After awakening in the nightmarish depths of Llafiella's fissure, Lyn found herself trapped between the collapsing debris from the worm, armless and legless. Only her left arm remained intact, which was enough to remove the debris off of her weakened body. Ash and dust crawled into her mouth. She blinked rapidly to regain full consciousness and control of her body.
The darkened abyss of where her frail body remained was only dimly lit by the crimson skies above Llafiella, echoing glimpses of radiation to support Lyn's journey outside of the ash-ridden bed of desertion. Only a single glimpse from a ray of light shone into the abyss, forcing Lyn to crawl toward it to examine herself more carefully. She slowly and sluggishly wriggled her body around and groveled at the debris with her left arm to pull herself toward the ray of light.
Once she had made it, the light revealed that her entire scalp of hair was stripped off entirely, leaving her bald. Her right eye popped out of her socket, and her torso was completely severed off from her legs. Knowing this, Lyn closed her eyes as congealed silver liquid began emitting from the areas of her body that were severed. Her torso, legs, and right arm regenerated itself in mere seconds after the liquid formed a base for human body parts. Her scalp returned, followed by her elongated black ponytail hair that fell behind her shoulders. The LYNBG52 tattoo returned as well, and after blinking a single time, her right eye returned to its socket.
Lyn frequently lost her balance after standing directly up to shovel the debris off of her body. She gazed around the loss of light around her surroundings. She placed her palms on the sides of the fissure to balance her steps as she treaded through the pitch black darkness. She would seldom trip on the ground beneath her, forcing her to collapse and stand multiple times on end.
Minutes later, Lyn stopped beside Alfaic, who had lost its glowing sheen. She placed her back behind the fissure and glanced up at the crimson skies, witnessing the stars from the crimson sky twinkling through heavenly tensions of Llafiella's influence. She took deep breaths and could not help but be reminded of the one speaking to her in her memories.
Astra. The stars. But what does it all mean? And does this thought I have... mean anything at all?
Lyn looked at her regenerated hands and knees with no reaction. She pulled her right finger, massaged it delicately to create a sense of a ticklish nature, and held them tightly to keep them warm. But there was no sensation of humanity; no pain, no tickles, and no warmness emitting from her empty body. She glanced back at the stars again, and only then, did something within her activate.
The twinkling stars began fading and returning, fading and returning, fading and returning. Lyn's mouth gradually opened until a tiny slit was formed to reveal her pearly front teeth. A strong exhale emitted from her chest, releasing the pent-up ash and dust within her throat. There was a brief moment of relief at the peacefulness of how empty and quiet it was, revealing nothing but solemness.
Grace had taken her, and the chimes of the wind burst from the clouds and enveloped her in a light zephyr.
Once the stars revolved after watching them for several minutes, Lyn gazed back down at Alfaic and grabbed it by the handle. She placed the butt of the blade on her forehead and closed her eyes.
"Blade..." She whispered.
There was no response.
"Blade. You were right," She whispered again. "You were right. I am heartless. I do not feel a thing. But... I am trying."
There was no response.
"You... are the only one I have," She repeated. "I'm... lonely. You put faith in me. You try to understand me, and..."
She inhaled deeply.
Wrinkles formed on her forehead as she shut her eyes furthermore. "Just come back. Please." She repeated.
Alfaic's mystical glow enveloped the abyss in pure light, paving the way in a guided path from below her. Lyn opened her eyes and was astonished by Alfaic's beauty. The stars glittered and refracted their light upon Alfaic's light, consuming the darkness with heavenly delight. Lyn's eyelids slowly opened wider as Alfaic's futuristic armor bonded with Lyn once more, equipping, healing, and cleaning her once more.
But this time, Lyn did not move. Instead, she released Alfaic, letting it hover in front of her.
"I'm here," Alfaic said, its voice low in its tone. "I'm here, Lyn."
Lyn stood up and extended her hand out to touch Alfaic's handle. Her eyelids began to droop down as the light's warmth began enveloping her skin. For a brief moment, there was a sting. There was a tickle. There was a glimpse of heat.
"I'm sorry," Alfaic admitted. "I just... want you to know that... I'm lonely too. And when I hear these words, I'm scared of losing."
Lyn opened her mouth, enveloped by the warm touch of Alfaic. "Why did you want to stay behind?" She whispered gently, asking him about his demeanor at the disc.
"It's... complicated," Alfaic immediately responded. "But, I don't hate you, Lyn. You're learning, and I understand that. To me, you're just like me. A lost blade, searching for hope in a dying world. After Krin. After Cethe. But for some reason, you being here gives me hope that humanity has what it takes to survive."
"I... don't hate you either." Lyn confessed.
"If there are people out there," Alfaic said. "I want to save them. I don't want that happened to Cethe and her family to happen again. I'm not lost anymore. I know what I want. Do you?"
"Blade..." Lyn murmured, holding Alfaic by the handle closely and gently. "How can I be lost when I have you?" She asked, as a microscopic glimpse of a smile appeared on the slits of her lips.
Her touch was that of a newborn's hands, seeking nurture and giving nature. Her gentle hands wrapped around Alfaic's handle. It was not a firm grip, but it was, at the same time. The heavenly stars shone below them as the tickling warmth that she attempted to replicate entered her hands, arms, chest, torso, and face. She closed her eyes and reverted back to her calm demeanor, but not before placing her slender and soft palm on the edge of Alfaic.
Alfaic remained silent as Lyn stood up from her seat. She placed Alfaic on her back holster and turned around to face the fissure's walls. Using her extreme agility and gravity-defying suit, Lyn skidded toward the stars above the fissure, which eventually came to a sprint as she maneuvered through the rubble that collapsed beneath her feet.
The night winds brushed against her face as she returned to Llafiella, seeking not Elaina nor the worm, but how to create harmony instead.
A harmony for the lost.