Black Swan's Plea to Daziel

Daziel lowered his gaze, staring at the ceaselessly trembling Firefly in his arms. Her skin was astonishingly hot, almost scorching him with every inch of contact.

Firefly's eyes, usually as clear as autumn water, were now shrouded in a thick mist, overflowing with helplessness and a fatal confusion.

Daziel raised his hand, his fingertips carrying a slight coolness, and gently brushed away the strands of hair soaked with sweat from her forehead. His voice was low, hiding a barely perceptible trace of pity and gentleness.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Firefly's arms suddenly tightened, hugging Daziel's waist tightly. She buried her cheek deep into his solid chest, greedily absorbing the sense of security that could make her briefly forget her fear, trying to use it to resist the surging, utterly shameful torrent within her.

Her voice was broken, thick with a nasal tone and suppressed sobs, her words disjointed.

"Ugh, Daziel… I'm in so much pain… my body… my body won't listen to me…"

Daziel's dark eyes suddenly dimmed. With a casual flick of his fingertips, a silver Aether Coin shot out with a clang.

The coin traced a sharp silver line through the dim air, and Phantylia's majestic and beautiful figure quietly solidified, almost instantly occupying every inch of the outer square of the small Dreamflux Reef town, an invisible pressure spreading out.

"Phantylia, get rid of it for me."

Daziel's tone was as cold as ice, but his gaze never once left Firefly, whose condition was deteriorating rapidly in his arms.

Phantylia's colossal figure bowed slightly in obedience. Without a word, her form abruptly transformed into a stream of light, rushing straight towards the "Something Unto Desire" that was still stirring restlessly at the edge of the square, exuding an ominous aura.

In an instant, the abyssal blue flames of divine power and the monster's dark tentacles intertwined frantically. The muffled sounds of energy colliding, though silent, stirred up violent ripple after ripple in the deepest level of Dreamflux Reef's consciousness.

Daziel could clearly sense the violent aphrodisiac Memoria raging within Firefly's body. Her breathing grew more rapid and chaotic, and uncontrollable, broken moans escaped her throat.

He sighed almost inaudibly in his heart…

Daziel slowly lowered his head, his warm chin almost brushing against her sensitive earlobe. His voice was hoarse, wrapped in an indescribably complex emotion.

"Who else but I, who once led you to experience that first ecstasy unto death… This time, I will be the one… to personally bring you back to life."

As he spoke these words, Daziel's peripheral vision, as if by chance, swept over Black Swan, who was standing quietly not far away.

Black Swan seemed to have already seen through his thoughts and everything that was about to happen. She simply turned gracefully, her back to the two of them, her deep gaze fixed on the bizarre, ever-changing depths of Dreamflux Reef's dreamscape.

As if engrossed in studying the outlines of the strange buildings, she left this moment of privacy entirely to them.

Daziel no longer hesitated. He gently adjusted his embrace, allowing Firefly to lean against him more securely, more helplessly.

He lowered his head, his gentle chin pressing against her equally warm forehead, with a soothing yet possessive touch, then slowly moved down, piously wiping away the salty tears that continuously overflowed from the corners of her eyes.

Firefly writhed restlessly in his arms, more broken sounds spilling from her lips. The pink Memoria forcibly injected into her was like an inextinguishable flame, rampaging through her limbs and meridians, burning her mind into a blur, leaving only the most primitive instincts and an irresistible desire.

"Daziel… please… help me… I'm about to… be burned out by it…"

She could no longer distinguish between reality and illusion, only subconsciously rubbing against his solid chest, seeking any possible comfort and coolness.

Daziel's actions were extremely gentle, yet carried an irresistible forcefulness. His palm gently patted her back, which seemed exceptionally fragile from her violent trembling.

He carefully passed a wisp of his own breath into her mouth. It wasn't just air; it carried a cool clarity, attempting to dispel the heart-burning, bone-eroding heat within her—

Yes, this was all that was needed!

Just like the "mana transfer" setting from the upcoming Fate series collaboration, it didn't need to be accomplished through that almost primal method…

A cool stream of energy slowly poured into Firefly's parched body, nourishing her almost withered and collapsing will.

The pink Memoria that had been wreaking havoc inside her, under the impact of this pure and powerful cool energy, was like meeting its nemesis. It retreated step by step, letting out unwilling whimpers.

