Ah… The damn blue sky…
I remember you like the last time I laid here.
Aria laid still in the middle of a crater that goes deep due to reasons she doesn't need explanations of.
It had been obviously because of her. More accurately, the impact between her and the ground.
'How nice it would be if falling in love was as quick as that. Thinking so, does falling in love also come with a package of unbearable pain?'
She wondered silently, trapped in her own thoughts.
After a few more minutes, she decided to sit, getting out of her lax position.
"...Not a windy day today, is it?"
Aria lamented with dead eyes as she looked around her, massive rises of dirt and rocks creating waves as no trees could be seen from the middle of this crater she had been a part of.
After all, she had been in this exact scenario a week prior, the day she had just woken up in this world. Minus the near death experiences.
Although it was a beautiful sight, knowing that she had almost died due to this left her speechless.
Finally feeling the adrenaline rush calming down, she could finally ponder upon some questions that had arisen.
Some questions may have left along with the pain, but the prominent ones she could still remember.
First of all, that light that had engulfed her vision.
The yellow light had taken over a vision for a split second before practically reviving back her dead cells, allowing her to take in colors again.
How did those cells die? Probably the fall.
Going through her memories, she can't recall ever seeing such a thing. Though, from what she could tell, it was most definitely magic.
Otherwise, no other way could she explain the phenomenon in which her battered body was rejuvenated in the span of a dozen seconds.
Could it be Rachel?
But she's nowhere near here. Could it be that there's a technique in which you'd be able to cast a spell on a target far away?
From what Rachel had said during their second meeting, she's able to heal others.
Although Aria doesn't know how long it took, there is no doubt that it is true.
Since Aria herself had been saved by such a spell while practically being on the verge of death, what makes her think that it can't be done again?
"Hah…"
Aria sighed out with unknown emotions blaring through them.
'The pain brought out memories from my old world…'
Since it had happened years ago, the previous 'Aria', who was a male, was not able to remember much of what had happened.
But the shock therapy had exercised her mind, bringing up some memories.
'...I'll leave them at the back of my mind.'
Thinking of letting her future self take care of her future problem, Aria huffed a breath.
She stood up and thought of bringing her body up the edge of the crater.
Apparently, the crater was not really that deep as the moment she got on her feet, she was able to make out the trees and grass around her.
'Then why was there a tough stone under me?'
Looking down, a rocky texture was revealed. Greyish color seemingly made to blend in with the natural resources around it.
That is not a natural occurrence.
Though…
'...Cold.'
Aria felt cold. Not physically, but she's been feeling chills since the moment her body healed.
This was supposed to be one of the questions she sought an answer for, but the feeling of dread had captured her mind, leaving her vulnerable.
If she were to make a comparison…
'It's like that feeling I got back in town right after the march of the group…'
She could vividly remember that feeling. It was definitely the most dangerous feel she'd ever felt in a long time.
Aria looked up towards the sky once more. Since it's been a while since she flew here, the cloudy clouds were slowly beginning to take over.
In her eyes, even the clouds look familiar. Aria knows that she doesn't have that good of a memory, but those clouds…
They're exactly the same clouds as the one that had appeared on the horizon during her first outing with Rachel.
Since it didn't rain that day, she figured the direction of the clouds had changed.
And now, it's slowly encroaching the previously clear sky.
Aria could somewhat read and predict how much time it will take for them to completely cover everything.
'Approximately… 10 minutes.'
That was not that much time.
She decided to move out of the crater first. After doing so, she began to search for cover while consciously avoiding the direction that screams danger.
Though, she began to panic once her instinct screamed at her to dodge to the left.
ZING
A ray of light consumed her previous position. Along with it, a long pathway of destruction…
No, it was not a line of destruction, there was nothing.
Trees were cut out of existence while soils stood still, not realizing a chunk of them had been deleted.
Aria felt cold sweat covering her neck at the realization.
If I didn't trust my gut feeling… I would've died.
Fear.
That's the only thing that could describe her feeling as of now.
She was filled with terror, unlike previously when she had just accepted her end.
After all, she had just rejected Death's invitation. And yet, another letter arrived immediately after.
"Lottery my ass… I could've become a protagonist with this kind of misfortune!"
Spitting out words that even she could not comprehend, Aria turned her head.
She regretted that decision.
In her eyes, death itself was waving towards her.
A mythological creature that ruled over both the sky and the ground alike.
White scales seemingly shining under all circumstances with horns that stabbed through the clouds.
Mouth letting out smokes after shooting a beam of light that's able to decimate everything in its way.
A size bigger than a mansion and eyes that's able to captivate even the most humble of individuals.
In her bewilderment, she voiced. "...A dragon."
Man… this world really decided to send me the final boss of the fantasy genre as my second opponent…