After the unprecedented fight earlier. We can't do anything but to run away. There's just the three of them but they got us in a pickle. Ms. Hera nearly lost herself when she left her brother to die... or so she thought.
As warriors, it must be frustrating for them to be defeated like that.
"Cheers!"
After working your very best, train to death to hone your skills and sacrificed everything just to reach your goal.
"Drinking after a fight was the best!"
It must be soul-crushing and depressing to see that your efforts didn't bear any fruit.
"How about we pick a fight with them after this?"
"That's a good idea!"
It should be like that...
"Huh? Anzai, aren't you going to drink?
"Anzai's still a kid to—"
Not like this!!
I said as I slammed my hand on the table.
"What's wrong Anzai?" Finn asked.
"Now I can understand why the enemies get the upper hand."
Finn scowled.
"And why is that?"
It's worrying me that he still doesn't get what I mean.
I opened a can of beer.
"Because you're just slacking off while they're preparing and cooking plans to kill you!" I drank the beer after that, I wiped my mouth with my hand. "I wouldn't be surprised if you'll be dead tomorrow."
It turns out that the two of them are connected to the government. I still can' believe it that we had been saved by the people I less expected to lend us a hand.
I first imagine that this mission was a secret by them, that they only shared it to me. But now its a disappointment, I thought I could make money from writing articles in the future.
Ms. Hera stand.
"How rude. We already did some things you know." She said in objection to what I said.
She started walking to Luna who's sleeping in the couch and touch her forehead
"Her temperature's normal now."
Now back to the subject. Well I'm aware of that, Finn and I met just a year ago so he must've been doing something before that. I don't know about this twothough since they've been living their life as a normal human being.
But my point here is they should develop a plan instead of drinking.
I drink the beer again.
"Say Ms. Hera. About Siege?
When we arrived at the medic team somewhere away from the city. We found out that Siege is alive. The military saved him.
The soldiers said that they barely managed to save him if they arrived later he would be dead.
Even she didn't express her emotion as normal people would. You could always tell that she was happy when she hugged him tightly.
But...
"Why did you let the military take him?"
It's insensitive of me to ask this, she might still have mixed-up emotions right now. Even so, I can't help but wonder why would she send him away instead of making him stay by her side to protect him?
Instead of her Finn was the one to answer. "He needs to. The fight proved that he's not ready yet to defend against them.. he needs to train himself more and that is best to do at the military camp at Samar. Because its much nearer at the gate yet its not easy to find."
"He's fighting them all by himself. You said that they mopped the floor with you this morning. How do you expect—"
"Now that he managed to survive we can't afford to take another risk. He needs to make use of the second chance given to him so that won't happen again."
Finn cut my sentence.
There are only four of them that are capable of using superhuman abilities if one of them were to die it puts our side at a big disadvantage.
"If he only needs to train then can't he do it here?"
Finn took his beer and drink it again.
"Right I haven't told you yet. The area near Ms. Hera's house is protected by a barrier that zaps Mana out of us in an instant. That's why, as you can see, we aren't worried about any attacks coming from the enemies. Undeads and most of them can't enter the barrier because unlike us superior beings we are capable of suppressing our Mana. If our theory is correct then mist demons can't enter here because this place doesn't have any mana at all. The only one capable is Maurelle, but if she did enter we have Hera to deal with her."
In other words, this is the best place if we want to avoid them.
I can't believe that I'm about to spend hundreds of dollars on a plane ticket when I only need to walk in here.
Ms Hera get back to her seat and opened another can of beer.
"Even so, that doesn't mean that we should be comfortable just because we have these. The longer we stayed here the more time they can spend outside to strengthen themselves. We also don't have any idea what their next plan is. I'm still convinced that this is what he would like to do. Siege needs to be stronger not just for the sake but for the sake of humanity."
"The truth is we still don't know how many or what other creatures our enemies are." Finn said after he finished a can of beer. "The Dark Ruler that came after us was from the future so we haven't fought with them that much. So far the only creatures we encountered was six, and they're all different kinds of races. We need to assume that there are several more in hiding."
Finn said.
"But you fought with them seven years ago right?"
