First I’m forced to come back to this place, now they want me to help them?   These morons must have more than a few screws loose.  I silently seethed and schooled my face.  Neutrality was important, especially with mother so close.  That woman had the eyes of a hawk, even the tiniest twitch of my face would be spotted before I even knew I did it.

“Please, follow me.”  We obeyed, and our footsteps echoed all around us.  Was the castle empty?  It seemed awfully deserted.  Intricate patterns which seemed to glow with every step we took ran across the ceiling.  Eleanor stared, mesmerized.  I sighed.  Figured the palace would still be intact after all this time.  I can’t really blame my sister.  No matter how I hate this place, even I was awed when I saw the elaborate design in which it had been built.  Catholy, for whatever reason, was deep in thought, barely even observing her surroundings. 

Would you look at that.  I never thought I would see the she dropped her guard when on duty.  Queen Rylisse took the lead.  We walked for a while, and there was still no signs of life.

Finally, we were ushered into a spacious room far grander than the halls behind us.  The Queen sat on an elevated throne.  She was not alone.  The Priestess beside her looked at us through her nose.  Though the queen had an innocent air about her, but I knew that was bs.  If I ever see you again, Marcus, I’ll be sure to give you a nice right hook.  Why give weapons to toddlers?

“Pleasure to finally meet you all.  And thank you, Queen Rylisse, for allowing your son to come with such haste.”  I reeled in my scoff.  Stop.  Just stop!  It’s too painful to watch.  I snuck a glance at my mother. 

Okay… having these two in the same room might be a bad idea.  Queen Rylisse was smiling, but it lacked any warmth.  That smile terrified me more than I cared to admit, and it wasn’t even directed at me!  “It was strange for you to request Elrand’s presence.  Surely you are not oblivious to the way you acted the last time he was here.”

Mother…?  What the hell has gotten under your skin?  Don’t get angry for my sake.  While I also despise the situation, remember Zyliane controls most of the continent!  Queen Elise squirmed uncomfortably.  Eleanor and Catholy stayed silent.  “Could you give us a minute?”

“Absolutely not,” mother answered without skipping a beat.  Seriously, what’s with her today?  She seems riled up.  “I-it is a particularly sensitive matter.  I mean no disrespect.”  My eyes narrowed.  Sensitive to who, exactly?

I revealed some things to the Queen to gain a bit more breathing space. So while Mother knew, but my sister didn’t.  I would rather keep that way.  From that perspective, it would be best to hear her out alone.  “Mother,” I said softly.  “It’s okay.  I will listen.” Mother gazed into my eyes for a second.  “Fine.”  The two beside me left with her.

As soon as they were out of the door, my calm demeanor fell.  “That was a great act.  If I had not met the real you, I might have been fooled too.  Now that you need me, again, you act all civilized.  Are you being haughty? Or have you forgotten how you treated me last I was here?”

“W-w-well, a-about that.  I’m sorry.”  I scoffed.  “I do not want your apology, nor do I need it.  Just say whatever you want to say and I’ll be on my way.”  The priestess finally spoke up, her eyes flashing.  Her had waist long blue-hair swayed tried to reprimand me like you would a child.  Keyword being tried.  “Show respect to our Queen!”

She is like the stuck-up nobles I hate so much.  “Respect where respect is due.  Sadly, none of you have earned respect from me.”  Taking a step, I leveled my cool gaze on her.   

“Is that all you have to say?”  Silence.  “Nice chat.  I’ll be taking my leave.”

The Queen scrambled to her feet.  “W-wait!”

…………

……………

………………

“Well?”

The blue haired Priestess seethed, but she said not another word.  The Queen slumped on her throne, conflicted.  “Are we correct to assume you are a reincarnation of a hero?”  A bitter chuckle escaped my throat.  “Hero?  Not at all.  I am but among the sacrifices you chose to make.”  They both flinched.  Ah…  So, the hero summoning is something still going on till now?  My past is something I was not proud of.  Indecipherable whispers filed my ears.  I shut myself from the anger, the blind rage welling up within me.  “So what, you think I’ll help you because of my past title?”

It was like my words bothered her not.  “This is different.  The world may very well end!”  I picked at my ear with my pinkie finger. “Yeah.  And?”

The Queen was gaped at me.  “You knew this world is nearing its end, didn’t you?!  Yet you do nothing but play around in your kingdom, taking nothing seriously.”

“Excuse me?  How I live my life is none of your business.  So far, nothing you’ve said concerns me.  Is this really all you wanted to discuss?”  Two pair of eyes regarded me in shock.

