Chapter 39 - Gawain (2)

Gawain began to lose control. Holy power erupted from his body without pause.

Brilliant white light engulfed the entire cave. To a Demon, it was no different from a sealed chamber filled with deadly poison.

Yohan writhed in agony. Even Kazan's corrupted ring could not protect him completely. A few strands of holy light reached his body, searing his skin with a horrific burning sensation.

'I can't last much longer.'

At this rate, he might melt to death. He needed to escape the cave as quickly as possible, but there was something he had to do first: plant a Nightmare Spirit in Gawain.

It was a power that infiltrated a target's unconscious mind and sowed confusion. He intended to use it on Gawain just as he had on Baron Grian shortly after possessing this body.

Suppressing his pain, Yohan began condensing demonic energy. Black smoke curled from his palm and took the shape of a tiny fairy—a Nightmare Spirit, capable of dominating the unconscious minds of sentient beings.

Using a Nightmare Spirit required a complete understanding of the target it would infiltrate. That was no difficult condition for Yohan to meet. Having read the novel carefully, he knew not only Gawain himself but also the secrets and political circumstances surrounding him inside out.

Yohan commanded the Nightmare Spirit.

'Hide somewhere safe. Move once Gawain's rampage is over.'

He could not attach the Nightmare Spirit to Gawain now. It would never withstand that enormous amount of holy power. Only when Gawain's rampage ended could it fulfill its purpose.

The tiny black fairy shot toward the cave ceiling, avoiding the holy power. As soon as it hid itself, Yohan spread his wings.

'Time for me to get moving, too.'

The holy power was growing ever denser. He could barely keep his eyes open now. Without Kazan's ring, he would already have been reduced to a handful of ash.

He immediately launched himself forward, beating his wings desperately to escape the cave.

* * *

Gawain's sense of self was fading. Only an unpleasant sense of déjà vu welled up through his hazy consciousness.

'... That feeling from before.'

An overwhelming sense of omnipotence rose within him. At the same time, a terrible helplessness began to engulf him. Two sensations that should never coexist struck him at once.

Just as they had back then. On the day he ran his mother through with his holy spear.

With power capable of anything, he would protect no one. Gawain would be mighty, yet utterly helpless.

'S-stop. I have to stop. No more.'

He was afraid. He kept seeing his dying mother.

["My son, this isn't your fault. I don't blame you."]

His mother had not reproached her child, but her child could only curse himself.

["Don't cry. Be strong. All of this is a trial, so please overcome it and use your power for humanity. Never forget. You are a child chosen by the Great Saint."]

Gawain had no confidence that he could honor his mother's dying wish. He could not control his power. Whenever he tried to protect someone or felt hostility toward another person, he invariably lost control. Each time, it caused an irreversible tragedy.

He had no choice but to become someone who avoided everything. He always ran away. Playing the cheerful layabout, he turned a blind eye to every conflict. He had lived solely to avoid losing control.

Today, all those efforts had crumbled.

"... You pathetic fool."

He had played right into a Demon's hands.

"Damn it."

His reason blacked out, leaving only despair behind.

* * *

"It can't have gone far!"

"Search every inch!"

It was the dead of night, but the surroundings were as bright as dawn. Holy light burst forth everywhere. Clergy who had flocked here from across the land had completely surrounded the area.

They had come to investigate the strange phenomenon in the southwest—and to slay White Horn. The latter was as good as accomplished. White Horn was a rat in a trap.

A holy sealing array enclosed dozens of kilometers of the surrounding area, and countless clergy were scouring its interior with fierce determination.

The only uncertainty was whether White Horn might prove so overwhelmingly powerful that everyone gathered here would be annihilated. Even that was exceedingly unlikely.

The Twelve Holy Radiances were on their way. Superhumans who had surpassed human limits, each was among the strongest forces humanity could field against Demons. The Church had dispatched them because it, too, recognized the gravity of the situation.

Once the Holy Radiances arrived, White Horn would die. Victory was assured.

Then something entirely unexpected happened.

"... Wh-what is that?"

White flames soared from halfway up a wooded hill within the barrier. They were holy flames of extraordinary purity.

"A Holy Radiance! A Holy Radiance has arrived!"

The sheer concentration of holy power was hard to explain otherwise. Someone spoke with a puzzled expression.

