The first thing Amara noticed when he saw Darka was that he looked terrible. In addition to being soaked and covered in bruises, he had a deep purple mark on his neck where Katarina had grabbed him. It had been a few weeks since he visited his workshop, and all this time Amara thought he wouldn't come back.

— You look terrible.

For some reason, the young mechanic wanted to feel angry, but even if he gathered all his determination to fight with Darka, any trace of irritation disappeared as soon as the Unpronounceable's surprised expression turned into a crying grimace.

— Amara, is that you?! — Darka started to cry, shrugging his shoulders and trying to wipe his face. — Oh god, you really exist! You're here and you're fine and... I wanted to see you so much...

Alternating their gaze between the two, Miko gave Amara a disapproving face.

— Mr. Amara, you made Darka cry!

— Me?! But I just arrived!

As if remembering something, Miko stood in front of his friend in a defensive position.

— Darka is a very nice and kind person, and he is neither evil nor ugly! He's my friend and he's always helped me, he said he really likes you and doesn't want you to fight with him!

Giving Darka a thumbs up, Miko only received a surprised look in response.

— And he's also funny and likes to complain and swears a lot, but he's just noisy and doesn't do anything, right, Daena?

— Don't get me involved in that matter, please! — The girl, who was still watching the scene confused, just shook her head.

— And if you think he's a bad person, I feel obliged to... bite you!

A silence hovered for a few seconds after the luziwurm's small revolt. Darka, still with some tears streaming down his face, looked at Amara trying to see what his reaction would be. It was very kind of Miko to stand up for him, meaning that all the worry he had during the trip didn't go unnoticed by the little kid.

— Okay... — Amara laughed, softening the situation. — You don't need to bite me, I must taste like grease.

— I-I was going to see you, but some things happened... — Darka wiped his face with his hands, trying to regain his composure. — It was a difficult week.

— I noticed. — Amara approached, looking at the young man who now looked embarrassed. — You're different.

A chill crept up his spine. It had been a while since Lauren no longer thought of herself as a transmigrated consciousness, and Amara's words made some worries, which had been ignored since she woke up as Darka, come back to the surface. She didn't plan on explaining to anyone there that "Darka" was just an avatar, that everyone there was a character and that the existence of that world itself was in the form of a game in another parallel reality. Deep down, Lauren was afraid that being self-conscious of this might cause her to wake up, as if this was all a fragile dream.

— Darka? — Amara broke him out of his thoughts. — You don't look well, we better get out of here.

— It's ok. — He wiped his face, still looking a little lost in his thoughts.

Daena looked at her friend in tears in disbelief, thinking that she would never have imagined seeing him like that. Whoever this Amara was seemed to be important enough to make him turn into a crybaby. A subtle spasm in Katarina's body took her attention away from the reunion.

✰★✰★✰

Katarina's head hurt, her body felt heavy and a bitter taste bothered her mouth, but what bothered her most was the feeling that she was unconscious. She thought she was having a lucid dream, but she didn't remember feeling pain during dreams.

Around her was a dense forest on a cloudy day, as calm as a lake in winter. There was no sound of animals, insects or even wind, and the monotony was broken only by the presence of someone a few meters away. A figure seemed to be sitting with its back to her, but aware of her presence. Her slightly voluptuous body was graceful and her dress reminded Katarina of the people who lived among the trees of the so-called enchanted forests. A long braid of brown and red hair was wrapped around one of her arms, cut to the same height as the paladin's own hair.

— I am really sorry. — The person's voice was full of remorse. — Our contract ends here.

— Tharia...? Are you the goddess Tharia?!

Katarina quickly knelt, lowering her head. Almost immediately she felt a hand stroke her hair, and she looked up to see Tharia smiling at her. Her eyes were teary and her face was wet with tears.

— I ended up letting myself get carried away. I'm really sorry. She was right, I let myself get carried away too easily.

— She?

— Yrienna. My sworn sister. My lover and friend.

