upper hand. However, this didn't give him the reaction he expected. Instead of running away out of fear, the delinquents stared at him with blank expressions. After a short moment of silence, they all burst into laughter again.
Tokiya stared in awe as he began waving the dagger frantically.
"Y-You don't know what I've been through. I'm not afraid to stab you if you keep messing with me."
Tokiya was mostly bluffing. He'd have trouble stabbing random delinquents, especially because they looked to be around the same age as him. But if he was in real danger, stabbing wasn't out of the cards.
The red-haired punk took a confident step forward.
"That's a pretty weapon you got there. Much better looking than the ones we have."
On cue, all the delinquents pulled out weapons of their own. Small knives, brass knuckles, and even a dagger from the red-haired punk. Tokiya's once mocking expression turned into one of despair as he was put back in his place. He clutched the purple dagger tightly.
"Dammit! There's nothing special about this damn dagger! Where the hell is that purple bum when you need her?"
He gulped.
"There's no way I'm going to be killed by these guys. They're not even from the Cult of the Black Sword! Should I just give them the money?"
The red-haired punk impatiently tapped the blade of the dagger on his palm.
"It's taking you too long to think. Maybe a little stab will help to speed things up!"
The red-haired punk lunged forward. Tokiya readied himself for a counterattack and clutched the dagger tightly. The dagger felt warm and became increasingly warm the tighter he held it. He could feel a magical energy flowing throughout the handle. Strangely, Tokiya felt as if the purple dagger was alive.
The blade of the red-haired punk descended upon Tokiya, and just as he prepared to dodge and launch an attack of his own, a blinding light emanated from the purple dagger. The red-haired punk reflexively backed up, and so did Tokiya. However, Tokiya just hit the wall that trapped him in the alley in the first place.
When the light subsided, Tokiya looked down at his left hand which was holding the dagger. But it was no longer there. He looked up frantically. Standing in front of him was the small figure of a child. She had long, purple hair and a purple coat to match. Her appearance not only resembled the dagger but Karasu too. Tokiya looked down at her with a confused expression, but before he could say anything, the red-haired punk spoke.
"What the hell? W-Was that magic?"
He stared at the child, who was standing there motionlessly with her hands at her side. Some of the delinquents were starting to rethink their decisions at the sight of magic, so the red-haired punk turned around to strengthen their resolve.
"Don't get cold feet now you punks! So what if he used magic? All he did was summon a child! And besides, he doesn't have the dagger anymore, so he just made things easier for us."
Some of the delinquents were still not too sure about the situation but found it to be problematic to defy their boss, so they stayed. The red-haired punk directed his attention back to Tokiya and the child.
"Usually, I wouldn't be so adamant about robbery, especially when children are involved. However, two gold coins is a lot of money, and I think that trumps my moral accountability."
The child finally moved, casting her right arm out in front of her. Then, she spoke.
"You are a disgrace to thieves around the world. You're willing to fight children, your band is filled with cowards, and your hair sucks. You should be ashamed of yourself. I hope you reflect on your miserable presence in the afterlife."
Her voice was monotonous but soft at the same time. Those elements combined gave her voice a creepy vibe that wasn't far off from her appearance. Despite her lack of intonation, her words carried the right malice to make her intentions clear.
Receiving a death threat from a child, magical or not, deeply wounded the red-haired punk's pride. He raised his blade.
"I'll kill you, you little shithead! Then maybe your parents will learn to raise a kid with some manners!"
The child frowned.
"Do not speak about my mother like that."
The red-haired punk's arm began to descend, but the child simply stood there with no intent of moving. She balled the hand of her outstretched arm into a fist, and at that moment, about a dozen purple feathers launched themselves into the punk's arm. He lurched back, screaming. The other delinquents stared in horror as they began slowly backing up.
The child's frown disappeared. She looked at the punks behind their leader. Suddenly, countless feathers began raining down on the punks. The red-haired punk turned to his subordinates.
"Just go! Just go! It's not worth it!"
The gang scurried off as the feathers continued to rain down. And just like that, the alley was quiet. The child remained still with her back turned to Tokiya, as she watched the feathers fade away. After a moment of quiet, Tokiya approached the child.
