Tales of Revenants

Chapter 61 – Apology

The wind sweeps a strong downright breeze of melancholy. Xenon meticulously changes altitude before his energy level would go down to a decimal point.

"We will make an emergency landing on Archreverie's territorial boundary, specifically in the Eagleborn Town." Xenon notified the party of where they are currently going.

"Sure... After that, I needed to talk to all of you and I'm pretty sure you all know what could it be..." Alisa averted her eyes and faced the endless horizon.

She can't even directly face them nor have an idea of what to properly say to them after the incident. Eirisse gritted her teeth quietly showing her hatred towards the betrayer.

Luciella got a glimpse of Alisa's unique beauty. The freckles on her face are highlighted by the sunlight perfect for her brown complexion.

Behind the picture, she also saw the sadness casting away Alisa's desire to cry under the pressure of what she did in the past. She couldn't weep because she doesn't have the right to do so.

Minutes have passed by and Xenon successfully landed everyone on the outskirts of the Eagleborn, part of the Archreverie, the land of the valkyries.

"This is the only part of the Archreverie where males and alike are allowed. They are very strict about one's gender but don't care about what race they are." Xenon checked his mechanical scanner when they are about to enter the western gate of the town.

The town had very astonishing staunch walls and the mural has the symbol of an eagle carried by a woman depicting the pride of the valkyries.

There is an invisible and obvious layer of magical barrier encompassing the place presumably to detect the use of magic.

The party was greeted by two female guards. The left one who had a hammer was a dwarf while the other carrying a sword that had eye-catching wings was supposed to be an asrial.

Laken touched the forehead of his mask. They are about to enter the gate when the two guards obstructed their path preventing the party from entering the grounds.

"Identify yourselves!" The shout of the lady asrial resonated as if showing dominance. The guards noticed that there are men amongst the party who wanted to enter the town and Laken deduced they were careful.

"The town is under attacked by Nightbeasts and we imprisoned the summoners. That is why we must not let evil foreign enter our lands." The dwarf lady is being cautious of the current situation they are experiencing.

"We apologize for the not-so-warm welcome. We are just upholding our duties. The mechanoid should be fine and the three ladies, so care to remove your mask?" The asrial lady specifically targeted the most suspicious one amongst the party based on their appearance.

The condition would ensue into something serious. It was uncalled for to judge the cover of a book. However, the guards are just doing their duties to secure the peace of Eagleborn.

It would also be dangerous if they knew the masked man was none other than the wanted criminal around nations.

Laken preferred not to hurt somebody so he remained standing and also taking a secret stance. The asrial lady gradually moved her hand to take off his mask when she suddenly paused after noticing the sword on his back.

There was nothing to lose if he tried, Laken exited on his pre-emptive stance just in case he needed to make her sleep if it comes to it.

He resorted to lying instead, "My face is burned from a long time ago so I'm not confident to show my face to a beautiful lady like you."

The asrial lady was caught off guard and her cheeks turned beet-red. She returned to her post stomping, "Sheesh! You guys are not suspicious so you may enter now!" Her composure changed when she got irritated and let the hook off.

The party successfully entered the Eagleborn without utilizing violence. They immediately seek for the nearest inn so they can rest for the time being.

"I know you are searching for your lifelong partner, commander Eris. But the Archreverie is at stake here. What if he was Laken? What should we do then?" The dwarf lady instills some senses to Eris who fell for a cheap hit Laken did.

"Reya, there's no way the notorious criminal across the two continents could visit here, and there's no problem 'cause he's so handsome on the wanted posters." Eris was sleazily giggling about imagining the face of the masked man under his disguise base from his voice.

The dwarf lady called Reya took a deep sigh and said, "I hope you get your soulmate soon commander. That's what you get for serving the royal knights at a young age and neglecting your womanly instinct."

Eris smiled at having such an encouraging comrade, but for Reya, it construed a different approach.

"Don't you dare humiliate the gallant Falconstar Valkyries by stalking males around," Reya said.

