Time Will Come

Several moments after Susun confronted Rein inside a cave.

"..."

The tingling feeling of lightning from the collar woken up Rein from her slumber on top of her Mother's lap.

Susun greets her Daughter with a warming smile.

"Rein..."

"Mother...!"

Realizing that she called Susun her Mother, she quickly tries to get up to get away from her. Only to meet Susun's forehead with hers.

"Ow!"

That collision brought Rein back on her Mother's lap. She did not realize that she is actually lying on her Mother which she was supposedly not allowed to do when the collar was on her neck. She was only fixated on getting away from Susun before the collar triggers and kill her.

Susun lifts Rein's head up and wraps her arms around her Daughter. Unbeknownst to her, the collar that was in her neck, have been removed by Susun.

"My collar is..."

"It's okay, Rein. You're safe now."

Rein recalls the moment before she lost her consciousness not long ago. Before her eyes gently closed onto her sleep, the gentle caress of Susun's embrace brought an ever so pleasant warm feeling to her. For the first time in her life, she felt the love of a Mother wrapping around her.

Rein's eyes begin to water as the overwhelming emotions bursts out into a loud cry. Finally, her fear, her sadness and her loneliness that she suppressed inside her for all these years have been released. Together with her Mother.

"You've kept it all inside you, huh? It's okay. Let it all out." Said, Susun to her Daughter with a gentle motherly voice.

.

.

.

Soon after, Rein's emotions have subsided and has finally calmed down as she indulge herself resting her head on Susun's soft lap.

"So this is what it feels like sleeping on Mother's lap."

"I'll let you sleep as much you want later. But for now, we have to get out of here." Susun replied as her soft and gentle hands brushes Rein's silver hair.

"This battle is just about to start."

"R-Right." Rein gets up from Susun's lap. She goes up on her feet to face her Mother. "Let us help as many people as we can. There must be more people who are like me that are being forced to obey the King with the collars."

"Eh, are you sure?" Susun also goes up on her feet. But with her small figure, she still has to look up to her Daughter. "Weren't you afraid of fighting?"

"..." Rein looks at her Mother without saying a word. Her fear of fighting and hurting people are still clear in her eyes. It doesn't seem to be something that one can easily get over just by a short time. But, she held her head high and answered her Mother which would shock Susun in astonishment and awe.

"Yes. To be honest, I'm still afraid. I'm still afraid of fighting and hurting other people. But..." Rein proceeds to clench her fist in the middle of her chest. "...As long as Mother is with me, I feel assured that I'm going to be safe."

"Rein..." Susun fights back her tears in front of Rein.

"Not to mention, I can now use my power to help the people in need rather than hurting them. That's why, I want to help them."

Rein is afraid of fighting. Rein is afraid of hurting people. But between those words that she spelled out in front of Rein, there is no trace of her fear. Rather, she was beaming with confidence and bravery.

Susun cannot find any reason to stop her Daughter now that she's determined with her decision. And so, she tells Rein:

"If that's what you have decided, then we shall help everyone that we can."

"Right!"

"Oh, are you Mother and Daughter finally done chatting?"

A voice of a woman that is quite familiar to Susun echoed from behind her.

"Lira, was it? One of the five strongest heroes in Reilaea."

"Huh?" Rein tilts her head slightly as she stared curiously at the elven woman.

Susun was intrigued after seeing Lira who doesn't seem to have any wounds or injuries around her. It's like Lira didn't fight at all.

"If I remember correctly, Sasha Bandaeus and Lance were with you when you entered one of the caves. You don't look like you had a hard time."

Susun told Lira. The elven woman then immediately replied.

"Ah, those two? Well, they tried to put up a fight. But, I guess humans can't really last long without air."

"..."

The way how Lira's fight with Lance and Sasha ended were unknown to Susun and Rein. But looking at Lira who got out of that battle unscathed, and the way she talked about humans who cannot last long without air, Susun imagines that Lira used an unknown magic which suspended the air around Sasha and Lance or everything around them and suffocated them to death.

Either way, it probably ended the moment the fight started. It was a one-sided battle. The thought of an instant-kill magic that is unknown to Susun is utterly terrifying. That being said, Susun couldn't help but act cautiously in front of Lira. However...

"Here."

Susun's cautiousness swiftly drifts away as she watch a green bead Lira created through her magic and flicked with her fingers towards the silver haired woman.

