Dusk bled past the golden hour, yet the bruised twilight did nothing to quell the restless, pulsing arteries of the city.
On random streets, Azon was strolling with the kids behind him over the footpath. Some were troubled, some had maintained their composure.
Azon turned left where the street market was visible from a far away yonder. Street stalls here were around their way, which were different as compared to those of Riven.
They were looking with curious eyes. Scanning and observing the culture, it was a beautiful sight.
They finally arrived at the entrance of the market. Azon reached for his pockets, checking something, after he was confirmed about it, he adjusted his coat.
"Split around, and don't lose your path. I'll be here after a while."
He faced the opposite direction before departing from there.
The group didn't say anything, yet some exhaled after he had gone. Reviled without his piercing presence.
"I'll take the front."
Ruis stated, before going that way.
Misha and Lisa split to the left. At last Ender who was as usual, nonchalant was with Sara now.
"Are you annoyed?"
Unexpectedly Sara caught him in a state of perplexity.
"You don't seem like you wanted to be here."
"I'm not sure, I just don't feel like doing anything."
"Wanna hang out together? Let's see which types of novels are published here."
She spoke while offering a cheerful smile, something which Ender couldn't cut off. Sighing.
"Lead the way."
They took a random path. Just like their lives which can be random in any day, in any night.
On one side, Lisa and Misha were sauntering around. It seemed like they weren't excited about being here.
But soon Lisa's crimson pearls went to a beautiful crafted silver-emerald necklace dazzling in a glass box.
Without a second thought, she went to the shop, Misha was so lost in herself that she kept walking forward.
"Hey!"
Luckily by calling her, she came to her senses. Mechanically walking where she had called him.
Lisa started examining the other jewelry items aside from the emerald necklace.
But there wasn't anything which could interest her like that necklace did.
At last she asked the shopkeeper. Who was an adult man, with a small mustache.
"How much will it cost?"
She spoke frankly.
"137 yurums."
Flabbergasted by hearing the price, she mumbled in a gentle voice.
"No discount?"
"It's already 137 with discount, otherwise it would be 145, you see, that's a real emerald there."
She huffed in disappointment.
"Thank you."
Before departing, but Misha was as usual, lost in herself, so she grabbed her arm and took her away with her like a mother.
"Are you bothered about his reaction to you?"
She asked, now that they're outside. She didn't reply, instead bit her lips. As if disturbed, many thoughts were swirling in her mind.
"I think it's time..."
She let out a whisper, something which gave Lisa an unsettling feeling about it. She stared at her in bewilderment.
"It's time for Ender to know his truth. To know how his dearly sister died. I can't bear this truth within me any longer."
Lisa went dumbfounded, her eyes widened.
"...Are you out of your mind? You know what'll happen if he finds out about it. He'll..."
Misha glanced at her with a brink of astonishment, because to her belief, she was the only one who had known how Marine had actually died.
Because her unconscious had told her at the right moment then, she didn't expect Lisa to know it.
'How did you know?'
This time she asked her telepathically, with a look of curiosity.
Lisa exhaled, then began telling her the tale, she did it telepathically while both were strolling around.
How she had met Zack on Earth, and how she came to know about his past. She told it all, honestly. Because there was no reason for her to lie, at least to her.
Sometimes Misha went intrigued, sometimes her eyes went awe, even so her face remained firm, sometimes she hid her face from her.
Yet never once, she was interrupted in her story.
When it was all over, they sat by a chocolate milk shop.
"Are you still firm in your decision?"
Lisa inquired, Misha wiped her lips before declaring.
"I'm aware of the consequences. But if he finds out the truth one day by himself, he'll be disgusted with us for not telling him."
Lisa went quiet, Misha finished her drink and paid for both of them. But before she could be mixed in the heavy crowd.
"Be safe!"
Hearing Lisa's words, she turned around her head and made a warm smile, before disappearing in the endless crowd.
***
Ender and Sara passed rows of bookshops, but none carried novels, until they finally found a small shop tucked away on a corner.
Going inside, there was an old woman sitting on her chair. Seeing her customers, she became dazed.
"Are fiction books sold here?"
Sara spoke delightedly.
"Of course, both fictional and non-fictional, we even published stories from Earth here."
Both were surprised to hear the woman's last words.
"Earth?"
Sara spoke with unclarity, trying to be polite.
"You don't know? It's an art where many writers go to Earth and write stories witnessing the beautiful stories there. It's more like a genre here."
Both exchanged glances, now this really was something ridiculous for them.
The woman shoved her wrinkly arm to a series of bookshelves, then yanked out a book.
Placing it above the counter.
"This is a renowned novel here. Only for 11 yurums."
Ender and Sara glaze fixed over it. It had a beautiful cover of a bloody sword struck on the ground. With a ruined kingdom behind it.
The title went by 'The Cursed Prince.'
Sara whispered in Ender's ears.
"Are you interested?"
"I'm not intrigued by Earthly delights."
She stared at him blankly before huffing.
"Alright, one for me."
The shopkeeper offered a smile before packaging it up.
"Actually, can you hand me the book for a moment?"
The lady gave her as she sat on a nearby couch, and somehow persuaded Ender to sit beside her.
Skipping all the front matter parts, she moved to the introduction.
'Once upon a time, far away from the lands and worlds, somewhere on the Earth. A long time ago. Lived a cruel prince who claimed himself to be a prophet of God.'
Ender was also intrigued by the introduction.
