tachinowarui saga book 1: tales of berseria

Part 22: homecoming.

We arrived at the port in taliesin. I'm not looking forward to this. And neither are velvet and laphicet. I don't want to see the ghost town aball has become. But i've come too far. Done too many awful things to give up now. I'm seeing this through to the end. No matter how painful. As soon as we arrived, I was approached by a familiar face.

"It's been a long time. Young lad. Where have you been?" the mayor asked. Three years. And this guy's still mayor? Oh well. Makes this easier.

"Been on a personal quest." i replied.

"I see. Well if it's personal i will not ask more. So what brings you to taliesin. My old friend?" the mayor asked.

"Just coming through...we're heading home..." i said.

"Returning to aball eh? Fair enough. I'm pretty sure the people there miss you." the mayor said. Me velvet and laphicet were confused.

"I'm sorry...but there's no one waiting for us in aball. Everybody there died. After the scarlett night three years ago..." i said. Sadness in my voice.

"That's not true. Why just yesterday. A young girl named niko came here offering us her special quiche." the mayor said. I can't believe what i heard. How can i? I saw the body myself during the advent. There's no way in hell she's alive!

"...we'll be going now. It was nice talking to you again mr mayor." i said. Wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible.

"Rather friendly with him weren't you?" magilou asked. As we walked towards the gate.

"That's because i saved alot of talesin's people three years ago. It was when i went to get laphi's medicine. They left a bunch of civilians outside to die. But i killed the demons." i said.

"Well i'll be damned. Used to be quite the hero huh?" rokurou asked.

"Yeah...but it's safe to say i've fallen pretty damn far..." i said.

"Indeed. No father can a hero fall. Then a hero who became a demon king!" magilou said.

"Mu...velvet...about what the mayor said...is niko..." laphicet began to ask.

"She's gone laphi...all three of us know that." velvet said.

"I saw the body myself...i wish she wasn't...but she's dead." i said. Laphicet looked down to the ground. Sad. we continued our way through taliesin. We even ran into more people i saved that day. and their families. Thanking me. Saying that they'd be widows or widowers if not for me. Or their kids hugging my legs. Thanking me for saving their mommy and daddies. I had a sad smile on my face this whole time. These innocent people don't know how far i've fallen. That there hero. Is the demon king. The abbey's bane. The most evil thing in berseria.

"Are you alright mu?" laphicet asked.

"It's painful remembering who i used to be...it reminds me of how far I've fallen into hell." i said. Velvet grabbed my hand.

"We both have fallen...it's painful for me as well...to remember the hard working village girl i used to be. But I know...she's not gone...even with the dark flames of vengeance that burns in my heart....and that young hero who protected me and laphicet is still there. Don't let the label the abbey threw on you. Tell you otherwise." velvet said. Looking at me with those beautiful amber eyes. Full of determination. I ended up blushing.

"Thanks vel." i said with a smile. We then headed out. To aball. And in the forest that me and velvet used to hunt prickleboar...we saw an unconscious girl. I couldn't believe who it was. It was niko! She was being attacked by a big bug demon. I killed with a quick x slash from my ethereal blade and stormhowl. I then walked over to niko and kneeled down.