Kruna za utre

As they continue their own slumber at the top of the same bed, Hylia had once saw another dream.

'... Hnn? Where is this?'

There stood Hylia. The feasty haired girl who fell into her dreams after she fell asleep for the second time by snuggling up to Sakura Zeimachi who told her to sleep.

Opening her eyes at the plains covered by green grass and finding nothing as far as she could see, Hylia began to notice the strangeness taking place around her.

The calming atmosphere, the eye-pleasing scenery, these two things are the main composition of the strangeness that Hylia can feel.

"Are these all the same?"

However, even though she knew that the strangeness was a little similar to when she got trapped by Gurathnaka, Hylia still followed where her feet leading her across the flat plain.

"It's very wide, awesome."

No matter how far she went, the scenery around her didn't change at all. As if the scene was being repeated over and over again, Hylia seemed to be walking in a circle no matter where her feet leading to.

Out of boredom, Hylia even tried to run, jumped and even rolled around like a blue hedgehog in the direction she wanted to go. However there's still nothing to attract her attention, the surroundings were still the same as before.

"Hmm? Did I hear-"

Then instantly and without any sign at all, the terrain she stepped on began to change.

"Hot!?"

The place she passed which was originally a beautiful and wide green field, suddenly changed

The ground that was originally flat began to crumble one by one, the green grass that adorned the scenery began to be burned by the blazing flames, and an intense shaking also followed which caused the ground to split open and left a path open to the center of the earth.

"What's going on? ... !!! Oh no!"

Hylia avoided a crack created by the tremors as she hovered onto safe place, but sadly she's late to dodge another.

The girl found her clothes exposed to flames and quickly extinguished them. Even with the ravaged surroundings, Hylia seemed to care more about her white garment than herself.

"... Fheww... Alright! Its still fine."

Taking a good care of those white garment despite being in a dream, looks like Hylia really cared about that clothing. But then again, that piece of clothing is another connection of her bond.

As far as she could see what was previously a very calming place had now changed 180 degrees, and with her hands patting some of the dirty spots, Hylia then realized about what was happening around her.

In front of her that was previously only filled with green grass, right now there're two objects that seemed to be put facing each other. One of them is a sword stabbed to the ground, while the other is a pendant that slowly descend into one of the available fissure.

'[How weak.]'

"Huh... Alastoru is that, you?"

At that very moment in the distance, Hylia saw a sword stuck in one of the smoldering mounds of earth. It's one of the three swords gifted by Sakura Zeimachi for her.

Of course she was no stranger to this sword, but for some reason, Alastor whom she has called with familiarity, seemed to act distant to her.

'[Despite holding that much tremendous power, what a pitiful being you are.]'

The sword who has the head of a dragon biting the blade, seemed to be very different from the Alastor that she knew.

Unlike Alastor which she considered as a "good child", this Alastor sounded very proud and full of grudge. In addition, her doubt becoming more apparent as she saw a pendant fall into the bowels of the earth, which made Hylia a little hesitant to approach him.

'{Those word hold little meaning to me, you acursed Devil's arm. No matter how much power you possess... it won't stop you from being pitiful when one can't hold over its reign.}'

"Eh? Isn't this also... Alastoru's voice?"

When Hylia fixed her gaze on the stuck sword, the feasty haired girl then heard a voice that was also very similar to Alastor's voice which she often heard. It came from the way where that pendant fell.

Unlike the sword-shaped Alastor's voice, this Alastor's voice, which she had just heard just now sounded more wiser, more compassionate, and also... have an upbringing of some centuries old god that she used to encounter back then in Orario.

'[I am Alastor. The weak shall give their heart and swear eternal loyalty to me. Bow down, Alastor of Crimson Lord.]'

From the direction of the stabbed sword, flashes and bolts of lightning began to roar which could even split the entire ground it struck upon. This caused the entire land that Hylia was walking on to collapse, which made her have to dodge so as not to be swept away by the attack.

"Two Alastor... is fighting? I need to stop it-"

Hylia intended to stop the fight while knowing the half truth, with agile and precise footsteps the feasty haired girl finally reached the sword that was struck deep into the ground and intended to pull it out.

"Eh? Uwhaaaagh! ... I can't touch it?"

But as its turn out, she can't really touch it after all. Like touching a shadow, she just passed through the sword onto the other side as she landed with her levitation.

As she turned her back and stood her ground, Hylia realized that there's a huge bolt of lightning aimed at the place she's on. For that reason Hylia wanted to try to confirms her guess and... it was true the attack had absolutely no effect on her.

"... Why do I felt this fire then? ... I need to help the other Alastoru."

Hylia slightly understood but also didn't fully understand how her dreams worked, and with her will still not satisfied yet, she tried again to stop the fight.

Besides, what Hylia had said is true. It was as if Alastor of the Devil's Arm is bullying Alastor of the Crimson Lord who didn't do anything to return the fire and lightning threw on him.

In order to stop the fight, Hylia who didn't know what to do then even tried to burry Alastor of the Devil's Arm with some dirt mound she just dig, but even so, no matter how hard she tried to help nothing has changed.

It's very strange considering this are her dream but she can't really change it.

'[I'll take the name of Alastor, and take control of this holder as my new vessel! This holder shall be the first who'll face the grudge of my wrath!]'

'{...}'

Besides that, the battle between the two Alastors was becoming more and more intense. The entire plains were starting to melt from the heat of the fire, and the enormity of the explosion from the lightning.

"I can touch these dirt, feeling burnt, but no touchy for Alastor... whaat?!"

Hylia can't understand it.

