"..."

I am standing at an empty space with white sky and a thin fog that is covering up this place until my ankle. There is nothing around me, except a bright stair that appeared at the front of me. This stair led towards a very bright light at the sky. I can't see the end of it.

"So, I am at the afterlife now? And this stair will take me to the heaven, eh?"

I remember that I fainted after I healed Risu's foot. That was probably the limit of my body.

"Should I climb this stair? Or not?"

I walk closer to that stairs. I stop walking when it's only a single step left for me to able to climb it. I look up to see where this stair led, and I spot four figures walk down the stairs from the sky.

"Ahh... As expected... All of you are coming here for me..."

Each of the four figures is wearing a white robe. The two people among them are Uncle Kyast and Aunt Rana, and I am sure that the other two are my real Father and Mother even though their face is covered by their own robe.

"Is this mean... My time is up...?"

I can't help but cry when the four of them stand in the front of me. They don't say a word, they are only smiling.

"I guess... this is the end of my suffering..."

They are still not answering me, but all of them hug me instead. It makes me crying even harder. I'm bawling at their hug and I fall down to my knees.

...

I wipe the tears from my eyes. I've been crying for quite a long time at their hug.

"Sniff... Thank you... For pick me up..."

They release their hug from me when I finished my crying. And then, they hold out their hand to me. They must be wanting me to reach it.

"You will... Take me...?"

They are not answering, just smiling, and still hold out their hand.

"I see..."

I stand up from my kneeling and about to reach Aunt Rana's hand with my right hand. But, instead of grabbing her hand...

SLAP!!

I slapped it. All of them look at me confused.

"...Really? Do you honestly think that I will believe that this place is the afterlife??"

I pull my right hand back.

"Aunt Rana told me to protect Risu, not to leave Risu behind! Do you really think that I will do that?!"

I shouted at them. They are still not answering me, but their smiles are gone.

"So, you can't answer me? Of course you can't!"

The stairs and the fog are gone now. The sky is also becoming dark.

"All you can do is inciting and deceiving me!! Hey! My negative entity!!"

That four figures slowly merge into one figure, a single figure that looks like me.

"I realized that this place is inside our mind because both of us do not remember our real parents face! The last time we saw our parents' face was when Irryeds village was eradicated! Beside the fact that that tragedy was happened when we were still a child, it was traumatizing us too! Of course our memory about our parents' face is blurry!"

That figure finishes its transformation. Now I am facing an exact copy of myself that is staring daggers at me.

"You were planning to run away from our responsibility by trying to made me accept our death because you are scared, right? Well of course you are scared, you are the embodiment of my negative side."

I let out a sigh while 'She' is now growling at me.

"Do you know why you can't talk? It's because our negativity is almost vanished and made you weak. Because of Risu, we are able to get rid our dark thoughts. We are able to smile again. We are able to see the light again."

I start to walk and approach 'her'. 'She' is growling even louder.

"But, when Uncle Kyast and Aunt Rana left us, your power was back, right? And that's why you able to give me that illusion, but you failed because our promise with Aunt Rana to always protect Risu, not to leave her behind."

I stop my walk. Now our faces are very close. 'She' is getting scared now, as expected from the negative embodiment. The fact that 'her' power is depleted again probably the cause, 'she' can't fight back.

"Because of you, we almost left Risu behind. Do you forget how painful when our parents sacrificed themselves? Do you aware that you were trying to make Risu feel the same pain?"

I clench my fist. That makes 'her' get even more scared.

"Do you think that I can forgive you after what you did?"

I stretch my arm far. 'She' is covering 'her' head with 'her' hands in fear.

Squeeze!

"Yes I can... You are me... Of course I can forgive you..."

I hugged instead of punched 'her'. It shocked 'her' so much, 'she' starts to cry.

"You made us feel sad, angry, scared, and many more because of your negative nature... But that also made us aware how painful it was, and it motivated us to protect our dearest people, because we don't want them to feel the same pain that we felt..."

'She' is sobbing at my hug. The sky starts to crack.

"Now, shall we go? We still have a thing to do."

I let go of my hug and hold out my hand. This place is rumbling. The sky is shattered.

"Yeah... Let's go..."

'She' reaches my hand and answers me with a smile.

---

I slowly open my eyes. The first thing that I see is an orangish sky plus a thick smoke as the background.

"The are seriously burning up this place..."

I look around me and see various kinds of flowers at the front of me.

"This place... Our flower garden... Right?"

I am at sitting position, leaning to something behind me. I look up to check it.

