Father's contentment

It was that time once again. For the very first time in her new life after everything happened, Leila would return to the borders of Joya and pray at her father's grave. She was already on the horse and very close to the point where her own feet would have to carry her. The journey to this place was always a long one without the use of transportation magic, offering plenty of room for one to think. On the ship from Fiore to Bosco and then through Stella into the mountains of the jungle covered land of Joya. The girl often visited her father's grave ever since she buried him, but this time was different from the others. Other than the fact she was reborn and thus managed to avoid death, a reunion with this family of hers, she was also weaker than last time. In fact, her level of power was very similar to the time when she made the trip for the very first time. Back then, she received a letter from her father that explained many things surrounding her birth and origin. Well, even the Nameless Golem did not know the girl her was with was a fragment of a goddess in another world. She had to find that out for herself. And she did on her long journey that eventually ended in self-sacrifice for another person. She still clearly remembered it however, the day she came to that shack in mountains and saw her father's motionless body for the very first time. It was such a shock, she could not stop crying until there was no more liquid her eyes could produce.

But something like that... was a necessary portion of one's life. She would have to go through it eventually and the event managed to strengthen her for the adventure that was waiting for her. It was simply strange, returning to that place after so long and feeling like this. All of these different thoughts were surrounding the Eden's mage mind and being. She was no longer the goddess that she was supposed to be. Nor was she the hero of Fiore anymore with how her powers weakened. She was nothing more than just a simple girl that wished to wander on the roads of unknown again. And her only desire was to be with her father again. Even if he was not biologically related to her... hell, he wasn't even human. Machias, a sentient machines. That was what he was. And yet, he took the girl beneath his protective wings, on his adventure through the world. And he thought her how to survive and enjoy her life. Many would not expect something like that from seemingly emotionless machine. But the Golem was far from that. He didn't even have a name, yet he was everything to the silver haired girl that he took along with him, because he knew that it was wrong to just leave her alone in the wilderness where she would never survive. And just like that, her journey started. Her life started. And now, she could only sigh as she remembered all of it, the horse finally stopping as the terrain got even steeper than before. This was it. The small rocky path leading into the mountains and eventually ending by a small, broken down cottage. The only place her father ever called "home".

But even if he did call it that, there was not much truth to it. It was more like his base of operation, just somewhere he could always return to when he got lost in the world. Like the Northern Star for some, it was a point on a map he could always move from. The girl's steps very heavy as she climbed the steps ahead of her, the wind slowly picking up as her clothes and hair fluttered in it's grasp. This time around, she was also wearing a pretty heavy leather utility coat, almost looking like one of military quality. It originally belonged to her father too, but she kept it as a memento for this entire time. It was almost as if he himself was protecting her from the elements all around, the wind, cold and heat. Some would surely find that rather silly, but it helped the girl in some aspects. Especially when she was still mourning the loss. A constant embrace that was comforting her shivering body. Now, this embrace became quite natural for her. Just like many other things that you would encounter every single day, everything becoming mundane and completely ordinary. And at some point, she stopped wearing to coat for good too. Today she was having it embrace her frame again after a very long time. And it was nice. Finally atop the mountains, the girl found herself in something that could be called a clearing. Though it was still mostly just rock that covered the ground all around her, but at least the land in front of her was flat enough to host a small building nearby. It was supposed to be a familiar sight, and yet it wasn't. There was something very wrong going on here, something that made Leila nearly go out of her mind with rage.

