#heath transforms

Chapter 1

Heathcliff: Whoever gets paired with them is going to have a rough time....

Murr: You make it sound like it can't be you, but you guys usually hit the winning number on the roulette during times like these!

Heathcliff: Eh?

Snow: Heathcliff, Owen. Come here for a moment..

White: We’ve decided what the next holy festival is going to be! The Eastern wizards are going to perform the Eastern Country’s festival!

Snow: The Northern wizards will be their support!

Heathcliff: Eh........

Owen: What?

Shino: I hate waiting. I refuse to wait for you guys every time we have to do something.

Shino glares at the Northern wizards. The Northern wizards don’t even bother to glare back; Mithra even refuses to hide his yawn.

Mithra: Yaawn... I'm sleepy... Hm? Did you say something?

Shino: I’ll kill you, you bastard.....

Heathcliff: Shino! He's a Northern wizard.....

Bradley shrugs and proceeds to put his elbow on Nero’s shoulder with strange familiarity.

Bradley: Plus, if you need our strength, that means you’ve got a pretty tough opponent, right?

Nero: I'm not your damn armrest....

Bradley: Oh? What's this? You're gonna defy me?

Nero: Get off of me. You're annoying.

Nero looks irritated, and shoves Bradley away. Bradley doesn’t seem to care; he’s laughing away.

Chapter 2

Shino: It's nothing. Owen is just a bully. Ignore him.

Owen: Huh. You think you can just say that?

Shino: Shut up. If you say anything unnecessary, I'll spill your secret too.

Owen: ..........

Mithra: A secret? You have a secret?

Bradley: Is it a weakness? Tell me later, Eastern shorty. I'll give you some allowance.

Then, out of nowhere, Mithra clutches Faust’s head.

Faust: .....!?

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust!

Shino: Hey, Mithra!

Nero: Stop it, Shino!

In an instant, the Eastern wizards react like alarmed cats, fur standing on end. Mithra looks down at Faust, and says, nonchalantly.

Mithra: I just thought this hat was nice.

Eastern Wizards: ........

The Eastern wizards stop moving as if suddenly deflated. In the next moment, they’re visibly furious over Mithra’s contempt for their teacher.

Bradley: Ahahaha! Don't scare them, Mithra. Easterners are gloomy and cowardly.

Shino: Cowardly? Want me to show you whether or not I'm a coward?

Snow: Come now, Shino!

White: Bradley, you too!

Bradley: Listen up, you gloomy Eastern wizards! From here on out, I'm your boss.....

In that very moment, Nero pulls out a small bottle and shakes it. It's pepper.

Bradley: ......hh, ah-choo!

(Poof.)

Snow: Nero! Why did you shake pepper on him out of nowhere!?

Nero looks ready to pop a vein; he exhales deeply, as if to release his anger.

Nero: Sorry. I reached my limit.

Chapter 3

Faust: Same goes.... Eastern wizards are sensitive to their surroundings, after all. Shino, how about you?

Shino: I'm fine.

Faust and Nero look at Shino, impressed. It’s true; Shino really does look fine. Shino takes a step towards the mountains, sniffs, and squints his sharp eyes.

Shino: The stench of carcasses and the screams of death are where I was born. They were where I crawled and wandered about until I arrived at Blanchett.

Heathcliff: Shino....

Shino: For me, they're just some old friends. Let's go.

Chapter 4

Akira: ....You won't do anything bad, right?

Nero: Don't be silly, Mr. Sage.

Nero smiles, as if to reassure me. But what comes out of his mouth has the exact opposite effect.

Nero: Of course I'll do bad things. I'm a wizard.

Shino: You're interested in Heath?

Zasha: Ah....

Zasha blushes and looks away. His boyish reaction makes him feel more familiar.

Zasha: I'm sorry... I've never seen a noble like the man in the church.

Shino: Don't worry about it. Heath looks beautiful and cool and smart, after all. He's my master. Isn't he amazing?

Zasha: Ah... Yes....