As she continued to search for ideas, Hylia did not realize that by hearing Alastor of the Devil's Arm's words, the pendant sunk in the bowels of the earth has finally revealed the wonder of its title due to some unpleasant words he just heard.

'[You... you defectives god!]'

Alastor of the Devil's Arm who has become even more conceited after he felt that he'd succeed in being the one and only Alastor, proclaimed a premature victory.

He thought if this is the end of that pendant while letting out an overjoyous laughter which even Hylia could heard.

'{Fool... even after how much I let you do whatever you will.}'

However, it all came to a close when a rumpling pressure from the being known as the Crimson Lord of the Crimson Realm mow down everything around him.

Similar to that sword which functions as a container, the pendant also functions as a container as well. Alastor of the Crimson Lord, different from the Alastor of the Devil Arm... he's not a devil.

He's more like a destruction god, yes indeed, something that even those devil feared. An incarnation who bring destruction to whoever sinful wrong doers he deemed so, a god of the Crimson Realm who governs over judgement and condemnation.

'{There's a limit to how much you could spoke more unsettling words.}'

Sounds resembling distant rumblings of thunder vibrated in the air, once again the terrain changed and flames appeared even more fierce than before accompanied by the appearance of a gigantic fiery-looking creature.

The plains burst into the sky, a firestorm enveloping the players and spectators alike. Winds that brought destruction blew, and the bright divine fires blazed around them. Belonged to the avatar of the Crimson Lord himself.

"That wing... so this is why its so bright."

The fiery wings attached to the back of the gigantic avatar flapped fiercely and those horns were no less fiercer, burning up the entire plains where even the Alastor of the Devil's Arm couldn't help but to stare at it.

'{You have my praise for those insulting words.}'

With a voice burning with anger after he heard the word "holder", some untasteful past emerges into the lord's mind. A memory of two red-haired person he had loved with all his heart.

And then for now, Alastor of the Crimson Lord let his anger to control him.

'{Now behold, you one of Devil's toy... I welcome you for landing onto the scene of carnage, the garden of battle!}'

As soon as Hylia heard those words, her entire vision darkened.

...

....

.....

However as its turned out, her dream is not over yet. After her entire vision was enveloped by a blinding black color, for the second time Hylia opened her eyes in her dreamland.

"You two are... Douji and... Seilenos?"

After arriving at the plains covered with green grass, this time Hylia arrived in a room that seemed to be showing her the two swords that were displayed in front of her. Spotlights marked the position of the two blades, which were lying on the surface just like an unwanted scrapped metal.

One is the blade with the name Dojigiri Yasutsuna and the other is an azure sword named Seilenos. The colors stuck to the blades were different from each other, and their histories were also very different as well.

Despite that there's one thing common between them, and it was created from the lacks of Hylia's interaction with the two of them. The oneness that was still lacking compared to Alastor who took the first step with his new wielder.

"... I'm sorry, since Alastoru said if he got awakened by my blood... I don't know if you two had the same requirement as him. I've pour more blood for you two, but there's nothing just like when I heard Alastoru's voice."

Hylia reflected upon her actions. Though no one blamed her, Hylia once again felt that it was all her fault for not finding a way to awaken the two swords as soon as she could.

"You two are... not angry? Then... Hoping for me to look in my own way?"

As if confirming Hylia's words, Dojigiri Yasutsuna and Seilenos spun and jumped to cheer up the feasty haired girl's mood. However, it seems that her dream is really coming to an end.

"The spotlight... I see, so we'll met later again."

The beam of light that was shining on them faded indicating that soon Hylia would wake up from her dream. Realizing that too, Dojigiri Yasutsuna and Seilenos intended to give Hylia a hint on how to awaken them.

Magical words started to be engraved on her palm, Dojigiri Yatusuna's hint on her right and Seilenos' clues on her left.

"Dooji, "Swift death for evil." Hmm? Is this your hint? ... Alright, I'll look for it."

Finished with the blade to her right, Hylia saw the sword on her left who're also seeking her attention.

"As for Seile huh? ... "True Love." ... and more? ... "Protect my friend." ... Alright, I'll definitely look and do it! Dooji! Seile! Thank you very much, let's treat each other well from now on!"

Swift death for evil, True love, and then to Protect her friends.

Those are clue and hints delivered by the two who slowly becoming more closer with their holder. A clue that is still related to their respective history.

"... Yes, see you later~"

As for Hylia who could now hear their voices more clearly than before, she's become deeply happy as she woke up from her dream with a delighted smile.

--------------------

「Azur Lane Academy, Eagle Union's infirmary」

"Commander..."「San Diego」

"What is it Sandy-kun?" (Sakura Zeimachi)

"This girl... she's smiling while still sleeping. Should I wake her up?"「San Diego」

"Just let her be, now be sure to wear your jacket in the proper way Anchorage-kun." (Sakura Zeimachi)

"Hnn~ Wear it... take it... off for Sensei hehe..."「Anchorage」

"... Why did you take it off again? *Sigh*... Sandy-kun, just let her. Probably... she's having quite a good dream right now." (Sakura Zeimachi)

Another morning has arrived together with their changes. It doesn't matter how liminal or how small the amount of their change, because what matters the most is their desire to continue to achieve what they really want.

Despite being unable to ease the thought from holding it all, and despite being unable to heal the wound from the past... they kept on walking.

- Alastor of the Crimson Lord : Alastor from Shakugan no Shana -

- Alastor of the Devil's Arm : Alastor from Devil May Cry -

- Kruna za utre from Macedonian : A crown for tomorrow -