Chapter 4: Chaos

“Hey, are you sure this is the right direction?” asked Alicia.

After defeating the blood-red monster, the three had resumed their search for the holy sword.

“Well, this is the only path that goes further into the labyrinth,” answered Sain as he carefully traversed a mountain of rubble up ahead.

The path they followed turned out to be rather complicated, and Sain would scout ahead for monsters before signaling the girls to follow.

“Hm?”

He paused.

“What’s wrong, Sain? Monsters up ahead?” Alicia queried.

Sain didn’t turn around. Instead, his eyes stayed fixed on something in the distance as he responded.

“No, no monsters, but... Is that the holy sword?”

“Seriously?! Where?! Where is it?!”

“I-I’m not sure. I just felt like it might be up ahead.”

“Good enough! Come on! Let’s go!”

Alicia vaulted over the rubble, her prior fatigue suddenly nowhere to be found, and rushed past him.

He frowned. It seemed a tad careless to charge forward like that. Fortunately, there were no monsters nearby, so he was content to let her go. It also gave him the opportunity to speak with Melia alone.

“Master Sain, did you sense something?”

“Yes. Just barely, but it did resemble the goddess’s blessing. Honestly, I feel like there are too many impurities for it to be a holy sword... But that’s not the problem. The problem is that I also sensed their presence.”

Melia’s eyes narrowed.

“And by ‘their presence’ you mean... Chaos?”

“Indeed. They’re close... Prepare yourself. We should be ready to fight at a moment’s notice.”

He’d thought that, after the previous fight, they were through the worst of it. It appeared, however, that he was mistaken. He focused his senses and, almost immediately, he felt it. Something was off. It was the same sensation as when he’d used the labyrinth gate in the academy. The source of the corruption was still alive and well.

“What should we do about Miss Alicia?”

“...She’s just a student. We can’t drag her into this. This is our fight,” he said firmly. “As luck would have it, though, their normally-infuriating cowardice works to our advantage right now. Chances are, they won’t make the first move... We might, however, get caught in one of their traps, like we did before. So be on your guard. If things really go south, take her and run.”

“Understood. I’ll leave the violent stuff to you.”

Their makeshift strategy meeting concluded, Sain looked up to find Alicia was a good distance ahead.

“Miss Gold!”

“What?”

“I get that you’re excited, but we’re not in the clear yet! Keep your guard up!”

“I know! You two had better be watching my back properly too!”

Sain frowned. While Alicia did seem to be paying attention to her surroundings, something didn’t feel right. There was an excessive hastiness to her manner that Melia seemed to have also noticed.

“...You think she’s still mulling over what the president said to her?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. That president’s got a knack for causing verbal trauma.”

“It’s easy to have tunnel vision when you’re hung up on something. I hope she doesn’t do anything careless,” said Sain, his voice thick with concern.

Melia regarded him with a pensive look. Then, she spoke as if she had just remembered something.

“On that note... Master Sain, you know how I went to rescue Miss Alicia, and we had a quick scuffle with that monster I told you about? As a matter of fact, Miss Alicia managed to hurt the monster with her magic.”

“Hm? She did?”

“She sure did. Wasn’t that monster supposed to be completely immune to fire magic?”

“It should be... Hm. Then that must mean Miss Gold’s powers are very close to awakening...” Sain mumbled, nodding to himself.

Just then, they heard an excited yelp from Alica.

“Found it!”

Seeing that Alicia had dashed off ahead, Sain and Melia put their conversation on hold to run after her. It didn’t take long for Sain to see for himself what Alicia had discovered.

“Is that...”

In the middle of an enormous open space sat a hexagonal pedestal, dull and lifeless in appearance. A beautiful sword, its naked blade partly exposed, was embedded in its center, glowing with the gentle white lustre of fresh, moonlit snow.

Its quiet splendor was breathtaking, and Sain swallowed in spite of himself.

“The holy sword? It’s— Wait, no!”

He felt a sudden, wild flutter in the pit of his stomach. His hands immediately shot to his collar from which he tore his silver necklace.

A portion of his power was released, and his once blue eyes blazed with a golden hue.

“Sain! We did it! It’s the holy sword!”

Alicia reached for its hilt, her expression one of pure elation.

Sain, however, could see past the sword’s guise for what it truly was. He watched in horror as Alicia’s fingers neared the revolting object, a pulsating mess of blood-red matter from hilt to blade. At times, gory discharges accompanied its sickening undulations. The sight was nauseating, but Alicia’s eyes glowed with delight as she was drawn closer and closer.

“Get away from that thing! It’s no holy sword! Not anymore!”

“Wha—”

Alicia paused when she heard Sain yell, but it was too late. The abomination launched from its pedestal and toward Alicia, as though it were being sucked toward her hand. The instant its hilt touched her palm, the sword exploded in a swirling storm of crimson energy.

“Miss Gold! Stay strong! Don’t let it consume you!”

Alicia managed only a weak groan before all signs of resistance faded. A band of blood-red light shot out of the sword, wrapping itself around her in the shape of a sphere until she was enveloped completely.

“What’s happening...?”

“The holy sword was tainted by... them. It’s become nothing more than a source of contamination,” said Sain, his voice heavy with regret. “We weren’t the only ones to notice Miss Gold’s potential. And, on top of that, her resolve is faltering right now. They hit us when we weren’t ready. ...We slipped up.”

A scream of agony filled the air as the fake sword’s energy ate away at her, beginning to alter her very existence. At this stage, recklessly interfering with the process was exceedingly dangerous—halting the transformation halfway would risk leaving Alicia disfigured for life.

“What now? Are you going to use your power?”

Sain contemplated his options for a minute.

“...No. There’s no need. They intend to infest her weakened mind, and my power can do little to heal an ailing psyche. What we need right now isn’t power, but words. We’re not going to beat her down. We’re going to talk her down.”

The energy finally stopped gathering around her.

For an instant, it hung in the air, swirling ominously as a sphere of corrupted power. And then, in an instant, it collapsed, and the terrible energy rushed inward all at once. A bright flash, followed by a shockwave that caused Sain to wince and shield his face.

When he lowered his arm, Alicia had reappeared. Deathly silent, she swayed in place ever so slightly. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, and there was an eerie tilt to her head. An immensely powerful aura radiated from her, its quality wild, cruel, and entirely alien.

Alicia’s essence was gone, replaced by something far darker. She was now more monster than woman in both spirit and appearance.

The blood-red sword, as though it saw no further need for deception, had dropped its guise, allowing its true form to be seen in all its pulsating hideousness.

The fingers of Alicia’s right hand were firmly wrapped around its hilt. Her hair had fallen over her face, and, when its golden strands fluttered, Sain and Melia caught a glimpse of a pair of muddied, crimson eyes.

In that instant, they knew what they had to do.

“Let’s go, Melia. We’re reversing Miss Gold’s brainwashing.”

“Okay.”

+ + +

A strange sensation overcame Alicia, feeling as though she had been completely immersed in something indescribable. It felt neither warm nor cold, and touched every part of her body.

She knew two things about it, though: It was something dreadful, and it was profoundly powerful—far more powerful than she could ever become on her own.

Loser.

A voice echoed in her mind.

Disgrace.

Clan of Light, my ass!

Before she knew it, she was back at school, and she looked down to find herself in her junior division uniform. It occurred to her that this must be a scene from her memory.

Man, I can’t believe she’s still in school.

Her junior division days passed in a blur, and she soon found her life in the intermediate division playing out in front of her. The opening ceremony had only just ended, and her peers were already pelting her with slurs and insults.

“...Shut up.”

She pressed her hands to her ears, but the voices wouldn’t stop. All the while, a shadow crept over her. When she looked up, the student council president, Cain, was standing over her.

No one asked you to be here, and your efforts aren’t doing anyone any favors.

She might as well be announcing the decline of her clan.

“...Stop.”

She bit into her lip. Cain’s words cut deep in their truth, but her own silence hurt even more. She wondered what Sain thought of her. He probably saw her as a confident, bullish person, yet he couldn’t be further from the truth. Her bold exterior was an act—a show she put on for herself to keep her resolve from faltering.

Two figures materialized where Cain had once stood. She looked at their faces, and her voice fell to a whisper.

“Mom... Dad...”

They stood, motionless, casting long and imposing shadows over her crouched form.

Giving birth to you was a mistake.

Her eyes went wide at her father’s words.

Our clan is dying, and it’s your fault.

Everything we’ve built up is falling apart, and it’s all because of you.

She loved her parents, loved their kindness and smiles. Now, they stared down at her with eyes she didn’t recognize. They were cold and filled with hatred, and the faint reflection she saw in them made clear the target of their malice.

“No, no, no... Mom and dad would never say that...!”

These couldn’t be her parents. They must be fakes. And yet, what proof did she have? How would she know what they truly thought? For a moment, doubt gripped her heart.

Then, her icy-eyed parents faded, replaced by two new figures.

“S-Sain... and Melia...”

They watched her wordlessly. They hadn’t even known each other for a month. In fact, they had only met a few days ago. She knew almost nothing about them, and yet, they’d spent so much time together. Why?

She knew the reason. It was because she had no one else to turn to. No one else who accepted her.

“H-Hey. You two are on my side, right? You’re cheering me on? W-We’re... two of a kind... aren’t we?”