"Yep... This is our flower garden..."

I am leaning to the Diwie tree. The only spot at Ujyohaza where Diwie tree grow is near this flower garden. Diwie tree is the tallest tree at Ujyohaza forest, and this tree contains a lot of magic power, that's why this spot is overgrown with many plants.

"Aghh!!"

I feel a sharp pain at my head after I upturned my head. My body is still addlepated.

"Now where is Risu? She must be not far--"

Suddenly I hear a loud scream followed with a lot of rustling leaves noise.

"AAAAHHH!!!"

RUSTLE!!
RUSTLE!!
RUSTLE!!
RUSTLE!!

THUD!!!

Someone is falling near me. I cover my face with my hands to protect my face from the dust.

"Good thing that I managed to land safely... I can't believe that I slipped up there..."

Apparently, that person is Risu. It seems like she was climbing Diwie tree to search for escape route.

"Big Sis!! You had regained your consciousness!!"

Risu noticed me and immediately run to hugs me.

"Be careful... Risu...! Big Sis' body is still fragile...!"

"Ah! Sorry about that!"

Risu let go of her hug after hugging me for a couple of seconds.

"This is bad, Big Sis!! Most of Ujyohaza already burned down!! Only a few spots remain unburned!!"

Risu looks at me frantically.

"We definitely can't get through the fire now, Big Sis!! The only path where we can escape is our usual path to the city, but it is used by the soldiers that probably want to capture us! And there are numerous of them!!"

"I see..."

"Of course the City Noble went all out to get rid of us..."

"What should we do, Big Sis??!"

Risu is panicking and scared. I try to stand up while still in pain.

"Big Sis?! Be careful!!"

Risu helps me to stand up by supporting me.

"Risu... Are those soldiers still far from here...?

"Huh? Yeah, they are advancing slowly. Maybe because the are trying to minimalize damage from this forest fire. Do you have a plan, Big Sis??"

"Big Sis is still thinking about it..."

"We definitely can't confront them! We also can't hide at the forest and wait for them to pass us, or we will be roasted while waiting their slow movement! All option that available only will takes us to our doom--"

"Aghh!!"

I scream in pain.

"This is not good! I can't do a deep thinking! My head feels like will explode!"

"Big Sis!!"

Risu catches me before I fall down again.

"I'm okay, Risu! Big Sis just-- Huh?"

I notice something when I looked down.

"Risu, did you bring this spear?"

"Huh?"

I point to the spear that is lying on the ground, next to my sitting place earlier.

"Yes, I found it at our house and used it to help me carrying Big Sis."

"That means this spear is the spear that I stole from one of the soldiers back at City Hall this noon."

"What will Big Sis do with that spear?? Does Big Sis already have a plan??"

I look at the spear for a while, and then look up to the Diwie tree.

"I guess... My time is really up... This is the only option where I can save Risu and the rest of this forest..."

I let go from Risu's support and standing by my own.

"Risu... Big Sis will say Big Sis' last words... Big Sis wants you to listen to Big Sis calmly..."

"!!!"

Risu is definitely shocked, her eyes are opened widely, and her squirrel ears are going straight.

"What are you talking about, Big Sis??! What do you mean by "Last words"??"

Risu walks up to the front of me and raises her voice.

"Big Sis will use the last life essence Big Sis has, to create a portal at Diwie tree behind Big Sis for you to escape from here. The portal won't last long because Big Sis' life essence is already very low, so you need to go fast--"

"NO!!! I won't escape from here without Big Sis!! If that method costs Big Sis' life, then we should think for another method!!"

Risu cut me off.

"There's no other method, Risu. We are completely surrounded. All other method will lead both of us to killed by the soldier or by the fire."

"We still can fight!! I will defeat all of them!! I can do that!! After that, we able to--"

"Don't, Risu."

I stop Risu's anger.

"If you do that, you will live as the "Monster" that people fear, not as "Human" that you are now. Don't lose the humanity that lies inside your heart."

I repeat my real Father's words that I remember clearly. Thanks to that, Risu is able to calm down even though she is still in shock.

"So, this is how it feels when Mother stopped me from my rage back then at City Plaza..."

"Beside that, Big Sis' life essence is already low. Big Sis already said that before, right? Even if we escape from here, Big Sis' life will over soon. And because Big Sis will no longer at your side, you will live lonely as "Monster" if you use your method, Risu."

Risu falls to her knees.

"Big Sis don't want you to live that way. Big Sis knows exactly how painful that is... Live alone as a "Monster" that people fear."

