War was a common thing. Every now and then, a war took place between nations with usually mortifying outcomes for both sides. They said each war reshaped the world but truly, nothing really changed in the end. Because we never learnt from our mistakes. Instead of looking for a better alternative, we retreated back to our shell, refusing to listen to reasons as our arms took on weapons to go to war. Perhaps it was in our blood. Perhaps it was our very own nature that pushed us to do that. Perhaps we got tired of the dull daily peace and wanted some excitements in our lives. And what better entertainment than a fight to the death on the grandest scale possible?

Religion, politics, idealism, power struggle….so many motives and purposes that were the origins of so many conflicts in the past. Some wars have begun with just a whisper behind closed door that, in the end, resulted as the most thundering clash. And yet they could be all summed up into one single word: disparity.

Our differences incited hatred and fear for each other. It drove us to madness and brought out our worst. Sure, the difference was how we told each other apart from one another. It was what made us unique. But difference without tolerance would only bring chaos. Anxiety and turmoil, jealousy and malice…they all came from there.

‘People who don’t agree with our religion? They are fools and need to be shown the right way.’

‘Your ideas are outrageous. It cannot be accepted.’

‘He doesn’t have the will to lead the people. Only I can.’

Those were simply a few of the many excuses that have led to wars, to conflict and the many tragedies following them. When would we ever learn?

For a few centuries, the balance of power has been kept between all nations of Astora. But now with a new order of the world, that balance has been shattered.

“The War of the World”

That was how people were calling it these days. Ever since a very long time, there wasn’t any conflict as such inconceivable scale that would involve every country in Astora. And not just that, this incoming war was no normal conflict of interests as depending on the outcome, a seventh race, one that was not a part of the primordial races created by the Gods, would be officially recognized. Needless to say, this idea of the demons being equal to the Primes was one of the major vindications that have induced this conflict in the first place.

It was funny to see how both sides claimed that they were fighting for peace, for the rights of their people and yet the only way to achieve that peace was to go to war. How more ironic could it be? But it didn’t matter what people thought of it right now. Things have been done that could never be undone. Scars have been inflicted that could never heal. Words were no longer enough to satisfy the people. Only through a battle to the death would they decide the future of Astora.

Who was right? Who was wrong? Did it matter? What was ‘right’ anyway? Because we were so different from each other, because we were so unique, what made us so engaging, so fascinating was actually our undoing. The lenses through which we glimpsed upon the world were formed based on our experiences in our lives so far. Yet, because we were so unique, nothing was absolute and everything was relative. From the taste of a cookie to the idea of murder, it was impossible for everyone to agree on one same thing. Did it mean that, from the start, from the very beginning when Gods created us, we were doomed to this fate? Because if it was so, should we laugh about this whimsical humor of our creators? Or should we mourn the pitiable tragedy that awaited us all?

Alas, the time for words was over. It was now time for actions.

Let the curtains of the ultimate play rise!

* * *

The first arc of this war began in the ancient land of the dragons where a civil war between two sides of opposing ideas was taking place right outside their capital. One fought for the freedom of their race while the other for the supposed order of the world. On one side, the dragon council, the face of the old crumbling hierarchy, was residing in Canaan. On the other hand, the Rebellion army led by Kaiser, first born of Alastor,  was currently marching toward the Firmament City to end this once and for all. Accompanied by Celdora and those who shared his idea, both armies were roughly the same size and possessed roughly the same level of power. It would be up to the general and the exceptional combatants to determinate the difference that would decide the outcome of this conflict.

“Inferno Battalion, rain fire upon them!” Kaiser commanded in a majestic voice, pointing toward the incoming waves of hundreds of wyverns.

Large dragons with crimson scales and spikes over their heads and long necks flew forward as they started firing intense heat rays at the wyverns, shooting down them like flies one after another. One particularly enormous dragon held its breath before respiring a huge column of fire from its mouth, engulfing the front lines of the enemies.

