"We have the same answer, then. Don't think that I didn't do anything. I prepared all of these things for the both of you to stop her. It wasn't just me who chose the characters. She also chose every main character's enemy and she chose you to be her enemy," the goddess added and I got curious.
"Why me," I asked.
This has been my question millions of times since I came here in this book and it hasn't even been answered!
"You are the one destined for Dionne. You are her partner. Without you, she wouldn't get the Song of Healing," she answered my question and she continued speaking.
"From all of the main characters, you are the one I chose because from the moment you entered the room in the library, I saw your will to protect everything and everyone," she added and I suddenly spoke.
"Isn't it selfish for you and your sister to choose pawns for both of your plans to take place," I asked with a little aggressiveness present in my voice.
She slightly frowned. "You both could just fight each other and not involve other people," I finished and the goddess sighed.
Dionne was surprised by my aggressiveness. She held my arm, urging me to calm down.
"I know it is selfish of us, but it is required. Every story needs characters. Every story needs events; a story to tell," the goddess said and she walked closer to us. "I promised that after this, there would be no more books that would exist and would take other people," she added and then I looked at her.
"So we can't return to our world because we are permanently the characters of this story? Can I wish for myself not to be a character of this once it's all over?" I asked a very crucial question yet she smiled at me.
"Can you undo something that was already finished," she answered and with that, I knew that I won't be able to go back to my real world.
So that's why not a single person from my world wished to come back in our world. They chose to stay here.
Or rather were they forced?
"Were the people from my world forced to stay," I asked and the goddess shook her head.
"They still chose to live here," she answered and she continued speaking. "Once everything is done here, we won't involve anyone anymore and the making of the chapters of this book would stop. I just have to finish my task," she just added and I just sighed.
"Don't you have the power to undo something," I asked and she just shook her head.
"I don't. If I do, then I would have already stopped the schemes of my sister," she answered and I sighed again.
"Why am I chosen for Dionne? What can I do?" Questions keep coming out from my mouth one by one and the goddess walked closer to us.
"She cannot have the Song of Healing alone. The Song of Healing cannot be obtained by her easily. You have to help her," she answered and I still got confused.
How can I give the song to her?
"The song Polum gave me was easy for me to obtain because it was a song for me to ward off evil. This song is difficult to obtain because the Song of Healing's purpose is to heal everything. It can even cleanse thoughts," Dionne suddenly spoke and Xena looked at her.
"It will stop Ophelia. It will help Ophelia return to her good senses," Xena added and I suddenly looked at the goddess.
"My sister is good by nature. She was just lonely because she was often alone. We trust and love her very much but because of our trust, we left her alone always. We always believed that she would carry out her task easily but now I realized we were overestimating that trust," the goddess said and sighed.
"She was jealous of me, knowing that I would be the goddess of this world and it would grant me freedom, whilst she would just stay in Fantilia, alone, eternally singing," the goddess added and she folded her arms in front of her chest.
"So she was doing this because she wanted freedom. She wanted to be with someone, someone to talk to," Dionne said, feeling sympathy for Ophelia because she felt the same.
"Cevin was right, Dionne. You can understand my sister," the goddess said directly to Dionne and Dionne smiled at the goddess. "And to defeat my sister, you shall sing the Song of Healing. Cevin will use his power to forge it into you. Only he can do it," the goddess said finally and they all looked at me.
I suddenly got confused by "forging it into you". What do they mean?
Dirty thoughts, stop it!
"What what do you mean," I asked, feeling nervous.
"You can protect Dionne while putting the Song of Healing in her heart. The song is very powerful for her and if she's the only one who will absorb the song, it would hurt her. If I would do it, my powers would overrule hers and she would die. If the others put the song, it won't succeed because they are weak to do so," the goddess answered and suddenly Dionne spoke.
"If it's you, I can withstand any pain. You have the power to control the pain that is why you are my partner. This was what the goddess had been telling me in secret the moment you entered the book," Dionne added and I looked at Xena.
"If you all agreed to do this now, I would give all my power to teleport you to the top of the tower. You will no longer go to the middle floor of the tower and once I succeed, I would already disappear from this world. I have done my part," Xena said and the goddess now spoke.
"You have to talk this through with Dionne. She may be physically ready, but not emotionally," she said and she smiled at the both of us.
Xena and the goddess already started walking in the opposite direction, leaving me and Dionne to have some privacy.
I looked at Dionne. "Are you ready?" Dionne frowned and I took her hand for reassurance.
"Honestly, I don't know…" Dionne started having doubts of herself. "If I would return to the tower and would sing endlessly, I know I won't have anyone to be with or talk to," she said and she couldn't control the tears escaping from her eyes.
We have only been together recently but now I hate seeing her this way. I want to see her happy. I'm the type of person who was oblivious to the people around me and how they felt unless they were close to me but seeing Dionne in this situation, I couldn't help but feel pained. The way I see the world changed since I met her.
Did it really change since I came here? Maybe so. Now I really want to help her and this world. I don't understand… maybe this is what I truly feel because I have the power to protect the people and the world I want to protect.
Did the people who came from my world felt the same?
I smiled sweetly at Dionne and I wiped her tears with my thumb. "Don't worry… I will be with you," I assured her. She was surprised and she suddenly looked at me.
"Really? You'd be with me?" She sounded assured and I could feel her trust in me even though she was somewhat finding it difficult to believe.
"What about your family," she asked and I knelt on the floor so I could see her face, she looked down on me, displaying embarrassment.
"I'll ask the goddess for my family to live here… so I could be with you," I said and her face started to redden.
What?
I shook my head. "I am your partner, after all," I added as I stood up and held her face. She let out a shy smile which made me smile as well.
What is with my actions today?
"Thank you, Cevin," she thanked me and she rested her head on my chest as I caressed her back for comfort and assurance that I would be with her all the way.
Now we are ready to face Ophelia.