Nobody knows what it was like before. Nobody knows except my father and a few elders. So much of the truth is buried in mystery- shrouded in lies and iterations. But one thing is for certain. This one is an undisputed truth.
A disaster happened.
Yes, a global disaster that wiped the world of its memories. Millions died. Civilizations crumbled. And things were never the same ever since that day. Everything changed.
What caused the great disaster? Nobody knows. Some say that that it happened because the Gods were punishing the humans. Some believed that it was the humans themselves who cause the great disaster. One thing is certain though- you humans had something to do with it and the whole world paid the price.
My father is afraid of the great disaster. He detested what happened in the past and feared that it would happen again in the future. He once told me that for the great disaster to be averted, both humans and our race needs to be controlled.
A few decades ago, he called for the creation of the Council. The purpose of the Council is to prevent the past from happening again. I was once a member of the Council and I did my job with impressive results.
What job you may ask? Well the first order of my father was to stop technological advancement. You see, our race had been living inside the mountains of Ninev ever since the great disaster happened. Contact with the outside world was prohibited. We tried to develop our own technology, separate to you humans. We have advanced. We made great strides. But my father put a stop to it in a bloody manner. Scholars advancing knowledge in astronomy, medicine, weapons- everyone trying to extend the frontier of development were either killed or imprisoned. Books were burned and learning institutions demolished. It was bloody. It was a sad day.
My father then made it into law that all crimes of violence shall be punished with execution. Even a small scuffle would mean death. People were executed without trial. My hands are bloody with some of these executions.
People lived in fear under my father's rule. But people also lived in peace. He is a tyrant. People would cower just hearing his name but the same people enjoys the peace he created. But not everybody was happy with how the things were. Some craved freedom. Some just wanted my father to pay for the evils he had done. I was one of those people. And so the resistance was born.
We fought for the freedom. My father was oppressing my people. I know he means well. I know he is just trying to prevent the great disaster from happening again. But my people are suffering.
**********
"You said that the Council's was partly created because of us humans. Is this because we caused the great disaster in the past?" Timothy asked while frowning. He still had tons of questions.
"Yes. My father witnessed the great disaster himself. He wouldn't tell anybody what it was or what really happened. But I could see his fear. You humans had some part in it and he wants to control you"
"And that is the cull? He is sending the council to wreak havoc in our lands?"
"That is the precursor to the cull but that is not the cull itself. Only my father knows what the cull is. Extinction is not his aim but rather control. I don't know what will happen but he needs to soften you first before he could cull"
Timothy's frown grew. The war with the six nations was troublesome enough. Now dealing with this new and bigger threat was probably beyond him. He looked at Lucia. She was also in a deep frown.
"It is not our fault that the great disaster happened. And if your father really wants what is better for us and for your people, he would share what he knows. We could stop the great disaster from happening again. We could work together. And yet he is deciding for himself what to do. How many people had died because of him? That is foolishness and arrogance nothing more"
"That is so. I had the same thoughts before I decided to go against him. For years the Resistance have fought but we are losing. Many of us had died" Shadow's voice
had a hint of sadness.
"How can we stop him?" Lucia finally voiced "You said that he is oppressing your people and he is about to kill millions of humans"
"The only way is to kill him. Only he knows what the cull is. But I am certain that his gift is related to it"
"You mean we should invade the Ninev Mountains?"
"Yes. You should unite all humans and invade. Although it pains my heart, he must die"
Timothy took a sip of the wine Sylvie brought. It was good. He was then left staring at the liquid.
Uniting all humans is not that easy. He and Lucia could barely hold Castonia and Vanadis together, let alone the neighboring Kingdoms.
"How powerful is he?"
"He has an army. Many of my people have grown to love him. Like what I said, he is a tyrant but he means well. That attribute of him attracted loyalty from many. Many of my people have gifts like I do. Some could turn into various animals. Others have peaceful gifts like the dream I gave you when we first met. That one was caused by a special dust forged by my friend. There are some like Helios that could bring forth elements. But they all die the same. A united human force and the resistance could topple my father"
"The day I fight beside a Wismarine is the day I piss some twigs" Erik said angrily "We don't need the other Kingdoms. The Union is enough. Our legions could root them out of that snowy mountain"
"Yes. I feel your resentments too Erik. Fighting with our enemies is not right. It is better to win our current wars and then we should deal with that tyrant afterwards" Timothy said.
"If that is your wish then I have no qualms" Shadow said "But I still think that it's better to work with the others. You could unite all the humans"
"You seem certain"
"I am" Shadow looked at him and Lucia "That is because I know who you two are. I know your identities"
"What are you talking about?" Timothy asked while shaking his head
"You have forgotten, haven't you?"
"Forgot what?"
"Among our race, there are two who have special gifts. My ability to blend with the dark is special and rare enough but their gifts are more unique. They have the gift of infinite lives. The two will be reborn over and over again- retaining their memories and the wisdom they gained through the ages. The two had united humans before. They were destined to do so again. But the latest reincarnates of the two have gone missing. None of the newborns for the past decades were them. It was unusual. We thought that we lost them until" He looked at them "We found you"
Timothy squinted "You mean, you think that we are those two? Lucia and I are those two? But you said that they should remember everything. And why are we not born under the Ninev mountains?"
"We don't know. We simply don't know. You should remember. But you don't. That is a mystery. But we do think you are the ones gifted with infinite lives. One of them must be a male and the other a female. Both must have talent for leadership. But the greatest evidence are the stones"
"Stones? Like rocks?"
Shadow put his cane on the table. He also removed his black hat. He then opened his coat and revealed a medallion. He took it off his neck and handed it to Timothy. The moment Timothy touched the medallion, it glowed faint light.
"Escanor also has one. This glows whenever it touches one of my race. Since we are running from the council, this medallion is our warning. The Council is also using this to hunt us down"
Timothy stared at the stone in the medallion He then gave it to Lucia. It also glowed.
"You might be mistaken"
"That could be the case" Shadow said
"If you are right" Timothy's jaw was almost frozen "What do you want from us?"
"Remember" Shadow eagerly said "You are blessed with wisdom. Remember what it is like before the great disaster. And now that both of you have power, unite the humans and fight with us against my father. Also..." He sighed "Don't repeat what happened in the past"
"What do you mean?"
"All we have are tales" Escanor finally talked "It is regarding your last lives. How the two of you fell"
"Explain"
"After the great disaster the two of you united many people. You led them to a prosperous land to start again"
At this point, Escanor's voice trailed. He showed reluctance to continue.
"And then what happened next?" Timothy asked. His heart throbbing fast.
Escanor looked at him.
"And then the two of you betrayed each other. You fought because in all of your multiple lives one sad thing kept repeating" Escanor looked at Lucia "She can't have a child"