“Dragon riders, charge!” Kaiser roared.

With the words from their commander, a legion of knights riding giant winged lizards flocked toward the battlefield. Wielding spears and other weapons imbued with lightning element, these warriors were capable of not just incredible strength but also of shooting out arcs of lightning that would inflict damage over a large area between all enemies. The more foes they faced, the more effective their weapons would be. But those were not the most powerful weapons they had. There was a reason why these warriors were called dragon riders. To ride a dragon was not an easy thing. A link was required. To form a link with what could be called the most prideful race in Astora was even more challenging than anything. Not only must the dragon accept the rider as the only person who could mount it, they must share a special connection, learn each other’s way of fighting in order to perform the perfect synergy, one that would be worthy of the name ‘dragon rider’. When you fought one of these warriors, you were not facing just one but two opponents simultaneously, making the fight even more arduous than it already was.

Already, this army of rebels seemed much more overwhelming than their enemies counterpart. And that was not all. Some main figures have definitely proved their worth to both their allies and their enemies based on the sheer number of the people they defeated.

Being perhaps the biggest dragon among his peers at the site, Celdora could easily crush a young dragon with just one palm with ease. Diving from above at incredible speed, the dragon crushed into the army of the dragon council, blasting away a ton of foes.

“Which one of you wants to die first?” growled the dragon lord as he looked at the dragons around him with a threatening stare. Unlike Celdora, most of them were still younglings who barely qualified as an adult. Lacking in both strength and wisdom, combined with the inexperience in battle, these whelps were no match for the dragon lord who was once hailed as a hero. Every dragon must have heard at least once in their life about the tales and legends of Celdora. How he fought the demon lord and how he was one of the few who survived that ordeal. This individual they were fighting right now was no common dragon but a walking and living legend. To make them fight him like this was perhaps too cruel.

Using that moment of hesitation, Kaiser’s knights with their heavy armors jumped down and subdued the younglings. It was after all not their aim to kill whoever was in their path. If possible, Kaiser would like to ‘save’ as many as they could. Else the dragons would eradicate themselves to the point of extinction, no matter who would win this war.

“Surrender and I promise none of you will be harmed! Resist and you will die for those who only see you as their tools! Do you want that?” the King of the rebels shouted at the perplexed dragons who were struggling and trying to escape from capture.

“Don’t listen to him!” a large green dragon landed in front of Kaiser. “He is the one who is using your brethren against your own country. Come, coward! Fight your own battle! Let us settle this between us like men!” From a glance, it was clear that this emerald dragon was the commander of the army attacking Kaiser and also the one in charge of defending Canaan.

The City of Firmament Spires was just further ahead after crossing this valley. Its skyscraping structures could be seen from even the far edge of the continent. But it was only until here that we could really appreciate its majestic presence and magnitudes. Those towering monuments, it was there that the dragon council ruled Oros with an iron fist and also the ultimate goal of this rebellion. Only when they have taken the towers under their control could victory be officially declared. And right now, that goal was so close to become reality.

“I see that you won’t listen to reasons. Very well!” Kaiser took out his twin greatswords: one with darkness and the other fire. “You will submit to me!”

In an instant, Kaiser disappeared from his location and appeared on the left blindside of the dragon general. Sensing his presence, the emerald dragon swung his foreleg and smashed it to the ground, creating a small crater. However he missed.

Dashing slightly to the side, the crowned man has dodged the hand with little effort before plunging his fire sword into the dragon’s hand, pinning it to the ground. Using his other hand, the dragon tried to catch Kaiser but with just a slash from the dark sword, its limb was torn away. Sustaining a lost limb and a heavily injured hand, the dragon roared in pain, cursing the culprit for having crippled him.

