[Edanian Journey] Sylvia

Chapter 9: The Fear of Letting Go

The rift Elion left behind led into Aal's domain. Each time I met one of the gods again, something seemed to change, though I still could not tell whether this was truly the journey Goyen had intended for me. I told the Black Spirit about Agris's final look. The tragedy itself might have remained unchanged, but not everything within it had stayed the same.

Even so, we still needed power to stop Hadum. Yet even Goyen, who had overwhelmed me so easily, had lost to her while wielding Ynix. I could no longer be sure that simply becoming stronger than him would be enough.

I had set out in search of my lost memories, only to find myself called a king, holding up a world on the brink without even knowing why I wanted to fight for it. I asked the Black Spirit what our deal had been, but as always, it put off the answer, saying I would know when the time came.

Further ahead, Elion was trying to persuade Aal. But the moment Aal noticed us, he came straight toward me. Before I could ask a single question, his trial began again, and I barely managed to withstand the force of his counterattack.

The impact split the space around us, revealing fragments of the past. Fallen Hashashin and failed Edanas overlapped before my eyes, memories I knew tangled together with ones I did not. Aal continued his assault without pause, calling out the fear I had yet to overcome. Was I still afraid of becoming another failed Edana? Afraid of surrendering myself to the Black Spirit?

I could not deny it. Every time I borrowed the Black Spirit's power, I had held some part of myself back, making sure there would still be something of me left to return to. Aal called me a fool even after granting me the wisdom to command Ynix. A King of Edana, he said, did not control the Black Spirit.

When I asked what that meant, his answer was one I had never expected.

<b>You yield to the Black Spirit.</b>

Did he mean I had to give myself up? What meaning was there in saving a world that no longer had me in it?

Then another surge of power tore the Black Spirit and me apart. Darkness swallowed my vision once more, and space-time swept us away again.