It was another sunny day in the kingdom as I strolled through the streets as a now free man. Compared to the first time I arrived, the locals had grown more familiar with me and would even say hello. Although, many of them still regarded me with wariness. On the other hand, Silas was beloved by all, as he often entertained the fairies with tales and sang his ballads about the outside world. Today was no different; he entertained the crowd near the fountain on the town square with one of his newer compositions, a personal favorite of mine, called "The Merryman."

I am the Merryman, the jester of the night,

In a world of shadows, I dance with delight.

With laughter as my armor and jests as my sword,

I roam through the darkness, a troubadour adored.

Oh, I'm the Merryman, the joker of the crowd,

In a world of sorrows, I sing songs aloud.

With a twinkle in my eye and a skip in my stride,

I'll bring joy to the weary, be their light in the tide.

They call me a fool, they say I jest in vain,

But in my merry heart, there's no room for pain.

For I've seen the tears that fall like rain,

And I'll chase them away with a song yet again.

I'm the Merryman, merry as can be,

Merrily merry-making, come dance with me.

In a sad world, I found my claim,

Merrily merry, the Merryman's my name!

After he finished, he gave an elegant bow as the crowd clapped and chanted his name, and the children in the front begged for another song. Silas laughed, his face radiating joy as he happily obliged their requests.

I felt happy for him, knowing that he was finally receiving the respect he deserved. I had always believed that his talents were wasted in Emberfield, where he lived in the barn when he could have made the grandest stages of Eldoria his home. Perhaps now, realizing the impact of his tales and ballads on others, he would embark on a journey to share them with the world and write many more along the way.

I would have gladly stayed to listen to him sing for eternity, but I had another place to be.

The day before, the queen had instructed me to meet her by the waterfall that led deeper into the Silverleaf forest, and she emphasized that I should come alone for some reason. Thankfully, Silas was preoccupied with entertaining the crowd so the streets were rather empty.

A figure draped in a blue cloak stood near the waterfall.

"What's with all the secrecy?" I inquired.

"Does anyone know where you've gone?" the queen countered with her question, disregarding mine entirely.

"No, I came alone as you instructed. What's this all about?"

"Follow me," the queen commanded, and she strode through the waterfall, the falling water parting above her. I followed closely behind, emerging on the other side completely dry.

The queen moved swiftly and silently, and without a word exchanged between us, I followed suit.

We found ourselves deep within the Silverleaf forest, far removed from the kingdom. Veering off the natural path, we traversed through bushes and tall grass. The grass reached our waists, and the air was filled with the hum of bugs and the occasional hiss of a snake.

"You know, for a kingdom so beautiful, there seems to be a lot of overgrown grass along this path," I remarked.

"A path left untended is a path that should not be threaded, young one. Besides, it provides shelter for many animals," she replied.

As we continued, the trees grew sparse until there were none at all. In the center of an open field, a faint wisp of smoke hovered a few feet above the ground. Unlike normal smoke, it didn't sway with the wind or dissipate into the sky; instead, it remained motionless.

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"That's close enough," the queen cautioned, maintaining a safe distance from the dark substance.

"What in the world is that thing?" I inquired.

"It's the remnants of a portal connecting the Abyss with Eldoria. It's the same portal through which demons once invaded our lands and the one your father ultimately sealed. You know how that tale ended."

"Why have you brought me here?" I asked.

"To offer you my humble help. So the future we witnessed doesn't come to pass,"

"And how do you plan to do that? Unless you intend to end my life right here, I fail to see how the future can be altered. As long as I wield this power and my father's pact remains, destiny will persist, relentless until it's fulfilled."

"I have a theory, you see? A theory that might offer salvation for you and our world. And if it fails, it will, at the very least, grant us more time to prepare. Those are the potential positives."

"And what of the negatives?"

"You die. But I suspect you're already aware of that, given your lack of fear of death. In your mind, your fate is sealed; you've decided to sacrifice for the sake of those still living. That's why, since glimpsing that future, you've never inquired about your family. You're prepared to lay down your life for them," the queen observed, her gaze piercing.

"And what if I am? Their safety would be assured, along with that of your people and all of Eldoria. My family would be spared. So why shouldn't I embrace it and be hailed as a hero?"

"Because you haven't seen enough! You haven't endured enough pain to surrender, and you certainly haven't lived long enough to see the conclusion of your story. Surrendering now wouldn't make you a hero, but a coward. Heroes are forged by life's trials, and by choosing an easy way out you'd die a nobody."

I averted my gaze, feeling a hint of guilt for even considering an easier way out. Regardless of my actions, destiny always seemed to steer me away from my desired course and onto its own path, leaving me weary of the struggle. Did I even have the right to hope, or was I doomed to disappointment yet again?

"Tell me about this theory of yours," I finally spoke, choosing to cling to hope.

The queen's smile was warm as she nodded in response.

"When an avian is banished, they lose their powers permanently. Yet you have managed to reclaim yours. Why is that?" she inquired.

"Because of the red-eyed boy?"

"Yes and no. It was partly due to the pact your father made with him. When we glimpsed him in visions of the future, he wore your likeness and claimed to be you. Now, I cannot ascertain the truth of his words. Perhaps he sought to gain your trust by asserting your shared identity. Whether he is a demon or some other deity is of little importance; he holds no sway over anything. The only reason he could communicate with you and influence your mind was due to the pact. He was promised your life and in return, you were promised to be his vessel. That's why he sought a dark fragment of your father's soul. That soul linked you with him, and from that soul, darkness awakened, and that's how your powers came to be," the queen explained, although I didn't understand much of it.

"You still haven't explained how your theory can avert the future," I pressed.

"If the pact were nullified, the fiend would no longer have a claim on your life, paving the way for a new destiny," the queen explained.

"And how do you propose we annul the pact?"

"It's quite simple; we must purge the darkness within you. Once you're cleansed, the fiend will no longer have a vessel to inhabit, and the pact will be broken, as the dark fragment of your father's soul is the only link binding your fates."

"Do it, then," I agreed.

"I won't be the one performing the cleansing. The task falls to you. If my theory holds, the residual darkness within that portal is the same force that gives you power. When those consumed by darkness are defeated, they cease to exist, and memories of them gradually fade. Take, for example, the boy swallowed by darkness on the night the orcs attacked; I can no longer recall his name, and soon, I'll forget he ever existed. His mother mourns him today, but in time, she'll forget she ever had a son."

"That's nonsense! I remember his name clearly; it was..." I halted, struggling to recall the name, but it eluded me.

"I can't even picture his face anymore!"

"If the same darkness consumed you, memories of you would vanish as well. Everyone, including your family and myself, would forget you ever existed," the queen explained.

"How would that help us?" I inquired, beginning to comprehend her theory.

"One cannot love, hate, or harm someone who doesn't exist. Your enemies would no longer lust for your power or exploit your family to attain it, for they would have no recollection of you. Step into the portal before you, let it consume you along with the darkness you carry, and let the world forget Valerian, the child of two worlds, forever."

"How is that any different from death? Those consumed by darkness never return," I argued.

"This portal has existed for many years, and I've done a fair share of research. You will return after some time, but upon your return, not a single soul will remember you."

"I wish I could see Mother and Iris one last time, hell, even Silas. But if I did, I'm not sure I'd have the resolve to proceed. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. It's a pity I won't have more time with the Queen of the Fey. One last request: please don't inform Silas of my whereabouts; I fear he might remember me out of spite," I chuckled softly, then turned and approached the rift.

"Farewell. Though you may forget me in a matter of days, you'll forever remain with me, alongside my family," I expressed, extending my arm towards the rift.