MTLNOVEL Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Besides You (1)
The night descended like a dark veil, enveloping the ruins of the Nix District, where Arkanum hid. The once-mighty walls now bore deep cracks, resembling dark lines like wounds on the face of a forgotten city. Shards of glass lay scattered everywhere, channeling the soft moonlight, reflecting a faded glow akin to remnants of lost hopes. Debris piled high, standing as silent witnesses to the destruction of everything. Rinoa, trapped among the remnants of the past, felt the weight of a trembling breath—echoes of the battle still shaking her soul with an intensity that refused to fade. The enemy's blood on her hands felt like a bitter reminder of choices made.
The wind whispered softly, carrying the scent of dust and memories of burnt magic. Moonlight illuminated the ruins, highlighting the delicate details of dust layers clinging to every corner, casting long shadows that crept in unexpected directions. Every gust of wind brought the rustle of remnants of a bygone life, as if the city still breathed.
Rinoa herself had obliterated the entire hideout of Arkanum Veritas, causing the organization to vanish from the surface of Gaia, leaving behind only dust and shadows of a past that had evaporated with time.
She closed her eyes, allowing the darkness to envelop her. With her eyes shut, Rinoa sensed a delicate vibration in the air, as if something was watching from behind the ruins, in sync with her racing heartbeat.
There, she discovered something—a faint vision, neither a dream nor a magical illusion, but an echo from the deepest corners of her soul. Amidst the ruins, there lay a simple garden, where a striking purple-flowered tree stood out, its bright color contrasting with the darkness surrounding it. Leftover from a nearly forgotten memory, a soft voice filled the silence, like a melody audible only to the souls that endured.
"If everything collapses... you can still dance on the ruins, Rinoa." Amid the scattered stones, there remains a space for hope, preserving room for dreams that never die. That voice seemed to awaken memories of freedom, joy, and untainted dreams; a voice that transcended the boundaries of reality and brought new hope in the midst of despair.
He knew her, even though her origins remained mysterious in his mind.
Quickly, she opened his eyes. His heart raced, and his hands felt his chest, as if something buried there was waiting to be remembered. Shadows formed around him, shaped by the cold moonlight that radiated an aura of nostalgia.
"Who…" she whispered hopefully. "Who are you…?"
And from behind the shadows of the ruins, Fitran appeared. Silent, cloaked in an invisible magic, trying to conceal his presence from searching spells. But not from his feelings, nor from the bond that had formed. Rinoa could sense Fitran's presence, like a soft light in the midst of the thick darkness. He seemed made of light and shadow, flowing with every movement—symbolizing unity and tension; while the ruins around them felt alive—vibrating in silence, as if answering the suppressed call that connected the two of them.
He watched Rinoa struggle with fragmented memories, his soul vibrating at the sight of the eternity trapped within disappointment and longing. Around them, the ruins of District Nix stood exposed, their cracked walls revealing remnants of a once-great strength. Shattered glass littered the ground, reflecting the soft moonlight and creating sharp glimmers that seemed to peel away layers of darkness. He knew this was the point of fracture—where the seal of memories began to soften, ignited by the longing that surged in Rinoa's heart, ensnared in flashes of shattered shadows. The remaining pillars among the debris seemed to whisper, recounting tales of a past filled with beauty and emptiness.
"Rinoa…" Fitran whispered, though it was merely the wind that would hear him. His voice was fragmented, as if trapped amidst the ruins that spoke in silence. The moonlight cascaded over Rinoa's face, casting soft shadows beneath her tear-filled eyes, intensifying the longing in her gaze.
From her fingertips, she lifted a glimmer of light—a spell as ancient as time itself, like a whisper of hope in the surrounding darkness. The light spread gently, exploring the empty crevices of the space and briefly breathing life into the ruins enveloped in an aura of sorrow. With each flick of her fingers, the shadows of the crumbling forms began to quiver, as if responding to the magic that sought to summon back the fading memories.
With a gentle motion, she wove the threads of Rinoa's memories anew, not to erase them—but to redirect their path. As the threads of light danced through the air, the moonlight bestowed a silvery touch upon the debris around them, making each shard feel more significant. The stillness of the night seemed pierced by unspoken words, an unfulfilled longing. "I will guide you back," he whispered, hoping his voice could delve into the depths of Rinoa's heart, stepping out from the shadows. Yet, before the light could reach her, Rinoa softly murmured:
"You're there, aren't you…?"
Fitran froze, trapped in the tension flowing between them. Around him, the ruins of District Nix stood mournfully, its once towering walls now cracked and crumbling, resembling deep wounds on the skin of the earth. An old, crooked streetlight cast a dim glow that flickered among the debris, illuminating shards of glass that sparkled like fallen stars. A haunting silence enveloped the area, broken only by the whispering wind seeking to penetrate the gaps in the shattered buildings.
