Finally Free

.... I don't know how many years passed.... I stopped counting after 50 billion. Ah... I don't know anymore. Why was I even sealed here in the first place? It was so long ago I forgot. All I remember... was my childhood. And then I started killing people and then... oh, yeah. Some people sealed me? Who? I'm not sure....

I look at the spear impaled in my chest.

I have the power to destroy this spear's authority now...

I move my body. Yes. I can move now...

I grab the spear and jerk it out of my body. Then I take out all the other sharp objects in my body. I can move now... I think I have enough power... yes. I'll finally leave this place.

I focus my power into a single dense sphere.

Yes... I'll finally be free...

The sphere shoots a laser and it cracks through the black space. Yes... it's cracking... and... it shattered.

The black space shattered away and now I find myself in a forest. Hm? Where am I.... I'm sure a heck of a long time passed in that seal... ow, my muscles feel stiff. I don't even remember how to make expressions anymore. Whatever. Those aren't needed.

I get up. Ah. I'm naked. I manipulate the matter around me to form into some clothes. I put them on.

Okay... now, where am I?

------------

My name is Yoo Seol-ah. I'm in the Forest of Reid right now. I'm picking some herbs. My family is a bit poor, so having extra herbs is always a nice bonus. I'm going a bit too deep into the forest right now though.... huh? That's..! It's a very rare herb!! It's a dragon sprout! If I get that, my family won't have to worry about food for a month! I got so lucky! But the sprout is near the edge of a cliff... I need to be careful.

I carefully pad towards the dragon sprout and pull it out of the dirt.

[Yes, a dragon sprout!! Hooray!]

Crumble

[Huh...?]

Before I can react, the edge of the cliff crumbles and I fall down the cliff.

[Aaaaahhhh!!!]

Nooo!! I don't want to die!! I haven't even fallen in love ye-

Suddenly, someone catches me in their arms and lands on the floor. They landed so smoothly, I didn't feel any force from the drop.

Someone saved me...?

I look up at the person who saved me. It's a man... his hair is long and white, reaching down to the middle of his neck. He has red eyes, but they look so empty... so dead inside. My savior has an emotionless expression, and I can see some faded scars on his neck.

I blush furiously. This person is carrying me right now...!

He.... he's so cool...!

--------------------

I just saved a human girl from dying. She was falling off a cliff. Didn't I hate humans? Yes. I don't. They disgust me. But... I need information on where I am and what era this is.

I gently place the girl onto the floor from my arms.

[Girl. Are you unharmed?]

The girl's face is red. Is there something wrong with her body? The girl has silky white hair. It's very long, but tied into a thin ponytail. She's a bit tall for a normal human girl, and she's got bright pink eyes. Her chest is quite huge... almost as big as Anna's. Wait... who is Anna again..? Why did I remember that name..?

[Y-yesh..! T-thank you for saving me..!]

Hm. This is the first time I've been thanked. What a strange feeling.

[Young girl. Do you know where we are? And can you tell me what era we're in?]

[Yes! Uhm... we're in the Forest of Reid... a large forest between on the boundary between Argon and Torbos. We're in the year 10,000.]

Argon? Turbos? I have never heard of both. And year 10,000 of what world? No, I just need to know how long it's been since I was sealed. But it's been over 50 billion years... would anyone even remember that?

[Young girl. Do you know anything about the 10 heroes or something like that? 10 people who defeated this bad guy.]

[Oh, are you talking about the Great Sinner?]

[Great Sinner?]

[Yes. He was an evil creature who threw away his humanity and murdered entire worlds. He was defeated by the 10 heroes 10,000 years ago.]

.... what? 10,000 years ago? Could it be time passed different in that seal and in the real world? It's only been 10,000 years since they defeated me?

[Young girl. What happened to those 10 heroes?]

[If I remember my history class correctly... they all died soon after they defeated and sealed the Great Sinner. The last one alive was the hero Ignis, who lived 100 years more before he died.]

I see... now, I need to know where I am.

[Young girl, what is this world called?]

[You mean the planet? It's called Dayura. Why do you ask, uh... mister?]

Hm... I've never heard of this planet. Just where am I..?

[We're on the interstellar coordinates 44.1034.-387. Does that help?]

Interstellar coordinates? It seems the worlds existing in this universe have established a system of positioning... which means the planets in this world are connected intellectually.

[Where is this place with respect to the Murim?]

[The Murim? I mean, we are its daughter planet after all.... the Murim no longer exists.]

[.... what?]

[So... after the Great Sinner was defeated 10,000 years ago, a few worlds became combined into one for some reason. The Murim was one of them.]

Impossible. Individual planets becoming one? Across that far distance?

[What other worlds were combined, girl?]

[Uhm... Murim, Argon, Torbos, Saiba, Earth, and Nerius.]

I see... I'm starting to remember what happened when I was sealed. I was sealed by those 10... heroes? I guess that's what they're called. And those worlds... are the worlds of Cheonji, Draco, Lucy, Anna, Sara, and Shion.

[So, what happened to the planets? They combined, and then what?]

[Uh... each world became a continent of this planet. But each continent has kept its culture and landscape intact. And then a new country called the Yurith Empire was born in a newly formed continent of this planet. In that country, people from every other country live there. It's like the United States of this world... there was a place like that in Earth that was the center of the world and had many people from different background living there... just like that.]

