NOVEL NEXT Chapter 25: A Song
The night was quiet again, but Vell was a storm of fury. He was on his feet in an instant, the ground beneath him cracking under the pressure of his barely-contained rage. He'd let it get away—someone, or something, that knew everything, that held the answers to why his life had been ripped apart. The thought ate at him, burning anger.
[Master—]
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he roared, spinning to face the empty air where the system's voice echoed in his head. "YOU! YOU ALSO KNOW SOMETHING, I JUST KNOW IT! WHO SENT YOU TO ME? WHAT IS YOUR REAL GOAL IN ALL OF THIS?"
[I can't say anything because you told—]
"THEN SHUT THE FUCK UP AND STOP TALKING TO ME!"
[Yes... master.]
Wren, who had been hiding during the whole ordeal, scurried over and rubbed herself against his leg, trying to calm him down. But it was no use. His mind was a chaotic mess, spiraling further and further until he reached his breaking point.
"FUUUUUUCK!!!!!"
His roar was raw, filled with every ounce of his pain and power. The ground itself shook, and Yenna, who had been passed out by the tree, woke with a jolt, confused and scared. She saw him standing there, radiating pure, unrestrained rage, and she scrambled to her feet. She wanted to go to him, to place a calming hand on his shoulder, but the vibe he was giving off was terrifying. She kept her distance.
"Hey, are you okay? What happened to that ominous figure?" she asked tentatively.
"Leave me alone, please," he said, his voice a low growl. "I don't want to lash out at you."
"Okay." She knew better than to push him. She walked back to the fire and sat down, taking occasional glances at him, her heart aching for him.
'Just what happened for him to be in such a bad mood? I wonder if singing would cheer him up... Yeah, it should be fine. He helped me out a lot. I can at least do this for him.'
The thought alone made her body shake with embarrassment. 'What if he doesn't like it? What if he laughs at me? Will my heart be able to take it?'
"Here goes nothing," she whispered to herself.
She closed her eyes, taking a deep, calming breath. Her voice started soft, a gentle melody that carried a warm, soothing rhythm.
"When morning breaks, the world anew,
A sky of gold, a brighter hue,
Each breath we take, a gift, a sign,
Of fleeting moments, sweet, divine."
Her voice, pure and clear, reached him through his haze of anger. He was still on edge, his power simmering just beneath his skin, but he was listening.
She sang of simple things—of fields of wildflowers, of the laughter of loved ones, of the quiet stillness that follows a storm.
"The hands we hold, the hearts we share,
A bond of love beyond despair.
Through every trial, through every fight,
We find our peace in love's soft light."
He turned around slowly, his rage beginning to cool. He watched her as she sang, her eyes closed, lost in the melody. She looked beautiful in the firelight, and her voice was a balm to his raw, wounded soul.
"Though darkness creeps and shadows fall,
The light of hope will guide us all.
In every heart, a spark remains,
A beacon shining through the pain."
"So let us walk with gentle grace,
Through every path, through time, through space.
With love as guide, and life as song,
Together, we will journey long."
Her voice trailed off, and for a moment, the only sound was the crackling of the fire. She opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the flames, until she heard the soft sound of clapping. She looked up and saw him standing there, a real, genuine smile on his face—the first one she'd ever seen from him. It made her heart do a funny little flip.
"That was... beautiful," he said, his voice soft. "You have such a soothing voice. Thank you for that. I needed it."
Yenna panicked, her heart racing. "I-I just thought you might... feel better. I wasn't sure if you'd like it," she stammered, avoiding his gaze, her hands twisting the edge of her shirt nervously.
He walked over and sat down next to her, and she panicked even more. She wanted to run, but her body wouldn't move. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the crackling fire filling the silence. She could feel the warmth of his presence beside her, but it was the calm in his expression that surprised her most.
"You know," he said, breaking the silence, "I've been so caught up in my anger, my need for answers... I forgot there are still good things in this world. Things worth holding on to." He glanced at her, his eyes softer now. "Your voice reminded me of that."
Her cheeks flushed. "I-I didn't mean to interrupt or anything... I just thought..."
"You thought I needed it," he finished for her, offering another genuine smile. "And you were right."
For the first time, she allowed herself to look directly at him, finding his calm presence strangely reassuring.
"Does it always... feel like this?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper as she held her shirt tightly for courage.
He raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
"Carrying so much. The anger, the pain. It feels like it's... breaking you."
His expression darkened for a moment, the weight of her words hitting closer to home than he expected. He leaned back, gazing up at the stars, remembering everything that had happened, especially what he had done in the sewers.
"It does. Sometimes it feels like it's all I am now—a bundle of rage and regrets. But..." He glanced at her again, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Tonight reminded me that maybe there's more. If I let myself see it."
She hesitated, then tentatively reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You don't have to carry it alone, you know. Even if you feel like no one can understand... I'll try."
He looked at her hand, then back at her, surprised by the sincerity in her voice. He didn't pull away. Instead, he placed his own hand lightly over hers.
"Thank you. That means more than you know."
The moment lingered between them, a fragile connection formed in the quiet of the forest. Her heart raced, a warmth spreading through her chest that had nothing to do with the fire.
He chuckled softly, breaking the tension. "Why are you so nervous? Did you think about it? What I asked you back at your house?"
'Eh? Why is he bringing that up right now?'
She snatched her hand back and shot to her feet, turning away from him and looking down at the ground.
"O-oh, that... I'm still not ready to give an answer. Can I think about it some more?"
"Hahaha, so adorable... Sure, take your time."
For the first time in months, he felt like his old self again. The rage, the pain—he let it all go, just for a moment, and he felt free. It was a great feeling. He glanced at his hand, imitating the strange figure from earlier, creating a small, swirling orb of his new purple mana. He crushed it with a smile on his face.
"So that's how you do it, huh? Interesting."
'Yes, just this once, I should let go of the rage and just relax... The sky sure is beautiful.'