The grave that was right next to the building dug up mercilessly and completely empty, surrounded by mechanical creatures, their appearance probably trying to mimic one of angels. They noticed the Eden's mage quickly and started retreating into a colorful portal that was simply afloat in the air nearby, large enough to transport several humans at once. Of course, the girl was paying very little attention to that, as she could only see these intruders, the grave robbers. Violating the resting place of her father like that was simply unforgivable for her like that. It was unusual that she would give herself into such emotions so easily, only emphasising just how serious this situation was. Not waiting a single second, she started giving chase at full speed as the mechanical dolls jumped through the portal one by one. And before it could be closed, she too managed to move right through. And on the other side, everything was completely unknown to her. A giant room filled with tables and machines, it was a workshop of some kind. Metallic gears adorning every little piece of space, many of the angelic robots hanging from the ceiling by wires, completed and disassembled. In view of some, this would be like a freak horror show without a doubt. Especially once a voice greeted the lass who leaped through the gate so bravely. "Welcome to my clockwork tower, child. Do you have any business with me?" Only now did she realize that shew as sitting on the ground as she didn't quite manage the landing, simply staring at everything around her while not exactly paying attention to what she should have been. And what she saw surprised her more than anything, ever.

There was a man standing there. Or perhaps "man" wasn't exactly the right word to use here? His upper body was of the masculine gender for certain, but the lower part only consisted of many different tentacles that all slithered on the ground like snakes seeking their prey, covered in pitch-black hair reminiscent of one that would cover the larger kinds of spiders. With a short black hair, he had strange spark behind his blue optics, staring right back at the girl. His outfit appeared to be somewhat ceremonial as well, a robe of white color with golden markings in symmetrical patterns. Well, he wasn't a human. That much was clear, right? Quickly getting up, Leila braced herself for possible incoming hostiles. After all, she followed a bunch of grave-robbing machines into this place, and whoever this was, he could be working with them! "Name's Leila Vergious and I have no idea who you're supposed to be. I see these machines all over the place... was it you who dug up that grave? Were you the one who stole my father's corpse?!" An expression filled with surprise to the brim quickly adorned this man's face for few moments after hearing those words, but it shifted into a calm one just as swiftly. "I see. Please, do forgive me my manners. It has been a long time since I spoke to another being of organic structure. I am called The Maker. And yes, it is my who assembled all of these puppets you can see here, and the ones that you followed in. I'm assuming that you speak of this one when you refer to father, yes?"

As he spoke, the tentacles moved on the ground in somewhat unsettling manner, moving his whole body to the side as a strange structure started ascending from the wooden floor. She could not even start to describe what it looked like, but there was indeed something that instantly stole all of her attention. The body of her father, strapped to the mechanism by several thick wires. "You... what do you think you're doing to him?!" She was filled with anger. Such disgrace... to mess with one's corpse like this, even if he was just a machine! But the this Maker remained completely composed and instead snapped his fingers, the sudden sound suddenly waking her Father up, bringing him back to life. "I have repaired him. Even in million years, I would have not expected him to return back to me... the unique construct I made centuries ago for the purpose of collecting data from Earthland. But here he was, found by my scouts. So I had them bring him back, so I could repair him. I am truly sorry if that startled you." The Golem lifted his eye-less head, still capable of seeing through other sensors. His daughter was right in front of him. Her father was right in front of her. "Leila..." Hearing that voice, seeing his body move as the wires loosened up, she could only fall to her knees as tears started rolling down her cheeks once more. Now freed from his repair table, he rushed over to her side, hugging her rather tightly with his inhuman strength.

"He already fulfilled his purpose and I now have new mechanical scouts. So I removed the end goal switch, meaning he won't break down after certain amount of time passes. He clearly means a lot to you as well, so he's yours now. Off you go now, I'm unfortunately very busy and you would only get in the way." With a welcoming smile on his face, he would move his hand in strange gesture and another portal opened right below the duo, bringing them back into Earthland where they were before. "Father... FATHER!" "I am right here, Leila." The Eden's mage, once a goddess, once a Rising Star and hero of the people. Right now, she was just a mess, embracing the machine in front of her, father that was repaired by his creator. She couldn't rightly believe it, how could she? It must have been just a really nice dream. Seconds passed by, then minutes and perhaps even hours until she finally recovered. They were really back together now. Such a happiness... at what cost would it come later on? She didn't want to think about it too much... right now, she could only enjoy what she had in her hands, right? Yes, leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow's you. The saying she always tried to go by. And today, she would repeat it to herself as well. It was time to go home... together.