[746] Age of Upheaval (2)
* * *
"You told me to go date other men!"
Amy, having escaped Isis's nagging, stomped into the room and flopped onto the bed with a pout.
"Do you think I'd just sit still because I'm soft-hearted?"
Her anger fizzled out quickly.
Isis had a point, and Amy's fear was the normal reaction of any human being.
What would happen to this world?
The Spirit Zones spreading across every region would disturb the world order far more than just the appearance of demons.
"So many dead, civil wars, wars with other nations…."
Soldiering would become the toughest job.
This might be Amy's only chance to change her plans to take the civil service exam.
"Shirone."
When they graduated she'd thought they could dream of a future together and live happily.
"What am I to you?"
Exhausted from fighting demons, Amy slid into bed and fell asleep without knowing how. A tear rolled from beneath her eyelids.
"Long time no see, Miss Amy."
"Huh?"
At the voice she turned and saw a face that seemed faintly familiar.
An old man with a mustache and a kindly smile.
He alone was vivid with color, and reason receded into a sixth-level REM of the deep layer.
"Where is this?"
When she realized it was a dream the scenery sharpened: a green meadow filled with rare flowers.
"Oh? Oh?"
She'd felt sleep paralysis before, but had never woken this lucidly.
Fully aware now, Amy looked at the old man.
"Could it be?"
"Yes. I am Luber, Mongin of the dreamkeepers."
She knew only those who'd earned a lucid-dream certification through special training could find Luber.
"You came to me in person?"
"Yes. Dreamkeepers are normally forbidden by Teraforce cosmic law from forcibly awakening someone's dream, but given the circumstances I intervened myself."
He'd already informed the Teraforce High Justiciar, and considering Shirone's position as humanity's representative, it had been approved.
"Why did you come to me?"
"There is someone who wishes to meet Miss Amy. If you don't mind, may I link your dream with theirs…?"
Amy tensed at the respectful tone the Mongin used.
"Who is it?"
"That I cannot say. But I can guarantee this: Miss Amy will not be slapped."
Puckering her lips and lost in thought, Amy made up her mind easily.
"All right. It's a dream, after all."
"Then please enjoy your time."
Luber's body grew transparent and vanished.
"What the—?"
Amy glanced around, and a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Amy."
She flinched and slowly turned, shock on her face. Shirone stood there, smiling.
"You—you…?"
"Sorry for coming like this. But…."
Even knowing it was a dream, seeing his face made all the pain she'd been holding back explode.
"You jerk!"
Amy grabbed Shirone's collar and yelled.
"How could you not even contact me? Did I have to hear through my father?"
Shirone could only look apologetic.
"Do you know how humiliated I felt? My mother told me to date someone else, people whispered that I'd been abandoned! How could you—do that to me…."
Shirone pulled Amy into a fierce hug.
"I missed you."
Amy understood.
There are feelings so vast and desperate that no grand phrase can capture them.
"I know. I know too."
The heart is larger than the universe.
"Sigh. Anyway, since you came, I forgive you."
Tears shone in Shirone's eyes as he let go of Amy's shoulder and stepped back.
"But! First, I have to confirm something!"
What did this man think of her?
"You said you came through a dream, right? Knowing you, you didn't come just to see me. What number am I on the list?"
"Of course you're first."
Shirone answered hurriedly, then, unable to shake his guilt, glanced away and spoke more cautiously.
"Actually… I visited my parents first."
Amy grinned from ear to ear.
"Then I am first. Come on, tell me everything that happened."
Shirone took Amy's hand and they ran across the meadow.
They came to a small pink house where butterflies drifted like shards of light over a flowerbed. Embarrassed that her subconscious had been exposed, Amy covered her mouth and coughed.
"Uh-huh."
Teraforce forbade dream links for a reason.
But since the other was Shirone, it felt more thrilling than humiliating.
"…Let's go inside."
Amy said shyly, and Shirone followed with an unreadable smile.
"Amy, I have something to tell you."
"I know. But be quick—"
Time was short, so Shirone first told her the things she had to hear.
As he spoke, the candles shifted in various ways; by the time she grasped the whole truth, her room had gone dim.
"So I—"
"I understand."
Amy cut him off.
"I get why you couldn't contact me, and what you'll have to do next."
A candle flared again.
"But it's okay. It couldn't be helped. I'm glad I have a clear goal now. We'll pool our strength and finish off Nade."
"No. This isn't that kind of thing."
This might be the last chance to treat someone's feelings as a human heart, so Shirone spoke with difficulty.
"Amy, I can't stay with you any longer."
"What?"
Amy's house went completely dark.
"Being with you like this makes me so happy. I'm unbearably happy—so much I could go mad."
"Then what's the problem? Why are you suddenly saying this?"
"This is it. I'm too happy. In the end I'll become obsessed with you. And if that happens—"
Shirone bit his lip.
"Nade will definitely exploit that. The more I love you, the more danger you'll be in."
"They say Nade is a Buddha, right? What kind of Buddha would do such a cowardly thing?"