The moment it touched Susun, her body began emitting a light greenish aura. At the same time, the pain from all the wounds she got from fighting the large horde of monsters on her way are fading away. She also feels much more lighter and more energetic thanks to that bead.

"It's my Rejuvenating Bead. It's not the same as any healing magic or healing potions that can fix all your wounds on your body, but it'll at least ease your body from the pain while also boosting your energy for a period of time." Lira explained. "Once this is all over, you should get proper treatment. Or you'll make your daughter worry."

Susun who got dazed after Lira's action quickly shakes her head as though she's trying to wake herself back into reality. She then immediately gave Lira a reply.

"All right. Thank you."

"Now then, follow me. Were going to where Jinrah is."

Without hanging back, Susun and Rein followed Lira's footsteps.

On the way, it hit Susun to ask Lira about Sieghart.

"Hey, aren't we going to check up on that man called Sieghart? His opponent is the leader of the henchmen of Celestine - Ronan Iveagh."

"Ah, the young man that got a Silver Rank on his evaluation?"

"Don't compare his power to a mere Silver--"

"We know. Sieghart knows it as well. That young man's emitting strange vibe since the beginning, but I'm pretty sure that Sieghart can handle it."

"...I hope you're right."

.

.

.

Meanwhile, outside the cave, in the north of the Kingdom of Kruule. Sieghart is dealing with Ronan, who claimed to be the son of the two people Sieghart killed 15 years ago during the final battle against the demon.

Unbeknownst to Lira and the others, Sieghart is getting a little bit troubled with the way Ronan attacks.

"What's with this kid... Last time it felt like I lost consciousness and before I realize it, he appeared before me. And then that light. After that flash of light, he also appeared in front of me again. On top of that..."

Sieghart shifted his gaze onto his sword. Sieghart did not pull his sword out of its scabbard behind him by himself. Just like 15 years ago, the sword seemingly controlled his right arm to pull the sword and defend Sieghart from Ronan's attack. In that sword collision, his giant black sword begins to tremble violently.

"...This sword. Why are you suddenly acting up right at this moment? Why are you trembling so much?"

After that clash of swords, both Ronan and Sieghart leaped back away from each other as their feet touched the ground upon their descent.

"Damn it! There's so much to think about that I can't think straight!" Sieghart mumbled to his head as he gets overwhelmed with all the thoughts coming in one after the other. Eventually he decided to let aside his sword and keeps his eyes on Ronan for now.

"I'll deal with you later. For now I'll deal with this kid." Sieghart proceeds to put his sword on its scabbard behind his back. "Now then, apart from this kid who suddenly started talking about souls, the fact that he's the son of the two I killed in an incident 15 years ago makes me hard to think how I should apologize to him about what happened. Really... How should I make my approach...?"

While Sieghart is having a crisis in his head, Ronan took it as a chance to speak and ask Sieghart.

"Sieghart, what do you think of the ones that died even before they hit the bucket? What happened to the people that were killed through needless killings? What happened to the people that were killed by you 15 years ago? Do you want to know?"

Sieghart remained silent. But, he shifted his eyes onto Ronan as he gave the answer to his own question.

"Unlike the people who have died through natural deaths that which had their memories of their past life disappear. Those people that were killed, those people that were murdered by you still remember the family they left behind. They still remember the life they had before their lives were taken. They still remember how you massacred them, my Mother and Father still remember how you killed them in front me."

As the words escaped Ronan's lips, the sword in his hand begin emitting another flow of light. And there, Sieghart was reminded of the people that were killed by him and the sword 15 years ago. Looking at it, he thought he sees himself at that time as a real monster and it scared him. He doesn't want to kill those innocent people, he never wanted to do it. But no matter how one sees it. Only a monster could do such an act.

And just then...

Flash...!

At the end of the memory he recalled, a flash of light strucked Sieghart once again. And just like what happened moments ago, Sieghart finds Ronan in front of him who is about to slice him with his sword.

Ronan got really close unlike before, and without enough time to act, the sword hits its target and ran from Sieghart's chest down to his waist.

"Gah...!"

"..."

Luckily the sword did not pierce deep enough that it enabled Sieghart to avoid the second swing.

Sieghart jumped far back, trying to get away from Ronan. All the while, Ronan swung his blade down to remove the blood of Sieghart.

"There it is again. A flash of light, right after those memories replayed in my mind... Damn it... He got me."

Sieghart took a quick glance onto his body glistening with blood all over him.

"I should just stop listening and just take hi--"

Right after he shifted his gaze forward, Sieghart was startled as he sees Ronan dashing towards him with great speed.

