I Guard The Book That Slays Gods

Raiden lay motionless where he had fallen. His heartbeat slowed, his breath turning deliberate as he stared up at the sky through outstretched fingers.

Above him, branches bearing white two-leaf clover drifted across his vision, obscuring the height from which he'd dropped.

Fragmented emotions surged through him, building into a relief he couldn't justify, one that coursed through every inch of his body.

He could hear the others approaching, their footsteps checking on him, but his mind wouldn't let him focus on that. Had he lost his way? His mission was simple: get home and avenge his brother. So why?

He tried to justify his actions with trivial thoughts, but he knew something was wrong with him, something unwanted.

However, as he lay there with his thoughts eating him alive, he heard footsteps closing in, but he felt too much weight on his shoulders to turn.

"How are you feeling, Papa?"

He responded with silence, still gazing up at the sky, his mind searching for the right words to describe himself. After a brief moment, he spoke. "I don't know, Ash." He paused, letting his words settle. "It's all too strange for me."

"You too?" A deep voice cut in, nothing like Ash's.

Raiden knew the voice immediately, his expression darkening as fatigue fought against his need to turn. Ash searching for him made sense, but Speed? Why?

Speed clutched his gut, his rigid spine bending in undeniable agony as he made his way across the quiet distance to collapse beside Raiden.

Speed's condition looked dire, likely from their battle with the Lost Child. He should have been tending to his injuries, yet here he was with Raiden, which only puzzled him more.

"Are you okay, Speed?" Raiden asked, his tone etched with concern.

He could see his golden eyes sparkle a little through his mask. "It's nothing. Aeris tended to me already."

Raiden's confusion deepened as he watched emotions flicker within Speed's dark aura. He would have preferred time alone, and while he couldn't say this was worse, he wasn't ready for anything stressful. He was already dealing with losing Freya.

"I'll go check on Noelle, Papa," Ash said softly. Raiden nodded and turned his gaze back to the sky.

"I don't get how your dragon turned human… but she cares about you. Weird, yeah. But kind of special."

Speed muttered the moment Ash left, gazing up at the sky as well.

A soft smile played on Raiden's lips as he began to wonder what Ash saw in him at all. He shook his head in disbelief after a moment of calm, wishing his previous world had people like Ash.

"I think that's how Freya felt when she decided to stay behind… whatever she saw in you, her loyalty was unmatched."

The moment Speed spoke, Raiden's smile began to fade. His uneasiness washed over him once more.

"Why though?" Raiden's voice cracked with uncertainty. "She could have lived too."

Speed let Raiden's words hang in the air for a moment, cleared his throat, and spoke:

"I understand her." Raiden rolled his eyes in Speed's direction, his pinkish cheeks betraying the smile behind his mask.

"She was injured, and spending her energy to create a way out for us was the only way she knew how to help."

Raiden squinted, gazing deep into the soul of the blue sky. He'd never realized having comrades could be this helpful, yet he knew he'd done nothing extraordinary for Freya—nothing but manipulate her in her most vulnerable state.

"I wouldn't do that for you, obviously," Speed muttered through his dry throat as he adjusted his position on the ground.

Raiden turned toward him with a lazy glance, knowing Speed wasn't lying but hoping to catch some flicker of emotion that would prove otherwise. Instead, he met only Speed's gentle dark aura and calm expression.

"The only person I would die for is my sister," he said, his expression turning somber. "But that wasn't always the case."

Raiden was taken aback by his words and took another look at him.

"I hated her kindness. Couldn't stand it, even just being around her pissed me off." His voice lowered. "Then the Jaspers came. And… I don't know. It cut deep. All I could think about was killing them."

"Wait… what?"

What Speed shared was foreign to Raiden. He'd never hated his brother, not for a single day, but he despised himself for being weak and dragging him down. His fist clenched, hand trembling at the thought—because ultimately, his weakness had gotten his brother killed.

"I think in the end it's the bond between us that matters," Speed said, turning to Raiden. "So don't beat yourself up, Freya sacrificed herself for all of us."

Speed reached for Raiden's head and tried to pat him, but Raiden's lip curled in a sneer and he struck his hand away.

"See, I doubt anyone would sacrifice themselves for you," he said with a sarcastic tone as he forced himself to sit upright. "There's no need for you alone to bear the guilt."

Speed shrugged. "After all, she promised to survive."

A sense of relief washed over Raiden as he lay there, struggling to find the right expression for his thoughts.

Speed's words somehow resonated with him as he began to think clearly. He'd been so wrapped up in guilt that he'd failed to see this was Freya's and her familiar's decision—something to be grateful for.

"This is why I want you to promise me something," Speed said, his voice trembling as he failed to meet Raiden's gaze.

Raiden turned to him, his expression darkening as he expected mockery or some cold words.

"What?"

Speed took a deep breath, the words heavy on his chest. "Promise to protect Soul with your life if I end up like Freya."

"Huh?" was the first thing Raiden could manage.

Speed forced himself to his feet, his trembling legs betraying the difficulty he was trying to hide.

"We're not done yet. You won't quit — and if you keep going, Soul will too." He sighed, looking away. "Just… don't make me watch my sister die. If it comes to that, I'll take the fall instead."

Raiden watched as his emotions radiated in red within his dark aura, and the sweat forming on his face was further proof he was holding an uncomfortable lie. But what?

"Promise me." Speed called out calmly.

Raiden also struggled to his feet, bones cracking as he stretched his rigid frame. He'd protect Soul regardless—she was essential to his survival—but admitting such selfish motives felt wrong.

He let out a sigh as he brushed dirt off his clothes. "I promise." Speed turned to leave the moment Raiden spoke, but Raiden reached for his shoulder.

"No one would be dying… trust me," he said with a cold and steady tone as his blue aura radiated boldness. But Speed's eyes grew soft and he gave him a firm nod.

Whether Freya sacrificed herself for him or them all, he knew the guilt that came with losing a comrade, and the last thing he wanted was to experience that again. Hence, he needed to understand the absolute domains better.