《A Wish》 Prologue I - Life is a Stage ¡°All the World¡¯s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts¡­¡± ¨C William Shakespeare ¡°Wake up¡± A voice said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up.¡± The voice said again. ¡°Wake up. It¡¯s time for our play to begin.¡± The voice said one last time. As the voice faded, a body emerged in the darkness. There was neither up nor down in this space. There was no left or right. It was simply dark, as if the concept of light never existed nor will it ever exist within this space. Within this confine, it was as if one¡¯s very existence was denied, simply destined to fade in the background. Yet, in this space, which denied all other existences, this boy, who appeared to be no more than 18 years of age, existed. At first glance, he appeared to be someone fragile as his body lay, unmoving, his eyes closed. He was neither handsome nor ugly, simply an average person that one could find anywhere, on any street, in any city in the world, a solitary existence in a solitary world. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he began to move. First, his ring finger twitched. A slight movement, but slowly, his hand began to push against the darkness, propping his body up. His feet pushed against the black floor as he stood up and move forward. He had no visible destination, he simply walked. Left foot forward, right foot forward, left foot forward, right foot forward, and repeated. He proceeded leisurely, enjoying the silence that permeated his current environment, a vast departure from his previous, much more bustling one. After some time, he stopped, a smile slowly appearing on his lips. He nodded his head before a singular ray of light broke through the darkness before him. He reached out his hand, allowing the light to land upon his palm before raising it above his head, letting the light continued upon its path. No sooner than when the first light moved past him, a second appeared, then a third, then, the world before him turned into a brilliant white.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°This place is still a wonder, no matter how many times I see it,¡± he murmured. ¡°Indeed.¡± A voice replied. ¡°Even as a residence of this world, I can¡¯t seem to get enough of it. The beginning and the end. White and Black. Two forces that, at their very nature, contradictory existence, coexisting. It never gets boring.¡± Hearing a reply to his murmur, the boy nodded. In the direction of the voice was now a figure leaning against a brown door that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Upon inspection, the door itself was an oddity. It was made out of wood, much like a door one would find on any hastily constructed log cabin. However, unlike those that were shaved with an ax, leaving an uneven surface, this one was smooth; such that not even the stickiest of substance can adhere to its surface. Its frame was a clean piano black. It was as if the frame¡¯s sole purpose is to accentuate the existence of this door within this pure white space. It had no handle, and it seemingly leads to nowhere. Simply put, it was, just a door. Yet, despite how peculiar this door might look to an average person, the figure leaning against it was even more of an oddity. It was difficult to call this figure a ¡°person¡± given its appearance. By all accounts, its body¡¯s shape was certainly human, except for the coat of grey fur that was visible on its neck. Atop that neck was the face of a cat, its four white canines peeking through its mouth together with three whiskers on either side that looked almost as if they were glowing in the light. Above that were a small pink nose and a pair of golden pupils that seems capable of seeing through the darkness of the darkest night. After seeing that the boy was looking at it, it stood straight up, buttoning and adjusting the collar on its suit, its left hand folded behind its back, its right hand extended toward the boy in a welcoming gesture as it gave a gentle courteous bow. ¡°Welcome back,¡± it said to the boy. ¡°How long has it been?¡± ¡°I suppose it has been a while,¡± the boy replied. ¡°A few billion years perhaps?¡± ¡°Has it been that long?¡± it asked inquisitively. ¡°Time simply does not exist here so one can lose track so easily.¡± ¡°Yes. Even in the outside world, I find it hard to keep track of time. A small miracle you could say. Sometimes, it feels as if eternity has passed by if I so much as blink.¡± ¡°Fascinating!! Oh, how I wish I could experience it myself. The joy it would bring. I truly wish to experience the world as you do. Simply watching it from here does not sate my curiosity you see.¡± The cat spoke loudly as it spread its arm and spun in circle to demonstrate the joy swelling up in its heart. Then, as if the prior scene was simply a momentary lapse in judgment, the cat straighten itself, the curiosity and joy that one could see on its face and heard in its voice all but disappeared, replaced by a seriousness one would not expect from such a character. It coughed gently into its hand, its golden eyes stared straight at the boy and said, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Yes¡±, the boy nodded. ¡°Is everything in place?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t anticipate any problem. Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld made all the necessary preparations.¡± ¡°I see. I guess we shouldn¡¯t delay any further. Shall we begin Cheshire?¡± ¡°Yes. Let us begin our Grand Play. Welcome Back, to the Theatre of the End.¡± Prologue II Part 1 – A Nostalgic Dream ¡°You must learn to control your dreams, or your dreams will forever control you¡± ¨C Wayne Gerard Trotman How long had it been since he had seen these shores? A memory long forgotten, buried deep within his subconscious. Even now, he wondered, was the event of that day a long-forgotten memory or a long-forgotten dream. The feeling of that day came and went, like the ocean fog before the morning sun. Sometimes, it felt that if he extended his finger just a few millimeters further, he could grab hold of it again, only for it to fade away into the morning light. Yet, though the feeling of that memories long faded away, the images of it still lingered, somewhere deep in his mind. An invisible memory, an uncatchable dream. When he closed his eyes in the darkest of night, he could still remember that place. He remembered standing upon its shores, the water gently rolling against his feet. He remembered the rays of the setting sun shimmering against the surface of water, creating a path of light. He remembered the wooded forest that surrounded him, the trees whose trunk and leaves hid all beyond it from his sight. Even the simple blade of grass swaying in the wind, became a part of his memory. It was as if everything he saw became a marker within the recess of his mind, to guide him back to where he needed to be. He remembered taking that first step forward, beyond the water¡¯s edge. He wanted to sink beneath the waves, to see under-the-surface, the world that he was certain exist but was simultaneously hidden to him. To his surprise, the water denied his request. Despite how far he travelled from shore, his body never left the surface. He could see the water continued to shimmer beneath his feet; from time to time distorting his reflection, but he could never see what lay beyond. Eventually, his path took him far beyond the shore. Standing in the lake, he could no longer see the place that he once stood nor the trees that once obstructed his views. In this moment, as he looked around, the world consisted of only him and the slowly fading light. Growing slightly disinterested, he began to turn around, walking back to the place from where he came. However, before he could take that first step, a gentle voice called out to him from behind. ¡°Since you took the trouble to come out here, you should spend more time to enjoy the view¡±, the voice said.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Without turning around, he replied, ¡°there¡¯s nothing out here¡±. ¡°Only because you¡¯ve chosen not to see it.¡± The voice said. ¡°The world is filled with amazing sights; wonders everywhere you look¡± ¡°Wonders and beauties are simply in the eyes of the beholder¡±, he replied curtly. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s true. To someone that has it all, the world must look terribly dull.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t deny that.¡± ¡°Perhaps I can change your mind?¡±, the voice asked. ¡°I highly doubt that¡±, he answered. Just as soon as he provided his reply he began to walk away. ¡°It¡¯s a shame,¡± the voice said, calling out to him once again. ¡°Since you¡¯re here anyway, would you mind keeping me company for just awhile longer? It won¡¯t take much time. Afterall, a gentleman must always escort a lady.¡± Giving a little sigh, he acquiesced. Then, as if he had become a different person, he quickly straightens his back, his left hand tucked to his side as he turned around, giving a little bow while extending his right hand forward. From beyond the remaining light of the setting sun, a small hand, covered in a white glove, rested on his open hand. As he held the hand in his, he raised his head and saw a girl standing in front of him. She was taller than he expected, standing only slightly shorter than him. She was wearing a white dress that extended from her neck to the bottom of her feet, patterned laces decorated its edges. Her face was hidden by a veil that extend from her hat. On her other hand, she was holding an open parasol, resting it against her shoulder. ¡°Shall we go?¡±, she asked. ¡°Please lead the way¡±, he answered. Just as the last light of the setting sun faded beneath the surface of the water, he could make out a faint smile beneath the veil before everything was submerged in darkness. Though he could no longer see, he was confident that the girl was still there, her hand held firmly in his. She guided him forward at a leisurely pace and together they continued to walk for how long he no longer knew. He trusted that she knew the way and he trusted that if she does not, then he can still become their guide, taking them both where they needed to go. This was who he is, and he was confident that no matter what happens, he could do what he needed to do. Eventually, they stopped. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she said. ¡°So it would seems,¡± he replied. As he let go of her hand, the white glove that she wore in the beginning began to sparkle. From out the darkness he could see her body once again. The white dress that she wore at the start was now replaced a black gown, decorated with small shining lights. Together with her, the world around him began to shine, small lights started to appear one after another. Eventually, the world around him resembled a starlit night. She once again took his hand in her and guided him forward, up the marble stairs that appeared in front of them to a large white building with an ornately decorated wooden door. ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked her. ¡°Where else?¡± She answered with a smile, her face no longer obscured by a veil. ¡°This is a ball. A Ball at World¡¯s End.¡± Prologue II Part 2 – Butterfly’s Dream One, two three. One, two, three. After being guided through the door by a girl whose face he had just known; before he knew it, he found himself standing in the middle of a grand ballroom, her right hand in his, her left around his neck and his around her waist. Together, they moved to the rhythm of the music. One, two three. He took a step forward with the left foot, following her lead. One, two, three. He shifted to his right and closed his left foot to his right. One, two, three. He took a step back with his right foot and move his body back to the left as they danced across the floor of the ballroom. One, two, three. Finally, she guided him back to the center as he closed his right foot to his left. Together, they held each other in a momentary pause as she looked up at his face and smiled. ¡°Your turn,¡± she said. Needing no other encouragement, he nodded and began to move. Slowly, he repeated her steps, sometimes stumbling over his own feet. The music, as if gradually guiding him started slow, its vibrato hanging in the air with every note. Eventually, his body started to immerse in the dance. The clumsy steps he took at the beginning were slowly disappearing as he glided across the dance floor, his partner matching his every step. The dance, no longer perfunctory, took on aspect of his personality, sometimes slow and methodical or fast and impulsive. He guided his partner across the dance floor with practiced ease as if he was a veteran. The music, originally guiding him, adapted to his dance. It became faster and more intense. It no longer hung in the air but pulled along by the mood of the dance. It traveled in the air, across the ballroom and with each note, lit up the stain glass windows that surrounded the hall. As he made make his way across the floor, partner in hand, his eyes lit up at the beautiful windows that surrounded them, each one innately decorated with an image of a flower.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. On their rights were images of a crimson rose, its thorn displayed prominently, a white cherry blossom swaying in the wind, and a green dahlia blossoming from its branch. On their left were images of a yellow lily, reaching its petal toward the sun, a blue azalea surrounded by a green forest, and an orange freesia towering over all that around it. Behind them was a single panel with a purple iris displayed prominently in the center of the panel. Lastly, as they made their way back to the center of the floor, he saw another single panel in front of them. The glass on it was more finely cut than any other but it was a single white pane without any decoration in a room of colorful flowers. Then, gently, just as it began, the music that accompanied their dance began to fade as they made their way back to the center of the floor. Holding each other for just a bit longer after the music ended, he slowly let go of her hand, took a step back and bow. Seeing his gesture, the girl nodded, lifted her dress slightly, and gave a curtsy in return. ¡°Thank you for accompanying me,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. It was fun¡±, he replied. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°Will I ever see you again?¡± he asked her. ¡°Maybe. One day, if you never give up searching for me, you¡¯ll find me.¡± She answered. ¡°I look forward to that day.¡± He told her as body faded into the light of the room and disappeared. Left alone in the ballroom, the girl simply waved her hand and the ballroom that was once there faded back into the darkness. Turning around, she began to walk forward only to stop a moment later to look at the spot that the boy disappeared from one last time. Staring at that spot, she quietly said, ¡°I hope one day you¡¯ll be able to forgive me.¡± and disappeared, fading into the darkness. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stirred from his sleep by the sound of rustling leaves outside of his window, the boy woke from his slumber. He tried recalling his dream from a moment ago but no matter how hard he tried only a sense of longing remained in his heart. He could not remember what he dreamt about, only that he desperately wanted to return there. However, all his attempts at recalling it were in vain. Sighing, he gave up. He looked at the alarm on the counter next to his bed and its display promptly read June 18th, 6:30 A.M. He tussled his hair, get up from his bed and make his way to the restroom. He started his morning shower, brushed his teeth, and get ready for the day ahead. Today was his last day of high school, the graduation ceremony would start about 3 hours from now and he needed to get ready. He wanted to get there early to see his friends and say goodbye before the ceremony start. After the ceremony, they would all go their separate ways. He was going to travel with his family to greet their circle acquaintances while his friends also needed to do the same. In his heart he wished for this day to never come because it means that, at the end of today, he can never call his friends, ¡°friends¡± again, at least not publicly. Once the clock strikes midnight on June 19th, all his friends are now rivals, caught up in the struggle between their respective families. He never wanted this role but at the same time, he sighed, all good things must come to an end. Intercession I ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Cheshire asked the boy walking next to him as the pair was guided by Skuld down a long corridor. ¡°Regret what?¡± the boy replied. ¡°Your decision.¡± Chuckling the boy answered, ¡°I think the time has long pass for that. All good things must come to an end.¡± ¡°I supposed so¡±, Cheshire replied. ¡°Even the goddesses of fate are at a whim of something else¡± Cheshire said as he pointed his cane at Skuld who was walking ahead of them. ¡°Humans may call them goddesses, but they¡¯re merely witnesses of the events unfolding, simply being able to see farther than an average human.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Cheshire continued. ¡°I am neither the playwright nor an actor. As you said, simply a witness that can see farther ahead.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I supposed. However, this play of your, how long do you intend to keep it going? ¡°As long as it¡¯s necessary¡± ¡°Do you feel no guilt?¡± ¡°That would be unnecessary. There are far more at stake. She would agree with me¡± ¡°I believe that would be a highly subjective evaluation for a being such as yourself.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Remember, you can play the fool out there with the general audience, but in here, the theatre can see all. All scripts are submitted and recorded, without exception.¡± ¡°I truly do not understand your meanings.¡± ¡°I will let it go for now as a favor. It has long since I¡¯ve seen a grand play like the one that¡¯s about to unfold. Out of courtesy, I will let it slide and simply enjoy the show.¡± ¡°That would be best,¡± the boy answered as the pair arrived at a large door. Standing to the side, Skuld pushed open the door revealing a large auditorium, with rows after rows of empty seats. ¡°After you,¡± Cheshire said. ¡°We are the only audience here for this performance.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The boy replied as he made his way to the center row seat of the auditorium with Cheshire following closely behind. ¡°Please enjoy your show,¡± Skuld said. ¡°Please feel free to call upon my sisters and I should either of you need anything.¡± Act 1 - Janus Silverlake ¡°Trust dies but mistrust blossoms¡± ¨C Sophocles Throughout his life, Janus wanted nothing more than an average childhood. On the weekdays, he attended school and hung out with his friends like any child his age. On the weekend, he would lie in bed all day and read, occasionally getting up and going to the backyard to relax and enjoy the scenery. Fortunately for him, for 18 years, that was the life that he led. He had parents that loved him; but due to their work, he rarely saw them around the house. He had a lovely sister, Lily Silverlake, 6 years younger than he was, that adored him. She would often ask him to read her bedtime stories before they go to sleep and would always be sure to greet him at the door each time he came from school. Together, the pair of siblings was inseparable. Janus, for his part, loved his parents. He missed them when they were away as any child would, but he soon discovered that with their absence, he had more freedom to do whatever he wished. He also adored his little sister, Lily, often spoiling her more than their own parents. He tried his best to fulfill her wishes and make time to hang out with her whenever their parents were not around. All in all, Janus¡¯ childhood was an idyllic lifestyle that most people wish for. In his mind, his family, the Silverlake, was an average, well-off family. They had a large house adorned by a flower garden that was maintained daily by their live-in gardener. In the backyard was a small lake that he and Lily would go swimming in on the weekend until his maid came out bringing with her lunches that their family chef prepared for the siblings. If there was a book or a game that he wanted, he would ask one of his family¡¯s helpers walking around the halls of his house and they would purchase it for him. Janus wanted this lifestyle to continue forever; but, he knew, that eventually, it would end. Long before, as soon as he turned 12, his parents informed him that upon midnight of June 19th of the year of his 18th birthday after his graduation ceremony from high school, he would need to formally begin work to take over the family businesses. This was no surprise to him as he already saw his parents prepared for this throughout his life, hiring tutors of every discipline to teach him everything he needed to know. Luckily for him, he was a quick learner. He digested everything they taught him and even proposed ideas that his various tutors could not believe could come from a boy his age. As he got older, his father started to delegate more of his duties over to young Janus, and Janus completed most of what was required of him without batting an eye. After all, his job only consisted of managing his family various businesses. Like every morning for almost a few years now, Janus¡¯ routine was the same. He woke up, showered, got dressed, then opened his laptop to read the various reports that appeared in his email. After glancing them over, replying to everything that needed his confirmation, and designating various tasks to those responsible, he closed his laptop and left for school. Today was no different. The routines were the same; the only difference was that he got things done earlier to make time to say goodbye to his friends at school before the graduation ceremony. As he made his way down the stairs from his bedroom, he saw his sister Lily waiting for him at the entrance to the house. She hugged him as they said goodbye for the day, then returned to the dining room to enjoy her breakfast. After watching his sister disappeared into the kitchen, Janus walked to the front door to the car where his driver was waiting and got inside. They drove down the path leading away from their house for 10 minutes before reaching the security gate. Once the car was at the gate, the guard stationed at the guardhouse nearby promptly opened it to let them through. After leaving through the front gate, the vehicle sped down the road and stopped at a large stadium, the site of their graduation ceremony. According to his friend, this stadium could seat more than 50,000 people and never open to the public. Their school only used this place for its private event or rent the property out to anyone that can pay its exorbitant fees. From the outside, the stadium looked like a giant white dome, large but relatively unimpressive. However, inside was a world of its own. The roof of the stadium can be opened at will to let in more lights as needed or closed to show a starry sky painted on its ceiling. Its floor, on the other hand, can be opened to reveal a large swimming pool underneath. Its seats were arranged in a circular manner around the center with private rooms at every seating level for important guests. Around the edge of the roof, cameras were set up so that a floating 3-D image can be projected at any time to any section of the stadium. No matter the season and no matter the time, this stadium can be used for every event possible, from skiing to swimming, from basketball to soccer, as long the organizer can pay for it. Standing outside the stadium walls, Janus saw his two friends arriving in their own car. Despite his family name being well known, throughout his school years, he did not have friends beside these two. Most people tried their hardest to avoid him and, wherever he appeared, all the students around him would immediately stop talking and looked away. Due to this, he was always isolated until his first year of high school when these two friends of his approached him as if it was a natural. ¡°Sup,¡± one of them yelled loudly as he waived his arm in the air. ¡°Good morning,¡± the other greeted him while giving a bow. ¡°Hey,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯re here early Isaiah.