Firefly's body, which had been tensed to the extreme from pain, gradually, bit by bit, relaxed. The sounds from her mouth also gradually changed from the initial pained and desperate craving to a sigh of comfort tinged with a hazy bliss.

She could clearly feel that the evil flame that had been on the verge of scorching her soul was being extinguished, thread by thread, inch by inch.

In its place was an unprecedented warmth and peace, slowly pulling her back from the abyss of desire and destruction to the mortal world.

Her hazy, scattered consciousness gradually coalesced, becoming clear, and her body's senses also recovered their former keenness bit by bit.

First was the sense of smell. Daziel's unique, clear scent, which brought her immense peace of mind, now lingered clearly at the tip of her nose, dispelling all filth.

Then was the sense of touch. The solidness of his embrace and its undeniable warmth, the soft touch of his lips, and the clarity and dominance of his breath as he passed it to her.

On the verge of haze and clarity, driven by the ultimate instinct of her body, Firefly subconsciously, tremblingly, lifted a corner of her skirt—as if to remove the final obstacle, to welcome that complete salvation.

…

The surging tide finally subsided, and everything returned to peace.

When the last trace of heat and discomfort in her body was thoroughly dispelled and purified by that cool energy, Firefly let out a long, satisfied sigh. Her entire body went limp as if all her bones had been removed, collapsing weakly into Daziel's still-steady embrace.

After a moment of silence, her lashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes had already returned to their former clarity and liveliness, but her cheeks still bore a large, lingering, delicate blush.

When her sluggish consciousness finally returned completely, and she clearly realized the intimate, even one could say unrestrained, posture in which she was nestled tightly in Daziel's embrace, and when the memories of what had just transpired—enough to make one blush to the ears and die of shame—surged into her mind like a bursting dam, an extreme sense of shyness instantly overwhelmed her.

"…"

She opened her mouth, her throat dry, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, almost inaudible. Her face was so red it looked like it would bleed.

She subconsciously tried to struggle out of Daziel's embrace, but because her whole body was still sore and weak, she could only manage a feeble, useless twitch.

Daziel's arm tightened slightly, steadying her teetering body. His deep gaze fell on her adorable appearance, a mix of shame and embarrassment, as if she wished she could disappear on the spot.

A very faint, almost imperceptible arc curved on his lips, then vanished in an instant. He released his grip at the right moment, allowing her to stand precariously on her own.

"How do you feel?"

Daziel spoke, his voice having already returned to its usual steady and cold tone, as if the extreme gentleness and patience from before were just an illusion.

Firefly ducked her head abruptly, not daring to look Daziel in the eye at all. Her small hands wrung the corner of her dress, her voice carrying a hoarseness from the recent baptism of passion and a lingering shyness.

"Much… much better. Thank you, Daziel."

She paused slightly, her voice growing even lower, adding with deep apology:

"I've… I've caused you trouble again. I'm really very sorry."

Daziel didn't linger on this topic. Instead, his gaze shifted, and he asked in a deep voice:

"What is the situation here? Did you discover anything after you entered this place?"

Hearing this, Firefly was suddenly reminded of the mission at hand. She quickly forced herself to gather her thoughts, straightened her chaotic mind, and replied with a slightly rushed pace:

"I hadn't had time to investigate the core area before I was intercepted by that bizarre Memory Zone Meme. Because… because the Sam armor's energy reserves were severely depleted in the previous battle and hadn't been fully replenished, I couldn't activate the 'Complete Combustion' state again, so… so I carelessly fell for that tentacle monster's trick."

Her tone was filled with regret, unwillingness, and a hint of frustration at her own lack of strength.

"Right, speaking of that tentacle monster…"

Daziel's brow furrowed slightly. He subconsciously turned his head to look in the direction where the hideous monster had been entrenched.

The spot was now empty, with only Phantylia's massive figure standing quietly in place. The chilling aura around her had also subsided a lot, no longer so aggressive.

Some dark stains and traces of energy burns remained on the ground, silently testifying to the intensity of the recent battle and Phantylia's power.

"That meme was formed from the accumulation of fragments of desire in the Memory Domain."

Black Swan had silently turned around at some point. She walked over slowly with her usual elegant and composed steps, her pleasant voice now carrying a hint of imperceptible gravity.

"It is not a true physical life form. Even if it is completely destroyed, after a period of time, it will still re-form in this special environment. We must hurry and complete a preliminary investigation of this place before it revives again."

