Seeing this I run over to Raqiue's body on the ground and check to see if she is ok. There I see she is trembling as she holds her red cheek. Turning over to Yamal, I say, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!”
But what I see is that chains have suddenly appeared from him, the chains are attached by one end and the other end goes on leading out of the ceiling.
Yamal says, “I don’t want to waste my last few hours here, so the whole lot of you can go fuck off.” Grabbing his bag of money Yamal leaves.
As he leaves, Amer says, with a strained expression, “That fucking fool, how could he do something like that when he was reaching his limit!”
Behind him, one of his friends says, “Don’t beat yourself up about this Amer, our king must have already given Yamal a warning, he chooses to do this himself.”
“What are you guys talking about?”
They all look surprised for a second but then Amer says, “I didn’t know if I had seen you before, but if you don’t know you’re probably new to Jedidiah. To put it simply Yamal going to die.”
Freaking out in my arms Raqiue breaks free and runs out.
“Raqiue wait!”
Ignoring me she keeps on running, so I stand up prepared to go after her but Amer says, “I wouldn’t do that if I was you.”
“Why?”
“Because you can’t do anything about it now, he ignored the king's wisdom and that same king is going to kill him, so if you want to stop this I would suggest taking it up with him.”
Throwing Amer's clothes back at him, I say, “Thank you,” As I leave.
-Break-
Seeing Ahmed’s room in front of me, I burst open the door. The moment Ahmed sees me he says, “Or-.”
But I run to his desk before he can finish and slam my hands on it saying, “Why is Yamal going to die?”
Beside him, Adi says, “Learn some respect, do you think you get special privliag-.”
Holding up his hand to silence Adi, Ahmed says, “I knew he was coming anyways, that’s why I was speeding up my work.”
“Ahmed the hell is going on?”
Getting up, Ahmed says, “Don’t blink,” As a legacy activates on his arm. Just it is gold in colour unlike my dark blue one, and despite him also using it on his arms its shape and design are different.
As I am stunned for a second, I see chains with spiked ends emanating from his legacies like snow and ice do from mine. “The chains you see from my legacy can be attached to people, and when they are I can always know someone’s location, emotional state and even the thoughts in their head and restrict all of them. These are attached to every citizen of Jedidiah.”
Suddenly chains emerge from Raqiue and Adi, “Having all this information makes it easier to rule.”
“That’s how you knew where Yamal was yesterday.”
“You’re sharp Orb, but it is also how I knew there were intruders. So, I placed a contact in my eye to hide my powers, since it is easier than dying my hair.”
“This still doesn’t explain why Yamal is going to die Ahmed.”
“Hey Orb, did you know you can inherit memories from your legacy.”
“I’m aware.”
“In the memories of my legacy, I saw sometime interesting. These chains can check a person's emotional state by seeing the state of their soul, so the original owner of this power performed an experiment.”
“An experiment?”
With an eerie excitement, Ahmed says, “These chains check the emotional state of a person by seeing fluctuations in the soul. Because of that, he was able to figure out the difference between human souls, then for the next stage, he found the soul of an angel and a demon and compared a human soul to each of them.
Pure-hearted and kind people were closer to an angel's soul while horrible people were closer to a demon's soul. And from this, he concocted a theory, that after a certain threshold, a human's soul becomes similar to a demon's and thus he was able to predict who would go to heaven and who to hell.
So, using this information I enforce a law, that anybody whose soul borderline on that threshold will die, so they can make it to heaven instead of hell. And with my legacy, I can accurately measure that line.
“What the hell are you on about, so you just kill people when they cross such a threshold. By that same logic, their souls can get better even if they cross such a threshold.”
“But it could get worst, and they could just go on living while sinking themselves deeper and deeper in hell.”
“Still does that give you the right to kill him.”
Leaning against a window, Ahmed says, “Brother, the people who are from this country have suffered, the people who I have brought in from around the world have suffered as well. They have had to face lives of hardships and uncertainty so as long as they live here that will never happen again, that is my duty as a king.
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They will have clothes, warm foods, beds, friends, fun, work, safety, and love, but more than anything they will have certainty in this life and in their death. The reason I didn’t immediately kill Yamal is so he can spend these last few hours of his life fixing anything he has broken and push himself even higher up the threshold. I hope he can find solace and even happiness in the inevitability of death.”
Clenching my fists, I say, “But no one here will be able to die fulfilled, life is supposed to be a mixture of constant failure and success until humans can rise and shine the brightest and live good lives, that soul reason is what makes people splendid. That is what will allow them to smile on their deathbeds.”
“Orb that sentiment is nice and all but don’t you think that is a bit childish.”
“NO! I have seen first hand it is possible.”
“Then Orb, I want you to answer me this; do all the people who live as you say and lead what you believe is a good life, do all those people end up dying happy and fulfilling death, if you say yes I will remove the chains on Yamal right now.”
With passion, I say, “YE-,” but I stop halfway. The moment those words try to leave my mouth, I am reminded of Sequoia, Cole, Suzuka's parents, Iancu's mom, and all the people at Skydust. The deaths they died weren’t happy ones.
“See I knew you wouldn’t be able to say it, and there is nothing wrong with that it is just the reality, good well-meaning people are not guaranteed to die fulfilled or even happy lives. They might try to live their lives like that but in the end, they have no power over their fate, and here I give such power. So, Orb unless you think that your way can guarantee more happiness for Yamal, I suggest you leave this alone.”