¡± ¡°What do you mean early? I¡¯m here the same time as Hua,¡± his friend replied, thumb pointing to the person to his side. Isaiah Toiracsi has been Janus¡¯ friend for your years. They knew each other since the beginning of high school when Isaiah first invited him to go karaoke after class. After hanging out with Isaiah at and outside of school, Janus could hardly believe he was the oldest son of the Toiracsi family, one of the wealthiest family in the world with connections to every industry globally. Isaiah was a fool in every sense of the word. There was no student with more tardies and absents than he had in the history of the school. There was no class he could not sleep in and no projects he would not deign to skip. It is a miracle the school agreed to let him graduate. Yet despite all that, Isaiah was one of Janus¡¯ closest friends. They often gathered at Janus¡¯ house to go fishing in the backyard lake or get into shenanigans if Isaiah became bored. Their antics often get them scolded by Janus¡¯ guardians and Isaiah dragged back home by his caretakers. ¡°You should ignore him Janus¡±, Hua chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s not worth paying attention to an idiot like him.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Hey that¡¯s terrible of you to say miss Iron...¡±, right before Isaiah could finish his sentence, he suddenly grabbed his side and fall over, groaning in pain. ¡°What were you saying?¡± Hua asked. ¡°Absolutely nothing¡­¡±, Isaiah replied through ragged breath. ¡°Ugh that hurt you evil wit¡­ nothing, I didn¡¯t say anything¡±, Isaiah shook as he backed away quickly after seeing the look on Hua¡¯s face. ¡°Good boy¡±, she smiled. ¡°Now where were we?¡± Hua Zhen De, the first daughter of the Zhen De family, one of the oldest continuous family in the world and the other of Janus¡¯ good friend. Compared to Isaiah, Janus found her easier to get along with. She was always calm, reasonable, and friendly to those she approved, though there are admittedly not many. In public, many students called her ¡°L¡¯ange¡± out of respect, both for her looks and her wisdom. She would always resolve all disputes to the satisfaction of all parties involved, earning her the respects of not only the students, but the adults of the school as well. However, in private, though Janus would never admit it out loud, he and Isaiah had a second nickname for her, the ¡°Iron Maiden¡±. She was nigh impregnable to those that she deemed unworthy of her time while possessing a force that could down anyone that think they could challenge her authority. It was out of absolute fear that Janus took to calling her ¡°Iron Maiden¡± in secret while Isaiah, on the other hand, used it as an insult, which quickly earned him an unseeable punch to his side each time he used it. ¡°I think the ceremony starts in a few hours,¡± Janus replied. ¡°Do you guys want to go in and take a look around?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass¡­there¡¯s no one in there right now. I¡¯d rather be outside, it¡¯s much nicer out here. Beside I¡¯ve seen it enough times that I¡¯m sick of it honestly¡± Isaiah remarked. ¡°I¡¯m with idiot on this one,¡± Hua added. ¡°I was part of the committee setting things up, so I¡¯ve already seen everything.¡± ¡°Ah that¡¯s a shame¡­we have about an hour before things start. What do you guys want to do?¡± ¡°You should practice your speech Janus,¡± Hua replied. ¡°You are the valedictorian for our year and I¡¯d rather you don¡¯t make us look bad.¡± ¡°I think you should be saying that to that guy right there instead of me.¡± ¡°Are you two seriously just ganging up on me now? Give me a break, it¡¯s the last day. Let me enjoy it in peace.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get enough break during high school already?¡± Hua chided him. ¡°You can never get enough. Honestly, if my old man didn¡¯t force me to attend this, I¡¯d be off on a vacation somewhere by now.¡± ¡°Where are you planning to go after this?¡± Janus asked. ¡°Somewhere far away from here. I honestly don¡¯t want to be around this place after today. You Hua?¡± ¡°I have to go early after Janus¡¯ speech. My family is calling a gathering of all members to discuss some matters. Sorry¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯ll still see each other around in the future,¡± Janus reassured her. ¡°So, any of your parents are here today?¡± ¡°Not mine¡±, Isaiah replied. ¡°Old man had other thing to do so it¡¯s just me.¡± ¡°Mine are busy organizing the meeting.¡± Hua explained. ¡°What about your Janus?¡± ¡°Oversea. Going to have to fly out to join them there tomorrow.¡± ¡°That does not sound fun¡­business?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°Yikes¡­Anyway, enough of the boring stuff, I take it you won¡¯t be here after the ceremony Hua?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry.¡± ¡°Not a problem. Welp Janus, I guess I¡¯ll be the last person you see today. Want to meet up here afterward?¡± "Sure. My driver picking me up immediately after, but I have time to say goodbye before you go on your vacation.¡± ¡°Awesome. So¡­what¡¯s the plan now?¡± As the three friends stood outside and chatted, the amount of the people arriving at the stadium gradually increased until crowds of people could be seen outside the stadium¡¯s door. At exactly 9:00 A.M. the stadium opened, and people gradually made their way inside, moving to their designated seating for the event. Saying goodbye to his friends who promptly made their way to their respective room in the stadium, Janus walked to the center of the floor and took his seat amongst his many teachers on the stage. Once everyone was seated and the place was quiet, the principal got up first, thanking everyone for coming and gave a speech about how it was his honor to be at this school. He offered the students below a few pieces of advice and handed his mic over to the next speaker in line. After a series of teachers stood up and gave their speech, it was Janus¡¯ turn. The speech he wrote was a standard one, nothing special; something he rehearsed countless times; however, despite that, the occasion still made him nervous. Standing in front thousands of students and their parents, his heart started to palpitate, his hands began to sweat. ¡°You can do it¡±, voice echoed through the stadium drawing the attention of all attendees. Janus looked up and saw his friend Isaiah, inside his private room, pumping his fist in the air cheering him on. In contrast, Hua was in her own room on the opposite side of the stadium waving at him and smiling. Encouraged by his friend¡¯s cheers, his nervousness faded away and he proceeded onto the podium to give his congratulations to the graduating students and returned to his seat, breathing a sigh of relief that his role was over. Despite a few more technical interruptions here and there, the event went on mostly as scheduled. A few more speeches, students walking up to the stage to receive their diploma followed by a school anthem, sung by the school choir, to end the ceremony. When people started getting up from their seat and walked around after the ceremony to take pictures, Janus slowly made his way through the crowd of people and returned to the entrance. At the door, Isaiah was waiting for him, arms folded while leaning against the door, a rare serious expression appearing on his face. ¡°See you later then?¡± Smiling, Janus extended his hand and nodded. ¡°Yeah, see you later.¡± Isaiah grabbed his hand, pulling it to his chest as he embraced Janus and patted his back a few times. ¡°Stay safe, man. I¡¯ll see you around when I can¡± ¡°You too,¡± Janus replied, patting Isaiah¡¯s back and letting go. After saying goodbye to his friend, Janus made his way to the car waiting for him at the front of the stadium. Before getting in, he looked back one last time only to see that his friend had disappeared into the crowd. Taking his place in the backseat and closing the passenger door, he instructed his driver to take him to the airport where his parents¡¯ plane was waiting for him. Then, the world went silent. A hole suddenly appeared on the driver¡¯s side window followed by his driver slumping forward, forehead falling on top of the wheel, his arm falling lifelessly to the side. Unsure of what was going on, Janus attempted to leave the vehicle only to discovered that all the doors were locked. He tried kicking the window to escape but was bounced backward by the reinforced glass. He banged his fist against the car¡¯s door hoping to draw the attention of any bystander, but no one pay him any attention. Then, before he could do anything else, a large explosion rang out on the opposite side of the car. Terrified, Janus attempted again to escape only to be blown backward by the force of another explosion. A third explosion quickly followed, then a fourth. The impact of these explosions flipped his car and pushed it against the wall surrounding the stadium, lighting it on fire. Inside, Janus was slowly losing his consciousness, rocked by the back-to-back blasts that occurred. He could no longer move, his arm pinned against the space between the seats. Outside the car, he could hear screams of people yelling for help and running for their life. However, that no longer matter to him. He could feel his life slowly leaving his body. His stomach was pierce by a piece of shrapnel and blood was slowly dripping on the floor. He could feel the fire engulfing his car slowly crawling closer to his body. Trapped in his seat, he looked up only to see images of his life flashing before his eyes as if he was watching a movie. He saw his parents, his sister, his friends. ¡°It was a short life¡±, he thought to himself as a final utter escaped his lips. ¡°See you later.¡± Act 2 - Marcus Toiracsi ¡°Don¡¯t Try to Solve Serious Matters in the Middle of the Night¡± ¨C Philip K. Dick A Monster. By all accounts, the eldest son of the Silverlake family was a certified, genuine, unquestionable monster. This was the unfiltered opinion of Marcus Toiracsi, the current head of the immensely wealthy and powerful Toiracsi family. Unlike their peer, the Silverlake family that specialized in commerce, the Toiracsi family specialized in war, especially the ones that can never see the light of day. He had connections at all levels of society, from those that sleep in the run-down corners of the roads to those that sleep on the high-rises, towering over the largest cities in the world. His family¡¯s reputation in the underworld of society was so renown that just hearing a whisper of their name publicly was a guarantee someone, or perhaps an entire family, was about to disappear. As the current head of this family, Marcus Toiracsi was involved in his own share of shady dealings, never backing down against the other party. Some would describe him as unflinching, others, an idiot that knows no fear, or infamously as, ¡°The Untouchable¡±. However, behind the scenes, away from the prying eyes of society, beneath the unconquerable visage, such a man was, for six years now, continued to be haunted by the day that the eldest son of the Silverlake family would be released from his cage. It was around 6 years ago that Marcus became acquainted with that monster, at a party the Silverlake family threw to introduce their son to society. In the world, the name ¡°Silverlake¡± is associated with power, a type of power different from ones that the Toiracsi commanded. In sheer fighting prowess, the Toiracsi were unmatched. In comparison, none could match the Silverlake family in their ability to scheme behind the scenes, to bring down their enemies before anyone can see it coming. It is precisely this ability of the current Silverlake family head that they were applauded publicly as, the ¡°Miracle Traders¡± while derided privately, by their many enemies as, ¡°The Puppeteers¡±. Marcus Toiracsi was neither afraid of the Silverlake nor dumb enough to confront them head-on, regardless of how much money he was offered. As far as Marcus was concern, confronting the Silverlake directly was the same as committing mutually assured destruction for both parties. However, 6 years ago, this all changed. Initially, upon receiving an invitation by the Silverlake to attend their son¡¯s introductory party, Marcus thought nothing of it. It was just a party for a child, a performance by any powerful family in society. Out of respect, Marcus had no intention of rejecting the invitation, simply marking ¡°Yes¡± on the invitation, handing it to his butler to return the letter to the Silverlake, and cleared his schedule for that day. On the day of the party, Marcus arrived at the Silverlake mansion. He saw the current head of the Silverlake family, Jacob, standing outside their door, personally greeting every guest that came amicably with a smile, a duty that Marcus felt should have been left to their butler. While normal guests would fall prey to that smile, Marcus, and anyone of sufficient status, knew better. Publicly, Jacob was a philanthropist, donating his vast fortunes to various charitable causes. Privately, Jacob was a decisive and cruel person, willing to cut down anyone he considered his enemy without a second thought. This was not an exaggeration. Marcus knew this for a fact. The Silverlake family fortune was exchanged for a mountain of corpses in the shadow. Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Marcus made his way up the steps to the house¡¯s entrance. Seeing Marcus approached, Jacob looked at him with a gentle smile, not the one he often used with guests and clients but one he reserved for those he truly acknowledged. Jacob extended his hand to Marcus and Marcus returned the gesture. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. I¡¯m truly honored you could come¡±, Jacob said. ¡°Thank you for the invite. It¡¯s a privilege to be here¡±, Marcus replied. ¡°How¡¯s your family doing?¡± Jacob asked. ¡°The wife is on vacation right now with my kid. They¡¯re probably relaxing on the beach at an island somewhere right now,¡± Marcus replied, smiling scornfully. As he exchanged greeting, he could hear several guests in the background beginning to whisper. ¡°Who is he?¡± Some said. ¡°I¡¯m surprised the Silverlake family head is taking the initiative to greet him,¡± others remarked. For Marcus, this was normal. The Toiracsi family, although powerful, only existed in the darkness of the world. It made it easy to operate. While their family name might inspire nervousness and fear, not many people had the opportunity to meet Marcus face-to-face, for better or worse. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you Jacob,¡± Marcus said. ¡°It seems other guests are arriving. I¡¯ll just help myself in.¡± ¡°Thanks Marcus. I¡¯ll see you inside when I finish making my round.¡± Nodding his head, Marcus excused himself and went inside the building. He made his way into the reception room and started to mingle amongst the guests, enjoying the drinks being served while waiting for the event to start. After about an hour, once all the guests were gathered inside the large dining hall, Jacob made his way onto the stage. ¡°Hello,¡± Jacob started speaking. ¡°Thank you everyone for coming to my son¡¯s introductory party. It¡¯s an honor for our family that everyone here was able to come. I hope you¡¯ll be able to enjoy yourself tonight. We prepared some of the finest foods and drinks in the region. Anyway, without further ado, please let me introduce my son who just came of age this year, Janus.¡± After a quick introduction, Jacob motioned for his son to make his way onto the stage. For his part, Marcus continued to enjoy the wine that Jacob prepared for the party. This type of event was commonplace to him. His intention was to show up and represent his family at this gathering, nothing more. His plan was to see the eldest son of the Silverlake, introduce himself to the boy, and excuse himself to go home. However, that plan went awry the moment Janus took the stage. Immediately, as soon as Marcus lay eye on Janus, his back broke out in sweat. He immediately felt a sense of impending danger, as if the maw of a gigantic invisible beast was slowly closing around him. He could feel the teeth penetrating his skin as his body paralyzed in fear, unable to run away. Others would simply dismiss this as their personal paranoia, but Marcus knew better. Living in the dark side of society for so long, his sense of danger was more finely tune than anyone else here. Marcus did not understand why he felt such a sense of fear from this young boy, but one thing was clear; Marcus knew, instinctively, that the boy was dangerous.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. After all the introductions were over, Marcus watched as Jacob led his son down from the stage and toward a family standing nearby with their daughter. Though he did not recognize which family the other party was from, he knew that they possessed, at the very minimum, status equal to both him and Jacob, given how Jacob was behaving. Marcus watched as Jacob nudged his son toward a little girl and introduced the two of them to one another. Then, he watched as the parents of the two kids guided them to the middle of the hall as music began to play and Janus and the girl began their waltz, a tradition passed down amongst high-ranking families. Through this entire sequence of event, Marcus kept his eyes trained on Janus, desperately trying to understand why he felt such a sense of dread originating from such a young child. From what he saw, the child was a quick learner, that much is a given. The clumsy waltz he exhibited at the start of the dance was slowly erased as he moved through the dance floor with his partner. However, this was within Marcus¡¯ expectation. This was Jacob¡¯s son after all. If he could not do at least this much, he would not be fit to inherit the mantle of the Silverlake family. Lost in his own thought, Marcus did not notice that the song had ended until Jacob was standing in front of him with Janus at his side. ¡°Marcus,¡± Jacob said. ¡°Once again, it¡¯s nice to see you here¡± Shaken from his thought, Marcus straightened himself and replied. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. How long have we known each other? If I couldn¡¯t do this much it¡¯d be a bit embarrassing.¡± Jacob chuckled. ¡°Let me introduce you to my son,¡± Jacob said as he urged his son forward. ¡°Come Janus, say hi to dad¡¯s friend.¡± Upon his father¡¯s urging, Janus stepped forward, his eyes looking directly at Marcus. ¡°Nice to meet you Janus. I¡¯m your dad¡¯s friend Marcus,¡± Marcus greeted him, ¡°I have a son about your age. I hope you¡¯ll get along with him in the future as well.¡± After the greeting, Marcus extended his hand toward the young boy as a formal gesture of friendship. The young Janus nodded his head and extended his hand toward Marcus¡¯ as well. However, the moment their hands touched, Marcus¡¯ mind shook. The fear that he felt before as he watched Janus on that stage came back fiercer than before. The beast maw that he felt then was replaced by a more vivid image of a grim reaper floating in front of him, its scythe already making its way through his neck. Terrified, Marcus yanked his hand back to the surprise look of both Jacob and Janus. Unsure of what just happened, Marcus looked up at Jacob for any confirmation that it was not just his imagination. However, Jacob¡¯s face only had a slight surprise expression before returning to its normal countenance. ¡°What is this child?¡± Marcus wondered to himself. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for someone like Jacob not to notice there¡¯s something wrong here. Is he just pretending not to notice or is he just genuinely not aware?¡± Trying to remedy the situation, Marcus simply patted the boy¡¯s head before replying, ¡°I must¡¯ve had a little too much to drink.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early Marcus. You should be careful.¡± Jacob replied with his usual smile. ¡°Try not to drink too much or Emily won¡¯t be too happy after she return from her vacation.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me,¡± Marcus answered. ¡°I¡¯m painfully aware of it.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll have to return to my duty of entertaining our other guests for today. I¡¯ll see you around¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯m probably going to head home soon as well. There are still things that I need to get done¡± ¡°Work is not easy, is it?¡± ¡°Never is¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself Marcus. Take care of your health.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. Don¡¯t worry. I know where my limits are.¡± ¡°If you need help arranging a ride home, please talk to my butler. It¡¯s not a problem¡± ¡°Thank Jacob. Alright, get back to your guests, they¡¯re starting to look rather impatience.¡± ¡°See you around.¡± ¡°Same to you.¡± After making his way back out of the house, Marcus called for his driver to take him home. Sinking into the backseat of his car as his driver drove away from the Silverlake¡¯s mansion, Marcus could feel the tension melting from his body. He looked at his hand and to his surprise, they were still sweaty and trembling from that brief encounter with Janus, the fear of that moment never really left. ¡°What was that boy¡­,¡± Marcus whispered to himself. As his car made its way back to his manor, Marcus continued to replay the event of that night repeatedly in his head, unsure what to make of it all. He knew that he needed to do something, but he was unsure what. For now, Marcus settled on just observing the eldest son of the Silverlake family. After returning to his home, he called his butler and instructed him to enroll his own son, Isaiah, into the same school as Janus as an observer for the next six years. Every day from that night, Marcus continued to instruct Isaiah in private to report anything and everything about Janus to him and only him. He did not want this matter to leak outside to anyone. For years, he continued to observe and listen to the reports that Isaiah sent back and planned his next move. Slowly, the fear that Marcus felt toward Janus on that day was turning into a conviction, an obsession. Marcus knew that he needed to exterminate Janus by any means necessary, as soon as possible. After a few years, Marcus no longer cared about triggering a war with the Silverlake family, he only wanted to get rid of Janus, to remove the danger before it has a chance to grow. Slowly, his plan started to take shape. June 18th on graduation day was his one and only chance to make this assassination a success, when everyone¡¯s guard was at their lowest, focused on celebrating their children''s graduation. He purchased vacation tickets for his wife, his son, and everyone that matter to him to ensure they were out of harm''s way once the assassination begin. He suspected that his son understood his motive but, since Isaiah never questioned him on it, he decided to let things rest where they may. He trained a private squad of soldiers in private, solely for the purpose of ensuring the success of this plan. He purchased weapons via channels known only to him and hid them away from sight. Then the night before June 18th, Marcus spent hours in the dark, poring over every detail of his plans to ensure there was no possible room for error. Once the sun broke through the cloud, Marcus sat back in his chair and waited. At precisely 10:00 A.M. Marcus¡¯ phone rang. Picking up the phone, he asked, ¡°Is everything in place?¡± ¡°Yes. Everything is moving as you expected.¡± ¡°I guess this is goodbye.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll take care of the family after you¡¯re gone.¡± The voice simply said and hung up. Sighing, Marcus stood up, walked over to his private cabinet, and took out a bottle of whiskey that he reserved only for special occasions. He poured himself a small drink and sat back down into his chair, looking out the window as he enjoyed the slight burning sensation from the whiskey traveling down his throat. After some time has passed, without looking back, Marcus said out loud, ¡°it¡¯s too late to stop me.