“You knew?!?!”  The Priestess flew into a fit of rage.  “Why did you not say anything?!  You’re a hero, aren’t you?  Surely there is–”

“Shut it.  I am not obligated to do anything.  Do you seriously expect me to help you after all you’ve put me through?  So what if this world is dying?”  Just picturing it made me beam.  “I say let it burn!  In fact, I would gladly join in to destroy it.  This divine judgement is a few centuries too late.”

“B-but you–”

“Priestess, do you have any idea why Zyliane is not considered an empire despite ruling over the whole continent?”

She paused, confused.  “Huh?”

“Zyliane was only a small kingdom.  Certainly smaller than most kingdoms on the continent.  How did it gain supremacy over all the other kingdoms?  Why, despite the fact the entire continent being renamed, is Zyliane not considered an empire?”  This was not at all relevant, but I just had to say it.  They’re drunk on power, power they don’t even have.

“The god slayer.  A hero so overpowered, he slew the very gods who brought us to this world.  Not only that, but he also declared the demons under his protection.”  Ah…what good times.  The fool made the world fear Zyliane for summoning such a strong hero.  All the kingdoms swore their allegiance to King Ricard to avoid any future confrontations.

“Rather than start a war with Zyliane, the leaders of every kingdom on the continent swore allegiance to the very kingdom that had brought this calamity level threat upon Scria.  A good choice, for King Ricard had…insurance, just incase the kingdoms ever turned on him.  However, once the god slayer heard this, he proclaimed he would destroy Zyliane, which was now the continent, the day it declared itself an empire.”

I chuckled.  “Do you know what that goddess you revere so much said once all this transpired?  She said, and I quote, ‘My, what interesting things are going on down there.  Must be tough for all those humans though.  Should make the greatest entertainment.’  She said that just as you amassed enough soldiers to fight the war.”  It can hardly be called a war.  That one-sided slaughter was foolishness on their part.  Why would they challenge someone with enough power to rival the gods?

The Priest made a face.  “You expect me to believe you?  Our goddess would never do that.”  I shrugged.  “Believe what you want to believe.  Just know, the god slayer is still very much alive.”

This is only but the beginning. What is coming would be but the beginning of things to come.  “Has terror ever gripped your heart?  Unimaginable horror that leaves you wishing, praying for death?  No?  Don’t worry, those horrors are coming soon enough.  Your days of sitting there and send countless others to their deaths are coming to an end.”  Mana surged all around me, and it took every ounce of my self-control to contain it.  Mana this strong was almost tangible.  Perhaps they thought I was preparing an attack; their alarm was as clear as day.

If I attacked with such a massive surge of mana, everything in its path would be destroyed.  I was never good at corrosion magic after all.  The fear in their eyes, however, only fueled my rage.  It was nothing compared to what we went through.  The hell some of us never recovered from.  We fought and bled for people bearing ulterior motives.  I will never forgive, never forget. 

It doesn’t matter that the ones responsible are dead.  Was that petty?  Yeah, whatever.  Why don’t you suffer what we went through before you judge?

She even died before I got to her… I need to calm down.  I glared at the two women in front of me.  Try as I might, I could not hold it in anymore.  Mana surged within me. The air turned frigid.  “Tell me… if I asked nicely, like really nicely, would you die for me?”  I plastered a grin on my face and took a menacing step forward.

The queen blanched.  The Priestess moved to block my advance.  “I will not allow any harm on my Queen.  Not as long as I live.”  Despite myself, my grin widened.  Ugh!  I can’t keep it together. “Who said you’ll be alive?”

“You cannot harm us,” she insisted.  “A desperate attempt to save your life?  How pitiful.”  She was trembling; however, she did not move an inch.  “It is Dysenim’s will.”  That name caught me off-guard.  All the mana around me dissipated.  I paused mid-step and cocked my head to the side.  “Dysenim?” 

“Y-yes!  You don’t want to anger the Milpha, do you?”  The darkness clouding my heart abated.  “You poor, foolish humans.  Dysenia is the cause of all this madness.  Yet you cling to hope?  Well, maybe that’s her plan…”

“Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!  What an interesting being indeed!  To toy with human emotions in this manner…  I suppose I can wait a while.  This world’s fate is sealed anyhow.”

Ever since I came to this world, I knew. This world has twisted values.  I mean, just think about it.  On one hand, we were betrayed, only to be given a second chance.  In fact, we were ordered to raise hell for all responsible.  That holds true till this day.  On the other, the very being responsible for the world’s destruction was giving it false hope.  I already know about her, but what about the others?  Does she want to savor the suffering they’ll endure?  Or may see the depression which will overwhelm many when they realized there is no stopping this apocalypse?

I turned heel and started walking away.  Just before I opened the door, I shot over my shoulder.  “Consider yourself lucky.  If your Priestess here had not uttered that name, your life would have been forfeit.  For now, I will stay on Dysenia’s good graces.  You should be careful when uttering the true names of the Milpha…”