Katarina didn't understand what that meant. She felt that if she thought about it a little, she would understand, but she didn't seem to want to know what it was about. Yrienna? Could it be Yrina?

— The witch... was your companion?!

— You're free, Katarina Aurea. — Tharia turned to leave.

— No... Wait, my goddess! Don't I deserve an answer? After all that?!

Tharia sighed and bent down, holding Katarina's hands. The tears returned, and her voice almost broke.

— Yes. Yrienna... was my lover. But she fell in love with the world, and decided to live for it. She left me. I was... I'm still so angry... — A faint red aura escaped the goddess's figure, but soon dissipated. — But... it's just me...

Katarina saw Tharia shrink, as if trying to disappear. Now she understood that much of the hatred and bitterness she felt was not exactly hers alone, but rather a reflection of the power of the divinity that inhabited her body. Feeling her own feelings was something new and strange, even more so because she felt a kind of disappointment growing.

— I'm sorry... — Katarina blinked. — But what does it mean?

— I used you. I used your ancestor too, Angelo, and many before him. When Yrienna left me, in my hatred I told the people that there was a fallen deity walking the world, dangerous and destructive. I saw the chance to avenge my broken heart by doing so, and I offered my power to whoever could destroy it. I took souls to vent my anger, since as equals, I am unable to hurt her alone. I thought erasing Yrienna from existence would also erase the pain, but... I was foolish.

— That... I don't know... — Katarina seemed confused. Her beliefs were in check there, but she still felt that there was nothing wrong with what Tharia did. Perhaps feeling what she had felt for so long had made the paladin identify too much with the goddess's morals. — I cannot feel angry with your grace.

Tharia found herself surprised by Katarina's response. She expected feelings of anger and revenge as well, but only received understanding. That hurt, because it was the second time they didn't give her the hate she wanted to receive.

— I'm tired of all this. Like I said, it was only me who was stuck with that feeling. Yrienna was never bothered enough to care. — Tharia got up. — I leave you my blessing, as an apology.

With a subtle kiss on Katarina's forehead, the goddess returned the woman's soul. It was a strange feeling to have it back, like finding something lost for so long that you no longer remember what it was like to have it.

— Hang on! Your grace, where are you going?

— I'm leaving.

— Where to?

— You are an incredible woman, Katarina. Strong, honest, confident. Don't let the world tell you what to do.

Katarina saw Tharia's image begin to fade, and it was as if along with her a large piece of her was gone as well. She felt the anger, bitterness, and revenge lessen, but they were still there. Before the goddess completely disappeared, Katarina remembered to ask something.

— How did that boy know your name?

— I would like to know too. — Tharia smiled sadly. — I have not used this name for many ages, as Yrienna only called me Tharia. Goodbye, Katarina.

The paladin's hand reached out trying to reach the goddess, but found a void. Losing Tharia was like losing herself, since Katarina didn't even remember what her life was like before the divinity inhabited her body. She was conditioned to believe that her very existence was the task of protecting the world, and no longer being who she was made to be was quite a shock.

This time, it was Katarina's crying voice that resonated through the forest.

— But... what now?

✰★✰★✰

— Huh?

Late at night, Jean watched the strange group approach the workshop, where she was waiting for Amara to return from Caadis with new supplies. In addition to the mechanic, there were a luziwurm, a red-haired girl apparently her age, a disheveled boy and an unconscious woman on his back.

— I thought you were going to bring some parts or tools, not a... wait, is that the Unpronounceable?!

— And I thought you went home. — Amara tried to shoo his friend out of his workshop door. — Today's service is over, go away.

The girl stamped her foot, refusing to take even a step, and looked deep into Amara's eyes.

— You have the biggest news of the century back there and you have the audacity to try to leave me out? Do you hate me that much?

Amara sighed, opening the door and pushing her inside before they could start an argument. Motioning the rest of the group to enter, he checked the practically deserted street and confirmed that the rain that afternoon had made everyone stay at home. When closing the door, he stopped for a few seconds with his hand on the doorknob, gathering courage to deal with the problem he knew he would have that night.