Finn laid his back to the chair.
"We Fairies haven't really go head to head with them. We only helped defeating dragons and the undead. We were planning to help them fight the Dark Ruler one of our ally betrayed us. After that another unexpected thing happened that took my father's life.
Finn lean forward to get another can.
"In our case, me and my comrades only fought with Banawag, Gial, and King Dwighn." After she said that her finger slightly crushed the can. She scratched her head. "Just remembering that was driving me crazy."
She looked at me and grin.
I closed my eyes and turned to Finn.
"Well I better find an apartment near here."
"Your welcome in this house you know. Now that Siege isn't here you can take his bedroom."
I don't think I will be able to sleep in the same house as you. Besides, I don't want to be part of this war any more than I do.
I put down the empty can on the table.
I'm glad that I know them even just for a little while. These heroes that will save our world. Funny, I'm sure that they're at the disadvantage yet I'm thinking that they can save this world with guaranteed.
These guys are in a very important mission, I can't keep being a hindrance to them.
"Wait Anzai," Finn called. "I'm sorry but no, we can't allow that."
Finn stood up. He looked toward Ms. Hera.
"Where is the notebook?"
Ms. Hera's mouth was half opened as she stare back to Finn.
"Come on, let's call it a night already. We don't need to discuss about it now."
Instead of answering, Finn just looks at her.
Ms. Hera bows her head. The fringes of her hair covered her face from my view.
"It was in the first drawer of the cabinet in my room."
What is this situation? Something's going to happen, I'm just not sure what.
Finn pass over me but I can't take my eyes off the weakened woman which I found scary not too long ago.
I sat back to my chair. I opened anther beer to ease the pressure in my body.
"Why are you acting like that? Honestly, it's making me uncomfortable. Cut it off."
Ms. Hera raised her head.
"Is that so? Sorry, I probably drank too much beer already."
"That is just your second can."
"Hehe. I noticed you flick something into my can earlier. Maybe that's why I'm not feeling well."
She's in her usual attitude but something feels different.
A door creak up stare then Finn came out in one of the room.
Ms. Hera stood up.
"I'm going to the toilet."
She walked away from our table.
Her odd behavior might be caused by that notebook Finn's carrying.
A normal intermediate notebook you can find in many stores.
The cover isn't shiny but it doesn't have any dirt and scrunches.
The two of them pass by each other without crossing their eyes.
Ms. Hera entered the comfort room and Finn sat back at his table.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Look at this." He opened the book, flip the pages and show me an image. To be more precise its an image of a man, wearing a black knit cap, a gray scarf and a camera on his hand.
"What's the point of showing me your picture? Are you saying that you're a photographer?"
"No."
He switched to another page. Where Ms. Hera's picture is pasted. She's wearing a military uniform and an assault rifle in her hands.
The other page posted Siege's picture while he was holding a gold medal in his hand.
Siege, unlike me was athletic and good at any sports, other than chess of course. But I don't remember him joining any sports tournaments.
Finn goes back to the page where his picture is posted he took the phone and started to type.
When he finished he showed me what was on the screen.
"His name is Finn we have similar faces, but we're two different people."
My eyes widens and my lips separated from each other.
They have similar face and name but differ in their surnames. The man on the screen is a photographer from Denmark.
I looked at Finn.
He took the notebook.
"This isn't Hera but an American soldier who died ten years ago before the apocalypse started. This one is Siege a young athlete that participated in the Olympics last year."
"Seriously? How is that even possible?"
"I will tell you everything. I hope you will understand."
He flipped the page again, but now into the page where a girl with blue short hair wearing a robe and holding on to a staff. But even with all the jwelry all over her whart got my attention is her face.
"Zephy?"
"Her name is Zephiria the youngest ally of Hera and the mage who opened the gate. You see our world were parallel to each other, which means this world is forbidden to cross with one another. Despite the fact that these worlds aren't meant to interact there's one trait that connects these worlds. That is the humans inhabiting these worlds. We refer to it as the Page. Just like a book."
He pointed to the right page of the book.
"The beings inhabiting our world is the Recto."
He moved his finger to the left.
"While the beings in your world are the verso."
