"Um D-Dan, stay safe, okay? I don't want you to do anything risky today"
I had a feeling something bad would happen but I could not very well place my hands on it
"Er, yeah I'll stay safe I guess" he replied. I knew he didn't want me to worry but I just could not worry about him.
We received our final briefing and thus began the journey to reclaim Merth. Everywhere was desolate outside the resistance city, no form of life was sighted and it was both saddening and vexing what the MONARCHY had done to our world.
"Hey Dan, just because you beat me at hand-to-hand combat doesn't mean I'll suddenly warm up to you and try to save your ass if you are in trouble" Abel interrupting my thoughts said. What was this weakling saying? He could not even win against Dan in Hand-to-Hand combat and was only drafted cause of his skills and yet he's trying to be a showoff?
"Why don't you worry about yourself weakling" I replied before Dan could say a word. I flashed a smile with dangerous intent meant and I think the message had gotten across pretty well because Abel kept quiet after that.
Arriving at Merth three days after leaving the resistance, our squad was to be the vanguard. We go in and after 10 minutes, reinforcements show up. The job was downright impossible but I have to have faith in the squad.
I pulled Dan in for a hug-"I'm serious Dan, be safe. I don't want to lose you"-and pretty much said what was in my heart. I really did not want to lose Dan and I had come to terms with my feelings that I would do everything to protect him.
"I'll be safe Stacy; don't you worry you brute" he tried to laugh it off but he earned a hit to the gut from me. gosh he could be so clueless at times, you don't call a lady a brute when she just laid her feelings bare. But I still had a bad feeling about this.
Turns out my feelings were right; the Orts were expecting us. As if they had been tipped of our arrival, they circled at the point where we were supposed to surface from the sewers. So much for catching them off guard.
We had to retreat. Dan started attacking with his light arrows but nothing seemed to affect them, it didn't even leave a mark on them. This plan was a bust, and soon we began losing numbers and soon it was just remaining me, Dan and Luke. Abel had been devoured trying to run away without a plan and soon Dan had his weapon broken.
Nothing we tried on them worked. Not mana attacks, not weapons, nothing.
"Hey Luke, take care of Stacy will you. We have 20 seconds till the reinforcements; I can buy that much time with my throwables ha-ha, I'll cause an explosion for you both to run, a water type explosion. Be fast so the flood won't get to you"
Dan was trying to sacrifice himself for us. But I didn't want that, if we both died, it'll be better than only me living.
"Don't be a fool Dan, we came here together and we're going to leave together" I said trying to stop him from sacrificing himself and I suddenly blacked out. Someone had hit me on my head and I'm pretty sure it was Dan.
Waking up in the support camp outside of the city, I glanced round in hopes of seeing Dan but he wasn't anywhere around here. I saw Luke who was feeling down and knew if something had happened and was refusing to meet my gaze.
"H-Hey, Luke. Who-Where is Dan, did he get better faster and is off helping out or-"
"He's not coming back Stacy, he knocked you out and sacrificed himself. He's Dead Stacy, DEAD"
"It can't be. I know him to be risky and put me above everything but I'm sure he can't be dead. He's just trying to make me worry right?"
"He's Dead Stacy. He cause an explosion imbued with the water element and shockingly, explosions are their weakness, but it caught him too and he didn't survive at all"
No. it can't just end like that, he has to be alive.
I was sad. Confused. Pained. Angry, I didn't know what to feel but anger took charge and-
"Are you freaking kidding me!!!!! he told you to go without him and you just freaking left?!! What are you? Scared? Foolish?
-I attacked Luke both verbally and physically until high forms came round to stop me. I felt angry as to why he would listen to Dan, he was the leader of that squad, he could've stopped him and we might have made it.
I started crying on the spot. Half tending to the fact that he, the man I loved, Dan was gone and half tending to my weakness to protect him, I was a failure, I prayed to whatever God was watching over us, begging for the God to end this dream while still crying.
And as if someone heard my cry-
"Over to the support camp, a Man's body has been found with serious injuries, send over aid"
-a report was sent to the support camp. Someone had been found and I prayed that it was to be Dan, I was about following them to were the body was and I suddenly felt dizzy and blacked out for the second time that day.
Oh yeah, I was still recuperating from the stress of earlier.
Waking up, I found myself in a hospital room, I tried getting up but my body was still weak. I looked round and saw Luke sitting by my bed, sleeping. After all I did to him, he still stayed by me who gave him the injuries.
"Hey Stacy, how are you feeling today?" Luke asked just waking up.
"I'm Fine and better. I'm sorry for what I did to you" I needed to apologize to get the guilt off me. I felt like a monster and it was eating me deep.
"No need to apologize, cause what are friends for? You needed to blow off some steam and I helped you so it's not a really bad situation if you look at it from this angle"
"Stop. I know you're still hurt and you're just trying to make me feel better, blame me for what I did and just stop all this acting"
"Calling it acting makes it sound like I'm some kind of crook. But I seriously don't want to blame you, I'm just happy both you and Dan made it back at least, the rest died and it's sort of getting to me right now"
"Where is Dan?"
