43 - New Checkpoint

Like before, it felt like he was merely blinking.

When he opened his eyes, the scenery had undergone a drastic transformation, and it was dark. It only took a split second for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, and then he realized he was back—not to the morning before the war started, but...

In front of the dying Morgan Le Fay, in the basement of the vampires' church.

She wasn't breathing.

"Morgan Le Fay—"

Burn grasped her body, vividly recalling the events of this moment in time. He lifted her from the coffin and kissed her as he swiftly carried her out of the basement. Time, after all, was of the essence.

As Burn strode out of the basement with Morgan in his arms, the resident vampires took one look and nearly tripped over their own robes trying to intervene.

But their fangs dropped when they saw Morgan not just alive but actively reaching out to continue her impromptu make-out session with Burn.

"…Slow… down…" she murmured between breaths.

"You ask me to slow down when you know what's coming?" Burn retorted, his tone dripping with incredulity. "At this rate, your disciple is going to end up dying too."

"I know…" Momo whispered against his lips, "But we… at least… need to speak to Vlad…"

Burn spun on his heels.

Burn's impatience was obvious as he questioned her. "Can you even speak properly?" he asked.

"I...I'm sorr..." Momo struggled, her voice barely a whisper. Even her tongue was still weak.

"What are you trying to tell him?" Burn pressed further.

"...thank—" she started.

"Thank you, and what?" he interjected.

"...that..."

"Is it something you can't tell me?" Burn guessed.

"No...t... reall..."

"What can't you tell him?" Before they realized it, they had encountered Vlad in one of the church's hallways. Vlad added with an understanding voice, "I will read your mind if you don't want him to hear."

Gathering her remaining strength, Momo whispered, "Mas...ter Vl...ad…" she paused, "My father... he... had died..."

***

Previously, they thought they had time to wait a bit for Momo's recovery in the church. But now, with the knowledge of impending events, idling around was not an option.

While they had the luxury of speaking to Vlad personally before, this time constraints forced a different approach. They needed to accelerate Momo's recovery, hence the strategic, albeit annoying, kissing.

Not much had changed, except for the return of the chariot—because they came back, the chariot was back too. 

Momo, determined to prevent Yvain from going on a rampage, and Burn, aimed to stop whatever that had previously ended her life.

They had returned in time, and this moment served as their checkpoint. Literally—they respawned together after her death.

"It doesn't matter who died, right? Why did you save me when we're going to return either way?"

Momo raised her face to him, her expression serious. "Did you not notice the difference?"

"There's a difference?" Burn's tone was incredulous.

Momo nodded solemnly at his question. "If it's you who died, it will be you who'll pay the price. Your soul…"

Burn had killed himself once.

But he did it right after he woke up, managing to awaken almost immediately afterward. Presumably, the cost wasn't as steep for him.

"I am the Infinite Witch. My soul is 'infinite', albeit needing some time to 'recover'. My soul won't perish even though I lose everything," Momo explained, her tone laced with both authority and a hint of weariness. "But you…"

Her words trailed off, leaving an ominous silence that suggested the stakes were much higher for Burn.

"I know," Burn sighed. "You saved me."

But just a split second later, his face immediately shifted to cold indifference. "If not because you did it to use me in your curse."

Inside the chariot, Momo narrowed her eyes. No matter what, this man wouldn't appreciate her help, huh?

Well, the reason she cursed him was so she could force him to change everything. Not to mention how she was using him to maintain her life with his Force right now.

"I'm sorry for being weak," she suddenly blurted out.

"And yes, I'm serious. I should've been able to at least fend for myself now that I'm awake and with you. The curse should have been enough to weigh you down, not to have me as an added burden."

If she weren't so fragile, everything would've been a breeze. She also wouldn't have had to stoop to begging for his help like this. How utterly undignified.

"You're right," Burn conceded, his tone almost too casual.

Momo attempted to mask her reaction, but perhaps his words stung more than she expected.

"But let's not forget, you're also the only one who managed to bring me to my knees," Burn added with a smirk. "You're my first defeat."

Burn, the celebrated genius of the century, the one-man army who repelled the outsiders, the destined unifier of the world—Caliburn Soulnon Pendragon.

Even as she was just on the mend, Burn was convinced that one day when she fully recovered, she would effortlessly defeat him repeatedly.

Even in her weakened state, she had managed to turn back time on him rather than resort to something as final as killing him.

Morgan Le Fay, the Infinite Witch.

"I'll make sure you remain my only defeat, now and forever."

BTHMP!

Burn felt an unexpected thump against his chest, prompting him to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Right there, Momo's voluptuous chest was pressed against his, and from it, he felt a loud, unmistakable heartbeat. Distracted from the road, he turned to see her face turned away, her cheeks blooming with a soft, embarrassed blush.

"Your heart… it just went wild for a moment. Is your organ still failing?" Burn asked, his irritation thinly veiled.

"Yes," Momo replied, fanning herself with her hand, her face still painted in shades of red. "Kiss me, then?"

"Tch," Burn clicked his tongue, the sound dripping with exasperation and annoyance.

Hitting the autopilot button on the chariot, Burn was ready for another kissing session. He noticed how her blush hadn't disappeared, and remembering how she almost never blushed at him before, he wondered what was different this time.

Well, she was just awake from her dying state. It made sense that she looked a bit weaker, felt a bit softer… and melted right on top of him.

Maybe because they had been kissing non-stop since she opened her eyes—?