"Th-that can't be. There's no way they could have gotten here from headquarters already."

"They must have been on another mission nearby!"

"What would a Holy Radiance be doing in some southern backwater—"

Before he could finish, a tremendous explosion shook heaven and earth. Everyone clapped their hands over their ears. An agonizing ringing filled their eardrums.

But the noise was the least of their worries. The exploding holy flames were swallowing everything around them.

"W-we have to get out of here!"

"Take cover!"

The flames swept over them like a wave. Countless clergy who failed to escape were engulfed. Screams erupted all around.

It was not because they were burning. Holy flames did not burn humans. It was the force of the blast that struck them.

CRACK! THUD!

Shattered rocks and severed trees flew in every direction. Amid surroundings turned pure white, young priests and those with little holy energy were helplessly caught in the blast. One after another suffered critical injuries.

The moment it happened, Yuri, a knight of the Royal Guard, began taking control of the scene. She had a protocol for this situation.

"Don't move more than ten paces from where you stand! Take cover behind anything nearby! Anything will do! Conceal your presence! Whatever you do, do not let His Highness the Third Prince see you!"

Several people stifled groans at Yuri's words.

"His Highness has lost control again..."

"Is the nightmare of that day happening all over again?"

"What were the Royal Guard doing?!"

"He must be held accountable this time!"

The tragedy of four years ago was beginning anew. That day, everyone had been killed: the assassin who infiltrated the Third Prince's palace, the innocent palace servants and knights, even the queen renowned for her wisdom. The culprit had been none other than the Third Prince himself.

Gawain the matricide. Here, in this place, he had lost control again.

Fortunately, one thing was different from that day. They now had a way to restrain the rampaging Third Prince.

Yuri immediately sprinted toward the center of the explosion. The Royal Guard followed her.

'We cannot let that tragedy happen again.'

Dozens of elite soldiers charged into the heart of the holy flames.

* * *

'One more hour.'

That was how long remained until sunrise. He needed somewhere to hide for a little while. Yohan was searching for a new hiding place from the sky, but he could not find one.

'Nowhere is as good as that cave.'

To think he had run into Gawain there, of all places. He had thought it a terrible stroke of bad luck, but on reflection, it was not entirely unwelcome. It had allowed him to set a Nightmare Spirit on Gawain, giving him a chance to dominate his unconscious mind.

Used well, Gawain would make an excellent card to play against Count Staviana.

The situation itself was also developing rather favorably. Every eye inside the barrier was on Gawain. The rampaging Third Prince had tied up the elite troops, while the other clergy were desperately seeking cover. Almost no one was paying attention to Yohan.

His ploy had worked perfectly.

'Good thing they're a hastily assembled advance force.'

Once a properly organized unit joined them, a diversion like this would no longer work. By then, however, the sun would be well up. Yohan would turn human, and the holy sealing array would no longer stop him. He would be able to stroll right out of their encirclement.

Certain he would survive, Yohan alighted on the branch of an enormous tree.

'Just hold out for one more hour.'

The moment he made that resolve, a thunderous roar erupted. A shaft of light soared into the sky far ahead. Yohan narrowed his eyes at the sight. His expression instantly twisted.

"Gawain!"

Gawain was ascending at tremendous speed, tearing free of countless chains and shackles as he shot into the night sky.

'He shouldn't have any ability to fly yet.'

Yohan let out an incredulous laugh. Had he simply jumped? His physical prowess was absurdly beyond reach.

As Yohan marveled, Gawain began whipping his head from side to side in midair. Before long, their eyes locked.

A chill ran up Yohan's spine and spread through his body. The murderous hostility in Gawain's eyes stabbed at him like an awl.

"... This is insane."

Gawain fell. The instant his feet touched the ground, the earth shook. Heavy footfalls began to resound.

THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD.

The sound drew steadily closer. Trees ahead toppled one after another. A streak of light raced through the dark sea of trees.

'Damn it!'

He was coming. Yohan immediately spread his wings.

'Just a little longer. Sunrise is almost here.'

He took to the sky. A white flash immediately shot up from the ground: the holy spear Espada. Wreathed in holy flames, the treasured weapon tore through the air toward him.

He had to dodge. The instant it touched him, it would leave a wound that would never heal. No—he might die on the spot.