“You…bastard….ARGGG….how dare you…?” groaned the dragon. “You will pay for that! ”

A green smoke poured out of the dragon’s mouth before hurtling itself toward Kaiser as if it was alive. A single touch of it would melt anything into oblivion. Thanks to his instinct, Kaiser immediately knew of the danger it would pose and swung his sword with all his strength. The force was so tremendous that it created a powerful wind along the blade, pushing the smoke out of the way as Kaiser charged toward the dumbfounded dragon who could only watch its inevitable end reflected through the faint mirage on the polished surface of the obsidian blade.

Standing on the body of the loser, Kaiser raised his sword high as his army hailed the name of their leader. There was nothing that could stop them now. The enemy’s leader has been defeated and the rest has begun to surrender themselves to the rebellion army. Out of fear for their lives or perhaps something more? Was it too much of a vain hope to believe that they were convinced by Kaiser’s cause? Or perhaps it was simply because they were confused? Like many, they themselves did not know which side to trust and to follow. Because of that state of bewilderment and chagrin, they chose to stay in ignorance, to adhere to the flow of the status quo and to wait for whoever would come out as the victor. A choice not that was not very admirable but most common and understandable.

However, something was not right. It was preposterous to think that the most powerful organization in the world would only send out barely a few hundreds of its soldiers and they were definitely not their strongest. It was as if everything that has been thrown at Kaiser so far was simply a test to ascertain his ability, or even some kind of farce to be seen as a joke. And indeed it was.

CLAP CLAP CLAP (hands clapping)

A figure appeared from the sky, slowly descending before halting his course, staying afloat on air with his large black wings: a seemingly human with dragon wings that were a result of a partial transformation, a high level technique that only a few could do.

“What a wonderful performance! And to think that no one knows about you after all these time…” Said the young man with dark short hair.

“Who are you?” Kaiser questioned the newly arrived stranger.

“I am Taragon, one of the high members of the dragon council. I have been sent here as a representative to send you Kaiser, the so called King of this bunch of ungrateful rebels, a message from my father, Maragon the Ancient One and leader of the congregation.” Taragon spoke. “Surrender now and submit to the will of the council! Else all of you will be obliterated by the absolute power of our conclave!”

“You think we will just surrender to you after everything so far? What a joke!” Celdora yelled.

“He is right! If we do that, we will never be able to face those who have given their lives for this cause. We will not let their sacrifices going to waste.” Kaiser spoke in a loud tone.

“I thought you might say that. Perfect, I have no intention of letting anyone of you who dared defying our will to live anyway.” Taragon grinned as he took out a small spherical object from his sleeves. With just a gentle clenching of his fist, blue lines began to shine across the surface of the small orb, slowly increasing its intensity. “Die!” The dragon let go of the orb as it fell down toward Kaiser.

“IT’S A MANA BOMB! GET AWAY FROM IT!” A voice from behind shouted. The white dragon Malick in his human form shouted out loud in panic among the crowd upon realizing what that thing was. But it was too late. The bomb was only a few seconds from touching the ground.

All living beings contained mana. That was how our bodies were constructed. Even individuals who could not use magic like the Artificer and his wife who did not any talent in magic possessed mana. That was how the old man was able to use runes for his Oaths magic as the magic only required mana and nothing from the incantation itself conducted by the mana stream like normal spells would need. Alas, mana could be seen as the life energy flowing inside each and every one of us. However, like everything else, too much of anything, even things beneficial to our bodies, could quickly turn into something fatal. In this aspect, mana was the same.

What was a mana bomb? Essentially, like its name suggested, a mana bomb was an ancient weapon that would cause a large explosion of mana in the area. A primitive tool and somewhat forbidden by all as this weapon was so dangerous that it was banned by the old council of the dragon council. Basically, it used our very own mana against us. The more powerful an individual was, the more effective the bomb would be. By igniting and sending the mana flow into a frenzy state, it caused an overload of energy inside us, resulting in the disintegration of the flesh and the decompositions of all living materials. Ultimately, the ones affected by it would die because of the sudden injuries with no way to counter it, sealing their fates. And if that wasn’t enough, the sheer force of the blast would finish the job. In short, Taragon has just used one of the most dangerous weapons ever created upon his own people. It showed us how little did the dragon council think about the lives of the ones they were supposed to protect….or so it seemed that way.