"Thanks for saving me."
She spun around, finally facing him. Now that he could see her face, Tokiya could see that not only did her clothes and hair resemble Karasu but so did her sharp yellow eyes which were big, fitting for a child. Honestly, she was extremely cute.
"It's fine, I don't mind. Just don't make it a habit."
The child made her way to Tokiya's side and gently grabbed his right sleeve as if she was entitled to it. There was a small ripping sound. His right sleeve was starting to fall off due to being roughed around and bitten by Mord and Drom's beast. The child stared at the tearing sleeve. Suddenly, she launched small feathers at just the right angles to tear off the sleeve.
Her face remained expressionless.
"There, now it matches the other arm. Mom wouldn't like only one arm to be sleeved."
Tokiya's eyes were wide with slight fear. He was grateful for the girl's skillful mastery of her feathers or else his arm might've been torn off. He laughed it off.
"Um, when you say mom, are you referring to Karasu?"
The child nodded.
"Indeed. Karasu is my mother. I am Karasune, the fragment regalia of Karasu."
Tokiya crouched down, so he wasn't looking down and Karasune wasn't looking up.
"A fragment regalia? What is that?"
Karasune leaned on his shoulder as if she couldn't bear to stand on her own for too long.
"It's a special type of regalia that instead of turning an individual into a regalia, takes part of their soul to create a separate entity. However, it does alter the soul heavily, making it impossible for an individual to become a regalia themselves. Fragment regalia tend to be weaker than normal regalia, but the qualifications for becoming a regalia and making a fragment regalia are the same though. You just have to be 'strong enough.'"
Tokiya raised an eyebrow.
"What does that mean?"
Karasune shrugged. She slowly stood up straight and turned to directly face Tokiya.
"We should get back to mom."
Tokiya nodded. Being with Karasu meant safety from the Cult of the Black Sword and random punks, so that was probably the best place to be. Before they left, he reached inside of his jacket and pulled out his gold coins to make sure they were still there. They were.
Karasune glanced at the coins. She extended her hands.
"Give them to me. I'll keep them safe."
Tokiya was hesitant to give that much money to a child but quickly remembered that he didn't handle the coins with much care either, so he handed them over. Once the coins were in Karasune's small hands, they suddenly transformed into one purple feather. Karasune held it up for Tokiya to see.
"Now no one will suspect a thing."
Tokiya recognized this as the technique that Karasu used to carry the berries and other supplies.
"That's the same technique Karasu used. Can you use temporal magic too?"
Karasune handed the feather to Tokiya as she shook her head.
"This feather carrying technique is mine only. When mom showed it off to you earlier, it was actually me doing all the work. Besides the bullet feather technique, which is something we share, I have no other magical capabilities. No temporal or dark magic like mom."
Tokiya chuckled.
"That's just like Karasu to make someone else's technique seem like her own."
"She means well, I promise."
"Haha, I'm sure she does. Anyways, let's actually get moving this time now."
Karasune nodded. She stretched her tiny arms up and looked at Tokiya pleadingly.
"Carry me. On your back."
Tokiya had observed her dislike for standing on her own from her leaning on his shoulder holding his arm, but he didn't think it would extend to her walking. She didn't look frail, but maybe she was hiding a weak body underneath her coat.
"Um, ok..."
Tokiya crouched down, allowing Karasune to get on his back. His body still hadn't fully recovered from recent events, but he could handle this much. Karasune softly spoke into his ear.
"My mom and I are connected by her mana being in me right now, so I can guide you to her."
This connection reminded Tokiya of Ubi and the Librarian. It seemed like fragment regalia really did function similarly to regular regalia. Holding onto Tokiya with one hand, Karasune extended her other arm and pointed up.
"Forward!"
Tokiya chuckled at what was clearly meant to be an encouraging exclamation. However, it didn't come across like that due to Karasune's unchanging monotone voice.
The two began walking throughout the military outpost, Karasune commanding her loyal steed. On their walk they crossed paths with a rough looking guy, but he immediately crossed the street at the sight of them. It seemed like word of a pathetic guy and his tiny protector spread quickly.
