"It is by her will we can see… It was she who guided us and taught us how to see in the dark…"
He stepped down from the podium, his robe as crimson as the sun, its sleeveless design revealing his bare hands.
He stepped enthusiastically into the central hall, where the pews weren't arranged in rows but in widening rings. All the seaters wore solemn clothes, but they were odd—most of them had no sleeves, and those who did had only short ones.
"Her magic wasn't miracles or powers defying reality… Her magic was knowledge. It is knowledge that lights the darkness; it is by knowledge that justice is obtained." He walked with fast steps, and the great open space made the hall convenient for his pace, which made the eerie-shaped nickel he wore seem to levitate. Was it the symbol of the cathedral?
"How dare you wake up without praising her!? Eat without praising her!? Drink without praising her!? Walk without praising her!? Work without praising her!? Think without praising her!? Breathe without praising her!? And sleep without praising her!?"
Suddenly his pace quickened, his voice grew louder.
"So praise her." With profuse sweat, his tone grew excited.
"Praise her the way she told us! Praise her the way she showed us! Praise her the way she taught us!" He lifted his hands, making them into fists.
"Lift your hand and let them be the stones; strike them and let the spark be a sign of your belief and your trust in the Lady Iris!!!!"
Just like the way fire is made by striking two stones, the cardinal and those who were seated struck their hands three times. With each strike they exclaimed:
"Praise the Lady! Praise her flames! Praise her justice!"
It is the same act we do before eating…? I didn't realize my parents were religious…?
"Now, today is a special day…" After returning to the podium, the cardinal spoke in a calm voice that brought ease to the listener, but his face was gloomy.
"Many hundreds of years in the past, a tradition emerged and grew in our society… A tradition that grew out of fear—a reasonable fear in a period where children couldn't live past six years, mysteriously dying… sigh." He heaved a heavy sigh before changing that gloomy expression into a smile—a proud smile.
"Our Lady understood our fear, and not only did she not fight that tradition, but she accepted it and made it a part of her teachings… Lapsus Siderus… Luna Siderus, please come forward."
He called for the twins. They both hesitated at first, but their mother Clara pushed them. With steady steps, they reached the podium where the cardinal was standing.
"…?" Seeing them at first glance, he noticed they were nervous and shaking, so he hugged them both by the shoulders and whispered into their ears, hoping it would calm them a little:
"Everything is going to be alright. Don't be scared… Your mother is here with you, and I am too."
"Umm." They both nodded.
"Today, the 30th of February 997, marks their sixth birthday. They lived their whole life not knowing how they look, for they were forbidden to see the mirror, and today is the day they will break that rule… Bring the water."
A priest came holding a bowl of water, and another holding a mirror covered in a blanket.
"Thanks, Dave."
"No problem…" His voice is familiar, thought Lapsus.
The priest put his hand in the water and then pulled it back. He made it into a fist and stood before the twins. First he struck his fists over Luna's head before he brushed her hair back and did the same to Lapsus.
It's warm, Luna thought.
"Can you please remove your bandage? It won't last long," the priest named Dave asked. Lapsus nodded and removed the bandage that was covering his left arm, hiding the scar that burning oil had left on him. It went from the elbow all the way to his left fingers.
"Dip your hand in the water and praise her."
And so they did. Then, without waiting, the priest Dave pulled away the blanket from the mirror the twins were facing, and for the first time, they were able to know how they looked.
Finally! Do you know how much I waited for this!? Lapsus was the most excited about this.
Eyes shimmering with their golden hue and lashes as if they were handcrafted by the finest artists, a well-defined nose that wasn't big or small but masculine to say the least, a mole under his right eye contrasting with his twin sister Luna, who had one under her left, and also brown hair.
Not that much similar to my sister, but damn, I hit the jackpot!!
Lapsus was early to celebrate before he realized something odd. Something was weird—this mirror showed him at twice or even thrice the size of his sister Luna, who was slim in a healthy way.
"Look, look, Lapu!! I am so cute!!" Luna was praising her cuteness while Lapsus was coming to an absurd realization.