I hug Risu, and she is crying again. I wonder how many times both of us crying today.

"Big Sis wants you to live as a "Human", Risu. Big Sis wants you to live happily. Big sis does not want you to live as the darkness that makes other people sad, but Big Sis wants you to live as the light that makes other people happy."

"But... How...? I can't live without you... Big Sis...!"

"Yes, you can."

"...?"

I let go of my hug and make Risu confused. After that, I cast a spell.

"Oto hav'a muasaga kiristal..."

A tiny magic circle appears at Risu's acorn pendant that she wears at her neck. Risu is shocked a little when the magic circle appears.

"Eraw sephile!!"

The magic circle glows and then goes inside the acorn. Now the acorn is glowing.

"This is... What's happened, Big Sis?"

Risu grabs the acorn and looks at it.

"Ughh!"

"Big Sis!!"

I feel a sharp pain at my head and about to collapse again, but I quickly balance myself and manage to not fall down.

"Big Sis increased the durability of your pendant by put some of Big Sis' life essence inside the acorn. That means, Big Sis' soul resides at your pendant... Big Sis will always be at your side, Risu... As long as you wear that pendant..."

Risu looks at me with her teary eyes. And then she clasps her pendant tightly.

"Are we... Really don't have another choice...?"

I don't answer Risu's question. I turn back to the Diwie tree and raise both of my arms. I start to enchant the spell to create a portal.

"Yasuafadre miji port'us bhaska..."

A giant magic circle appears at the soil under Diwie tree.

"Big Sis... Please..."

With my last life essence, and with the help from Diwie's natural magic source, I able to do this magic.

"Na thurt zaska o'asda..."

"Let me... Think for another way... Please..."

I ignore Risu who is begging and crying behind me.

But I can't completely ignore her... I am chanting the spell while barely hold my tears...

"Ka... ka pibie... ka rastha... ka... ka... gastha..."

I tried to hold my tears by covering my face with my left hand, but I can't hold it back anymore. I start to sob between my chanting.

"Please... Big Sis... Stop it..."

The magic circle slowly fades because my chanting is halted.

"I must not stop... For Risu's sake...!"

I raise my left arm again and repeat the chant.

"Ka pibie ka rastha ka gastha!"

The magic circle is glowing again. A spark at Diwie's trunk appears.

"Why...? Why...? Big Sis...?"

"Moska bun'aravas jirie asnael!"

The portal is slowly formed at Diwie's trunk. It looks like the portal will let you enter inside the tree, but actually will send you to the other world, not to another place at this world where Risu will live as a fugitive. I can't guarantee that the world this portal is destined for will not treat Risu like in here, but I believe that Risu will find someone that can accept her!

"Hav'a polloa draka!!"

I finished my chant. A human-sized portal fully formed at Diwie's trunk.

"Cough!!!"

I immediately vomit a lot of blood, and I mean a lot. I can feel that inside my body is completely ruptured at this point. I turn my body to Risu.

"Go, Risu... The portal won't--"

Squeeze!

Suddenly, Risu hugs me tightly.

"I'm sorry for every single time I made Big Sis angry... And thank you for everything that Big Sis gave to me... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you..."

Risu sobs while hugs me. She buries her face at me. I gently stroke her head while smiling.

"Big Sis forgives you, Risu... And Big Sis also thank you... For everything..."

Risu sobs even harder.

"The portal won't last long... Risu..."

Risu ignores me and hugs me more tightly instead.

"Here... Big Sis' last gift for you..."

I kiss Risu's forehead. I can feel that Risu slowly releases her hugs from me.

"I love you, Risu..."

Risu completely let go of her hugs now. She raises her head and looks at me with her bawling eyes.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Sniff... Yes... Thank you Big Sis..."

I reach my pocket and pull out Risu's pink beret hat.

"Here, wear this. This is yours, right? Don't forget it."

"Ah... Right..."

I put the hat at Risu's head.

"Now go... The portal won't last long..."

"Okay... I love you too... Ayunda Big Sis..."

Risu smiles at me.

"I'll go now..."

"Be careful..."

Risu walks to the portal, turns back, and waves at me.

"I will not become a "Monster"... I will make other people happy... Just like Big Sis' wish earlier... I will shine brightly..."

I smile and wave back at her.

"Thank you... Big Sis will pray for you... My little sister..."

Risu smiles again for the last time. That smile is definitely her best smile so far. She is so bright.

"You already shine... Risu... Your light saved me..."

