PHASE 90 - I’LL NEVER LET GO OF YOUR HAND AGAIN

Blood crawls on the side of my face. My black hair is now stained by my own plasma, as well as the white robes I’m wearing. For a moment, the throwing of the stones stopped, giving me a breather on this nightmarish night.

I briefly glanced forward and saw the townspeople still staring at me with disgust. For them, I’m worse than a pile of crap. They want to get rid of me, but they know they can’t. All they can do is hurt me physically.

Deep inside myself, I keep on saying that this is fine. For me, being hurt physically is okay as long as they don’t break my mind. This is the fourth torturous night, and my nerves are getting used to the pain. It’s like I can slightly ignore the wounds I’ve been getting now. I can last through this night and look for a bright tomorrow.

I closed my eyes, praying for this to be over. If my wounds heal in time, I will be able to see Rikkun in the morning. I will have to spend about an hour with him at breakfast, talk about the things I missed in school, discuss cooking techniques, and give me a delicious cheeseburger.

However, Mianette has something in mind to break me further.

“Hey, don’t expect this to be over soon. It’s still three, you still have about two hours left to endure.”

When my eyes opened, I was terrified when her malicious face is up close. Her Cursed Guardian eyes glared at me as if she’s planning on violating me. In fact, she is really going to. Her sharp nails sunk unto the skin of my legs all the way to my thigh as she blew out warm air towards my neck.

“Oh sweet Tiara, you’re still a virgin, aren’t you?” Mianette giggled.

Scared, my eyes went wide as tears jolted away from it. “M-Miss Mianette… d-don’t… please…”

“I like it when you beg for mercy, Tiara Hikari.” Mianette made a creepy crescent-moon smile. “Too bad, none of your weepings and prayers will reach out. This is the payment for taking lives. This is for you to atone your sins.”

“No… No… Please spare me… anything but that...”

As her nails drew a leg line on my thigh, I felt the pain of my ripping skin. Her fingers are just a few inches away from my chastity. I don’t want to watch it. I don’t want to look at her when it happens. I just shut my eyes, but my tears won’t stop.

The sound of a ripping flesh echoed, following by the splatter of the blood. The noise that just happened is too loud and the blood spill is too much, and I didn’t feel anything at all. It’s not me who has been ripped open.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw a horrifying but relieving sight. Mianette’s headless body was just right in front of me, her ruptured neck spraying blood to my face and my chest. When the headless body fell down on my lap, I finally saw the person who saved my chastity.

“...Tiara.”

In front of me is a blood-stained platinum robotic armor of seven feet tall. Its red circuits glowed as it breathes, and the blue cape on its back fluttered as the wind blew. On his right hand, is the severed head of the crimson-haired girl who tormented me.

“R-Rikkun!?”

Armored Rikkun nodded, the blue circuits on its eyes flickering to red. It slowly turned away from me and faced the angry townspeople. He tossed the severed head of the crimson-haired girl towards the foot of one of the shocked mob, making them terrified.

“IS THIS YOUR IDEA OF VENGEANCE!? IS THIS HOW YOU GET JUSTICE!? TO STONE A HELPLESS GIRL TO DEATH!?” Rikkun’s cybernetic voice is set on extreme loudspeakers which shows his anger.

“You don’t understand! That which killed a lot of people!” One of the townspeople who had the guts to answer shouted back.

“Yeah, that’s right! That girl killed a lot of innocent people, and she deserves a fate worse than death!” Another followed.

“This is the justice needed for the dead to obtain peace! Do not interrupt this atonement!” The other person said.

“YOU ARE THE ONES WHO DID NOT UNDERSTAND! TIARA SAVED YOU ALL FROM NECROSS! SHE SAVED YOU AND YOUR WORTHLESS LIVES! YOU USELESS PIECE OF SHITS JUST STAYED IN YOUR HOMES AND LIVED WITH COMFORT WHEN IT HAPPENED! AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER IN RETURN!? YOU HURTED HER, OVER AND OVER, JUST TO SATISFY YOUR BULLSHIT SENSE OF JUSTICE!!!”

Rikkun is brimming with anger. He’s clenching his hand that I can hear the cracks on his armor. The wrathful aura is now enveloping him as he argued back with the townspeople.

“Rikkun, stop!” I cried out loud. However, Rikkun heeds no attention to me. He continued to shout to the townspeople with full of wrath.

“IF THAT IS YOUR SENSE OF JUSTICE, THEN I WILL DO MINE TOO! I WILL KILL ALL... ALL OF YOU WHO THREW STONES AT HER!”

“Rikkun!” I cried out loud. “Please stop!”

But it was too late.

With a single step, the surroundings became pitch black. All the torch fires went off. I saw hundreds of thousands of silver streaks flying around the area like a distorted spider web. I heard countless shrieks and cries. I heard the ripping of the flesh, the breaking of the bones, and the splashing of the blood.

When the chaotic noises stopped, the moon peeked from the skies. The moonlight slowly descended until I saw a faint scenery of a demon standing on a pile of dead bodies. I soon realized that the demon is the man I loved, who threw all his morals and humanity away just to save me.

“R...Rikkun…?”

The platinum armor shone upon the moonlight. There are two horns that grew from his helmet and a set of dragon wings on his back. His blood-stained cape flapped as he slightly moved to look at me with his glowing crimson eyes. There’s no doubt from it. He is now Aeternos.

“Rikkun… what have you done?” My mouth trembled.

Rikkun went closer to me and slashed the handcuffs that have been tying me at the stake. After that, he genuflected and brushed my hair, checking on each and every injury I had from the stoning. His hand, radiating with Freyr’s holy powers, touched my wounded forehead which started to heal.

The Aether Armor cybernetically removed its helmet, revealing the face of Rikkun which is now tainted with a Cursed Guardian’s crimson eyes and some silver flakes on his hair. With his other hand, he grabbed my wrist and put my palm on his soft and warm cheek.

“Tiara… I’m sorry.” Rikkun wept. “I’m sorry that I did not notice it sooner. I’m sorry if you had to suffer.”

I started to cry once again. “Rikkun…"

I know that what Rikkun did was completely wrong. Killing those people who hurt me is way overboard, but I can’t get angry at him. In fact, I am happy. I am glad that he saved me from my torture that seemed eternal.

When my wounds have fully healed, I was astounded when Rikkun immediately raised my body and carried me like a princess. This scenery is like a prince charming saving a princess in distress, preparing for a grandiose escape from an evil castle. It’s all too perfect except about the fact that I’m a witch and Rikkun is now a demon.

“Rikkun…” My eyes twinkled with joy as the tears of sadness I unleashed were completely transformed into tears of happiness. “Thank you… for saving me…”

“I have let go of you once. This time... I’ll make sure to never let go of your hand again.” Rikkun smiled as his grip on my body tightened.

Just about when Rikkun was to jump away from this scene, he was stopped by an invisible aura. It came from behind. If Rikkun did not pay any attention to it, we could have just escaped but I think the man behind us will chase us down to death.

When we turned around, we saw an enemy that was customary to appear at this point. The man with a long blue ponytail waltzed in the air as he stabbed his buster sword on the floor. His eyes looked at me and Rikkun which is now full of bloodlust.

“Heushac,” Rikkun muttered.

“Ric… I thought you were my best friend.”