#5-10 Magic Attacks and Chaos | Origin of Memories: The City Where the Ice Queen Sleeps

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Chapter 10: Magic Attacks and Chaos

Tato was running northwest through the forest without even wearing a hood.
His breath was white, and the cold air stung his cheeks.

Mimi had occasionally gone out of control, just as she had since the time they first met.

In the morning, distant trees would be scorched, or if she was nowhere to be seen, pillars of fire would rise in the distance.
Mimi never spoke about it.
Tato never pressed her for answers either.
He assumed it was likely because she was letting off steam while alone.

That was precisely why Tato tried to stay by Mimi's side as much as possible.

When Mimi went out of control, she was always covered in wounds. Standing in the flames with an expressionless face, seeking no one's help, she looked as if she were trapped in chaos and deep sorrow.
Tato had treated her wounds many times in silence.

What worried him was that Mimi's outbursts were always "sudden."

It resembled the phenomenon where magic attacks emitted from the iceberg occurred without any warning.
It might be the influence of the iceberg—Tato had a vague feeling that this was the case.

(This fire is bigger than any before.)

Tato moved through the forest at full speed with a grim expression.

Io ran alongside him perfectly, without even a single breath out of place.

Before long, the smell of burning began to drift, and beyond a row of charred black trees, a wide-open clearing appeared.
Mimi was standing in the center of it.

Burnt leaves fluttered down, and the wind magic attack 'Soujin' swirled around Mimi.

The moment Tato tried to approach, the ground beneath his feet began to heat up.

(A magic attack from underground!)

He instinctively jumped to the side. Immediately after, a pillar of fire erupted from the ground.

It is abnormal for magic attacks to be this concentrated in the forest.
Tato looked back at Io.

"Is this forest always like this?!"

"No, it isn't. This must be a magical phenomenon gathering for some other reason."

With a rush, the wind began to flow as if it were reversing.
Snow-covered branches swayed, and grains of ice struck his cheeks.

"Is it... Soujin again?!"

Tato looked up at the iceberg and braced himself.
There is no way to counter magic attacks; one can only dodge them.

But Io quietly stepped forward in front of Tato.

At that moment—a 'wind' that seemed to tear through the mist was born from nowhere, and
a crescent-shaped wind cloaked in white mist struck all at once.

"There are so many...!"

As Tato raised his voice, Io stretched one hand forward and whispered low.

"Wind, calm down and return to all memories
—Arka Lumina."

The air turned into a curtain of light.
The attacking crescent winds slowed down instantly and vanished, as if being absorbed into the air.

Only Tato's ragged breathing echoed in the plaza.

"...Is that... magic?"

He finally managed to squeeze out the words.

"I possess the art of sealing 'memories.' This phenomenon is an echo of suffering.
If I return those memories to 'records,' I can sometimes stop the rampage."

Tato's eyes widened at the fact he was hearing for the first time.

Ray and Ruri arrived there.

"Where is Mimi?!"

Mimi had many cuts, her skin was burned by her own flames, and she had lost consciousness while standing still.
Ruri hurriedly laid Mimi down and chanted a spell.

~

One, oh wind; two, oh shadow;
Three, carry the light;
Oh soul, stay here now;
Irees Damfam

~

Along with the song of prayer, Mimi fell asleep.
It seemed her wounds had been temporarily staunched.

Ta wrapped Mimi in a cloak, and when To gently picked her up, they headed toward the church tower in silence.

Io led the way quietly.

The iceberg, cloaked in snow and attended by swirling snow clouds, looked down coldly upon the forest.

(To be continued)

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