There was a desperation to her voice, as if she were clinging onto one last shred of hope. Sain looked at her, his expression tender and kind.

You’ve tried hard enough. Just let it go.

His words flowed across her heart like a gentle stream, softening its calloused exterior.

“B-But... I can’t... I haven’t...”

It’s okay. I know how much it hurts.

Something gave way. She felt a warmth in her chest. Her mouth opened, but no words passed her lips. No words were needed; he’d voiced them for her. Those might be the very words that she’d always wanted to hear.

Sain approached her with a compassionate smile. He’d exposed the feelings she’d kept hidden for so long. To her surprise, a deep happiness welled up inside her.

Don’t worry. The thing you’ve been seeking all this time... is right there.

He pointed at her chest, where an indiscernible object the deep red of blood throbbed. Just moments before, it had seemed like something dreadful. Now, it exuded a sense of warmth. She felt its all-consuming power and knew she was safe; it would protect her frail, vulnerable self.

No more losing. No more hurting. She’d gain everyone’s approval. They’d recognize her achievement. And she had the power to do it... right here in her hands.

“This... is it?”

Yes.

“I can... make the hurting stop?”

Yes.

Sain and Melia answered her with tender gazes. They knew. They understood.

For so long, she’d been fighting. She tried so hard. No one asked her to. No one expected her to. But, she had something to prove. For the one person who believed in her—herself.

And so, she steeled her nerves, hardened her heart, and kept on fighting. But the world was cruel, and its winds were harsh. Over time, she felt herself wearing away, eroded by day after day of fruitless efforts until nothing remained. Nothing but the pain. Her abraded heart, dry and calloused, sought not the grim cliffs of progress but the soft streams of eternal reprieve.

No more trying. No more pain.

“Ah... Finally... I can let go.”

And so, in the hope of putting her weary mind to rest, she welcomed the power.

Melia made the first move. To protect her master, and to save her friend, she sent magical energy coursing through the holy mark on her right thigh.

“Siem Saevas, here I bear the attendant’s mark. Second Gift—Holy Sinking Blade!”

A blade of pure light flashed into existence before Melia. She grabbed it by the hilt and immediately leapt up high, her form tracing a smooth parabola through the air. As she reached the peak of her jump, her hands passed momentarily over her skirt; in the blink of an eye, several hidden daggers shot toward Alicia.

None, however, made it past the blood-red energies that swirled around her.

Undaunted, Melia continued to throw dagger after dagger; a fifth, sixth, and then a seventh closed in on Alicia.

Then, just as she was about to land, Melia spun into a somersault. The momentum carried her blade into a tremendous swing...

“Take this.”

...which then erupted into a blinding flash as the sword made contact.

Alicia had blocked the strike with her corrupted sword.

“Miss Gold! Can you hear me?”

As the two girls crossed swords, Sain’s voice rang out from across the room.

“If you can hear me, then pull yourself together! That power is corrupting your mind, but you can fight it! You can push back against its advances!”

There was no response. Instead, Alicia continued to swing her sword at Melia, who fended off each attack with her own holy blade.

Springing into a quick flip, Melia parried an oncoming swipe and quickly moved in to counterattack. She had to fight carefully; her blade was sharp but thin, making it vulnerable to direct strikes, while the thickness of Alicia’s sword made it not only durable, but also ideal for landing a cleaving blow.

Melia continued to weave around oncoming slashes as she alternated between aggression and avoidance. Alicia, on the other hand, kept up a strong defense, taking every opportunity to pull her opponent into a clash of swords.

Melia was already at a disadvantage; allowing their battle to continue much longer would only put her in an even more unfavorable position.

Sain raised his own sword, brandishing its fearsome ebony luster as he swung at Alicia. She evaded with a nimble sidestep, watching calmly as the blade cut through nothing but air. She then raised her own sword, immediately targeting Melia with a horizontal sweep.

Melia blocked, but the impact was still enough to send her flying backward.

Alicia turned to the now-vulnerable Sain and lunged forward with her blade. He had barely managed to twist his sword into a parry when a sudden force dug into his stomach, knocking him back. Alicia had lashed out with a kick, having taken advantage of Sain’s slight opening from the previous blow.

Just as he was about to hit the ground, a thick blanket of mist appeared and softened his landing.

“Easy now. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Sain gestured his thanks as he got up and turned to face Alicia again.

“Her guard is impenetrable. This doesn’t feel like Miss Gold’s power; it must belong to the one planting these seeds of corruption in her mind.”

“Which means... we’re likely dealing with what was originally Ganmei Hajun.”

“Yes. Ganmei Hajun, The Mighty Shield. Judging from how dense the power is, Miss Gold would probably be its fourth reincarnation.”

Suddenly, he felt an excruciating heat burn across his skin. He looked up to find a massive fireball floating above Alicia.

It was her favorite spell, “Flare,” except greatly amplified in both size and intensity by the crimson energies surrounding her.

“Londo Mysteria!”

Skipping the incantation diminished the effect of her spell, but she didn’t have much time before the fireball would find its mark.

A surge of mist enshrouded Sain, granting him enough cover to quickly dash behind Alicia. A few seconds later, it thinned, revealing a wide stretch of scorched earth where he had just stood. At the same time, Melia leaped out of the mist.

A glint of metal met a blood-red edge as Alicia blocked her strike again.

But it was a feint. Ignoring the deflected dagger whirling through the air, Melia swung her glowing blade at Alicia. This time, the swirling energies lashed out instead, parrying her second attack.

Sain heard an audible tsk as Melia landed beside him. Normal attacks weren’t going to work.

He took a moment to consider their options.

“...She’s being surprisingly passive,” he mused.

“Speak for yourself. I’m the one doing acrobatics around her.”

“Still, I expected her to be a lot more aggressive. Look, even now, she’s not coming after us.”

Granted, Sain was probably too weak to even register as a threat in Alicia’s eyes, but that allowed him time to observe. There was a strange sense of propriety to the way she was fighting, almost as if she were treating them as training partners. When Sain or Melia attacked, she would defend and then counterattack. Even during her attack, if they retreated, she wouldn’t pursue them.

This wasn’t the style of someone trying to defeat an opponent. It was the style of someone trying to keep an opponent away.

Or... the style of someone trying to keep herself away.

“Aha... I see what’s going on. You’ve already regained consciousness, haven’t you?” he probed.

Ever so slowly, Alicia moved her lips.

“This... is fine.”

From within the swirling vortex of crimson energy, they heard her speak.

“This... is enough... for me. I’m satisfied.”

Her voice trembled, but it was sincere.

“This power... At first, it felt strange, but I’m slowly figuring out how to use it... Hey, you two know what this is, right? Then you must realize what this means for me... With this, I can change. Now that I have this power, I don’t even need light magic anymore. No one will mock me. No one can rival me. No more restraints. With this... I’m free!”

Alicia’s voice grew in volume as she spoke, eventually rising to a shout.

“So just go away! Leave me alone! I’m going to live the way I want!”

Sain listened patiently to every word, allowing her to finish before he answered.

“No.”

The tears glistening in her eyes told him all he needed to know. Her passion betrayed her words. Deep down, she was still struggling.

“Why—”

“I recall saying this once, but for your sake, I’ll say it again. Steel yourself against all other temptations! Anything else that may lead you astray should be ignored, else it will surely lead you to compromise!” He looked her straight in the eyes. “And this is compromise!”

When Sain had first learned Alicia belonged to the Clan of Light, he’d offered her some advice as a fellow dream-chaser who had preceded her. He had warned her not to accept anything that came short of her dream. Not to do the very thing she was doing now—giving up and succumbing to compromise. She’d decided that this power she’d gained by chance was the happiness she sought, and she was about to give herself over to it.

Sain’s brows sank into a deep frown.

Over my dead body.

The situation wasn’t just problematic—it was personal. He could feel every ounce of her sorrow and regret as though it were his own. He knew her pain.

“Shut up! Shut up... Who are you to say it’s a compromise? That’s my decision to make.”

“And the choice you’re making is wrong.”

“How would you know?! You don’t know what I want!”

“I sure as hell do! And do you know why? Because we’re two of a kind!”

She paused. Then, her eyes downcast, she forced out three words in a low, anguished tone.

“...No we’re not.”

For a moment, a pained silence hung in the air. Then, Alicia continued.

“I’m not strong like you are. Even when people say such nasty things about you, you still walk around with your head held high. I... I just can’t. I hear their words, and they hurt. I do my best to bite down and move on, but... they hurt. Every day, I fight back the urge to run. To escape from it all.

“After we ran into Cain, do you remember what you said to me? You said I wasn’t acting like my usual self... Hah. Get out of here. As if you know what I’m like. Do you know what I’ve been through? No! So stop acting like you do!”

The crimson flames circling her flared, and licks of fire lashed out toward Sain as she screamed her final words:

“This is my decision, and it’s not wrong!”

He reacted just in time to avoid them, then directed Melia a glance brimming with determination. She nodded in response, and then held her delicate hands out toward Alicia.

“Worta Halden!”

Watery arms rose out of the ground and grabbed Alicia by the legs, pulling her from her feet.

“What?!”

Not missing a beat, Sain swiped his sword in a horizontal line.

“St-Stop him!”

His black sword slammed into the barrier of embers around Alicia. But it felt as though he were pushing through an extremely viscous fluid, and his momentum was halted.

“You... are... wrong!”

