The forest is quiet and picturesque, and the ground is as clean as silver. 'Taisi' hangs on the treetops, a slightly convex semicircle with the upper half missing. The soft light passes through the clouds, imprinting the shadow of the giant sequoia tree under the feet. Lily raised her head, and the snowflakes fell.
It brings a fleeting coolness to the cheeks and tip of the nose.
Everything is like a dream.
But she didn't want this. She closed her eyes hard, covered her ears with her hands, and tried to recall the places that made her memorable. After a long time, she slowly opened her eyes with a trace of hope, but wherever she looked, there was still
Unchanged snow.
"Now, tell us. If we are dreaming, how can we wake up?"
"God knows." Arrogant words came from beside him, with obvious disdain, "I have heard of pretending to sleep, but I have never seen anyone pretending to be dreaming." He snorted, "You are weaker than I thought.
,September 'Sir'."
The one who spoke to her in this tone was naturally her 'half-brother' Ryan...but that could no longer happen. In the battle of Golden Spike City, Ryan was seriously injured by Shirley, the 'quasi-templar' of the church, and lost his life.
Vision, speech and the ability to change. She asked many people about this, but no matter Fimmel, Ariel, 'Mother' Shisa, or Ingrid, who was best at life spells, they could not heal the other party's injuries.
She turned her face away, and the familiar strong body disappeared. She heard heavy footsteps again, and the clear and loud voice of a young man.
"You're here, just as promised!" The voice was full of anticipation and excitement, "I'm starving to death. Sister Jiuyue, is there anything delicious?"
Lots and lots, she wriggled her lips silently. But what's the use? Even if she prepared mountains of delicious food, the boy who loved to stick to her would never be able to take another bite -
And she understood that this was just the beginning.
Lily believes in Fimir's promise, but no one can completely control the direction and consequences of the war. The decisive battle is approaching, and she is likely to fight against her former companions and kill them...or be killed by them. She thinks she has done enough
After the recent reunion, I often dreamed about the faces of those people, the sight of them lying in a pool of blood, and the words spoken at the moment of death.
It's too late to turn back now, a voice said. Leave Femir, join the coalition forces, and go to her companions in the mercenary group. But can she really do that? Leave everything she has now and invest in another uncertain future?
It would be great if Yuffie was here, Lily thought. At least she could ask her what the best choice would be if she relied on her intuition——
"Sister Jiuyue, you don't look right. Are you hungry?" She seemed to see the young man's worried eyes and the way he tried to organize his words, "Eat some dessert, or drink something warm - tired and troubled.
It’s all gone!”
She agreed in a low voice, took out half a piece of shortbread from her arms, broke off a little and put it into her mouth. The aroma of butter and flour, the sweetness of sugar, and a little salty taste subtly combined into one, slowly melting on the tip of her tongue.
Come. She thought again of Amberley, the Elna woman who would marry Bai Li in the future. If the young man had not died, there would still be someone on the continent who also liked him and was willing to take care of and accompany him throughout his life two hundred years later.
Object?
"You think too much, Lord September." Ryan's sarcastic voice pulled her out of her memories, "I'll tell you the truth. It's true that you knew him first, but it was me who followed Fimmel.
Judgment. Even if you regret it now, I will continue to go on and see what he can create."
She closed her eyelids again. "What do you think... what should we do?"
"Find someone to talk to. You don't need to understand what you are thinking, just want to listen to you." Ryan swung his tail, raised his head, and glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, "I guess you don't plan to see your mother, Kaya and
Harlan only knows how to quarrel with you." He rolled his eyes, "Where is the little girl from Harroun Village? She is just a mortal, you are not afraid to go find her, are you?"
She didn't know where Ryan knew about each other, but this idea...maybe not a bad one. Whether in reality or in a dream, she really wanted to see him again - even if the two broke up on bad terms before.
"Thank you, Ryan...we understand."
"Your weak look makes me want to laugh, but it's boring all the time." The black-haired young man turned away and swept away the snow with his tail, leaving a straight trace, "Take care of yourself, Mr. September'
'."
When she opened her eyes, Ryan was gone, and so was the boy who clung to her most often. Lily felt a little empty, but a little relaxed - probably it was easier to be alone than to face the boy's gaze.
She glanced at the sky to determine the direction, and then walked towards the village in the southeast corner. It was just midnight, and there was still time. She silently counted the steps she took, trying her best to separate the figures of Ryan and Bai Li, and soon
The subsequent meeting was put out of my mind.
The moon rose to the zenith and fell little by little to the east. The snow stopped at some point and the clouds dispersed, revealing the Manticore behind it - one of the most conspicuous constellations in the winter forest. Leo told her that Elna
People thought that the manticore represented betrayal, so they renamed it "Nogessus" - the name of the legendary bronze dragon king.
That is all in the past, but it is somewhat appropriate. She has betrayed her past companions, and maybe one day, some of the things she believes in at this moment... will also betray her.
