“Oden!”

“Yes father?”

“Did I not tell you to look over your sister?”

“I am!”

“Then what is she doing here in this room?”

The boy ran towards his father’s voice. Entering the room, he found his little swinging a small ax wildly. He was beyond impressed. As her small legs danced around the room, her near-perfect ax striking the walls of the room was beyond impressive to the boy. She was screaming wildly.

“Down with the enemy! Off with your head, in the name of Seraph! Glory to the Marauders!”

The boy’s father looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Ever since the mom of the house had passed from sickness, raising this child had been beyond difficult.

The boy crouched by the girl, staring into her tiny eyes and chubby face.

“And just what do you think you are doing?”

“Glory to the Marauders!”

She gave the wall another good strike.

“You know if you do that, you’re going to make the wall cry.”

The girl stopped and stared at her brother, her eyes wide with shock.

“Really?”

“Can’t you hear? It’s already crying.”

The girl looked devastated. Her arm went limp, the ax dropping and disappearing. She put a small hand to the wall gently patting it.

“I’m sorry Mr. Wall.”

————

Sorn, Oden, Crystal, and Keilan, continued to run through the tunnel. After a little time passed, Oden turned to Sorn.

Oden: “I’d like to apologize.”

Sorn: “About?”

Oden: “All this time, I thought I could use you to advance my own goals. Then, when the Prophecy gave the hint about my sister, my mind was only set on that. I had acted as your support only to leave you almost completely in the dark. Now, after talking with Crystal quite a bit in the Fourth Stage, and seeing you here as well, I understand now that you’re a real friend. And I should’ve kept you closer to me. So I’m sorry about that.”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Keilan and Crystal were having a conversation of their own. Sorn gave the words some thought He supposed he would’ve liked to know a few things beforehand, including the fact that the Tournament was all leading to this moment. But he also disagreed with Oden. He could’ve done more, sure, but Sorn never felt that he had been cut off completely. It was also clear through his many actions that Oden’s emotional state was understandably, extremely fragile at the moment. Sorn also still owed quite a bit to Oden, regardless of what Oden’s intentions at the time might’ve been.

Sorn: “It’s fine, I understand completely. You can make up for it later. For now, let’s focus on finding your sister.”

They ran some more until eventually, the sounds of the fight behind could no longer be heard. Keilan looked back worryingly, and Oden noticed this.

Oden: “Don’t worry. Those are the best Marauders I’ve ever seen. In a closed environment like this, not even Varian would stand a chance.”

Keilan: “I never imagined we’d be talking like this.”

Oden: “Neither did I.”

Crystal: “Guys!”

They all halted as a cage was now in vision.

The thick bars of ice prevented a single figure from escaping. The figure sat kneeled in the middle of the makeshift prison. The rest had no clue who it was, but Oden would recognize his blood from anywhere. Memories of raising, feeding, and playing with his baby sister flashed through his head as he stopped in front of the cage.

Oden: “ROSE!”

His arm became encased in ice as he released a giant punch at the bars of the cage, shattering the bar as he got down on his knees, sitting face to face with his little sister for the first time in years.

It was at that moment everyone had a good look at the figure in front of them. Sorn stood frozen, Crystal put a hand to her mouth, and Keilan looked away in pain.

Crystal: “Holy Seraph.”

The girl before them was the perfect combination of beautiful and disgusting. Her nose, some fingers, a bit of her chest, legs and part of her head had all been replaced with the same glowing pink crystals, crafted to a near artistic perfection. Patterns of ice covered the small girl, and an expensive piece of fabric covered some of her body.

Oden: “Rose. Rose, it’s me, remember? Oden? What- what the fuck did they do to you?”

Her eyes were blank, as though her soul had been ripped from her. Her short, raggedy breaths confirmed her cognisense, but the way she looked in front of her, it was clear there was no processing going on in her brain.

A single tear ran down Oden’s face as he stared desperately.

Oden: “It’ll be okay, I promise! We’ll get out together and go back to normal. Me and you. We’ll go far away, and it might get hard, but it’ll be fine if we’re together. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back to normal, Rose-”

The girl slowly began to move. Her arms slowly wrapped around Oden's neck. As she did so, her body began to slowly crumble. Seeing this, Oden let her go out of shock, and she fell to the ground in pieces, her crystal components crumbling to dust. Oden immediately checked for a pulse, only to find nothing there. He continued to sit there without saying a word. Sorn had nothing to say, Keilan looked extremely disturbed, and Crystal stood silently, unsure what to make of the situation. Only a second later, a voice came from beside them. Everyone except Oden turned to look in surprise.

???: “The course of life, it always ends in sorrow.”

There stood the Emperor, standing at the edge of the tunnel.

Keilan: “Father, what in the world-”

He raised up a single hand, cutting him off.

Emperor: “Be at peace child. We have much to ponder.”

He took a moment, his eyes resting on every person in the room.

Emperor: “For the duration of my extended life, my heart has been captivated by a single being. The divine Seraph was my close companion. The recollections I have of those times are fragmented at best, as if they were taken from me. But at my core, I am an artist. The embodiment of radiance, confidence, and perfection is forever embedded in my mind.”

Crystal’s voice was shaking from anger as she responded.

Crystal: “What’s the point in telling us any of this? Why are you talking as if you know Seraph?”

Emperor: “Have patience, my dear Crystal. In due time, all will come together and reveal its true meaning.”

He paused for a moment and then continued to speak, facing Keilan directly.

Emperor: “I am sure you have discerned that the Prophecy is a falsehood. Though your precise means elude me, I can surmise some methods. That is not of immediate concern however. I am Aelon, the first Emperor. I am also every Emperor who followed.”

Keilan: “What do you mean by that?”

Emperor: “The islands will prove to endure, regardless of my childrens’ sacrifices. The sacrifices are but a means for me to inherit their body and extend my own lifespan when they turn twenty. We perpetuate the false narrative to maintain the order of the society. This was agreed by me and the first Spears during the birth of my nation.”

Crystal stepped in front of Keilan defensively.

Crystal: “There’s a lot that confuses me right now with your words, father. But you won’t be taking my brother from me.”

Emperor: “I don’t intend to do so.”

Despite his old and withered body, his words carried weight. This made sense considering if his words were true, he would have been talking over a a thousand years.

Emperor: “Let me tell you a story.”

End.