¡± From behind him, a voice belonging to a young girl replied, ¡°I¡¯m not here for that reason.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You fully understand the consequences of what you¡¯re about to do?¡± ¡°Yes. I watched that boy for 6 years. I tried everything I could to suppress the fear I feel toward him. However,¡± Marcus¡¯ voice trembled as he raised his hand, ¡°no matter what I do, my hand won¡¯t stop trembling in fear of him. He¡¯s not normal. At this point, I hesitate to even call him human.¡± ¡°I see. It seems you¡¯ve steeled your resolve.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, on my name as the Matriarch of the Arbitrator, I will ensure the safety of your family until your son can inherit the Toiracsi family safely.¡± ¡°I appreciate it. Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me. I¡¯m simply acting according to the pacts made by our ancestors.¡± ¡°Still, thank you. Hearing your assurances take a lot of weight off my chest¡± Marcus said, downing the last of his favorite bottle of whiskey. ¡°It should be done around now.¡± ¡°So, it would seem.¡± A few minutes after his announcement, a simple message appeared on Marcus¡¯ phone. ¡°It is done.¡± Smiling, Marcus put his phone down and leaned back against his chair as the scythe of the grim reaper cut through his throat. On this day, Marcus Toiracsi, the current patriarch of the Toiracsi family, breathe his last as he passed on with a smile on his face. The girl, after finishing her job, stood by Marcus¡¯ side, ensuring that he¡¯s no longer breathing as she closed his eyes. ¡°You gave your life to end his¡­,¡± She lamented. ¡°Was this the only way Marcus?¡± Making her way out of the room, she looked one last time at the smiling face of Marcus slumped over in his chair and whispered before disappearing, ¡°If only it was that easy.¡± Act 3 - Life & Death ¡°There is in every one of us, even those who seem to be the most moderate, a type of desire that is terrible, wild, and lawless¡± ¨C Plato After taking the life of her long-time friend, the Matriarch of the Arbiter let her thoughts drift to the mortality of her own life as she left the Toiracsi resident. She sighed as she wondered to herself when this long journey of her would ever end. In her long life, she had witnessed many births and many deaths of those closest to her, but never her own; her existence, the result of a curse inflicted upon her from long ago, locked her time permanently. To her, the concept of time no longer held any meaning. After several centuries, she no longer kept track of her own age, her original name lost to the sands of time. She watched as many families rose to power only to fall generations later due to the incompetence of their successors. In that aspect, the Silverlake and Toiracsi families held a special place in her heart. She watched as both families began as small, insignificant pebbles in the world, destined to disappear at any moment, to overcoming obstacles and securing the status that they held today. Observing these two families as they grew step-by-step, she could feel the small flame of hope that her dream will one day come true begin to rekindle once more. Unlike their counterparts, through generations of successors, the Silverlake and Toiracsi became more powerful, more stable, like an oak tree tempered by the wind of time. Eventually, she came to see both families like her own children, sometimes appearing in front of them in disguises to offer guidance, other times, protecting them in the dark against any potential threats. Soon after, tired of her lonely journey, she would establish the Zhen De family, and begin her reign as its Matriarch. Using experiences from her long life, she mediated conflicts between different families to the satisfaction of all parties and soon enough, the word Arbitrator and Zhen De became synonymous with one another. Despite her public reputation as the ideal neutral arbiter, there was always a soft spot in her heart for both the Silverlake and Toiracsi family. She wanted to preserve them, to keep them safe so that they could accompany her through this lonely journey through time. So, from time to time, she would provide each family with small advantages in every negotiation, unbeknownst to the opposing side. Later, during the era that would eventually be known by future generations as the ¡°Red Tide¡±, where multiple powerful families from around the world competed for influence; resulting in the deaths of many, it was she who rallied her family along with the Silverlake and Toiracsi to put an end to it all. Tortured by the loss of the many innocent souls due to the constant fighting, she established the Five Covenants, to be adhered to by all families, or risk suffering the consequences. They were: Agreed to by all participating families, the Zhen De family, as the author of the covenants, were tasked with its enforcement. To that end, she and her family were allowed to gather talented personnel from around the world and soon enough, the Zhen De family wielded a military force on par with any small country, with her at its helm. Despite being surrounded by talented fighters and countless guards, she herself was no slouch when it came to hand-to-hand combat. What she lacked in strength, she made up for in absolute stealth. Death by assassination. Her body never aged, a side effect of her curse, forever kept in its optimal physical condition in the image of a 16-year-old girl. This aspect of the curse came in handy when it came to jobs she wanted to perform personally. To hide her immortality, she hid away from both the public and private eyes, revealing herself only to a small circle of confidants within her own family. During arbitration duties, she hid behind her veil using the premise of absolute neutrality. At home, she forbade all from coming close to her abode, except the few that she approved. Year after year, she continued to fake her own death when it became necessary, pretending to be her own successor only to continue to wear the mantle as the Matriarch of the Zhen De family. Throughout her arbitration works, she continuously encountered both Jacob and Marcus, the current heads of the Silverlake and Toiracsi, respectively. They were her favorites amongst all the active family heads. She admired Jacob for sometimes seeing things that even she, in her boundless wisdom, could not. She enjoyed her battle of wit against Jacob during each arbitration, especially when he tried to outwit her to gain as many advantages for his family as possible. To her, it was a bit cute, almost like a mother watching her child pretending to be a grown-up. As for Marcus, she loved his straightforward nature. Others would call him stupid, but she knew it was a fa?ade. Marcus was cautious. He never moved unless absolutely assured of his own victory. She loved seeing his red hair flown in the wind as he charged into battle. The scene reminded her of a period when she was young, standing on the hilltop, seeing knights from her own country charging into battle. Some years later, she received news that both Jacob and Marcus¡¯ wives had each conceived son. Making room in her schedule, she hurried to their respective houses to give them both her blessing. Arriving at the Toiracsi¡¯s house first, the servants welcomed her inside and led to the room where Marcus¡¯ son, Isaiah, and his mother were resting, Marcus standing by their side beaming. She walked over to their bedside, took one look at the child, and smiled. His eyes were strong, like Marcus, and his grip, firm, as he reached out and grabbed her finger. She put a hand on top of Isaiah¡¯s head and said a small prayer. ¡°Take good care of him Marcus. The child has a bright future ahead of him,¡± she said to a nodding Marcus and promptly left the residence. Similar to when she visited the Toiracsi¡¯s home, the servants of the Silverlake household welcomed her inside and led her to the foyer where Jacob waited. They exchanged greeting and Jacob led her to a nursery where his son, Janus, was currently sleeping. However, unlike the excitement she felt when she saw Isaiah, an overwhelming sense of nervousness gripped her entire being as she turned the handle on the door. Carefully, as not to wake the child, she opened the door to the nursery and entered the room. She did not know what was happening to her, but she was sure, that the cause was the baby in front of her. Slowly, she approached the crib and to take a look inside, her heart steadily beating faster with every step. She reached out her hand to touch the sleeping baby, to bless him, just as she had done to Isaiah when a sudden pain gripped her heart, forcing her to step away. Body drenched with sweat, it took everything she had to maintain her composure as she turned and look over at Jacob, his face unchanged as if nothing strange happened.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Jacob asked. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no issue. He seems to be a healthy child. I look forward to his future,¡± she smiled as she answered him. Unbeknownst to Jacob, that was her true and unfiltered sentiment. In that small instant that the pain struck her heart, she could see it, the wish she had been yearning for all this time. She knew precisely who this child was. He would be the one to free her, to fulfill the wish that she had long given up on. Hiding her excitement, she bid Jacob farewell and returned home, waiting for the day she could meet the boy again. That night, as she was about to retire for the night, a figure appeared in her bedroom, his face hidden in the darkness, further obscured by a mask. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve found it,¡± it said to her. ¡°Yes. After so many years¡­I never thought it would be possible.¡± She answered. ¡°What will you do now?¡± ¡°What else can I do but wait¡­wait until the day that he will be the one to fulfill my one true wish.¡± ¡°Even if that means sacrificing all you¡¯ve built up, L¡¯ange?¡±, the voice said mockingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t choose that name¡­it was a name given to me.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, it is your name. Will you sacrifice everything for your own selfishness?¡± ¡°Is it truly my own selfishness? Does my suffering for eons because of this world¡¯s insanity count for nothing? ¡°What about him? What you¡¯re about to do will be far worse, not only for him but for the world as well.¡± ¡°He will understand my decision in time. Time heals all wound. It covers up all scars. Just like it did to me. As for the world, I care not.¡± ¡°It seems I won¡¯t be able to convince you.¡± ¡°Will I be able to convince you to stop in your pursuit of your own wish when, after centuries, it will finally be within your grasp?¡±, she asked satirically. ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interfere. I would hate to act against someone I¡¯ve known for so long.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not in my interest to interfere. Afterall, I have a guest I¡¯m waiting for at our theatre.¡± ¡°Has he decided to come?¡± ¡°Yes. In due time.¡± ¡°I see. I hope you¡¯ll be able to enjoy yourself¡± ¡°As do you¡±, the voice said before disappearing. The next morning, the Matriarch of the Zhen De family called a meeting with her closest confidants. She ordered them to begin crafting a background for her, one where she could use publicly without revealing who she really is. Without questioning her intentions, her confidant started their works. They forged her birth certificate and submitted it to the government office, solidifying her new persona as Hua Zhen De, the new daughter of the Zhen De family. On the day of Janus¡¯ public introduction, she decided to personally check on his growth, ordering her confidants to act as her parents. This would not be a problem for her as no one living, outside of her family, knew what she looked like. Fortunately for her, her physical appearance was also easy to explain as her simply being a bit more mature for her age, no one can truly contradict it anyway. At the party, by wearing outfits embroidered with the flower representing the Zhen De family on her chest, she ensured that Jacob would naturally approach her. Utilizing her youthful appearance, with the assistance of her parents, she cajoled the young Janus into dancing with her. This was for two reasons. She used the opportunity as a way for her to appraise him up close, making sure his growth was aligned with her expectations. The second was to ensure that, by showing the close relationship between the Silverlake and Zhen De family, it will deter anyone from having crazy ideas, creating an additional layer of protection for Janus. For Hua, each day that Janus continued to grow was one day closer to her wish finally being granted. Satisfied, she returned home and continued as if nothing had change, with none the wiser. What were a few more years of waiting compared to the centuries of torment that she had to endure? When Janus was old enough to enroll in high school, Hua followed suit. She figured this would be the best time to approach him without arousing any suspicion. Staying by his side, she could ward off any danger that might threaten his life. With her personality and experience, it took no time for her to gain the trust of Janus along with Isaiah whom she knew Marcus ordered to monitor Janus. Over time, she slowly conditioned Janus to see her as someone dear to him while keeping all unnecessary factors as bay. She ordered her family to annihilate anyone that might bring harm to him except for the Toiracsi family. She knew Marcus was afraid of Janus, but she needed Isaiah nearby to reduce the suspicion toward her. For Hua, Isaiah, being the son of the Toiracsi, was the perfect cover. Under a normal life, Isaiah would be the ideal son, perfect in every way. He had the look, the intelligent, and the strength to execute any Toiracsi family mission. He was obedient, heeding the order of the family head without question. He would play the fool as necessary, acting boisterous and friendly toward Janus, and most importantly, drawing all the public attention toward himself. To the outside world, her demure demeanor was the perfect complement to Isaiah¡¯s outgoing personality, making them look like a perfect group of friends. Eventually, through her own intelligent network, she learned that Marcus was gathering weapons through a secret channel. A little bit of intuition and she quickly realized his plan. She began writing letters to Marcus, cautioning against such a move, arguing that it would jeopardize the peace she had built for so long. Her letters went unanswered as Marcus continued unabated. Giving up on persuading Marcus, Hua began making her own plans, in preparation for the day Marcus would execute his. After knowing him for so long, Hua could trace his thoughts perfectly. She knew that Marcus would target June 18th as the date to act, as that was the date when all defenses are at their weakest. No family, save for Marcus, would be crazy enough to act for fear of retribution from the Zhen De family. By this point, she knew that the fear of Janus has encompassed Marcus, and that nothing would stop him. The morning of June 18th, she instructed her family members to monitor Marcus¡¯ soldiers. If they had any threatening posture toward Janus, to immediate execute them without question. Then, she made her way toward the site for graduation. For the full day, she continued to act as if nothing was wrong, behaving just like Hua would be expected to act. After Janus¡¯ speech she excused herself and made her way to the Toiracsi mansion, finding Marcus relaxing in his chair. Once more, she tried to convince him to call off the plan. Merciless as she can be, even she would hesitate to kill someone she known for so long. However, as soon as Marcus¡¯ phone rang, she knew that her men failed in their mission. With an expression full of regret, she immediately slit Marcus¡¯ throat from behind, ending his life. Full of anguish, she began to make her way out of Marcus¡¯ room when a sharp pain shot through her heart. Despite nearly collapsing from the pain, her expression was one full of joy. She knew very well the source of her pain. Beyond all doubts, Janus was still alive, her hope still existed, as she whispered, ¡°If only it was that easy¡±, and dashing madly home. Hua knew that Janus was still alive but, if Marcus¡¯ plan succeeded, then he would not be alive for long. She had to hurry and put her plans into motion to save Janus¡¯ life, by any means necessary. Running back into her room by using a passage only she knew, she pulled apart the sliding door leading inside with hysteric strength, nearly ripping it apart. She pushed aside the bookshelf in her room, revealing an entrance leading down below and made her way beneath the earth. When she arrived at her destination, she removed her current outfit, put on a set of ceremonial robes set aside at the entrance, and made her way inside. Her destination, an unadorned room built beneath the earth that only she knew, decorated only by a large, three layers concentric circle at the center of the room. Walking over each layer, a wall of light, decorated with various runes, would emit from the floor, extending to the ceiling, closing her inside. When she made her way to center, she kneeled, eyes closed, hands clasped together as if in prayer as she cried out the names of the goddess of fate. ¡°Urd, Verdandi, Skuld. Hear my plea. Let my prayer reach your hallow hall. By my true name, let the world be reborn.¡± Soon as she finished her plea, the room began to rumble as chains shot out from the wall, wrapping around her hands and feet, pulling her up and suspending her in the air. Then, from the outermost circle, seven swords rose from the ground and surrounded her. They pointed their tips at her body and one by one, started to impale her. One on each foot, one on each hand, two at her ribs, and one stabbed at her heart. She smiled as her blood trickled from her body down to the ground. ¡°I curse this world that trapped me for so long,¡± she screamed. ¡°Suffer!¡± She cried out as crystals from the ground, as if responding to her blood, began to rise. ¡°Suffer, suffer, suffer and struggle in anguish and pain.¡± She continued to cry as the crystals approached her feet. ¡°Feel the pain that I felt, hate the world as I did,¡± she continued as the crystal wrapped itself around her body. ¡°Suffer and despair,¡± she whispered quietly as the crystals made its way to her neck, droplets of tears falling from her eyes. Before her body became fully enclosed in the crystalline structure, the curse that was the bane of her existence for so long began to fade away as she smiled one last time. ¡°Hate me¡­resent me¡­and then one day, come an end me¡­my hero.¡± She said as the crystals finally enclosed her body. From there, the blades that impaled her body began to pull away and rotated rapidly in a circle. Light began to spread from the center and expanded until it covered the world. That day, in a place no one knew, the existence currently known as Hua Zhen De, was erased from all histories of the world. Intercession II ¡°Would you like a drink?¡± Verdandi voiced rang out in the empty theatre hall. ¡°Absolutely my dear. Perhaps a bit of Bourbon please. On the rock if you would,¡± Cheshire answered. Nodding, Verdandi trotted down Cheshire¡¯s order, ¡°Any particular brand sir?¡± ¡°Woodford Reserve would you please. I feel like it will be a fairly long night.¡± ¡°And you dear guest?¡± ¡°Whiskey, straight.¡± ¡°Understood sir. Do you have any particular brand you would like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± the boy answered bluntly. ¡°May I make a recommendation then?¡± Cheshire chimed in. ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed. ¡°Verdandi, please serve our guest a McCallan M,¡± Cheshire instructed, his whiskers twitching. ¡°But¡­sir?¡± Verdandi exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll allow it. It¡¯s a special occasion after all,¡± he waived his hand signaling he would not entertain any further objection. ¡°Understood Sir. I¡¯ll prepare it right away,¡± Verdandi replied as she promptly left the room. Soon as Verdandi departed, Cheshire turned to face his guest, ¡°Whiskey huh? Interesting order. Didn¡¯t figure you for a whiskey connoisseur.¡± ¡°I just feel like trying it,¡± the boy replied.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°I see. First time then? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Perhaps I should ask Verdandi to bring the bottle as well¡±, Cheshire pondered as he leaned his head to one side, resting it in the palm of his hand. ¡°Why is that? ¡°As a first-time drinker of a McCallan, you might not understand this but, amongst all the McCallan ever produce, the ¡°M¡± is a bit special,¡± Cheshire explained. ¡°It is made from the highest grade of whiskey that McCallan ever produce and not only that, but it¡¯s also packaged in a crystal decanter allowing that amber liquid to truly shine.¡± ¡°It seems you really enjoy that bottle.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s reserved only for special occasions. It¡¯s something to drink when celebrating a special event or mourning an unfortunate one.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you, Cheshire.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. You are a special guest after all. This is how we show our utmost hospitality to all our guests. Speaking of hospitality, it seems she has returned with our order.¡± When Cheshire finished speaking, Verdandi made her way into the room, two crystal glasses of liquor resting on her tray. To Cheshire, she handed the bourbon that he ordered, chilled by an orb of ice that worked to highlight its golden color. To Cheshire¡¯s guest, she handed the McCallan ¡°M¡± in a crystal glass, without any additional garnishes. When her job was finished, Verdandi bow and left the room, closing the door behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t drink too fast. Whiskey is meant to be drank slowly, in small sips. Savor it as the flavor spread through your mouth and the slight burning sensation travels down your throat,¡± Cheshire advised. Following Cheshire¡¯s advice, the boy brought the glass to his lips and took a small sip, lowering the glass into his lap, and closing his eyes as the flavor lingered on his tongue. ¡°How is it?¡± Cheshire asked. ¡°Smooth,¡± he replied, as a single drop of tears swelled up in his eyes. ¡°You should drink it slowly. Through all the reincarnations you went through, it would be inevitable that vestiges of humanity still remained.¡± Taking another small sip, the boy turned toward Cheshire and said, ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°Do you blame me?¡± ¡°No¡­You might have set the stage, but it was their decisions.¡± Cheshire replied. ¡°As you said, you are neither the playwright nor the actor. For now, you are simply the audience.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°However,¡± Cheshire continued. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Now that the stage is set and the actors gathered, it is your responsibility to see it through, to bear witness to its ending come what may.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°The next act is about to begin. You should continue to enjoy your drink. It would be a shame to waste such an exquisite liquor.¡± ¡°Thank you again Cheshire.¡± ¡°Mention it no more. Let us proceed with the next Act of this play.¡± Act 4 - Snow Dance ¡°Dance every performance as if it were your last¡± ¨C Erik Bruhn Stirred awake by a cold sensation pressing against his face, Janus sat up rubbing his arms to warm up his freezing body. Confused, he tried to surveil his surrounding only to stop once the headaches that kept ringing in his head became too much to bear. He tried rubbing his hand against his temple to ease the pain but that offered little relief. However, gradually, the headache faded away as he took a deep breath to calm himself before checking out his surroundings. ¡°Where am I?