All Of Us - Part 1: Summer

Chapter 40 - The massacre of Heom Pt.1

Trigger warning: violence

- Dæor -

Our swords collide with a horrible screeching sound. I push against her blade, straining. Usually, she fights back or finds a way to get around me - but today, all she does is sidestep to dodge Shadow, all with a surprising degree of carelessness. If she continues like that, she could get hurt again.

I stifle a sigh and step back, sheathing Shadow. "That's it for today ?" She looks at me, confused. "Show me your hand," I order, not wanting to explain myself. She thrusts her arm out and I inspect her palm, careful not to touch it.

'What are you looking for ? It's completely healed," she voices as she pulls her hand away. "I'm going to go grab a bite. Have a nice day." She tosses her sword back on the rack with negligence and glides to the door.

"Eva- Wait !" She turns around, obviously irritated. "Yes ?"

"Why... Why are you in such a bad mood ? Have I done something wrong ?"

She must have picked up on my pained tone, for she rubs her left cheek and replies, avoiding my gaze: "No, no. It's not you. I'm just..." She breaks off her sentence hastily. "It's not you. Sorry, Dæor." She turns as if to leave, but I run up to her. "Don't go - tell me what's wrong. I can help you. Honest." Our eyes meet and something flits across her features. A mix of apprehension, longing, and dead-cold rage. And then it's gone, replaced by a stone mask. "Don't worry about it." But she doesn't move, as if she were hesitating.

"You don't have to keep everything to yourself anymore, Eva. We're here now." I hesitate. "We're your family." She bites her lip. "Family, huh..." A sudden glint of determination makes its way into her eyes.

"I have something to show you, then."

*****

"What- What is this place ?" I wonder aloud as I spin on myself. When she led me down the hallway, past my bedroom and beyond hers, I never imagined she would show me anything like this. "It's so shiny," I comment, pointing at the frame. "Even though it's hundreds of years old. It must have been as bright as the sun when it was newly made !"

"It's a shrine."

Her words cut my enthusiasm short. "What ? Wait, seriously ? Why is this picture face-down, then ?"

She shuffles her feet nervously. "I might have done that when I found this place last night."

Oh. And I was over here not daring to place the object back upright, thinking it had been this way for centuries. With extra care, I lift the picture up and gasp.

"You maimed it, Eva !"

"It's just a painting, D," she growls, stalking over to me. "A stupid shrine."

She is right. The image is faded and flakes of paint have fallen off, thanks to the painting's change of positions, but I can still make out a family. Typical Lassheso stuff. I straighten out my back and turn to her. "Is this why you've been in a bad mood ?"

"Yeah. It, um, this place reminded me of bad memories. My mother." She doesn't explain anymore - she doesn't need to. I nod and gesture to her. "You can slam it back down if you want." She actually chuckles at that, before answering: "That isn't necessary. I think others should see it as well."

"Very wise decision, oh Respectable One," I boom in a strange voice, making faces. I'm being stupid, but this time, I am able to coax a full laugh out of her.

"Oh, before I forget," she adds, "I have something else to show you."

We walk back out the room and she holds up the torch high, illuminating the rest of the way. "Follow me," she tosses over her shoulder. I do, and soon enough, we reach a sort of... wall ? "Why is it green ?" I ask, squinting.