20 Fate

Lucy's Pov contd

I took him to the training grounds. It had been ages since there was a guest at the training grounds, never actually. I smiled thinking of the irony. It was always me and Serena, and me getting beat up and again and again. Over and over until the day I was strong enough to defeat her.

I could have kept this for later but I couldn't wait. The powers of the heroes were the stuff of legends, seeing them in person would be a privilege. But looking at Haruto again, he looked soft, frail..never been touched by the evils of his world. I felt so protective over him, locking him up in my room would make him safe forever but I knew that it would be futile. No one who stays that way can survive here, and those who chose not to accept it died.

But surviving in the dark forest is no mere coincidence, and I suspected that in some capacity he was using his powers already....and my guess was right.

His senses and intuition along with his surviving instinct had heightened to an extreme degree, so much so that he himself hadn't realised it, the process was so natural for him.

I had almost struck him right in the neck with my dagger, my mind literally split into two when I knew what I had to do, fighting to take control of my body but there was no other option. I had to believe that he had it in him. Thank god he was right or I would have never forgiven myself, never allowed myself to either.

But there was still a piece missing, magic. Even humans had a sense of mana even though couldn't see it the way we do, but in his particular case, where mana probably never even existed in his world. I guess it was to be expected.

I wracked my brain as to how I could find out about his affinity, but suddenly it hit me...maybe the pain of being born a light mana user was a bit worth it. If his warrior potential allowed it, he would also be able to use mana...at least that's my theory. What was the point of bringing powerful beings into a world of magic if they couldn't use it?

There was always the chance that he won't be able to see mana just like the humans of this world, but it was still worth a shot.

I wrapped my palm across his cheeks and pulled his face closer and touched our foreheads together. I sent a steady stream of mana into his eyes, just like I do when I want to see mana, it's just subconscious for me.

Inwardly, I let out a huge sigh as my plan worked.

His existence was special, I already knew that. But the constant surprises were bad for my heart.

His face was full of childlike curiosity as he tried to play with the mana, that protective instinct roaring inside of me. Now was not the time though.

I was anxious once again when he asked how he could see it. I had withheld the truth once again and not told him that he would have died. I have put his life in danger twice now....so much for protecting him. I felt like such a failure.

I made up for it by reminding him of our passionate kiss and seeing him melt in embarrassment though. I said as I reminisced....and then teased him some more after.

As things calmed down we had to move to the next step and the hardest one.

Everyone's relationship with mana is different, for me, it was like the mana I interact with were my siblings. Most of the time we worked together well, but because of my fucked luck, a demon being born with both affinity for light and dark mana, there were some "internal conflicts" at times let's say.

I told Haruto to visualise the mana around him, inviting them to him instead of forcing them to come. He tried hard and he looked so cute at how much effort he was putting in...but eventually, he said that the mana was not moving. I told him to look around and try with the other elemental mana and he closed his eyes again. I could, of course, look at the mana too so I looked around and at first, nothing happened. Neither the fire nor wind mana chose to interact with him but I had an ominous feeling...like a pit in my stomach, like my life was about to change forever.

The very next moment, I froze. I couldn't believe what I was sensing, the light mana that refused to mingle with anyone except me. The free-spirited mana did whatever it pleased, stopping for no one except me. The same mana that had been the bane of my existence but also my greatest power had stopped in its tracks. Something had caught its eye but it was still apprehensive, a few seconds later, it slowly crawled towards Haruto. Like a baby learning to walk. It danced around his hand once it was confident and entered his body the very next second.

While Haruto was celebrating my hands were shaking behind my back and my heart was beating out of my chest so hard that I could hear it. My breath became ragged and as I spoke I started stuttering. Not even realising the tears forming in my eyes. I had heard that happiness could be overwhelming but I had never felt it....until now.

My mind went back to the words on the paper in the corner of my office

"A demon born in Light and dark,

who walks the lonely mark,

A human with a past marked,

Holding the power of the demon of light and dark,

On a journey with a new arc,

Together they have the power to behold,

destroy the world they shall,

or save it who knows,

that is what the future holds"

My head was ringing with the word I had heard countless times. Every single person who had said it to me wished I didn't exist, it was destiny after all, no way around it. I had hated that word with a passion, and I had done everything I had to prove it wrong but today I was so glad this word existed or I wouldn't have been able to explain what I felt.

This is 'fate' after all and you Haruto are my 'fate'.