¡± he wondered. His last memory was being trapped in his car prior to its destruction. Panicked, realizing what happened, he checked his body, searching for any trace of injury, trying to confirm if he was still alive but, surprisingly, as far as he could see, he was fine. There were no traces of injuries on his body nor any signs of damage to his clothes. They were as pristine as they were when he first put them on that morning. ¡°Am I dead?¡± he thought to himself. ¡°Where is this place?¡± After calming down and making sure he was okay, only then did Janus realize that he was alone, sitting in the snow, surrounded by a bamboo forest. He looked around but nothing in his immediate vicinity betrayed any hint as to where he is. His initial attempt at getting up only resulted in him losing balance from having his feet sunk deep into the snow and falling face first into the powdery ground. From the night sky, snow continued to fall at a steady pace and soon enough, small flakes of snow crystals started to accumulate on top of his head and his clothes. Attempting to keep his body and clothes as dry as possible, he brushed them off and begin to trudge forward. Janus did not know where he was going. He simply picked a direction and proceeded, hoping to find a clue as to where he was. His first few initial steps resulted in slow progress as his tired body struggled to push its way through the dense snowpack on the ground but, soon enough, he started to make steady progress through the snow. He pushed his way through the bamboo forest, finding the trunk of the bamboo trees strangely warm, despite being buried in several feet of snow. Janus attempted to push down a few trees to break its nodes in order to stuff his clothes to keep himself warm, but it was futile. Despite, several attempts, he found that, though fragile in appearance, the bamboo trees were quite sturdy, with him unable to shift them a single millimeter. Giving up on his original ideas, he settled for just breaking a few weak looking branches, filled the empty spaces in his clothes with them, and continued his journey. After some time, Janus began noticing that the forest was strangely quiet save for the rustling sound of his clothes as he walked through the snow. With each step, he could hear his own heart beats slowly growing louder, faster. Thump! It beat. Thump! Thump! It beat again. Louder and faster this time. Thump! Thump! Thump! The sound grew into a rhythm. His body began to shake, not from the cold, but a primal fear he never knew. After walking for so long, the realization that he was truly lost, that no one was coming to help, and that this was the first time, in his entire life, that he was truly alone hit him like a ton of brick. Before, whenever he wandered out, he could always count on someone to come find him. At home, Lily was always by his side, keeping him company. For Janus, that sense of certainty had always been the basis of his identity, keeping him at ease. Now, within this snowy world, the awareness that he was now alone shook him to his core. It opened the door to the slow, creeping fear of the unknown that was starting to penetrate his mind. Slowly, it coiled around his body, wrapping its length around his legs, slithering up his chest and arms until Janus could feel its muscley body constricting around his throat. Terrified, he attempted to claw at it but to no avail. Its grip on him growing ever tighter. He coughed, gasping desperately to try and push as much air as he could into his lung, but it was useless. The coil grew tighter, and Janus collapsed onto the snow. His breathing became increasing more labored until even the visible small wisps of air coming from his mouth eventually disappeared. Exhausted, Janus could feel his mind giving up. Right now, above anything else, he just wanted to close his eyes and fall asleep. However, right before his grip on his consciousness slipped away, he heard it. A sound, ringing as clear as a bell, echoing from the shadow beyond wooded forest, made its way to him. Like a water droplet on a still surface of water, the sound rippled through his tired body, breathing life into his limbs where previously there were none. He pushed himself up, crawled forward in the snow, and closed his eyes, listening carefully to make sure it was not just his mind playing tricks on him. Clang! Again, the sound of metal rang in his ears. Clang! Clang! It was faster this time. Certain that there was something ahead, someone, his renewed legs carried him forward. He pushed his way through dense snow with ease as if they were as thin as paper. He could feel his heartbeat grew faster, pumping energy into all his limbs. He continued to make his way easily through the forest, toward the source of the sound, as though the trees themselves were moving apart, making a path for him, guiding his way forward. Eventually, Janus found himself stumbling out of the forest and onto a hilltop. The blanket of virgin snow now gave way to a landscape littered with black, jagged rock. Steadying himself, Janus tried to stand up only to lose his footing against the slippery surface, sending him tumbling down the hillside, crashing against a large rock at the bottom.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Janus screamed from the collision, the pain ripping through all his senses. He felt his bone cracked as his left arm slammed against the rock while shards of stone dug into his stomach. Gritting his teeth, trying to ride out the pain, he forced himself to stand up, his left arm falling limply at his side, his right gripping it, trying to keep it in place. Filled with cuts, a miserable sight compared to just moment before, he dragged himself forward, across the rocky plain, driven by a single goal, as droplets of blood dripped from his wounds and onto the ground below, marking his path. When he finally arrived at the source of the sound, the sight that greeted him was vastly different from what he expected. There, across the rock filled plain, where blades of grass began to peak out from beneath the thin layer of snow, he saw a man and a woman standing across from one another, weapons drawn. On Janus¡¯ right was a large man, dressed in simple clothing, his knee bent, body leaning slightly forward, his face hidden by an animal pelt draped over his torso. His arms, bursting with muscles and decorated by scar was gripping a three-pronged spear, pointing it at a woman across from him. His legs, like trees, planted firmly on the ground, grinding the pebbles beneath his feet into dust. Facing him down was a lithe woman. With one arm resting to her side and the other, outstretched, she held an unadorned sword with only a piece of cloth acting as a grip. She stood firm, her body relaxed, as if the man presence did not trouble her in the slightest. To Janus, she was the one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen and yet, despite that, every inch of her body exuded the feeling that she was the very incarnation of death. Her silver eyes, half hidden by her white hair that stretched to her hip, betrayed no sign of emotions as she stared at the man in her front of her. In the dawn of the morning sun, her pale white skin exuded a strange kind of mysterious charm, restrained only by the snow white one-layer hanfu dress she wore, hugging every curve of her body. She was, in Janus¡¯ eyes, a strange combination of divine and cursed. The two sides continued to stare at one another until the morning sun rose over the treetop, and then, with lightning speed, the man made his move. Muscle taunt he sprung forward, spear at the ready. He unleashed a series of thrusts with his trident, aiming for her face, her neck, and the center of her body. In response to the incoming attack, the woman stepped backward, using her blade to deftly parry his spear aside. The sound of their weapons colliding echoed through the field. After a series of successive thrusts, the man pulled back his spear to once more readied his stance. Seeing an opening, the woman unleashed a series of attack of her own. She proceeded forward through a storm of strikes unleashed by the man, dodging, and parrying as needed before releasing a swing of her own down on his shoulder. Attempting to block her attack, the man quickly halted his strikes to grab his spear with both hands, raising it above his head to meet the upcoming sword as the two weapons collided. The woman, face still betrayed no hint of any expression, continued to push her sword down at the spear, aiming to break it in half. The man, struggling to keep the sword away from his body was forced to his knee before being sent sliding away by a well time kick to his chest. After managing to create some distance, the man stood up, pounded his chest with his fist before coughing out of a bit of blood from his mouth. ¡°I think I might¡¯ve bitten more than I can chew,¡± Janus thought he could make out the faint voice of the man from a distance. Once more, the man charged forward. Using one hand, he sent another thrust at the woman¡¯s body only for her to parry the attack upward and using that opening to quickly move closer to the man. Smiling, as if he foresaw this, the man let go of his spear, allowing the momentum of her parry to carry it into the air and then unleashing a punch at her head with his right first while pushing aside her blade with his left. Using her free hand, the woman reached out and grabbed the incoming attack, stopping it in its track. Initially shocked that his punch was blocked so easily by a woman half his size, the man quickly regained his composure before using his other hand to grab his falling spear, slamming it downward, toward the woman¡¯s head. Seeing the attack coming, the woman tightened her grip on the man¡¯s hand before shifting her body slightly to the side, allowing the spear to pass millimeters from her body, before landing harmlessly on the ground. Then, she quickly raised her foot and stomped on the base of the spear¡¯s blades, keeping it in place. Watching the result of the exchange, Janus was at a loss for words. The adrenaline pumping through his body was numbing his pain. Though he knew that size does not equate to power, he did not expect that the woman would dominate her opponent so easily. Through it all, the woman¡¯s facial expression never changed. She maintained the same blank stare that she had when he first saw her. She dodged the man¡¯s attack as if it was natural, gliding through each motion, the sleeves of her dress trailing her steps, riding in the wind, creating the illusion that she was simply dancing through it all. ¡°I give up,¡± Janus heard the man said as he let go of his spear and raised his hands in surrender. The woman, unmoved by the man¡¯s words, moved her sword and pointed it straight at his neck. Accepting that his fate was inevitable, the man nodded and close his eyes. ¡°Make it quick,¡± he said. In one motion, the woman swung her sword and decapitated his head, grabbing it as it flew and holding it above her head as if she was holding a trophy. Blood dripped from the man¡¯s severed head and onto her dress, dying it a crimson red while blood spurted from his body, dyeing the snow beneath. Terrified at the sight, Janus began to slowly move backward, taking small steps, trying to make as little sound as possible in the hope that the woman would not notice him. However, luck was not on his side. Tossing away the severed head, the woman turned her attention toward him. The ghostly maiden he saw before was now replaced by a monster dye in red. With her previously white dress fully transformed into crimson, she stared at him with a pair of ruby eyes and hair that were beginning to turn into a ghastly shade of black. She raised her blade and pointed it in his direction and rushed at him, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Desperately trying to run, Janus turned around, forcing his legs to move as fast as they could only for his knees to give out from fatigue as he fell onto the ground, the pain in his broken arm shooting through his entire body. Realizing that her blade was now only a few feet from him, Janus gave up trying to get away. Unwilling to show such an unsightly appearance at the very end, he turned around and stared into her eyes, trying to engrave the image of his would-be killer into the deepest recess of his mind. However, before his death would come to pass, the woman¡¯s sword collided with a transparent shield that appeared before him, knocking it away. ¡°That¡¯s a good face you¡¯re making there,¡± he heard a clear voice from behind him say. ¡°A man ought to always be ready to face down death.¡± Janus turned around to see a large, muscular woman walking toward his direction. Her blue eyes stared directly at him while her long golden hair was tied into a ponytail, swinging behind her as she walked. Her body was covered in white, decorated armor; a blue cape tied to her shoulder, imprinted with a face of a roaring dragon. In her hands, she wielded a pair of ornately decorated great swords that were as long as she was tall and twice as wide as his arm. Walking past him, he could hear her say the word ¡°Heal¡±, before green light enveloped his body, closing all his wounds. ¡°I don¡¯t have the skill to fix that left arm of yours, so we¡¯ll have to leave that for later. This should be enough to keep you alive. Name''s Iris Perisaub. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Janus Silverlake,¡± he returned her greeting. ¡°Stay still for now. I need to deal with her first,¡± Iris said. Nodding his head, he watched as she walked toward the woman who had retreated a bit of a distance upon seeing a new enemy. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way,¡± the woman said in a low guttural voice. ¡°Can¡¯t do that. We both know we need him alive,¡± Iris replied as she readied her twin swords. ¡°You¡¯ll die with him then.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just have to see, won¡¯t we?¡± Iris replied, her face grinning. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Act 5 - Hero and Villain ¡°Life is not simple, and people can¡¯t be boxed into being either heroes or villains.¡± - Jessica Hagedorn <> The two women shouted before auras of red and green erupted from their body, rising to the sky before shrinking back down to the size of their body and fading. ¡°First thing first,¡± Iris said while cracking her neck. ¡°A greeting.¡± Iris said quietly as she disappeared and reappeared in front of the woman, swinging both of her swords. the woman muttered as she gripped the hilt of her sword with both hands and parried the incoming attack before returning one of her own. The two women stood in the middle of the field; blades locked in combat as they exchanged blows after blows. The force of their attacks shattering all objects around them, scattering it to the wind. After several minutes of back-and-forth Iris, satisfied with the exchange, dodged the next incoming attack, and retreated to her original position. ¡°Not going to make it easy on me huh,¡± Iris grinned as she held her swords. ¡°What is the name you were given?¡± The woman remained silent. ¡°Surely you were created with better manners than that?¡± Iris continued. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want her reputation to be dragged through the mud because you have no sense of courtesy, do you?¡± ¡°Rose,¡± the woman replied, her eyes glaring. ¡°Much better,¡± Iris laughed. ¡°Once again, as I mentioned earlier, I¡¯m Iris Perisaub.¡± ¡°Rose Ria.¡± ¡°Now that proper introduction is over,¡± Iris grinned, her knees bent as she leaned her body forward, ¡°LET''S HAVE A LITTLE FUN!¡± Soon as Iris finished speaking, Rose disappeared from her position and reappeared behind Iris¡¯ back, swinging her sword at Iris¡¯ neck. ¡°Die!¡± She shouted. ¡°Not happening, ,¡± Iris cried out. On her command, five shields, like the one that deflected the earlier attack, appeared instantly, and began to rotate around Iris, repelling Rose¡¯s attack. Seeing that her strike was reflected, Rose retreated, her eyes glaring, clearly annoyed that her opponent was still alive. After Rose retreated, Iris straightened her back and laughed heartily without a care in the world. ¡°Did you think it was going to be like earlier?¡± Iris said. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you but I¡¯m not as easy as some random bounty hunter.¡± Raising one sword to the sky Iris declared proudly. ¡°I am the strongest knight. There¡¯s no one beneath this sky that can defeat me.¡± Lowering her sword and pointing it at the woman, Iris continued, ¡°and that includes you.¡± Rose shouted as soon as Iris finished speaking, creating a pillar of fire that erupted beneath Iris¡¯ feet, surrounding her in a raging inferno. The heat, radiating from the center of the pillar, melted all the residual snow surrounding the two women, turning all the vegetation into ash, and converting the ground into glass. On the sideline, Janus watched as the battle between the two women devastated its surrounding; finding it hard to believe what he was seeing, despite it playing out right in front of his eyes. This was something he had only ever seen in the realm of imagination, within the countless of pages of books created from the minds of writers the world over. However, with the reality thrusted in front of his face, Janus had no choice but to set aside what he thought he knew and accepted what was happening in front of him. Janus could feel the heat from the center of the pillar, lapping at his skin. The intense temperature slowly evaporating the water in his body, cracking the skins on his lips. He knew that he was in danger; but, despite knowing that he could die at any moment, he chose to remain. ¡°You¡¯ll die,¡± Rose said while keeping her eyes on the pillar of fire. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Janus replied confidently. ¡°How are you so sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Janus answered. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly leaving me any other option. If I run, you¡¯ll chase after me and kill me. Better for me to gamble my life on the person that saved me earlier.¡± Glancing at Janus with a slight look of confusion in her eyes, Rose asked, ¡°She¡­saved you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Janus nodded. Before she could say another word, Rose returned her attention to the pillar of flame just as it was cut in half as Iris emerged, untouched, her armor glowing an orange hue from the dissipating flame, the five shields continuously rotating around her body. Iris pointed her sword at Jacob and chanted. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± Iris said as she looked at Jacob. ¡°Forgot the shields are only good for blocking attacks but¡­completely useless against environmental damages. You should be okay now.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Good luck,¡± Jacob told her. Nodding, Iris turned her attention back to Rose who, until this point, only stood by and watched silently. ¡°Warm-up is over,¡± Iris said, her previous light-heartedness replaced by a humorless look in her eyes. both Iris and Rose shouted as countless spears of wind and flame appeared behind them, respectively. The magical javelins, as if responding to their owner¡¯s silent command, immediately launched forward, colliding in the space between the two women, mixing and exploding together, creating multiple fire tornadoes that ripped up the glassy surface, filling the battlefield with countless falling shards of glass. Amidst the continuing devastation caused by their spells, Iris and Rose collided, swords swinging at one another once again. Rose swung her sword first at Iris¡¯ head, causing her to block with one of her swords and in return, Iris attacked with the other, forcing Rose to twist her body to dodge the incoming blade. They pulled apart and collided again and again, each time fiercer than before. Iris continued to swing her sword amidst the chaos, laughing with each swing, a tint of madness began to appear in her eyes. Rose, for her part, continued to calmly parry each attack and returned them with strikes of her own, aiming for Iris¡¯ neck whenever an opening presented itself. After a countless exchange of attacks and defense, the two women retreated a good distance from one another, their breaths ragged as their shoulders heaved up and down. Taking a moment to calm their breaths, the two women then raised their swords in front of as them, wrapping the blades in wisps of fire and wind, as they began to chant. ¡°Gate of the Underworld,¡± Rose chanted, ¡°Open now and grant the world eternal respite.¡± ¡°Gate of Elements,¡± Iris chanted, ¡°Open now and protect the world in everlasting peace.¡± ¡°Open¡± . ¡°Open¡± . As soon as they finished their chant, giant gates materialized behind each of the women. Rising up from the ground behind Rose, a gate, decorated by giant skeletons on its side, opened its dark maw as countless phantoms cloaked in fire emerged from its portal, lining up in formation in front of her. On the other side, a gate descended from heaven, clad in rainbow hues, its door opened by small fairies to allow an endless stream of soldiers, decked out in in green armor, to pour from its entrance, each one holding a spear and shield, as they take up battle positions behind Iris. Like generals leading their armies to battle, Iris and Rose pointed at one another, signaling their respective armies to charge forward. Upon command, the armies of phantoms and soldiers charged and swarmed one another on the battlefield. Some phantoms were impaled by multiple soldiers as they faded in the sky while others ripped through the enemy¡¯s line with their fiery claws. Watching as their armies clashed with neither side gaining any distinct advantage, Rose and Iris began to chant another aria. . . Rose cried out as a giant image of a phoenix emerged from her body, covering the entire battlefield in searing heat, turning a vast number of soldiers into ashes. Iris cried as a giant azure dragon appeared behind her, whipping up tornados that shredded columns of the phantoms before it into oblivion. Janus watched as the two giant monsters, after wreaking havoc on the battlefield, disappeared just as fast as they appeared, leaving behind the two women in a changed appearance. The changes to Rose were the more subtle of the two. The white hanfu dressed Rose originally wore was replaced by a crimson armor, wings of fire emerged from her back, and the blade she held was now covered in an orange glow. On the other hand, Iris transformation was far more dramatic. Gone was the knightly appearance she originally had. She grew larger, her muscles rippling as the armor that she wore was no longer able to restraint her power, shattered into countless pieces, falling to the ground. Blue scales appeared, covering her entire body as a tail emerged from behind. Iris impaled her twin swords into the ground as her nails lengthened, turning into claws. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t like this appearance,¡± Iris murmured in her new appearance. ¡°Now I¡¯m the one looking like a monster.¡± Once her transformation was completed, Iris slammed her tail into the ground behind her, launching herself into the sky with Rose chasing her closely behind. Realizing that Rose was on her tail, Iris manipulated the wind to halt her momentum. Turning in mid-air, she propelled herself downward as she unleashed cyclones from both her hands in Rose¡¯s direction. Unfazed, Rose swung her sword, slicing apart the cyclones as she continued to charge toward Iris. When Rose came within striking distance of Iris, the pair of wings behind her expanded, becoming three times larger than her body as the heat radiating from them became more intense. Utilizing the heat, Rose created multiple mirages of herself, each one attacking Iris from a different direction. In response, Iris held her ground, flexing her muscle as hard as she can as Rose impaled her through her stomach, the heat from the sword cauterizing the wound instantly as it burned Iris from the inside out. ¡°Die,¡± Rose murmured, driving the sword deeper into Iris¡¯ body. ¡°You first,¡± Iris replied as she grabbed Rose¡¯s hand with her claw and unleashed a high-speed punch toward her body. Caught off-guard by the incoming attack, Rose was unable to react in time as Iris¡¯ punch connected with her body, shattering pieces of her armor, and launching her back down to earth. Rose grunted as she struggled to steady herself in mid-air, managing to right her body just as her feet collided with the ground, creating a crater where she landed. Iris, still floating in the sky, smirked as she gathered the wind in her hands, creating two balls of compressed air. She then merged them together in front of her, creating a lump of energy that continued to grow larger with every passing second, eventually becoming several meters in diameter. Watching the situation unfolding in the sky, Rose answered with her own power as her wings detached from her and back and merged together with her blade, causing it to transform into a large pyre that grew until it reached several hundred meters in height. ¡°DIE!