Sain forced the words from his throat as he dug into the ground with his legs, pushing forward even harder.

“Stop talking like you know—”

“I do know, damn it! Because I’ve been through it! Over and over again! And every single time, I came this close to making the wrong choice!”

Alicia’s expression flared with unbridled rage as jets of fire erupted from her body, forcing Sain to quickly distance himself. She glared at him with hard, hostile eyes.

“Get him!”

At her command, blood-red flames twisted into the shape of serpents lunged at Sain.

“Ah... Haha... Hahahaha! What’s this? This is amazing! I can control these just by thinking about them! Yes, yes, yes! Who knew I’d have this kind of power sleeping within me? Look at me, Sain! Look at what I can do! Are you going to tell me this is a mistake?!”

At that moment, a bolt of sheer light crashed down in front of Sain with so much force that he was knocked from his feet. A shockwave exploded from the point of impact, extinguishing the oncoming flames.

Melia landed to his side, impaling her glowing blade firmly into the ground. But before she could even let out a sigh of relief, Sain was on his feet again, dashing toward Alicia.

“Yes, because it is!”

“Y-You... stupid!”

The brevity of Sain’s responses only angered Alicia further; she targeted him with wave after wave of attacks.

Her power was immense, but rage dulled her aim. Sain dodged and weaved through rolling tides of fiery destruction, never stopping or slowing.

“...We’re the same, after all. Otherwise, our trials couldn’t possibly be so similar. Right now, you’ve come up against a wall. It’s a wall I know all too well. That’s why I can tell you... about the fragility of power gained through surrender! Such is my duty as your predecessor in this quest of hardships!”

He raised his empty left hand as he ran, pointing it at Alicia.

“Darku!”

At Sain’s command, a tiny bolt of darkness flew toward his target. Amidst a battlefield where raging flames danced a deadly waltz with blinding flashes from a blade of light, his spell was all but comical in its scale. Weak and slow, it could inflict little more than a bruise or a scrape even on a direct hit.

The bolt followed its path until a stray ember swatted it out of existence. Alicia couldn’t help but laugh.

“Please! Your dinky little spells aren’t going to—”

“Darku!”

After getting as close to her as possible, Sain cast the same spell again, and it produced the same bolt as last time.

Alicia clicked her tongue in irritation and flicked her finger at the incoming attack. A stream of fire followed the motion of her hand, swallowing the pitiful nugget of darkness.

“Ugh. You’re getting on my nerves... I’ll show you some real magic.”

Alicia broke out in a wild laughter as a menacing blaze erupted around her. Sain quickly leapt back a few steps to create some distance.

“Orb of black fire, purge with raging flames—Flare!”

A darkened “Flare” appeared in the air above them. Then, another materialized beside it. And another. Alicia flicked her hand, sending not one, not two, but over ten massive orbs of crimson flame crashing down on Sain.

He could feel their intense heat burning his eyes, and had no choice but to squint as he focused all of his senses on dodging the imminent threat. An orb grazed his coat, searing the skin underneath. He gasped in pain, only for the steaming fumes to scald his throat.

The pause cost him dearly, as another orb was mere seconds away from swallowing him whole.

Just then, Melia’s blade ruptured the approaching ball of fiery death. It shattered, firing shards toward the other orbs that caused a chain reaction of explosions. Heat and sound filled the room.

“Surround with waves!”

Through the noise, Alicia continue her incantation. Broken flames rallied into a swirling vortex, trapping Sain and Melia inside. Fire swelled out at them in swift and unpredictable intervals, making it impossible for Melia to guard against it all.

Roaring flames licked Sain’s skin.

“Auuuugh!”

His body was immediately overcome with unbearable pain. But he grit his teeth and pushed forward.

As he ran, he tried to lift his arms to check the extent of his wounds, only to find his left hurt too much to move.

“Ahaha! Look! Even continuous incantation is a cinch for me now!” yelled Alicia amidst bursts of feral laughter.

Sain grimaced at the sight. The wicked power was feeding her jealousy of Melia, pushing the worst of her to the surface. Envy gave way to hatred and hatred to doubt before even darker emotions bubbled up, congealing into a terrible, twisted grin.

Unforgivable.

What that vile power was doing to Alicia was absolutely unforgivable.

“That’s not your power!”

“Yes it is! It’s mine!”

Their furious shouting echoed throughout the room.

A scorching tendril lurched toward Sain. He dodged it and drew a deep breath, ignoring the scorching heat that flooded his lungs. Then, he yelled as loudly as he could, his voice hoarse and his words charged with emotion.

“Listen to me! Just like you, I was once bestowed an immense power!”

Melia, under the cover of her summoned mist, appeared behind Alicia and slashed at her with her shimmering blade. Alicia met the blow with her right arm, the blood-red embers around it acting as armor.

“By using it, I could bring joy to everyone! Friends! Family! Teachers and mentors! Everyone thanked me with tears of gratitude! Everyone told me to use the power! They asked me! Begged me!”

Alicia swiped at Melia to push her away, creating an opening that Sain immediately jumped on. He dashed forward.

Two fireballs hurtled in his direction. He dodged the first. The second struck his leg. But he kept running.

“But,” he screamed, “I had nothing! The power brought me no closer to what I truly wanted!”

His face contorted with pain, beads of sweat forming on his brow. His lips trembled as he spoke, but he continued.

“I saved so many lives! Granted so many wishes! I was made a hero! People sang my praises! They looked up to me! Adored and admired me! But... In the end, I couldn’t do anything... I couldn’t help the one person who truly mattered to me.”

Melia distracted Alicia with strike after strike, allowing Sain to continue his approach. Time and time again, his legs failed him and he stumbled. But each time, he picked himself up and kept pushing forward.

“Tell me! What does light magic mean to you?! Why did you seek it?!”

He raised his black sword high in the air.

“Isn’t it because there was something you wanted?! Something that would never be yours without light magic?!”

“Shut up!”

Sain’s black metal clashed with the fiery mantle on Alicia’s arm. They pressed against each other, locked in a standstill.

Alicia screamed back, agony glistening in her eyes.

“So what? Wanting won’t make it happen. The world doesn’t work like that. I could continue to chase after an impossible dream, but I’d only be throwing away years of my life. And for nothing! So why shouldn’t I give up?! Does the act of persevering really justify everything? Even if my efforts ultimately bring me nothing? It doesn’t. And now, I’m done with it all... I never wanted to have my dream... I wanted it to come true!”

“Ugh!”

Sain grunted as Alicia pushed against his blade even harder. Her dam of emotions had burst, and all the misery and sorrow she’d kept pent up crashed into him like an avalanche.

“Even now, I still don’t have a holy sword! I came all this way, and it wasn’t even here! It’s always like this. Every time I find some hope, I’m always let down! And you know what? I’ve learned my damn lesson! I’m done with dreams! They’re always so conveniently placed, as if they’re just within reach, but they all turn out to be lies!”

No matter how much her flames raged, the scorching heat was nothing compared to the sharpness of Alicia’s words. Like daggers in his heart, they reverberated painfully until they had become a bitter chorus of shared suffering. She almost seemed to be speaking his words—voicing his grief. However, Sain couldn’t afford to stop here.

“There are no convenient dreams...” he said through gritted teeth. It was a harsh truth, but it was also a simple one. And it was one that he’d known for many, many years. “They’re dreams because they’re hard! There will be pain. There will be disappointment. But that’s only natural because the road to your dreams is paved with hardship! And you knew this, so stop talking like you only just realized! You resolved to walk this path a long time ago!”

“Shut up! Shut up! Go away, go away, go away!”

She hurled another fireball at him. This one, however, was different than before. Not only was it considerably larger, but its surface was devoid of dancing flames. Instead, it had a smooth, spherical contour; all its energy seemed to be concentrated within. It had an overwhelming presence, almost as though it were threatening to cleanse the entire room through its purifying radiance.

No wonder they picked her to be their puppet.

Sain gave a wry smile at the irony of it all. Her peers deemed her a failure, and yet, there were those who would stop at nothing to have her talents for themselves.

“...Melia, are you ready yet?”

“I sure am. Thanks to all the time you bought, I’m all charged up.”

Melia stepped forward, placing herself between Sain and the approaching fireball. She swung her golden blade backward in a wide arc.

“Spider-silk Sword.”

Light began to gather along the thin sword. At first, the glow covered its entire length. Then, it slowly stretched away from the hilt, leaving only the blade brightened. The process continued, the shimmering sheath narrowing as it stretched further and further away from the sword. When it had condensed into a thin string no wider than silk, she swung.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. There was no sound, and there was no flash. The strand of light moved too fast and was too thin to be seen by the naked eye. Then, the fireball split in two. Melia swung again, this time straight at Alicia.

“Great torrent of black fire, turn all into ashen seas—Velle Flaram!”

At Alicia’s command, a dark wave rushed toward Melia’s silken blade. The maid’s attack was swallowed by the gushing tide of flame, which then continued to surge down the length of the room.

Sain stood, watching until it was mere moments away from devouring him whole. Then, he placed his hand on the collar of his outfit. In one smooth, practiced motion, he pulled off his black coat and held it in front of him. The black scales lining the inside repelled the oncoming flames.

Using his coat out as a shield, he marched against the sea of fire, opening his palm as he pushed forward.

“Darku!”

