One More Time: Rebirth

Then suddenly the sealing barrier disappeared, all of the battle servants burst out running toward the village, so did mom, dad, and I. When we reached the village, unfamiliar knights were down on the ground, corpses were all over the place.

This was the first time I saw a dead body, it made me feel a bit scared. As I felt my body tremble, I felt somebody grabbed my hand. Mom was now holding my hand tightly. As I was slowly calming down I looked around the village. 

The battle servants were helping the villagers. Dad was talking to one of the guards who witnessed the whole thing. Mom and I listened in on the conversation. It seems like brother and tsukiyomi-nee-san were here, and they were the ones who killed all of the invaders.

The guard also explained that when they were doing so, it seems like they were in a mad frenzy. When they finished killing the invaders, onii-chan tried to attack a woman who was glaring at him. Tsukiyomi-nee-san seemingly removed from her frenzied state jumped into the forest with onii-chan.

Upon hearing what the guard said, all of us looked at the direction of the forest. Half of it was gone, half of the trees in the forest were gone. My father went toward the place where onii-chan and Tsukiyomi-nee-san had gone.

I wanted to follow but mom stopped me. A few minutes later, dad came back while carrying onii-chan in his arms. Tsukiyomi-nee-san was following close behind. When the villagers saw the two of them, they got angry and started jeering and screaming.

"Why did you bring those monsters back here?!"

"They are not welcome here!"

"Yeah, they destroyed our homes!" Everyone was condemning onii-chan and Tsukiyomi-nee-san. Why is everyone like this? Wasn"t onii-chan and Tsukiyomi-nee-san the ones who saved the village? Then why? Why are they being treated like this? Some of the villagers threw some rocks at them. Even the children followed suit.

"Stop!" One of the guards shouted. He looked at the villagers throwing stones with a fierce glare. "WHY THE h.e.l.l ARE YOU, PEOPLE, LIKE THIS?! AREN"T THESE TWO YOU"RE THROWING STONES AND JEERING AT OUR SAVIORS?! THEN WHY THE h.e.l.l ARE YOU DOING THIS?! INSTEAD OF PRAISING AND CHEERING THEM YOU REPAY THEM LIKE THIS?!" The guard was furious but so were the people.

"What saviors, they"re the ones who brought more destruction than the invaders!"

"Yeah, because of them my shop is gone. How do you expect me to live without my livelihood?!"

"Right it would have been better if we died if this is what comes after. Some saviors they turned out to be." The guard, after hearing those string of words looked even more furious.

"HUH?!? WHAT THE F*CK ARE YOU SAYING, YOU b.a.s.t.a.r.dS!? THE ONLY REASON YOU"RE SAYING THESE BULLHEADED THINGS, NO THE ONLY REASON YOU GUYS ARE EVEN FLAP YOUR MOUTHS IS BECAUSE THEY SAVED YOUR LIVES! THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK IT IS BETTER TO DIE THAN LIVE LIKE THIS... STEP UP, I WILL PERSONALLY RELIEVE YOU FROM YOUR SORROWS." The villagers looked at the guard, but none went forward. Seeing everyone finally quieting down the guard looked at Leonard and bowed his head.

"I"m sorry on behalf of the village. Everyone is a little high strung because of the recent events. Please take your son and tend to him. Again I"m sorry." The one who spoke was the village elder. I couldn"t understand why the villagers were so mean to onii-chan and Tsukiyomi-nee-san. But I knew a lot of them were also grateful.

†

When onii-chan was brought to his bed, mom and dad started questioning Tsukiyomi-nee-san as to what happened. Tsukiyomi-nee-san told us about the events that transpired. First, onii-chan heard that the village was under attack.

Enraged onii-chan rushed back, but as he got closer only rage filled his mind and tainted his mana, or in another sense his soul.

Being linked to onii-chan, Tsukiyomi-nee-san was also affected by his rage. When they got here they started slaughtering the invaders. Once that was done onii-chan"s rage went down and with that Tsukiyomi-nee-san was able to break free from her frenzy.

Seeing as one of the villagers was about to be attacked by onii-chan. Tsukiyomi-nee-san stopped him and brought him into the forest. They started fighting, but once brother got tired he fainted then father appeared. The rest was what we already know. Even though I couldn"t understand most of what was said, I did understand that onii-chan had a very rough time. Onii-chan just wanted to help everyone.

†

A week has pa.s.sed since onii-chan fainted. He still hasn"t woken up yet. Mom and dad are really worried, they would cry sometimes at night.

Tsukiyomi-nee-san on the other hand never left his side not once, for the whole week. When I would offer her food she would say she doesn"t really need any, being an ethereal and all. How can that be I thought, I remember that Tsukiyomi-nee-san"s appet.i.te was monstrous.

Even now I still can"t believe my onii-chan who so strong and kind could be in such a state. I wanted to cry as well the same as mom and dad, but I won"t because I believe in onii-chan. Onii-chan promised me that he would not die and leave me behind.

Still, not being able to do anything is so frustrating. I don"t like this feeling, so for this not to happen again, so that I won"t feel so helpless again. I need to become strong. Strong enough to stay by my brother"s side and protect his back the same as Tsukiyomi-nee-san. So today again I started practicing my magic and swordsmans.h.i.+p.

†

Onii-chan finally woke up! Everyone gathered around him mom and dad wouldn"t stop hugging him. Tsukiyomi-nee-san wouldn"t stop calling him an idiot. Onii-chan who was at the center kept on apologizing, it was at that moment onii-chan finally noticed me.

"Sarah." Onii-chan smiled at me with his usual gentle smile. Seeing that smile I couldn"t hold back any longer. The tears that I"ve been holding in started to flow out uncontrollably. I rushed to onii-chan"s side and hugged him.

"Nii-chan! Nii-chan! (Hic) waaah Nii-chan, Welcome back onii-chan!" Onii-chan looked at me helplessly then patted my head and answered. "I"m back Sarah."