¡± Both women shouted at the top of their lungs as they unleashed their attack toward one another. Wind and fire collided in mid-air, pushing back and forth against one another until ultimately fusing together into a ball that began to compress in size. Silence fell over the battlefield as the soldiers and phantoms on the ground stared, watching the clash of power in the air, waiting for the victor to be decided. Then, that power exploded, and a loud explosion ripped through the battlefield as the entire world was covered in white. The ground was shredded apart, dirt and rocks, regardless of size, were launched into the air like they were light as feather, becoming projectiles that tore through the armies on the ground. The summoned soldiers, human and monsters alike were caught in the blast, their body riddled with holes from the flying debris and burned until ashes were all that remained. Jacob watched as the blast eventually consumed him, turning his sight completely white. He could feel his body being ripped apart from the explosion as the protection that Iris provided to him earlier offered him no protection. Closing his eyes, he accepted his death as his body was torn apart. Just moment before his consciousness faded, he could hear two voices calling out to him. ¡°WAIT FOR ME!¡± one voice cried out. ¡°I¡¯ll save you, no matter what.¡± ¡°Try your best to survive in this new world,¡± the other voice said. After the chaos subsided and the dust settled, the area that was once home to the sprouts of spring was turned into a vast desert wasteland. Everything living and nonliving that once decorated the landscape were grinded into dust saved for two figures that remained, their eyes continued to glare at one another. ¡°Why?¡± one of them asked. ¡°This is not enough,¡± the other answered. ¡°He needs to suffer more, a lot more. This is merely the beginning.¡± ¡°It is not right. No one deserves this.¡± ¡°I care not¡­as long as it takes us just one step closer to our goal, I will sacrifice¡­everything.¡± ¡°For her sake, I will stop you.¡± They said in unison. Act 6 - Welcome Home ¡°Petit a petit, l¡¯oiseau fait son nid¡± ¨C French Proverb. ¡°I had no family¡±. If asked, these would be the words she would use to describe the early years of her life. Born into an impoverished family, her earliest memory of that time was when she was sold into servitude as soon as she could walk. For years after, she endured harsh training in all manners of household responsibilities while in the ownership of her master, including those that a child her age should have no knowledge of. She hated those days but, early on, she understood that that this was the only way for her to survive. For years, she continued her training, gradually learning to hide her feelings behind a mask of smiles. Eventually, the skills that her master wanted her to learn, she mastered them. From how to cook dishes in different styles around the world all the way down to the tiniest details, such as what angle her bow should be when greeting guests. While difficult, those days in servitude were still the highlights of her early years. It was tough, but it brought stability into her life. Her master and his family never mistreated her. They simply treated just as they would any of their other servant, and for her, that was enough. Unfortunately, this momentary happiness was not destined to last. When she turned six years old, her master¡¯s family went into bankruptcy. Betrayed by a business partner, he was sentenced to a lifetime in prison, his property, confiscated by the state to repay his debts. She was inventoried by the people sent to collect her master¡¯s belongings and eventually put up for auction to various parties. Dressed in a raggedy piece of cloth, chains around her hands and neck, she was led onto the stage and made to line up alongside other servants. When the auctioneer called out her name, he listed her qualifications and began taking bids. One by one, the various bidders offered a price for what they believed she was worth, each bid driving her valuation higher and higher. On the stage, she looked out into the crowd. Many of the bidders that she could see were men, but there were a few women bidding on her as well, each with their own intentions. All of them were dressed in outfits that were the latest fashion of the day, the kind that she believed she would never be able to wear in her lifetime. She watched as the crowd of bidders dropped one by one until only a few remained. ¡°One Million!¡± a man best described as a fat pig in her mind called out. ¡°Two,¡± a different man responded. ¡°Any other bid?¡± The auctioneer asked. ¡°This is probably the finest slave in the entire estate. Young, she has plenty of room for growth and plenty of experience in various fields. Any buyer would be lucky to have her. Do I see three million?¡± ¡°Three million!¡± another man shouted. ¡°Do I hear four? Four million anyone?¡± the auctioneer continued to cajole the crowd. Eventually, the pig of a man won, and she was sold for ten million, an unimaginable sum for a slave, but apparently that was what she was worth. She was then led off the stage and taken to his seat, her new master. He held tight to her leash, continuing to bid for other servants that suited his fancy as she kneeled on the ground next to him, waiting for this to be over. When the auction was over, she and another servant the man bought were brought back to his manor, a building that was twice the size of her previous master¡¯s, located right in the middle of the country¡¯s capital. She was handed to the butler in charge of the house and was told to get cleaned up immediately. After her shower, the other servants handed her a see-through negligee and instructed her to go to her master¡¯s bedroom. It was then that she understood what her new reality would be. The next year would be the harshest year of her young life. Unlike her previous master, this man was cruel. His sadistic tendencies were only rivaled by his ability to keep up a gentlemanly fa?ade whenever guests were around. At night, he would call her to his room and had his way with her to his satisfaction. Whenever something happened that infuriated him, he vented his frustration by whipping her small body, leaving various scars on her back, her arms, and her legs. To hide the scars, she began wearing outfits with longer sleeves as well as black leggings as she went around doing her daily chores. From time to time, she tried to rely on her fellow servants to help escape the pain, but they simply ignored her, interested in only their own self-preservation. She tried complaining but that only earned her a scolding from the butler of the house or, in the worst-case scenario, a beating if words of her complaints reached her master¡¯s ears. Faced with an inescapable reality, she put back on her usual mask and went about her day, smiling as if nothing in the world could affect her, waiting, praying, that one day it would all end. A year to the date that she was originally purchased by her new master, the manor was caught in a large fire, as if her prayer has finally been answered. While everyone scrambled to escape, she quietly made her way to a small room that functioned as her living space for a year, locked herself inside, and lay down quietly on her bed, hoping that the fire would wisp her away to a better future. However, her expectations were once again betrayed as the door to her room was kicked open and a man, dressed in a tuxedo, casually strolled inside, and picked up her small body in his arm. Smiling, he took her out of the room as he walked through the fire-filled corridor and brought her outside, fading into the night before anyone noticed she was gone.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. She struggled multiple times against her unknown kidnapper, begging him to let her go, to let her die in the fire but the man continued to hold her tight in his arm. He brought a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet and then calmly put his hand on her head, stroking her hair, telling her to go to close her eyes and go to sleep. Unable to resist a sense of fatigue that began to take over her mind, she fell asleep. When her eyes were opened again after a long sleep, she found herself lying in a clean white bed, in a room that she did not recognize. Ointments were applied to her burn and bandages were applied to all her scars. Afraid, not knowing what was going on, she tried to escape only to find that she was too tired to even move. When she finally calmed down, she realized that no matter what happened next, her prayer was finally answered, not in the way she expected but, she still finally escaped from that hell hole. Her train of thoughts was interrupted when a knock rang out on her door. ¡°May I come in?¡± a man¡¯s voice on the other side of the door asked. ¡°Yes.¡± She replied hesitantly. Opening the door, the man she saw the previous night walked in. His blond hair shone in the morning light that permeated her window. His body was thin, but she could tell from his gait that he was more capable than he let on. His eyes as he looked at her, were like the endless blue sky that she often found herself staring at whenever she wanted to fly away from her current predicaments. He brought with him a plate of apples that he set on top of a nightstand beside her bed before pulling out a chair and sat down next to her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. You¡¯re safe here.¡± He reassured her. ¡°Your master died in the house fire and as far as the state is concerned, so did you. We had a replacement corpse that was around your size to take your place in that fire. DNA tracing is practically impossible as everything was burned to a crisp.¡± He explained to her. ¡°I mean you no harm, of that you can be confident,¡± he continued. ¡°However, I do need you to do something for me in exchange for your new life.¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she asked him. ¡°Become my daughter.¡± He answered. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked him again, confused as to his request. ¡°It¡¯s as I said. I want you to become my daughter. My family will adopt you on paper. Don¡¯t worry, your background has already been thoroughly prepared so no one will ever find out who you were.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why do you want me to become your daughter?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ You see, I have a son. He¡¯s about six years older than you right now, around fourteen years old, but he¡¯s a bit lonely as he¡¯s my only child. I¡¯m often away on business so I want him to have a little sister to keep him company.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you and your wife just¡­¡± ¡°Perish the thought¡±, the man interrupted her question. ¡°One son is enough for me honestly. He¡¯s adorable but I can¡¯t possibly handle another one. Someone like you is perfect. Mature for her age. Understand what is required of her. Your acting leaves a bit to be desired but, it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°So, you just want me to act as your daughter and a younger sister to your son?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t beat me if something happens?¡± ¡°Absolutely not. On my honor, I swear that no one in my family will do anything unsavory toward you nor will we make you do something you do not want to do.¡± The man declared, his face smiling. ¡°Can I have a bit of time to think about it?¡± She asked. ¡°Not a problem. Even if you don¡¯t agree, nothing will happen to you. We will pretend this conversation never happened and I will send you on your way with some money to start a new life.¡± He answered. With that, he got up and made his way to the door. ¡°Enjoy the apples. If you need anything, just ask the staff waiting outside. Unfortunately, until you make your decision one way or another, I can¡¯t permit you to leave this room. My apologies.¡± With that, he closed the door behind him, leaving her alone to her own devices. The next few days were like a dream to her. Though she was confined by the mysterious man, it was more freedom that she has ever known in her previous eight years of life. The room that he left for her was spacious. It took her at least 20 seconds to walk from one end to the other. There was a walk-in wardrobe stocked with beautiful dresses and shoes that were just her size, though she had no idea how he had arranged this ahead of time. She tried on multiple dresses, different styles and fashion, and paraded in front of her mirror, as if she was walking down the runway at a fashion show. When she was tired, she lied back down on the mattress and fell asleep, her head resting on the softest pillow she had ever known. Each morning, she would wake up to the smell of breakfast floating in from right outside her door. She opened it carefully, checking to see if anyone was there, and each time, a maid would smile at her before handing her a tray of delicious, freshly made, food before bowing and walking away. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. She contemplated her decision. Above all else, she wanted freedom but, the life that the man presented to her, was slowly winning over her heart. After several days of this routine, she asked if the maid delivering her breakfast each morning if she could meet the man that was here previously and the maid nodded, acknowledging her request. ¡°Have you come to a decision?¡± the man appeared at her door several hours later as she sat in her chair, looking out the window of her room. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take you on your proposal. I¡¯ll become your daughter.¡± She told him. ¡°Splendid.¡± ¡°So¡­what exactly do you want me to do?¡± she asked him suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s more than just becoming your daughter.¡± ¡°No¡­¡±, his answered surprised her. ¡°I meant exactly as I did. I simply wanted you to become my daughter. Be a good younger sister to my son. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± she asked again. ¡°That¡¯s all¡± the man confirmed. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll become your daughter.¡± She told him. Despite her suspicion of his true motive, she convinced herself that whatever came next would still be better than the life she previously lived. ¡°Wonderful,¡± he smiled. ¡°Welcome to the Silverlake family.¡± ¡°Silverlake?¡± she nearly gasped. ¡°Yes. Silverlake. Anything wrong?¡± ¡°No¡­no,¡± she shook her head. She could not believe her ears. Despite only ever been employed as a maid, the name ¡°Silverlake¡± was one she knew well. Their reputation as a philanthropist resounded throughout the capital, from the mouth of her masters to the common people walking in the street. The information overloaded her brain, causing her to quickly blank out. When she regained her senses, the man was still there, standing next to her, his smile was the same as before. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded her head quickly. ¡°Okay. From now on, you will be known as Lily, Lily Silverlake. You will live here, in this manor with my son, Janus. All the servants will be at your beck and call, please treat them well. I don¡¯t expect that you¡¯ll be able to see Janus as your own brother right away, but I hope you¡¯ll give him a chance.¡± The man explained. ¡°Above all else,¡± the man continued, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll find your own reason to live.¡± The girl, now known as Lily Silverlake, nodded her small head. She stood up from the chair and extended a handshake to the man. Chuckling, the man sighed as he shook his head and spread out his arm. ¡°Welcome home, Lily.¡± Holding back her tears, Lily ran into his arms and hugged him as he patted her head. ¡°Welcome home my daughter.¡± Act 7 - Family ¡°The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other¡¯s life¡± - Richard Bach Four years passed since the day that the young girl adopted her new persona as the youngest daughter of the Silverlake family. Despite her awkward beginning, Lily eventually took to it like a fish to water. She could often be seen running around the house, trying to assist with whatever she can, a habit from her past. However, those that do not know about her past found her efforts endearing. Her new identity notwithstanding, they all saw her as a little girl that was a bit too mature for her age. While the younger servants often permitted her to assist with their daily responsibilities whenever she asked, the older servants scolded her for not behaving according to her own station. However, though she would pout whenever she was scolded, she knew that they were doing it with the best of intentions, so she never allowed it to bother her. The first few months of her new life were tough, though in a very different way from what she previously experienced. Jacob hired a long list of tutors to teach her different aspects of life in upper-class society. Every day, she had to study literature, mathematics, science, both social and physical, history, as well as learn how to play an instrument, learn how to dress properly for different occasions, and social etiquette. Fortunately for Lily, her previous life, difficult as it maybe, already endowed her with most of what she needed to learn. In combination with her natural abilities, she was able to meet Jacob¡¯s standards within only a few months, much to his satisfaction. When she became fully adjusted to her new lifestyle, Jacob called her to his study to inform her that he would introduce her to Janus in a few days, and that the boy would also be moving in shortly after. Lily remembered that the few days before she met Janus were some of the most nerve-wracking days of her life. She was worried about how he would react to her. She did not know whether Jacob had informed the young boy of her past, whether he would despise her, whether he would mistreat her because of it. Perhaps not only that, but she was also scared that he would hate her, because she was just an adopted daughter that Jacob brought back from out of nowhere. Living in this place for a few months, Lily gradually understood what type of person Jacob was. He was confident, calculative, but most importantly, straightforward. He always did exactly as he told her, never once breaking his promises. She understood that much from observing how the servants around the house treated her. Not once did anyone amongst the servants treated her with disdain, just as Jacob had said. He erased her past completely, hid it from everyone, except for a select few within his deepest inner circles. As far as the world was concerned, the girl that she used to be died in the fire that night. However, knowing this did not assuaged her fear. Janus was Jacob¡¯s own son, and in her mind, there was still a good chance that Jacob had explained everything to Janus. The unknown scared her. She stayed up many nights wondering what would become of her if her meeting with Janus did not go well. Would Jacob kick her out of the house? Would she be immediately disowned though she had gotten used to this lifestyle? Lily was afraid, deeply afraid of what was to come. The night before the meeting, Lily¡¯s felt like she was walking on a tightrope. She paced back and forth inside her room, looking out the window at the moon, and then falling back down on her bed, hugging her pillow tight. She could not calm her nerves enough to fall asleep as her mind raced about, trying to figure out what to wear, what to say, and what to do when Janus arrived. On the morning of the meeting, Lily, due to staying up late the night before, did not wake up until a female maid ran into her room, worried that something had happened to her, as she did not come down for breakfast. Drowsily, Lily crawled out of her bed, much to the relief of her maid, and got dressed. Eyes half-closed, she put on a yellow dress, decorated with many frills and laces, and made her way down. When she saw Jacob smiling, waiting for her at the breakfast table, her eyes snapped wide-open. Realizing why he was there, as well as her own current messy appearance, she profusely apologized to him, much to the amusement of everyone else. Watching her, Jacob only smiled and asked her to enjoy her breakfast, then told her that Janus would arrive roughly around noon before standing up and leaving. Hurriedly finishing her food, Lily ran as fast as her small feet would carry her back to her room to get ready for Janus¡¯ arrival. She tried on multiple different dresses only to settle on the one she is currently wearing. She asked her maid to do her hair only to fidget around in her seat, making it took twice as long as it normally would. Standing in front of her mirror, she practiced multiple ways of greeting Janus, from just running up and hugging him to a simple curtsy. However, despite all her attempts, nothing seemed to work in her eyes. To her, they were all just various degrees of cringe that gave her goosebumps. Locked in her room, she continued trying the first thing that came to her mind, until the doorbell rang, signaling Janus¡¯ arrival. Amongst the staff the house, there was plenty of fanfares regarding the Jacob¡¯s decision to let Janus live at this house. Many of the servants saw it as an opportunity. Being an only child, Janus was set to inherit the entire Silverlake family. Therefore, many of the staff wanted to use this as a chance to leave a good impression on him, to secure their place in the future Silverlake household. When the doorbell rang, they all stopped what they were doing and made their way to the entrance to greet the new master of the house. Lily, for her part, unable to squeeze through the adult bodies blocking her way at the bottom of the stairwell, settled on hiding behind the legs of an old butler that she was friendly with. When it was her turn to greet Janus, Lily was unsure what to do. Gripping the pant of her butler, she peeked her head out from behind to look at Janus¡¯ face. To her surprise, unlike his dad, Janus had jet black hair that resembled the darkest night, his hazel eyes looked straight at her, beckoning her to come say hi. Emerging from her hiding place, Lily stumbled toward Janus. ¡°Um¡­Hello¡­¡± she stuttered, ¡°I¡¯m Lily Silverjake¡­¡± After realizing she messed up her greeting, Lily looked down at the ground, her small hands tightly gripped the hem of her dress, wanting to cry. She was afraid she would be scolded, afraid of him making fun of her, afraid that she would be kicked out of her house. However, before tears could fall from her eyes, a pair of arms wrapped around her body and hugged her. ¡°You¡¯re Lily right? Dad told me a lot about you. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me?¡± she nervously looked up at him. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, why would I be? You¡¯re my only sister after all.¡± Janus said smiling.