----------------------------------------

BEGINNING OF THE END

PART TWO

----------------------------------------

Safirus had a very nice dream— and no, it wasn't about sex, alcohol, or a massacre. Contrary to what the paranoid old farts like to think, Sapphire genuinely had no desire to rule the Mystical Realm. He just wanted to have fun and be happy, that was all. Just because he liked to sleep around, get drunk, incite fights and start trouble, and destroyed a sect or two, didn't mean he was a psycho with a goal of becoming a tyrant.

In fact, his dream had nothing to do with Mystical Realm.

It was from his first life when he had been the poor, unfortunate bastard who was cursed to bring misfortune and unhappiness to people around him. He had been five years old, and had run away from the Clan Compound, and sobbed in the middle of a glade in the forest.

And then a boy of his age appeared. Green eyes, he had recalled. Eyes the color of the leaves of his mother's flowers, the grass that was freshly mowed down, the leaves on the trees surrounding them and giving them shade from the hot sun. Just bright, bright, and gentle green.

He was wearing nicer clothes, clean and ironed rather than the old and worn-out clothes that itty bitty snotty bratty Safirus wore, He was clean and didn't have bruises anywhere on him.

Crouching beside the crying kiddie Safirus, the boy tilted his head and asked.

"Do you mind if I stay here?"

Safirus could only look at the boy in disbelief, who looked back at him with earnest eyes. Unable to reply, he just wailed louder. The boy with green eyes just sat near him, playing with the flowers and grass, quietly.

That sunny afternoon was spent with Safirus crying like a baby, tears and snot and all, and the boy sitting beside him in silence.

The sun was about to set, and the boy stood up. He turned around and had his hand out for Safirus to reach "it's scary in the forest when it's dark, come on, let's go back" and Safirus, even a hundred thousand years later could remember the fact that no one has ever given their hand for Safirus to reach and grab a hold of it. No one.

And so little five-year-old, normal Safirus took the small hand and—

Thunk.

His eyes snapped awake, tense and ready to battle, and stood up with one, open palm hand held out to grab the fucking idiot who dared wake him up.

"—FUCKING SWEAR EUON—" Safirus blinks, the sleepiness and pissed off face fading away, as he stared at a man in a— a teacher suit? Who looked back at him with blank eyes through his glasses, and a ruler in his hands.

Safirus looks around and gapes at the unfamiliar-familiar surroundings. A modern classroom, from the 21st Century. Girls and boys, were all at their respective desks and chairs, looking at him as if he lost his head. He was confused, maybe he was still dreaming? What was— this couldn't be real, right?

And then his right leg throbbed, the pain sudden and sharp and fuck it hurts so bad, Safirus inhales sharply from the pain, he did not expect that and fell to the floor. He was curled on the ground, clenching his pained leg, which he was sure was broken.

The class burst into laughter, and the man with the yellow ruler laughed and mocked him. He could hear some of them calling him names, even throwing him paper and their erasers— modern inventions, he thinks. Not one of them found in the Mystical Realm, he thinks. Safirus just sat on the floor, not able to register the world outside of his thoughts, and just stared at his pained, broken, crippled as fuck leg—!

Hands grabbed his face, gently, palm soft and smooth. Fingers long and lean, and skin unmarred porcelain. It was warm, easing the cold numbness that threatened to creep all over Safirus's body.

"Azul?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The name stunned him, eyes wide and breath hitched.

That name. It has been years since anyone has called him by that name, and by that voice too.

Immediately, Safirus knows who is holding him.

Those hands lifted his face, and blue eyes met green eyes, eyes the color of the leaves, the color of that forest— green eyes that were the color of life.

He reached out as he did in that faraway dream he just had, shaking. His fingers touched the other's cheek and Safirus couldn't breathe—

"Luka?"

----------------------------------------

"Azul?" Safirus eyes looked at the boy in front of him with wide, shocked eyes.

That name. It had been so long since anyone had called him by that name.

Azul. Short for Azulon Lan. That was the birth name he had, given by a mother who didn't care for a bastard son. Azul, the bastard of the Lan Family.

"Azul, are you alright?"

And that voice. That familiar voice, those green eyes, and once-upon-a-time memories flashing behind his eyes, the boy's name echoed in his mind.

There was no mistake as to who this boy was.