"Ah...!"

At that crucial moment, Sieghart loses his balance while trying to get from the side to avoid Ronan. But ironically losing his balance is what actually saved him from certain death.

As Sieghart falls to the ground head first, Ronan continue his speech.

"Through their unwanted and sudden death, their regret for not doing the things they could have done while they were still alive begins to corrupt them."

Not giving him the chance to get up on his feet, Ronan jumps on top of Sieghart and points the sharp edge of his blade onto Sieghart's heart.

"And through their regret, hatred is born."

Before Ronan's thrust pierce Sieghart, the veteran adventurer reflexively rolls aside to dodge the attack. Following a kick that sent Ronan flying to several feet away.

Ronan touches the ground while keeping himself standing at the same time he was being pushed by the force of Sieghart's kick. Soon after, his movement stopped and he begins to cough out blood. Despite that, with a shaken up voice, he tells Sieghart:

"Do you see them...?"

"Huh...!"

Sieghart stands up after falling to the ground. But when he turned around, he was stunned by what he had seen behind Ronan.

Behind Ronan, there are countless people that came out of nowhere, standing in a group in front of Sieghart. Sieghart did not recognize them at first glance. However, seeing them glaring daggers at him, Sieghart knew that those people are holding a great grudge towards him.

"They are the people who you killed 15 years ago." Said, Ronan as a middle-aged man and a woman stood close beside him. The way they are standing beside the young man, it is pretty clear that they are his Mother and Father. The two that Sieghart killed along with everyone in that town.

Sieghart can feel their pain of leaving their son behind as well as their anger for killing them without mercy. The feeling of guilt rises inside Sieghart, to the point that he felt like it's crushing his heart.

His guilt is so overwhelming that the only thing he could think of is how he can be forgiven by the people he murdered.

Ronan glares at Sieghart with eyes full of hatred unlike his usual dead-calm look.

"No matter how many times you apologize, it will never give them peace so long as you're alive and walking freely in the world of the living."

Sieghart who is blinded by his guilt did not say a word. Instead he looks down, seemingly dispirited as he loses his motivation to fight. His feet collapses and he falls on his knees.

"But, as a follower of the head priest, the follower of Goddess Altera, I cannot just end your life like you did with everyone. You'll end up living an eternal life full of pain, regret, and even hatred."

Ronan approaches Sieghart to the point that the point of his blade could touch Sieghart's chest.

Sieghart stared at the blade with a blank expression on his face.

"This is the sword that was bestowed to me by the head priest. Through this sword, I shall end your life to repent from your sins, as well as cleansing your soul from the sins you had committed up until now. I shall bring you salvation."

Again, Sieghart remained silent. But the sound of the word "Salvation" brought a sliver of hope in his eyes. Without saying a word, Sieghart accepted the salvation that Ronan will bring for him.

That is, until...

"You may have gotten a bit older, but you're still as stupid and naive as usual."

"...!"

A female voice coming out from the giant black sword made Ronan take a stop onto thrusting the sword into Sieghart. At the same time, a malicious darkish purple aura coming from the sword envelop Sieghart before bursting out into a powerful explosion, blowing Ronan away from killing him.

Sieghart who no longer has the will to fight looks at himself, as he is being surrounded by a malicious aura.

"This... Beezelbub?" Said, Sieghart with a dead tone.

"Hey, what are you doing acting all dead in front of the enemy?" The voice - Beezelbub, immediately replied.

Ronan stands up after rolling down to the ground, several feet away from Sieghart.

"You finally revealed yourself, demon of the black sword - Soul Eater."

Meanwhile, Beezelbub tries to convince Sieghart to pick up the sword.

"Hey, idiot. Take the sword and fight, or you'll end up dead."

"No."

"Huh? What are you saying?"

"That kid... I killed both his parents. Along with everyone in that town 15 years ago. I murdered a lot of innocent people. I'm a sinner!"

"...So what? you're gonna let that brat end your life just because you've killed people?"

"If that's the only way to save me from my sins, then I'll gladly take it."

"...Is that so?"

Beezelbub failed to convince Sieghart to fight, as he was so fixated on being saved from his sins in the past by this Ronan.

"That is the way, Sieghart." Said Ronan with a pleased tone. "Pay for all the sins you have committed. Let this place be your grave."

Ronan hurtle towards Sieghart with great speed.

"I'll end it with this final strike!" He mumbled to himself as he approaches Sieghart.