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Feeling his warmth, hearing his reassuring words, the tension that had taken over her melted away. She did not know what to say or do, and so, for the first time in her life that she could remember, she cried. Flustered, not knowing what he did wrong, Janus could only look around, hoping for some advice. He held her tighter, his hand patting her head, profusely apologizing for whatever he did, but that only resulted in her crying louder. Giving up, Janus resolved himself to just stand there, letting her cry as much as she wanted and thinking about out how he could apologize later once she calmed down. The adult, smiles on their faces as they watched the two siblings, excused themselves to go back to their normal routines. What Janus did not realize then was that Lily¡¯s tears were not tears of sadness, but relief. The specter of her past that haunted her for so long disappeared with his words. Crying in his arms, she resolved herself to live this new life that she was given, to be the best sister that she could possibly be, to provide the same solace to Janus that the Silverlake provided to her. Growing up alongside Janus, she soon discovered that Janus was completely unlike his dad, not only in his appearance, but his personality as well. While Jacob could be a realist in how he saw the world, Janus was more of an idealist, setting goals that seemed far out of reach. Janus was a try and true dreamer, in all sense of the word. Often time, whenever he was free, Lily would watch him from the window as he acted out his fantasy in the backyard garden, screaming things like and pretending to move at extremely fast speed. Other times, whenever he believed that no one was watching, Janus would come up with nonsensical chants, screaming out loud name of mythological creatures, trying to bring them into When they were both finished with their lessons for the day, Janus would pull Lily into his games. He asked the maids to make them costumes, dressing Lily up as a knight in golden armor, giving her names like the Knight of <>, while he wore the outfits of humanified monsters. They would pretend to throw spells at one another in the yard, unleashing powerful attack that could devastate the world only for it to end in a draw as they both collapsed, exhausted from playing. It was a world that only they knew, that was only shared between them, their little ¡°secret¡±. Lily loved every moment of it. To her, she was living out a childhood dream she never knew. Every day was tough, but fun, and she never wanted it to end. At night, whenever she felt lonely, Lily would sneak out of her own room and into his. She crawled into his bed and lied down next to him, letting him read her stories from the countless ones in his collection until she fell asleep. They were always stories of fantastical adventure, of knights going on journeys to save the world from evil, of sacrifices made for the greater goods, and of princesses getting their happily ever after. Those nights, whenever she closed her eyes, she dreamed of those adventures, of going on those journeys with her brother by her side. When the morning came, their servants would find her sleeping in Janus¡¯ arm, his drools dripping on top of her head. Those four years of living alongside Janus was like a dream, one she never wanted to wake up from. From time to time, Jacob would find time in his busy schedule to drop by the house and took them out for some fun, but for most of the year, it was just her and Janus, coming up with things they could do together to pass the time. Eventually, despite her initial skepticism of Jacob¡¯s proposal, Lily and Janus became closer than any blood-related siblings. She adored him with as much love as she could possibly have. On days when Janus had to attend school, she made sure to wake up before him, to bid him good day in her best appearance, and then making sure to be the first to welcome him when he returned home. Once, when Janus proposed that she attends school with him, that it would be no problem for her to sign-up, she wanted to say yes right away but hesitated. Lily knew that no matter how pretty she dressed up, no matter how much she disguised it, the scars from her past were still there, imprinted on her body. She was afraid of anyone outside of the Silverlake household seeing them, afraid that they would make fun of Janus for having a sister such as her. Realizing that Lily was reluctant to attend school with him, Janus never brought the topic up again. He never asked her why, only accepted it as such, waiting for when she will be able to tell him herself; but the answer he waited for never came, and eventually, the topic was forgotten altogether. Lily was grateful to Janus for never pressing her on it. She wanted to tell him, but she was too ashamed of who she was, what she had done. To her, it was a past better left forgotten, the less people that knew, the better. It was the one secret she wanted to take to her grave. The sands of time continued to flow as the siblings spent their daily lives together. To them, each day was still memorable, filled to the brims with memories neither wanted to forget. Even into his teen, Janus never fully left his childhood behind, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Unbeknownst to his friends, hidden behind a secret door in his room, one that only Lily knew about, Janus¡¯ collection of fantasy novels was rapidly growing. The make-believe games they played when they were kids were still going on, only more elaborate than ever before. The setting became more detailed, the costumes more intricate; and the attack names that they came up with could fill an entire library. Lily still remembered that day when Jacob rushed into her room with a new story he wanted to act out. He prepared an entire set of red armor for her, complete with a pair of wings that resembled flames. For himself, he stripped down to his underwear, and tacked fake scales to his body, pretending to be what he called a ¡°dragonoid¡±, roaring about how he was the strongest in the world. They assembled their servants in the garden and split them into equal numbers for each side. Lily¡¯s side consisted of servants dressed as ghost while Janus servants were decked out in knight¡¯s armor. The absurdity and contrast of the situation made Lily laughed, but Janus only puffed out his chest, proud of what he had done. It was only a bit later that Lily found out that while she and Janus was role-playing in the garden, Jacob returned home earlier than expected and filmed the whole event from the mansion¡¯s window. He would then go on to play that video any chance he gets at any major event, showing everyone how proud he was of his children, to the embarrassment of both Lily and Janus. However, Lily¡¯s dream ended abruptly on that day when Marcus Toiracsi, head of the Toiracsi family, launched an assassination attempt on Janus¡¯ life. Though the assassination of Janus¡¯ failed and the culprit paid with his life, Janus remained in an unconscious state, lying in the Silverlake¡¯s family hospital, confined to a bed, wires attached to his body to monitor his condition. Sitting by his bed side, Lily could only gaze at the motionless body of her brother, her hands gripping his, praying that he would soon open his eyes. Every day since then, she would visit this hospital and sat by his side until the doctor forced her to go home. Utilizing the Silverlake¡¯s family connection, she consulted every physician the world over, hoping that someone would have a way to wake Janus up, but everyone betrayed her hope. Every night, without her brother by her side, she would cry herself to exhaustion before falling asleep only to repeat it again the next day. Now, exhausted, she could only sit by his bedside in silence, listening to the monitoring machine beeping in the background, a noise that reassured her that at least, her brother was still alive. She watched the video that Jacob filmed playing on the monitor at the foot of Janus¡¯ bed, allowing herself to reminisce in the memories of what used to be. She would give anything to turn back the hands of time, to go back to that time when she could act out these silly games with her brother by her side. ¡°Miss,¡± a man dressed in black addressed her politely. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to go.¡± Hearing his words, she nodded and gripped Janus¡¯ hand in her one last time before letting go. She stood up from his bedside, moved the red roses that she brought during her previous visit from the cabinet on one side of his bed to the other, and placed the brand-new irises in their place. If she was not here when he wakes up, she wanted him to at least see something beautiful when he finally opens his eyes. With her task completed, she took one last look at Janus and gestured to the man to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now, big brother.¡± Lily said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just for now. I¡¯ll come back to visit you again tomorrow.¡± Smiling, she left the room, carefully closing the door behind her as if not wanting to wake Janus from his sleep. When the hospital room door closed tightly behind her, the smile on her face vanished, as if it never existed, her eyes glowed red with rage. ¡°Everything is ready to go miss.¡± The man said to her. ¡°Good. I want every single of those Toiracsi dog hunted down and brought before me. They¡¯ll pay for what they did.¡± She instructed the man. That day, the name that would go down in history as being synonymous with the most brutal murderer of this period, ¡°The Red Valkyrie¡± was born. Act 8 - A Young Girls Wish ¡°My family is my life, and everything else comes second as far as what¡¯s important to me¡± - Pierre Corneille This is a story that traced back tens of decades ago, when even the great families of today were just infants, barely able to walk. No one alive today remembered how or why it started, only that by the time it reached its nadir, enough bloods were spilled to dye the ocean red, bodies stacked high enough to construct a great wall, and many families, large and small alike, were forced into extinction. Some speculated that it began as an attempt to centralize power by a great family of that time while others claimed that hidden alliances inadvertently dragged everyone into open conflict, but whatever the truth may be, by this point, it was already lost to the vestiges of time. In an attempt to bury the grudges of the past, the remaining survivors of that conflict destroyed all records related to it and took its history with them to their death. All that remain today of that specific era was an official body count as well as legends about how the Silverlake and Toiracsi family rallied their forces and put an end to it all. Lily thought about those legends that Jacob told her long ago as a warning as she sat in her chair, located inside the headquarter of the Silverlake family, eyes closed, listening to various reports as they came in. ¡°We¡¯re still working on locating the heir of the Toiracsi family. His location has been hidden from all our existing sources,¡± one man reported. ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed all the collaborators of this incident. Cleaners has been sent into the field to oversee situation.¡± ¡°Public banking assets of the Toiracsi''s are now frozen. Working on locating their hidden assets.¡± ¡°All possible logistic routes for the transportation of goods and people have been identified. We¡¯re working on instituting checkpoints to ensure that no one escapes the encirclement.¡± ¡°The Ria, Perisaub, as well as the Tiaariav family declared that they would provide us their support as requested.¡± ¡°The Caedia declared their neutrality in this matter. They asked that we do not trespass on their territories, or they will respond accordingly.¡± ¡°We received objection from the Lagu, Avidini, and the Alxurui family as well as a consortium of smaller families asking for an end to this persecution of the Toiracsi on the ground of preventing a 2nd Red Tide event.¡± ¡°Preventing a 2nd Red Tide event?¡± Lily scoffed. ¡°Yes miss. They advised that they do not want this conflict to expand further than necessary. They will negotiate with the Toiracsi family to compensate the Silverlake accordingly for the incident.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit too late for that,¡± Lily told him. She pulled out a letter from her desk, jotted down three simple words, ¡°I DON¡¯T CARE¡±, before handing it to her subordinate and ordered him to deliver the message to those opposing her. With her letter in hand, the man excused himself and left to relay her message. ¡°Continue with the report,¡± she told the people that remained. ¡°We¡¯re continuing our search for the former head and his wife. Location is unknown as of right now. Current assumption is that the plan of Marcus Toiracsi also included the former head as well.¡± ¡°Channels for weapons and munitions has been secured.¡± ¡°Financing has been secured.¡± ¡°Defensive perimeter has been set up and 24/7 security has been arranged.¡± The reports continued for some time and by the end of it, Lily simply nodded, and dismissed all her subordinates. Subsequently, she got up from her desk and took the elevator down to a hidden floor beneath the Silverlake headquarter, where two prisoners were being kept. Notifying the guard of her arrival, she made her way through the prison¡¯s entrance, bringing along with her a small handgun. Walking down the long hallway, through a series of empty cells, Lily arrived at a cell where two men were being kept. Despite still being dressed in army camouflage, their hands and feet were chained to the wall, as they glared dagger at her from behind the bars. Ordering the guard to unlock the door the cell¡¯s door, she walked inside and sat herself on a chair before them. ¡°Tell me everything you know,¡± she asked calmly.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Never you bitch! If you¡¯re going to kill us, then do it.¡± One of the men shouted, trying to lunge at her. His hands, restrained by the chains, stopped a few inches from her face as he stared directly into her eyes. ¡°Why did Marcus Toiracsi ordered you to kill my brother?¡± she asked again. ¡°Not your business. End it already.¡± The same man replied. ¡°Do you really think I won¡¯t kill you?¡± ¡°Do you have the guts? You¡¯re a bit too young for that don¡¯t you think?¡± the other man, sitting on the floor with one knee folded against his chest, calmly pointed out to her. ¡°I see¡­it seems I look like a child to you,¡± Lily said as her voice grew noticeably colder than before. Slowly, she got up from her chair and aimed her gun at the temple of the man that cursed at her. Turning to the seated man, she asked him, ¡°Do you think I will pull the trigger?¡± The man with the gun pointed at his temple smirked, ¡°Go ahead. You think I¡¯m scare?¡±, he dared her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make empty threats. No one will take you seriously.¡± The other man cautioned. Without any other word, Lily returned her gaze to the first man, her gun still pointed at his temple. Before the man could utter another word, she angled her gun downward and quickly pulled the trigger as the man let you a blood-curling scream; blood began to stream from between his legs and onto the floor. Watching her pulled the trigger, the seated man¡¯s face paled as he gritted his teeth, looked away from his comrade that was now rolling on the floor in pain, and refused to utter another word. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± she said as she turned around and walked out of the cell. ¡°Fix up his injury. I don¡¯t want him dying on me yet,¡± she instructed a guard before taking the elevator back-up to her private quarter in the building and put on a clean outfit. Making her way back down, she walked through the front door of the building into a limousine waiting for her at the front. The driver opened the backseat door and closed it as she entered the car. ¡°Brother will be mad at me¡­¡± she muttered to herself as she looked at the digital readout in front of her now reading 4:00 P.M. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to apologize for being a bit late.¡± Just then, a bullet shot toward her car¡¯s window, penetrating through the outer protective layer, and wedging itself into the interior bulletproof glass. Unfazed, Lily simply asked the driver to ignore it and began driving. A few minutes later, a notification appeared on her phone along with the message, ¡°Assailant identified. Live capture not possible.¡± After glancing at the message, she closed her phone and went back to watching the scenery rolled by as the car made its way to her brother¡¯s hospital. When they arrived at the hospital¡¯s entrance, Lily rushed to her brother¡¯s room and stood quietly outside its door. She took a minute to gather her thoughts and straighten out her outfit before putting on a smile and turning the door handle, locking it behind her as she entered the room. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± she said as she walked to the bed where her brother lay. Looking at his sleeping face, she smiled and took a seat at Janus¡¯ bedside like she had done many times before. ¡°How are you doing big brother?¡± she asked to no response but the beeping of the machines inside the room. She took his hands in her and started telling him about her day. ¡°I''m honestly so tired right now. The work just never ends. Honestly, I don¡¯t know what those old men expect out of a twelve-year-old girl. They just keep giving me more and more things to do.¡± She complained. ¡°They kept telling me to approve this, approve that, they need funding for this, funding for that.¡± She pouted. ¡°All day, everyone just kept asking for something. It¡¯s honestly so tiring. I just want to sleep. You¡¯re lucky, you get to sleep in every day, not having to deal with any of this.¡± ¡°Oh! listen big brother,¡± she said excitedly. ¡°This morning, Ana told me she was pregnant. I told her she can go on leave to rest up and take care of her baby, but she said she¡¯ll keep working for a bit longer. I can¡¯t wait, you know. Ana is super pretty, so I think the baby is going to be cute too. Do you think she¡¯ll let me hold him?¡± ¡°Sara said that she found a new boyfriend. I honestly don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to last. She keeps jumping from boyfriend to boyfriend, but she said she¡¯s enthusiastic about this one so hopefully it¡¯ll work out. I just hope they don¡¯t break up and Sara ends up crying in my room again.¡± ¡°Jorge told me that summer this year is going to be hot. He¡¯s already buying as much meat as he can so we can have a summer barbeque. He said we can do it by the lake like we do every year. We¡¯re going to set up some lights to keep the bugs away and just have fun. You¡¯ll be free to join me, right?¡± Gripping Janus¡¯ hand tighter, she continued. ¡°When you¡¯re able to, we can go the water park¡­ no, actually, we can just build us a water park in our backyard and have fun, just the two of us.¡± ¡°Chris and Susan are already preparing those new outfits that you asked them to make. I think it should be done soon. We can try them on whenever you want.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m still taking care of your secret book collection. It¡¯s still being delivered but you should wake up soon to help me out you know¡­Those shelves are too tall for me.¡± ¡°When you wake up, I promise I¡¯ll help you organize them all.¡± ¡°So, please wake up soon big brother¡­please,¡± she begged, trying to choke back her tears. ¡°I want you to read me bedtime stories again. It¡¯s lonely at night. Dad and mom are gone. I don¡¯t know where they went so, please.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone,¡± she pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore.¡± As small droplets fell on her hand, she muttered, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°Why is everyone abandoning me? Why does this keep happening? Is it because I was a bad girl? Is it because I hid things from you?¡± Inside the silent room, gripping Janu¡¯s hand in her, Lily continued to cry until, exhausted, she rested her head on Janus¡¯ chest as he lay motionless, the light from the outside beginning to dim. ¡°I¡¯ll make them pay for what they did to you,¡± Lily muttered. ¡°All the family members told me not to go too far, it¡¯s not worth it, that everything will be okay.¡± ¡°Big brother,¡± Lily said as sleep slowly overtake her. ¡°I don¡¯t really care about any of that you know. The world never treated me well. My life was nothing until you and dad appeared. To me, you both are my world. If you¡¯re not around, I don¡¯t really care what happen to the world.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point living in a world where neither of you are there. There¡¯s no one to read me stories. There¡¯s no one to pet my head when I do something right or scold me gently when I¡¯m wrong.¡± ¡°I promise you; I¡¯ll find dad and I¡¯ll make them pay for everything they did to us.¡± ¡°Then, when you wake up¡­we can dress up in the outfits that Chris and Susan made for us and have Jorge set up the barbeque by the lake. We can¡­have¡­fun together once again.¡± ¡°When dad comes back...¡±, Lily¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°we can be one big happy family again, just like before.¡± Tired, Lily closed her eyes and fell asleep. Act 9 - The Monster You Can See ¡°The scariest monsters are the one that lurk within our souls¡± ¨C Edgar Allen Poe In a place removed from all the maps of the world, a woman frolicked on the sandy shore of the island on which she now lived. Dressed in a white sundress, holding onto a hat made of straws on her head as the wind gently blew, she smiled as she hopped to and fro, dodging the small waves that caressed the white sands at her feet. Occasionally, a giggle would escape her lips as sand crabs crawled over her feet, tickling her skin. Walking under the morning sun, enjoying the ocean breeze, and listening to the sound of the waves as it crashed against the cliff¡¯s rock became a part of her morning routine for about a month now. When she saw a figure sitting within an opening carved into the cliff surface observing her, she gave a small wave and continued her morning walk along the island¡¯s shore. Watching his mother from out of the window of his office on the island, Isaiah could only sigh in resignation while smiling. ¡°There¡¯s a war going on in the world outside and she¡¯s acting like it¡¯s just like any other day,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Mistress Emily has always been strong at heart young master,¡± an old man dressed in a butler outfit standing at the side of Isaiah¡¯s desk spoke up. ¡°I guess that¡¯s one of her good points,¡± Isaiah replied. Turning his attention back to the stack of papers on his desk he asked, ¡°How¡¯s our situation on the mainland?¡± ¡°A little bit worse than expected I¡¯m afraid,¡± his butler answered. ¡°That bad huh?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the butler confirmed. ¡°Lily Silverlake mobilized their forces faster than we anticipated. Most of our logistic routes had been moved underground but that also makes it harder for us to transport goods and supplies. Financially, we still have access to most of our physical assets that we can convert any time, but our immediate liquidity is a bit of a concern.¡± ¡°What about personnel?¡± ¡°We currently maintain the advantage in term of the quality of our personnel, but fatigue and morale are becoming a problem as our supply chain is becoming more strain.¡± ¡°What about this island?¡± ¡°There are no issues currently even if we take all the staffs into consideration. Based on our current supply, we should be able to remain in isolation for at least the next decade or so without any major issues.¡± ¡°My old man really planned most of this out didn¡¯t he,¡± said Isaiah as he leaned back in his chair, looking up at his ceiling. ¡°Master Marcus had always been meticulous about placing your and mistress Emily safety and comfort as his priority,¡± the butler told him. ¡°What about you Klaus?¡± Isaiah asked, glancing over at the old man. ¡°You don¡¯t mind being stuck here for a decade?¡± ¡°Surely you jest young master,¡± Klaus said, understanding Isaiah¡¯s intention. ¡°I¡¯ve been serving the Toiracsi family for my entire life, nothing about this situation would change that.¡± ¡°Thank you for that but, if that ever happens, make sure you stab me from the front,¡± Isaiah said, smiling at Klaus. Putting his hand over his heart, Klaus bowed and replied. ¡°I understand young master.