Without having the slightest idea of what this weapon was capable of, Kaiser could sense the rising power coming from it. He knew it was deadly and would probably kill anyone caught inside its range. “A king’s duty is to protect the lives of his people.” That was Kaiser’s motto. And by the Gods, he would make sure of that.

From his back, charcoal tree branches grew out instantly and formed a pair of wings before Kaiser took flight.

“What are you doing?” Shouted Celdora at the flying figure.

“...” The King of the rebels did not answer him but instead focused on the thing he was after: the bomb.

Reaching his hand forward, Kaiser caught the thing in his hands and drew it close to his chest. Immediately, the trees branches grew even larger and began to formed a sphere around their owner, trapping the figure inside with the bomb.

Inside this darkness cut out of all sunlight, the light has reached its peak as a flux of luminescence was emitting from the orb. The bomb was ready. This time, Kaiser knew that it would not end well nor would he escape unharmed like before. In that short remaining moment, the image of a young girl passed through his mind. Perhaps, if this was to be his end, let it be something happy, something he cherished.

BOOM

A bright light emanated through the cracks of the tree sphere as it engulfed the whole thing and brightened in the sky, blinding everyone inside the battlefield.

The light lasted for a few second before waning in intensity as everyone looked around in confusion to see what it did to them. Nothing! Everyone was alright without a single scratch. Or at least it appeared that way.

Following his instinct, Celdora immediately raised his head at look at the space that the True Monarch has trapped the bomb earlier with a shocking expression as he laid his eyes upon what was left of the explosion. “…Kaiser?” The dragon uttered.

…..

“What are you making there, Syralth?” Nina asked her daughter who was carving something out of a small greyish stone with her half-transformed claws. It sounded ridiculous but she was actually trying to restrict her own force to not break the stone apart with her incredible strength.

“A statue of mister Kaiser! I want to give it to him as thanks for taking care of me.” The girl held a clumsily made rock which was supposed to look like the True Monarch but ended up as something that hardly resembled anything. Still, it did manage to have a humanoid shape, which was perhaps a good result considering her personality. “ But I struggle to make it look like him….” She pouted.

“Oh that’s so sweet! I am sure he will like it when he comes back with your father.” Said Nina.

“Really?” the girl smiled brightly.

“Yes, of course he will! …..” *Nina heard a cracking noise* “What happens?”

“The stone….it broke!” Nina said in a sad tone.

“Did you put too much strength into it?”

“No I didn’t. It broke by itself.” Syralth showed the broken statue that has been split apart into two.

“Well you can make another one, can you?”

“But this is the best stone I found out there…it won’t be the same….” Syralth complained.

“Then you just need to find an even better one.”

“…I will try. I do hope though Mister Kaiser will come back soon….”

“I am sure he will, honey.”

* * *

During that time, something else was happening in both Mara and Ragna. After its official declaration of war, Ceadric has begun to strengthen its border on its northern coast and the southern borders as well. As Valhalla was the coalition of Caelum, Zagon and Malatas, it was understandable to fortify the southern borders as it would be where most of the battle would take place.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

However, that alone must not allow Ceadric to forget the potential threat coming from the demons in the northern continent of Ragna. For centuries, Ceadric has always been the frontline and the closest country to the demon continent. Because of this reason, there have been many keeps and borders control in the north that would not let any potential demon taking even a single step on their land. A futile effort as there have never been a case of a demon invasion from Ragna on Ceadric. Still they never let their guards down even in this case. And thanks to that relentless effort, they now had an already fortified barrier to counter any kind of demon invasion. Furthermore, there was the sea of Levianux separating Ragna and Ceadric, restricting all ways of invasion to use the sea road, making all attacks very difficult to remain stealthy, especially if the weather was clear.

