A Distant Reverie

Chapter 83

Life in Lady Ouro's pocket dimension passed slowly. The absence of a proper day-night cycle made it difficult to notice the passage of time. Everything within the uncanny space was sterile and unmoving, like a still image captured onto a painted canvas. Only the occasional tick of the massive clocktower in the skies provided some indication that time was still flowing.

Vesper spent most of the day in a daze. Lady Ouro had mended their equipment and restored their bodies to a healthy state. He could move again. The internal damage he sustained from abusing his flawed body seemed to be fixed. But the mental scars of their adventure in Sol persisted.

The suddenness of the conclusion was a difficult pill to swallow. Especially when he heard about the supposed end for Kobo.

At first, he didn't want to believe it. It had to be a lie, right? Surely, the princess had to have been given a happy ending after all of her perseverance and sacrifices.

A single look at Marine's face, however, told him everything he needed to know. She had been there with Kobo inside the room with the core. She had been fighting to protect her while Suisei and him were struggling atop of the castle walls.

One moment they were on the verge of death and clawing to survive. Next, they were suddenly in a tranquil space—safe from all danger. Their injuries were gone. The threats on their life disappeared. The connections they made in Sol severed.

The abruptness of it all was painful to reconcile.

Vesper sighed as he stared at the somber field of lycoris. Softly, they swayed to the breezeless air.

One more adventure.

He clung onto Lady Ouro's words.

One more world and then I can go back home.

The hope within the godlike entity's statement was the only thing holding him together. He was tired. He longed to rest. He desired nothing more than freedom from this relentless fight to survive.

One more journey and I can leave all of this insanity behind me.

"Are you ready?"

The voice boomed in his head. He turned to his companions. The same weary expression was etched on their faces, worn down by the frantic sequence of events.

All of three of them nodded. They were all ready for this to be over with.

"Then, prepare yourselves."

"I have one request, if I may," Vesper suddenly interjected.

"Speak."

"If possible, can you keep us together this time?" he pleaded, "I don't know if I can handle being left on my own again in a foreign world."

A faint laughter echoed in their heads.

"You don't have to worry about that this time."

The space in front of them suddenly twisted. Vesper felt his eyes engulfed by light. The sensation was strangely comforting.

***

When the lights faded, Vesper once again found himself in a different world.

The first thing he did was look to his side. When he found his companion standing beside him safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief. The panic in his chest slowly dissipated as he tried to calm his raging heart. He didn't know what he would do if Lady Ouro had separated them once again.

Well then.

He steadied his mind and scanned his surroundings.

Snow was everywhere. The white powder descended slowly from the skies, drifting amidst the chilly breeze. The icy wind scratched against his face and sent shivers down his spine. The area was eerily quiet—the ambient sounds seemingly snuffed out by the pale blanket draped over the space. Vesper could make out a dense array of pine trees in the distance. They were in the middle of some open field. No signs of civilization nearby.