Land of the Blades

23. Inheritance

I opened my eyes and found myself on the infirmary, not entirely sure how I go there. I got up and sit in the table, still too dizzy to walk or even open my eyes for longer than a few seconds.

—Are you alright, Phos? We were really worried —I heard the voice of Ghost said and I turned to find her lying on the other table. Rutile was putting her arm back on its place. She was still missing a leg and half of her other arm, as well as part of her face.

—What happened? Who did this to you? —I said jumping out of the table, my mind suddenly cleared as I tried to remember where was I before I blacked out—, did Caster attacked us by surprise?

—No, well...

—How rude to accuse people when they aren't around —Caster said as she entered the room, followed by Jade. They were carrying all of Ghost's missing pieces—, in any case, if it had been me, there wouldn't have been survivors.

—Then... who did it?

Ghost looked away.

—It was you who broke her —Rutile said, straight to the point.

—Eh?? —That was ridiculous, there was no reason why I would have attacked her. "It must be a trick of Caster" I thought, but the memories started to return to me.

When Caster said that Shirou was the Archer the Lunarians created, everything that I had been holding back came down without me being able to stop it, the exact opposite of the relief I felt when I saw him awake after the attack from Lancer.

An image of the few seconds I experienced before blacking out came to me. I went running to Sensei's room, where he and Euclase were still cleaning the mess. The door was destroyed, and there were lots of holes on the walls and the floor, except on a circle around the desk. Just like I had remembered, when I lost control, blades started coming out of the alloy in my body. Shirou used his shield to protect everyone in front of me, but Ghost had gone behind me just moments before and was hit by full force of it. I feel to my knees, my hands were trembling. I saw Sensei approaching me and closed my eyes and prepared myself to receive a verbal reprimand with enough force to blow even my reinforced body to pieces. Instead, he put his hand on my chin and made me raise my head.

—It wasn't your fault, Phosphophyllite. Even I was shaken when I heard what Caster said.

I feel a bit of relief, and for an instant I forget all the doubts I had over Sensei's integrity, or at least I wanted to do it. I really wanted to. I wanted to stop thinking about it, and just believe whatever he said. But when he extended his hand to help me get up, someone else launched himself against me, almost making my back crack, and surrounded me with his arms.

—I'm not mad at you, Phos —It was Ghost's voice, and just hearing that made me start to cry—, even if you lose control and break me again, I won't get mad at you.

I didn't know what to say. The affection she had towards me had to come from her projecting the image of her dear Lapis Lazuli on me, I hadn't done anything for her to value me so much, if anything I was wasting the eyes she had lend me. Yet, I felt a guilty relief for having someone like her at my side.

—Thank you, Ghost. To both of you.

—Oh? Did you noticed it? —Ghost let go and helped me got up.

—Notice what?

—Ghost Quartz is a double structure gem —Sensei explained—, there is another person inside of him.

—Sometimes he takes control of our body and does impulsive things —Ghost added, slightly embarrassed— He had taken a liking in teasing Caster recently.