When they arrived at the village, the sky had just turned white. This wilderness had been blessed by Ingrid, and it was always green no matter whether it was winter or summer. Lily followed her memory, walked through the square surrounded by shrubs, and knocked on the old wooden door covered with wisteria.
The door opened. The familiar woman stood behind the door and looked at her. Her expression was a little surprised for a moment, and then dimmed. She stepped back and made way to the house.
"...Lord September."
"Ruvel." Lily looked away and faced the ground, "Do you think we are dreaming?"
In every sense of the word, this question seems confusing. However, the woman just remained silent for a while and then gave her answer.
"Maybe." She said softly, "I have always suspected that maybe I am... in a dream."
"Why?"
"I thought... Master Jiuyue, you won't come back again." Her voice was thin and slow, but her eyes never left Lily, as if she wanted to confirm something, "Sir Bai Li said, after you came back last time, follow "
They "quarreled fiercely, and when they left... they were still very angry. I know that the outside world is broader and much more interesting than here." She suddenly paused, "And..."
"And what?" Lily crossed her arms and looked at her in confusion, "You can just say it, but we won't eat you?"
"For you, Master Jiuyue, a hundred years is just a short time. But for us, it is already a whole life. Maybe when I become a mother and my children have children, you will come back and tell me the stories of your travels.
Listen." Luvel closed her eyes and covered her chest with her hands, "In my imagination, that was happy enough."
The woman stopped talking, and the air suddenly became quiet. Lily blinked in confusion, and the words evoked some of her memories - they should have happened in the near future, but they seemed to have been sealed away in a long time and space, and they have not returned until now.
In her mind, in those memories, the other person had been waiting for her for more than two hundred years. However, the night after the reunion made her miss the past far more than the current... or even the trip not long ago.
She grabbed the woman's hand, led her out of the house, and came to the foot of the giant cedar in the center of the square. Residents of the village usually rose with the sunrise, and there were only two of them under the tree at this time. Lily sat down cross-legged, looking up at the past
's friends.
"Would you like to hear a story from me? About what happened after we left... more than thirty years ago."
Luvel looked at her quietly, her eyes as gentle as in her memory. As if someone touched something in her heart, Lily suddenly felt that the barrier built over decades, after a longer period of time,
The ice and snow are gradually melting.
"Sir September." Her friend sat down and put his hand on her knee, "I'm listening."
So Lily began to narrate. From the moment she left her hometown in anger until she returned to this time in history. Compared with the time she told Hisa's mother, she skipped most of her experiences outside the El Continent and mentioned them in more detail.
And after burying Leo, the story of September and Lily’s experience.
The memory became clearer with the words, and characters turned from symbols into images, dyed with color, and then passed in front of her. That was her 'biological father' Jonathan who raised her as a baby; he taught her various skills and knowledge
"Master" Feist; Barak who taught her swordsmanship and wielded the sword against her because he was in the empire; Fanka who created Alphonse and gave him a human appearance and mind; both enemies and friends, pursuing power
But Jill never wavered...
There is also Bell who followed her when the mercenary group was established and never left; Yuffie and Lin, who have different personalities but are close and very reliable; together they ended the empire's invasion of Elders and later joined the group.
Lena; An, who is an imperial princess but yearns for adventure, is weak but wise; and her loyal knight, Elio, who can't be said to be bold or reckless...
The narrative ends with the second journey home. A month ago, she focused the story on "Lord Stark"; and now, despite all kinds of concerns, Lily is still slowly and surely describing what she has seen.
Everything - the dying forest, the dead mother, the dilapidated village, and the people who have been frozen in time.
"To be honest, we hope this is just a story. Unfortunately, it seems to be... more and more real to us?" Lily narrowed her eyes, unconsciously scratching the ground with her right fingers, and then clenched them into fists, "Let's take it with you.
You went on the trip because you wanted to fulfill...two promises."
Of course, Luvel did not make this request two hundred years later. That is not important, Lily thought to herself.
"So, if this is our dream." The woman seemed to be trying to understand these words, "When I wake up, will I...see such a scene?" She tried her best to appear unconcerned, but fear and
The uneasiness was clearly visible on his face, "In that world... I can still see you, right, Lord September?"
Lily didn't answer.
She didn't know the answer - or in other words, she didn't want to think about the possible answer. The female mercenary vaguely understood that even if she returned to her original world, perhaps the previous 'promise'... would never be fulfilled.
So what if she really 'woke up'? Regrets and sorrows cannot be written off in one stroke, and efforts to make up for regrets will be in vain. People are always reluctant to lose, but she suddenly realized that what she had in front of her was her
Something that must be cherished and cared for.
The morning sun rose from the end of her sight, bringing a new day to the earth beneath her feet. Lily stood up and looked at the red flames emerging from the horizon, feeling that she had some courage again - no matter which world, there were still people she cared about.
She is not alone.
"To be honest, then, mother-in-law, you are not like us at all?" The female mercenary shook her head mockingly, feeling the haze in her heart gradually dissipate, "It's okay to be weak occasionally. Time is not enough to be immersed in meaningless past events.
