Chapter Forty-Two
_The Curtain Rises, The Final Performance Begins Now
The blood-red eyes full of boredom met the silver eyes shaking with anxiety...
"Are you afraid, little one?!"
Despite his fear, Raphael continued to move Ivan anxiously. Raphael swallowed his dread and said:
"Save him, please..."
"And why do you think I would save him?!"
"You did not hurt him with the intention of killing him..."
Logan opened his eyes in surprise; he hadn't intended to harm the two children at all, but rather wanted to amuse himself for a bit and then leave them be. His people held a belief that killing innocent children leads to destruction...
"Do not fear, he is not harmed... he has only fainted..."
Raphael sighed in relief and said with a gentle smile laced with curiosity...
"I am Raphael... and who are you?!.."
It was a strange thing that the child did not ask "what" he was, but asked him as a person, for everyone else had looked at him in terror and asked about his nature...
"Logan, I am called Logan Aria..."
Even though Raphael was still just a child, he possessed strong senses and instincts that made him realize the being before him was a dangerous monster, yet held no murderous intent...
He looked around for a safe place to put Ivan and found a spot resembling a chair. He carried Ivan easily on his back due to his slender frame to that spot and placed him down. Then, he moved with a smile toward Logan and sat before him politely. He wanted to get to know this monster enthusiastically. Logan, realizing this, did not mind; instead, he waited for Raphael patiently to begin...
"Lord Aria.."
"Logan, just Logan..."
"Ahem... Logan... are you a monster?! I mean, I don't mean to offend... what I mean is that the monsters found all over Cassian do not speak, and their appearance is not beautiful..."
Raphael's explanations were interrupted by Logan's amused laughter. He could barely stop his laughing fit under Raphael's puzzled gaze...
"You are truly a cute child..."
"Hah..."
"Alright... do you want me to grant you a wish?!"
"Can you?!..."
"I can, but it is only one wish that I can grant in my entire life, after which I can return to my true body in my own world..."
Raphael was truly astonished, but he was confused as to why Logan would give him that single wish.
"Why do you want to give it to me..."
"Because your father refused to kill me..."
"What?! ... How?!"
Logan felt Raphael's excitement to hear the story, so he said:
"I will tell it to you. Many years ago, a portal was opened to my world, which caused great chaos there. I was a member of one of the families that rule my homeland, so I was sent to the front lines with some others. When we were being defeated, my people were able to return home while I was trapped outside. Even though I am not very powerful... I am still from the royal families...
Everyone suggested that the young King at the time should kill me, but I had already surrendered. In truth, I only wanted to return to my homeland... so your father refused to kill me and asked them to return me to my land..."
"Then why are you here?!..."
"Clearly, the Emperor of this land does not know what happened after he spared my life. In truth, I was deceived with the excuse that I would be treated and then returned... but they imprisoned me here... and because the power of my wish is strong, I did not want to give it to anyone except your family.."
"You are kind, Logan..."
Raphael was amazed and spoke with a bright smile... Logan smiled at this cute and pure child, knowing what his wish was. Before he could utter it, Logan spoke...
"Destroying the Temple is not a specific wish, so it would be chaotic..."
"Ah... but I don't have another wish..."
"Then come back again.. at a time when you find a wish worth granting..."
Raphael was confused, but Logan realized that the Temple had fallen into a state of chaos, for everyone was now searching for the young Prince. He looked at both of them and then snapped his fingers, and they disappeared from his presence. In fact, he erased Raphael's memories of him; he felt it was better that way... but he felt he heard Raphael saying to him...
"I will come back to save you..."
But he ignored that matter...]
"So how did Raf save your life?! .."
Logan's silence was contemplative, but Ariana's curious question brought him back to reality. He pouted and nipped her cheek in annoyance..
"Annoying... I haven't finished the story yet. Besides, he effectively saved me from giving my wish to anyone in vain, making me wait for him."
"How could you wait for him when you erased his memories, you genius?!"
"I had a feeling he would come..."
"..."
"Shall I finish the story?!..."
Ariana nodded yes, her full focus on him...
"This time, the story goes back to the time when you had died in the old path—that is, six years after your death..."
* * *
Chaos reigned in the Imperial Capital. The Emperor's overt attack on the Temple without any justification had made the people more and more resentful. In fact, families began to lean toward the Duchy of Silvano, which had not sided with either party, as an alternative to the mad Emperor...
The Imperial Knights, led by Kayin Syrus, and the Ghost Knights were stationed in hidden areas. Raphael stood tall on his horse, and behind him was Leopard Rathan, Duke of Rathan, with his fiery orange hair and blue eyes, and the Cardinal who had declared his rebellion against the Temple, Ivan Jerome...