"Knew he'll be the first thing on your mind, but he's still unconscious, you'll get to see him soon. Now that you are awake, I've fulfilled my promise to Dan to take care of you. Now for some rest"
"Thanks for everything Luke, I really appreciate it"
And he was gone from the room, I'm glad he didn't hold it against me and now it's just to wait to see Dan.
"Hey Stacy, You in there?"
"DAN!!!" after two days he finally came. I ran to him, first awarding him a punch to the guy for how he made me worry then hugged him almost crying.
"You had me worried"
"Oh, Shut up"
Wait. What did I do? Is it because I was worried or something?
"I'm sorry. I was just worried; it won't happen again" I quickly apologized and was ready to leave the room.
"W-Wait Stacy. I wasn't referring to you, don't be like that".
"Well, there is no one else in the room with us here, so you're clearly referring to me. Can't believe I got all worried just to be shunned rudely for my care. I'm sorry for caring" I said angrily and started walking towards the door. I didn't want to be angry at him but he caused this, yeah, I was angry. Until I felt a hug from behind me.
"I'm sorry Stacy, sorry that I was rude to you. Please just…. Don't leave me. Please"
"Don't apologize, I too should've known it might have been a mistake. "I-I'm sorry f-for my o-outburst"
And then I started crying, most of it came from the fact that he almost died and I was happy he survived. I wasn't going to stay angry with him again. And we spent the rest of that day with each other.
Here I was at dinner, I saw Dan approaching, lost in thought and I decided to spend time with him. I am not backing down again.
"Hey, you feeling better? Sorry for earlier. I'm really sorry. It's mostly my fault, I wasn't strong enough to protect you and you had to protect me" I said almost crying. I did not want to cry but looking back at the near-death experience, I couldn't help but bring out tears.
"Don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault plus I'm fine now"
I'm happy that you're fine but stop with the risks. I wanted to continue the conversation but he was lost in thought. Almost like he was speaking to someone
"You're lost in thought. Don't you want me here?"
"Well, you're in luck then. The supreme forms are holding a meeting concerning the next city. More and more Orts are showing up trying to regain Merth so they want to regain the next city after Merth. Chances are that a MONARCH will most likely show up So, since a city is more important than having me by your side, I'll be going"
And I walked out from the dining hall. I knew the next city was important but he could have at least given me some attention and then I went straight to bed, angry.
So, turns out I was chosen for the next city and he wasn't. I was sad that I'll have to leave him but I'm sure he doesn't even think about me at all, so no need to be sad.
Sir. Brian, Sir. Henry, Sir. Fern, Alex and I were the ones for the intel gathering. Our main priority was to gather intel and to avoid fighting since our weapons did little to zero damage to those fiends, we just had to gather intel.
I saw Dan searching for someone which I knew was me, but I didn't want to talk to him. He'll just apologize as usual and then go on to do the same thing.
So, I walked to the mobility vehicle and got on it so I won't have to talk to him.
"Hey Stacy. I'm sorry, okay?" he said. I knew it was just going to be an apology and nothing more. Not that it was bad, but at least he could do better.
"I Just wanted to be with you but you were so occupied with the next city" of course I said this to myself, he didn't hear this but then we were ready to leave for the next city.
"Why don't we spend some time together when you come back? We haven't been together for a while so let's go out for food once you're back" he said finally before we left.
"You finally came to your senses huh" I said still talking to myself.
Of course I was happy, but we could've at least gone shopping instead of dinner. But it's Dan, he's oblivious to these sorts of things.
Here we were at Hinnies and then our mission began. We spent close to a full week coming here and we wanted to spend less time here so we moved with haste. There was a surge of power coming from the tower in the middle of city, it seemed like a dangerous place but that saved us time for where to search.
"This goes without saying but prioritize safety" Sir Henry commanded.
And so, we entered the city, thinking we successfully fooled the Orts but it was like a repeat of Merth. They were waiting for us.
How did this happen twice in a row? We don't even know how they knew we were coming and yet every single time, they seen to expect us.
"Abort the mission and get out of the city!!!" Sir. Henry shouted
Everyone started to run, but before we could our surroundings changed and then we heard her voice-
"Welcome to the truth dimension, be careful not to tell a lie here"
-A Monarch, and according to where she said this place was, The Monarch of Truth and Lies, in her full power. No one dared move out of fear of being killed.
"Don't worry, you'll have a chance of getting out of here, just saw the truth only for my questions and then you'll be free to go. But mind you, a lie will only make you bound to me so choose your words wisely"
She gave us conditions. But we did not even know which questions she was going to ask. I looked at Sir. Henry and his expression told me he didn't know better. What were we to do at this point, we couldn't run, we couldn't answer. We were, I was scared. I closed my eyes and started thinking about Dan, I most likely won't survive this mission and then he'll have to be alone.
And then I felt something come out from me. not something, someone. I looked up and I saw him standing there, I saw Dan standing there.
"W-what are you d-doing h-here D-dan" I asked with my voice shaking. Of all times, it decided to shake now
"I came to save you and apologize I guess"
And I love you for that. But first things first.
"But How did you come here?"
"Umm-"
He couldn't respond so it was definitely suspicious. But at least, the man I love is always there for me protecting me. I didn't need any answers and I just wanted to be with him all day. The Man I Love, Dan Terry, always seeking to protect me. that was just who he is