This natural defense allowed Ceadric to have the peace of mind and build up its confidence when preparing for an invasion from Ragna. For this reason, the majority of their forces have been deployed toward the southern area with a quarter of the army still occupying the northern coast, waiting for the demons to come. Without a doubt, the demons had no choice but to use this road if they intended to invade as the sea of Levianux was the one way to get to Ceadric. However, it would require a tremendous force and a considerable of sacrificed troops in order to just get on land. In short, there was no way Ragna could assist Valhalla without getting the majority of their own force destroyed in the process before being able to join Morrigan and her company.

As for Valhalla, the struggle to have a solid army has been difficult as much as one could expect it would be. While it was a coalition of three nations, two of them have recently suffered considerable damages, too much of their men have been lost during those tragedies to be able to send too much reinforcement to assist their new Empress.

All meanwhile, Ceadric has received a large army of professionals from the Trading Company of Dor and the Guild. Rumors had it that a few thousands dragons have also been spotted among the ranks of Ceadric, adding further to the already intense predicament of Valhalla.

Here was a short rough account of the size of all armies (soldiers including mages):

        Valhalla Coalition:

-          Zagon: A hundred thousand common soldiers. Five thousands  knights of Blue Phalanx.

-          Caelum: Twenty thousands common soldiers. A thousands specialized mages and healers alike.

-          Malatas: Fifteen thousands common soldiers.  Five thousands mages including healers.

        Ceadric Alliance:

-          Ceadric: One hundred and twenty thousands common soldiers.

-          Academy of Helios: A few Deus mages and many capable warriors, numbered in hundreds that were destined to greatness.

-          Guild of Adventurers: Uncertain numbers of different ranks but so far ten S-ranks have been accounted for.

-          Dor: Twenty thousands special units specialized in heavy weaponry including zeppelins and others machineries. Fifty thousands common soldiers.

-          Oros: Two thousands adult dragons. A hundred elder dragons.

From the sheer number alone, it was clear that Valhalla was in a much greater disadvantage. However, there were a few things that have not been accounted for that could change the outcome of this war. First, there were the beastmen who have not answered Morrigan’s call for help. Secondly, the force of Ragna remained a mystery, for a very simple reason. They have never invaded anyone to have the need to show their forces. Even more, most of the demonic force was hiding in the underground cave under the demon lord’s castle or in several well-hidden keeps spread across the continent. Thirdly, the outcome of the civil war in between the dragons would be one of the main factors capable of influencing this war. And finally, there was a tiny figure whose presence alone could shift the balance of power: the young demon lord Alastor himself.

However, that was just the military point of view. And anyone with a little war experience would know that battles were not won just with soldiers alone. Schemes and deceits among the court, politics, betrayals by your own allies, those things were common and as much as we hated to admit it, they also had their part and sometimes proved to be quite crucial to the war.

Now that all the actors have gathered here, the main show could finally begin.

And we started with a young man in Cedra who would do anything for his love, sometimes with dire consequences. And yet, his inexperience and naivety would cost him much more than he could ever fathom. The consequences of this action might not be immediate as the delusion of calmness it generated was a mere breeze before the actual storm, making both us lower our guard. But when we were at our greatest peak of success or happiness, it would come back for us. It always did. For none could ever escape from the hands of Death.

* * *

“Tasha here is your favourite soup! Say AAAA!” Edward spoke softly with a smile to the lifeless girl sitting on the luxurious bed with her back resting against the wall.

“…” But she did not move a bit nor did she react to anything he did. The demoness only sat there, staring into nothingness like a soulless corpse.

“I know it might not be that good since I made it myself…” The boy fidgeted. “But how about you have a taste?” Holding the spoon on his hand, Edward tried to feed the girl to no avail.

“….”

“…Maybe you prefer the chicken skewer from the old lady next street? I begged her to cook me some today. Would you want to have a bite? I know you do since you always eat at least three of those.” Edward forced a smile.