So much has changed while I was sealed... what should I do?

I look at the girl. She's provided me with useful information, so there's no need to kill her. I don't really care for humans anymore... at this point, all I want is a quiet and secluded life with minimal contact with other people. Okay. I'll do that. It seems like nobody knows who I am anyways.

[Girl, do you know the name of the Great Sinner? Or what he looked like?]

[Hm... no. It's been too long and memory of the Great Sinner has faded greatly.]

[... I see.]

Nobody remembers me. Nobody knows what I did. Does this mean I have a shot at a peaceful life?

[Your information was helpful. I'll be leaving then.]

I turn around to leave the girl, but she grabs my hand.

[Uhm... p-please wait!]

[..?]

I turn around to look at the girl.

[Y-you saved my life! Please allow me to repay you...]

... this girl has a deep sense of responsibility. But I don't need anything more from this girl.

[Young girl, the information your provided was more than enough.]

[N-no! I insist! Please... allow me to repay you somehow!]

She's quite persistent, I'll have to give in.

[... Alright. How do you plan to repay me?]

[U-uhm... maybe... can I make you some food? You look a bit hungry....]

...I see. Very well. It's not like her food can kill me, even if it has poison. My body is fully immune to poisons at this point anyway.

[I understand. Take me where you will, Young girl.]

[Okay, mister! I- I'm Seol-ah! Yoo Seol-ah! Nice to meet you, mister!]

[I am called Neo.]

[Okay, mister Neo! Please follow me!]

Seol-ah takes my hand and pulls me along to come with her.

---------------------

Yoo Seol-ah brought me to her house and she sat me down on the kitchen table. She puts on an apron and starts cooking. She seems quite skilled. I look around the house and I occasionally see frames with pictures in them. I see a little Seol-ah and an older woman who seems to be her mom. A parent... I wonder if she is happy being with her parents? I wonder what it's like having a parent...

[I'm all done, mister Neo!]

She presents her cooking to me proudly. The dish she served was roasted fish. It seems she put a lot of effort into it... what a shame. I lost my ability to taste a long time ago. I guess I can still eat her cooking.

I start eating her food. Yoo Seol-ah looks at me with sparkling eyes.

[Is it good? Is it good?]

[Yes, young miss. It's very tasty.]

The girl seems satisfied with my answer. She smiles and blushes slightly.

[I-I'm glad you like it...]

I finish the meal and stand up.

[You've repaid your debt now. I will take my leave.]

[W-wait, mister Neo!]

[What is it?]

[Uhm... where do you live?]

[I don't have a place to call home.]

[Oh...]

Yoo Seol-ah looks down at the floor. She seems to feel guilty for making me say that.

[Uhm... then... would you like to stay at our house for a while?]

Yoo Seol-ah comes up with an unexpected offer. I don't have any reason to reject it, but I don't really need shelter to sleep either.

[It would be bad for you to sleep outside... so... uhm... I'm worried...]

Worried... huh. I've heard that phrase so many times from the people who abandoned me. Saying something like that doesn't mean anything to me. Hm...

[Shouldn't you ask your parents first?]

[Oh! Uhm... if you say you'll stay here, I'll make sure my parents agree to you staying! If I tell them you saved my life, I'm sure they'll allow it!]

.... this girl really seems to want to help me. Is it just good acting? Or is it genuine?

[Are you sure you should be letting in a stranger to sleep under the same roof?]

[You're not a stranger, mister Neo! You're... my savior!]

I see. Is this because of her gratitude? If she insists this much, I'll take her up on the offer.

[Okay. I'll take you up on that offer.]

[Really? Yay!]

She sure looks glad. Now then, I can stay here temporarily, but I need to think of a way to live a secluded life...

....

No. I can already do that. I've already been doing that. In that seal. But... it was lonely. I'm always alone. I've been alone for such a long time... that my hatred towards others cooled off. I still hate humans. Not just humans, but gods, vampires, angels, demons... everyone. I still hate them all. The fact that they've put me through suffering will never change. But... perhaps I still want to give them a chance. I want to try to be happy. I want to believe that the injustice done against me was from a group, not a race. And... if that really is true.... then all those I've killed. I can still hear their screams and last words in my head. Those people will never come back. I've killed them in a fit of rage. If someone can truly save me from my suffering... then all my sins... become greater. But. I will not doubt my actions. I will accept my sins. But, for now... I just want to try believing. Even if I've lost my ability to have faith in another... I still want to hold onto hope. I want someone to save me.

Then... while I live here, maybe I can try to grow fond of this girl. I can only try.

[Young girl.]

[Yes, mister Neo?]

[You can just call me Neo.]

[!! Okay, Neo!]

---------------

Ahh, now I've done it! I asked Neo to stay at our house! Mom and dad will probably be fine with it... but... living together with someone as cool as him? I dont think I'll last...

I jump onto my bed and hug my pillow and I roll around. My face is burning up.

I wonder how old he is..? I wonder what he thinks about me. I hope he thinks I'm cute.

....

Aww, what are you thinking about, Seol-ah! He's just going to live together with you for a while as... an older brother! Yes, like an older brother. Keep your calm, Seol-ah....

But the more I think about it... I wonder why? I find myself smiling even more.