Soul Digger-Chapter 44 - 44: gab way

Indeed, the atmosphere was unusually stuffy. Cole kept a sad gaze pasted on Gothel while she averted any form of visual exchange.
"Well... this is a bit odd," the Area Chief interrupted.
Cole was scarce for words; the people below were mourning and reminiscing over the loved ones they had lost. He, on the other hand, was already abandoning the sister he had just saved.
Gothel weakly turned, dragging her feet as she left. Sandra followed her, a hint of worry present on her face.
The others looked at Cole with upset expressions. He stood at the edge of the building, head lowered in silence as he watched the floor.
Cole took in a quick drag of air and stretched. "Now that that's out of the way, I need to be getting ready to leave." Cole scuffled towards the exit.
Before he could pass, the Area Chief placed a firm hand on his shoulder, shaking his head in disappointment. The Mayor folded both his arms, a large frown weighing on his face.
"What you did was pretty empty-headed," the Area Chief commented.
"I know," Cole responded in a thick voice.
He clenched his fists and fell to his knees. 'I went through hell to save her, just to abandon her?'
'No! I can't think like that. I'm doing this for her own good.'
'If I change my mind now, it would just be me giving into my selfish whims.'
'As long as I'm an accomplice, she won't have the normal life she deserves.' Cole dug his nails into the floor as his thoughts rambled.
His panic was visible to the others; yet, instead of trying to comfort him, they left. Not one of them tried to help Cole ease his seething pain.
The Mayor gave Cole a strange look before departing. As his features passed through the roof door, he muttered to the air.
"It's somewhat easing to know even your not perfect." He smiled and left.
The night breeze blew against Cole's body; the sparkles from the shattered lamps began to fade, and the people below steadily returned to their homes.
The Unbinding Custom had already concluded.
Though as usual, Cole was the only one receiving the short end of the stick. It wasn't that Cole was eager to leave Gothel; however, the consequences surrounding him at the time were beyond even what HE could understand.
If Gothel's existence was truly a calamity upon the world during her past life, what was the guarantee she wouldn't be hunted down?
The chances of such were slimmer if she blended amongst the people of Sant Flores. Both the authorities and the people had already promised to keep her identity under wraps. After all, Gothel's years of entrapment kept their heads on their necks, so he was sure they wouldn't break that promise.
Such safety couldn't be guaranteed if they went on every dangerous journey together, especially since Cole still had to infiltrate any faction and become a "Member." Besides, Cole was used to working alone; the random sister he had miraculously saved wouldn't change that.
Despite all this, Cole wanted Gothel's presence to have a positive impact on the people's lives. Her sad, tormented voice remained fresh in his mind; she had been crushed by guilt for centuries, and even being with her constantly wouldn't alter that so easily.
Cole needed a way for her to be relieved of her burdens without suffering in any form.
Considering all the factors at play, could one really call Cole's actions heartless or inconsiderate? Perhaps, since they were oblivious to the reasons backing up his actions.
Unfortunately, nobody understood.
Cole eased his palms. "All is well; there was a 50% chance this would happen anyway." He rubbed his eyes.
With the main problem out of the way, Cole's next step was the usual planning. He and the Deity hadn't spoken in a while, meaning Cole was still on the more lenient side of things.
Instead of leaving like the rest, Cole threw his back onto the cold floor and watched the stars to clear his mind. He kept having second thoughts but had to pin them down.
'It was for her sake,' he chanted repeatedly.
Meanwhile...
Gothel sat quietly in her ward, eyes stuck to her palms as she careened on her bed. The room became dense from her seeping emotions; the occasional whisper-like sobbing was the only lively sound.
Sandra stood outside the door observing, her feet glued in place by fear. She had the initiative to try and reason with her from Cole's perspective, but the odd air intimidated her.
Five minutes passed before Sandra took in a deep breath and entered, walking gracefully towards Gothel to grab a chair beside her bed.
"That's big brother's," Gothel spoke briefly, her tone frightening in that instant.
'She didn't even look at me!'
Sandra carefully placed it back. "You know what, I prefer to stand."
Gothel raised her head, giving Sandra a drained, uninterested look.
Sandra smiled with diminishing confidence and spoke, "There's no need to be sad, your brother is only leaving for a bit."
Gothel's face remained stiff. "How does that have anything to do with you?"
