"Welcome home, Cade Valentine. Also, long time no see." greet the tiny little girl who wear a military attribute and sitting on the dining table.
The girl then smell the fragrant of a tea in his hand while closing her eyes. Filling her body with the calmness from the tea fragrant. Thus when she open her eyes again, it suddenly emitting an eerie atmosphere to whomever see her eyes. The girl then put the cup and both of her hand on the table, ready for having a friendly conversation with him.
On the other side, Cade is trembling deep in his heart. But he keep pretending to be tough even when the girl known him very well how's his feeling right now. Her sudden appearance in his house make him scared even more, knowing that the girl is an all-around.
"Why are you here?" ask Cade while trembling.
"Isn't it obvious, I missed you so much. But now, you seem scared of me. I mean you no harm and I even welcome you here. Don't you think it's quite rude, how you repay my kindness by scared at me like that?" the girl smile ominously.
"To the point, what do you want from me?"
"Haste as always I see. If that is the game you want to play, let's just start then." the girl then rise her hand then snap her finger, "Majordome~"
"Yes, milady." answer the butler in white addressed as Majordome beside her.
The butler then take the towel on his left hand. He flap the towel and then the towel somehow become wider and larger. From it, he pull someone inside the towel and reveal it blatantly in front of Cade. The towel disappear, only the girl Cade familiar with is left on Majordome's hand. The trick is successful, he surprise him very well.
"Nera !" shout Cade.
As he look back, Nera is nowhere to be found and yes it wasn't an illusion or so. Gatto Nera is being held by Majordome and unconscious on his arm. Cade is freaking out before them. Seeing Gatto Nera is being snatch from his hand easily even when he still yet to reveal the girl to them.
"WHAT are you doing? Release her IMMEDIATELY!!" said Cade angrily.
"I wonder if I would. Then, don't be scared like that." tease the girl while slightly laughing.
"What do you want, boss?" ask Cade helplessly.
The girl who addressed by Cade as his boss then stand up from her chair. With a single cue of her hand, Majordome let The Boss to carry Nera on her arm. The Boss is slightly taller than Nera thus when she catch Nera using her hand they looks like hugging each other. So then, Majordome could set aside the table and chair, and make their conversation even more comfortable while leaving the chair behind The Boss remain unmoved.
Suddenly, after Majordome set aside the table, Gatto Nera is gain her conscious back and immediately surprised seeing a girl that looks the same age as her, is hugging her. Gatto Nera push her away but then she is the one who fall and The Boss is still immovable and steady as a rock.
Once Gatto Nera met her eyes, an immersive ominous aura is suddenly overwhelm her and make her trembling so much. A fear, the same fear she felt when facing the one beneath the sun is also could be felt residing inside The Boss. The one who possessed an immersive power as the one beneath the sun.
"Cade....." said Nera while freaked so much and slowly crawl to Cade.
Cade then immediately grab her shoulder, pull him over, and cower beside her who's unable to move a single muscle. "I know. It's even worse than the one I fought back in the day. She is the one I always tell you about." Cade then grab her hand to make her calm.
"Who.... are you? Why'd you have the same aura as her ?!" ask Nera while still freaked by The Boss aura.
"AHAHAHAHA.... Your mouth is quite big for the size of your body. As a reward, I'll let you know who I am." The Boss cross her arm in front of her chest, "The name's Tania Bloodtide, your master former boss. Or people would love to call me, The Tiny Devil."
"Devil....." mumble Nera.
"Yes Devil. I am the one who put people in fear if they were dare to oppose me. The same as the guy who's now beside you. Rotten to his core. We were both the former of four pillar of chaos."
Refuse to believe to what she said, Gatto Nera frowned. She has seen quite enough to see the inner side of Cade. "What do you mean ? Cade is a good guy ! No way he is rotten as you said."
"LEAVING his comrade away on the battlefield, letting his friend to die for him, abandon the mission I gave to him SO HE could runaway! Accuse me as traitor even when we always going out together." Tania shout, "So.... what do you think?" she smiled to her.
"He has a reason ! I know that he--"
Suddenly, Cade shut her mouth by his hand. He lowering his face, feeling guilt that makes him unable to speak and can't let his foul deeds defended by someone he care a lot. Deep inside, he just didn't want to hear his evil deeds anymore. He want to forget all of it and begin a new life where those evil deeds is not exist.
Seeing her face, Gatto Nera also lowering her face. She can't do anything for him and somehow she feels like losing something that she treasure the most after hearing the truth. The room is suddenly silent. Nobody is speaking until The Boss started the conversation again.
"One thousand five hundred and fifty five comrades--"
"Shut up !"
"--You've been left behind."
"Shut up !!"
"Everyone is dead--"
"Shut up !!!"
"Unless one runaway from the battlefield."
