"Why?"
The image of the Vault would constantly change. One moment, Davi would find himself flying around his vault, the infinite darkness stretching out before him in an endless wave, and then the next he'd be knee-deep in snow and ice back in his village, being pelted with snow and embers that froze and melted away sections of his flesh.
This was all just a dream, one controlled by the entity within the blade, and so the laws of reality didn't matter. Everything in this world was fake, from the landscape to the people to the pain Davi suffered, yet that part felt the most real.
The entity he fought also flickered and changed rapidly. The dragon would stand tall, spewing out a never-ending wave of fire and beating its wings hard enough to kick up shards of jagged ice and blades of wind, and then the next moment it would vanish. In its place, a throne forged out of jagged swords, all twisted together, would appear. A being resided on this throne, impaled and bound by those very blades, unable to even lift a finger, yet that didn't stop the darkness from obeying them, forming massive hands of shadowy magic that would crush the land and shake the vault.
And he died.
"Why?"
A shadowy hand slammed into him hard enough to splatter him. A shard of jagged ice flew into his eye and pierced his brain. Fire roasted him and turned him to ice. A tail severed his head from his body. Claws split him in two. Ice melted into a sea of boiling water, which drowned him. Hands wrapped around his limbs and tugged till they came off, and he bled out.
"Why?"
His flesh was torn, his bones were broken, his organs were destroyed, he was frozen, fried, and reduced to a powder, and yet still this dream did not end. Still, he did not stay down.
"Why?"
Stuck in a never-ending cycle, Davi died again and again, and each time he came back, he was just a bit weaker. His strength kept fading, his speed got sluggish, his arms became too heavy to even hold his sword, and his eyes lost more and more light. With every revive, his form would restart the dream back in front of the dragon, and he'd be covered in more and more injuries.
"Why?"
Chrysanthemum would be rebuilt over and over again, its people all dying as he failed to save them, yet he didn't stop trying.
Davi felt his arms rattle as his weak limbs brought his sword down onto the paw of the dragon. A moment later, the image before him flickered, and he was floating in his void, facing down a being in shadowy armor, who was stuck to his throne.
"Why are you doing this?" The entity, whom Davi assumed to be the Ebony Knight, spoke up. "You know you can't win. Look at you."
Davi breathed heavily and held Storymaker up. Thousands of spider-like cracks ran along his flesh in a crisscross pattern. Some were small, some were large, but they all showed how badly his very soul had become, slowly unravelling. His body no longer bled, all the blood within him having dried up, and so past the cracks in his form there was a deep golden glow, as if the sun itself was trying to escape from his body.
"My father asked me to help people," Davi repeated his words from before.
"These aren't people!"
"I still want to save them. I can't keep failing them. Over and over again." More cracks began to spread across his form, and one of his fingers snapped off and crumbled away into dust. "I'm tired of being a failure."
"That won't change." The Vault faded, and Davi stared up at the dragon as it glared at him, the blizzard having returned. "You will always fail. That is all you are. Even now, you allow yourself to suffer for nothing. Do you not see that I have already won? Earlier, I could have made you draw that sword and finally break the seal your mother imposed on me-"
"My mother put a seal on you?"
The dragon ignored him and kept on talking. "- nothing has changed. If I so wished, I could force your body to grasp the blade and draw it. You only escaped last time thanks to that blasted woman. Do not think such a thing will happen again."
Davi frowned and shifted his stance to better hold his sword now that more of his fingers were breaking off. "This form I have now isn't real. It is my consciousness or my soul, right? If you were able to make me draw the blade as you claimed, then why are we even doing this?"
"Because I hate you." Fire dripped down the beast's maw, and it faded away into the Knight on the throne. "I made you. Your mother only got as far as she did because of me. You rightfully are mine. My weapon. A vessel meant to hold my power. That was the entire reason I forced your mother to create you! I own you! Yet you dare to try and defy me? You dare to act up to your God? Simply taking over your pathetic spirit isn't enough. I want to utterly break you. To ensure that you know your place beneath my boot. I am Du'Lac! I am the Phoenix of Black Flames! The one who is reborn! When your spirit fully shrivels up, and you can no longer speak or act up, only then will I give you the honor of fulfilling your miserable purpose."