He ripped one page in the book.
"As you can see these two faces of a page won't face each other but..."
Finn scribbled on the page.
"...when you write something on the other side. It will be seen on the other side as well. This is the connection of the two worlds. Every humans in our world, have a version in yours. No matter what race we were in, there will be other world version of us.
The concept of the plan we made is based on the strings of the two being symbolizing the fate of these people. When we opened the gate, we broke the dimensional barrier allowing those strings to slip through and connect with one another.
Connecting those strings is the most horrific things to happen since it means where connecting two lives as one. This indicates that if one of the two versions died. Then the other version will die too.
We knew that in this plan greater lives can possibly be taken without a good reason. That if we did this we'll be much more evil than the Dark Ruler himself. But even so we were too desperate that we take that risk, bet our lives and our very being into the execution of our plan.
The plan made was to find the other version of the Dark Ruler and kill him. By doing so the Dark Ruler's life would end as well."
I jumped through my table then throw my rolled fist to his face.
"I didn't reacted last time you told me this because I thought that you have a good reason for doing so. But... to drag us into this mess just because you can't think of any solution! No matter where you looked at it it's messed up.
"Your right. It's messed up. What part of life wasn't? We always contradict ourselves. Agreed to something that is against our morals in order to get what we want. Let's seize the fighting and listen."
He pushed me back to my seat.
"Many of them disagreed to this plan. Except me, and other members of the eight rays of light. In the end the king actually decided to trash the idea. But me along with the members who supported it carry on and go with the patriots to this world to find the verso of the dark ruler.
The Dark Ruler find out about this plan and followed us.
The whole time that this world is in a disarray was a nightmare for all of us. We can only watch as the consequences of our actions happen before our eyes.
That ended when we finally find what we were looking for. Every one of us felt that our efforts finally bare fruit. But it disappeared quickly when we found out that what we were after, was only an innocent child drinking hot chocolate."
"Wait. Just stop for a second."
I tremble as he said those words. I know that I often overcomplicate things but... there's no way.
He flipped the book. Revealing a drawn portrait of a child in it.
I looked at Finn with my bulging eyes.
"It was you."
I throw my beer can to Finn.
"This is a ridiculous joke! This whole thing has nothing to do with me!"
"Everything has something to do with you. Seven years ago, at that day, you died. Indicating that our mission is a success."
"What are you trying to say? That me being alive is a mistake!"
Finn almost opened his mouth but he take back his word and swallowed it.
"You are the verso of the Dark ruler. The whole point of this mission is to stop him by ending both of your life? But saying that you being alive is mistake wasn't right. Your fate was, when it connects you to the dark ruler. It was all because you had been a victim by demons like us. There's no forgiveness that is right for what we've done. But let me say it anyway."
he bowed his head.
"Sorry."
The anger keeps on boiling up.
No matter what kind of apology won't be enough to cease this anger.
My thoughts are too overwhelming I might passed out anytime.
Does this mean that I was already at fault when all of this started. Everything that happen. To my parents, to all those people, to Elena, to my company, and me screwing up my life, everything was all because of me all along.
JUST HOW MESSED UP MY LIFE IS!
"However right now, things change. This time we need to protect you from all the enemies that after us and after you."
Huh?
"The dark ruler saved you by giving his own life to you. Now that he's inside your body he can freely consume your soul. The objective of those enemies were fighting against is to end your life so the dark ruler can be free from your body and get back at his."
I stared blankly at space.
I see now. Everything is clear. This is why they are trying to protect me more than anyone. Because when the I die the dark ruler will be revived and all of their efforts will be for nothing.
Then this just means that they...
are only...
"I'm telling you all this hoping that you will understand how important your life is. So please from now—"
"Finn." I stand and turn my back. "Just shut up... please."
I started walking away from the table.
It feels like my whole life changed in just one night. Everything that I believed in popped like a bubble.
Can I carry on with my life like this?
I was walking near the toilet where Ms. Hera is.
She still didn't come out.
I wonder if I saw her again can I still respect her? Maybe not. After all, I don't think I owe her anything.
I clenched my hands.
"I see, so that's what you mean by its all my fault."