"Why do I keep dreaming of eyes without shadows?" His voice faltered, hanging in the air like unfulfilled hope. He almost stepped forward, placing his foot on the scattered debris, feeling the fragments of concrete and glass beneath him, heightening the tension as the wind blew.
But he knew… if he appeared now, everything awakened in this silence would come crashing down. He wasn't ready. Rinoa wasn't ready. The scene around him made his heart race; the shadows of the destroyed buildings were illuminated by the moonlight, creating eerie silhouettes that danced among the ruins, as if mirroring his inner turmoil.
So she swallowed her torn feelings, melding back into the suffocating silence. The glimmer of hope dimmed in the empty room, while the ghosts of the past roamed among the shadows, and the smiles that once existed now lingered only as dark memories.
Before disappearing, she whispered a promise into that memory—one that might be fully heard someday, when the world is no longer engulfed in sorrow. Dust danced in the wind, sparkling in the dim light, as if attempting to mask the pain and emptiness that surrounded them.
"Because I once loved you in a world we never had."
Rinoa swayed, engulfed by the fiery pain in her shoulder. Blood dripped from the corner of her lips, painting a tale of unspoken sorrow. Around her, the ruins of the Arkanum Veritas stood in silence, leaving behind faint traces of memories. The cracked walls loomed emptily, surrounded by shimmering glass shards that reflected the moonlight, creating waves of reflections dancing upon the damaged surface. Alone, her body slumped, yet her eyes... remained bright, holding a flicker of hope amidst the darkness.
All her energy had been drained, as if life itself was flowing away from her body. Rinoa continuously channeled her magic without cease, radiant light shimmering from her hands, yet growing fainter with time, like a star extinguishing in the night sky.
She found herself trapped in profound despair, unable to replenish her mana even with the aid of magical potions that typically eased her magical burden. Her frail body felt increasingly defeated, and the hope of rising again dwindled, creating an indescribable emptiness; as if her soul and body were separated by an invisible wall of helplessness.
Rinoa suffered from a mysterious ailment with unknown origins, as if a dark shadow had been cast upon her. Each breath felt heavy, and a searing pain coursed through her body, leaving deep traces of despair.
She tried to stand but couldn't muster the strength.
Her knees crumbled among the sharp shards, and in that moment, time seemed to slow. A gentle breeze whispered, as if the world was granting one last chance to express the repressed feelings. Every whisper of the wind carried the scent of damp earth, reminiscent of rain that had passed, adding weight to the burden on her chest.
His breath was heavy, burdened by a history that remained unfulfilled, and with every exhale, a profound sense of loss crept in.
From his trembling throat, a name escaped, resonating deep within his heart.
"Fi..."
His lips quivered, the sound barely a whisper meant for his soul. The name surfaced without a clear reason. In that silence, dark shadows seemed to listen, creeping among the scattered ruins. Suddenly, tears flowed—not from pain, nor from the fear of death—but from a faceless sorrow, shadows of loss.
It felt like remembering someone he had never met but loved in solitude. Fragments of a dark sky added to the somber atmosphere, while the moon's light struggled to penetrate the darkness, creating silhouette patterns over the debris.
"Fitran..."
The name shattered in a hue of emotions, with blood on his tongue. The more he emphasized the name, the stronger the feeling of being left behind amongst the ruins became, as if a part of him had crumbled along with it. The struggle within his chest grew more tangible, as if with each passing second, a bitter reality knocked at the door of his heart.
Then darkness came, swallowing everything. In the haunting calmness, the ruins of Arkanum Veritas hinted that all that existed would become mere memories.
"You shouldn't have to go through this," Fitran said empathetically, his voice soft yet powerful, reflecting the deep connection of their hearts even in such sorrowful circumstances.
"I will always protect you from this moment on," he continued, his eyes shining with determination despite the looming shadows of darkness surrounding them.
He lifted Rinoa into his arms, as if he were carrying fragments of the past he had buried deep within. Her body felt light, not from a loss of weight, but because Fitran was accustomed to bearing the heavy burden of guilt. Around them, the towers of Arkanum slowly crumbled, their sound like the rumble of thunder shaking the heart. Wild magic light devoured the shadows of the walls, creating a grim, terrifying image. Yet, time seemed to pause—as if it realized that these two souls needed one last escape, before everything shattered into pieces.
"Forgive me… You shouldn't be here," Fitran murmured with a trembling voice, his anguish resonating in his words, as he opened the gateway to a place uncharted by the maps of Gaia. A corridor formed—revealing light and darkness dancing in a magnetic whirlpool, creating a palpable tension in the air. This place bore no name; only an ancient seal known to the guardians of time, and to one creature… who had once loved a girl named Rinoa.