Eventually, they tracked down Karasu, who was sitting on a short stone wall in front of an inn. She was staring at the sky but quickly ditched her thoughtful state when she noticed them coming. Tokiya waved as they approached, causing Karasu to merrily wave back.
"Aw, look at you two already getting along so well."
Karasune hopped off Tokiya's back and ran up to Karasu. Being hugged tightly by the little girl, Karasu pleasantly patted her on the head. Tokiya couldn't help but feel warm inside.
"You didn't tell me the dagger you gave me was a whole entire person."
Karasu grinned, still patting Karasune on the head.
"It was a pleasant surprise, wasn't it? Although, I do have to wonder what could've happened that caused Karasune to have to protect you."
"I'd rather not get into that..."
Karasu let out an uncontrolled laugh as Tokiya stood there frowning. Karasune looked at him with an odd form of sympathy.
"Don't worry, Toki. With me by your side, you'll never have to feel scared again."
Karasu ruffled the small girl's hair as if rewarding her for her statement. Tokiya raised an eyebrow.
"Toki?"
Karasune nodded her head.
"Yup. That's what mom calls you when you're not around."
An appalled expression came onto Tokiya's face. He instinctively took a few steps back with his hands defensively in front of him.
"S-She really calls me that? Damn it, how can one person be so creepy. It certainly doesn't help that she does it when I'm not around."
Karasune frowned.
"Please don't speak about my mom like that."
Pleased that her "daughter" was defending her, Karasu shot a pointed finger at Tokiya.
"Yeah, don't talk about me like that, you ungrateful brat! Do you know how much I've done for you?"
Tokiya stood his ground and pointed back at Karasu.
"That doesn't mean you can't be a creep! And don't defend her, Karasune! In fact, don't call her mother either! Just the thought of Karasu being someone's parents sends shivers down my spine."
Karasu put a hand over her heart. Her voice became wobbly in an attempt to seem hurt.
"I understand how you see me, Tokiya. Be that way!"
Karasu sharply turned around and ran into the inn they were standing in front of. Tokiya stared at the scene with a blank expression and rubbed his forehead.
"She's so dramatic."
Karasune walked up to him. She kicked him. It didn't hurt, but Tokiya knew she could've made it if she wanted to. She stared up at him. Unlike Karasu, she looked genuinely hurt.
"Don't say that ever again."
A small shiver was sent down Tokiya's body. He didn't really mean what he said to Karasu. Sure, he found some of her tendencies weird, but he was genuinely grateful for her. He gulped.
"Sure..."
After his confirmation, Karasune's face returned to her default blank expression.
"Good. Because if you kept saying stuff like that, you'd be a terrible son."
"Son?"
Karasune nodded as if Tokiya should've found this normal.
"You're like my big brother, so if I'm Karasu's daughter, you must be her son."
Tokiya tried not to react with his face, but it was sort of difficult.
"What is this weird family dynamic these two are making up? I think I liked it better when there was only one of them."
He gently turned Karasune towards the inn and ushered her in its direction.
"Let's go inside before this conversation starts going places I don't like. Although, putting you together might make things worse."
He whispered the last part underneath his breath.
With his hand on Karasune's back, Tokiya guided her into the inn. It was a small place with warm lighting. The building was only two stories tall, and all the rooms were on the second floor, which seemed like it only had two or three rooms. Upon their entrance, the innkeeper lifted his head and addressed them.
"Are you two with the young lady who just entered?"
Tokiya nodded.
"Yes, sir."
He was still holding onto Karasune's shoulder. Given her previous display, he wasn't sure if letting go was the right thing to do or not. Either way, the action made him feel very brotherly. He shook the thought out of his head.
The innkeeper pointed to the stairs.
"She's in room number one. It's perfect for couples with young children."
"Couples? Children?"
Tokiya grabbed Karasune's hand and stormed towards the stairs. He knew the innkeeper had no ill intent, but he absolutely refused to entertain any more false familial dynamics placed upon him. After practically dragging Karasune up the stairs, they arrived at the room labeled with the number one.
In the corridor that the stairs led to, the room labeled "one" was on the left side while the second and third rooms were on the right side. Presumably, the second and third rooms were smaller than the first.