A bolt of darkness joined the fiery plumes dancing through the air. Weak and slow, it wobbled feebly toward its target.

Thoroughly vexed, Alicia swiped furiously at it with her flames.

“Get out of my sight! Aahhhhhhhh!”

“Graaaaaaaargh!”

Sain put his head down and charged through the fiery wave straight at Alicia, who ground her teeth together in anger. She raised an arm to the ceiling, producing a massive ball of dark flame above her palm.

“I was— No, I am just like you... We’re one and the same!” shouted Sain. Searing pain had filled his throat the second he opened his mouth, but he pressed through the pain. To deliver the necessary words to a girl who sought to wield power, only to have the power wield her.

Alicia swung her arm down, commanding the fireball to descend toward Sain.

“I, too, want something dearly... And it will never be mine unless I become a dark knight!”

The massive fireball came within an inch of Sain before Melia’s golden blade flashed through the air, and the severed fireball exploded in a fountain of blazing sparks that fell back to the ground. As he walked through the fiery rain, every bit of skin on his body screamed with burning pain. But still, he advanced. Unflinching. Unwavering.

He held out his hand.

“Darkuuuu!”

The bolt of darkness, no larger than a pebble, once again closed in on Alicia. It was a farcical sight—a spell more suited to the playgrounds of children than the field of battle—and yet, the pitiful projectile doggedly closed in on Alicia’s unguarded body.

Then, for the first time, it hit its mark.

“Ug—”

Alicia’s knees buckled under her.

The bolt of darkness hit Alicia in the chest and broke with a sharp pop. It was trivial in both shape and power, and yet, what was supposed to be a trifling spell sent a jolt through her that shook her to the core.

It made no sense. The gap between their powers should have been insurmountable. Infused with the mysterious blood-red energy, no one was supposed to be able to rival her. When even Melia could do little more than defend herself, Sain should have been an afterthought. He could barely handle beginner magic; Alicia had been certain that nothing he produced could even leave a scratch on her.

So why? Why did my knees give way? Why am I falling right now?

The spell that hit her in the chest was so weak. So insignificant. It could barely manage a bruise. And yet, for some reason, her limbs simply refused to move. She felt her strength seeping away from her body. Then, there was the pain. A deep, aching pain in her chest.

“...It hurts.”

A glistening stream flowed down her cheek.

“Why... From a stupid spell like this...”

She looked down at her hands, trembling, before pressing them to her chest. Her vision blurred. She squeezed her eyes shut, only to have them fill with tears again. Through the watery lens, she saw the figure of a young boy, burned and battered, but still boldly standing. As she looked at him, questions filled her mind.

Why? Why doesn’t he give up? Why, when he’s so weak, can he walk so steadily forward?

She felt his gaze. It was fixed on her, sharp and unwavering. She saw his hand. It was held out toward her between lulls in the flames. She heard his steps. They were steady, and they drew ever closer. But she couldn’t understand. What kept him going? What drove him to push himself so hard?

And most of all, why couldn’t she muster the same strength?

Emotions welled up in her chest. She desperately tried to force them down, but it was like fighting the tide. They swelled higher and higher until she felt them at her throat. Then, there was a soft whimper, and the floodgates broke.

Everything she’d kept bottled up burst out of her as a river of tears. She sobbed, her pain and misery flowing freely down her cheeks. Each throb of her heart pushed more emotions to the surface until she felt as though she was about to explode. At that moment, she heard Sain’s voice.

“A year ago, even a stupid spell like this was beyond me... Compared to your power, my stupid spell might be a hundred times weaker, but I worked a hundred times harder for it.”

“......”

“And, even then, it’s not strong enough to hurt you... But you already know that, don’t you? The pain you feel right now is your own doing. The cause of your torture is none other than yourself.”

She listened silently to the young boy standing before her—a young boy no older than her and who, shortly after being admitted to the academy, was immediately branded a loser by his peers. And yet, there was a depth to his words that defied his image. The wrenching agony in her heart was undoubtedly her own desperate plea, and with each throb of pain, her own body implored her to wake up. Now, she could hear its voice—her voice. She could once again speak to her own heart.

And it was all thanks to Sain.

“...The only torture here is that get-up of yours.”

“...What?!”

Never did Sain imagine the first thing he’d hear from Alicia would be a biting commentary on his fashion sense. Unable to process what he had just heard, he could do nothing but stand there with his mouth agape.

“Scratch that. Everything that comes out of your mouth is torture. Torture by sheer lameness.”

“But— But—”

“But right now,” said Alicia as she looked up at a stammering Sain, “between the two of us, you’re the cooler one by a longshot. And admitting that, I think... is pretty much admitting defeat.”

The tempest raging within her had calmed. When she looked around, she noticed that the blood-red embers surrounding her had faded as well. Having finally let out all of her negative emotions, she felt as though a dark blanket of clouds had just parted in her heart.

Slowly, she lifted her arm and reached toward Sain. To commend him on his victory. To thank him for his trust.

Jets of crimson flame erupted from the corrupted sword.

“Huh?! Wha—”

Within seconds, they had surrounded Alicia, threatening to swallow her whole.

She jumped up in a panic and tried to run, but the writhing blaze wrapped itself around her arms and legs like living manacles. They felt different than before. They were hot. Unbearably hot. That was when she knew—the flames wanted her dead.

“No!” Sain screamed.

Fire engulfed her, overwhelming her senses. She became lost in a sea of red, seeing and feeling nothing but the excruciating heat that surrounded her.

“Damn it! She refused to be its puppet, so it’s trying to kill her!”

Sain’s urgent cry, a distant echo amidst the roar of the flames, reached her ears. As the deadly inferno closed in and the world faded away, she reached in the direction she had heard his voice, hoping to grasp the last glimmer of a faint ray of hope.

“...Are you really doing this?”

“Yes. This is an unfitting end for someone such as Miss Gold. I will not allow her to die here.”

There were faint murmurs. Footsteps approached.

“...This will leave you forever scarred. Forgive me, Alicia.”

The moment Sain spoke her name, the flames consuming her dissipated. The last thing she remembered before passing out was a warm sensation across her left shoulder.

+ + +

Will you be my knight?

A woman stood before Alicia. Her hair, strands of golden silk, fell smoothly over her lustrously white skin, and slender limbs accentuated her proportionate figure. Like the statue at the far end of the temple, she exuded an aura of otherworldly beauty. Her compassionate gaze, however, was tinged by a hint of loneliness, and her body trembled ever so slightly, as if she was trying very hard to suppress a rising sense of anxiety.

Okay. I will.

The voice of a young boy answered. The woman, hearing his response, beamed.

Alicia felt lost. She couldn’t feel the ground beneath her feet. The scene playing out before her made no sense. She didn’t understand what she was seeing. Was it a dream? If so, it was a strange one; it didn’t seem to be at all founded in her reality.

The whole world suddenly blurred around her, and the scenery changed. Now, she was in the middle of a vast expanse of nature. Looking down, she found her hands—rather, the hands of the person whose eyes she was seeing through. They held a sword, which was impaled in the carcass of a monster.

Phew. I think that’s the last of them.

A-Aah! Sain, dear! What do you think you’re doing?!

Huh? Well, I’m fighting off monsters...

Fighting off monsters?! Y-You’re too young to be doing that! I think it’d be better if you, um, you know, waited until you’re a little older!

But the monsters are causing everyone a lot of trouble. Besides, I’m strong, so I have to do it.

Hnngh... W-Well, make sure you don’t push yourself too hard, okay? Because if you get hurt, I’m going to cry. I’m going to cry for a whole week.

Please don’t.

The boy and the woman continued their loving bantering. At times, their exchanges were so comically juvenile that Alicia couldn’t help but giggle.

Suddenly, the world blurred again, and the scenery followed suit.

Praise the holy knight!

The cheering came from all around her, and its sound was deafening.

Praise the holy knight!

Long live Sir Sain!

The roar of the crowd seemed to shake the very sky. At the center of the commotion was a horse-drawn cart that leisurely made its way down a stone road. All around it, people threw up their hands in celebration, fervently cheering the young boy who was seated inside. It was hard to tell when he was looking up, but when he lowered his gaze, Alicia could see he had a sturdier frame than when he’d met the golden-haired woman. The young boy had grown.

You sure are loved.

The woman with the compassionate gaze approached the young boy and stood at his side. The young boy smiled back, his eyes equally kind.

You are too.

Huh?

Loved by them, goddess... They love you too.

The woman smiled at the boy’s words. There was gladness in that smile. But there was also the slightest hint of sadness.

I do hope so...

Again, everything went black for a second before the dream took on a different setting.

You are the pride of Lightridge, the finest knight to have graced our Holy Kingdom.

Alicia found herself atop an elegant red carpet. Around her were a number of people dressed like nobility. They were all looking in her direction, their gazes filled with admiration and respect.

You are our hope.

So long as you are here, peace shall reign in this kingdom.

From this day forward, please use your powers not only for the sake of our kingdom, but for the good of every person in the world... And, most of all, for yourself. We will always be cheering you on.

The vision continued to flicker, snapping faster and faster through a slideshow of sights and people.

I will never forget what you have done for me. I swear that I will repay your kindness one day.

Oh, praise the good knight. Thank you for saving our village.

We are deeply indebted to you. I do hope we shall meet again.

When I grow up, I want to be a hero like the holy knight and help everyone!