He thought first that maybe this mirror was racist, misandrist toward men—but there was no such thing. He needed to accept it.
I am fat…? No, I am obese!!? But why? … Is it because I was eating too much with no activity? He was too fat to be considered normal for his age. He looked around and saw his mother Clara cheering for them…
It was her. She made me eat too much… She even called me cute and I believed her… I was deceived… he thought as he walked back to his seat, putting back his bandage.
"Now, may I ask for Alexandre Siderus to come forward."
Siderus? Is it a relative? Lapsus wanted to ask, but Clara spoke before him.
"He is my and Aurel's big brother's son… He is your cousin. Remember to say hi to him."
"Umm." He nodded.
"And Luna, no fighting."
"Umm." She nodded.
"Although some might think of it as outrageous and some as heretical, I beg to differ." As Alexandre stood on the podium, the cardinal next to him continued:
"It is true that I myself oppose the idea, but what can we do? He is our little prodigy and he is asking questions that need answers… Even though he is just ten years old—" he was suddenly interrupted.
"Dear Cardinal, may I speak for myself?"
It was unexpected but expected to some extent. For the cardinal, this was how the kid named Alexandre was—a kid who did not hesitate to express himself or let others do the job for him. So with a smile, he moved aside so Alexandre could speak.
"My name is Alexandre Siderus, the second son of Alexandre the First, king of this beloved kingdom, Eirenthal." It was a strong-willed voice that some would refuse to believe belonged to a kid.
"It is by human nature to question, for the path to truth and knowledge starts by questioning. And I, just like any other human, had a question… What is the correct faith?" It was a question most would fight against, but he wasn't scared and was ready for any backlash as he continued.
"No, excuse me… It seems that I didn't phrase it right. What I meant is, what is the correct way to reach the faith? To reach the truth? As some might think of me as a prodigy—which I disagree with—but my ability to graduate from the sanctuary school this early is not a lie. And I want to test myself by traveling the world, trying to find the way."
------
It was after the preaching ended. Everyone stood from their seats and walked into the hall where they had just spoken and basically socialized. It was the norm in this cathedral and every sanctuary linked to it—the Great Cathedral of Iris in the capital city of Sideria.
"Lapu, go look for your sister."
"Alright, I will go…" he said with a tired voice as he grumbled through the crowd, trying to find his twin, Luna. Where the heck could she be? He kept looking for her until he noticed her in a corner, alone by herself—no, she was with another kid, a girl in a dress. She seemed the same age.
"Luna," he called for her as he approached them.
"Lapu!"
"What are you doing? Is she your friend?"
"Nothing, this weird girl is trying to sell me something."
"Calling me weird is a rude thing, but I will accept it. Dear customer, my name is Yellayin."
"Customer? I refuse to buy that thing."
"What a loss! Don't you understand that this is the doll the Old Valiant used to play with?"
Old Valiant?
"It survived hundreds and hundreds of years, and here I am trying to sell it to you with a great price… Come on, dear customer." With a broken doll—eyes falling from their sockets, broken arms and a lost leg—it was scary to say the least.
"Lapu, help me!!" Luna hid behind Lapsus's back, scared of the doll the girl named Yellayin was forcing on her. Even I am scared of this thing? What is it!? Why the bad omen suddenly? Lapsus gave an awkward smile and tried to refuse.
"Well, my sister isn't the kind of girl to buy cute things, you se—" He was slapped—by none other than his beloved sister he was trying to protect. Why? he asked himself, but no answer was to be given.
"Sigh… What to do? My cousins are having a little quarrel in front of me." It was the voice of an unexpected party that had just joined—Alexandre.
"Lapsus, was it? Name's Alexandre. Pleased to meet you." He extended his arm, offering a hand to shake. Lapsus accepted.
"Lapsus it is, pleased to meet you." Taking back his hand, Alexandre smiled.
"Well, I didn't expect to have cousins. My father rarely speaks about his relatives, heh."
"Heh, well, same for Mama… She never mentioned you." They gave themselves a little laugh.
"To be frank, I first doubted it… but—"
"But?"