“….”

“Maybe something else? An apple candy? It’s very sweet…”

“….”

“Tasha, please…just say something! Anything would do! Let me know you are here! Please!” the boy clenched his fist in tears.

“….”

“…Tasha…” he muttered.

Suddenly, a cold wind flew into the room, snuffing out all the candles as a coldly presence began to manifest itself behind Edward.

“She won’t answer you, you know.” Said the shadow as he put his shadowy hand on Edward’ shoulder.

Even though it was this very same entity who has tried to kill Edward before, the boy did not feel a single shred of fear inside him right now. Perhaps it was because he already had a taste of his greatest fear: to lose someone he loved. And in this case, considering Tasha’ state of being, she might as well be considered a lost cause. To sum things up, he had nothing else to lose, to be afraid of anymore. What use was there to prolong this harrowing life without her?

“Are you here to take me? Go ahead! I don’t care.” Uttered Edward.

“…I am disappointed in you, Edward Osborne. You used to have such a great soul….And look at yourself now! Useless, hopeless, incapable of doing anything! Back then, the young boy who dared strike me even though his body was telling him to run. You were afraid and yet you were still ready to gamble everything just to find this woman. That was the Edward I wanted. The you right now however, is not the one I am looking for.” Spoke the shadow.

Biting his lips, the young noble was angry…not because of the provocation thrown at him by the shadow but at himself. Because he knew that this thing was saying the truth. He has fallen down greatly compared to his former self.

“Would Tasha want to see her dear master like this? I wonder….”

“SHUT UP!” Edward turned back and swung his arm at the shadow but it turned into a black mist before reforming the original body a few foot away from him.

“That’s it. Use that anger more! Come back to your former self!”

“What do you want from me?” inquired Edward in a furious tone.

“A deal, young Edward! Tell me, are you willing to do anything for Tasha?” said the dark entity.

“I will!” spoke the boy firmly, his eyes filled with determination.

“Without any hesitation? Even I ask for your life? Didn’t Maria tell you to take care of your own life?”

“What? How do you know what she told me?”

“I can’t claim to be omnipotent but I know a lot of things. At the very least, I know every little thing about you.”

“…She may have her own opinion but that doesn’t mean I agree with her.” said Edward. “And about my life, you have so many opportunities to take it yourself. Yet you didn’t so that means there is something else you want. Just spit it out!” Edward analysed.

“Hum..smart! I expect no less from a Deus mage. Before I give you my proposal, how about you tell me what you see on her arm?”

“Her arm? You mean that clock tattoo?” Edward held Tasha’s immobile arm as he gazed upon the clock tattoo. The short arrow was pointing toward the number six while the long arrow was on the number twelve. Half of the clock was already black. “Wait a minute…last time I checked it was one o’clock on this. How is this possible that the time is different now? …YOU? You did this?” Edward groaned at the shadow.

“Rest assured! The mark has nothing to do with her current state. To put it simply, it shows her Death Spectrum.”

“Death Spectrum?”

“Death Spectrum shows how close an individual is to their death. Do you know that each decision you take in your life, no matter how small and trivial it is, can have an effect on your survivability? The consequences might not be seen immediately but the effects will stack upon on another like a chain reaction that will ultimately lead to a much more severe result.

The Death Spectrum allows you to have a small vision, a peek into the future as a result of your actions. By showing you how closer you are to death, it grants you a second chance to be able to change that outcome by resorting to other choices. Alas, nothing is guaranteed as fate tends to force the path back to what it was intended for. Still this will give you a chance to fight against your destiny.” The shadow explained. “But that doesn’t matter. In Tasha’s case, her Death Spectrum has been increasing non-stop, meaning her life would run out pretty soon.”

“What? Why? The doctor said that everything is fine with her.” Edward retorted.

“Death is not only caused by murder or accidents. You would be surprised by how many other reasons death could occur. Alas nothing can escape from death. Not even the Gods.”

