It was supposed to be just another day like any other. Kill goblins, loot, head back to Alterna.
How did things spiral out of control so quickly?
"Manato, that's it! Everyone's got away!"
"I know!"
A single misjudgement would take its toll on the group. What I knew was that it wasn't going to be that simple.
It never was.
I leapt backwards, drawing the hobgoblin that was chasing us. It was a stronger variant of a goblin, but also a bit of a dimwit.
He fell right into the trap. As he charged forward, I struck twice with a Smash attack using my staff.
The hobgoblin groaned, and his head snapped back.
Now.
I turned around. But another nearby armoured goblin tried to hit me. I'd been expecting this, so I dodged it easily.
Now run. Run. Run and don't look back.
"Urgh!"
Something hit me in the back. I felt something rise up my throat, it tasted of iron.
I almost stumbled, but I didn't dare look back.
Haruhiro let out a cry that sounded like a wail.
"Manato…?!"
"I'm fine! Don't stop running!"
Anyway, first we have to get out of here. That's the most important thing. Right? I know that. I know. We've to run. Run. Get away. Get as far away from this place as possible.
I need to look back and see what's going on.
Are the armored goblin and the hobgoblin chasing us? I don't know. Can we stop now? Or do we still have to run? I just need to look. If I look, I'll know. But I have to keep going. Keep moving. Keep going as far as I can.
Still, everyone's running really fast.
Where is this? How far have we come?
Why are my thoughts so slow? Why does everything look so gray?
I'm not sure. How strange. It's strange. What happened? I… Ahh—
Wait.
I threw myself forward, falling to the ground.
I have to get up. This isn't good. Yes. I'm going to get up. But I don't have the strength... In my body.
Why?
"...A-Agh!"
It hurts. What hurts? My back. Oh. There's something on my back.
I struggled to roll onto my side.
What's going on? This is serious, isn't it? Is it serious? I don't know.
".... I think... W-we're... safe now..."
"Manato…!" Haruhiro came closer. Right beside me. Kneeling. "Manato, your healing—m-magic! That's it! Use magic to heal…!"
"...Ah, that's right." I'm a Priest, I can use magic to heal myself. Everything will be okay.
I tried to form the hexagram symbol. Huh? My hand. I can't do it. My strength. Concentration. How? It's not working, not like this.
"D-Don't speak!" I heard Ranta's voice. "D-Don't say a word! Just stay there and take it easy, relax… Wait, how is anyone supposed to relax at a time like this?!"
But I didn't say anything, or did I?
"What do I do, what do I do." Yume was so upset that I felt sorry for her. She kept messing with her hair.
Shihoru came closer. She reached her hand around to my back. She touched… something. It hurt, or rather, it felt… heavy. An oppressive weight.
But the weight didn't stop there. It seemed to run through my entire body. I had a bad feeling about it.
I blinked several times. The world had lost all color. I could only see a monochromatic black-and-white pattern. I could still hear them, but it sounded as if my companions' voices were underwater, the sound was muffled.
I finally understood how serious the situation was.
"…I-I can't… I… can't use magic…"
"What…?" Haruhiro crouched down, bringing his face close to mine. "A-Are you going to be okay, Manato? Everything's going to be okay, right? Hang in there. Hang in there, Manato, please?"
I'm not going to be okay. I get it. So that's how it is. I can't take it anymore…
You're joking, right? Stop it! No! It wasn't supposed to be like this! There's still so much for me to do! Not yet!
Yes. Tomorrow, I was going to do more. I thought I'd have plenty of tomorrows. I always took that for granted. As if the future were guaranteed. For me, for my Party. It had to be…
I never doubted that.
But what is this? There was supposed to be more, so this…
Tomorrow will come for my companions, but I think tomorrow will come too late for me.
This isn't fair. There's still so much I want to do.
Where did I go wrong? What went wrong? Was I reckless? I thought we could handle it. They were strong. Who would have thought they'd be so strong? Was I weak? Or did I rush into it, even though I didn't think I was?
I want a second chance. I wish this had never happened. Please. Let me try again. I beg you. I won't mess up again.
I don't really understand, but… ahhhh… now I see. I wanted to be with someone.
I just wanted to walk with someone. Not alone… with another person.
I wanted to walk alongside everyone.
I wanted to form more connections.
I wanted to spend time with them, little by little, at my own pace. It was the only way. Because I couldn't bridge the distance all at once.
If it were like that, I thought I could do it. For sure. I thought I could get a second chance.
But now it's too late. It's over. I can't believe it.
It's going to end right here, just like that, so easily. If only this were a lie, a dream… how nice that would be.
But I know it isn't. This is real.
It'll be over soon.
"Haru…hiro" I whispered, or at least I tried to.
"Wh-what? What is it? Manato, what's wrong?"
"I'm... S-sorry..."
Haruhiro. I'm sorry. There was more I wanted to tell you. Things I wanted to talk about, so many things. I was sure we could become real friends. I think, someday, I would have told you everything.
"Huh? What? S-Sorry? Why? For what?" he asked.
A darkness began to consume the edges of my vision.
Damn it. Why? Why can't I speak? My voice… won't come out right. I… that's right, Haruhiro, I'm counting on you. This is serious. I have to hurry. I don't have much time. You're the only one I can trust.
I must have muttered something, because Haruhiro replied.
"Counting on me? Me? For what? What do you want from me? Wait, no, Manato, no…"
The darkness had taken over almost my entire vision. There was only a tiny speck of light that was being swallowed up by the darkness with every passing second.
Take care of everyone. Only you can. Only you can do it. I can't anymore. I can't do anything. I can't see anymore.
I can't see.
It's dark. It's gone dark.
Damn.
Hey, guys, are you there? If you are, say something.
I can barely see.
"We're here! Everyone's here! Manato! We're here! Don't leave!"
I don't want to leave either.
I don't want to leave.
I want to stay here.
Here, with everyone.
But I have to go.
Ahh…
I…
I'm going to die.
"Don't go! Manato! You can't leave us! Don't go! Please, Manato...!"
Please, keep calling me that.
Until I can no longer tell.
I'm scared.
Just a little longer—
Please.
Just a little—
Just...
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Slowly, Gently. This is how a life is taken...