Dearest savior, thank you for saving our people. Please accept our heartfelt gratitude.

She saw a lovely young girl, then a bold male adolescent. There was a kindly woman, an innocent child, and a wrinkly old lady. They were all joined in their praise and appreciation. She knew that these had to be people the young boy had met during his travels. He had walked countless miles, and saved countless lives.

Now, he was beginning another journey. The carpet turned from red to green, its woolen fibers replaced by soft grass. As the young boy climbed a gentle hill, the goddess spoke to him.

Sain, dear, you really are terrific. You’ll become the best holy knight there ever was.

That’s not true.

You will. I’m sure of it. After all, I’ve known so many holy knights, and none of them were as gentle and warmhearted as you. The people shower you with so much love. Love that really does come from the bottom of their hearts. ...All they offer me is worship.

Alicia watched as the young boy glanced at the goddess. What he saw in the sideward contour of her shapely features, she did not know. What she did know, however, was that she felt a pang of heartache at her downcast eyes and somber smile. In that moment, a single thought occupied her mind: I don’t want her to look so sad.

Sain, dear, is there anything you want? You know, a wish of some kind?

Not especially. What about you, goddess?

Me? I... Hm, well... I... I wish—

Upon hearing her answer, Alicia’s eyes opened wide. The young boy must have shared her surprise, because the next thing she heard was an echo of his heart, shared with no one but himself.

Goddess... The truth is... I do have a wish. Just a single one.

The world blackened, and the scene changed once again.

She was in a very large room. The carpets on the ground had intricate patterns woven into them, and premium furnishings lined the walls.

You... want to quit being the holy knight? The woman’s eyes were large and incredulous. Wh-Why? Why would— W-Was it me? Did I do something wrong?! I’m so sorry if I did...

It’s not that. I just have a new goal now.

A... new goal?

The young boy answered with a look of unbending pride.

I’m going to become the dark knight!

D-Dark... knight?

Indeed. Therefore, I shall no longer wield your powers with reckless abandon. From now on, except for times of dire need, I shall keep my powers as a holy knight sealed away. Sorry, goddess, but that’s how it’s going to be.

Wh-Why are you doing this all of a sudden?

Why? Hah! Why else? Because... the dark knight is just so much cooler!

Huh?!

The woman’s jaw almost hit the ground in shock. There was, as far as anyone could tell, no rhyme or reason to the boy’s opinion. It was pure subjective bias. She flailed her arms in protest as she desperately tried to talk him out of his ludicrous decision.

Th-That’s not true at all! The holy knight is much, much cooler! And it suits you so much more, Sain, dear! I promise!

Sorry, but my mind is set.

Having her suggestion so flatly refused, the woman bit her lip. Her shoulders trembled, and there was the beginnings of a sob in her voice.

I’m not okay with this... No way... I’m never ever going to be okay with this!

Angry tears streamed down her cheeks as she raised her voice in objection once more.

Stupid, stupid Sain! I hate you! Waaaaaaaah!

After a terrible bout of bawling, the woman vanished. The boy let out a quiet sigh, his lonesome figure accentuated by the emptiness of the room. Just then, a door to the room opened, and a black-haired girl appeared. Her uniform suggested she was his attendant.

I see you’re done with the talk. Hm... From the looks of it, she didn’t take it very well, did she?

...She didn’t. And why should she? I mean, I’m basically betraying her.

Careful. You’re breaking character.

Oh, whoops. Ahem. What I’ve done amounts to nothing if not an act of betrayal. There.

The girl regarded him with a flat expression.

What? This isn’t as easy as it looks, okay?

Then you could just, you know, stop doing it.

But I sound so much more like a dark knight this way! said the boy, his eyes brimming with enthusiasm.

The black-haired girl sighed.

You know you’re throwing away everything, right? Everything you’ve built up... It’s all going to mean nothing if you do this.

So be it.

The wealth. The power. The fame and glory. Your feats and achievements. The trust you’ve earned and the bonds you’ve made. Everything... is going to be gone. And you’ll be starting over from the very bottom; a nameless nobody with nothing to his name.

So be it.

...You’re letting go of a life of peace and happiness.

So be it. The boy looked the girl straight in the eyes. There is something I want, and it will never be mine unless I walk this path.

The boy’s words roused something deep within Alicia’s heart. It felt familiar. It was something she knew well. And then, she remembered: It was resolve.

We’re the same...

Throughout her life, she’d had countless other options. All kinds of roads had been available to her. She could have chosen to learn fire magic. She could have walked away from magic entirely and led a more peaceful life. If she wanted to, she could have changed course at any time. However, she hadn’t. She’d chosen this life, and with it, all its adversity and hardships.

The reason was simple: Just like the boy before her, there was something she wanted, and it would never be hers unless she walked this path.

In that moment, their thoughts seemed to meld as their voices echoed in perfect harmony.

What I truly want is...

As they each put their resolve to words, everything faded to black once more.

“...Huh?”

Alicia opened her eyes to a dirt-colored ceiling. She was lying flat on her back and her head felt heavy. She let out a pained groan as she slowly sat up, pressing her fingers against her temples.

“Ah, I see you’re awake,” said Sain.

He stood above her in all his ebony glory. For a while, she simply looked at him, his face blending together with that of the boy from her dream. He raised an eyebrow.

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh, um, nothing. I just had a weird dream.”

“It wasn’t a dream. What you saw were probably my memories.”

“...What?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin. But now that things have come to this, some explanations are definitely in order. I’ll tell you everything, but allow me to start with the most important part.” His expression took on a solemn air. “My real name is Sain Forth. I am the current holy knight.”

A long silence passed, during which Alicia made no attempt at a response. She showed no surprise. If anything, her expression was that of someone chewing a particularly flavorless piece of gum.

“I see you’re not surprised. I assume that means you did indeed see my memories.”

“...I am surprised. I’m just having trouble processing everything after all that happened,” she said as she rubbed her face with her hand. “I understand that you’re the holy knight. Like, I get it up here,” she said, pointing to her head, “but I don’t really get it, you know? It’s true that I was seeing someone’s memories—yours, probably—but for me, it doesn’t feel real. Like, there’s that Sain, and then there’s this Sain. And the Sain that I remember... is you. The one that I’ve gotten to know over these past couple of days. Well, you’re the one that made more of an impression on me, at least.”

“Oh? Mm-hm-hm. Now that just made my day,” said Sain with a grin. Between his past self that he wished to erase and his current self striving to become a dark knight, Alicia had gravitated toward the latter. It felt like vindication. “However, I’m getting ahead of myself a bit. Let’s start with you. How are you feeling? Are all of your memories intact?”

“...Yeah.”

Alicia averted her eyes. The subtle gesture told Sain all he needed to know. She remembered everything: The fact that they had entered the labyrinth searching for the holy sword that would allow her to use light magic; that what they discovered wasn’t a holy sword, but something far more nefarious; and, most of all, that she had been corrupted by the evil presence and tried to harm her friends.

“Don’t blame yourself. What we faced was a monster that invades people’s hearts and bends them to its will. It wasn’t your fault, Miss Gold. We were unfortunate to run into it. That’s all.”

“That’s not true... I was conscious. I knew what I was doing.”

“What makes those monsters especially dangerous is that they control not the mind but the heart. I’d imagine it made you see some particularly unpleasant visions. It’s almost like a kind of natural disaster that brainwashes people. It wasn’t anyone’s fault—rather, if anyone was at fault, it was definitely me.” Sain lowered his head in apology. “I’m sorry. The truth is that I’d known in advance that the thing was hiding in the labyrinth. It was my mistake to not tell you beforehand, and I apologize.”

Once Sain had finished explaining, Alicia looked to Melia, who nodded. It became clear that she was the only one who was clueless.

“...It was for my sake, right?”

“Huh?”

“We haven’t known each other long, but I feel like I have a pretty good handle on you. You’re not the kind of person who’d put someone in danger for no reason,” said Alicia, her voice brimming with certainty.

Sain fell silent. She was right. In fact, he’d intended to keep the truth from her until the very end. Alicia continued:

“That’s why I’m the one who should apologize. I’m sorry... For hurting you. Both of you.”

Alicia lowered her head as well, resulting in a rather awkward stalemate. Both of them wished to convey their regret, but neither was willing to look up first for fear of lessening the sincerity of their apology. Melia regarded the absurd contest with a sigh.

“Let’s just say it’s a tie, all right? You’re both equally sorry.”

Her suggestion elicited a grimace from both contestants.

“But that would imply...”

“But that means...”

“Okay, okay. You can keep comparing bowing angles, but let’s wait until after we get back to the academy, all right? Considering we’re still in the labyrinth, I’d appreciate it if we all behaved like sensible people.”

Melia was, of course, absolutely right. Though they were in a safe zone, they hadn’t brought any rations with them. The clock was ticking, and they still had a labyrinth to explore. There was no time to waste.

“...Fair point.”

“...Yeah.”

The apologetic pair exchanged nods before Alicia’s eyes were suddenly drawn to her surroundings. A frown wrinkled her forehead.

“On that note, where are we?”

“A safe zone. My maid and I found it while you were unconscious. We’re not too far from where we found the fake holy sword,” explained Sain. He then fixed Alicia with a serious look. “Listen, Miss Gold. What I am about to tell you will have permanent consequences. Once you learn the truth about our situation, there’s no going back. So brace yourself. Consider your peaceful and ordinary days gone for good. From now on, Miss Gold, you shall walk a most unusual path with us, and live a most extraordinary life.”

