Arc 1 - Epilogue: Conviction.
2445 Words
According to master Lucius, the royal palace was built a long time ago, the king simply took it back from the grand rebellion. Dismantle the castle would supply a large amount of material but in return it took a really long time and costly to do so there will be time and place for everything but not now. The royal palace, the perfect word to describe it is too much, everything is just too much, is this how old emperor would do to illustrate their power over people ?
"Master Kuoni, is there any personal reason ? And these two guests ?"
"Yes, this journey of mine to the palace is completely personal, but i am just an escort, the person want to enter the palace is two kid here. Don't worry, my grandfather and master Lucius already give them the permission to enter beside they are not much of a threat, they want to learn more about history of this kingdom."
"Let me inform with master Abrelard first and i remember that master Abrelard also bring someone into the palace three days ago."
"Oh, that should be my other friend, Sousuke."
"I remember now, Sousuke, no other in the kingdom can have a draw with master Abrelard, sometime he even defeat master Abrelard."
"As expected from my bodyguard. Well, i think i should visit him too."
Kuoni say goodbye to us, we go inside the castle, pass the garden to reach the training ground of the knight, while traveling we talk a little bit with the knight that are guiding us. His name is Kullifer, a gate guard of the castle also the king's personal servant, acording to him, the king have two personal servant help him with the task around the castle. A bond based only on trusting each other, and when that bond formed, nothing can cause harm on it. A bond between king and servant but i realized something, everyone in this kingdom is extremely careful.
"We are here, if you want me to come and take you to our king then just ring this bell."
"Thank you, we will use this bell in the right time and places. Now, i need to witness master of the string's performance."
Pass a few pillar i am witnessing Sousuke's performance, while master Abrelard can only defend from Sousuke's barrage of attack on the ground while Sousuke using every pillar as a podium to attack from higher ground. Everytime when i have to perform there are all kind of people, so a bodyguard is necessary, rain of string and knife fall on the hooligan who even dare to point their knife toward me. This battle is different, master Abrelard seem to have hidden trick under his sleeves, remain his stance like a true wall that block any attack come toward him.
"Hey there, kiddo. Come to see our battle ?"
"I suggest you should focus on the battle, my friend is not someone you can underestimate."
"Well, this seem unfair to you right ? But i like to keep my advantages over my opponent."
"Then i guess i will have to be fair and give him some hint. Remember, every string Sousuke use has its own meaning but you have to know that yourself."
"That help nothing."
"That's everything i have to said, i can't reveal more, that would be unfair for Sousuke."
The battle continue but nothing changed, Sousuke remain offensive while master Abrelard remain his guarding stance. But something else changed, while guarding master Abrelard swing his sword around, so he knows, he knows and he acts, cutting the string around him. Maybe this will be the first time he won Sou but well everything remain the same, he learned the truth too late, the string already surrounding him. But even if he lost, he will learn and from that Sou will learn, everyone will learn from their mistake.
"They will learn from this battle, maybe your suggestion is the push they need to find out new possibilities ?"
"No, it is not that great, they will found out everything, i am simply act as a push to let them know about that."
"But don't you think it is a little bit unfair when you want to help another person ?"
"No, everyone must move forward, learning from their own mistake to move toward a brighter future. You still have a lot to learn, and i also have a lot to learn."
Everyone have to find a way to move forward then why am i standing still, everyone even Tomoe is moving forward then why am i choose to stand in one place. Or i am moving forward without knowing that ? But knowing your progress is always better than staying in the dark, but again, i am a child, suprise is something so beautiful.
"So i lost again."
"That should make our score 12-3 with 3 is the number of tie. But i will change my tactics next time, everyone can change then why i can't act with the same script, scripter write what an actor should act but sometime an actor must know how to be creative."
"I have something to ask master Abrelard. Master Lucius mention that all three leaders of three noble families and the emperor can look into other people memories. Is that the truth ?"
"... We didn't know Lucius would do that to you, i want to apologize to you but like he said, everything is the truth, the day the prince sacrifice his vision to give us power, we can see people's memories, maybe this is also his intention."
"The eyes able to see the truth of a person, from that learn the threat toward the kingdom, i understand why you need to do that. So, do you need to read my memories too ?"
"No, you already prove you are a trust worthy person, your action and personality, when a spirit like Tomoe came to you because of admiration then i don't need to worry about your heart."
"I guess i will see the king now, take care of yourself master Abrelard, i hope you can come up with a new tactics. And Sou, remain your advantage, in this world i am powerless so i would need you to protect me with extra care now."
"Don't worry, i will come up with a new tactics, just need some new inspration for a new formation."
