Chapter 26

Elimination Battle

Another restless night has passed. I did not dare to hold Saber, since I am still unsure if I maybe have gone too far. I would never want to make this even worse, more awkward. I know it is morning by checking the time. "Hey, Saber?" I wonder if she was able to sleep.

"Hm?" Well, that doesn't sound so 'fine'… There is no clear annoyance or irritation apparent in her voice, but still, she seems off. I really did something stupid last night. Excusing it by claiming it was to enhance our strength and chances for today may work but it would be a lie. Not completely a lie, but for a big part.

I wanted to do this badly, for another reason, though I am not really sure myself why. "I'm sorry. Really…" I must sound really desperate, but I could not care less. Saber and my friendship with her is so much more important to me than anything else. She turns around to face me.

"Let's just never talk about it again, okay?" Ouch. I suppose this also means we will have to go back to do Alterations of the Soul starting next week. I cannot help but feel sad, and frustrated at the same time. Why does it bother me so much that I will not kiss Saber anymore?

We get ready and move towards the elevator, in which Alice and her twin are already waiting, but no one is with them. "So, one of you is the Servant?" I conclude. This should have been obvious, now that I think about it. The Alice in black would just disappear and appear randomly. It was not a Code Cast for invisibility, it was her changing to spirit form and materialising her body.

I feel really stupid now for not realising it earlier.

Considering she was able to summon Jabberwock, though, she is most likely a Caster. I do not know much about Saber's armour, so I would not know if it can withstand spells. Really, we are at even worse disadvantage than we were in the first round and now I am not even sure whether I should talk to Saber at all or not.

Just being near her feels uncomfortable, if it was possible I would like to stay away from her. Seeing how she makes sure that our eyes never meet she probably does not want to see me anymore either.

Even Alice and Caster do not seem to be in the mood for talking, they did not even respond to me. Does everyone hate me now? Maybe they know. Maybe they find I went too far as well. Maybe I really was stupid, and selfish.

The elevator comes to a halt and opens up to the Arena for the Elimination Battle. "So, let's do it," says Saber, though she seems to have her mind elsewhere. This is a train wreck. There is no chance we can win this, not when we even lost the only one thing that made us stand out from other pairs—our close friendship and the trust between us.

All gone because I went too far.

As soon as all of us are positioned to start the fight, more or less, Caster raises her hands. "We surrender." What? This must surely be a trap. Saber does not lower her sword, so she probably feels the same. "What do you mean?" She asks them.

"I played enough," explains Alice, smiling bitterly. "I'm already dead, you know." My eyes widen in shock. That is what Caster meant when she said I should be the one to understand how Alice feels. They must have figured out that I am very similar to her—I do not even know if I am still alive.

I look at Caster to elaborate, I know Alice never talked so much. She seems to understand my intent.

"Alice was very sick. Doctor after doctor came, they tried to treat her, but she never got better, only worse. Every treatment was more painful than the last one. She clung to stories and tales and had her parents read them to her, until her eyes just wouldn't open anymore."

"But… why? Why would you just give up?" I cannot understand this. Could Alice not win this war and use the Moon Cell's power to revive herself? Such a thing should be possible!

Alice just shakes her head. "It's fine. I'm glad I could have a friend for once, and a Big Sis like you," Alice says and runs towards me to hug me tightly. I sink down, I just cannot find the strength in my legs anymore to support my stance.

Alice rests her head on my lap and I caress her hair. This must be what it feels like to have a little sister, huh? Maybe if we met under different circumstances, we really could have been like siblings. Maybe I could have helped her. Saber dematerialised her sword already, so even she feels no killing intent from them at all.

"Alice, it's been fun. I'll always remember you," Caster says, as she sets off an explosion in her body, marking her loss.

A force pulls Alice, now crying, away from me, the barrier between us forming. "Are you scared?" I ask her. She died before, so maybe it is not as bad the second time. Or even worse. She shakes her head. "I just miss Caster. She was my best friend, like Saber is to you," she sobs softly.

Saber and my eyes meet. Yes, we were best friends. There is no one else I would call that but her. Alice disappears in a glitching mess and I wrap my arms around Saber, looking for comfort instinctively. She holds me tightly as well.

Then, we make our way back to our room.

This does not feel like a victory.