"If you're not gonna fight, then I will."

The life in Sieghart's eyes lit up as he felt his body moving on it's own. His right arm pulls out the sword on his back.

"Beezelbub?! What are you--!"

Just like that, Sieghart who is under control of his giant black sword surprises Ronan as he dashes forth towards him.

"What?!"

Ronan had to take up a defensive stance as Sieghart's sword collides with his with a tremendous force and speed.

The clash of their swords blasts wind all across the terrain around them.

"Gck...!"

Beezelbub eventually pushes Ronan back, but the sword in Sieghart's grasp continued its assault as it tries to pulverize the struggling Ronan to the ground.

"What power... This demonic energy is too overwhelming. But..."

The pure white sword lets out another flow of white mist-like magic and envelops Sieghart's sword. As the band of white magic engulfed the demonic sword, countless screaming souls of humans and monsters begin to escape out of the crystal in the middle of Sieghart's sword.

"So that's how it is..." Beezelbub stated as she backs away from Ronan with Sieghart's body.

"I didn't think I'd get to meet someone who can use heavenly magic so soon."

Ronan smirked. He then responded to the demon inside Sieghart's sword.

"Soul Eater, one of the seven demon races in the world of the demons. Just like what the name implies, you feed on the souls of the dead that you have killed. And through feeding with souls, you also gain power up to the point that your wielder won't be able to control you. Your kind is also the lowliest among all 7 races."

"Heh, you sure know a lot, kid."

Out of a sudden, Sieghart called Beezelbub in a loud manner.

"Hey!"

"Huh?" Beezelbub turns her attention on Sieghart.

"Don't "Huh?" me! Stop getting in the way! Ronan must kill me, or everyone that I've killed will never forgive me, they will never attain peace!"

Beezelbub did not utter a word. Ignoring what Sieghart told her, she goes in for another assault.

"Hey! Don't ignore me you little...!"

Beezelbub did not heed the word Sieghart uttered. And once again, the giant black sword and Ronan's blade clashed.

Just like last time, the bands of light engulfed Beezelbub and the souls that are seemingly inside the blade are escaping one after another. Everytime the swords collide, the souls are continuing to get out of Beezelbub.

"Those are the souls that you devoured, without them, your strength will surely decrease."

Beezelbub knows it all too well, but it did not matter to her. She continued exchanging attacks with Ronan. And everytime they do, the souls that she devoured are escaping.

After a certain point in time, Beezelbub decided to back away from Ronan as she finally felt the effect of Ronan's sword into her. Her strength are slowly getting weaker as many more souls escaped from the blade.

"I shall take care of Sieghart later. I will keep releasing all the souls you've devoured until there's nothing left. And then I will destroy you, Soul Eater!"

"Just go and try it!"

As both of them exchanged words with each other, their clash begins once more.

Sieghart who cannot understand why Beezelbub is still fighting instead of getting away by herself and leave Sieghart to death asks her.

"Hey, Beezelbub! Tell me why?! Why are you still fighting?! What good will it bring for me to live while the souls of the ones I killed cannot find peace because of me?! You could have just left me behind and find another wielder, so why are you still fighting alongside a monster like me?!"

"Isn't that obvious? Because it's a part of our deal."

Beezelbub's immediate response rendered Sieghart speechless. Beezelbub then asks Sieghart:

"Sieghart, why are you taking all the blame to yourself?"

"Huh?"

"I offered you the strength to kill that one demon 15 years ago. I also told you that the moment you take me, you will have to pay the price. A price that which you will no longer be a normal human being."

That last clash of swords sent both Ronan and Beezelbub away from each other. At that point, a wide smile was printed on Ronan's face. The way that they're both got blown away from the force of their impact against each other implied that Beezelbub is getting more weaker and weaker.

Despite that, Beezelbub kept talking to Sieghart.

"You, a monster? You're certainly are."

"...!"

"It's the price you took for the sake of the people in your country. If you did not take up my offer, no one would've been able to kill that demon. That woman would've killed herself for nothing. The demon would've get away and return with an army and turn your world to ruins. If you didn't take up my offer, you and the other three along with that woman wouldn't have met each other and become what you guys are now."

All the memories he created during and after the battle with the demon started coming back to him one by one. If Beezelbub did not remind him about it, he would've let himself killed, not knowing that he would forget the people he met and protected by becoming a monster.

He then asks himself in a tragic tone.

"Why... How can forget all this...?"