Shino: Heh. You can talk to him. Heath, say something to Zasha. Look, you can touch him too.

Heathcliff: Don't talk about me like you're lending him a toy!

Chapter 5

Feeling my throat growing tight, I look to the sky, but even the moonlight is covered by heavy clouds. I fear the darkness sticking to my body. I yearn for the light of the < Great Catastrophe >.

Faust: You won't listen to me?

Shino: You’re the one who won’t listen to me. It’s better if I’m there. I’ll be useful.

Faust: Got it. Then head back to the wizards’ quarters right now.

Shino goes silent at the sound of Faust’s strict voice. I can’t see his face in the darkness, but I can tell he’s hurt and frustrated. Faust quietly instructs Shino. This time, it’s not just his usual glumness — you can hear dignity and sincerity in his voice as well.

Faust: You're a man who can become a hero. But if you get impatient and waste your courage, you're going to lose your life. I've seen plenty of people like that. I don't want to cast aside your talent and future the same way. I will tell you when I need your strength. Let me ask you again — can you listen to me?

Shino: .....Got it.

Nero laughs wryly as they walk off.

Nero: I feel like I've caught a glimpse of you. From back when you were a leader of the revolutionary army....

Faust: You've got the wrong man. Let's go.

Heathcliff: If it's Mr. Faust and Nero, I'm sure... ....Hey, Shino. Don't sulk.

Shino: I'm not sulking.

Shino stands straight and gazes into the darkness.

Shino: That was the first time someone told me I could be a hero.

Chapter 6

Snow in the Portrait: The Eastern wizards do understand gratitude. They like being alone, and they dislike interacting with others, but at their core they are polite and respectful souls.

Mithra: Why do they like being alone? I like the freedom that being on my own gives me, but I feel like they are different. They like being alone, but they hate how they are lonely. They hate being with others, but they express great care towards them. It seems complicated.

Snow in the Portrait: They've been hurt by others and don't want to get hurt any further. Because they know pain, they're cautious and deeply loving.

Chapter 7

Heathcliff: ....Yes. Wizards turn to stone when they die. We usually shatter into pieces, but.... Something must have happened to this wizard so he wouldn't shatter, even after turning to stone....

Shino: ....I’d never seen a wizard turned to stone until now. Heath, have you seen one before?

Shino realizes after asking that Heathcliff took part in the battle against the < Great Catastrophe > where he lost half his comrades. Heathcliff furrows his brows sadly and nods.

Heathcliff: ....In the last battle. Our master turned to stone like this, too.

Shino: .......... I see....

Shino falls silent; he doesn’t know what to say.

Chapter 8

Zasha: That's not true...! ....That can't be true! Then that would mean this village has nothing at all!

Shino: That's right. This village is like an abandoned graveyard. That's what it is.

Heathcliff: Shino.....

Zasha: ....You....!

Shino: I was the same! I was abandoned by my parents and forgotten by the world. I had nothing at all. That's why I refused to listen to anyone. I lived alone; my world was me alone. Because if I cut off the world and lived within my loneliness, I could forget that I had nothing, and be the protagonist of my own world.

Zasha: ..........

Shino: Everyone else was a fool. They were all weak, stupid, and worthless. I might be worthless, but so are you — that's what I thought. This village has twisted its loneliness and aggravated its mistaken beliefs too far. But Zasha, you're different. You looked at Heath and were interested — in nobles, in the outside world.

Heathcliff: I might be a wizard, but I will never lie to you. I will never hurt you.

Nero: Well, of course you wouldn't. Even though you're all peevish and sulking and twisted and shut-in now.....

Faust: Who did you just call peevish and sulking and twisted?

Nero: I was a man with no sense of self, so... If someone needed me, and gave me a role, I'd drool for it in delight. Even if I knew he wouldn't listen to a single thing I had to say, even if I couldn't stand it.... If he said, "I need you, or else I’m in trouble" then I'd be deeply moved and wag my tail. ...Man, I had it coming....