"SHUT UP !!!" Cade finally lost his sanity. "Just shut up.... shut up.... shut up... I don't want to hear that. I am not abandoning them.... I just.... Shut up....."
Tania Bloodtide is smiling, she's satisfied after seeing the result. Cade is tearing apart and dripping his tear like a child losing their mom. He kneel before her, he contemplating himself by just kneeling and think back. Gatto Nera is also fall silent since there is nothing she could do to defend her master. Looking at this miserable view, Majordome feels sorry.
"Milady, I think this is the time." pity Majordome.
"Yes it is." answer The Boss.
She then approach Cade closer, lift his head and look at his guilt eyes closer. A ray of light then emitting from Tania's eyes, brighten his teary eyes and lighten his world once again. Like a wind sweeping the flower fields, Cade emotion is being swept away and his calm is back again. A fear that he felt is suddenly gone together with his worry. Everything that burden him is being swept away and now he's back to his nature again.
"What do you want?" ask Cade.
"I want you to take your vengeance."
Suddenly, Gatto Nera pulling his master away from her. Her face is strict, she's trying to protect Cade again whatever it cost and no matter if it wrong or not. The only thing she believe is that she must protect Cade and grant his wish no matter how. Just now, she think that Tania is a bad girl who tried to exploit her master again despite after throw him away like a garbage.
"LIAR! You are a liar." Gatto Nera stand up for his master, "You just want use my master power for yourself ! You just want to bestow everything like you did before to my master. I know it, you are the one who behind it. You are the one who gave him that nightmare. Don't be fooled, Cade. Like you've always told me, she is the devil!"
Tania then bursting her laugh. Her tears is overflow while he laugh so hard after hearing Gatto Nera's speeches to defend her master. Such a foolish girl she think, such an adorable little girl she is she think, she's yet to know the world but she tried to save the world she think.
Until then, she finally holds her consciousness back then talk straight to her, "You... you are a Servant of Light, aren't you?"
Cade and Gatto Nera's eye is wide-open, they didn't expect to hear the word come from The Boss's mouth. While Tania is still tried to stop her laughter, both of them surprised like their life depends on it. Cade immediately stand up and Gatto Nera is prepared for an impact. Nobody in this world know about the existence of The Servant of Light, except for a few. Tania Bloodtide is now considered as the few who know about their existence. And knowing it means that she may hunt the existence of the witches called Servant of Light, means killing them.
"Seems I've pulled the string. You truly are The Servant of Light." state Tania without hesitation.
"Who are you? How do you know about them?" ask Cade skeptically.
"Captain Cade Valentine, I took off your right to speak and I'd like to hear her explanation."
Gatto Nera then venture herself to approach Tania Bloodtide. With her tiny body, she stood before her mighty appearance and straighten her body. She sharpens her eyes, crossing her arms, and frown her forehead trying to act disobedient in front of The Great Major General Tania Bloodtide. On the other hand, Tania Bloodtide shows her how a perfect soldier stand.
"Then, what will happen if I say yes." said Nera bravely.
Tania Bloodtide then giggle, she slowly expresses her laughter even more. Then, she spread her arms like she welcome Nera in her hug. "Of course, I could use you better, what more do you expect?"
"Die!"
Gatto Nera then launch her punch right away, straight to her face. Tania Bloodtide didn't even attempt to stop the punch. She welcomes her hand on her face as her body would say. A loud sound of face getting punch could be heard. But then, odd things occur right away.
White fluids then came out from Gatto Nera's fist, it starts crawling into her hand and paralyze her immediately. Like there's something pulling her hand, she struggles to escape the paralyzing effect Tania brought to her. Realizing what's happened to her, Cade immediately catch and pull her body out of the trap. But unfortunately, he also trapped, and his body paralyzed as he touch her part of body.
"A reality you seek to punch me has never been a reality from the beginning. A face you hit has also never been my face." said Tania while step back from the white fluids that trapped Gatto Nera and Cade Valentine.
"Cade.... I am scared." said Nera, trembling.
"Just hold on, Nera. I will always protect you and we will be always together."
"Behold, the world which only the three of us exist." she then flick her finger.
The white fluids Tania brought swallow them whole and release their body without their consciousness. Cade and Nera body collapse soulless, yet the user of the magic also fell unconscious. Majordome immediately catch her unconscious body and gently put her into his care on his arm.
Tania Bloodtide fell asleep, Majordome looking at her beautiful sleeping face. Kissing her forehead, Majordome wishing her luck in silent. He then put The Boss on a nearby sofa so she could rest well in her sleep.
Majordome sit on the sofa beside her. He then pour down a cup of a tea then sip it like his milady did. "Milady, everything goes well as you said. If everything still goes as you said, I am sure that your life sustainability is guaranteed. I hope you could persuade them as your plan. I will always by your side, life or death. Your dream is the purest of them all...."
To be continued.....