“...More like you’d better tell me. If you try to keep me in the dark after all this, I swear I’ll bite you. So? What’s the deal with you two? And what was that dark red energy?”

Seeing that Alicia had made up her mind, Sain began to explain.

“Allow me to start from the beginning. Once again, I am the holy knight, and my maid serves as my attendant.”

“Well, yeah. It’s pretty obvious that Melia’s your attendant. I know that much. Actually, wait... By ‘attendant,’ do you mean she gets some sort of special power from the holy knight?”

“Indeed. The holy knight can share his power with others, thereby creating allies known as attendants. As a sign of having received this power, an attendant will receive a holy mark that appears somewhere on his or her body.”

Sain gestured to Melia with his eyes. In response, she pulled up her skirt, revealing the pattern of a dagger and shield on her thigh. Alicia observed the mark with a reverent expression.

“So this is a holy mark... Wait... How come it’s... there?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, look... Isn’t this, like... sort of indecent?”

“What?! N-No! The spot where the holy mark appears is completely random! I didn’t choose to put it there!”

“Master Sain held me down and carved it into me himself.”

“Damn it, maid! Now is not the time for your shenanigans! Besides, you were the one who threatened me!”

“Did I? I don’t remember doing that,” Melia replied with a shrug.

Sain dropped his head in his hands and groaned. Then, he started with a look of realization and spun toward Alicia.

“Miss Gold, this concerns you as well. Look at your left shoulder.”

She did as she was told, pulling aside her shirt to reveal her left shoulder.

“What is this...” she said as her eyes went wide.

Her shoulder was marked in the same style as Melia’s thigh. Though the pattern was different, it was undeniably a holy mark, signifying that she was now an attendant as well.

“In order to save you from the corruption, I had to make you my attendant. Unless I die, that mark will never fade... I’m sorry. I’ve left you scarred for life.”

Sain lowered his head again, but Alicia merely gave a resigned sigh.

“Better than dying, right? Thank you, Sain. For saving my life.” Her words were gentle, brushing aside his apology to instead offer her gratitude.

His expression turned pensive. There was no denying that she would have been the most surprised by the sudden turn of events, and yet Alicia kept a clear head and stood her ground. There was definitely something to be said about that.

Eventually, he figured a response was appropriate and attempted a smile, but even he wasn’t sure whether it came across as more wry than glad.

“Let’s talk while we walk. Our time is limited,” he said as he turned to leave.

The two girls followed, and the three made their way to leave the safe zone. As they proceeded down a passage, Sain kept his gaze forward as he spoke.

“That blood-red energy you saw is known as Chaos.”

“Chaos?”

Sain nodded.

“Chaos is a concept... No, it’s more like a phenomenon. It has existed since time immemorial, and is responsible for creating everything in existence. From the magical energy we employ for our spells to the monsters that are a threat to people’s lives; everything was once a product of Chaos.”

“It... created magical energy and monsters? H-Hold on a minute. I was told in class that those had existed since the world began.”

“That’s the official story, because the truth can be... inconvenient at times. Like I said, from this day on, you’ll be walking an extraordinary path—one that takes you beyond the pages of your textbooks. In this world, common sense will be your foe. In fact, you should throw it aside entirely. Keep an open mind, and prepare to question everything you assume to be true.”

Alicia listened with pursed lips as Sain spoke with the impassive certainty of a lecturer. His matter-of-fact tone imparted some sorely needed credence to what basically amounted to claims of vast conspiracy.

“...Okay. So let’s say Chaos did create magical energy and monsters. Does that mean Chaos is some kind of deity? Does it watch over the world like Her Holiness?”

“No. There is nothing divine about Chaos, and it is by no means benevolent. If anything, Chaos is an enemy to the gods.” Sain looked up with an air of solemnity. “Chaos has no will, and, therefore, no morality. It cares not whether its creations are good or evil; it simply creates indefinitely. It is a phenomenon that can bring forth both miracles and calamities. That is why the two gods sealed it away before catastrophe could befall the world.

“However... the seal proved imperfect. Though it succeeded in stopping the main body from functioning, it also left residues scattered throughout the world. Though these are mere shadows of the core, they are still too dangerous to fall into the hands of man. It is imperative that they are dealt with, but the two gods are occupied with maintaining the seal... That is why they decided to select agents to go in their place. These agents are, of course, the holy knight and the dark knight.”

Alicia swallowed dryly. The greatness of the knights was no secret—it was widely known that they were directly chosen by the gods. Their purpose, however, was shrouded in mystery.

Why did they exist? The elusive answer to that question was now Alicia’s to keep.

“The holy knight and dark knight... They’re both people selected by the gods to defeat Chaos...?”

“Correct. There are those who believe the knights are saviors sent by the gods; others believe they are mere tools created for the purpose of spreading religion. You may have heard some of these claims yourself. What I told you just now, however, is the truth.”

Sain paused, allowing Alicia to process his words before continuing.

“Now, let’s come back to the present... The blood-red energy that consumed you is, of course, the Chaos that I speak of. While you were under its influence, you might have noticed it was desperately struggling to break free of its seal. Normally, Chaos is extremely elusive, and rarely shows up near people. After all, a trail of sightings would easily lead us to its location, and, therefore, its demise. They are cunning and cowardly entities, and unfortunately... that clouded my judgment. I hadn’t expected them to attack so directly. The fact that they chose to, however, is a testament to how highly they valued your powers, Miss Gold. You were an opportunity they couldn’t pass up.”

“What do you mean by—”

Her question was cut short by a loud rumbling that shook through the ground beneath them. Sain calmly slowed to a stop, Alicia staggering a little beside him. The source of the quake was up ahead... and it was close.

“What was that?”

“That,” Sain said, his eyes narrowing, “is the equivalent of Chaos cracking its knuckles. The core that was hiding in the labyrinth must have noticed us and realized it wasn’t getting away without a fight.” He started walking forward again. “Up ahead lies the Chaos that brainwashed you... And we’re going to go exterminate it.”

As he mentioned the Chaos, he stole a glance at Alicia. As he expected, her face was awash with concern. His expression softened.

“It’s all right. No one will force you to do anything you’re not comfortable doing. Hunting down Chaos is a duty of the holy knight, but their attendants have no such obligation. However, so long as you are an attendant to the holy knight, you will be involved in matters of Chaos sooner or later. Therefore... I ask that you come with me. Even if only to observe.”

“Oh, would you quit it with the whole guilty conscience thing already?” snapped Alicia. “Look, I never considered myself a victim here, so you can drop the whole offender act, too. Besides, isn’t Melia going too? If she is, then so am I.”

“...Well, that’s because holy knight or not, I’m Master Sain’s attendant first and foremost.”

“Same goes for me, then. Holy knight or not, I’m your friend first and foremost.”

The sureness with which Alicia made her declaration took Sain by surprise. The shock, however, soon melted into a warm smile.

“Fair enough,” he said, flourishing his coat behind him. “Let’s go fast. Maybe we can slug it in the face before it’s even finished warming up.”

+ + +

Sain could hear his heart pound between footsteps. Was it because he was running so quickly, or because he was nervous for the oncoming confrontation? He wasn’t sure. In fact, it was probably both.

He continued to dash through the labyrinth with a certainty that belied their ostensible purpose of exploration. Never once did he slacken his pace. The holy knight’s power was guiding him toward the location of the Chaos with pinpoint accuracy.

Alicia kept by his side, matching his speed.

“Hey, Sain.”

“What is it?” he answered as they ran.

“You know how... I saw your memories? When I did, all sorts of things flowed into my head. I felt your resolve, and I felt your loss. ...Sain. Why are you trying to become a dark knight? Is it because—”

“Because it’s so cool!”

Sain interjected before she could finish, continuing into a ramble.

“The dark knight is so damn cool! The dark aura, the ominous appearance, the demonic power that repels all those who approach... It all speaks to my very soul! And that’s reason enough!” he shouted through heavy gasps for air.

His eyes never once shifted from the direction they were fixed in—forward. But even without looking, Sain knew that Alicia had held her tongue. She no doubt had so much to ask. So much to say. Yet, in that moment, she allowed herself only four words.

“...I guess it is.”

He understood the reason for her silence. As a witness to his memories, she surely knew the true reason behind his desire to become a dark knight. Nevertheless, she refrained from prying. It was an act of kindness that he could only repay with wordless gratitude.

“There!” he shouted as he suddenly slid to a halt. To his side, Alicia followed suit.

A large, open space stretched before them, teeming with monsters the deep red of blood. Some were bird-like and circled above, flapping their asymmetrical wings. Others resembled fish that floated through the air, tail-like tendrils dangling below them. Even the four-legged creature that Alicia had fought roamed here in droves. A single one had proven too much for her to handle, yet now there were dozens. The very sight caused her to take a step back in spite of herself.

“The residues of Chaos can be categorized based on their shape and attributes. Those up ahead are known as Beasts of Chaos, and occupy the lowest position in their hierarchy. They’re foot soldiers, more or less.”

“Are you kidding me? They’re the weakest? Isn’t that the thing Melia and I fought?”

