Chapter 199: A Hopeful Sprite’s Journey, Part Two

{Xhez}

Death seemed to follow almost every human the sprite had met so far.

Rin was only an exception in that she hadn't killed innocent people, but death did follow her all the same. Just in a different way.

The usual way in which death followed humans, however, was shown once again to Xhez when she accessed that man's memories.

Murder. Senseless and brutal, that man and his group had carried out so much of it. But, even though Xhez had seen it before through the memories of fallen sprites, something about the murder this man committed felt especially aggravating.

It was hard for Xhez to explain why that was, though.

"Xhez?" Rin asked, suddenly, pulling Xhez out of her thoughts. "Uh, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes," the sprite replied, inhaling slowly as she looked back at her amber-eyed friend, centering herself in the present moment. "I am fine."

"Oh... Good, good," Rin replied, chuckling slightly awkwardly. "So, how does it feel to be out in the sun again?"

"It is... strange," Xhez responded as she walked by Rin's side on the road. The heat coming from the sun clashed with Xhez's naturally cool body, making her skin almost feel like it was buzzing. "I think I am a little less used to it than I was."

"Really?"

"Well..." Xhez's tone softened. "It has been a while since we've traveled like this, has it not?"

That question made a guilty expression appear on Rin's face, which in turn stung Xhez's heart. It hadn't been her intention to elicit that feeling, but she wasn't lying either. Xhez had either been sleeping or walking the halls of the academy on her own these days.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

"I understand," Xhez interrupted her, smiling at her partner. "Your duties have kept you busy. You do not need to apologize for that."

Despite her words, that guilty expression remained on Rin's face. Seeing that, Xhez walked a little closer and gently grasped her hand.

"We are together now, are we not?" She asked. "I believe we should focus on enjoying the present moment... And," Xhez's tone changed, becoming a little more energetic, "the fact that I am finally going to see my mothers again!"

"Right. I'm sure they've missed you."

"I have too," Xhez admitted. "I had seldom spent any time apart from them before I met you... I wonder if they will think I have grown a bit when they see me."

"In what sense?" Rin asked with a slight smirk, glancing down at Xhez's chest.

"Hm?"

"Never mind," Rin muttered, hiding that smile.

"Oh, come on, tell me. What do you mean?"

Putting on a pout, she clung onto Rin's right arm as the woman further tried to hide her face.

"Sorry, sorry!" Rin said, in between fits of sudden laughter. "I was just... Your boobs are still the same. That's all."

"My...? My chest?" Xhez looked down at herself.

[Hm... I never thought about it before, but, I suppose I could use Illusion magic to make my chest larger, couldn't I?]

Rin's face flushed a little as Xhez began touching her own body, looking back and forth between herself and Rin.

[Maybe she prefers them larger.]

On that speculative note, the two of them finally went off the road and went east, heading into the plains that they'd walked alongside Cara, Eve, and Sye, the Mages Guild member. Xhez could remember the exact path they'd taken, and thus, they were retracing their steps, until, eventually, they would end up back at that pond where she and Rin had first met.

Time felt like it passed quickly, with Rin and Xhez sharing a few laughs and gawking at strange things in the forest, passing monsters, and old, abandoned objects from ages past.

Eventually, the night came and Rin decided it would be best for them to rest till morning.

As they set up a makeshift camp, using some sheets Rin had packed and a fire Xhez helped make with her Spirit, the sprite glanced at her companion and noticed something.

"You are not breathing as heavily as you did before," she muttered.

"Hm?" Rin turned toward her.

"When we first started walking together," Xhez stated, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips. "You used to run out of stamina after a few hours of walking... That is not happening anymore."

"Well, what can I say?" Rin replied, bringing her arms up and flexing in front of her, "I've gotten kinda strong, ya know?"

"Is that so?" Xhez replied, giggling. "I envy you, a little."

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"Why?"

"You know," Xhez answered. "Because... I cannot get stronger in that way."

When she heard that, Rin gazed into Xhez's eyes for a moment. Even now, after spending so much time with her, it was difficult for Xhez to read the woman's emotions. However, after a short pause, Rin walked over and laid down next to her.

"You're already amazing as you are," Rin told her. "I mean, you say you can't improve your body, but, you know, I can't improve my skills with E- or, Spirit. Only you can do that."

Xhez's eyes gleamed. She smiled and scooted closer to the adventurer.

"I suppose that means we make a good team, then."

Rin returned that smile.

"I think so too."

Later, as Rin slept beside her, one arm thrown carelessly over Xhez's abdomen, the sprite stared up at the stars. She had her hands behind her head, as she'd promised Rin she'd stay up and keep watch. It wouldn't be difficult for her, since she'd stored up so much Spirit sleeping in her bag all this time.

As she kept her eyes on those white dots up above, Xhez's mind began to focus on the very thing she'd been trying to ignore this entire time.

The memories she'd seen recently.

---

Xhez experienced them the same way she had all the other memories she'd seen. As though the events that took place within them had happened to her.

She could see herself sleeping on a scalding stone street as uncaring humans, beastborn, and fairies passed by, without sparing her a second glance. An ember of resentment simmered just beneath her skin, growing ever so subtly with every day that passed.

She could then see herself meeting someone. Someone who asked her whether she believed the world should be as cruel and unkind as it was. Someone who wanted to give her the chance to make things right.

She could see herself training with swords and blades, not having any real talent with these weapons but holding an earnest desire to improve. For no other reason than to seek what she felt was justice.

She could then see herself standing by as that person who recruited her lined up random people from that very city she'd grown up in. She, along with a group of others who felt the same way, lined them all up and burned them to death.

From there, what had followed were memories of kidnappings and killings, all of which Xhez had made an effort of glossing over, hating the darkness that these emotions allowed to slip into her heart.

But, she could not unsee what she'd witnessed.

And the sad truth, what made Xhez choke the life out of that man as soon as she was back in her own body, was unavoidable.

That these killings came as a result of the same feelings that Xhez could not entirely reject.

Humanity needed a change.

That was what frustrated her. What had angered her to the point that she killed the man just so she wouldn't have to think about it.

The fact that she could not honestly say he was entirely wrong in how he felt.

---

Xhez blinked.

[Huh?] She sat up. [It... It is daytime.]

"Oh?" Rin asked and Xhez looked over at her. "Good morning."

"W-What happened?" Xhez asked, reaching up and feeling a mild headache.

"I... I'm not sure," Rin replied with a shrug. "When I woke up, your eyes were closed and you wouldn't respond to me... Honestly," she chuckled, "it felt like you were asleep."

"I fell asleep outside of water?"  Xhez asked quietly.

"Is this the first time that's happened?" Rin asked, to which Xhez nodded. "Huh... Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, yes," Xhez quickly replied. "Um, we should get going! Right?"

"... Right."

With that being said, the two of them resumed their walk. As the two of them enjoyed some snacks that Rin had brought with her, Xhez's eyes remained lowered for a time.

[Am I... changing somehow?]

It was a question she didn't necessarily want an answer to.

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