"Le Fleur, it has been a long time." The Vermillion Bird, clad in the colors of the raonbow says as I stand before it.
"It has been a while." I answered. "You know why I'm here correct?" I asked him.
"Of course. However, it seems your mind and heart are elsewhere at the moment." He says.
"I suppose so." I answered.
"Ardor, I wish to speak with the Le Fleur, alone." He said.
"I understand." Ardor takes his siblings and leaves along with Will and the gang.
Right now, we're inside my shadow, Ardor summoned him here at my request.
"My Le Fleur, what has taken your mind away from your mission?" He asked.
"I don't know what your talking about." I answered him.
"Are you sure about that?" He answered.
"Yes." I answered.
"Le Fleur, you seem to have forgotten why you are here." He said. "So, allow me to ask you. Why are you here?"
"I'm here for the Essence of Summer." I answered him.
"Is that all?" He asked.
I thought for a second the other reason why I'm here. For a while, I'm silent then I answer him.
"I'm here to fulfill my mission of ending the Chimeras era." I answered.
For a while, the Vermillion Bird stares at me before he lowers his head and takes on a human form. With bright red hair and purple eyes with white skin dressed in a brown vest with black pants and a golden coat.
"Le Fleur, your heart is wavering." He said. "Are you wavering ebcause of the darkness that you have seen?"
"I... I'm wondering, if what I'm doing is right." I answered. "After witnessing that man, I'm wondering, if one day all of humanity will also become like that."
"I cannot answer that question however, I'm certain that there humanity is foolish. They seek pleasures that only last for an instant." He answered. "They fail to realize that what they are doing will only make it harder for the ones that will come after them."
"What makes you say that?" I asked him.
"However, there are those that will not be so. They will try to carry the light and try to spread it." He said. "I know this may sound foolish, but humanity has always been this way. Even if the path they are on leads to destruction, they will continue. As has all life on this planet had done before them."
"This world has lived for millions of billions of years. In its long, long history, life has emerged, died and reemerged." He answered. "Creation and Destruction, that is the cycle of life on this planet. The Chimeras have simply delayed the inevitable."
"So you're saying humanity's foolishness will lead to our own demise?" I asked.
"I cannot say so I'm simply saying that if one day the time does come, the cycel of creation and destruction will resume." He answered. "Humanity's greed, it part of the destruction and will lead to creation. From Humanity's dakrness, there will one day come hope. That is all."
For a while I try to understand what he has said. My greatest reason for wavering is because of humanity's darkness. The darkness that will one day lead to humanity's destruction. But he is telling me that it has always been this way? That the Chimeras have simply delayed the inevitable.
I calm my mind and try to retrace humanity's steps up to this point. What has it been doing before the Chimeras emerged?
Life was born on this planet, it bloomed, and died, then bloomed again in a cycel of creation and destruction. Humanity, which had been the greatest life to have emerged on its surface is now in a war with the Chimeras. What happeend before that, humanity's history. I recall the countless wars and shortlived peace that have molded this world.
I suppose Humanity has indeed been this way from a long time ago. Endless wars that leads to countless deaths, peaceful eras then wars once more. The trigger has always been huaknity's darkness one way or the other. But peace still comes, there are those that have urged change. It's just that not many hear their cries for change.
"I think I understand it now." I answered.
"You do?" He asked.
"Yes. Humanity has a darkness hidden inside it but there are those who carry the light as well, it's just that their voices can't always be heard." I answered. "I'll be their voice, someone to urge change within others and myself."
"It seems you have found your answer." He smiles. "But never forget, my Le Fleur, one day, when you stand on the stage of Fatum, you will make a difficult choice. That choice may lead to a change of heart in humanity and the worlds."
He smiles before handing me a marble and a crimson falme burns of his body and enters the marble. He smiled and I called the others back in.
With a farewell to Ardor and his siblings, we head home. To the East where the others are awaiting our return. Ardor and his siblings don't stop thanking us till we leave.
On board the ship as we sailed home, I stare at the horizon. The sun has begun to set, how many days, weeks, no months have we been away?
We've spent five days in the Western Continent, Seven in the Northern, and about two weeks here in South. Nearly a month. In this month, I've learned a lot and have made new allies.
"You good?" Lyzander asks and I smile.
"Yeah." I answered.
A heavy burden hangs on my shoulders, but for some reason, today it feels heavier. As I gaze the crimson rays of the setting sun, I wave farewell to my past self, to the me who wavered at humanity's darkness. I'll face it, from here on out.
----
My Le Fluer, I hope you know this is not the end just yet. The greatest stage, I shall make it. You shall be the greatest dancer in the stage I shall set.
"Master, the preparations are done." Addy said.
"Everything is place as well." Eddy said.
"Very well. Let us beginning." I smiled. "The time has come, for the Banquet of Blood!"