Daziel's sharp gaze swept over the now-empty area where Phantylia stood, then fell back on Firefly. Seeing that she had indeed returned to normal, apart from the lingering pallor of someone who had just survived a disaster and a persistent blush, he nodded slightly.

"There's no time to lose. That thing could come back at any moment. Let's leave this area first," Daziel said decisively.

Black Swan elegantly extended a slender hand, gently tucking a slightly curled strand of light purple hair behind her ear. A meaningful, faint smile played on her lips, her gaze shifting before finally settling on Daziel's still-calm face.

Her tone rose slightly at the end, carrying a hint of appropriate teasing and banter.

"Oh? I thought we would have to wait at least a little longer. It seems either I overestimated the duration of certain special situations, or… I greatly underestimated the efficiency with which you solve problems, Sir Daziel?"

Daziel's facial muscles twitched almost imperceptibly. He didn't respond to Black Swan's ambiguous teasing, only meeting her gaze calmly with his deep, ancient-well-like eyes, which held a faint hint of warning.

Firefly's cheeks flushed an even deeper red, like a ripe apple. She quickly waved her hands, eagerly trying to get Daziel out of the awkward situation, her voice even stuttering a little.

"N-no, that's not it, Miss Black Swan! You've misunderstood! Daziel… he was only so quick so he could help me get out of trouble as soon as possible…"

"He-he's very amazing! Please believe me!"

By the time she got to the last few words, her voice had become so faint it was almost inaudible. Her head was bowed so low she wished she could find a crack in the ground to disappear into and never come out again.

Hearing this, Black Swan's interested gaze cleverly shifted between Daziel and Firefly for a moment before landing back on Daziel. Her eyes were filled with an "I get it" understanding. She then let out a very light, pleasant laugh and gracefully turned away.

"Well then, you two, please follow me. While you were… hmm, completely focused on each other, I took the liberty of scouting ahead and found a relatively safe area. Perhaps there, we can find some key clues about this forgotten 'Land of the Exiled.'"

The three wasted no more time. With Black Swan, who understood some of the mysteries of this place, leading the way, they walked quickly towards the area she mentioned, a place supposedly left behind by the early inhabitants of the Land of the Exiled.

The deeper they went into Dreamflux Reef, the more the surrounding environment exuded an indescribable strangeness and oppression.

The area of Dreamflux Reef, which in the original plot should have been bustling and prosperous, or at least have had some semblance of worldly life, was now a scene of dead silence.

The buildings on both sides of the street, though still maintaining the signature bizarre, dreamlike style of Dreamflux Reef, seemed to have been abandoned by time for an entire Amber Era. Every brick and tile was covered with a thick, unshakable chill.

In the air, wisps and threads of an unnamable rotten scent permeated. It wasn't just the decay of physical matter, but more of a spiritual withering, as if time itself had solidified and rotted here.

This scene formed a shocking contrast with the Dreamflux Reef in Daziel's memory, which was filled with children's laughter and represented the future and hope, causing his usually steady brow to furrow slightly.

Firefly instinctively moved a little closer to Daziel, her skirt brushing against him. The atmosphere here made her feel a deep-seated oppression and unease, as if an invisible giant hand were choking her.

She lowered her voice, which carried a hint of imperceptible trembling, and asked softly.

"Here… why did it become like this?"

Daziel's gaze was deep. He slowly shook his head, his voice tinged with gravity. "Who knows? This is my first time setting foot here too…"

The three walked as if on thin ice, cautiously traversing the empty streets. Every slight sound was infinitely amplified, their senses heightened to the extreme as they carefully observed every corner of their surroundings.

The shops and residences that might have once held countless joys and sorrows, countless beautiful dreams, were now all tightly shut, as grim as tombs.

The occasional open doorway revealed an empty and ravaged interior, with tables and chairs overturned, objects scattered about, as if a sudden disaster had swept through.

Occasionally, they could glimpse objects scattered on the cold ground—faded dolls, shattered glass cups, unfinished letters—

They seemed to be relics left behind by the original owners who fled in a hurry, but without exception, they were all covered in a thick layer of dust.

Daziel's sharp gaze swept around, trying to catch any sign of life.

However, apart from the three of them, there were no traces of any other living beings. A heavy sense of unease quietly grew in his heart.