Risu crosses the portal. Right after that, the portal is closed. The magic energy must be run out already.

I fall to my knees and crying.

"Thank you... For coming to my life... Risu"

...

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"I can not believe it! A witch and its familiar are able to put such an amazing show! I am touched! But that would not erase your crime and sin!! You cursed witch!!"

I heard someone's voice behind me and a march of an army. Without looking back, I already know who they are.

"I also can't believe it. A person with such a rotten heart and mind like you can feels touched."

"Yep! Plus one to your list of crimes! "Insulting the mayor"! Man! Even though YOU already burned down the Ujyohaza, you are still increasing your crime! We ran out of paper to write all of your crimes, you know. Tone it down!"

"..."

I take the spear that lying next to me. After that, I stand up, facing them. Facing Mayor Thystha and numerous of soldiers that coming with him.

"Urtie... Rwenda jak'on lipie trenasta..."

"Why would I tone it down? I will be executed anyway, so why can't I go all out as much as I want?"

I raise my spear and point it at them, those soldiers' response with brandishing their weapons too.

"Huh? Do you really think we will execute you? No no no! Death is not enough for your punishment! We will torture you slowly and painfully! We will make sure that you will not die because of that, so you can enjoy your suffering to the fullest! Ohh... I can't wait for that... Hehehe... It must be a pleasure to hear your scream and your cry... Begging for forgiveness... It must be delicious..."

Mayor Thystha is snickering after saying that disgusting words.

"Man... I think calling you "A person with rotten heart and mind" is an understatement... I don't think I can find a suitable word for a disgusting person like you..."

"Sol... Spir... Smo... Clod... Ren..."

"Are you deaf or stupid or what? You said that you saw our show, right? So, you should hear I was saying that my life is already very short. My body is completely wrecked. Even with a single weak punch at my gut, I will definitely dead."

"Ferawart bai chu quekolomianay ast'amix que..."

"Yes, I am deaf. That's why I do not hear and do not care for what you just said. We are still able to torture you, anyway. Do you think torture is only can be done with a lethal method? We still can make you experiencing hell with a minimum damage to your body! Don't worry about it, you will enjoy it! Oh wait! Not you! But us! WE will be the one who enjoy it!"

"Sigh... You are hopeless... Apparently, I was right... I can't cure your curse... That's unfortunate..."

"Og'tarak lampiars ben'estha..."

"The only curse that exist in here is your existence!! At your arm, my men!!!"

"Yessir!!"

The soldiers at their stance immediately.

"You better surrender yourself, cursed witch! Maybe we will ease your punishment!"

"Do you think I'll let myself getting captured just like that?"

"Astir plerichia... Artei wi faruhajya..."

"Did not you say that your body is wrecked? If you love your life, it is better if you are not resisting!"

"Love my life? Nah... I am not afraid of death. But I am scared more if I don't die fighting!"

"Justa prexe kroserta aa..."

I raise my spear high.

"Hah! What can you do?! What can a DYING WITCH do??! DO NOT MAKE US LAUGH!!!"

"...So you want to know what a dying witch can do? AS YOU WISH!!! OMIEGA DARAKA ESTA!!!!"

I slam the ground with my spear as hard as I can after I finished my chanting. A massive magic circle appears at the ground. It's so massive, it covers the entire forest.

The spell that I chanted inside my head while me and Mayor Thystha were roasting each other is to summon this colossal magic circle. I able to do this because I am using Diwie's magic power, not mine. I connected my magic power with Diwie's magic power while I created that portal earlier, that's why I can do this. Diwie's magic power is surely tremendous.

"Wha--wha--what is this??!"

All of them, without exception, are scared to death when they saw the magic circle.

"THIS!! Is what a dying witch AND nature can do!!"

All of the fire smoke from this forest are pulled into above us. They are swirling and forming a smoke pillar above us. After a while, the top of the pillar spread the smoke evenly to cover the whole forest like a cloud.

"Whatever you are trying to do, STOP IT!!! PLEASE SPARE ME!!!"

Mayor Thystha is begging for his life.

"Huh? "Me"? How about your men? What a pitiful person..."

I point my spear towards them now.

"Don't equate me with you! I am not a "Monster" like you! This is not a destructive magic!"

"Huh?"

Mayor Thystha looks at me confused.

"Unlike you, I will not lose my humanity! You said that my existence is a curse, right? In that case, I can't help you to remove it!"

I swing my spear a half circle.

"With my existence is gone, you people will not have another reason to burn this forest!!"

STAB!!

"!!!!"