"I hope you still had a lot of knives left."
"About that, i think i found my rule. The rule of illusion."
"Sousuke is a special case, he is a rule come with a manifestation. Normal people don't know about manifestation but i can explain this the most simple way, to look for better explaination, i guess you have to ask Lucius."
So master Abrelard start explaining about manifestation, manifestation is a higer level of rule. Rule birth from a person mind while manifestation is blessing of a god, for example, Sousuke is blessed by Lumile - the eternal night. So in this place there are entities called gods, but master Abrelard also let us know that god is below a sacred one.
"Your rule need time to awake itself, just be patience with it. When the time is right your rule will awake and with the bond with Tomoe, i guess it will be beautiful."
"So what happen when Sou's rule awake ?"
"Well, his body emit in a purple light, a purple lotus bloom from his chest while he floating in the air."
"So what is the power of your rule Sou ?"
"Well, i can create illusions, various of illusion, sometime with the blessing the entity, i can make some illusion became reality but that sap a lot of power. I believe this would help us a lot in our journey."
"Don't worry too much about the journey, i want to stay in this land for at least 5 years, i am still having fun then why should we leave so soon. We have to solve this civil war after all. Don't be so surprise master Abrelard, i never consider the king 's health should be a reason to be dethroned. In the time like this loyalty is the most important thing in everyone's heart."
"So we decided..."
"Since the moment Siorre give us information about the kingdom..."
"We want to help three nobles to put the end to this war."
"So we are all agree with this ?"
"You know my answer. I am your guard."
"You decision is just. I want to stand by your side in this journey, you are the one who free me after all. The voice inside me say this is a right decision then i will follow it."
"This is settled then, we will end this war that put burden on this kingdom. After this war end, a new Soleil will be born."
"The threat looming in the horizon and we choose to ignore it, i am deeply apologize for our hospitality."
A person appears past the pillars and slowly reaching us, he sit on a wheelchair, glistening starry silver hair, his face is the face of a child with a blindfold. A small child and fragile yet why do i see inside him is life, hope and a hidden power, even with his blindfold, the child giving a feeling that he can see everything.
"Your Highness, you shouldn't be here."
"Don't worry about me, sometime i need fresh air that's all, i think you want to know more about the tale of the foundation of Soleil... I am sorry again for reading your memories, i want to answer every of your question after all."
"I can understand that."
"Abrelard, you can continue everything, i will be fine, if anything happen i believe Higeki can protect me."
"So i am a kingsguard now ?"
"Well, consider that is a small price for my story would you ?"
"I won't mind that at all, end this war is a small step on my great journey of exploring this wonderful world. The same fact goes to this kingsguard job."
"Well, i should begin the true story after all."
"Wait, how could this possible, we are talking of interdimensional traveling, in my old world, no one can do that. Only with some assistance from a magician of your world i can travel here and that spell i think it can even kill the user. How could this happen, i thought i just found a new home."
"Don't worry, i know you will do everything to protect your new home, we will act too. I have some theory, first theory is there is something you don't know about your own world. Second theory is there are traitors among us. Those people they talk with our noble about the plan of dethrone me and from that, they can harvest this world. But let's continue our stories."
"Tomoe, lord of pure water, can you see in my soul, what do you see ?"
"Not just you, i saw your father in there too."
"That is what happened, i don't want to lose my father, that's the reason i bind his soul with mine we both can last for eternity. For my power and my age, i made a deal with the gods, we all made a deal with the gods, to become the eternal guardians of Soleil, the pain we took is intensify. As for me, i suffered illness, curse of fragility and so on, to worsen the situation i bind my father's soul with me."
"A body share two soul, i wonder how much pain you and your family suffered because of the people of mine world."
"To me, everyone bear their own burden but the weight is lessen the more people bearing it. I have a lot of people carrying it with me so i felt no burden at all, i almost felt free and most important thing, i have father by my side. One day i will find a way to bring him back."
"I believe you can do it."
"My king, emergency."
A guard run toward us, on his hand is a letter. In the letter explain everything, according to the scout of the king, the nobles outside the capitol started their own movement. This could be risky to them but it seem like this is their last resort, well, let's settle everything. A war drag on like this will harm the country itself, now nobles of Soleil, let's put on a show that lead to your demise.
"Well, hello again."
Descending from the sky is a young man wearing a white cloak with a top hat, he looks much like a magician and a scholar at the same time. The mysterious young man but i felt like i met him somewhere before.
"Charle, at least can you enter from the front door please, my guard already live a poor life. give them a room to breath please."
- Writer