Sandra shot back, "Uhmm... you're right." She lowered her gaze. "But in case you didn't know, I understand the pain of loneliness. My husband is dead, after all."
Gothel's brows parted from intrigue. "How sad. Your husband died, and I'm sure the death was a murder." She sighed. "All you need to relieve your sadness is killing the perpetrator."
Sandra narrowed her brows. "That's not what I want."
Gothel smiled. "If it doesn't help you feel better, it definitely helps me." She harshened her voice. "Who's the killer? Are you aware of their identity?"
On impulse, due to the lingering resentment clinging to her mind, Sandra uttered, "Cole. Your brother."
Gothel's eyes widened in shock. "My brother? What would he gain?"
"Your freedom," Sandra spoke in a low, reminiscing tone. "He sacrificed the love of my life for you, something that sparks a hellish rage in me every time I think about it."
"I understand you're his 'sister,' but why at the cost of my happiness? It's not fair, is it?" She ranted, her tone rising with her unstable emotions. "Both of you supposed siblings are so greedy—to everyone and to each other."
Sandra's face went dark; her movements displayed her frustration and poorly hidden contempt. For a moment, it slipped her mind that she was in the presence of a deity—or more accurately, she didn't care at that point.
"When I saw both of you looking so distraught earlier, I was disappointed, but somewhere deep within I was celebrating. A voice kept screaming at the back of my mind that you both deserved it." She covered her face. "No, my disappointment was an act as well."
'What am I saying? Shit!'
Her face became equally drained; the gloom she exuded matched Gothel's without a problem, at times overpowering hers. It was basically emo versus emo girl from that point.
Gothel inhaled, then exhaled an accidental chuckle. Her eyes turned somber as she patted the space next to her, gesturing for Sandra to sit down.
'Is she going to kill me?' Sandra thought, tears building at the corners of her eyes.
"I'd like to know more about your husband."
Sandra gaped. Gothel's words were like a shock of electricity—unexpected and reflex-triggering. Tears slowly streamed down, but the sense of authenticity she felt from Gothel calmed her fears.
Slowly, she went closer and sat beside Gothel.
Sandra's lips shook as she spoke, and though with occasional stammers, her words were steady. She narrated her love story, from how she met her husband to everything interesting the relationship brought.
Gothel was intensely focused on every word, portraying every picture and scene in her mind as though she were reading a novel. Her eyes glimmered with a sparkling hope; noticing this made Sandra's confidence boost as she narrated.
'A husband and children,' Gothel thought. 'I've always wanted these things, but I didn't have them. I refused to get married without my brother's blessing, and I still hold that mindset strongly. Call me old-fashioned or stupid, but I don't care; my brother is my binding chain.' Gothel stepped into a state of thought.
'The peaceful, average life sounds pretty fun. I wish I had that. My immaturity made me believe I was abandoned by my brother, and that led me to do some awful things. Even now, I haven't changed,' she introspected. 'When I think about it, my obsession towards my brother was always a selfish thing. Even then, it's a flaw I'm happy with.'
'Brother, I don't know the story behind the form you have now, but I don't want to rob you of anything you might have gained during my absence. As I am now...' she brushed Sandra's features with her gaze, '...I should be atoning for my heinous acts as you said. Then again, you're always right.'
She flashed back to Cole's former words: "I don't want those souls to cry for vengeance anymore, I want them to cheer us on. Our deeds will affect our immortal lives forever, so why not make a good path for ourselves?"
'Our immortal lives, huh?' Gothel briefly glared at her body. 'Unfortunately, big brother, I'm not immortal anymore.'
'The Potter's Homunculus, made specifically for Sant Flora, was a special creation. It binds all pieces of the soul and wavelength together with the body's material.' Her hope dimmed. 'Anyone can kill me. If I die, I'll never see you again.'
'The hell I went through, my sins, and years of isolation will all be in vain. Gone, like my very existence.'
Sandra gradually reduced her voice. She realized Gothel had long stopped paying attention.
Similar to when a balloon is punctured, any soul bound to Sant Flora's Homunculus loses all form and piece of wavelength as it merges into the very material of the artificial body. Simply put, in exchange for greater physical power, the user puts their very existence at risk.
To make matters worse, Gothel had long lost the majority of her powers, and the Guiding Tree stole the rest. The little remaining were a result of the already embedded wavelength in the Homunculus and whatever insignificant fragments of power she had left.
Truly, it was the Potter's finest work.