"Seeing you up close, I realized how stupid it was. Just look at these golden eyes. It's a feature only our great lineage, the Siderus, have."
"Is it that rare?" Yellayin asked.
"Oh, another girl. I didn't see you—excuse my rudeness. And yes, it is that rare, for only we are known for it."
"But who cares now. It's obvious that we are related." Lapsus was trying to end the conversation, for he felt something was going the wrong way.
"No, only my doubts about you have vanished—not your sister Luna." He walked closer to her and started playing gently with her hair.
"This black hair does belong to us. But what are you?"
"What?" Lapsus was getting frustrated.
"Lapu, let's go," said Luna, also annoyed.
"Wait, wait, I didn't finish… Your eyes aren't golden like ours, so you must be thinking the same as me, right, Lapu?" Him using the same nickname his family used enraged Lapsus even more, but he kept himself in check as Luna was holding his hand.
"Those emerald eyes are beautiful… but can't be explained considering that every relative of ours is golden. But there is a little explanation in my mind."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing. Just a thought… Are you perhaps the illegitimate daught—"
"Lapu!!"
This fucker!!! Lapsus couldn't hold himself anymore, and before he knew it, he had thrown a punch at Alexandre. If he remembered correctly, this was to be the first ever punch he threw—thus the first ever fight he had—and it was the first unlike Alexandre.
"Arg!!"
Alexandre was able to dodge that pathetic punch Lapsus threw, and he then struck him in the nose—a fist with enough force to send Lapsus down on his butt with his nose bleeding.
"Why act so hastily like this, Lapu?"
"…!!" Hearing him call him Lapu made him enraged, but he was in pain. It was his first time receiving a punch, and it was powerful, making him think about nothing but a way to stop the bleeding.
"Now, Lady Luna… Don't take me seriously, I was just spouting nonsense." With a smile, he grabbed Luna in a gentlemanly manner and tried to sweeten the mood with her, but he didn't expect something—Luna wasn't the lady-type of girl.
"…?" It was a jab—an incredible speed that sent Alexandre's thoughts astray. He was barely able to dodge, with many of his hair strands being blown by the punch.
His hasty way of dodging made Alexandre lose his balance and a gap between his legs opened that Luna took gladly.
"…"
A kick—strong enough that made Alexandre go mute. He fell slowly and laid on the ground holding his crotch. Luna didn't stop there and added a finishing blow—another kick to the genitals. Although Alexandre was covering it with his hands, the kick made him leak a sound similar to that of a balloon losing air slowly.
"Lapu, let's go." Helping Lapsus stand, Luna started walking away.
"Hey, want me to sell you a handkerchief for the blood…?" Yellayin tried to make a sale out of the situation, but Luna just ignored her as she used her own handkerchief to wipe the blood on Lapsus.
--------
--------
Many weeks had passed since then. Luna and I started attending school… Sanctuary School, and it was really helpful for me. I was able to understand some things about this world through it.
I got my confirmation of this being another world by two things...
The first of them being the unfamiliar map of the world and its geography: three continents and a black landmark between them… We live in Sideria, the capital of the Eirenthal Kingdom, a kingdom in the far east of the northern continent.
The second of them: the religions of this world. Well, as by them it is just one belief with multiple beliefs that derive from it, but the core is the same. It is by Ana's will this world exists and the other gods exist — six in total, with two of them being the ones recognized and popular in this kingdom.
Iris, Goddess of flames and the knight's iron will… Tempest, God of calamities, silence before the storm, inevitability.
However, this kingdom encourages the belief in the other gods and does not punish for it, unlike the other kingdoms.
Too much info for a kid to hold, it is a sanctuary after all. But—
"sigh.. "… Lapsus heaved as he stared at his house's door. He was holding a bag in his right hand and wearing some sort of uniform that might be intended for the school.
He stared blankly at the door before he lifted his left arm, opening his hand wide and making his palm face the door and—
"Fire ball!!" he screamed with shining eyes.
"Nothing, huh…?"
So magic doesn't exist…?
