Heretical Scions Ch.10 Desolate Souls

Hi..... It has been six days since I fought those sisters. The next day after, I gave Jizelle the full report. I followed that by telling her the information on that recent ability I learned, that saved them...

She was curious on the information of my ability, however I had nothing else to tell her... Aside from that, she wasn't aware of the doll I made of her currently.

Subsequently since I made the first doll, I felt like I forgot about all my pain... In that event, I made two more in the following days... I decided for myself to slowly craft a doll of my father, and then my mother...

It turned out to indeed be both a bad and a good idea. When I finished the mother doll, my trauma from that night came flooding back...

Squall's trauma, ''(Hyperventilating) . . . .Mother!!! . .Father!!! . .(Intense Hyperventilating) . .Is.....this.....blood?! . .Blood!!! . . . .What HAPPENED?!?! . .Mother!? Mother!?! . .Father!!!! (Screams)''

Presently, somewhere else.....

Emilia said with irritation, ''Argh... Squall!! She.....she keeps screwing up my goals! I had hoped that those two sisters could have done the job, but they didn't! (Slam) It wasn't even that much of a deal for her!!

I have tried so much, but nothing IS working!!! She used to be my friend, but she is in my way!! Why won't she just die?!? . . . .''

The high being asked in her mind, ''You wish to be rid of her, isn't that right?'' Emilia replied, ''I...I want to end her misery...''

The high being asked, ''Child. I presume you didn't notice yet? You gained a additional ability after your most recent gain of those mortal girls energy. Use it. Use it for our goals!

That mortal girl can't stop us on our retribution against god!'' Emilia asked, ''I...have a new ability.....as well? Hmm... (Tries to feel it) . . . .Ahh? . .What's this? . .(Smiles menacingly)''

The next day's afternoon...

I was reading that book of hobbies once again, while constantly staring at the doll of my mother... I couldn't stop ruminating on what happened last night.....

Eventually, Jizelle asked if I was going to have lunch. I debated and decided to partake, so she wouldn't ask about me... I hid my dolls again, and as I was walking out my door...

I heard something... Voice in her ears, ''-_squall?-_ . . . .Squall?'' I started taking a quick look in every direction, and then I saw.....

Squall asked, ''Emi...lia? . .Uh! . .Why...are you...here?'' She had a small laugh, then she turned around and ran notably strange away from me down the halls.

In that event, once I started running after her, it was like I had tunnel-vision and could only see her... Without realizing it, I kept running for a while, but it only felt like a few minutes...

Jizelle thought, ''Hmm? Is that Squall's voice? . .What is she shouting about? Since, ...when does she get loud?''

She opened the dining room doors to solve why she was hearing my voice, and she saw me running... I looked like I was trying to reach out to something.....

Jizelle asked in shock, ''Squall? . .Ah? . .Is something wrong? Squall?! Squall?!?'' When I didn't respond, she started trying to running after me as well...

Emilia's thoughts, ''It's going just as I hoped... Hrm! . . . .Now for phase two.''

I was somehow tricked into running into the city for a while, until we were getting close to the edge of the city... Afterwards...

Jizelle was shouting, ''Where are you going?!? Answer me, Squall!?! What are you doing?!''

A little bit later...

Squall asked, ''(Gasps) SHE.....vanished?! . . . .'' Jizelle asked, ''Who...vanished? . .I didn't...see anyone?'' Squall asked, ''Hmm? . .Where am...I? . .How.....did...I get here?''

Emilia's voice said, ''(Intense laughing) You girls! You girls fell for it! . .I hope you liked my new abilities!'' Squall asked with a painful tone, ''Emi...lia? . .What.....happened?''

Jizelle asked to herself, ''Where is...her voice.....coming from?''

We had no idea how, but we were hearing her voice around us without seeing her anywhere...

Emilia said, ''For my goals, I needed to get rid of you-both! It actually worked just like I thought. . .Have fun being lost for eternity in these desolate winter lands! There's barely any life out here!