Once the course of events began to deviate from the "original plot" he was familiar with, it most likely meant that unknown dangers and troubles would follow.

Sure enough, just as Daziel's thoughts were racing, Black Swan, who had been leading the way with composure and elegance, let out a suppressed grunt without any warning.

Her figure suddenly swayed, and her long legs in their exquisite high heels gave way. Her entire body uncontrollably slumped towards the cold ground.

"Miss Black Swan!"

Firefly's clear cry of alarm cut through the dead silence. She reacted almost instantly, taking a step forward, hastily reaching out to support the teetering Black Swan.

Daziel's figure appeared like a phantom on Black Swan's other side. He firmly supported her arm with one hand, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, vigilantly scanning every shadow around them, while asking in a deep voice.

"What happened?!"

Black Swan's slender hand weakly supported her forehead. Her stunningly beautiful face, which always carried a hint of mystery and charm, for the first time showed such obvious weakness and confusion.

Her voice, no longer as melodious as usual, carried an incredible tremor, every word filled with bewilderment.

"I… I don't know… My consciousness… is becoming scattered… A very… very bad feeling…"

She panted slightly, her eyelashes fluttering.

"After abandoning my physical body and becoming a Memokeeper, I have… it has been too long since I've experienced this… this kind of powerless feeling, as if my soul is being extracted!"

She tried to stand up on her own, but found her limbs were as if filled with lead, too heavy to exert any strength.

Supporting Black Swan, Firefly clearly felt the slight trembling of her body and her abnormally cold body temperature. Her face suddenly changed, her tone extremely urgent:

"It's the environment here! Daziel, the environment here has an extremely strong suppressive and corrosive effect on 'Pathstriders'!"

A hint of fear and lingering terror flashed in her beautiful eyes.

"I… I only vaguely felt a slight discomfort before, and the Sam armor's detection system had also issued intermittent warnings, but I never imagined that this suppression… would affect even a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection so severely, so directly!"

Firefly's tone grew more anxious, her voice rising a few notches.

"The power here seems to be frantically rejecting, even devouring, all non-native 'Path' powers! I never thought that the depths of Dreamflux Reef would be such a… such a forbidden land that rejects all outside Pathstriders!"

Daziel's brow furrowed tightly. He stared at Black Swan, who had almost completely collapsed into Firefly's arms, her breath shallow. The ominous premonition in his heart spread rapidly like ink, growing stronger.

The strangeness and danger of this area had far exceeded his expectations and disrupted all his established plans.

Black Swan leaned heavily against Firefly, her breathing slightly rapid and disordered. She struggled to lift her eyes, which still held a trace of their residual charm but were now genuinely tinged with deep weakness and helplessness, and looked at Firefly beside her. Her voice was as hoarse as if it had been sanded down.

"Miss Stellaron Hunter… you… right now… you don't seem to be greatly affected?"

Hearing this, Firefly's fair cheeks were instantly dyed a intoxicating crimson again. Her eyes darted around evasively, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, filled with an indescribable shyness.

"I… I still have some of… Daziel's… his essence inside me. So, for now… I can still resist for a while."

She paused, her voice getting smaller and smaller, her head almost buried in her chest, her voice inaudible.

"If… if the effect completely disappears after a while, I might… I might need to… trouble Daziel again…"

Black Swan's gaze shifted with great interest between Firefly's face, which was so red it looked like it would bleed, and Daziel, who remained calm and deep-eyed.

A knowing smile graced her lips, but this smile carried a hint of unconcealable self-mockery and deep helplessness.

Black Swan took a light breath, as if trying to calm the strange, corrosive feeling churning inside her like maggots on a bone, before slowly parting her lips, her tone carrying a deliberately suppressed inquiry.

"I'm very curious, Miss Stellaron Hunter. When you learned from Elio's script about those… hmm, special arrangements, did you not have even a sliver of doubt or resistance?"

"You just… so willingly, followed the trajectory he had preset?"

Firefly was slightly taken aback, then slowly lifted her head. Her clear eyes had lost some of their shyness, replaced by an extraordinary frankness and undeniable determination.

"At first… of course I felt extremely shy and at a loss."

She stated softly, but her gaze unconsciously, with a hint of imperceptible attachment, glanced at Daziel.

"But, compared to a girl's bashfulness, I was more eager to solve the Entropy Loss Syndrome I have, to find… to find the true meaning and value of my existence as 'Firefly.'"