As soon as the Emperor gave his signal, the knights stormed the Temple. The Temple had the right to protection, so the "Paladins" were deployed throughout the Temple for defense. The Emperor was strong enough to strike down dozens until he reached the deepest point in the Temple, the innermost prayer room...
Only Ivan was with Raphael. Raphael felt a sense of "Deja Vu" and looked at Ivan, who nodded yes...
The large door opened to reveal this vast room, centered by a large monster with a playful smile...
"You have finally come..."
"..."
Ivan stepped forward with an instinctive feeling to protect Raphael, which made Logan laugh more deeply. He said, pointing at Ivan...
"This child is truly daring..."
Raphael felt no threat from Logan, so he signaled Ivan to step back and said calmly:
"It seems you know me..."
"Why don't you try to remember..."
Raphael knitted his brows while Logan looked at the calm Ivan in wonder. Raphael then said, after a wave of memories came to him:
"You?!..."
"Yes, are you still ..."
"..."
He did not finish his sentence because he was shocked by the thoughts flowing through Raphael's mind. He felt that this young man was on the verge of a breakdown. Logan's being shook; he felt pain for this young man before him. How had that pure child changed so much?
"Shall I save you?!...."
"There is no use in saving me... Ivan, remove the barriers."
He turned to Logan and said:
"At the very least, I will fulfill my promise... I will get you out of here... but I have a single request..."
"..."
Logan looked with a sense of helplessness because of Raphael, but he nodded yes. Raphael finished shattering the walls of the room, which were part of the barrier...
"My condition is that you do not harm the innocent... leave this place."
He said those words the moment the barrier broke. The hidden chains that imprisoned Logan shattered, and he felt his ability to move... he was able to descend from that throne that bound him...
"I wish to save you... "
"It's fine... I will find a way somehow..."
"Then one last piece of advice... the golden-haired knight surrounding you is betraying you. There is no logical reason... he is just a fool."
"Leave, Logan... now."
The sword trembled in Raphael's hand, and he did not move until Logan disappeared. Raphael looked at Ivan with trembling eyes as a final attempt to deny the truth...
The golden-haired knight... Kayin. He was his friend... it was impossible for him to betray him... he had always felt the presence of a traitor with him, but... ]
"Logan is obnoxious... couldn't you find any other moment to tell him?!..."
"Nothing would have changed if I told him at another time... you know that..."
Ariana pouted and tried to regain her composure, then said:
"So that is how Raphael saved you..."
"Yes..."
"So, did you return to your homeland in that path?!... and the wish, did you grant it to anyone?!..."
"In truth, I could not return to my homeland. I felt a bit guilty... but that child saved me..."
"The child?!"
"Ivan... he is the one who helped me..."
"How?!..."
"This happened after Edan de Cassian took the throne as Emperor.."
"Wait, wait... you said that my child from the previous life became the Emperor, not Philip Silvano... but why was he given the last name of the Imperial family?!.."
"There are several reasons. First, Cassian is a right given to the King, and second, Raphael adopted him before his death..."
"I'm going to go crazy from these events I don't know about... you will tell me..."
"You can ask Ivan, not me..."
"Fine, then finish telling me how Ivan saved you.."
"What happened was twenty years after Raphael's death..."
* * *
Cassian, the land that did not die. The current Emperor was very strong and very just, for he had many who supported him: his mother's family represented by Marquis Elliot Silas, the Temple represented by Ivan Jerome, and the Duchy of Silvano represented by his father and younger brother...
"Why are you leaving?!..."
"I have finished my mission, Your Majesty..."
The sky-blue eyes shook with a deep sense of sadness, for the person before him was the one who had treated him most like an Emperor and recognized his legitimacy despite his old loyalty...
"And the Temple?!..."
"There are many believers who will be better after me. I have appointed a successor for myself... I will not allow the Temple to return to its former ways..."
"Ivan!!"
"Is Your Majesty going to act like a child now?!..."
Edan pouted and looked at Ivan with annoyance, then said..
"I have one last question, and then you may leave..."
"Go ahead, Your Majesty..."
"I always heard that you were more loyal than anyone else to the previous Emperor. Why did you choose to be with me, when it was my father who killed him..."
"Your father did not kill my master; my master is the one who chose to die that day..."
"Are you mocking me?!..."
Edan felt this, but he wanted an explicit confirmation of it..
"In your heart, you know the truth, Your Majesty... Why did His Majesty place the crown on your head when you were a child of six? and the color of your hair that changed since that day... My master gave you the Empire, then went to meet the Duke at the time. Is that not confirmation?"
Edan sighed and smiled at Ivan gently and said:
"You may leave then, but I hope you will come visit me... the palace gates are always open to you..."
"Certainly..."
Ivan smiled at this Emperor before him—strong, yes, but kind and compassionate. He always made him remember Raphael...
'How can a person resemble someone so much without there being any blood relation between them?! ...'