'He possessed some miracles which could qualify him to a prophet but he did the most atrocious acts, some acts which a prophet could revolt against, or rather kill themselves rather than think about it.'
Sara's eyes seemed like she was hooked instantly.
'He went by the name Darian Roy. The cruel prince and the false claimed prophet who at the end meet his fate by—.'
"My apologies for disturbing you but I'll be closing this shop now."
The elderly woman interrupted them. Still Sara smiled before giving her the desired amount and going away.
While walking outside, Ender muttered.
"Actually it intrigued me."
"You should come tomorrow to buy one for yourself."
She spoke with a teasing smirk, Ender scratched his head.
"I guess this is how I'll pass my time here."
"Ender!"
They heard a third voice apart from them. Ender looked where it had come from as because of the noisy crowd, he couldn't identify who it was.
At last Misha came to face after her shoulders were hit by many collisions with others.
"Has Mr. Azon arrived already?"
"No, I just came here because I wanna talk something with you."
Ender's expression was as usual unreadable, yet his eyes conveyed he had mixed up emotions swirling inside his head.
"About?"
"Just come with me."
Misha spoke, like if rather peeved by his behavior.
"Is it that important that I'm not allowed?"
Sara had crossed her arms. A bit curious yet agitated about it.
"I promise I'll tell you about when I had discussed it with him."
Misha let out a smile, just enough for her to sighed.
"Fine.."
She shrugged her shoulders.
They both strolled for a while until finally they came by a corner where no one was there.
"Tell me, can you bear this?"
Perplexed by hearing her question. He wanted to say something but...
"Can you bear this truth about yours?"
Hearing her question, he replied without a pause.
"Just what truth do you know about mine?"
His question made her inhale a deep breath. Until some golden strings started dancing around the fingers of her right hand.
Ender's eyes went startled, as though he knew exactly what they were about.
"Memories? Whose memories are these?"
Misha raised her hand.
"Tell me... can you bear this?"
Seeing her darkened expression, Ender swallowed.
"Show me."
He grabbed her hand, the golden strings transferred to him. Their hands stayed intact just for a moment. As Ender's mind started to flood with Zack's memories.
Yet he didn't even flinch. He took it like it was a casual day for him. Until...
He abruptly collapsed to his knees.
That day memories had come again. Striking and reminding him, again and again.
"Ahhhaaa..."
Ender looked at his empty palms, his shivering fingers, the same palms that had held her that day.
"Why?..."
His body couldn't hold it any longer.
Misha was seeing him, seeing his most vulnerable state. She bent down to her knees. Touching his shoulder.
"Please hold it."
The memories keep unfolding, he saw how she called his companion who was before them. Then saw how she was killed by his own companion.
"I wanted to show her the world..."
Ender mumbled. For a while, silence shrouded them. Eerie silence, silence which was begging to be gone.
At last, Ender's eyes came to a realization and his lips finally moved.
"Yet my only companion destroyed my world."
"H– He had no choice... It wasn't his fault..."
Ender shook his head, like if disagreeing with the truth.
"He killed her."
Now, his eyes were showing so many emotions but the most visible of them was... Rage.
"I'll kill him."
Misha's jaw dropped.
"Wait! You know it's not worth it! You know it was not his fault! Then why!?"
She cried, grabbing his collar. Ender had tilted his head down.
"Because he's a monster. Monsters aren't allowed to live..."
She couldn't stop him from getting up.
"Please Ender! You will end up doing something wrong!"
"Thank you Misha."
She was surprised by his sudden words.
"Thank you for revealing this truth to me. I'll always be grateful for you."
He gently removed her hands from his collar.
"You couldn't bear the truth? Could you?"
She spoke with an unreadable smile. Her amber eyes were widening more and more.
He didn't respond, and turned around. This time, she didn't try to hold him. She just didn't have the strength to do it.
~ I thought he would manage to hold himself or I could hold him...
At this moment, in her belief, she thought only one person could hold him off.
***
"I'm already good."
"If you want to recover fast then you have to eat this."
Zack was sitting on the couch, while Fiona was giving him some porridge.
Realizing he had no choice, he began eating it vigorously. Gulping water in every bite as if it was too stubborn to go through his throat.
"Alright I'll be right back and up till then, you should have already finished it. Understand?"
She spoke with a teasing yet strict nanny tone. Zack gave a lazy nod while eating as she went away.
After he had finished it, he leaned to the sofa cushions. Staring at the ceiling. Wondering what his friends were doing.
Suddenly he felt a presence staring at him. Its stare was so piercing that he felt it was looking through his entire existence.
He looked outside the room's door to see a man wearing a black coat with white shirt underneath.
"Ender?"
He whispered, confused. Ender's glare wasn't serious at all. It was rather undefinable.
"Tell me."
He mumbled. Zack got intrigued, getting up from the sofa. He was in better condition now than before. His face was usually nonchalant.
But Ender's words in the next second made his entire face screaming in awe and terror.
"Did you killed Marine?"
Color drained from Zack's face as his eyes went wide and his lips began to quiver.
"Did you killed Marine?"
Zack glared at the wooden floor which was trembling. No it was he who was trembling.
His throat couldn't work no matter how much he tried to speak, yet in the end he somehow said, stuttering.
"S– She requested me— to be free from pain."
Ender rushed toward him and before he could react, he was lying on the floor. His throat was occupied by Ender's hands.
"You're a monster Zack Darian Roy. Monsters can't give salvation. I shall kill you."