Yohan stopped beating his wings. Like a gliding bird, he hung motionless in the air. The holy spear passed just before his nose and soared higher into the sky, followed by a piercing whistle.

He had barely dodged it. Before he could feel relieved, an immense presence shot into the night sky. Yohan shifted his gaze to respond, but it was already too late. All his eyes caught was a white afterimage.

A shout like a scream came from higher overhead.

"WHITE HORN!!!"

Yohan tilted his head back. Holy flames rushed toward him. White flooded his vision.

'This is danger—'

CRACK!

A straight punch wreathed in holy power slammed into Yohan's face. A white ripple spread across the night sky. His body plummeted straight down and crashed into the ground.

"Guh, haaagh."

Black blood burst from his eyes and mouth. His back throbbed as though it were shattering. He felt as if he would lose consciousness.

'No. Stay conscious.'

After everything he had endured to get this far, he could not go down so meaninglessly. Yohan forced his torso upright.

"Where is he—"

Before he could finish, a light flashed between the trees to his left. Yohan instinctively threw himself backward.

WHOOOOSH!

The holy spear swept past him and embedded itself in a boulder to his right. Fragments of stone flew everywhere.

Yohan did not simply sit there in a daze. Mustering every last ounce of strength, he began to run.

A precipice appeared ahead. If he could reach the other side, he would buy himself time. Unable to fly, Gawain would have to take the long way around. Even with his physical prowess, he could not jump across the gorge.

Yohan kicked off the ground and spread his enormous wings. Just as he launched himself from the cliff, he heard something slicing through the air behind him. A chill ran down his back.

He looked back. The holy spear was hurtling toward him. Yohan's face contorted.

'I can't dodge it. Better to...'

He twisted in midair.

CRUNCH!

Black blood sprayed through the air. An enormous spear shaft was embedded in his shoulder. Holy flames burned the Demon's flesh. Demonic energy and holy power tangled chaotically together.

Yohan's red eyes flickered wildly, losing more of their color with each flicker.

'Sunrise...'

Even as his consciousness slipped away, his gaze turned toward the night sky. The pitch-black heavens were brightening to blue.

'Have I made it through the worst?'

His black wings folded limply. His reason faded, and sleep crept closer. He closed his eyes without resisting.

Yohan's body slowly fell into the gorge below.

* * *

"Hello there. Are you awake?"

Two silhouettes appeared through his blurry vision: an old man and a girl. Both wore shabby clothes and had grimy faces.

'... Where am I?'

Bracing a hand against the floor, Yohan slowly sat up.

"Here, some water. Please have a sip."

He accepted the cup the old man offered and looked around. A small fire burned in the middle of the room. A wooden door stood ahead, and worn bedding occupied one corner. Apparently, he was in someone's home.

"Who are you? Why am I here?"

Yohan could not quite make sense of the situation. The old man spoke.

"My grandchild found you lying by the river, sir, and brought you here. I'm ashamed to say we're wandering slash-and-burn farmers."

Only then did Yohan's mind clear.

'Gawain!'

He had fallen into the gorge while fleeing Gawain, and the people before him had rescued him.

'I survived.'

Yohan let out a relieved sigh and spoke.

"You cared for me even though I was a complete stranger. I owe you a great debt. I will be sure to repay your kindness."

He intended to reward them generously. As the heir to a vast domain, he could provide what slash-and-burn farmers needed most.

The old man waved his hands dismissively.

"A debt? Nothing of the sort. You've been lying here for less than half a day, and we didn't do it for a reward."

The instant the old man finished, Yohan's expression froze.

'Wait. Half a day?'

He sprang to his feet. Startled by the sudden movement, the old man spoke.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

Being unconscious for nearly half a day meant that the sun would soon set again.

'This is bad!'

Yohan rushed to the door and flung it open. His expression turned to horror. The sun was sinking. Sunset was beginning.

Several villagers turned to look at Yohan as he burst outside. From inside the room, the old man said,

"It's getting late. Why don't you stay tonight—"

Yohan did not hear him. The looming tragedy consumed his every thought. Soon he would turn into a Demon. Everyone before him would witness it.

What was he supposed to do with them all? Yohan could find no answer.

As he stood frozen, the sun sank completely below the horizon. Pitch-black darkness settled over the hamlet.