¡± Surprised by Klaus¡¯ response, Isaiah burst out in laughter with Klaus joining in shortly after with a few chuckles of his own. ¡°You were supposed to deny that¡±, Isaiah told him. ¡°If I had, it would¡¯ve made me look a lot more suspicious,¡± Klaus replied, regaining his prior composure just as a knock could be heard on the office door. ¡°Come in,¡± Isaiah said. Opening the door, a maid pushed in a tea cart filled with different types of sweets as well as a newly brewed pot of tea. After placing the sweets and a cup of tea beside it on Isaiah¡¯s desk, she bowed again before promptly leaving the room, closing the door behind her. Waiting until they were alone again, Isaiah turned his attention back to Klaus. ¡°Did my old man ever tell you why he did it?¡± He asked. ¡°Unfortunately, no. I was not privy to his thinking regarding this matter.¡± Klaus answered. ¡°What about you, young master?¡± ¡°No. He never told me,¡± Isaiah responded. ¡°But, if I was in his shoes at the time, I would¡¯ve probably done the same.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Klaus asked. Standing up, Isaiah walked over to the bookshelf where he removed a small, leather bound, aged looking book, kept hidden behind the voluminous research that the Toiracsi compiled over the years regarding their various adversaries. ¡°Give it a read later when you have time,¡± Isaiah instructed as he handed the book over to Klaus. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°My father¡¯s memoir,¡± Isaiah told him. Hearing the answer, Klaus immediately objected. ¡°Young master, I couldn¡¯t possibly¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m the head now and I¡¯m giving you permission to read it.¡± Isaiah interjected. ¡°I understand.¡± Klaus replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think what my old man did was wrong,¡± Isaiah explained. ¡°After being around Janus for so long, I do agree with his assessment that Janus is dangerous. That much is true. However, I think that after obsessing about it alone, my father lost sight of the forest for the trees.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Klaus asked. ¡°He saw the danger that is Janus, but, if left alone, Janus is mostly harmless. He did not want to harm anyone, nor did he have any intention to. On the other hand, his assassination of Janus triggered a much more dangerous outcome. There were always two monsters living inside that household. He planned for one but there were always two. The first is Janus and the second is, his younger sister Lily.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Klaus nodded. ¡°We simply didn¡¯t allocate enough resources to deal with both threats at once.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Isaiah confirmed Klaus¡¯ statement. ¡°I believe father thought that Jacob would be the one to reorganize the Silverlake after the assassination and seek some form of justice. I think he counted on Jacob, despite the fact that we attempted to kill Janus, would still be far more restrained in his response. Ruthless he may be, but Jacob does not kill unnecessarily. Instead, Jacob, for some reason, disappeared, and Lily took that position instead.¡± ¡°You believe Miss Lily is more capable than Sir Jacob?¡± ¡°Not more capable, more dangerous, far more so,¡± Isaiah corrected him. ¡°Without either Jacob or Janus around, there¡¯s no one that can stop her. She won¡¯t stop chasing us until she eliminates all of us. At this point, she has one singular purpose, revenge for her brother and nothing else.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°That certainly is a problem.¡± ¡°Jacob hid her well¡­even I only became aware of her when Janus invited me over to play.¡± ¡°How do you plan on handling her?¡± Sensing an incoming headache, Isaiah rubbed his fingers against both sides of his temple. ¡°At this point, we can¡¯t stay here forever. If we do, by the time we get back, all of our territories would¡¯ve been ripped apart by her.¡± Walking back to his chair and sitting down, Isaiah leaned back against the backrest and closed his eyes. ¡°No choice huh,¡± he muttered. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°Klaus, please contact the Caedia family,¡± Isaiah instructed. ¡°Tell them I want to talk about the current situation.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Klaus nodded. ¡°What should I do if they turn down our invitation?¡± ¡°Just tell them I¡¯ll leave them alone for the next decade,¡± Janus added. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll contact them right away,¡± Klaus said as he left the room. Now alone, Janus turned around in his chair and looked out the window, the ocean breeze helping to calm his mind from the chaotic events of the past few weeks. He allowed his mind to wander, dreaming about things that could have been before pulling himself back to reality, stopping himself before he began to yearn for a future that will never come to pass. Janus knew that by now, that future that he wanted no longer existed. Too many things had happened, too much blood had been shed, too many lives had been lost to simply brush it all way. He was now the leader of the Toiracsi family and with it came new responsibilities. He could feel the responsibility for the many lives of the Toiracsi family weighing on his shoulders. The Toiracsi now live or die based on the decisions that he made. Getting up from his chair, he walked over to the bookshelf where he began to rearrange certain books in a specific order. After he was finished with his rearrangement, the bookshelf slid to one side to reveal an entrance to a cave and a series of wooden steps leading downward. Lighting up a torch hanging at the entrance to the cave, Isaiah descended into the depth. Gradually, the wooden stairs were replaced by stone steps jutting out from the wall that continued downward in a spiral, into the deepest depth of the cavern. Step-by-step, Isaiah descended in silence, stopping for a brief rest when his legs became too tired before resuming his journey. When he got closer to his destination, he could see specks of light shining from the bottom, becoming brighter as he got closer. Eventually, Isaiah found himself standing on the final step of the stairway, gazing through a stone entrance into a room where various colors of lights were spilling out. Taking the final step onto the floor below, Isaiah walked toward the entrance and reached out his hand only for it to be repel by a barely visible barrier, blocking his entry into the room. With a smile full of regret, Isaiah turned around and walked back to the stair, putting his torch into the holder on the wall, and sat down on the last step, gazing into the room. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re expecting me to do,¡± Isaiah said straightforwardly as if he was waiting for a response from beyond the door. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t expect me to clean up your mess,¡± Isaiah said again to no response. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now, I don¡¯t have the ability to do it. I have my hands full just protecting my family. I can¡¯t clean up the mess you made as well.¡± Again, silence. ¡°Tell me what you want from me!¡± Isaiah demanded. ¡°You remade the world and for what? You wanted to erase all memories of yourself from it? Then why let me keep mine? You should¡¯ve seen it through to the end.¡± Still no response. ¡°Listen,¡± Isaiah said softly, trying to persuade his unknown audience. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll help you with what you want, but you must tell me what you want. I¡¯m not a mind reader.¡± Seemingly persuaded by Isaiah¡¯s performance, the curtain of light faded as the barrier disappeared, allowing for entry inside the room. Pushing himself up from his seat, Isaiah went inside. There, inside the stone chamber, he found two large crystals floating in the center of the room, suspended by chains extended from the four walls. Surrounding the crystals were seven smaller ones, rotating in a circular pattern around the two larger crystals, each one with a sword protruding from its top. Speechless at the sight, Isaiah pinched himself to make sure that he was not dreaming. Feeling the pain from his cheeks he murmured, ¡°who said magic isn¡¯t real¡±, before walking closer to examine the rotating crystals. However, when Isaiah came within arm¡¯s reach of the floating crystals, they began to give off a red glow before a curtain of light descended and surrounded the crystals. ¡°Fine fine, I get it,¡± Isaiah said, stepping back and raising his hands in a sign of surrender. Once he was a sufficient distance away, the surrounding environment returned to what they were previously while the surface of each crystal grew more translucent, revealing what was hidden inside. Suspended inside each of the two large crystals was a woman in a fetal position, their body was wrapped in a pair of large wings that protruded from their back, save for their face. Their eyes were closed, as if sleeping, but Isaiah had a feeling they were still conscious, watching his every movement. By and large, the appearance of these two women were nearly identical. They both had the same facial appearance of someone he knew well. After spending four years together in school, there was zero chance he could mistake her for someone else. However, what set them apart from each other were the color of the wings protruding from their back. On his left were wings that were pure white, untainted from any speck of dirt, giving its owner the divine appearance of an angel. The girl on his right however had wings dyed in absolute black, as if absorbing all the colors of the world. ¡°So, what do you want after showing me all this?¡± Isaiah asked. Two of the small crystals, as if answering his question, began to pulsate as they detached from their rotation and floated in front of him, revealing the image of two women he had never seen before. Displayed on one crystal was a tall woman with blond hair as bright as the morning sun and eyes as blue as the cloudless sky dressed in white armor. She sat cross-legged on a throne, with her head leaning to one side as it rested in her hand, perched on top of a white pillar that towered over the world, a look of contempt showing on her face, as if she considered the whole world to be beneath her feet. In contrast, the other crystal displayed a woman dressed in pure white, her face hidden beneath her long hair that¡¯s as white as the freshly fallen snow. She stood on the surface of water dyed in crimson as an eye that peeked out from beneath her hair stared into the horizon. Isaiah studied the appearance of the two women, searching his deepest memories for any hint as to who they were to no avail. Confused, he continued to watch as the remaining five crystals spread themselves out around the room, lighting up the surrounding four walls and replaying a scene much like a projector in a movie theatre. He watched as the two women he just saw in that reflection do battle against one another, neither one gaining any advantage. However, a figure in the corner of the scene caught his eyes. Despite the blurry images, he could make out the figure of Janus standing to the side, observing the fight. ¡°I see.¡± Isaiah said out loud as a look of realization appeared in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the reason Janus won¡¯t wake up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your end game?¡± he asked only to be answered by the sound of absolutely silence. Just then, the crystals all began to glow once more as they showered the room in a blinding brilliance. Isaiah, shocked by the sudden change, reflexively closed his eyes to shield them from the light, as a strange feeling of weightlessness engulfed his body. Helpless, he could only remain still, allowing that feeling to overwhelm his five senses before it suddenly disappeared. After reopening his eyes, Isaiah found himself back inside his office, his body relaxing in his chair as he looked out into the horizon, the sun slowly setting in the distance. Surprised by what just happened, Isaiah pinched himself again on his arm to make sure that everything he just saw was not a dream, the slight pain in his arm made him winced. Walking over to the bookshelf, Isaiah began to rearrange the books according to his memory but, after moving the final book, nothing happened. Once more, he tried to rearrange the book in a different order only to receive the same result again. Frustrated, he used all his strength to pull back the bookshelf only to find a solid stone wall behind it. Feeling slightly exasperated, he repeatedly banged his head softly against the wall, muttering to himself, ¡°I must be going crazy from the stress.¡± Cleaning up the bookshelf and moving it back to its place, he returned to his desk and lay his head on the table. A few inches from his eyes, he noticed two pieces of crystals and that he was sure were never there before. Reaching out his hand to pick them up and observe them, a series of images flashed through his head, forcing him to drop the crystal onto the ground as he grabbed his head in pain. Once the pain subsided, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, dripping freely onto the ground. In a hurried, he rushed to pick up the two pieces of crystal again to find that each of them was now engraved with an image of a different flower. On one crystal appeared the image of a rose and the other, an iris. Realizing that what he saw was not a dream, Isaiah gripped the crystals in his hand, positioned himself at the window of his office, and took a deep breath. ¡°GOD DAMN IT!!!!!!¡± he screamed at the top of his lungs and punched the windowsill as hard as he can in a fit of rage. Hearing the commotion, Klaus and a group of maids rushed inside the room, fearing that something dangerous happened to their young master, only to find Isaiah rolling on the floor, gripping his hand, and crying in pain. After fixing up the minor injury, Klaus excused the maid from the room to go and resume their chores. Looking at Isaiah, Klaus simply said. ¡°The Caedia family accepted your offer for a discussion.¡± ¡°When and where?¡± Isaiah asked. ¡°Two weeks from now, 10:00 A.M. on July 31st, at their main abode.¡± ¡°Those bastards,¡± Isaiah cursed. ¡°So much for staying neutral. Prepare some personnel, this is not going to be a simple picnic in the park.¡± ¡°Understood, young master. I¡¯ll make the preparations.¡± Intercession III When the act concluded and the curtains lowered, silence descended onto the theatre¡¯s floor. In the audience seats, two figures sat quietly and enjoyed their drink until the sound of an ice cube gliding against the glass broke through the stillness in the atmosphere. Turning to the young boy next to him, Cheshire asked, ¡°How much of that did you anticipate?¡± ¡°Within expectations,¡± the boy replied bluntly. ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy about that,¡± Cheshire said as he observed the boy¡¯s face for any form of reaction. Keeping his composure, the boy denied Cheshire¡¯s statement, ¡°I have no idea what you are referring to.¡± ¡°Does it get boring?¡± ¡°What does?¡± ¡°Being able to predict the course of future events. Does it get boring knowing the ending without going through the journey?¡± Turning his head and looking directly into Cheshire¡¯s golden eyes, the boy simply uttered one word, ¡°No¡± before returning his attention to the stage. Ignoring the boy¡¯s comment Cheshire continued to talk. ¡°Even being who we are, we are unable to predict the future. The future itself is never fixed; it is an ever-changing thing made up of a series of coincidences. The future is not shaped by one single event nor an individual, it is shaped by a series of decisions made by a multitude of actors on the grandest of stage.¡± ¡°Where are you planning to go with this?¡± The boy interrupted Cheshire. ¡°After so many years, you haven¡¯t heard of the saying, ¡®Patience is a virtue¡¯?¡± Cheshire replied, his expression revealing a slight annoyance at being interrupted. Resuming his prior speech, Cheshire continued, ¡°It is not possible for anyone, angels nor devils, to monitor the multitude of things that contribute to what the future would be. That¡¯s why I¡¯m fascinated by you. While you may not be able to see things with absolute certainty, you are able to identify and isolate the factors that will have the greatest impact on shaping a future outcome.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°What¡¯s do you want Cheshire?¡± The boy asked. ¡°Absolutely nothing from you. I am simply curious about what type of ending you are seeing with those eyes of your.¡± ¡°They will be the ones to shape their own ending. I¡¯ve left it up to them now. I am just here to watch over the course of events. Whatever ending they choose, I¡¯ll accept it.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not the one you desire?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not the ideal ending.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cheshire nodded. ¡°A simple arrogance fitting for someone such as yourself.¡± ¡°It is not arrogance; it is the truth.¡± ¡°I see that a second opinion is needed,¡± Cheshire said as he tapped his cane against the floor to summon Urd to his side. ¡°My dear, would you let our new guest in? I do believe he has been waiting for a while,¡± Cheshire told her. ¡°Right away sir,¡± Urd nodded as she left the auditorium only to return a moment later bringing with her a man dressed in a black tuxedo, his red hairs neatly combed to the side. Despite his neat and tidy appearance, the way he carried himself revealed the difficult life he used to lead. He walked with steady step; his footsteps resounded through the quiet auditorium. His gaze, constantly alert, examined all corners of the theatre as he followed Urd, keeping a comfortable distance between her and himself. His arms, large as tree trunks, relaxed by his side as he moved, but always ready to react if necessary. Upon reaching Cheshire¡¯s seat, Urd bowed and left, leaving the man behind, standing in the walkway. ¡°Welcome,¡± Cheshire said as he looked at the man from his seat. ¡°Thank you for the invitation,¡± the man replied. ¡°How does it feel to be here?¡± ¡°A bit strange¡­,¡± the man admitted. ¡°It¡¯s my first time being able to watch a play.¡± ¡°Feel free to take a seat next to our guest there,¡± Cheshire said while pointing his cane toward the seat next to the boy. Taking his seat, the man looked at the boy next to him, when a sense of nostalgia rose in his mind. The boy¡¯s face looked strangely familiar but at the same time, the man could not put a finger on where they could have met. ¡°It has been a while Marcus,¡± the boy greeted him as if he could read his thoughts. ¡°Have we met?¡± Marcus asked. Just then, the boy transformed, his body growing taller, his face becoming older as he continued to look at Marcus. Sitting in that chair was no longer a boy but a man dressed in a formal business attire. Seeing the boy¡¯s face Marcus sighed in resignation. ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t win¡­¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯re all acquainted, let the play resume.¡± Cheshire tapped his cane on the floor as the audience redirected their attention to the opening curtain, beginning the next act. Act 10 - The Adventurers Beginning ¡°The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step¡± ¨C Lao Tzu Thud! Thud! Thud! For the past few weeks, this sound was all Janus knew. Standing in front of a wooden pole wrapped in leather, Janus swung his sword. He swung his sword downward on top of the pole, swung his sword from the left and right aiming for the center of the pole, and concluded it by swinging his sword at an angle downward toward the bottom of the pole. From morning till dusk, he single-mindedly repeated this routine until his body became covered in sweat and he collapsed from fatigue. Every day, all the muscles in his body screamed with pain, begging him to stop, but he kept on swinging his sword, plowing through the pain. Eventually, the sound of Janus¡¯ swinging his sword became a functional alarm for the small town that he found himself in. The townsfolks woke up in the morning upon the first swing of that sword and retired to the nearby tavern when the sound stopped. Occasionally, some children and their parents from the town would drop by to watch during one of their usual outings but, after quickly growing bored of the sight, they returned home. At first, many of the townsfolks tried to get Janus to stop out of concern for his health and safety but, with a smile, he sent them all away. Gradually, the numbers of people that tried to convince him decreased until all the town could do was, at the very minimum, provided him with three meals a day. For his part, Janus was grateful for the treatment that he received from the townspeople, and he felt a pang in his heart each time he had to reject their concerns for him, but; he had no choice. After being caught in the ensuing devastation caused by Rose and Iris, Janus found himself barely alive, lying on the edge of a forest outside of a small town. His clothes tattered and his body full of scars, he was found by a few woodsmen that were logging nearby who, despite their suspicions regarding his conditions, still decided to rescue him by carrying him into town. Once there, Janus was handed over to a small family living on the outskirt of town that volunteered to nurse him back to health. The family he stayed with was by no mean wealthy, even by the standards of the small town, but they still took care of him as best they could, dressing up his wounds and provided him with food to replenish his strength. Each morning, the father of the family would leave to go logging in the nearby forest while the mother and her only daughter stayed home and took care of the house. At first, Janus found it difficult to communicate with the family as the language they spoke was unlike any other languages he heard before, despite his mastery of nearly all the global languages. However, perhaps due to being confined to a bed during his recovery as well as being regarded as a playmate by the only daughter of the family, Janus was able to pick up some basic words that he could use to communicate after a few days. Approximately two weeks later, Janus had recovered to the point that he could move about and began to help the family with their daily works, as thank for taking care of him. He started by helping the mother to clean the house, cook, and whenever possible, play with the young daughter in the backyard. When more of his strength returned, Janus would accompany the father to his workplace on the edge of the forest to fell some trees and carried the lumbers either to the market for sale, or home for daily needs. From time to time, whenever the family had time to spare, they would take Janus into town to go shopping and sightseeing. Through these daily activities, Janus gradually became more fluent in the local language which allowed him to communicate more clearly. He learned that the little girl was named Illia and was around the same age as his sister. Her mother was called Rosa and her father, Isaac. Every night, the family would invite him to join them for dinner. Initially, the topics of their conversation were mundane, everyday stories about their daily lives, as if Rosa and Isaac were hesitating to ask about what they truly wanted to know. However, their curiosity eventually won out. One night, after Illia was put to bed, Isaac and Rosa sat Janus down in their kitchen room table and asked him about who he is as well as his plans for the future. Without holding anything back, Janus told them everything they wanted to know. He told them who he is and everything he saw, up until the moment he ended up on the outer edge of the forest. To Janus¡¯ astonishment, Isaac and Rosa''s reactions to his stories were the furthest from what he originally expected. They told him they had never heard of the Silverlake family. More surprisingly, they asked him what he meant when he said ¡°car¡± or ¡°cell phone¡±, as if the very concepts of those words were foreign to them. It was then that the various fragments within Janus¡¯ mind began to piece themselves together. Ever since he was able to go into town, a sense of unease was beginning to tickle the back of his mind. Though the town itself was peaceful, it was, for lack of a better word, rustic. Buildings were made of logs stacked on top of one another. The roads were unpaved and large-scale public utilities and services were practically nonexistent, save for the bare minimum necessary to settle disputes between merchants and collect taxes. Even the house in which he lived together with Illia and her family, foods were cooked on an open fire and candlelight lit the house at night. At first, Janus attributed everything he saw to this town being isolated from the larger world, making its population more rural, a common occurrence. However, upon seeing Rosa and Isaac¡¯s reaction, a new hypothesis was formed in his mind, one he did not consider. To confirm his hypothesis, he asked Isaac questions about this town and the surrounding area. Isaac explained that the town itself was called Ivalos and belonged to the Istat barony. They were at the very western edge of the barony itself, living practically on the frontier of civilization. He told Janus that most of the people living here were here to search for new opportunities. As for Isaac and his family, they simply wanted to live away from the city. He and his wife were what people called former ¡°adventurers¡±, and they settled here after Illia¡¯s birth.