In a World without God

Chapter 57

Time seemed to stand still. It was like a scene from a dream. The sun was at its highest point, a warm breeze blew gently, and the blades of grass slowly shook in the breeze.

It was quiet. No one made a sound, any sound. Enri barely brought his trembling hand to his face. With the back of his hand, he wiped away the liquid that ran down his cheeks, a trickle that pooled at the tip of his chin. There was something red and warm on it. It took him a moment to realize it was blood.

Something hit the floor, breaking the silence. A pale, smooth forearm fell limply to the floor. A forearm losing blood, the earth turning red. The blades of grass swaying in the wind were stained red, but her silver eyes were still clear.

"Me... thena?"

It wasn't easy to say the name; he wasn't sure if he should call her Methena. The face looked as if it didn't know what had happened to it, and as it held that expression, Methena's face split in half.

"Methena."

Enri called her name again. His voice trailed off into thin air, unanswered. Methena Le Fay. She was Marie's age, the most mature of the five children. She didn't say much but couldn't leave someone in need alone. If someone was crying, she would come to their side and tell them what they needed to hear.

Enri's legs buckled and his knees sank to the ground. Enri took Methena's hand. Her hand was still warm. That fact pained him even more, for he knew there was nothing he could do to warm her.

"Enri?"

The children called to him from the bottom of the ladder that connected the underground passage to the surface. Methena and Enri had agreed that they would check the situation first, and then the children would come up on their signal. However, Enri gave no signal. He didn't even respond to their call. He quietly turned around and put his hand on the doorway leading to the basement.

"Enri! Methena! What's going on?"

Without a word, Enri slammed the doorway shut. The children's shouts faded. Silence returned.

Enri stood up and looked at Edulis. The sight of Edulis standing there was like a painting. A painting by a madman or a demon. The spring water flowing around the altar was black. The bodies of children floated on the surface. One could almost use them as a bridge to cross the water. How many hundreds had he killed?

Edulis stood before the altar, his entire body stained red. There was no sign of white skin or molten silver hair; the only thing that identified him as Edulis was his searing silver eyes and the bloodied curved sword.

"Am I...seeing things wrong?" Enri's lips quivered. Something between words and sobs escaped his lips. "The witch is deceiving me, isn't she? Edulis, there's no reason for you to kill Methena...Methena...we...we all believe in you..."

Edulis didn't open his mouth. He stood as still as a statue, staring into Enri's face.

Enri screamed. "This can't be happening. Yes, that's right. You have your reasons that I don't understand, right? Methena will come back to life, just like you did...Edulis, you'll work a miracle...."

The words were like a prayer. A spell. Enri looked at Edulis, pleading. Hoping the answer would come from his mouth.

"No. Methena is dead." Edulis' voice was like a knife, cutting through Enri's hopes. "If you come near her, I will kill you too."

***

- Does Captain Bosha think he saved the children?

- He thinks so because he drew a line between the children and himself.