You can't even make through these lands without help! Visibility is harsh, and it's constantly snowing out here more then in cities. . .Farewell, my old friend... See you in the afterlife... (Laughing)''

Her voice vanished with the wind...

Squall shouted with a painful tone, ''(Gasps) Emilia?! Emilia?!? . . . . . . . .Mmm...'' Jizelle asked, ''We...were.....tricked? . . . .I can't believe, she could actually do this to us.....''

I was in the depths of despair... Not only had she betrayed me once, she betrayed me dozens of times now... This felt like the deed that would have broken my spirit forever... If it wasn't for one person.....

Jizelle thought as she got up, ''(Double facepalm) C'mon, Jizelle! If you get depressed, then she will give up too! I must not think to harshly on our situation! (Shakes her head) Humph! . . . .''

Jizelle said out loud, ''Don't give up! If you let yourself give up, then she wins, doesn't she?!'' Squall replied despondently, ''Why bother? . . . .'' I was sitting on the ground, staring at the snow...

Jizelle asked, ''We're in the middle of nowhere. Do you want to die, freezing out here?'' Squall replied, ''There is.....no hope...''

Jizelle said, ''You need to get over it! Don't...you still want to figure out how to help Emilia?'' Squall didn't respond. Jizelle said, ''We...need...to...move! (Struggles) . .Your gear weighs a ton.''

Because of my non-responsiveness, Jizelle forcibly picked me up and put my right arm behind her head... Squall was lost in her despair. Jizelle said fiercely, ''Let's go.''

Following that, she was walking around trying to find the city while walking with my body. The lands outside the cities in this world are what seemed like endless fields of winter and trees.

You couldn't go more then a few feet without encountering more and more groups of trees... While she was supporting my body, I fell asleep from thinking too much...

In my dream...

Dream Squall said despondently, ''Emilia..... Why did you...turn on me? . .We...were raised together..... And you betrayed me.....again..... Did...I mean...nothing?

Why...did you...change? . .What...changed you? . .You left me.....to die.....out there..... Why.....did you...have to kill.....all of us... What was your reason? . . . . . .''

A familiar voice asked, ''Are you going to wallow in...your despair forever?'' When I heard that voice, with mild shock, I looked ahead and saw...my younger self...

Squall asked, ''Are you...me?'' Her younger self replied, ''I am. And I am sick of your self-loathing.'' Squall asked, ''Self-loathing?''

Her younger self said with discontent, ''How long are you going to harp on her actions? Will you die out there with unresolved feelings?''

Squall replied distantly, ''Leave...me alone...'' Her younger self asked, ''Aren't you sick of being so depressing? . .Look...at yourself... Hmm... . .You know what your problem is, don't you?

I'll tell you... . . . .You harp on everything too much... You want to close yourself off all the time...'' Squall replied hesitantly, ''Uhh? . . . .How...could you...surmise that? How...would you...know for sure?''

Her younger self said, ''Because..... I'm not only your younger self..... I am...your inner heart as well..... I am a collection of all your locked up feelings...''

Squall said, ''How...could you be? How...is that...possible?'' Her younger self replied, ''It is... I also have a message from...something else trying to talk to you...''

My younger self, out of nowhere raised her left hand up and spread out her palm. Then we heard...

Less staticky female voice said, ''Child. -_-you need to move p_-past your problems. You need to _-_-open your mind..._-_- (Voice vanished)''

Squall asked, ''Who.....was that? . .Uh?'' Her younger self answered, ''I don't know...myself... I just knew that you needed to hear it. . .You need...to make a decision.''

Squall asked, ''Decision? . .Of what?'' Her younger self said, ''You need to decide...if you will die...in your despair.....or push yourself to save Emilia...''

Squall asked hesitantly, ''Like...I said..... Why...bother with that.....anymore?'' Her younger self asked, ''You know that...your lying to yourself..... You can't give up...after all this time...