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Shocked by what he suspected but still did not want to believe was possible, Janus thanked Isaac and Rosa and retired to his room for the night. That night, Janus lay awake in his bed, thinking about the new information that he received. After essentially accepting his demise in the aftermath of the conflict between Iris and Rose, Janus was surprised to find himself alive, heavily injured but still, alive. As a result, he thought everything that he experienced up until that point was just a hallucination, something brought about by his heavily injured state. He convinced himself that he was kidnapped from his home and left for dead until these people stumbled upon him. Up until that night, Janus was convinced that, as soon as he was able, he could leave this place and find his way home. Only now did he realized that the world he was currently in was no longer the world he knew. The name Ivalos and Istat were familiar to him. They were names from stories he used to read as a child, the book from which they came resting on the shelf in his room. The more he thought about it, the more familiar this environment became to him. He knew this place, not because he visited it before, but because he remembered it from one of his favorite stories. The forest to the East of this town was called the Misty Grove and to the South of the town was Dragon¡¯s Peak. This town was truly the frontier, and soon, once spring arrives in full bloom, it would become a battleground. Misty Grove was called such because of a thick mist that covered the forest interior, blocking all visibility. However, once per year, roughly around spring for a period of one month, the mist would lift, allowing people to explore the interior. Such rare opportunities gather all sorts of people, from high-ranking knights to beginner adventurers. Whenever people gather for resources, conflicts would inevitably follow. Janus understood this not only because this was the world he came from, but it was also the course of events that unfolded in that story. The conflict would eventually end once a hero rose up put an end to the fighting, but that only occurred after enough blood was shed. Trying to cool his head, Janus got up from his bed and took a drink of water from the jug left at his bed side. Opening the door, he left his room and went outside. Janus walked to the edge of the fence that surrounded the house, his eyes looking in the direction of the forest, the darkness obscuring his sight. Once the fighting begins, it would be impossible to escape so he had to do it now if he wanted to flee. However, given the location of this house, he had no doubt that it would be caught up in the fighting, and he worried about the safety of Illia and her family. He could not leave them behind, but he doubted whether they would believe him and evacuate before spring arrives. ¡°Having fun?¡± A voice rang in the direction of the forest as Janus considered his options. ¡°Who¡¯s there,¡± he shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t recognize my voice anymore. It hasn¡¯t been that long,¡± the voice said as a figure emerged from the darkness into the moonlight. Keeping his eyes trained in the direction of the voice, Janus could make out the shape of Iris, clad in her white armor, as she approached the house from the forest. ¡°Iris!¡± he shouted. ¡°Hey, glad to see you¡¯re doing well,¡± Iris said as she waved at him. Strolling over to where Janus was, she stood in front of him, one-hand on her hip as she smiled. ¡°Adjusted?¡± she asked him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he replied. ¡°Come now, someone as smart as you surely should¡¯ve put two and two together by now,¡± she told him. ¡°I find it hard to believe you truly haven¡¯t figured it out.¡± ¡°Can I take that to mean you know what¡¯s going on?¡± He asked her. ¡°I do." Iris confirmed. "However, it doesn¡¯t mean I will tell you what you truly want to know. Feel free to ask anything beside that though." Realizing that she understood what was going through his head, Janus gave up on his original intentions and instead decided to focus on the tasks at hand. ¡°Can you protect us?¡± He asked her. ¡°Nope. Sorry but there are, let¡¯s just say, ¡®restrictions¡¯, as to what I can and cannot do,¡± she answered. ¡°Can¡¯t really use my strength willy-nilly. It attracts too much attention from certain people.¡± ¡°What about that time with Rose?¡± ¡°She¡¯s one of the exceptions. Can¡¯t really deal with her unless I go all out.¡± ¡°So¡­what can you do?¡± ¡°Absolutely¡­nothing. Pretty much only here to chat with you and enjoy the view.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡± ¡°Nope. My hands are tied here. What¡¯s that old saying that you have Janus? ¡®If you want something done, you have to do it yourself¡¯?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Smiling, Iris reached out her hand into a portal that appeared beside her and pulled out a steel sword. After tapping on it a few times, she swung her sword and cut away a piece of the fence; then shaped it into wooden sword of similar size and shape. ¡°Catch,¡± she said to Janus as she tossed the wooden sword to him. Puzzled, Janus caught the sword in his hand and asked, ¡°what do you want me to do with this?¡± ¡°Practice.¡± She told him. ¡°Gotta starts somewhere.¡± Turning to look at a large open spot in the front yard, Iris waved her hand and wooden training dummy emerged from the ground. ¡°Practice.¡± She repeated. ¡°You want me to learn how to fight?¡± ¡°??Yup.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡± he shouted. Iris muttered as she put her hand on top of Janus¡¯ head. In that brief instant, Janus could feel a series of images flashed through his mind, searing itself into the deepest part of his brain as an excruciating migraine forced him to fall to his knees. ¡°What¡­was that?¡± He moaned in pain. ¡°You asked so I answered.¡± Iris shrugged. ¡°I transferred to you all the knowledge you need about how to use a sword. Now you just need to get your body to memorize it.¡± ¡°How much time do I have?¡± he asked her, desperately trying to endure the pain. ¡°I¡¯d say around 2 months.¡± ¡°You expect me to learn all this in 2 months?¡± he asked, glaring up at her. ¡°Heavens no,¡± Iris refuted him. ¡°I expect you to barely be able to defend yourself. 2 months should be enough.¡± ¡°What are you after Iris?¡± Janus groaned as he used the wooden sword as a crutch to lift himself back up. ¡°That¡¯s not something you should be asking me,¡± she said smiling. ¡°At least, the current you don¡¯t have the qualifications to do so.¡± Still smiling, Iris stabbed the metal sword she was holding into the ground n front of her. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this for you,¡± she told Janus. ¡°Take it out when you¡¯re ready.¡± Then, Iris turned around and began to walk away. Suddenly, a small breeze started to blow, brushing against Iris¡¯ face, sending a small chill up her spines. ¡°You should enjoy your homecoming a little bit more,¡± she said as she grimaced before disappearing under the moonlight, fading into the night. The next morning, Janus woke up from his sleep and immediately went to the training dummy to practice. He swung his sword, replicating the movements that were imprinted into his mind. ¡°There was no time¡±, he told himself as he single-mindedly practiced day-and-night into exhaustion. He needed to get stronger and quickly. After two months, regardless of his skills, he needed to be ready. Watching Janus swung his sword day after day, Isaac and Rosa became worried for his health, believing that he might had gone crazy. However, after realizing that they could not stop him, decided to let Janus continued as he saw fit. Illia, on the other hand, would watch him from her swing in the garden every day, bringing him food when it was ready, and then returning to her swing. She did not understand why he was doing what he did, but, after playing with Janus for so long, she knew that he had a reason to do it. Hidden in the mist behind within shadows of the trees, Iris sat on a large branch as she continued to observe Janus. ¡°It¡¯s time to take that first step Janus,¡± she muttered. ¡°Do your best to survive.¡± Looking up at the sky, a glint of madness clouded her clear blue eyes. ¡°You¡¯re watching¡­aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked. ¡°May your wish come true.¡± Act 11 - Before the Fall "All violence consists in some people forcing others, under threat of suffering or death, to do what they do not want to do.¡± - Leo Tolstoy Outside in the garden, as the snow started to thaw, small buds of plants broke through the soft soil and reached toward the warmth of the sun¡¯s rays. Birds began to sing, heralding the incoming of spring as the warm breeze blew through every corner, clearing away the cold air. In the town of Ivalos, the residents were walking around in the street, greeting one another, as they shopped for new novelties to decorate their home for the season. Some housewives were airing out their dirty winter laundry, hanging it on a rack in their backyard while their husband chopped woods a few feet away. Children gathered together as they made their way to the nearby lake, hung a rope on a sturdy looking branch, and swung on it into the water below. Everywhere, people were glad to welcome the arrival of spring, marking the end of the wintry cold season, and the beginning of the hunt. At first, only a few adventurers arrived in the town before the spring thaw. In the morning, they would chat with the locals, sightsee, and ate the regional cuisine before partying at the tavern when the sun went down and had to be carried back to their room at the local inn. However, as spring approached, more and more outsiders began to arrive in the town. The first wave of the spring arrivals consisted of merchants, coming early to set up their stalls and securing storage space for their cargoes. The town always welcomed the merchants because that meant that there were new goods for trade. Though bartering between merchants and their clients sometimes got heated, they never grew to become violent and were always resolved amicably at the end. After the merchants were the nobles and their escorts, the knights. Due to Ivalos being relatively close the frontier and far away from the capital, it was rare to see any noble with a ranking higher than viscount making the journey to attend the event. This year was no different. For the most part, reception from the town toward the nobles divided cleanly into two camps. Those that were on the higher rung of the local society welcomed the nobles because it meant they were able to make connections to advance their career. On the other hand, the other half of the town hated them. Nobles were prideful and they caused constant problems everywhere they went; whether it was complaining about their lodging, or the food, or just because someone looked at them the wrong way. If someone offended a noble, they could be executed on the spot for the offense of l¨¨se-majest¨¦ without a trial or, in other words, pretty much any reason. The knight escorts meant that the townspeople could not even think about offending a noble without the threat of immediate execution. Once the nobles fully settled into their lodgings, the adventurers made up the overwhelming majority of the third wave to arrive. Opposite of the nobles, the adventurers were well received by the regular town folks who saw them simply as helpful, fun-loving people. The adventurers took on requests from cities and towns for various jobs, ranging from collecting ingredients in the field to exterminating threats that were not considered dangerous enough to mobilize the army. Due to their profession, adventurers constantly lived on the razor¡¯s edge and so, as a result, they were more open to spend their earnings just to live in the moment. However, because of their fun-loving ways, people from the upper echelon of society interpreted their behaviors as mostly rowdy and uncivilized. Nevertheless, despite the fact that nobles and adventurers typically do not get along with one another, they also do not intentionally antagonize one another, choosing to avoid the other whenever possible. After the arrival of the adventurers, the town became more festive. Butterflies of the night were everywhere one looked, flitting between the crowds of people, looking for their next companion. Merchants and hawkers lit up the streets as they man their stall, inviting people to check out their wares. Pubs and taverns were filled with cheers, people toasting to good food and the days ahead. Day or night, the town became a place of celebration and fun as people waited for the mist to dissipate. On the outskirt of the town, Iris watched as people lined up outside of the town¡¯s gate, waiting to be let in, her eyes locked on to one person in particular. ¡°A troublesome one came huh¡­,¡± she mumbled to herself. Jostling her hair, she thought about what she should do. Under the current circumstances, she could not openly start a fight, the consequences would be too much of a hassle for her to clean up. However, she could not leave this individual alone, fearing the unpredictable consequences that she might bring. Giving a quick glance in the direction of Janus¡¯ resting place, Iris groaned and began to trudge toward the town. Outside the town¡¯s gates, many people were lining up, waiting for the guards to inspect their cargoes before allowing them passage to the festivities inside. Amongst the crowd was a young woman, her body and face hidden beneath a raggedy looking wool blanket littered with dirt and leaves that it picked up in her travels. To others, she looked like any other beggar that arrived with the fourth wave of visitors to the city during this time of year. The pants she wore was dirty and riddled with holes. On her feet, she wore a pair of sandals that looked like it was dragged through a grinder, barely holding itself together. Blending in amongst the crowd, she patiently waited for her turn. Before her name was called by the guards, a hand gripped her shoulder from behind. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± the person behind her asked. ¡°I could ask you the same thing, Iris,¡± the girl retorted. ¡°Bow out,¡± Iris commanded her. ¡°It¡¯s not your turn to take the stage yet.¡± ¡°And who gets to decide that? You?¡± Ignoring the irritation in the girl¡¯s voice, Iris flatly told the girl, ¡°Leave or I¡¯ll make you.¡± Gripping Iris¡¯ hand on her shoulder and removing it, the girl turned around and scowled at Iris from beneath her blanket. Then, raising her right hand, she snapped her fingers before removing the blanket entirely from her body.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Emerging from beneath the piece of cloth was a young woman of breathtaking beauty, contrary to her earlier form. Her appearance now looked as if it was sculpted by the hands of the gods themselves. She moved her long, delicate finger and gently shifted her chartreuses colored hair behind her ears, revealing a pair of almond shaped eyes hidden beneath perfectly manicured brows, punctuated by irises the color of translucent emerald that gave her gaze the impression that it could pierce into the depth of another person¡¯s soul. Her nose was delicate and balanced as it sat, centered on her face, above her small rosy lips. She was neither tall nor short as she stood in front of Iris, her back straight as she thrusted out her moderately sized chest. While her body was smaller than Iris, she was by no mean weaker as her porcelain skin gave off a healthy pink glow, the curvatures of her waist and hip further accentuated her loveliness as if she was a descendant of a fae that came from the land of T¨ªr na n¨®g. ¡°A bit excessive don¡¯t you think?¡± Iris remarked upon seeing what the girl had done. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a bore, it would be far more troublesome had I not do it,¡± the girl replied, slightly pouting. Together they glanced at people in their surroundings, paused in the moment right before she girl snapped her fingers. ¡°Let us talk,¡± the girl said. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is room for negotiation here. Leave the stage or I will make you,¡± Iris repeated. ¡°Even for you, it would be difficult,¡± the girl asserted as she leaned forward, one hand on her hip and the other traced her long, delicate fingers against Iris¡¯ armor. ¡°Unless you think you¡¯re more powerful than Rose, you¡¯re welcome to try,¡± Iris warned her. ¡°Strength is relative,¡± the girl said as she spun around, walking away from Iris in an exaggerated motion. ¡°Leave,¡± Iris said. ¡°This is the third time; I won¡¯t repeat myself again.¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± the girl rejected Iris¡¯ command as she came to a stop. ¡°How about a compromise?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Iris exhaled as she stood, her arms crossed in front of her chest. ¡°I won¡¯t interfere directly, and you can continue with whatever you¡¯re doing.¡± Seeing Iris raising her eyebrow, the girl quickly continued. ¡°It is in both of our interests to keep him alive, but at this pace, nothing will happen. I¡¯ll just provide the catalyst for some fun and you can stand there and look pretty.¡± ¡°As long as you do not take actions against him directly, I¡¯m fine with it.¡± Iris replied. ¡°Then do we have a mutual agreement?¡± ¡°For now,¡± Iris said before disappearing from the girl¡¯s sight. Satisfied, the girl smiled as she put back on her tattered blanket and hid her appearance once again. Returning to her place in the queue to enter the city, she snapped her fingers, and the world restarted itself as if nothing was amiss. ¡°Dahlia Alxurui¡± a guard called out as the girl walked forward and handed him her identification. ¡°What are you here for?¡± the guard asked as his eyes looked condescendingly upon her. ¡°Just a bit of fun at the festival,¡± Dahlia replied with a smile, revealing a bit of her face as her eyes stared directly into his. Transfixed by her gaze, the guard eyes clouded over as he returned her identification and allowed her access into the city. ¡°Now where should I go?¡± Dahlia pondered to herself before noticing a little girl standing at one of the stalls, gazing at the candy apples on display Strolling over to the young girl, Dahlia approached her from behind and gently tapped on her shoulder. ¡°Hi,¡± Dahlia greeted her in a sing-song voice. Puzzled at the unknown voice, the girl turned around to see Dahlia crouching on the ground, her hands on her knee, smiling at her. ¡°Do you want one of them?¡± Dahlia asked as she pointed to the candies on display. Still confused, the little girl nodded her head hesitantly, unsure of what was going on. Pushing herself up, Dahlia walked over the stall vendor and pointed to the candy apples. ¡°Two please,¡± she told the vendor. ¡°10 Bronze Neos¡± the vendor replied. After handing over her money and receiving the candy apples in exchange, Dahlia turned to the little girl behind her and handed over one of the candy apples, keeping the other one for herself. ¡°What¡¯s your name¡± she asked the girl. ¡°Illia,¡± the girl answered as she took the candy from Dahlia and started to lick the caramel surface. ¡°Are you lost Illia?¡± Dahlia asked. Shaking her head, Illia replied, ¡°My mom told me to wait here, and she will be back in a few minutes.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Dahlia nodded. ¡°Is it okay if I ask you a quick question?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for a friend of mine. His name is Janus, do you know him?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Illia answered. ¡°He¡¯s currently staying with me and my parents.¡± Upon hearing Illia¡¯s answer, a radiant smile appeared on Dahlia¡¯s face as she thanked Illia before disappearing into the crowd, just as Illia¡¯s mother returned to pick her up. After saying goodbye to Illia, Dahlia began to make her way to one of the largest inns in the city of Ivalos. On a deserted street close to the inn, she transformed her raggedy blanket into a vibrant green cocktail dress, adorned with various intricate designs along its length before walking to the inn¡¯s entrance. Strolling past the knights guarding the entrance to the inn, Dahlia walked up the stairs to the highest floor before standing in front of the most ornately decorated door in the building. Gently, she reached out her hand and knocked on the door three times. ¡°Who is it?¡± a voice rang out from the inside of the room. ¡°Dahlia Alxurui,¡± she answered. Soon as she responded, the door violently swung open and a handsome young man in his mid-twenty stood at the entrance, his mouth agape as he gazed upon her visage, captivated by her beauty. ¡°Please come in,¡± he stuttered. Accepting his invitation, Dahlia made her way into the room and sat herself upon a royal chair, clad in gold with white upholstery, positioned to the side of a small table in the center of the room. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Viscount Orto¡± she said to the young man. Closing the door behind him as she entered the room, the young viscount immediately went before her and prostrated himself at her feet, his head glued to the floor as if he did not dare to look up. ¡°No¡­,¡± he continued to stutter. ¡°The¡­pleasure¡­is¡­all¡­mine.¡± ¡°You seem to be healthy,¡± she commented. ¡°By your grace,¡± Orto replied, his body trembling violently, sweat pouring out from all of his pores onto the floor. ¡°How may I assist you?¡± ¡°Just a small favor,¡± Dahlia answered. ¡°Anything!¡± the Orto shouted; his eyes still glued to the floor. ¡°There¡¯s a little girl I want you to bring to me. She lives on the outskirt of the town with her parents. Her name is Illia. You can use any method you want; I just want you to bring her to me alive. As for her parents, you can act as you please.¡± ¡°May I ask what¡¯s so special about this girl?¡±, Orto whimpered as he slightly raised his head from the floor, taking a peek at her expression. Immediately, as soon as he sensed her eyes looking down at him, he slammed his head into the floor as if he just committed a great sin. ¡°My deepest apologies,¡± he shouted at the top of his lung. ¡°I did not mean to question your will. I will get it done.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll look forward to the result.¡± Dahlia smiled as she watched Orto, still in his prostrating position, shuffled backward and out the room, the entire time not daring to look up at her. Then, on the outside of the door, she could hear him yelling to his knights, ordering them to do as she instructed. Pouring herself a cup of tea from the freshly brew teapot on the table into an unused cup, she let out an amused smile as she looked out the large window in the direction of Illia¡¯s home. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me,¡± Dahlia said as she took a sip of the tea. In the distance, Iris sat in her tree and observed as Dahlia executed her plan. Leaning against the trunk, she closed her eyes and mentally prepared for the headache that was to come.