Chapter 1010: Chapter 1008-Burdens.
The body of Tria died.
It faded away into nothing, while she herself soon opened her eyes in darkness. Tria was now floating in constant darkness as just a piece of soul, her expression calm as she looked around the darkness, a sense of nostalgia washing over her as she floated there. Back then, she had found this place half dead as it was.
There had been an attack, and she had barely survived, but she was dying, and that is how she found this tree. A tree that gave her a chance to survive, but first she would have to die. It all sounded stupid and crazy, but she was dying, and she needed some way to escape and live, so she took it. And truthfully, it was the best decision she ever made in her life.
That decision changed the shape of her future, gave her the strength to keep going forward, made her unique, and gave her the moniker of The Everlasting Madness. A sigh leaked from her lips in her soul-like form, memories of the past tumbling through her. She finally felt a sense of self as the soul that appeared in the tree wasn’t one that looked like her young self, but an older Tria!
The soul form itself looked like a normal human floating around in the space of darkness. The current her looked to be about 30 years old, a strong, mature, beautiful look to her. Her hair was actually cut short, her body that of a well-developed woman, but scars lay a bit across her face and were hidden all over her body. She had more of a deathly energy around her.
Looking like a mercenary more than a fully grown princess. One of roughness, toughness and death.
"Tch... finally feeling a bit free."
Tria said as she flexed her muscles a bit. It was irritating to feel a bit suffocated, acting all princess-like and like a normal woman. It had been ages since she was even thought of as a princess, and feeling all those luxuries and happy faces all around her had dulled her senses a bit. Making her feel happy at the current peace of the world while also promising herself that she won’t let the future repeat itself.
And for that to happen, she needs power. A lot of power, and this will be the first step to getting that power back.
"Man... I wish I could just go full out. Acting all timid and proper is a pain in the ass. Fucking hypocrites that would sell their own flesh and blood just to live another day."
Disdain cloaked the whole of Tria as she cursed out, and it was then that a certain shaking took place where she floated. It was as if the world was being twisted as words formed high above her.
EMBRACE DEATH TO OVERCOME IT
Tria smirked at those words, soon anticipating what was to come. But that smile suddenly switched away as the words started to change.
DEATH IS A LONELY PATH, SO FIGHT WITH A COMPANION TO WIN
’What!?’
Just as her thoughts were feeling fuzzy, the contents of what was happening and the test flew into her mind, shocking her.
"What? This is not how it went last time!"
Tria bit her lip at the sudden shift in the legacy. The information she got is where the trials that are to come lie. She is supposed to lead a soul that is lying between the confines of life and death, to let that person succeed in getting over a tragedy or something that lies heavy in that soul’s heart. Once that is done, the true trials will begin.
’The rest of the trials are the same, only this one suddenly changed.’
Tria relaxed a bit when she realised that the rest of the test was the same, only an extra one was added. A twist that is forcing her to guide a soul to overcome hardship. A test so that the one who inherits this power will also have empathy and control.
’Acceptable.’
Tria nodded her head at it as suddenly the area around her started to shift and toss again. This time, space trembled in front of her as suddenly a soul like hers fell in front of her, landing on the dark ground that felt like water.
Splat!
’Hm?’
A flash of surprise went through the eyes of Tria as she looked at the young man who fell before her. This was because the young man was the very young man that had been going through her mind ever since she came back!
It is Austin Lionheart.
’Fate really is mysterious.’
Tria mused. She didn’t get flustered at Austin’s sudden arrival. The current hair looked very different from normal. Austin won’t even be able to identify her at all.
"Cough... cough... where am I?"
Austin asked with a sense of wariness as he stood up, his combat stance ready. This made Tria with his level of composure and fighting spirit. The kid really does have a great future ahead of him. More than that, she was just happy at the chance to get to know more about the ever-mysterious Austin Lionheart.
"You are in limbo, a space between life and death."
Tria spoke, making Austin surprised. His eyes widened for a fraction of a moment, after which a wry smile came to his face.
"You don’t seem all that surprised yourself."
Austin just shrugged his shoulders as he said.
"What can I say? I have been living between the lines of life and death a lot. Death is an old friend of mine."
Tria could feel the sincerity in his words.
’Explains why he was chosen.’
"So are you some sort of guide for me to die or something?"
Tria shook her head.
"I am a guide to help you get over a demon in your heart. If you do, life will find you again."
The words made Austin smile as he looked at the woman in front of him and waved his hand out for a handshake.
"Austin Lionheart, nice to meet you."
Tria looked at the hand in front of her as she waved it in front of Austin, both of their hands just fusing and fading away.
"Oh...?"
Austin gave a sudden jump.
"We are just souls here, can’t touch."
"I see, good to know."
Saying so, he started to look around the place, the whole composure he was showing and the aura all around him, making Tria more intrigued as she asked.
"Do you regret what you did?"
"Hmmm... regret what?"
Austin asked back, to which Tria added.
"Regret using such power to solve issues that you lay between life and death."
To which, without a hint of hesitation, Austin shook his head.
"Not at all. I got to protect the people around me, and they are happy and safe. What more do I need?"
A small twitch at the edge of Austin’s lips, which made Tria understand that this was his true smile.
’Tsk... he’s a decent kid. He will be very useful against the coming wars.’
She was already liking more and more of what she was seeing in front of her. In this space, no lies can be spoken; all truth comes through here. She could see the calm yet carefree expression of Austin, which proved once again that he is someone who has lived between the edges of life and death a lot.
A large part of the animosity she had against Austin faded away. A good kid like this needs to live on. So she took a smile as she sat on the edge of the water, an intelligent glint in her eyes as she spoke.
"So tell me about you."
Seeing this, Austin too took a seat on the water-like surface.
"What do you want to know?"
"Things you wish to speak out loud, problems that haunt your heart, or maybe stuff you could never say out loud. Things like that."
Seeing this, Austin thought for a moment, after which he spoke.
"You go first. At least tell me your name."
To which Tria paused.
"I can’t tell you my name. You can ask anything else."
To this, Austin spoke.
"Then tell me one of your burdens, and I shall tell you mine."
Tria paused again, after which she spoke.
"I have a heavy burden to save many."
Austin took that in as he gave his own.
"I, too, have a heavy burden to save many."
The two of them paused as they looked at each other, almost like two kindred spirits meeting each other.
"I got the call to be a hero when I was just a boy. Made me see a future so bad that I had to fight to save it. Since then, I have lived, fought and died many times in the hope of getting strong enough to thwart what is coming. Got talented people under me and I try my hardest to help people, but it’s hard, and I am tired."
Tria took it all in, her gaze a bit focused.
’The will of the world chose him?’
Deepening her understanding, she asked.
"Do you regret it? Everything you did?"
"Yes, I do."
Austin replied without any hesitation.
"If you got a chance again, will you do it all again?"
"Yes, I will."
That was all the answer Tria needed. A smirk at the edge of her lips, her expression that seemed to always feel dead or too calm, lighting up a bit as she stood up from where she sat. Austin, too, did the same.
"Then let’s begin."