“They’re the weakest form of Chaos, but they’re still far stronger than regular monsters. After all, what powers them isn’t magical energy, which is but a product of Chaos, but Chaos itself.”

Sain described the strength of their enemies with clinical indifference before taking a casual step forward. Immediately, every Beast in the room directed its gaze toward him. The tension in the air thickened at once, and yet Sain continued his nonchalant stroll toward the glowering creatures, his manner easy and relaxed.

“But in the end, they’re nothing more than mere monsters.”

“H-Hey! Sain?!” Alicia yelled in a panic as the defenseless Sain strode carelessly into enemy territory. The Beasts began to growl and snarl in unison, stirring her worries into a frenzy.

The last thing she heard before the howls crescendoed into a deafening chorus of roars was the calm certainty of Sain’s voice.

“They lack a most crucial element—intellect.”

The room appeared to melt into a crimson blur as every monster in the room pounced toward him at once.

“Melia!”

“Second Gift—Holy Sinking Blade!”

A golden sword flashed into existence, tracing a blinding arc through the air. In an instant, death washed over the room. Bird-like, fish-like and beast-like; all were equally defenseless against the reaper of light.

“Hm... Not that many took the bait.”

“Making Miss Alicia an attendant probably tipped them off about your power. That said, their impression of you probably still hovers around ‘a little stronger than average.’”

“Ah. That’s an unexpected advantage of wearing seals. How fortunate for us.”

Many of the creatures that had approached them were now cautiously backing away. But a few lingered, staring them down with eyes that exuded confidence.

Sain turned to his dumbfounded observer, Alicia.

“The weapon Melia currently wields is the power bestowed upon attendants of the holy knight. Miss Gold, this power has also been bestowed upon you.”

“Me... too?”

Then, Sain scratched his chin, suddenly deep in thought.

“Hm, actually... I might as well have her give it a try right now,” he mused. “Nothing beats hands-on experience, after all.”

Melia, who had overheard Sain talking to himself, walked over to Alicia, rising up onto her toes to whisper in her ear.

“Miss Alicia, about that... Just so you know, this is going to give you the shivers. You’d better brace yourself.”

Alicia responded with a confused look before turning back to Sain. He fixed his eyes on her, and the sudden intensity of his gaze caused her to start a little.

“Here I go... Alicia.”

“Eeeek!”

As soon as her name was called, a piercing shriek escaped Alicia’s lips. She hopped on the spot and clutched at her chest, her cheeks reddening.

It took her a few seconds to process what had just happened. Then, as her thoughts gathered, her face reddened further with rage. She stomped toward Sain, yanking him in by the collar.

“What the hell was that for?!” she screamed, shaking him violently with both hands.

“Gueeeeh?!”

Sain frantically gestured for her to stop, but to no avail.

“C-Calm down... Calm down and take a look at yourself...” he croaked.

Only then did she release him. Her cheeks were still flushed, and she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously before glancing down at her chest. Slowly, her eyes widened with surprise.

“What is this...?”

“Those who become my attendants have their powers unleashed when I speak their name.”

“Of course, in Master Sain’s case, his unleashing happens just a tiny bit too easily. His powers are so strong that he can apparently turn compatible people into attendants just by saying their name. He’s a lean, mean, attendant-making machine.”

“Huh... Now I get why you always give people nicknames...”

“Well, erm, yes. That would be why.”

“And not getting to say anyone’s name makes you sad, which is why you name your plants and talk to them like they’re people, right?”

“Waaaaaaaah! No one else needed to know that!”

As if on cue, one of the Beasts let out a ferocious growl and rushed at them. Its three front and two hind legs gave it a peculiar tumbling gait.

“Ah, good timing. Go ahead. Try your hand on that.”

“‘T-Try my hand’? You want me to fight that? How? Isn’t it immune to everything but dark and light magic?”

“And you, Alicia, can use light magic. As a matter of fact, you’ve been using it all along.”

Alicia looked at him, speechless and wide-eyed.

“The fire magic you thought you’ve been using... It was, in fact, light magic. All of it. And now... it’s time for you to unleash its true potential. Trust in yourself, Alicia, and scream those words you hear in your heart!”

Sain punctuated his command with a dramatic flourish.

Alicia looked down at her hands. At first, Sain’s words seemed like an encouraging but ultimately impossible request. What was she to do? As she stared at her palms, however, she felt a mysterious power radiating from them. It was invisible, but it had a definite presence. She focused on the power, feeling it swirl in her hands.

Slowly, something welled up inside her. It passed through her chest, instilling confidence in her heart. By the time it reached her head, it had roused the warrior in her, and all traces of doubt vanished from her gaze. Her eyes blazed with newfound determination.

The large Beast bared its vicious fangs as it barrelled toward her. She reached out her slender arm; an arm that seemed frail compared to the monstrous creature before her.

Sain, however, knew that her delicate appearance masked a tremendous strength. He could feel the enormous power surging through her outstretched limb and, just as the Beast opened its gaping maw, an explosion of light filled the room.

“Poht Teurch, here I bear the attendant’s mark. Seventh Gift—Holy Weaving Torch!”

Pure, blinding radiance swelled outward at an unimaginable speed, its overwhelming brightness threatening to erase from the world every shadow, every hue—even the very concept of color. Alicia’s hand had become a boundary, beyond which was an alien realm of complete and total whiteness.

When the world finally came back into focus, a conical object had appeared in her hand. Its base faced away from her, narrowing to a thinner end that rested in her palm. Adorning it were smooth lines that extended from the midpoint toward the outer end, meeting in intricate patterns that resembled a crown. From a distance, it looked as though a castle of white spires had risen from the palm of her hand.

It was a torch, and from its apex emanated a holy light.

“This is...”

Her mouth remained open, but no words came. She simply stared in stunned silence at the whitened flame glowing vigorously at the cone’s base, as if light itself had solidified into palpable matter.

“...A power known as holy fire,” said Sain, finishing her sentence. “Even amongst users of light magic, it is an extremely rare ability. However, it is no mere flame. Its true value... is the power of purification. It has the potential to purge corruption—to cleanse that which has been tainted.

“As an ability, purification is immensely potent, but it is difficult to predict when the power will awaken. This is because, without a clear target to purify, any attempts to activate it will end in vain. This, Alicia, is why your fire was only effective against monsters. Monsters were created by Chaos, and bear its mark of corruption.”

“W-Wait, then that means I...”

“Congratulations.” He beamed at her with heartfelt bliss. “Your dream came true.”

Alicia looked from Sain to the torch in her hand, and a tear fell from the corner of her eye. Then another, and another. Soon, a shimmering stream flowed down her cheeks, and her lips quivered a little as they curved up into a smile. Then, she quickly rubbed the back of her hand across her cheek.

“Okay, not the time for this,” she said with a sniffle. “First, we take care of this. Crying can come later.”

Her eyes looked as though they’d taken on a new coat of polish. Gone was the matte finish of worry, replaced by the smooth sheen of confidence. She fixed the Beasts of Chaos with a level gaze. Beside her, Sain did the same, his lips touched by a relieved smile.

“Holy fire is effective against Chaos as well. Before your full awakening, its power had been subdued. Now, however... Well, it might as well be something else entirely.”

“Did you know about my power from the very start?”

“The first time I noticed something strange was when you touched my coat... and you were perfectly fine. Also, over the past couple of days, the seals I’ve been wearing kept breaking for some reason. And so I started to suspect that your magic was the cause. Finally, when you showed me your light magic in person, it pretty much confirmed my suspicions.”

Sain glanced at the vast array of trinket-like seals hanging from his body. They all served the same purpose—to suppress the power of light—and were created by condensing the power of darkness into solid masses. Holy fire, being a form of light magic, was therefore effective against the darkness in the seals.

“What you probably didn’t realize is that these accessories I’m wearing aren’t for show. They’re all seals that suppress the power of light.”

One of the Beasts lunged at them as he spoke, shooting a jet of flame from its mouth.

“Also, remember those fell dragon scales I said were lining my coat? Well...” He quickly turned, sending the tail of his coat fluttering up behind him. It met the flame and repelled it without a scratch. “They’re real.”

Fell dragon scales could negate most attacks—they had even protected Sain from one of the spells Alicia had used when she was brainwashed. However, they were not objects to be handled lightly. Infused with the lingering malice of a fallen dragon, the scales could corrupt weak minds with a single touch. When Alicia had tugged on his coat, the power of purification dormant within her shielded her from harm.

Her ability to purge sources of corruption likely made her immune to all forms of mental corruption, the only exception being when she was mentally weakened, which would leave her vulnerable. Chaos had taken advantage of this, launching a psychological assault on her through a sequence of cruel illusions. Only then did they manage to pry open the gate to her heart.

But so long as she stayed true to herself and kept a strong heart, she was untouchable.

“Take pride in your accomplishment. This power was sleeping within you all along, all I did was give it a slight push. Can you sense it flowing through you? Doesn’t it feel familiar? That’s because it’s your power.”

Alicia’s purification ability manifested as holy fire which, as its name suggested, was indeed fire and could be controlled in the same way. Therefore, when wielding her new power, Alicia would inherit the proficiency she’d previously acquired in fire magic. She may not have chosen or even wanted to learn fire magic, but it was a familiar power that had accompanied her throughout her life. Sain had no doubt that she would take to it like an old friend.

“Hey, Sain?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.” She offered him a gentle smile. “I mean it. Thank you.”