"Teacher, I think he's in shock from the sudden fall. I think it'll be better if I escort him to the clinic."

How could he not?

Those hands cradled his face, and blue eyes met green eyes, eyes the color of the leaves, the color of that forest— green eyes that were vibrant from the color of life.

He reached out as he did in that faraway dream he just had, shaking. His fingers touched the other's cheek and Safirus couldn't breathe.

Safirus could hardly believe, that the best friend who had given him both good and bad memories, was in front of him, alive! Those early days of Mystical Realm were always spent in tears and anger, and regret. Grief had a stranglehold on him for such a long time it was a miracle he had been able to heal from it.

And Safirus, although he was no longer Azulon Lan, was so relieved and thankful that the boy in front of him was alive. Lukas didn't deserve to die so young—

Luka slaps Safirus' hand away, the concern in his eyes was gone in an instant.

He froze.

"Lukas?"

"Azulon, you are confused and in shock." Lukas Lan said, his face still and eyes blank "you need to go to the nurse."

Lukas moves, pressing his body side by side with Safirus'. He throws Safirus' arm over his shoulder and grabs it. Lukas's other hand went around Sapphire's waist, and he slowly stands up in supporting Safirus. Secure and stable, Lukas looks at the middle-aged guy with glasses and said "I'll go take Azulon to the nurse now, Teacher"

"Lukas?" Sapphire asked, unsure and confused. He's never felt so unsure of anything, always so full of confidence and arrogance even. But this was Lukas. Lukas was always gentle and patient. Lukas who had reached out an arm to him. Lukas was his best friend, someone he had been thick as thieves with. Lukas who had died saving him, screaming his name, and then bleeding out in Safirus' arms with a smile on his face.

You are not hurt... good.

"Lukas, I-"

Stay safe, Azul. Please live.

Lukas looked him straight in the eyes again. Mouth pressed together very thinly. He looked... cold.

Like he couldn't stand to be in Safirus' presence.

Safirus knew how to read between the lines and hear the unspoken words. So he shut his mouth and kept his head down. Lukas supported Safirus and carefully guides them both out of the classroom while still minding Safirus' crippled leg.

Safirus' ears are not what they used to be (nothing is what it used to be, he's on fucking earth, as a fucking weak mortal again, he's fucking crippled and powerless, nothing is the same!) but he could still hear the whispers the others were making.

"Faggot."

"Ugh, why does he keep bothering Lukas?"

"He's like a dog, panting around Lukas"

"You don't think that Lukas likes that fag, do you?"

"Not really, but who knows?"

"They were close to one another once"

"They knew each other for years, even"

"What are you talking about? Of course, Lukas doesn't like that dog!"

"He's dating one of this school's beauties, Senior Sui, you know!"

"That loser totally has no chance with Lukas"

Safirus and Lukas left the classroom and quietly walked to the clinic without saying anything to the other. Not even looking at one another.

Safirus looked down, felt down, and was kind of, pissed?

Vague, blurred memories of his first life had come together, like puzzle pieces, to make it all clear. And yeah, Safirus still is grateful and relieved that Lukas was alive. He was! But the quiet walk to the school's clinic had given him space away from the trash and quiet to be able to quietly make sense of his situation. Now he could remember the little details of the first that he had thought he had already forgotten.

And he was pissed.

It shouldn't have gotten to him. But it did. How those stupid kids looked down on him, or how the teacher would pick on him, they pissed him off. Maybe it was because they called him names, derogatory names, in disgust and mock pity. He shouldn't be bullied like a dog, but he was. And then there was Lukas, who clearly didn't want anything to do with him but wasn't a jerk enough to leave a crippled guy on the floor, hurting, while being humiliated in class (as if he felt anything but numbness from it, the shock barely leaving him).

Safirus itched to break some necks, spines, and limbs.

Safirus wanted to throw a fit and just kill everyone that was unfortunate enough to be near him.

But he couldn't, he thinks as he gritted his teeth. He couldn't do a single thing except to put aside his pride because Safirus was Azulon Lan once again. A crippled mortal teenager who was the lowest of low to anyone who knew him.

It should be impossible for him to return to this world. And he didn't even want to return! Only a lackwit would choose this over the life he had in Mystical Realm! Safirus wanted to go back, but how can he when he doesn't even feel a lick of qi in this place?

Again, how did this happen?!

What on fucking earth had happened?