"You talk a lot-"
"Die!"
The hands wrapped around Davi, hundreds of shadowy limbs digging into his body, and he popped as they squeezed down around him.
As he blinked, he was back in his village, watching as fire consumed the buildings and the dragon stared him down. More cracks tore across his flesh, and half of his foot broke away as he pointed his sword at the monster and got ready to do it all over again.
This was good.
This was what Davi wanted. He was getting to try and save the people he failed, even if they were illusions, and he was getting to face the dragon, even if it was a fake. The best part was that he was going to fail. He wasn't going to win. He was going to die again and again, and in only a few more loops, he'd fully crumble away as his personality shattered and faded.
"Finally." Despite it all, Davi smiled. "I'm almost at the point where I can rest. Soon I'll be dead, and this nightmare will end."
***
Meanwhile, within Evelyn's realm, the Witch of White stared at the Witch of Red. "You have something you want to try?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow.
Olivia nodded and stepped forward. "I tried using Polymorph on Davi when he first fell into this unconscious state, but it didn't work. Well, it did cause him to change, but I think it didn't work the way I wanted it to. I don't fully understand how my Polymorph works, but one thing I've learned is that when I use it on a person, it lets them become the version of themselves they want to be. Just now, when you tried to wake Davi up, his body rejected that event. I think it means Davi doesn't want to wake up. I don't know why, but I think when I was using it on him before, he was changing but becoming a version of himself that was still unconscious because that was the state that he wanted to be."
Evelyn frowned at what she was hearing. "The Heart Demon that feasted within him is strong indeed."
"Heart Demon?"
"It means his mind and his heart are at odds, and he is refusing to accept a choice, leaving himself in an unbalanced and volatile state. He must have been stressed out a lot lately. He's the type of guy who wants to save the planet, and when he can't, he gets it in his head that he's a fuck-up and wants to die." Evelyn stroked Davi's cheek. "I won't let my little soldier die."
"So can I try my thing out?" Olivia asked once she stood next to Davi's bed.
"What is it you want to try?"
"I'm going to use Polymorph."
"You just said it won't work on him?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Think it'll be different now?"
Olivia shook her head. "It isn't for him." She sat on the bed next to Davi and gently took one of his hands into hers. Her body lit up with a golden glow, and she leaned down, gently kissing his lips. Polymorph activated.
The reason she wore a witch outfit when she used Polymorph on herself was because, in a way, she had wanted to emulate her favorite Arcane Knight, Evelyn Lunar, the witch who saved her. Even before the change, her outfit had been slightly different, and she always assumed that was some other part of her subconscious that had picked the outfit, somehow knowing that she was a witch.
After her talk with Ken, the outfit had been updated to be closer to something she would like to wear, sporting more cloth to cover her skin and a cool cloak because capes were freaking cool. Her being able to update the outfit at all was a big deal for her since that meant she could try to decide how her polymorphed state was when she activated it.
In the case of Ken Yuan, Ken had become something that wasn't even human. Her ideal form was some chaotic beast that was able to cut loose and go wild without a care. This meant her Polymorph wasn't limited to just creating human forms either.
Polymorph was truly a cheat skill, made all the stronger thanks to her having Maya, since Maya was able to guide her in new ways of using it.
This led to her current actions.
In some of the old fairy tales she used to read, there was a trope that would often come up. True love's kiss. A concept where a person could only be woken up by someone who they were deeply in love with, kissing them.
She didn't know fully if Davi loved her or not, but she thought it couldn't hurt to try. As her lips met his and she used her Polymorph trait on herself, Olivia envisioned the version of herself she wanted to become.
Someone who could save Davi.
