Fool

Several moments earlier, while Riko and the others are confronting the Guardian Snake, Lyrica starts making her way out of the forest.

Lyrica and the voice got what they wanted. The voice's prediction is wrong, meaning there's nothing that threatens the world. And, Lyrica learned that the people are speaking in Tagalog–her native language.

With that said, the deal she made with the voice to keep her safe is over. Lyrica has no reason to stay there any longer, and so she turned back and exited the scene. But then, while on the way...

"Aren't you going to help them?"

The voice asked Lyrica.

"Huh? Help them? From that giant snake? Are you nuts?"

Lyrica would only continue moving forward, indicating her objection. But the voice is persistent.

"Are you sure you don't want to help them?"

"I'm not getting myself killed out there."

The voice didn't stop asking her the same thing. It's almost like she's annoying Lyrica rather than asking her questions. Eventually, Lyrica loses it.

"So you're not going to help them, like, for real?"

"I said I won't!"

Lyrica shouted furiously towards a small tree as if it was the voice. The girl looks down, panting.

"If that's the case, then why are you walking as if something is pulling you from behind?"

"What do you mean?!"

"Well, you do realize you haven't walked past five meters, right?"

"Ha?"

Lyrica turns around and sees the cliff just a couple of meters away from her. She thought she had gone far in the outer area of the forest, but no. Just like what the voice said, she hadn't walked past five meters since then.

"Back then, you talk as if you ridicule them for going after the young knight." Said the voice. "But, the face you're making contradicts the words that spilled out of your mouth."

Right now, Lyrica is doing the same thing. She told herself to get out of the forest, knowing that she's in a dangerous situation. And yet, Lyrica's nowhere near outside of the Forest of No Return.

For a while, she remained silent. And then, she took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"So, what now?"

"I don't know..." Lyrica replied following a short pause. "...I'll do something foolish, I guess?"

Cut to the moment where Riko confronted the Guardian Snake...

"I can't die here!"

"That saves me the trouble of positioning myself on the right spot, thank you!"

Right then, as Heavy Metal starts its 5-second countdown, Lyrica makes a free fall from a tree branch. Using the music's weight and hardness, Lyrica smashes the skull of the Guardian Snake against the ground.

Moments later, the dust and dirt obscuring her vision disappear.

"I've done it."

Said Lyrica while looking down on the Guardian Snake, revealing its name which is highlighted in red.

[Guardian Snake - Lv. --]

"Looks like I'm a fool, just like everyone."

After that, she looked around her, and eventually, her eyes meet Riko.

"Who are you?" Riko asked.

Lyrica wordlessly jumps off the Guardian Snake's head and approaches Riko, inspecting his left arm.

"Looks like you're fine, it's just a dislocated arm." Said Lyrica towards the young knight. "Anyway, we don't have time to ask each other useless questions, we have to get the others and leave the forest."

"R-Right!"

After that, the two hurriedly went to the others. Lyrica immediately approached one of the three incapacitated knights.

"Are you all right? Think you can stand?"

"Who are you?"

"I'll take that as a yes. How about you?"

On the other hand, Riko tries to wake Magdalo up.

"Magdalo, wake up! Magdalo!"

Magdalo eventually wakes up after a long sleep. But in that instant, he felt the pain all over his body.

"Where... Where are we? Am I dreaming? Why does my body hurt?"

"Magdalo, thank goodness!"

Riko pulls the knight by the hand, helping him get back on his feet. After that, he sees the head of the Guardian Snake lying on the ground.

"Oh no, this ain't a dream."

Terror transformed his confused expression.

"Hey!"

Just then, an unfamiliar voice of a girl caught his attention. She looks at the girl and asks:

"Who are you?"

Lyrica let out a vexed sigh. She's slowly getting fed up with them constantly asking who she is.

"I can't carry all of them," Said Lyrica while letting Marlo use her as a support to stand. "So could you two help the others?"

"What a snobbish brat," Magdalo thought murmured as he followed what she said.

"I know..." Riko whispered in reply as he picked up the last incapacitated knight.

Without a moment's delay everyone sets off towards the south, the direction Marlo told Lyrica.

However, before they could even get far from the center of the forest...

Grrrr....!

Rumble~! Rumble~!

A loud, furious growl, followed by a rumbling of the ground forces them to look back. When they did, they saw the eyes of the Guardian Snake glaring at them intensely.

Graaaaagh!!

The Guardian Snake went straight after them.

"Not good, it's coming right for us!"

Seeing how agile the Guardian Snake is, it's only a matter of seconds until it catches them. Someone needs to stay behind and buy time for the others to escape.

"Hey, Magdalo guy!"

"Ha?!"

Lyrica, along with Marlo, walks closer to Magdalo.

"I don't know who you are, but you gotta show respect when you're talking to an elder!"

Right then, Lyrica takes Marlo's right arm off her shoulders and pushes him at Magdalo.

"H-Hey, be careful!" Magdalo managed to catch Marlo before he falls to the surface. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'm gonna stay and buy you guys time," Lyrica responded to the knight. "Whatever you do, do not turn back and act like a hero again, understand? Now go!"

After that, Lyrica makes a u-turn and dashes straight for the Guardian Snake.

"Hey, don't!" Riko shouted on top of his lungs, trying to stop Lyrica. "You fool, you'll get yourself killed!"

"You fool! If you hadn't let yourself get blinded by your emotions, none of this would have happened!"

Riko is taken aback. No words would come out of his mouth as the girl reminded him that everything that has happened since Karlo's death, was caused by his actions.

"Riko..." Uttered Magdalo behind the young knight. "Let's go."