“I will be repenting starting today.”

“And to those that I have violated with my stupid, current self, will also be taken care of.”

“The things that I will be doing, will not reverse the things that I have done, but I hope that one day, I can rid myself of my guilt.”

I confess my sins, and my wish to repent on the crystal. Not that it matters. It’s the action that counts right? I wipe off my tears as I turn off the crystal.

[Recording Stopped}

[Save? Yes? No?]

I press yes, take the crystal, and hide it in my drawer. It’s quite big, it’s like a heavy basketball, made out of glass. I swear I’ll make something better.

The door behind me swings open, making a loud crash as I turn around. I see my disciples, a dwarf, and an elf, carried by a familiar gassy body.

“Arthur! I have found you, you son of a bitch!” Aleph’s tone is happy, and excited, with a hint of relief too. My disciples… I don’t know how to explain their faces. “Wait… we’re you crying? How were you crying? I thought we all can’t do that.”

Oh, very perceptive. I wipe my tears as I see Aleph gently lay down my almost-fainting, somewhat-alive, will-definitely=be-someone-crazy disciples. “It’s a long story.” I don’t think I can explain it to him. If he knows the truth… I don’t know what he’ll do to me.

“I don’t mind. Time here is slower outside. I think have all the time in the world.” He says. He’s not wrong. The time of the tower gets slower, the more you go up. An hour in the outside world is two hours on the second floor, and so on.

But I don’t think I should… “I… It’s fine, it’s nothing.” I walk to my disciples and with the help of my magic, I carry them somewhere safe. I’ll leave a memory-wiping elixir with them, as I know what effects Aleph does on others.

“I don’t think it’s anything. You were able to cry now when we all couldn’t even fake cry back then. That’s why we don’t have crying scenes, yeah? So tell me all about it.” Aleph says as he compresses his smoky body, into a compact, black body. His white eyes look at me. He takes a seat on one of the chairs I made.

I take a seat also, in front of him

I scratch my head as I take a deep breath.

I’m scared.

I don’t know what he’ll do to me once I tell him the truth.

I’m the reason why we’re in this mess…

I…

“The reason why we we’re created… or at the very least… the thing that killed all of us in our past lives… I did it. I caused it.”

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

I finally said it.

Is he angry… sad? Upset? Mad? Show emotion, damn it!

“Is that it? Don’t get me wrong, I understand your concern. But if you look at it, you gave all of us a chance for a new life.” He sighs. “I think you and Aquarius have gotten full access to their memories, I don’t have mine, or anyone else’s but I can say this.”

He clears his throat.

“You gave us a chance to become something better than humans. If you were to go back and tell our human counterparts that if they were to die, they will be able to create worlds, create history, life, anything they wished!”

“They won’t agree to die? They’ll probably pick their current lives, than this one.” I ask, it's a very reasonable action for them to take if I tell them that.

“They would, would they? But we won’t know that unless we ask them. The thing is, it already happened. You can’t unkill us. It’s like the Grandfather Paradox.”

“A what?” I don't know what that is.

“I’ll shorten it for you and make sure that you understand it. You go back in time to save us from getting killed. Since we are saved, you won’t exist, because we didn’t die. Because you didn’t exist, you wouldn’t be there to save us, thus we die, and we exist.”

“I see. I’ll be making a loop then.” Ah... So that's how it is...

“Exactly.”

“Thanks. I’ll tell them the truth.” Telling Aleph the truth made me feel… relieved. I’ll do the same thing to others, and accept whatever reaction they give me. Oh… I need to do something for Aleph for helping me out. “What about your memories?”

“Huh? My memories?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t have access to mine, or I don’t have memories.”

“What do you mean you have no memories?”

“It’s been eating at me ever since I’ve thought about it. You know Natural Selection and Evolution?”

“Yeah, the weak die, the strongest remain, and all that. Evolution is like our body adapting to changes in the environment.”

“Exactly. What if I never existed in the past? What If I didn’t have any life? I was just created for a vessel of many souls and memories?”

“That’s…” I understand him... but I can’t do anything for him… I want to comfort him… “I… Don’t… Hmm… Well...” Come on… think! “You told me a gave everyone a chance for a second life. If that were the case, I’m giving you a chance to live your first life, if this is your first life. You know a lot of things, because of us, but you haven’t experienced it yet. How about this… Once everything is done, why not try living as a mortal? No god-like powers, experiencing life in the way you want.” I hope this is enough to comfort him. I’m unsure of what I said too. I don’t know if he’ll take it the wrong way…

“That’s… That’s a great idea. Instead of worrying about my non-existent past, I’ll just hope for an exciting future! Thank you!” Aleph jumps at me to hug me, and we both fall to the floor.

“Woah!” A lot of things fall to the ground as well, and our eyes lock. “I… Aleph…”

“Yeah…?” He smiles.

“I do swing that way. But It’s weird if it’s someone I see as a family.” I smile as I blush.

“Don’t worry, I don’t swing at all.” Aleph laughs as he gets off of me, then he reaches his hand out for me to grab, so I take it, so he can pull me up.

“I’ll just need to learn how to get a permanent form, and how to become a pseudo-mortal.”

“Great! So.. uh… why did you visit me? You didn’t just visit me for a shitty therapist session, right?” I chuckle, then he chuckles.

“Actually… That’s exactly why I visited. I was just checking on you and your progress. Like a glorified babysitter.” He chuckles.

“So, are you telling me that I’m a glorified baby? For shame.”

“No, no, no, no! I was just joking! Anyways, I’m gonna go leave now, I heard Michael took Vaciva out, instead of me, and I need to come in case I’m needed.”

“Oh! Then, nice seeing you.”

“Yep! Tell your disciples I’m sorry, and I’ll do whatever they want as an apology.”

“Okay.”

Aleph gets off his chair and walks to the door.

“Uh… Aleph?”

“Yes, Arthur?” He turns around.

“Thanks.” I smile at him.

“No Problem.” Aleph disappears into thin air.