Tokiya knocked on the door. A voice from within answered.
"Go away. I'm not talking to you."
He frowned.
"I'm not playing around, Karasu."
"Humph, neither am I."
"Damn it. You realize by doing this you're also locking Karasune out of the room too. Idiot."
Karasune squeezed his hand as a warning. There was no response from Karasu, but the sound of her approaching the door could be heard. Eventually, the door slowly creaked open.
"Fine. Come in."
Tokiya led Karasune into the room. It was indeed a spacious room with two beds, two desks, and many other things to fill the space. Karasune immediately let go of Tokiya's hand and dashed towards one of the beds. She threw herself on her bed of choice and sunk into its soft surface.
Karasu ushered Tokiya further into the room.
"Well, don't just stand there. I hope you know I'm not actually mad at you."
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
Tokiya sat at one of the desks.
"So, how was your job?"
Karasu groaned, and her posture slumped.
"Ugh, don't remind me. It wasn't hard. I just used my magic to get a lot of money, but still... Working just isn't my thing."
"Haha, you're such a child. But you must've gotten a lot of money if you were able to get a room like this."
Karasu pouted.
"What about you? How was your job?"
Tokiya shrugged.
"Oh, mine was pretty normal. I just casually tamed a giant dog monster."
Karasu chuckled.
"Wow, look at you doing big things. And I see you finally fixed your asymmetrical sleeves too. Although, I am curious. How'd you manage to pull something like that off?"
He tilted his head to the side and leaned back in his chair.
"That's the strange part. It just sort of happened. Maybe I'm just naturally talented. Oh shit, that sounded like you."
Karasu didn't respond to Tokiya's comment, but she certainly didn't ignore it. In fact, she seemed to dwell on it longer than anything else Tokiya had already said.
The two went on talking about their experiences that day. Eventually, it began to get late, and the sky turned a charming orange. Tokiya turned around to check on Karasune. She was fast asleep on the same bed she flopped on earlier. Karasu followed his gaze.
"She's certainly a capable one, and she's definitely mature for her age. However, she's still a child, so you might have to be patient with her sometimes."
Tokiya continued to stare at the sleeping child's form.
"For her age? Do regalia age?"
Karasu shook her head.
"Oh, no, they don't. She'll be like that forever. It's just that she's still relatively young. Oh wait, you don't know what fragment regalia are."
Tokiya directed his gaze towards Karasu.
"Actually, Karasune explained it to me."
Karasu blushed and put her hands on her cheeks.
"Aw, look at her taking matters into her own hands. They grow so fast!"
For a moment the two of them just stared fondly at Karasune. From an outsider's perspective, the scene was extremely odd. Karasu pat Tokiya's shoulder.
"You should rest. We're heading to Ardston tomorrow, so tonight will be the last night you'll sleep on a bed until we get there. Sleep well, farmer."
Tokiya stood up from his chair and stretched with a groan.
"We've certainly come a long way. Who knew my life could change so much in such a short amount of time."
Karasu smiled.
"You've changed too, you know?"
Tokiya turned around and began to speak, but he was suddenly pushed onto the empty bed by Karasu. Before he could stand up to rebut, Karasu had already gotten onto the other bed with Karasune.
"Don't be so grumpy, Toki~. Learn how to take a joke, ok?"
Once again, Tokiya began to speak, but he gave in and simply smiled.
"Good night, Karasu."
*****
When morning came, Tokiya was the first to wake up. It was really early and only just getting light outside. Tokiya tried to go back to sleep, but no matter how long he lay in his bed, sleep was impossible. After about fifteen difficult minutes, Tokiya leaped out of the bed.
He turned to the bed next to him. Karasu and Karasune were cuddled up on the bed, looking very comfortable.
"I guess that's kinda cute..."
Tokiya looked around the room for something to occupy himself with. It was a pretty clean inn room, so there wasn't any cleaning that needed to be done. There were a few mysterious sacks in the corner of the room that he hadn't noticed before, but he left it alone. He noticed that on one of the desks was a row of books. Tokiya shrugged, deciding to give reading a try.
He sat down and picked up the first book he saw. It was rather thick and titled "Knight of Dawn."