"That's still a human emotion."
Shirone turned toward Amy's face in the darkness.
"To Nade, everything in this world is emptiness. If it's for closing the world, it doesn't matter what he does."
Because it was something that was never truly there to begin with.
"He's already transcended good and evil. Having encompassed all good and all evil, he's reached the realm of a god."
To say he wasn't afraid would be a lie.
"And I can't protect someone and fight such a being. So, Amy—please stop."
"All right. Let's stop."
At that cold, sudden voice, Shirone's heart dropped—he couldn't finish his words.
"Ha, I knew you'd say that. What a time for romance. You don't need to worry about me. Stay where you are and fight Nade however you want. Happy now?"
She spoke bluntly, but the wind howling outside couldn't be hidden.
"I'll come to you."
Like wind, Amy sobbed.
"I'll become strong enough so you won't have to protect me. So I will— I'll come to you—"
Warm, damp heat spread from Shirone's chest as he held Amy.
"Don't worry. Wait for me. I'll come. No matter where or with whom you're fighting, I'll come to your side."
She would become strong enough to punch Nade's face clean off.
"Amy…"
Shirone couldn't hold back his tears. In the dark they tenderly traced each other's faces.
If only he could hold her now.
"It's a dream. It's our dream."
Their lips nearly met, lost and wandering, while only their feelings surged.
"I'll go. Be careful."
"No. Don't go. Shirone…wait—"
Though he had steeled himself, reality was intolerable.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Amy."
Wouldn't it be better to love madly until the world ended and then go down together?
That deeply human thought flashed through Shirone's mind; he squeezed his eyes shut, leapt out of bed, and rushed out of the house.
"Shirone! Wait, wait—!"
Amy's dream ended there.
* * *
"Aaaaargh!"
Crouched in the dream and crying, Shirone was approached by Luber, whose face looked sorrowful.
"Do not be angry."
"Why me? Why only me? Why!"
"Forgive yourself."
Those two firm words calmed Shirone's breathing quickly.
"Hah. Hah."
Accept it again? Truly formidable psyche.
Neither Shirone nor Nade was born a god.
Their base was human, yet such minds made them dare to peer into godhood.
"This is only the beginning. The Great Purification has only just begun. If you are not bold, you will destroy yourself."
There was no guarantee it wouldn't happen.
"I'm sorry. Luber, you did this especially for me."
"I should be the one apologizing. I knew, in fact. But if Shirone became human in reality, the world would close."
That was why the confirmation had to come through a dream.
"Will you go back?"
"No. Now, before deeper obsession forms, is the last chance. I want to spread the word to as many people as possible."
The mission of the Five Great Stars had already begun.
"Please take him to his friends."
Luber murmured in a low voice.
"Have pleasant dreams…."
* * *
"Ugh. Ughhhh."
At dawn, Nade's voice made Riz stir beside him.
"Nade? Nightmare?"
They'd spent the day fighting demons outside the Spirit Zone's radius to escape it.
"Tired, maybe?"
"Was that really a dream?"
Luber had told them everything, but Nade, who'd never experienced Drimo, still half-doubted it.
"Pfft! Who knows! Oh wow, it's Shirone!"
Nade ran over excitedly, but his expression froze when he saw Shirone's face.
"…What's wrong, Shirone?"
Why are you crying?
"Nade."
"What is it? Did something bad happen?"
He had never seen Shirone cry so sadly.
"Whoever hurt you—tell me who they are! I'll go smash them right now!"
"Nade, I—"
It had been a long dream.
"Gah!"
Nade snapped awake with a start, sitting up and panting.
"You okay?"
Hearing Riz's voice, he looked around and the inn room where they'd sheltered from the demons felt oddly unfamiliar.
"Was it a demon dream? I tried waking you but you wouldn't get up…"
"It wasn't a dream. It was Nade," Shirone said.
"Get ready, Riz. Let's return to Tormia at once. We have to meet Iruki. He'll probably be waiting for me."
"Tormia?"
When the Spirit Zone covered the capital, Nade had taken Riz across the border.
Nade didn't care much for patriotism, but for Riz—an official of the Mage Association—it was something she absolutely shouldn't have done.
"Do you know what the capital is like now? You'll be arrested as soon as we get there. What do you mean Iruki's waiting?"
"Shirone is in trouble."
Riz had no rebuttal; the two of them owed their new lives to Shirone.
"Some madman is messing with my friend."
High-level realms and the like weren't Nade's concern.
"So you really going? Right now?"
"If it's to protect the one I love, I'd toss aside a country without a second thought…."
Nade shrugged into his coat.
"If anyone messes with my friend, not even Buddha will forgive them."
That was Nade.
"Sigh. Men are hopeless. Loyalty above all."
Shouldering his pack, Nade grinned at Riz.
"Let's go. Whether Buddha or boneheaded fool…."
If humans were the problem, humans would deal with it.
"We'll show them exactly what happens when you mess with Shirone's crew."