The golden glow around her body grew bigger and brighter, and then her form began to fade away as the color shifted into a blue light, which wrapped around Davi. In the next instant, she was gone. Olivia was nowhere to be seen, and the glow around Davi faded away as well.
Evelyn watched on with a slightly stunned look. "She became mana and entered his body?" She then glanced down at her hand. "What sort of Polymorph was that? Mine isn't that strong." All witches had Polymorph, but she couldn't use it the way Olivia just did. "Is this the power of a direct descendant?" Evelyn smirked. "I'm impressed. A shame she won't live up to it. I'm certain now. When she dies, her father will arrive to seek revenge, and my precious Davi will finally become the weapon he was always meant to be."
She didn't want someone like the Ebony Knight being in control of him, nor did she want his mother. She wanted him—the broken, cold Lord of the Abyss, which he was destined to be. Davi wasn't going to be the next Ebony Knight. He was going to absorb that power and be the Knight of the Lunar Moon.
That was the destiny she laid out for him.
As for her? Naturally, she'd be the one who reached Rome and became the next Haru: Evelyn, the Lunar Forged.
***
Olivia's form shifted and changed. She had an idea of what she needed to become based on what Evelyn had said about Davi. She was willing to bet he was semi-conscious of something if he could reject Evelyn's energy and ignore her Polymorph, and that meant he was likely in his own World of Paths.
There was a risk that entering him might cause him to lash out at her and reject her mana-like form, just as he had done to Evelyn, but she was willing to bet that he wouldn't. After all, Davi would never hurt her.
The new form she had was strange indeed. She lacked arms, legs, a body, a head, eyes, ears, and pretty much everything. She simply existed and was aware of this realm and everything it had.
Before her was a void of endless ice, and she watched in stunned silence as Davi, covered in millions of cracks and falling apart, fought a dragon. Then suddenly, he was in his Vault, dodging hands.
One of the hands attempted to reach for Davi, ready to crush him to death, but she blocked it with her new form.
As Davi flew through his Vault, he began to slow down, watching as a hand slapped at him. Seconds before it hit him, a blue wall shimmered into existence. It was perfectly flat and looked like the system screen he could summon up.
It magically showed up and took the slap, not cracking or budging. "What?" The voice of the Knight on the throne roared out in rage.
The wall didn't stop there. Davi felt his feet touch down on something as more walls formed around him, forming a roof above him and a floor beneath, as well as more walls to close it up, sealing him inside of a blue cube. He heard smacking as the hands tried to break in, but the weird cube held strong and kept him safe.
'Davi!' Another system screen appeared before his eyes, text writing across it rapidly. 'Are you okay?'
Davi's eyes dully took the words in. "Are you the king?" He questioned.
The box shook slightly. 'It's me! Olivia!'
"Huh?! Olivia?"
'I used Polymorph to turn myself into a system! I got the idea from Maya!'
"Maya?"
'No time to explain! I can't hold this form for very long, and I can feel that guy's attacks pounding on me.' The box said the text, coming out sloppily and full of typos. 'You need to wake up.'
Davi opened his mouth about to speak, but then closed it. "I can't."
'Why not?'
Davi glanced down at his destroyed and crumbling form. "I'm almost at the end."
'The end? The end of what?'
"The end of this life." Davi closed his eyes and let out a satisfied sigh. "I should have died long ago, but I was forced to carry on with this life, walking around with all that guilt. Finally, it can all end. I've done nothing of value, and my existence has caused so many people to suffer, but if I die here and fade away, then it'll be like I actually died."
'Davi!' Olivia's eyes would have widened in horror if she had them. 'What are you saying? You want to die?'
Davi shook his head. "Not exactly. I wouldn't keep fighting if that were the case. It isn't that I just want to die, but… I just don't want to keep living."
'T-That's horrible.'