Faust: ........ Is this about your past?

Nero: It's about my past. Your least favorite kind of food, right, Mr. Faust?

Chapter 9

Bradley: Nero, are you all right!?

Nero: ...... Yeah.... Thank.....

Bradley: Hey, fucker, don't go around shaking pepper when I'm saying cool shit! I didn't get to look good at all, man.

Nero: ..........

Bradley: I forgot what I was trying to say, though! What was that about? Were you mad? What were you all pissed for? You're just Nero. Know your place.

Nero: I'm.... seriously glad that I stopped working with you....

Chapter 10

Heathcliff: .....Kuh.....

Shino: Heath...! Zasha, you.....!

Zasha: .....It's your fault! It's all your fault!

Akira: Are you okay, Heath.....!

I run towards Heath. His whole shoulder and chest are soaked in blood. Heathcliff crouches in pain, curled up as if hugging his own arm.

Heathcliff: ......Uugh.......

Akira: Heathcliff! Heath, use this.....

I take off my jacket and try to press it against his wound. (Slap) But then Heathcliff roughly slaps my hand away.

Akira: .....Heath....?

I thought this uncharacteristic gesture was because of the pain. But slowly his pained breathing turns into a growl. Heath’s gentle, lonely eyes — like a window on a rainy day — begin to glimmer like those of a cold beast. He shakes like a beast raising its fur, and places his bloody hand on the ground. His nails are terrifyingly long.

Heath growls from the depths of his throat, as if to overwhelm Shino as he approaches. Seeing the change in Heath, Shino is lost for words.

Shino: .....Heath.....

Heathcliff: ..........

Chapter 11

I frantically chase after Shino, who looks like he’s about to get dragged away by the freaky giant fish that has its teeth sunk into his body.

Akira: .........hh. ......Heath....

Heathcliff has pinned me to the ground and licks his lips with cold eyes. His hair is standing up on end, slowly turning from gold to black.

Chapter 12

Akira: Shino! Shino, pull yourself together....!

Shino: ....How's Heath....?

Akira: Zasha, stand back! I-I'll handle this....!

Zasha: Y-you can use magic too!?

Akira: I can't! But I'm sure it'll be all right! Because this is the scythe of a hero....!

“You can become a hero.” I think about how Shino felt when he heard those words, and grip the scythe as if in prayer. Then....

Shino: ......., He's right.....

Shino staggers as he pulls himself up from off the ground. His cheeks are stained bright red from blood, but his eyes are as sharp and alive as ever as he glares at the monster.

Shino: Give that to me... I will protect you. It's my duty.

(Rustle)

Heathcliff: ....Sir Sage... It's dangerous, please run.....

Heathcliff also pulls himself upright. They’re hurt, and in pieces, but still trying to protect me.

They surround the injured Shino and Heathcliff, as if to protect them with their backs. I feel my heart well up with warmth. The Eastern wizards like being alone. But when their comrades are hurt — when they are in danger, they will approach them without a second thought, and gather together as one. They could run away all alone; they could hide all alone. And yet. This is what I love about them.

Shino: ....Faust, Nero....

Nero: You worked hard. Everything's all right now. When we get back, I'll bake you the best lemon pie.

Shino: ......Yay......

White: Shino! Heathcliff! Ah, you're hurt so badly, poor things... I'll fix you up right now.

Shino: ....I wasn't cool at all......

Shino mutters as the twins fix him up. Shino has lost so much blood that he's about to pass out. I hold Shino's hand and shake my head.

Akira: You were cool. You were cool the entire time. Thank you for protecting me, Shino.....

Shino smiles ever-so-slightly. He looks towards Heath worriedly, who also has a smile on his pale face.

Heathcliff: Did I cause you trouble...? My memory gets kind of fuzzy mid-way....

Shino: You lost consciousness after being sliced by the axe.

Heathcliff: ....Was that all? I feel like... Like I saw a bizarre dream....?

Shino: That's all.