Her voice gradually became clear and forceful.

"And… Kafka also had a deep talk with me before I left for Penacony, clearing up a lot of my confusion. So, for certain… hmm, necessary arrangements in the script, I… actually already had some vague expectations and preparations in my heart."

Black Swan listened to her words quietly. After a long while, she finally let out a soft sigh. That sigh seemed to carry a thousand twists and turns of complex emotions, echoing faintly in the dead silent air.

She turned her gaze to Daziel again. In her eyes, which once always sparkled with teasing and all-seeing light, there was now a clear earnestness, even what could be called… an extremely rare, almost submissive plea for help.

"Mr. Daziel," her voice was still hoarse with weakness, but she tried to maintain the last shred of a Memokeeper's elegance and dignity, "this key figure in Elio's prophecy, who is capable of turning everything around… could you… help me?"

Daziel stared at Black Swan's paper-pale face, and at her eyes, which were no longer just filled with charm and mystery, but now genuinely revealed a deep vulnerability and helplessness.

A complex emotion flashed in his deep eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke.

"So, how do you want it?"

The moment she heard his consent, a relieved smile with difficulty graced the corners of Black Swan's lips.

That smile carried a strange expression she would never normally show—a mixture of shyness and embarrassment.

"Umm…"

She turned her head slightly, as if trying very hard to choose her words to avoid touching certain sensitive boundaries.

"Just with your hand… would that be okay? I think my hand… should still be… quite nimble."

Hearing this, Daziel's brow raised almost imperceptibly, his expression turning a bit strange.

His gaze subconsciously slid over Black Swan's hands, which were clad in exquisite and complex long black lace gloves, now hanging limply. He then looked at her truly weak state, as if she could dissipate at any moment, and quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

This… didn't seem too excessive.

He finally gave an almost imperceptible nod, acquiescing to her request.

A moment later, on the dead silent street, apart from the suppressed breathing of the three, only some faint, ambiguous, and blush-inducing sounds echoed faintly in the air.

Black Swan's slender hands, once again clad in exquisite black gauze gloves, were now stained with a bit of crystal-clear stickiness.

Slowly, with an almost reverent posture, she brought her gloved, long fingertips to her rosy lips.

Through the thin, cicada-wing-like black gauze, she licked it gently, delicately.

A very faint, cherry-blossom-like blush quietly appeared on her almost transparently pale cheeks, vanishing in an instant.

Then, she closed her eyes, her lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, as if savoring it carefully. A look of strange, cat-like, lazy contentment gradually appeared on her face.

Daziel watched this highly impactful scene, his Adam's apple unconsciously bobbing, an indescribable emotion churning in his chest.

"Now, can we continue exploring?"

He spoke first, breaking the momentary silence filled with strange ambiguity and tension, his tone as calm as he could manage.

Black Swan slowly opened her eyes. Her beautiful eyes shimmered, as if stars had been lit within them, having already regained some of her former spirit and liveliness.

Although her body still carried a trace of lingering weakness, it was much better than her previous near-death state, where she looked as if she would dissipate like smoke at any moment. At least she could now stand steadily.

She stretched her slightly stiff body gently and gave Daziel a meaningful smile, one that also carried a post-disaster charm.

"Of course. Thank you for the treat, Daziel. I will remember this 'favor.'"

The three simply collected their thoughts and appearances, and once again set off, walking firmly towards the deeper, unknown, and sinister dark heart of the small Dreamflux Reef town.

The further in they went, the thicker the suffocating dead silence and the bone-deep rotten scent became, as if even the thin light could not penetrate this area completely forgotten by the world, filled with despair.

The air was as thick as coagulated blood.

Finally, after arduously passing through a narrow, dilapidated alley filled with discarded waste, the scene before them suddenly opened up.

A relatively wide, yet equally dead silent square, abruptly appeared before them.

In the center of the square, there seemed to have once been an exquisite fountain, now long since completely dry, leaving only a mottled stone base covered with cracks and moss, standing lonely in the shadows.

Just as Daziel's sharp gaze swept over the edge of the square, at a flower bed where the branches were long since completely withered, leaving only ferocious bare branches—

A man's voice, somewhat familiar, yet tinged with a playful, cynical knowingness, leisurely drifted over from the other side of the square:

"Yo, I knew I didn't misjudge you. You all finally found this place."

___

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