Gun of Ashes

Red Falcon began talking about something else.

”If you don’t know what that strange thing truly is, then go live well for now. Find a warm afternoon, find a comfortable spot, cast out your fishing rod, and then start reading your favorite book.”

Priest Red Falcon was counseling the lost lamb.

”Actually, I’ve had similar worries. There was a time I was quite scared, after all, I’m so young, retirement is far off, and these Demons seem endless. I kept thinking that one day I might die, and the thought of future misfortunes made me anxious and uneasy.”

A simple person was talking about a simple outlook on life.

”But after being scared to the extreme, I wasn’t afraid anymore. When it comes down to it, everyone dies, right? It’s just a matter of who goes first or later. Thinking this way made things much easier.

But constantly slashing and killing Demons, anyone would have some psychological pressure, and those psychologists at Black Mountain Hospital are all crazier than one another. If I could, I’d really prefer not to see them. So, when I feel tired or confused, I find a comfortable way to experience life.”

Red Falcon looked at the sunlit face, shimmering like gold.

”You could do the same. Perhaps the path to redemption lies within.”

Erin was silent, seemingly pondering Red Falcon’s words. As she bowed her head, she saw her blood-stained hands, countless dead breaking out of graves, reaching to grab her legs, trying to pull her into a pitch-black abyss, silently questioning and scolding her.

”It’s still no use, no matter how I think about it. I can’t possibly attain redemption, but still, thank you, Moon.”

Erin said as she stood up and walked to Red Falcon’s side. Red Falcon saw Erin’s face clearly; it seemed as if she had just cried, with slightly red rims around her eyes.

”You’re a good friend, Moon. If possible, I really do want to stay.”

She said while bending down, cupping Red Falcon’s face in her hands just like before, her pupils completely encapsulating him, permanently etching this intriguing face into memory.

”Now I must leave, going to a faraway place, maybe even further than the Viking lands. Will you miss me, Moon?”

Erin asked.

Her voice was calm, so much so that in Red Falcon’s ears, it seemed like an incredibly ordinary thing, yet he vaguely felt something was off, but he couldn’t figure out what was wrong. This brief warmth had completely captured him, stalling his thoughts.

”I suppose… I will.”

Red Falcon’s voice held some hesitation.

Miss Erin? That would be impossible; Red Falcon wanted nothing more than to be far away from this person… but, but thinking back to that rather nice afternoon, in the life-and-death escape from Gaulunaro, Red Falcon again wanted to see Erin, unknowingly counting her among his friends, his very few friends.

”So good, now say to me, ’Goodbye, Gloria.’

Gazing into those clear eyes, Red Falcon was stunned. He felt something was amiss, but still, he spoke.

”Goodbye, Gloria.”

Gloria smiled, every time someone called her by this name, she felt a sense of ease, even her heavy mood improved, as if only at this moment could she shed the guise of ’Erin Adler.’

She gently kissed Red Falcon’s forehead and then said to him.

”Goodbye, Moon.”

Gloria then left, like a gust of wind. Red Falcon could still smell the faintly cold fragrance in the air. He stared blankly at the door left ajar, not knowing how much time had passed before he became aware again.

A wave of panic rose in his heart, more than any he’d felt facing Demons. Red Falcon feared he might never see Gloria again. It wasn’t a matter of life and death; it was just that he might never see her again. The secrets this woman held, he would never have the chance to uncover.

He clumsily started to run, stumbling and falling to the ground, letting out a low growl from the pain, but he still stumbled to his feet and rushed out of the room, gasping for breath. Yet waiting for Red Falcon was only an incredibly vast corridor, so long it seemed endless.