Will stop and wait for us——"
"Lord September...?"
"Don't worry, you're not dreaming." Lily puffed up her chest and took a deep breath of the cold and warm wind, "That's just a memory, and it hasn't happened yet -" She held her friend's hand hard, "No matter what,
We have no intention of wasting the results of our hard work so far, leaving behind our brothers and sisters who are from the same origin, or abandoning the hometown that we have always wanted to protect!"
"That's nice to say." Ryan seemed to be speaking again, his words as harsh as ever, "Don't regret it at the critical moment."
"We don't like to see sacrifices, no matter people we know or strangers." She replied loudly, the treetops above her head shook slightly, and snowflakes fell from the sky. "Perfect things are just fairy tales. If you must kill some people,
Only in this way can we end this war as soon as possible...even if we are our original companions, we can still take action without hesitation?"
There was a sneer from behind, and then something hit her shoulder, causing her to stumble. Lily turned her head angrily, and in her sight was a giant white wolf that was twice as tall as her. Its fur was soft and shiny, and its tip was gray-black.
, majestic under the sun. Strong and elegant muscles spread throughout the body, containing abundant vitality and strength.
She raised her head and looked at the other person, sniffing and smelling an all-too-familiar scent. The giant wolf lowered his head and looked at her with his dark green pupils.
"Ryan?" If it was a dream, this would be too specific. "What is going on with you?"
The giant wolf didn't answer. There were heavy footsteps in the distance, and it seemed like someone was running towards her. She followed the sound and saw the huge white bear coming three steps at a time, then transformed into a young man dressed in white, and rushed in.
In her arms.
"Sister Jiuyue!" The young man's voice trembled slightly, whether it was fear or excitement - Lily dreamed of the scene in front of her more than once, but this time it was extremely real, "I'm back! Is there anything delicious?"
"Here it is." She took a deep breath and took out the bag full of snacks from her arms. "Slow down, the food won't escape?"
The boy held the bag in his arms, reached in, took out an irregular-shaped golden snack, took a big bite, and chewed it with a look of happiness on his face.
"This is...life." Bai Li said vaguely, "You can always...find these in September." He swallowed the food in his mouth hard and smiled with satisfaction, "No matter where you go
, be sure to take me with you next time!”
"You..." Lily stared at him intently. If this was her fantasy, what kind of answer should she hear? "Aren't you afraid of dying again?"
"I don't want to die." The answer was consistent with her expectation. "If you die, you won't be able to taste the things you haven't eaten before!" The young man puffed up his cheeks, "Someone said she knew you before, so I accidentally got fooled.
——I will never make this mistake again!"
"Does anyone know us?" Who could it be? "What kind of person does he say to you?"
"I don't know what her name is, she didn't tell me." The boy took another big bite of the snack, "She is a blue-haired girl, not very old, and is with the church's army." He raised his hand and scratched his scalp.
After a moment of pause, "She asked me where you were, and asked me...if you were different."
It was Elena. As the Celestial Clan said, the nun chose to be her enemy. If it had been half a day ago, this news would have left her at a loss for a while; but now, Lily just nodded and kept this fact in her heart.
"How did you answer - what's the difference between us?"
"I told him that you are not fat, and you cannot grow old." The young man narrowed his eyes and looked at her with some doubts, "But Sister Jiuyue. At that time, we felt that you were different from those more than ten years ago, or a month ago.
Compared to that, you do lack...something."
She raised her eyebrows and signaled Bai Li to continue.
"No matter what decision you made in the past, you always made me feel that you were right -" the young man frowned and thought, "In other words, you were convinced that you were right. Even the time you quarreled with everyone." He said.
Swallowing, "But lately, it seems like... you don't believe in yourself that much anymore."
Lily exhaled, hit the boy on the shoulder hard, and then laughed.
"You're right, absolutely right?" She sat back down on the ground, turned to look at Ryan, Bai Li, and the friends beside her, "But it's up to Lu Wei Er and you two.
Fu, that's all in the past."
"Eh? Is that so..." The young man's dark eyes widened and he nodded as if understanding. He thought for a while, then stretched out his right hand towards the woman next to Lily, holding a large piece of golden shortbread in his palm, "
This is for you, thank you for helping Sister Jiuyue!"
"Speaking of which." The female mercenary looked away from Bai Li and looked at the green eyes again, "If we guessed correctly...it was Femir who cured you and even resurrected Bai Li.
?Where is he?"
The white wolf narrowed his eyes and turned his head to the side of the square. Lily followed and saw that the black-robed wizard was standing not far away. That was the way he looked when she first saw him - a young and handsome face, soft brown hair
With long brown hair and gray eyes full of concern, she felt completely at ease.
The genius wizard in black robe walked to her side, sat down cross-legged, and then reached out to shake hands with her.
"I'm back, as promised." The hand was soft and slender, with the warmth of life, "But curing Ryan and resurrecting Bai Li are not my credit."
Lily looked at the other person quietly and heard his next words.
"That's all your power, September." Fermir Stark said, "I'll teach you how to use it."