Memory 5: Goodbye

° I loved you. I really have. I deeply regret that you had to sleep for so long. After all, it was my fault ... That's why I sent the children to you. They do not know how they are connected to me and yet ... In spite of this connection, one of the children has become your enemy. In the end, will you, whom I love most in the world - even more than God - die one day at the hand of one of my creatures? No, that mustn't happen! Come back to me ... Chrno ... ° The young woman's hand slid to her chest, where her aching heart was beating. ° I've always loved you! °

& # 8222; Chrno !! Enough now, stop it! & # 8220; Rosette screamed with all her might, but the devil didn't hear her. Slowly the tears welled up in her eyes. Why didn't he hear her screams? This damn helplessness almost drove her to despair! & # 8222; Chrno, please listen to me !!!& # 8220; But then she realized the reason he didn't hear her.
She knew this condition, she had seen it before: she was pale as the moon on a cold winter night. The contours of her hair and clothing seemed to melt in the dark. It was that ghostly state in which the spell of the pocket watch overwhelmed and confused her soul and separated her mind from her body. ° Oh, no ... °, she sighed softly. ° What the hell should I do now? .... °
Chrno was breathing hard. His mind had long since stopped fighting, but his body no longer seemed to obey him and let him keep mutilating the centaur's corpse. & # 8222; I have to reach him somehow! & # 8220; She stood right in front of him and called his name over and over again. He punched through her and the lust for murder in his eyes had given way to sadness and despair. & # 8222; Chrno ... & # 8220;Was that really still her voice? She had sounded so much older and more mature.
& # 8222; My Chrno ... & # 8220; Suddenly he stopped.
& # 8222; You? & # 8220;
His voice trembled and he held out his hand
& # 8222; Is it really you? & # 8220;
Then he winced and looked around. At the back of the table he asked: & # 8222; Asmaria? Rosette?! & # 8220; & # 8222; Chrno ... & # 8220; He saw her blurry, naked form before him. & # 8222; Are you ok? & # 8220; he asked carefully as he assumed his original (energy-saving) shape. & # 8222; Do I look like this? & # 8220; she asked and put her hands cheekily on her hips. He returned her smile tentatively and stared into space. & # 8222; It was a dream ... & # 8220; - & # 8222; Chrno ... I .... I think I have to go back. & # 8220; said Rosette suddenly and already began to dissolve. & # 8222; I'll come soon and bring you & # 8222; Angelsgrey & # 8220; & # 8220; - & # 8222; Do that!& # 8220; said she, formed a & # 8222; Peace & # 8220; Sign and finally dissolved. & # 8222; Don't worry, I'll save you ... & # 8220 ;; he whispered, then stomped over to Asmaria, lifted her into his arms and ran off into some shaft where the Angelsgrey could possibly be hidden.

Rosette woke up. She knew that she had not dreamed: Chrno's soul had called her and her spirit had answered his call. But whose voice was it that spoke through them? ° No, Rosette, now is not the time to brood! You have to help Chrno and Asmaria !! ° She tried to lift her head, but she quickly lay down again when her cervical vertebrae cracked loudly. ° Oh, no ... ° She ran both hands over her face and winced when she noticed the many deep wrinkles. The aging process was more advanced, she should be around 70 now.When she got up, a spasmodic pain ran through her left leg. & # 8222; Au !! & # 8220; she scolded herself, then stumbled towards the tattered leather curtain that separated her bedroom from the rest of Mihaly's house. The old master was nowhere to be seen, so she secretly slipped through the iron-studded wooden door and stumbled down the path south to where the mine her friends were in was. She had pain in all sorts of joints, but she kept walking in lockstep. She couldn't give up now, she knew she had to move on. She felt her heart thud in her head: Bo-bomm, Bo-bomm, Bo-bomm.
Over and over again, the sound made her crazy. She didn't even see any mountains in the distance where the mine might have been, but nevertheless it ran bravely, hour after hour.