There was no fire coming out of his hand shaping itself like a baseball and launching at the door as he was expecting it. Just the cold breeze touching his bandaged left palm and silence… plain silence that made him aware of something.
Wait! Trying to cast spells…? Check. Being fat…? Check. Wearing bandages on the left hand…? Check… Doesn't that make me look like an eighth-grader suffering from chuunibyou… Hope nobody saw me—
"Hey Lapu, what are you doing?" Well, somebody saw him. It was Luna.
"Nothing…" With a cracked voice, Lapsus averted his gaze, face bright red from embarrassment.
"What do you mean nothing? I saw you screaming 'Fire ball,' I was right behind you."
"You were?"
"Of course, we walked home together from school… have you forgotten?"
"Ahaha… I see, I see." With an awkward laugh, Lapsus tried to brush it off, hoping that something might occur and change the subject.
"Kids? You back?" It was Lunavayne coming out of the house who called for them.
Let's gooo!! Lapsus's heart jumped with joy.
"Luna, you look cute as usual…"
He approached them, patted Luna on the hand, and tried to reach his for Lapsus.
"Lapsus…"
He hesitated for a moment before he patted him. His hand felt heavy as if he was putting all of his strength into it and forcing it. He quickly pulled his hand and stood there in silence before he broke it.
"Say, Lapsus?"
"What is it, Papa?"
"Wanna go somewhere? Want me to teach you something?" It was an obvious attempt for Lunavayne to be with Lapsus; it was so obvious that even Luna caught on to it.
Somewhere? Teach me? Maybe if I am pretty direct he will teach me magic? And Lapsus saw it as an opportunity.
"Show me some magic, Papa."
He was direct and hit the nail with no beating around the bush. Maybe this way his father would tell him the secrets of magical arts, how to summon fire, how to bend water, and many more filled Lapsus's thoughts.
"Magic…?" Lunavayne stood there and grabbed his chin, showing how he was pondering and thinking before he gave an answer.
"I know a good place. Wanna go now?"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes…"
Lapsus couldn't hide his excitement as he kept nodding and repeating the word "yes," driving Lunavayne to laugh briefly.
"Hahah… alright, alright, be patient…"
---------
"And tonight's magician is Dave…"
It was the voice of the commentator inside a theatre; they were in a cirque.
"Hello, my name is Dave." A young man with flashy clothes and a hat holding a black stick walked out after the red curtains were lifted.
Isn't this the priest?
"You may know me from my morning radio show, or my late-night show… I also work as the commentator for this cirque, yes that was my voice earlier, also a marriage counselor, a priest, a carriage driver, and many more jobs… Aren't I fantastic?"
"...."
Suddenly, faced with the silence, Dave's smile cracked, and tears started dripping constantly, yet he tried to keep smiling.
"Yes, I have no kids, no wife, no girlfriend, no friends, no home… yes, yes I am a creep, a loser."
"…" And it was at this moment he snapped.
"Fuck!!" He threw his stick on the ground, breaking it before he himself fell on his knees.
"What the hell have I become!!? Why am I even alive!!? Who am I doing this for!!? Is this my life…?"
Seeing the mental breakdown of a human being, Lapsus couldn't help but close his eyes, leaving a single tear fall as he thought with all his heart:
Neither magic exists nor this shit is magical.
---- After meeting my cousin and the strange little girl, what was her name again? Yellayin, I think... I remember I walked out of the church only to find Papa sitting on the stairs by himself, holding an unlit cigarette in his mouth while staring blankly... even though we came together, I never saw him inside the church... it felt weird, even though lately he has been distancing himself, he was the one to call me after breaking the cigarette and pushing it inside his pocket. We talked and I felt close, I told him about Alexandre and Yellayin, about how fat I think I am and how I should get skinnier, about how Luna is pretty and strong enough to protect me, while he listened to me and nodded, smiling all the time, Mama joined us with Luna afterwards. I was mad at her and told her so, yet she just lifted me and kissed my cheek, calling me a little bear.... I was feeling confused, even though part of me was happy, I felt something wasn't right...---