Ivan then left the Imperial Palace and wandered here and there. There was a deep regret in his heart despite remaining around Edan as a final command Raphael had given him...
After wandering for long months, he had a goal within him: to find a way, a magic that would return time. He was mocking the truth... nothing turns back time. Perhaps he would have saved Raphael earlier, helped him purify his magic, and ensured he did not go mad. He would have done so much, but he knew in his heart it was impossible...
"The wish His Majesty spoke of with that monster in the past—would it have been of use?!... Hah... I don't think so..."
"And why do you think that?!..."
Ivan leaned back in his chair from the sudden voice he heard. He had been murmuring alone in the darkness of this bustling tavern. How could this person shrouded in black hear him...
"Who are you?!..."
"Man, I apologize, I startled you... I am called Logan Aria.."
"Are you that monster?!..."
Ivan asked with a trembling heart and pointed at Logan. Logan laughed playfully; he was taking on a human appearance to hide among humans and said:
"I knew you regained your consciousness quickly. It seems you preferred listening silently instead of intervening... "
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was just scared.."
"It's fine, it's good to see you..."
"But didn't you return to your world?!"
"I didn't want to return without achieving something..."
"Do you mean you haven't given the wish to anyone yet?!..."
"Yes..."
"Can you bring back His Majesty?"
"At the mention of Raphael, you sound like a child attached to his mother..."
Ivan laughed until tears came to his eyes, then the laughter turned to crying. He had held himself together and suppressed his tears for forty years. He didn't cry at his master's death, he didn't cry at the disappearance of his mother who promised him she'd return, he didn't cry at the betrayal of the person he considered a brother, and he didn't cry at the death of his friend Leopard who always stood by him and protected him. He had held on more and more and thought he couldn't cry, but a stupid word from this monster made him cry. It was truly a pathetic thing. He knew he had avoided hearing anything related to the past, but he felt his fragility at the mention of his master's name...
Ivan sat upright after finally calming down, took a deep breath, and said:
"I apologize to you..."
Logan, who was in a state of astonishment, sat upright before him and spoke calmly:
"It's fine. Do you feel better?!.."
"To some extent, yes."
"Then let's talk.."
"..."
Ivan nodded in agreement and looked at Logan, who said thoughtfully:
"I said that I am capable of achieving one wish in my life, no matter how difficult the wish. I have the power, but it must have foundations and a fixed path to achieve the wish—a cause and an effect... for I am not a god to bring back the dead..."
"And turning back time—is it possible?!..."
"Possible, but there is one problem."
"And what is it?!.."
"We are in a sub-world..."
"What?!..."
"A sub-world. Worlds born from human desires. They do not change except by a desire from the same world to change it..."
"Are you joking with me?! Was our suffering born from someone's desire?!..."
"It's not necessarily that they desired our suffering, but it's a result and a cause... and if you think about it, there is no hope that this world will change..."
"Why?!"
"Someone must know about this world to desire changing it, but no one knows anything about us..."
"So there is no hope in turning back time..."
"There is a chance. It is a crazy and risky plan, but there is a slim hope..."
"It's fine. I am ready to bear all consequences..."
"Are you sure?!..."
"Sure..."
Ivan stood with great enthusiasm, his eyes lit with determination and persistence...
"That's the spirit.... sit and listen to me well..."
Ivan sat properly and looked at Logan expectantly. Logan took a deep breath and said:
"It will drain a portion of both our souls, but for me as well, it's fine... we will cause the change in the original world. I will try to turn back time in the original world as much as I can, and I will try to deliver my message to that person who created our world. If they feel, even in a small part of their heart, regret or sadness and want change, we can change this world..."
"No problem, let us begin immediately..."
"As you wish..."
And indeed, I turned back time in that world after sending spiritual messages to the one who created this world, and I believe they were received....]
"So how did my soul transfer to the original world?! And why can't I remember..."
"I don't know either, but I assume your soul did not die, and when I tampered with time, your soul was transferred to the original world... we created a portal between the two worlds, and your soul, which remained for long years without a body, transferred to the original world, and thus you were born as Hyran. But what puzzles me is why you were the one who received one of the spiritual messages?!...."
"Perhaps there is a relationship between the one who created the world and me?!"
"That is a reasonable hypothesis..."
Ariana held her head with a complaining groan...
"My mind can't take all this anymore..."
"You are the one who wanted to know all this..."
"Fine, fine, don't start..."
Logan laughed because of her spontaneous actions and nipped her cheek jokingly, thinking with a happy heart:
'Happy for Raphael, for those around him are doing their best for him. I am very excited to see him again.. '
E-X-P-L-O-S-I-O-N !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"What is happening here?!..."
Logan looked at Ariana with concern and felt a "Deja Vu." This had happened once again. Logan laughed and said playfully:
"The curtain rises, the final performance begins now..."
... To be continued ...