Headed by a Snake



Sasarame clenched her fists and pointed her thumb at herself. 

"My father--"

"--is the strongest person I know," Pale interrupted. "If he says to trust in him, then that's what we'll do."

"Yeah," Ree said, suddenly deflated, "He says to jump. We jump before even asking how high."

"And after training," Gobbuto shook his head, "We somehow jump to moon."

Even the Holy Princess lent a hand of assurance, resting it on Sasha's heretical, xeno arm. 

"Y-you don't understand," Sasha said with a whimper. "I... can't believe you... You... All of you know what he's like..."

Troia took hold of her shoulders. 

Sasha wished she hadn't. 

Lady Troia was the only person she could not easily reject. 

That kind and gentle touch... that tiny bit of warmth and hope made Sasha's tears begin to flow like rain. 

[Make us understand, Sister,] Troia signed. 

Sasha wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. 

"E... every sun... he's out there," she said. 

"He's fighting," Pale nodded. 

Gobbuto placed a fist upon his chest, "For honor... and glory."

"One. hundred. percent. badass as f*ck," said Ree. 

Sasha sniffed, raising her chin. 

"But... it's always... on behalf of someone else," she said. "Besides... y'know, stuffing his face, there's not a trace of selfishness anywhere in his body."

Ree tilted her head, "Yeah... Boss is kinda weird about food."

"Miss Kimura. I was told you shed tears at dinner table," Gobbuto remarked, "first night you arrived?"

"Oy. I'm gonna hit you for real."

[Continue, Sister,] Troia signed. [Please.]

"My father..." Sasha whispered, "If you leave him alone... he'll sacrifice himself."

"N-no way," Pale said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Boss-- Sir Tycon is... a Tactician. He knows when to commit and he knows when to retreat. And it's always better to live to fight again-- there's just no way he'd--"

"He'd do it for you," Sasha said, clenching her teeth hard. "He'd do it for me. He'd do it for any of us-- and he doesn't even like Kimura!"

"Wait, not even a little?" Ree asked. 

[He'd never admit to it,] Troia signed. 

"I-- I don't like him either," Ree lied. 

"So?" Sasha prompted, "Say something, *Hero.*" 

Pale didn't dare respond. 

He couldn't. 

He just stood there, his bottom lip quivering like the spoiled, idiot-boy he was. 

[Dear Sister,] Troia signed... [You've seen it, haven't you? In your dreams?]

Sasha opened her mouth to respond-- but she choked on her tears and began to cough. 

Kimura began massaging her back... allowing her to recover enough to look back at the High Oracle. 

Placing her middle finger on her cheek, Sasha slid it up, before flicking her hand away. 

[I've seen it.]

Then, she turned to the so-called Hero.

...and forced herself to speak. 

"P... pale," she said... "My father-- h-he can't win... not... without... Sol Invictus.

"That's why... I'm asking you."

It hurt so much for her to say. She hated Pale-- loathed him with a passion. 

He was a disgusting, flippant, unserious boy that took everything for granted. 

Yet... he was the one that needed to be convinced to help her. 

Sasha got onto her knees. 

She bowed her head down, touching it to the cold, moss-covered stones. 

"Don't... let my father die," she begged. 

Pale knelt down by her side, "Sasha, don't do this. I'll help-- just..."

"Get A-WAY from me!!" Sasha screamed, pushing the boy away. 

She was absolutely furious. Did Pale think everything was going to be okay with a soft touch and a submissive whisper?? 

"I'm not interested in your empty lies, Pelor of Invictus!" she roared, "I know who you are! I've seen a hundred of your futures! 

As soon as she began... she could not stop. 

"I've seen you abandon entire REALMS! 

"I've seen your body and will BROKEN, thousands of your companions dead and forgotten!!"

It hurt.

No one but an Oracle was supposed to hear about their myriad futures. 

It was forbidden by an Ancient Law she was never told, but instinctually understood. 

Sasha's mana began to rage, tearing up the insides of her body-- but she didn't care. 

"I've seen you become a GOD!! I've seen you fall BEYOND the deepest pits of the seven hells!!

"And your EVERY incarnation, god or devil, man or beast-- you were nothing more than a COWARD!!"

A choir of glass bells reverberated throughout the cave as Troia spoke. 

"(hold her,)" she said. 

Sasha's left arm was grabbed onto by Gobbuto; his large hands held her tight with a crushing grip. 

Her right arm was wrapped up in Kimura's hold. It felt like it would break if she moved it back even one more ilm. 

Troia placed her palms on Sasha's chest. She began whispering a litany filled with Divine Power... forcing the rampaging mana to slow. 

Sasha was fairly certain she was dying-- or rather... if it wasn't for the High Oracle's quick thinking, she would be dead.

Her insides hurt. Blood had welled up in her throat. 

Her tears hurt-- she might have been crying blood, too. 

But despite her condition, she wasn't finished speaking. 

She spat out the blood in her mouth. 

"Hear me... Brother..." she said, "You will not abandon... our... father in this timeline.

"--or I swear... even it takes me... a thousand lifetimes... I'll make you pay."

Pale closed his eyes.

And he lowered his head. 

Did he understand?

*Could* he understand? 

The Pale of the current timeline was different enough from the others...

...but he was still Pale. 

Chosen by the fates.

The Undeserving Hero.

...the single strongest source of entropy in their timeline. 

That boy could change the future... 

But... were words enough to convince him to do the right thing, for once? 

Sasha closed her eyes. 

She... really was cursed. 

The silence was broken by a low, frustrated grunt. 

"Grrrgh... It is decided, then," Gobbuto growled, "but what... is next move?"

[We find a way,] Troia signed... 

"No matter what it takes," added Ree. 

With her task complete, Sasha's adrenaline began to wane. She collapsed onto the stones, barely any strength left in her body. 

She felt the squish of a mushroom beneath her head-- likely the quick work of Ree. 

Seriously...

Heroes, huh? 

Maybe there was hope, after all... 

Maybe... her dreams were wrong, for once. 

Suddenly, something broke the water's surface. 

And... something crawled out of the Pool of Reflection. 

It was... a web-footed sahuagin? 

A half-dozen others slipped smoothly out of the water-- so perhaps a forward scout? But it seemed they had not come for war. 

Only a single sahuagin had a weapon... Their leader, perhaps? 

"HELLO!" that person said, "Nice to... meet you!!"

"Eh?" Ree said, tilting her head. "Who the f*ck are you guys?"

"Yes, yes. I am well-- also! My. human name... is Becky!"[1]

Ree looked around, but seeing as no one else was saying anything, she took it upon herself. 

"O... kay. Why are you here? Becky?"

"Oh! We-- we take you-- bring to Sea God!" 

"On... whose orders?" Pale asked quietly. 

Becky flashed a full smile, filled with two rows of spiny teeth. 

"A Dragon!"

[1] Becky: See Chapter 629, Best Girl!