"An adventure book? Should be interesting."
It was indeed an interesting book. If it wasn't, Tokiya's poor attention span wouldn't have allowed him to keep on reading. However, after about an hour and a half of reading, Tokiya was only on page fifteen. Unsurprisingly, never going to school or being formally taught how to read makes it very hard to read a book, especially one with such advanced language as the one he was reading.
"Damn it. What does this word even mean? And why is it so long? Ah!"
A gentle tap on his shoulder surprised him into screaming. It was just Karasune.
"Oh, good morning, Karasune."
She responded in her usual monotone voice, but it sounded a bit sleepy.
"Good morning, Toki."
Tokiya frowned at the nickname, but Karasune just continued speaking.
"I'm hungry."
Karasune rubbed her stomach, making sure Tokiya understood what she meant. He put the book down to give her his undivided attention, but he was also glad to be done with it.
"Well, we should probably be eating breakfast if we're going to leave soon. I didn't know spirits had to eat though."
"We don't. We don't have to sleep either, but I just like to eat."
"So, you're not really hungry?"
"No, I just like to eat."
Tokiya sighed. He got up from his chair and pat Karasune on the head reassuringly.
"Let's start the day."
Karasune nodded underneath his hand. Tokiya directed his attention to Karasu, shaking her gently.
"Wake up, Karasu."
She groaned and refused to get up. Tokiya's shaking became rougher.
"Wake up!"
After a few more rough shakes and no results, Tokiya pinched Karasu's cheek. This caused her to instantly jerk up with a yip.
"You jerk!"
Surprisingly, Karasune didn't react to her mother being pinched, so Tokiya found himself in the clear. Karasune instead walked up to Karasu and tugged on her shirt.
"I'm hungry. Toki said we're going to breakfast now."
Karasu pulled her closer.
"I don't want you talking to that jerk! He's grumpy and abusive! No child should be anywhere near him."
Tokiya rubbed the back of his head as his foot tapped impatiently.
"You're one to talk. Anyways, Karasune said she's hungry, and we should be getting a move on."
Releasing Karasune from her clutches, Karasu stretched and nodded her head.
"Well, my little one wanting food is definitely a cause for urgency. We'll go eat breakfast and set out for transportation service at the edge of town immediately after."
Karasu put on her coat. It was summer, so the choice of clothing was weird, but Tokiya didn't care enough to ask about it. Karasu pointed to the sacks in the corner of the room, which Tokiya had totally forgotten about.
"Karasune, grab those please."
Karasune nodded and used her abilities to turn the sacks into small, purple feathers which she picked up and put in her pocket. Tokiya turned to Karasu.
"What's in the bags?"
"They're supplies that we'll need for travel. Stuff like food, magic crystals, and tents. Unfortunately, after spending money on the supplies and this room, I won't have much to contribute for the transportation service."
Tokiya shrugged.
"That's fine. What I have is more than enough."
Suddenly, Tokiya's leg was struck by a gentle slap from Karasune.
"No more talking. I want food."
Tokiya frowned.
"You're a gluttonous little thing, aren't you? Ok then, we're out."
With that, the three left the inn. Once on the street, they made their way to the restaurant they went to on their first day at the outpost. The breakfast food there was nothing to write home about, but Karasune didn't seem to mind. She ate about seven adult-portioned dishes. Even Tokiya doubted he could eat that much in one sitting.
Karasu planned on paying for the meal with the remaining money she had, but because of Karasune's eating habits, she needed to split the bill with Tokiya. After paying for the meal, they began their march to the edge of town.
Karasu glanced down at Karasune.
"Are you satisfied, dear?"
Karasune nodded.
"Yes, but after eating, I don't want to walk. Please carry me."
Karasu beamed acceptingly.
"Of course, dear!"
She took Karasune's hand and watched as the small girl transformed into her dagger form. She tucked Karasune into the inside of her coat. Tokiya snickered to himself.
"You spoil her too much, you know?"
Karasune pouted indignantly.
"So what? It's my natural maternal instinct at play. Are you jealous?"
Tokiya dramatically forced a shiver through his body.
"Yeah, the image of you as a mother will never not be creepy."