The tender expression was almost unbecoming of Alicia, and Sain found himself transfixed by a side of her he’d never seen before.

“I want to help you... From now on, I’m going to stay—and fight—by your side,” she said, her eyes still glistening with tears.

“Just for the record, it’s not all sunshine and roses,” Melia interjected. “We go to other continents sometimes, and, depending on where the Chaos is hiding, we might even have to wear disguises and infiltrate hideouts. It can be a real nuisance.”

“Wow. Coming from you, that’s no joke. Thanks for the heads up, but I’ll be fine. I didn’t spend my whole life struggling against these shackles just to get cold feet when they finally came off. I’m not backing down.” She tightened her grip on her torch and looked from Melia to the monsters. “Well, then. Show me how it’s done, chief. I’ll follow your lead.”

“Mmm. I suppose some orientation is indeed in order. All right. Watch closely, rookie.”

The two moved together. Alicia boldly charged straight toward the Beasts, making no attempt to hide or take cover, while Melia used the Beasts’ own shadows against them, weaving in and out of their blind spots as she advanced. Their time together in the labyrinth had allowed them each to understand the other’s style of fighting.

A winged monster dove at them from above. Alicia hopped aside, evading the attack and continuing onward toward a more densely packed group of creatures—a spot where she could wipe out as many monsters as possible in one swing. The winged monster tried to give chase, but was intercepted by the flash of a blade. Before its headless body could even touch the ground, Melia’s figure was gone.

She flashed from monster to monster, leaving a trail of decapitated corpses in her wake. When she’d attracted the attention of a sufficiently large mob, she turned to Alicia.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

“Gotcha! Eat this, you ugly, nasty brutes!”

The very manifestation of sanctity erupted from her in an expanding sphere of purging holy fire, impossibly dense and mercilessly pure. It swallowed countless monsters in its path, forging a zone of complete and utter whiteness. And at its center stood Alicia, torch held high above her head.

When the blinding light eventually faded, the surrounding rocks, rubble, walls and floor showed not even the slightest sign of damage. Even the dust in the air seemed untouched. Everything appeared the same as before, aside from one thing: The hordes of monsters surrounding her had vanished, erased so completely from existence that not a single speck of crimson remained.

“Wow... Talk about bringing in the heavy artillery...” Melia quipped. “I’m pretty sure that’s the kind of firepower you’d see from a siege engine, not a person.”

In terms of sheer firepower, Melia was completely outclassed. With enough practice, it was likely that Alicia would even be able to improve her control, affording her more flexibility with her power and allowing her to use it as more of a weapon than a bomb.

The new rookie turned out to be quite a valuable ally.

A cacophony of raucous shrieks broke out among the remaining Beasts. The ground rumbled, and the walls and ceiling were suddenly covered in blood-red circles—holes in the very fabric of space. From them clambered more Beasts, each more menacing than the last.

“They called for reinforcements,” Melia noted flatly.

“They’ll need them, because I’m just getting started.”

Melia and Alicia stared down the crimson legion, their numbers newly replenished. Monsters filled every last inch of their view, and yet neither attendant showed any hint of concern. Instead, they charged confidently into the thick of battle.

Sain watched the girls from afar and, seeing the long trail of dead monsters in their wake, let out a short breath of relief. Then, with the calm leisure of an evening stroll, he began to walk forward.

As he moved, he placed his hand over the clasp of one of his silver trinkets, and, one by one, began removing the accessories that dangled from his torso. For each one he removed, a burst of unseeable power surged from within him. Several nearby Beasts who had been poised to pounce froze in their tracks before scampering away in fear, and even the ones fighting his attendants paused for a moment to glance in his direction.

“It doesn’t matter how many there are. You’ll need more than grunts to kill us,” Sain said, seemingly to nothing in particular. “How about you come out and do some work yourself?”

His words hung in the air for a brief moment. Then, as if responding to his request, the ground began to rumble and geysers of blood-red energy erupted from the depths below. From these openings crept crimson veins, snaking their way across the floor and up the walls, eventually reaching as high as the ceiling.

As he cast aside his final seal, Sain tapped the ground with his right foot. The gesture caused a spidery strand of approaching red energy to diverge to either side, as though avoiding direct confrontation. Eventually, the blood-red streaks covered every surface in a vast web of energy. Then, all at once, they swelled.

The engorged veins pulled themselves free and gathered in a tangled mass at the center of the room, taking large chunks of earth and rock with them. The walls and ceiling began to crumble, and the very space they stood in seemed to contort. Everything, from the dirt underfoot to the lights overhead, were consumed by the swirling mass until finally, a terrible something emerged.

“Ah, finally. The boss of all the Chaos plaguing this labyrinth,” said Sain, his eyes narrowing. “An Incarnation.”

An Incarnation was a step up on the Chaos hierarchy, making it superior to the Beasts they’d been fighting. It was almost humanoid from the waist up, with a beard, two arms, three wings, and the fangs of a dragon. Its bottom half, however, was more alien, with two pulsating legs that resembled bundles of plant roots. Viscous, blood-red mud dripped from its body, and its slimy eyes rolled around in their sockets before settling on Sain.

The Incarnation let loose a shrill, gurgling howl. The noise was chilling, sounding less like the roar of a Beast and more like the anguished scream of a human. Alicia involuntarily clenched her teeth at the demented sight.

“It’s still too early for the two of you to take on an Incarnation,” said Sain, regarding the girls with a gentle smile. “Close your eyes if you’re scared. To be frank, I’d rather you did... What I’m about to do isn’t something I like showing people.”

From here on, he had to rely on borrowed strength. The time had come for him to use a power that he wasn’t particularly fond of—a power both awesome in its might and seductive in its potential. There was something inherently alluring about absolute power, to the extent that even those who knew about Sain’s dream might have found themselves falling prey to its siren song. That was why he was averse to having an audience. He took no pleasure in flaunting a power that wasn’t his.

Alicia, however, cared little for his stoicism.

“When I was brainwashed, you never looked away. You stayed with me. And now, it’s my turn... If you ever become intoxicated with your own power, I’ll slap some sense back into you, don’t you worry. Go out there and do your thing, because I’ve got your back.”

Her words washed over Sain like a wave of comfort. His chest warmed and he somehow felt... lighter. As though a small weight had been taken from him. There was an unmissable integrity to the girl standing before him; her words reached the heart because they came from the heart. The warmness grew, almost as if a fire had been lit inside him. This was, he realized, what it meant to have friends. Friends who gave each other motivation. Friends who had each other’s backs.

“In that case... I suppose there’s only one thing left to do.” He took a decisive step forward. “Let’s end this. Now.”

He let go, and the floodgates opened. The invisible energy that had been leaking from him immediately took on a golden hue as all of the power he had been suppressing rushed out at once. Slowly, his figure began to glow until he was completely enveloped in a saintly aura.

“Sanctuary.”

A sharp flash shrouded his black coat. The next moment, it was gone, replaced by a mantle of purest white. His radiance continued to intensify, climaxing in a blinding burst of light before suddenly condensing onto his back. When the gleam eventually faded, his mantle was embossed with the mark of a cross.

“I am the holy knight. If the blessing of the goddess is that which makes a holy sword, then all swords I hold in my hand,” he declared with conviction, “shall be holy swords.”

The dye in his hair peeled away, restoring its original golden luster, and the sheath of the sword dangling at his waist had turned from the darkest black to a lustrous white. He drew it by the handle, revealing a blade that shined with golden brilliance.

The radiance he bears is the grace of the gods. The cross he shoulders is the symbol of justice. He is—

“...The holy knight.” A faint whisper escaped Alicia.

The Incarnation was frozen in place, as if the light had robbed it of its ability to move. It was, in fact, gripped by fear, for it had learned Sain’s true identity. This knowledge, however, had come too late. Its fate was now sealed.

“■■■■■■■—!”

The Incarnation let out a twisted howl. The crimson roots that ran along the walls began throbbing as if they were arteries feeding a racing heart. The creature’s top half swelled in size, sharp fangs jutting from its now bloated jaw which dripped with blood-red mud. It opened its mouth wide and charged at Sain.

The Incarnation’s gaping maw filled Sain’s view, but he didn’t even bat an eye. Instead, he simply took another step forward.

“Creature of the ersatz blade, allow me to show you the real thing.”

His hand began to glow with an iridescent stream of colors, growing brighter and brighter until it took on the form of a sword shining with an intensity that stung the eyes.

“This,” he said as he raised his golden blade, “is a holy sword!”

As he swung down at the Incarnation, a towering arc of light rushed out of his sword, instantly engulfing its target and erasing its very existence in a blinding burst of glory. The light suffused not only the room, but their hearts as well, as seemingly pure and endless as the love afforded to man by the gods. There was no end to its brilliance; perhaps there never would be. The workings of the divine were beyond human comprehension. That which surpassed the knowledge of man was not of man and right now, Sain was a god.

“...Well, I did my thing. Any thoughts?”

Alicia, who had been watching the disintegrating Incarnation with stunned amazement, snapped out of her trance at his words. She blinked a few times at him.

“Thoughts, huh...?”

Faced with the holy knight—a hero and savior, god among men, counterpart to the dark knight and one of the strongest beings in existence—Alicia gave her most honest opinion.

“I liked your black hair better.”

Sain laughed.

“So did I.”