"I know." Davi gave a weak laugh. "I know, I know, I know. It's an awful thing to say, but… I mean, what's the point? Sometimes I wonder that. I've spent years looking for the dragon, and it feels like I haven't made any progress. I don't even know if it's me who wants to chase after it or some last-ditch effort of my mother's wish. Now that I think about it, I don't really have a goal myself. I just exist. I've always just existed. Over and over. I'm not a good person, you know. I've done nothing that can be considered good. The only reason I've helped people is because my father told me to, and in a way, I think that sums up my life. I've always followed other people's will and never made any choices of my own. When I try to think of something that I want to do, it just sort of comes to a blank point, and I realize that I have no desire for anything. I've always felt like I was missing something. A piece of the puzzle that everyone else was born with. I guess I'm just defective."
'Davi…'
"Sorry for bumming you out."
The blue box stayed silent for several seconds. Olivia thought of what she could say. Finally, she typed out her response. 'Davi, you're lying.'
"I'm lying?"
'Yes. You're such a big liar. You don't have anything you want to do? What about fishing? You haven't made any choices of your own? What about helping me? What about helping all those other people? Was comforting me when I was grieving not your choice? Was agreeing to take me with you not your choice? Was spending time with me, spending time with Ken, complimenting me, and making me feel happy none of your choice? Davi. You're not a robot. You don't just save people because your father told you to. Maybe it is some will left behind that urges you to chase after the dragon, and maybe some parts of your life are out of control, but I know that it is you who helps people. Not your father, not your mother. And sure, maybe he is the one who taught you to do that, but it is the duty of a parent to teach their kid right from wrong, and each time you save someone, that just proves your father was an amazing man, and you're an amazing son. Do you really not feel anything when you help people? Do you actually think you only do it because you were told to? Then why do you go through all the extra effort? Why do you try harder than anyone else?'
Davi processed her words and was quiet as he stared at the ground. "I know, I've heard things like this before. I'm just frustrated. I'm sorry."
'Davi, your life has meaning. Your existence has a point. You know that, right?'
"I was made." He muttered quietly. "I wasn't just born, Olivia. I was created. An experiment for my mother."
'Everyone was created by their mother.' Olivia would have snorted if she could. 'Why should that matter? Who cares what your mom thinks or why she did what she did? In fact, who cares what other people think of you? If you don't want to follow those orders, then don't.'
"It isn't that easy."
'Is it not? Have you ever tried to disobey?'
"...I haven't..."
'Davi, it's your life to do with as you please. Right now, you're also making a choice. Can't you see that? You're refusing to wake up from this nightmare and leave this place. Why?'
"I still want to save them."
'Save who?'
"The people of my memories." Davi clutched at his heart, feeling the beating within him growing weaker. "I keep watching them die, and I've failed them so much. I know I can't save them, and I'll die here, but that's okay with me if it means I keep trying. As long as I try."
Olivia listened to his words carefully. 'I think I understand. I have a question for you.'
"What?"
'If you save them, will you keep on living?'
Davi frowned. "I-I told you, it isn't that I want to die. I'm not suicidal."
'You're suicidal…' The blue box responded, and somehow the text was blunt.
Davi's lips cracked into a small smile. "Well, maybe a little. I don't want to just die, though. I told you, I'm still fighting because I want to try to save those people. Even if they're just memories. I don't much care for my life, but I care for others. I don't like seeing people die. I don't like knowing there is something I could have done. My father told me to help people, so I have to help people. That's who I am. I guess I'm happy when I do get to help people. But doesn't that just make me worse? I'm doing it because my dad told me to. A really good person does it without having to be told."
'You are a good person, and saying you're not makes everyone else look bad.' Olivia's text box scolded him. 'This world is full of greedy assholes who don't give a rat's ass about anyone else. Following orders or not, your actions have saved lives. Not just mine, but so many others, and that's why I'm here. You said you would help me. You promised you'd be there with me and help find the person who killed Fri village, did you not?'
"Yeah?"