“Then how do I help her?” asked Edward. “I suppose this has something with the deal you are asking.”

“I can’t stop her death. No one could. But I…no, we can delay it. After all, all things living must someday die. It’s just a question of when.

Here is what I propose: I will give you your own Death Spectrum. You can use it to avoid your own death and perhaps even hers. How you use it and how efficient it can be it’s up to you.” Said the shadow.

“…And what is the catch? I suppose you will not give me something incredible like this for nothing…”

“Unlike hers, your Death Spectrum will have a time limit. Passing that limit, I will come for you and take what I have always wanted: your soul!”

“Why not just take it now?” questioned the boy.

“A soul is a mysterious thing, young Edward. Like your body, it can grow with time. And in a few rare cases, it could achieve a state very much closer to that of a God. But for that to happen, it needs time. And that’s what I am doing here: to spread the seed so it can grow into something much more astounding that what it already is.” The figure explained.

“…How long?”

“I am generous so I will give you thirty years. You can spend that time to stay with your loved one all while cultivating your soul. Whatever you do is up to you, and you only.”

“Thirty years…it seems quite a lot for something like this.” The boy muttered.

“Trust me! It isn’t.”

“But even if you give me that, Tasha will still remain in this state.” Argued Edward. Indeed, if he spent thirty years with the girl he loved who could not even look at him or do anything to make herself known, it would be more like a punishment than a gift. After all, what else but for her that he wanted this deal in the first place?

“Her current state is due to the trauma that was done to her during her time with the cultists of Lumen…I can do something about that but it requires something…extravagant. How about this: I will erase her memories of the last three days since the moment she was kidnapped until now. Without those memories, she should return to normal.”

“And like before this will not come for free…is it?”

“Indeed it won’t! To erase those three days, I will need three years of your total life span.”

“Deal!”

“That was quick. You sure you won’t regret this? This means that your total remaining life span will be reduced to twenty-seven years from now on.”

“I won’t. If it means Tasha can find back her smile again, it’s a small cost to pay.” Said Edward.

“You are either very brave or very stupid. Neither of which is good.”

“…..”

“Very well!” The shadow grasped the hand of the boy. “The deal is sealed. I will come back for you in twenty-seven years. Whether you can escape fate till that point, it’s up to you.”

A brand in the image of a clock appeared on Edward’s chest where his heart would be. In addition to all the features like the one Tasha had, twenty-seven small black bars took form around the outside of the clock, marking the remaining years the boy has left.

“And now, for the finale..” Taking out his scythe, the shadow slashed the paralyzed girl on her bed right on her chest. A small crack appeared, along with a dim blue light coming from it: the colour of the soul itself. Reaching his hand into the crack, the shadow took out something and crushed it into dust before the crack started to close itself. “It’s done. I look forward for our next meeting, young Edward!”

With that said, the shadow vanished into thin air, leaving only behind a cold chill.

As for young Edward, the whole time he was paralyzed on his knees, under constant pain by the burning brand on his chest. He felt as if something has been taken out of him, his own life force sucked out by that strange entity. A feeling of indescribable strain it was. But then, all that agony disappeared when he heard a gentle voice.

“Young master? What are you doing down there?”

Could not believe in his own ears, the young noble raised his head high and stared at the source of the voice in both awe and shock. Tears began to pour out his tears as he stood up, ignoring all those pains and hugged the girl tightly as if they have never seen each other for years.

“TASHA! You are back!” he shouted in joy.

“Back? But I was always here….Aren’t you supposed to see the king today? What are you still doing here? And why are you crying?” Tasha asked in confusion upon seeing her master’s odd reaction.

“Tasha, I miss you so much!”

“Master? What’s wrong?”

With an aching pain on his chest, after everything that happened, the boy simply said as he clenched his fist to make sure this was not a dream. “Nothing, Tasha! Nothing at all!”