Summoner's Second Chance

Chapter 33

The group departed from their camping spot at the break of dawn, and started to climb the mountain again. Unlike the journey to Bittrost, the group was very quiet, speaking rarely, and briefly. Everyone was shook as the Freos nonchalantly spoke about Trace's remaining time on this earth. No one could bring themselves to speak to Trace, fearing the chance of saying something that may upset him.

Even as worries plagues his friends' minds, Trace was as calm as ever. For him, having another chance in life, even if it's only for one year, is enough. All he wanted was to do what he couldn't before; save his friends life. Although the fact that he will lose his life in three years gnaws at the back of his mind, he overpowered the negativity with countless other things he could do besides worrying. In his mind, he already planned ten steps ahead of what he will do after coming back to Lumen.

Night came slower for the group, and they set up camp at near the forest half a day's walk from Lumen. Trace hummed a tune as he set up his tent, and he did it on purpose. He disliked the fact that his friends was down because of Freos' words, and decided to be positive instead. As the night grew colder, everyone sat down in silence around the fire. Everyone just sat there, deep in thought. Gilbert couldn't take the silence anymore, finally groaned as he furiously scratched his head. "Trace! Why aren't you, you know, a lot more panicked?!" Trace only looked at Gilbert as he sipped at his warm milk. He put down his cup and sighed. "Then you would rather see me scream in agony at the top of my lung?"

Gilbert grinded his teeth in frustration. If not for the sound of the crackling fire place, everyone might be able to hear it. Trace sighed once again, and folded his hands. "Look. I have lived for far longer than any of you could've imagined. I roamed those decrepit wasteland, alone, accompanied only by the enemies that was out for my blood. When those blades pierced me, I was very sure that I will die with a lot of regrets... and yet here I am." Trace spreads his arms to the side, and smiled. "Reunited with all of you, when I was still young and inexperienced. When my body isn't covered in scars and wounds." Trace looked up, gazing at the moon, accompanied by the stars. "If anything, I would say that this is quite a blessing."

Gilbert opened his mouth to object, but no words came out of his mouth. For him, his whole life was that sixteen years he had spent. Everyone there thought so... but Trace? He had spent hundreds of years alone, with no one to talk to, no one to lean on to, no one to count on. For all they know, Trace's sole wish might be to die after finishing what he set out to do! In the end, Gilbert bit his lips, and closed his eyes tight. He couldn't bear to see Trace smile like that. The smile of a man ready to die.

Melody couldn't stop herself from crying. With every words that came out of Trace's mouth, her eyes grew hotter, and her vision blurrier. She didn't want her brother to die, but she also didn't want her brother to suffer any longer. To live, is to suffer; her brother might know of that better than anyone in the world. Still, her small, selfish heart kept on screaming, 'Don't die! Don't die!'. The selfishness born from her love for her brother was too strong for her, and he jumped to her brother's arms, and cried silently. The only thing Trace did was smile, and pat his sister's head as he hoped to alleviate even a small chunk of her sadness.

The two brothers were too occupied with their own sadness, they couldn't say a single thing. In their mind, they still couldn't believe what Freos said... but if the words of the goddess' messenger couldn't be trusted, then who should they trust? In the end, they decided to follow Trace until the end of his time on this earth. Rose, who only followed Trace for a few weeks, couldn't say anything. Of course the loss of a man as great as Trace would be a saddening thing, but for the moment, she just couldn't feel as sad as the others.

Alice felt something stir in her heart. She put her hand on her chest, and could feel her heart trying to jump out from their cage. She took a few deep breaths, but nothing seems to be able to calm her down. She raised her head, and her eyes fell on Freos. Even though she was without eyes, Alice could feel Freos' gaze on her. She closed her eyes, and tried to calm her raging heartbeat once more, not realizing the tears that started to fall from her cheeks.