"Why not? This will be the last I promise!" Eris tried to sneak out of her post to chase the masked man who was actually Laken when Reya pulled her leg with an incredible force before she could take flight.

Despite the short stature of dwarves, they possess tremendous and extraordinary physical strength they usually use for finding rare ores inside mining caves and blacksmithing.

They are skilled in creating items and weapons and can carry heavy objects ten times the mass of a giant boulder without breaking a sweat.

"Please let me see him again!" Eris whines while fluttering her wings.

Reya was annoyed because she's fully aware that if Eris decided to chase a man and it hardwired on her head, there's just no way to flip her resolute.

"Fine! You can chase him later. At least perform your duty as the commander and protect the town." Reya came upon a compromise to calm Eris down.

Eris forthwith returned to her original post after hearing Reya's proposal, "It's your fault if he gets away."

It was better than leaving her behind, Reya couldn't fathom how Eris became such a lady who seeks attention, "Yes, yes, it'll be my fault so be on guard now."

They both continued to defend the town with diligence and pride. Meanwhile, Laken's party already reserved two rooms on the third floor next to each other.

The air began to permeate the unpleasant silence of the room when Eirisse breaks the mood by confronting Alisa head-on.

She didn't want to say a word nor hurt her verbally. But instead, she gave Alisa clout on her right cheek by smacking her with all she got. That was the voice of her actions and that she wanted Alisa to repent for the sin she deliberately committed.

The sin in which a higher chance for her to fulfill a wish that was lost. Luciella doesn't know how to react because she doesn't understand what happened in the past.

Laken and Xenon firmly stood outwardly batting an eye. Alisa would gladly accept what harsh words Eirisse will offer when another action she did not expect was undertaken.

Eirisse embraced Alisa to show how much affection she had. Each beat of her heart resonated not just for Alisa, but also for Xenon who heard it loud and clear considering his Arcanum Core is connected to her lifeline.

No words escaped on their presence and Alisa gladly reciprocated Eirisse's tight hug. She felt how tremendous and deep her love of friendship and those who are present in the room.

The drifting tears they shed surely was the proof of their bond, unknowingly wiping the hatred emanating on their hearts.

Laken witnessed the glint of Alisa's eyes and that was the time when she skittered towards him not to embrace him, but to make amends by apologizing to her shortcomings.

Alisa clutches his hand and admitted while crying, "I'm sorry Laken... I'm sorry I was not there when you needed me the most... I'm sorry because I am the reason why we are cursed..."

She apologized and confessed all of the things she did and the mistakes she committed. Laken let her spill out the accumulated words stored on herself and everyone listened to her past mistakes.

When Alisa voiced out what she wanted them to hear, they were all surprised when Laken gave her a chop on the head.

However, what made Alisa sentimental is that for a long time, she was able to witness again his genuine smile that she longed for. The smile she always remembers no matter how much hardship she endures.

"Stupid. I should be the one apologizing. I became strong to protect you and here I am letting you shed tears." Laken tried to be a jest to lighten up the mood and it worked out.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "I forgive you, so I hope you'll accept my apology too." Laken parted her grasp. He was facing the window observing how lively the streets are.

Different races from across the lands visit the Eagleborn Town hoping to find their fated loved ones and to also relish the place.

Laken thought to himself that's the way the world should be. A place without discrimination of one's race and a world without conflicts and war will always be the reason he fights against the odds.

"Now that it comes to this, it may be presumptuous of me, I wanted Luciella to purify the remaining darkness in my heart." Alisa went and couched in the bed preparing herself for the process of purification.

"You want me to enter your consciousness?" Luciella questions and sat beside her either way.

"Yes. The blinding light you showed was something unique. I will tell everything I remember to everyone after you finished." Alisa was certain to make amends.

Luciella lacked knowledge if she can even do it again. It was not the case for her to just simply give up and that's why she tried by holding her hand, and the light of illuminance guided her to encroach Alisa's mind and soul.

The white landscape greeted Luciella when she opened her eyes. She beholds the mesmerizing endless horizon of clouds, along with Alisa who had a black agate on her open palms.