'So then stop standing there! Davi, you give yourself up so readily and expect nothing in return. If you're going to claim that you're not a good person, then act like one. Be greedy. You're doing all of this, but have you tried asking for help? You don't have to do this all alone. I'm here now as well. If you really want to save those people, then let me help you.'
"Olivia…"
The blue box they were trapped in began to fill with cracks. The hands outside were finally starting to break through, and it would only be a little bit longer.
Olivia's form shimmered, and more boxes began to appear. They swirled together inside of the cube, connecting and stacking on top of each other, forming the outline of her body. With arms made out of pure mana, she wrapped around Davi, pulling him into a hug.
"You're scared, aren't you?" Her soft voice came out of her new form. "After everything that's happened. I can't imagine the hardships you faced or the struggles you've gone through, but I bet they all piled onto you, and not knowing what the future has in store has left you wanting to give up and just quit. It's okay to feel like that. You're not broken. You're not defective. You're you. Maybe I can't help fully, but I want to try. Not just me either. Ken, Sieg, and everyone else in the guild. We're all here to help you. You can count on us. You can lean on us. You can live for us. Together. And… And who knows. Maybe if you keep struggling forward, the suffering will fade on its own, and you'll find yourself living a good life. You're handsome enough to where I'm sure you'll find a pretty wife, have kids, and own a big house. You're the kind of person who is sure to become a famous Knight. Your hard work will pay off. It has to. And… And more than any of that, I don't want you to just give up because I can't imagine a world without you anymore. Not after all the time we've spent together. We've fought alongside each other, and you were there at my lowest, and I want to be there for yours. I know it's selfish and wrong of me to say, but can't you please live and have hope again? Just for a bit longer. You've already come this far. Surely if anyone can keep this journey going, it's you."
Davi's eyes widened as he stared down at Olivia. She looked back up at him and smiled. She kept talking.
"It's up to you. It's your choice. I'm not going to pick for you, I promise I won't, but it would seriously suck to lose you. Honestly, I think I might love you."
Davi processed her words the best he could. "You need better standards."
"Davi!"
"I'm kidding. Mostly…" Davi's hands awkwardly wrapped around her as well. "Thanks. I-I'm sorry, I was being dumb."
"You're not dumb." Olivia rolled her eyes and poked him in the chin. "Just bear with life for a little bit longer, okay? If you need to talk, if you need to get something off your chest, or if you just need someone to comfort and hold you, I'll always be here."
Davi nodded, and the cube began to grow smaller as the hands tore into it, about to break it apart. "In that case, can I ask a favor?"
"Of course." Olivia gave him a warm smile. "Anything."
"Can you please help me? I really don't want them to die again."
The cube shattered, and shadowy hands wrapped around them both.
"Okay. Let's try it." Olivia closed her eyes. "We'll do it together."
The hands squeezed down, and the loop once again reset.
The Knight's eyes narrowed as he took on the appearance of the dragon. The village came back as he stared down at Davi, but he wasn't alone. A girl made of pure mana stood next to him, holding his hand. A golden glow seeped out of her and wrapped around Davi. Polymorph…
"What is this…" The Knight hissed.
Davi's form changed. One moment, he was covered in cracks, and then the next, a powerful warmth seeped out and filled the village. It battled the flames and the ice, and the warm mana wrapped around the villagers, keeping them safe. When the glow finally died down, a new figure stood where Davi had been.
This person had Davi's face, but he couldn't be Davi. There was no way. This person's mana was pure and warm, like basking in the sun, and they wore perfectly trimmed white robes. They had messy blonde hair and a pair of vibrant purple eyes.
"Who are you?" The dragon demanded.
Olivia stared at this new person with a gentle smile. The beauty of Polymorph was that it was up to the person to become the version of themselves they wanted to be. Last time, Davi hadn't allowed himself to truly be free, but this time…
The blonde man lifted his longsword, a calm and collected look on his face. Then he used a single spell.
"Row Light Armor."
He was free.