"You're such a grumpy meanie. I hope you know that."
They continued walking, but for a bit, Tokiya didn't respond to Karasu. After a brief moment, he finally spoke.
"Sorry. I don't mean to be grumpy or mean, and I know it's inconvenient for others. But it's just how I am."
Karasu walked beside him dumbfounded. She definitely wasn't expecting that reaction. She sighed.
"I was just joking, you know?"
Tokiya was partially staring at the ground.
"Yeah, but my statement still stands."
Suddenly, Tokiya's feet were no longer on the ground. He looked behind him to see that Karasu was lifting him off the ground.
"H-Hey! Let go of me!"
Karasu smirked mischievously.
"Nuh uh. Not until you learn to loosen up and not be so serious."
Tokiya struggled in Karasu's grip and for the first time realized how physically strong she was. They swung to and fro on the street as the people around them dodged out of their way. To make matters worse, Karasu began tickling his stomach.
"Ok! Ok! I get it! Just stop! You're going to bump into someone!"
As if Tokiya's comment was a prophetic statement, the two eventually ran into a random man. Karasu released Tokiya.
"Sorry, sir. Please excuse us."
The man politely nodded with a smile on his face. He said nothing as he calmly walked off. Karasu directed her attention to Tokiya, who was bent over. She scoffed.
"Come on, don't be so dramatic. You didn't get hit that hard."
Something shot out of Tokiya's mouth. It was blood. Karasu's eyes widened. Upon closer inspection, she saw a knife lodged into his stomach. Tokiya coughed up more blood. She quickly looked up in the direction that the man had walked off to, but he was nowhere to be found.
*****
The man who Tokiya had bumped into walked on the street nonchalantly. He was long gone from the scene of the crime, and he chuckled knowing that he just got away with murder.
His mind began to drift to other places like what type of reward he would receive. Monetary payment? A promotion? Hell, maybe even becoming an existent was in the cards for him!
"Nah, with my low-level steam magic, that's never happening. I guess there is the Existent of Essentialism. He doesn't have any magic."
He sighed.
"Who am I kidding? That guy's basically immortal! Looking on the bright side, I suppose it's good enough that I was the one to kill the guy the whole cult has been after."
The man began to walk with a little more confidence.
"When I heard that the target had a Divine Blessing that allowed him to survive death, I was pretty scared, but it seemed like the poison was really working. I have the Existent of Existentialism to thank for that."
As he continued walking, he noticed something strange. Everyone around him had stopped moving. The once bustling outpost was now completely still and silent. The calm atmosphere quickly became tense and oppressive. Eventually, the silence was shattered by an ominous voice.
"Found you."
In front of him appeared a lady in a purple coat not fit for the weather. In her arms was the motionless body of Tokiya Hara, his target. Tokiya didn't look dead. He looked more frozen than anything. The man took a step back.
"Wh-What do you want? If it's about the poison, just drop it. He's probably dead already, and if he isn't, I don't have an antidote."
The woman stared down at him with contempt.
"I'm not concerned about him. Although, I'm curious about this poison you speak of."
With the world around him still frozen, the man felt trapped. His hands were shaking and his voice was wobbly.
"Listen, I didn't make the poison. All I know is that it's fatal and meant to restrict magic and Divine Blessings."
Karasu raised an eyebrow.
"That's an awfully powerful poison. Are you with the Cult of the Black Sword? You look like just a normal guy."
The man nodded.
"I am a low-ranking member of the cult. I'm really just a lackey, so killing me would do no good!"
Karasu grinned at the man's attempt to get her to spare him. It had been so long since she last felt the feeling of watching someone squirm in fear. Lately, all the people she'd been fighting were competent, so they didn't really do that.
"I just have one more question, and then we'll be done here, ok?"
The man let out a sigh of relief as Karasu began to ask her final question.
"Why is the cult after Tokiya?"
The man gulped, for he feared that his answer might not be satisfactory for Karasu.
"I-I really don't know. I'm only an entry-level member. I just do what I'm told!"
Karasu rolled her eyes as she turned to walk away.
"So useless. Whatever, we're done here."