I without hesitant stab myself with the spear right at my chest. All of them look at me completely shocked.

"Because... I am... About to die... I want to... My last life essence... To be useful..."

Many bloods spilled from my chest. The moment a single drop of my blood touches the ground, the magic circle glows brightly.

I kneel down. I use my last strength to pull the spear from my chest.

"You know...? This magic... My last magic... Purpose... Is to create... A rain... That will... Extinguish... All fire... At this forest..."

I fall down to the ground. I can't support my body anymore.

"With this magic, my life essence and my body will be vaporized into the sky and will become a rain when I reach the smoke that was spreading earlier-- Ah, apparently I can't speak anymore. I was explaining my own magic to myself. Hahaha. Stupid."

"..."

"Oh? They are surrounding me in panic, even though I can't hear them anymore. Maybe they are in panic because my body is slowly vanishing. Well, no regret."

"Do you see me now? Father, Mother, Uncle Kyast, Aunt Rana? I am a human until the very end of my life. I want you to praise me when we meet again... Hahaha... I am unexpectedly childish..."

"Speaking of childish, Father and Mother don't know about Risu at all, right? Great! I will have a lot of story that I can tell for both of you! I will make sure that both of you won't get bored when I back to your side!"

"..."

"I'm sorry... Risu... Forgive your Big Sis for leaving you behind... But don't worry... Big Sis believe that there is one person... Two persons... Three persons... Many person... That will love you at your new world... But if you arrived at a cruel world, that means we can meet with each other quickly! And then Big Sis will apologize to you a thousand times! Hahaha..."

"..."

"Yeah no, that's a bad joke. Please don't let it happen... Please don't let it happen..."

"..."

"You know, Risu? When Big Sis kissed your forehead earlier, Big Sis actually also planted a little essence of Big Sis' life. Summary, Big Sis will always at your pendant, and inside you too! Sorry for not telling you about it. But that means Big Sis will always with you! We will inseparable! Your body literally consist of two souls! Isn't that great?! Two souls in one body!"

"..."

"Maybe that's a bad idea... I REALLY should apologize when I meet with you again..."

"But Big Sis is sure... That you will forgive me..."

"Hahaha..."

"..."

"..."

"Don't worry about your Big Sis... Risu... Big Sis has no regret... At all... You should too..."

"Live your fullest... Don't let regret invades your heart... But don't let humanity gone from your heart..."

I Love You...

***

Ayunda finally closes her eyes, but she is able to smiles peacefully at her last breath.

Her body completely vaporized into orbs.

These orbs are ascending to the sky, keep rising and rising.

Ayunda's orbs finally reach the smoke that is covering Ujyohaza.

The moment it happens, it is miraculous.

The black smoke is purified into a white cloud that bring down heavy rain.

The rain extinguishes all fire at Ujyohaza.

No more red and orange that will bring a destruction spotted, only black burn and a very little green color that spotted.

This is the moment where the colossal magic circle that hasn't gone yet glowing brightly once more.

Slowly, Ujyohaza back to life again.

Even though all of these phenomena happen at night, you can see the green and the fertility of this forest clearly thanks to the glowing magic circle.

Ayunda's life essence brings back Ujyohaza to life.

Ayunda is reborn as a lush and dense forest, that will provide Shakuna City with endless resources.

This is the last attempt from Ayunda to remove the curse at Shakuna City, by giving them the ultimate kindness.

A miracle.

Now, all of this depends on him.

Depends on Mayor Thystha.

Depends on the leader who has witnessed all of this by his own eyes and has experienced all of this with his own skin that soaked by the rain.

Will the curse be healed? Or will the curse get stronger?

How about you, dear Reader?

Yes, You.

The reader of this story.

If you hate someone, but they do their best to give you their kindness, what will you do?

Remove the curse? Or let the curse grow even stronger?

What is your answer?

What is your humanity that lies inside your heart will answer?

...

I will leave the answer at your own heart.

***

SLAM!!

...

SLAM!!

...

"Please!! Open it!!"

SLAM!!

"Open the portal!! Big Sis!! Please!!"

It's also night at the place where I arrived. It's dark and I barely able to see around me, but I'm sure that this place is also a forest.

"Why... Why won't you open again..."

I keep banging and banging this strange tree's trunk that was the portal with my hand.

"Please... Open it... Let me see you once more... Big Sis..."

I fall to my knee and sobbing, realizing that it's futile, no matter how many I am banging this trunk.

"Ayunda... Big... Sis..."

--To Be Continued--