As I stood there standing in silence, Ahmed says, “I have already put funeral services in motion the moment I sensed his soul slipping, so I would like you to collect his body for me Orb. Since we both know it would be better for Raqiue to not see it.”
Turning around and heading to the door I say, “I don’t agree with you, but I can’t let Raqiue see such a sight.”
Using my legacy, I storm out of the room.
-Break-
30 years ago
Contient: Terrafide
Location: Village of Bêqîmet
Φ Ever since I was a little boy I have always said the same thing to those around me; “I am going to become a great adventurer and sail the seas all around the world,” I said while waving my little wooden sword in my hand.
“Yeah, whatever Yamal.”
“You always say the same thing, but you're just full of shit.”
“No, I am not!”
“When you were 5 you said you would leave the village at 10 and become an adventurer, you’re ten now so what’s stopping you.”
“Go out and become the great adventurer you always said you would.”
“Well, I planned to, but taking care of my grandpa is top priority. Isn’t that right pops?”
We all look over to the plot of land my grandpa is ploughing at, where he says, “Don’t worry about me Yamal, I will be fine just go live your dream.” As my grandpa finishes saying this, he holds his back and screams, “OWWW, my lower back!”
“Didn’t I tell you to watch your health idiot!”
Hearing chuckles behind me, I see the other kids laughing at my grandpa, so I strike the one in front with my wooden sword and say, “Who the hell are you idiots laughing at!”
As I walk home with my grandpa covered in bruises, my grandpa says, “You know you really don’t have to hold yourself back just for me. My life is already at its end so go out and start your adventure.”
“Shut up idiot, no way am I ever going to abandon the only family I have left, so live a good life and I will start mine once your ends, you got that.”
“You're going to be a great man someday.”
Puffing up my small chest, I say, “Of course I am!”
And thus, as time passed so did my grandpa and on my 25th birthday, I declared, “It is time to become an adventure!”
“Yeah, whatever you say Yamal.”
“Do you bastards ever learn.”
“Ok, Ok, since you're actually going this time, I wish we wish you good luck.”
“Have fun.”
“Bring back many stories.”
“Don’t you worry soon everyone, will know the name Yamal Grandslam!” I say with a hefty laugh.
But the moment I finish laughing I open my eyes and in front of me just like from a fairy-tale is the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen under a heavenly light.
Frozen in my tracks, I ask, “Who is she.”
“I believe that is Tarina, her family recently moved to our village.”
“Oh, isn’t she the one who all the boys have been asking out?”
“Apparently even this idiot over here tried to hit on her.”
“Hey, don’t bring up such things.”
As the three nobodies behind me continue to talk I walk over to Tarina drawing water from the well, and say with my hand pressed against the closest wall, “Hey baby.”
“Oh, hello, how are you?”
“I am fine, but I should really be checking up on you.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you clearly just survived a fall from heaven.”
Φ As me, Nob, and Zee, look at Yamal flirting from afar we all cringe. “That was the cheesiest thing I have ever heard.”
“I know Yamal isn’t sharp, but there is no way he said that to a girl.”
“I feel like I am going to die from second-hand embarrassment.”
Though as we all look at Tarina's face, we see she is smiling. In that moment all three of our thoughts align as we say, “That worked!!!”
“That was the nicest thing I have ever heard, but why would you say that to me?”
Posing flamboyantly Yamal says, “Because I just needed you to know if you were a chicken you would be impeccable.”
The three of us grab our chests as we say, “Oh god!” in unison.
“Can he even get lamer,” I say holding my head
“Od, look she is smiling.”
“The hell!”
“Yamal’s flirting actually works.”
Picking up her bucket filled with water, Tarina says, “Well I will see you around.”
“Sorry, but that isn’t possible.”
“Why!?”
“Because my mind can’t comprehend perfection.”
Smiling even more she says, “Oh, you!” as she walks away.
As she leaves, we approach Yamal and he says, “I think I am going to stay for a while!”
“HUH!”
Φ Every single day from then on, I talked with Tarina, whenever she was free. I told her about my dream to go out to sea, and she wouldn’t laugh or sneer at me only smile.
I loved her so much that I knew I had to be with her every day, so I got down on one knee and said, “Will you marry me?”
“Yes!!”
Then fuelled with passion I went to go ask her parents for permission. But to my dismay, I was met by the most crushing words I could have received, “No.”
“Father why.”
“My daughter is quite beautiful, so I have received many different marriage proposals with a lot more to offer than you have.”
Getting on my hands and knees I say, “Father what will I have to do to convince you I am worthy of your daughter.”
“It is not about your worth it is about the value that you could possibly give me, and you have none.”
“Dad.”
“TARINA BE QUIET! So Yamal what do you have to offer me.”
“Nothing so far but I swear I will one day.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Then how can I show you this.”
“Then I would need you to give me 1,000,000 Lupas.”
“Father that is too much, you have overestimated my worth.”
“Not at all, since I have gotten such an offer for you, then the rich really are ready to throw away large amounts of money for things they want. So boy, what do you say?”
Standing up I shake his hand and say, “Ok!”
On that day I made the most crucial decision in my life, whether it was correct or not, I still can’t decide.