"That's because you were blinded by the things you thought you did all by yourself. Well, I guess it's that kid's fault for making it seem like it's all on you for killing all those people back then." Beezelbub replied.

"By taking up my offer, you have made a contract with me. I became your sword and you became my wielder. Together, we are one."

"We are one...?"

"My strength is your strength, your body is my body. That is why, blaming yourself for what happened 15 years ago is wrong. That explosion, it's true that you are at fault for not being able to withhold the strength after I devoured the demon's soul. But, it's also my fault for not being able to contain its strength. That being said, it's our fault."

Ronan, confident that victory is already at hand, dashes forth to attack Ronan and Beezelbub once more.

Ignoring the incoming enemy in front of them, Beezelbub once again asked Sieghart:

"Sieghart, do you still want to take it all up yourself and die without putting up a fight? Is that how you want to leave all your friends that believed you will return?"

"You're no longer as powerful as you are before! This time, I'll kill both you and Sieghart!" Ronan closes in on Sieghart and Beezelbub once more.

Up until this moment, the only thing that is in Sieghart's mind is for the souls of the people he killed to forgive him. Sieghart wanted to end his life right here and now, in order for the people he killed to attain peace, and for him to be freed from his sins.

But thanks to Beezelbub, his sword, the memories he had with his party members, Lira, David, Jinrah, and Eileen made him think much more than just ending his life. Sieghart's thought had completely been swayed.

Sieghart doesn't want to forget the people he cared the most. Sieghart doesn't want the memories he created with everyone to disappear. Beezelbub then demanded him an answer.

"Answer me, Sieghart! Do you want to die right here, right now?!"

"I don't..." Sieghart responded with a monotonous voice.

"What...?!" Ronan was left surprised after hearing the answer of Sieghart.

Beezelbub demanded to say Sieghart's answer out loud.

"I didn't hear you. Say it out loud, Sieghart!!"

Sieghart who unconsciously regained his control over his body hardens his grip onto his sword and shouted his answer on top of his lungs.

"I... Don't want to die!!"

Beezelbub who released Sieghart under her control bursts out with a much more powerful explosion of magic than before in the air, the same time the man gave his answer.

"Impossible... You still have this much power...?!"

Ronan was left frozen after seeing a tremendous power Sieghart's sword is emitting up into the air. The overwhelming wild flow of dark magic power sends strong winds all around them. It's so strong that it is reaching even the farthest sections of the northern part of Kruule in the distance.

Ronan who is struggling to keep himself from being blown away by the wind alone is doubting his eyes over the power Sieghart is letting out.

"This can't be... You should've gotten weaker after I released those souls from you..."

"Did you really think that I was going all out to you, kid?" Beezelbub replying with a mocking response to Ronan. "Releasing all my power here would've definitely destroy everything around here, and even that country won't survive."

Implying that the power bursting out in the air is far from what Beezelbub can do when she's using her full potential, it brought fear into Ronan.

The henchman who was certain of his victory not long ago cannot tell if he would even survive of what's in front of him. But despite his fear, he still kept his mind set on killing Sieghart for everything that he has done.

"There's no way of getting out of this alive. If I'm going to die anyway, I'll just bring you along with me, Sieghart!"

Ronan stood his ground and confront the strong wind that is pummeling him like hammer.

"I will make you pay for all your sins! Die, Sieghart!"

With all his might, Ronan charges forward to kill Sieghart. And as the young man closes in onto the veteran adventurer and his talking sword, the dark energy that was bursting out of Beezelbub goes back into the sword.

In the blink of an eye, both Ronan and Sieghart clashed with their swords. In that instant, the two had stopped moving. They stood behind each other motionlessly. But before long, Sieghart started moving as he voluntarily lies down. On the contrary, Ronan just suddenly collapsed to the ground.

For whatever reason, there is no trace of life in Ronan's eyes that remained open. However, mysteriously enough, his heart is still beating, and he's still able to breathe air in his mouth.

Sieghart who voluntarily layed down to the grasses opens his mouth.

"Sorry, Ronan. I know that I've killed so many people 15 years ago, including your family. They have all the right to hold their grudge against me. But, I can't die yet. They may never attain the peace you spoke off, but if I go now, the people that I cared and cared the same for me might feel the same as you. At least I hope."

Sieghart spoken with a slight concern and worry at the last part of his sentence. He kept his cool and continued speaking.

"The time will come where I can say good bye to this world and pay for things I've done will come. And I feel like today is not the right time for it. That's why, I'm sorry."