This time it was nothing but chaos, anger, and anguish. Blood was spattered everywhere which now caked on the walls. The city smelled nothing but rotten flesh. This was a scene of war, poverty, and famines. Deviants who were half-demons were killing the humans, wearing black hoods with the purple sun on…their uniforms probably. The buildings were dilapidated, painted with blood and claw marks. Bodies of men, women, and children piled over one another parts of it scattered on the ground. There was nothing left there, just the cries and suffering of numerous people.
I looked around to see which time period I was presented that had so much sorrow. Wanting to get out of here as soon as possible I frantically searched for Cronus who seemed to have disappeared.
I want to get out of here…. cannot stand this…. smell…. vomit…
Running while swiftly escaping from the pile of dead bodies lined on the road, my shoes threatening to slip on the slick blood and mud.
I saw a tall wall in front of me suddenly as I looked up from the bodies. It somehow felt nostalgic, like something I have seen before but cannot put my finger on that thing. It was black with smoke and fire burning on its broken limbs and columns. I searched a little more to see what this building was only to find…
My feet buckled with horror as I recognized the begging figure in front of me, holding a dead body on her lap.
It was me and my mother….
'Cronus!!! Cronus! Where are you !!' I screamed, tears welling in my eyes.
What is this?
'Cronus please !!.... I am sorry…' I cried that felt more like a howl and apologized for something that I never did …Sorry…those were the only words constantly coming in my head.
'What are you apologizing for Aria?' The demon appeared once again. For the first time I felt happy by his presence.
'Please get me out of here…. I beg you !!' I cried again.
'Look again Aria…this is what you were trying to do all along. This was what I was provoking you to do.' He held me by the chin turning me to face the reflection of broken and starved me. His claws dug in my chin causing it to bleed but it did not hurt because what occupied my mind more was the wish to get out of here.
'Please no…' I mumbled under my breath, tears flowing down my cheek . My throat felt heavy and painful.
I cannot see the broken me with no light in her eyes, waiting for her mother to die while rigidly holding her so that she could also leave this hell.
'Aria…this is the world without the protagonist …a possibility of a world without her. Tell me now... Is your life more important than Lisbeth Morton's? Look into her dull eyes and speak what is the importance of your death and life of Lisbeth Morton.' Cronus chided.
'After my death…father would start an uprising with King of Araki, the uncle of the present King. He would be mad with anger and imprudent in his decisions only gathering a small uprising that would be easily crushed. In order to save the lives of his other family members, he would be forced into lifelong obedience with Araka, providing aid for Deviant uprising, War against Rakuten and final showdown against King's uncle.' I said recalling every chapter of the novel.
'In short…all the wars and unrest in the kingdom would be aided by your father and efficiently utilized by…'
'…Lisbeth Morton.' I completed his sentence.
'However, in this world, Lisbeth was never present thus the kingdom died with so much unrest. The characters of that storybook who were destined to die are already dead except you of course. The human king was weak in front of the strongest Deviants and the winning side was so strong that traitors had already joined them. As for your father…'
'…What about my father?' I asked in an anxious tone.
'He died with your brother when he was forced to enlist in the army due to lack of soldiers.'
I felt my life crumble. My death which was like a useless fluke all of a sudden seemed to be the only way to save my family.
'Did you think that your death served so much importance Aria?'
I nodded at this statement.
Cronus laughed baring his large canines at my face.
'Then you are the greatest fool alive…It is Lisbeth Morton that is truly needed in the world. You on the other hand was only necessary to win your father on their side. If you would not die then Declan would never understand what he truly wanted otherwise both the king and Advisor would have just indulged their little princess until the empire was exterminated. You were just a wake-up call for the slacker to retrospect. Your death was truly pointless but useful in a way that is."
'What is that supposed to mean?' I asked again. My heart became heavier and heavier. With each remark, he made I could slowly feel the rising anger within me...Was my death truly pointless? Just a way of taking the plot forward? What am I then ??
'You were just used for the sake of plot…for some gravity to a stupid love story that somehow leads to the good of the empire. What is truly needed is Lisbeth's soul that was sent here in this world. So just hurry up and die.' Cronus smirked at me like he was finalizing taking revenge on Ares, his capturer.
'No...this is not true we made a pact for turning back time and freeing you! Where is my end of the deal!?' I shouted as I saw him slowly disappearing. My legs were unable to move while nothing else registered in my head.
'The deal was already fulfilled when I turned back time...since you only said turn back time to ten months before.'
The world came to an end ten months before tonight if Lisbeth is not present. Her intelligence, her power to foresee the future, and the love she shared between Advisor and King, all lead to the world living ten months more.
I was truly useless in this story whose death was only used to amplify and threaten the Advisor that not every decision they take for Lisbeth would be well received by those around him. I was just an example...a minor villainess who would always be filled with jealousy and imprudence. Someone who was better of not existing.
That was the last time I saw Cronus.