Chrno checked the situation:
Asmaria was awake again, but had broken her arm, which he had barely splinted; he had completely lost his bearings in the shaft system and he had only 2 days to find Angelsgrey, the mysterious metal that had the power of spell and from which the hands of the pocket watch were made.Asmaria sat across from him and nibbled on half-dry bread, the provisions they had taken with them that morning as a precaution, but which had dried up very quickly down here near the forge fire. & # 8222; Chrno ... don't worry so much, we'll make it in time. & # 8220; she said shyly and he gave her a tired smile. For hours they had been searching the impenetrable tunnel system for the only material in the world that Rosette could still save. Asmaria shivered. & # 8222; Are you freezing? & # 8220; asked Chrno gently and, without waiting for an answer, put his coat around her shoulders. She sat down next to him and braided him. & # 8222; Rosette is tough. It'll hold out until we come. & # 8220; - & # 8222; Yes ... you are probably right and I am unnecessarily worried ... & # 8220;

Rosette knew now that she was lost.For more than a day she had slipped around in this wasteland without seeing a trace of a mine. She was thirsty, her throat seemed completely parched and her tongue was thick in her mouth. & # 8222; Chrno ... & # 8220; she gasped, although she knew he couldn't hear her. She wouldn't hold out much longer.

The sun was shining hot on the small country house on the beach. The leaves of the palm trees swayed gently in the wind and in their shadow sat a blond boy, his arms wrapped thoughtfully around his legs. The hot sand still burned through his black suit. As always, he had left the jacket open and the tie hung loosely around his neck. A young girl, around his age, around 15-16, with short black hair, in a housemaid's costume, approached him from the house. & # 8222; What do you see? & # 8220; she asked the usual question.& # 8222; My older sister. Do you remember? I told you about her. & # 8220; - & # 8222; Yes, I remember, Mr. Joshua. & # 8220; she replied politely as always. & # 8222; She needs my help. & # 8220; - & # 8222; What are they going to do? & # 8220; asked Fiole. & # 8222; I would like to see you again. & # 8220; he muttered. Then he got up and ran back through the hot sand into the big house.
//Aeon? //
// Yes, Joshua? //
// Do you remember my sister? Rosette? //
// Yeah, I know she's in danger. You want to help her. //
// Right, so don't be mad at me, will you? See you.//
//Soon...//
KLING. Joshua hung up. & # 8222; Come on Fiole, we're going. & # 8220; - & # 8222; Yes, Mr. Joshua. & # 8220; she replied immediately. Together they opened a gate to hell and disappeared in a vortex of red light.

Rosette had to sit down, the sweat was running from her forehead and the thirst made her almost insane.She was on the verge of desperation: although she was only 17 years old, her body was that of a 70-year-old. She felt the decay that had taken hold of her frail body. Suddenly she heard footsteps and turned around as quickly as possible. & # 8222; Arms rosette. & # 8220; came the voice of a young man. She didn't recognize the voice. It wasn't Father Remington, and certainly not Chrno, nor was it a Magdala priest she knew. & # 8222; I'm here to help you. & # 8220; - & # 8222; Who ... who are you? & # 8220; - & # 8222; Don't you recognize me sister & # 8220; Then it fell like scales from her eyes: the boy who stepped out of the shadows was her brother. & # 8222; Joshua ... w-where have you been? You've been missing since Aeon kidnapped you! Joshua !! & # 8220; She fell on his neck, crying. & # 8222; It's fine, old girl. & # 8220; he said with a smile. She hit him lightly on the shoulder with her fist.& # 8222; You still annoy me just as much as you used to! & # 8220; she howled laughing and let go of him again. She nodded to Fiole and asked: & # 8222; Who is that? & # 8220; - & # 8222; Fiole, my maid. She has taken good care of me for the past few years. & # 8220; he said gently, but Rosette thought he heard a kind of homesickness and a faint reproach in his voice. & # 8222; Joshua, come back with me, Father Remington and Sister Kate can certainly help you! & # 8220; - & # 8222; No, rosette. & # 8220; - & # 8222; N-no ?! & # 8220; - & # 8222; No. I couldn't stand the noise. & # 8220; - & # 8222; L-noise? What does this mean? & # 8220; - & # 8222; I'll explain that to you another time. Come on now, we have to help our old friend Chrno. & # 8220; he said with a wink.