The man scurried away, grateful for Karasu's mercifulness. This was his first near death experience, so he thought about leaving the cult to avoid another situation like this. He would make an honest living to support himself and his family. Unfortunately, he didn't make it far before he was impaled by hundreds of sharp feathers, killing him instantly.
*****
Tokiya regained consciousness. The world around him was unfrozen and normal as if nothing had happened. Most importantly, the hole in his stomach was gone.
He was sitting on a bench on the side of the street. Sitting next to him was Karasu, who noticed his conscious state at the same time he noticed her.
"Look who's finally awake."
"Oh hey, Karasu."
She pouted.
"Don't act so casually! Do you know how long it took me to remove that poison from your system? I'm no doctor or poison expert, so I had to use my temporal magic in ways I didn't even know was possible. You should be kissing my feet right now!"
Tokiya sucked his teeth and began muttering under his breath.
"Well maybe if you did your job and didn't let me get stabbed, this wouldn't be a problem."
"What did you say?"
"Ha, nothing..."
Tokiya stood up and stretched. His body felt perfect. Karasu stood up as well.
"That guy was with the cult, you know?"
Tokiya sucked his teeth.
"Looks like the cult has people all over Oravell, so nowhere is going to be safe for me."
He sighed.
"I guess that just means we have to be extra careful."
Karasu raised an eyebrow.
"Are you scared? If you are, you sure don't sound like it."
Tokiya shook his head.
"Why would I be scared? I have you."
Karasu blushed, but before she could speak, Tokiya continued.
"But I won't rely on you. I know you'll always have my back like you did just now, but I refuse to be a burden to you. Even though I can't use magic, I'll learn to fight. Most importantly, I'll master my Divine Blessing. I swear, Karasu, I'll make all your efforts worth it."
Karasu's eyes widened as her blush remained. The smile on her face grew wider and wider, and it looked like she would burst with joy. She lunged towards Tokiya and trapped him in a tight embrace.
"I love you, Tokiya!"
"G-Get off of me!"
After a bit of struggling, Tokiya finally gave up and accepted his fate. He allowed himself to smile just a bit.
"Thanks, Karasu."
There was a brief silence before Tokiya remembered something.
"Oh, and maybe we could get me a new shirt before we go."
Karasu released Tokiya, and the two decided that they should leave the outpost as quickly as possible. They made a quick detour to get Tokiya a different plain white t-shirt. After that, they made a straight march to the edge of town where their chosen transportation service was.
It took a while for them to go through all the arrangements and sign all the documents, but once they completed that, they were told they'd be ready to leave in an hour and a half. They would be getting a personal driver this time around, which was a nice perk of the service, and the wagon was a big step up from the one Gremory had gifted previously.
Eventually, the time of departure came. Tokiya and Karasu climbed into the wagon. Karasu instantly melted into the soft cushions.
"Ahhhh, you really put those gold coins to use, Tokiya."
There was no response from Tokiya. He was too busy staring at the bracelet that the kids from his hometown gave him. He smiled at it fondly.
"What are you thinking about, Tokiya?"
Tokiya finally looked up at Karasu.
"My promises. I'm thinking about the promises I've made to everyone."
Karasu leaned back nonchalantly.
"I wouldn't stress about it. I know that you'll do just fine."
Tokiya clenched the bracelet tightly.
"Yeah, I will. I'm going to survive for everyone's sake. I refuse to let everyone's concern and dedication go to waste. I promise, I will survive."
Karasu yawned. She seemed to be getting too comfortable.
"I have no doubt that you'll survive, but it's important to remember that you're going to fail at many points in your journey."
Tokiya nodded.
"But when I do, can I count on you to have my back?"
With a prideful smirk on her face, Karasu flashed a thumbs up to Tokiya.
"Of course!"
Tokiya directed his attention to his clenched fist.
"You hear that, Berserker? I'm on my way to beating my fate. I won't let your sacrifice be in vain."
At that moment, the wagon began to move. Tokiya could feel his spirit growing. His whole body became filled with determination. He was going to grow strong, and he was going to master his Divine Blessing! Everything that had happened until that point in time felt like a preview of what was to come. He looked at Karasu with a fire in his eyes.
"Karasu, let's do this!"