You need.....to snap out...of your despair. You need to...stop being so conflicted.'' Squall said, ''My...despair? . . . .'' I felt so confused talking to myself. I didn't understand how I felt inside...

Her younger self said, ''Unlock your inner feelings and desist...from harping on every detail. Are you going to save her or not?''

When she asked that, I felt something snap in myself... I looked up, took a deep breath...and I said...

Squall said, ''I want...to save my.....old childhood.....friend... I want.....to save her...from herself.....'' Her younger self asked with shock, ''Do you...genuinely mean that? Do you?''

Squall said, ''I truly wish... to save her...'' Her younger self asked, ''If that is true... You must treat Jizelle better...as well... Hm... Doesn't she deserve...a real friend...who will protect her too?''

Squall said, ''Protect.....Jizelle? Her... My.....friend? Is she.....my...friend?'' Her younger self said, ''You know deep down that you owe her to a great extent.

She was...practically your friend...this whole time. Don't you realize that?'' At that moment, we both heard Jizelle's voice outside my dream. She appeared to be in grave danger.

Jizelle shouted, ''H-H-Hyenas!? (Shocked) Squall?! . .Squall?! Wake up!! It's a pack of winter Hyenas!!! We're in danger!!! Snap out of it, Squall!!!!''

In that moment, when I heard her voice, I began hearing memories flash by of her. After I collected my emotions, I said...

Squall said, ''I have to go now... I think...I realized...something.. Farewell, my younger self...'' Her younger self said with a quiet smile, ''Bye...''

Outside the dream...

Jizelle thought, ''This is a tough situation. Will I have to chase them away by myself? (Panicking)'' Squall said as she woke up, ''Uh? . .Danger...? (Shocked)''

In that moment, I quickly moved and pulled out my duals guns. I stood in front of Jizelle and slowly pointed my right gun. Jizelle asked, ''Squall?'' I assessed the situation and shot a bullet.

Squall said fiercely, ''Stay away from us.'' I shot the leader of the pack with my EMP bullet. It created another small shockwave of light.

Jizelle asked, ''What...did you do? (Big Gasp)'' A few seconds after my shot, all of the hyenas simply fainted. None of the were harmed. After it was over, I collapsed to the ground on my knees.

Jizelle asked with worry, ''Are you alright?! . . . .What...just happened here?'' Squall said, ''I'll...be fine... My exhaustion...caught up with me.''

Jizelle asked, ''What did you do...to them?'' Squall replied, ''I...used the ability I reported to you...days ago...'' Jizelle said, ''Recent ability? (Remembering) . .That one?! . .Your EMP bullet?!''

Squall replied, ''Affirmative...'' Jizelle said, ''Wow... (Smiles) I am glad that you're finally awake.'' Squall replied with hesitation, ''Mmm..... Jizelle?'' Jizelle replied with a confused tone, ''Yes?''

Squall said, ''I.....owe...you...'' Jizelle asked, ''For...what?'' Squall said hesitantly, ''For...everything...'' Jizelle asked, ''Everything?'' Squall said, ''For.....all the times.....you concerned...yourself.....with my business...''

Jizelle said in shock, ''Wait. Who are you? . .Are you truly her?!'' Squall replied timidly, ''I wasn't faking it... I...meant it... You.....worried about me.....all this time, .....and I never...returned it...''

Jizelle said with a growing smile, ''Uh... . .Your welcome! I hope that means, you are finally done with giving up, aren't you?'' Squall nodded and hesitantly and quietly said, ''It was...thanks to...a small...girl.....''

Jizelle said, ''Now, let's get back to searching for the city, before we freeze. (Cheers)'' Squall looked at her and was surprised.

After walking for a bit more together through the harsh winter, we found the highway entrance back to Genesis City. I stayed mostly silent the whole time thinking about what my younger self said...

Next time...

[No Time with Jizelle today...]