[Kivana Novastia.]
The day was nearing its close now.
It was not long before those two would be wed, and all of the people had already begun their march toward our kingdom.
However, another approach would blossom, one dark and nasty, one opposing and ugly.
The world holds many paths, each diverging and unpredictable, yet I had not foreseen this outcome.
That has been happening more often lately.
It seems the gift to see the future has finally begun to disregard me.
I sighed, leaning back in the chair, my eyes fixed on the ocean stretching endlessly before me.
Novastia was such a large, beautiful part of the kingdom, with many settlements threaded along its coast.
This was one of them, a calm coastal city, a wide beach filled with the laughter of children and the scolding of parents.
People sparred and swam, sang and laughed.
And I? I sat in my bathing suit and basked in the sun.
At times like these, one might be deluded into thinking the world has a chance.
That maybe, just maybe, a life could be lived without struggle or strain, without being particularly blessed.
But that is a lie, a fragile illusion that crumbles beneath the weight of truth. The moment one dares to believe in peace, reality tears it down.
I slowly stood and stumbled forward.
All the people around me turned to mush. Blood stained the sand, dyed the sea crimson.
A dark mist slithered across the ground, curling over flesh and foam.
The salty air shifted into something sharp and metallic, like blood rusting on steel.
I turned around. The city, its buildings, its people, its life, was gone. Dead. Flattened beneath some invisible force.
I turned back to the sea, and there he was. Walking on the water like it was stone.
His hair was long and brown, trailing behind him like soaked ribbons.
His eyes were calm, a passive shade of blue. His skin matched the sand, soft, golden, sunlit.
He wore black robes flecked with gold, like the sky before a thunderstorm.
When he reached the shore, he extended his hand with grace. "Hello, its you once again!."
I glanced down, and just to the right of his sandal was a bloodied pile of flesh, unrecognizable, still twitching.
Then, as if it had never existed, it vanished.
I looked up and exhaled. "This is what the Heavens want?"
He paused, then clenched his fist. Instantly, blood poured from my lips, eyes, and ears, warm and uninvited.
"Yeah. In fact, the Heavens have ordered each and every one of you to die."
I wiped the blood from my lips and smiled through the iron taste. "All the lovely people have cried today. It's truly disgusting."
I raised my left hand and pressed all five fingers against his chest. "I hate it."
The sea behind him evaporated in an instant. From my palm erupted purple flame, raw and hungry.
It tore through his chest, searing flesh and bone, leaving his mouth agape in stunned silence.
A second later, everything was back to normal.
Children laughed. The sea sparkled. I sat on my chair beneath the sun, and the city lived again.
That was the three hundredth time.
He had tried again. And again. And again. Each time I slaughtered him. Each time I sent myself back.
Why?
Because I wanted to know.
I truly wanted to understand how many times it would take, how many deaths he'd endure, before something inside him changed.
After all, I wasn't erasing his memory.
But now… I've decided. This was all just an experiment.
And I've reached my conclusion, he simply doesn't believe in any outcome besides his death or his victory.
So I ended the endless cycle of death, shattered the loop, and burst past the masses.
Out there, in the vast sea, standing once again upon the water, was him.
I stepped softly toward him. When he turned, he smiled.
"This time you've come to greet me!" he said, clapping. "How wonderful!"
"Aren't you tired of it?" I asked, quietly. "The death, the pain, the hate?"
He placed his palm to his head, tilting it. "If it's all for the greater good… how could I be tired?"
I see. So that's it. That's the ideal they follow. That's the ideology these people cling to.
I chuckled softly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're a good person. But it's me. I've decided, it has to be me."
His confusion deepened. But as his body ignited in violet fire, he began to laugh.
"That's it! Burn me with the fire! Send me to Heaven! Let me see the world beyond our pitiful light!"
His aura vanished. Soul, mind, body, gone. I left nothing behind but a trace of memory.
And with that memory, I placed a curse. One never to be forgotten… and never to be remembered.
I exhaled and let myself fall back. But instead of water, my body landed gently in the familiar chair.
Malachi approached, carrying a glass of wine.
"I've returned," he said. "Sorry it took so long. I had to deal with something annoying."
I chuckled, taking the glass as he sat at the edge of the seat beside me.
"So," he asked, "when do you plan on traveling to the capital?"
"There's only a week left," I said with a smile, sipping. "And Nicholas hasn't made a single move."
I slowly closed my eyes. "He's planning something big… and, well, I like surprises."
He began massaging my feet. "I hear he's become very strong. Do you think he could beat me now?"
I scoffed. "You lost to Madikai because you refused to utilize your full capabilities."
When I opened my eyes, I saw his frown.
"I had a plan," he muttered. "I just didn't expect his ability to be so powerful I couldn't negate it."
I smirked. "Ah. So you were arrogant."
He turned away and lifted his hands defensively. "No, I… there were people around. I used my power to save them."
I held back a laugh. "Madikai is weaker than you. Next time, use your Mythical Beast."
He folded his arms. "And risk damaging my soul? I couldn't possibly!"
Malachi was stubborn. He never wanted to incorporate any other fighting styles.
I suppose that's my fault. I was the one who forced him to adapt to sleep magic.
The one who bound his being to mine, making me, effectively, his master.
Honestly, I forgot to release his full power in that fight… which was why I felt a little guilty afterward.
But in front of those two, I had to keep up appearances.
It's sad what happened to them.
Still, Nicole exposed them, and thanks to her, the war ended without further bloodshed.
For that, her name will be remembered.
I glanced at Malachi. He was watching me intently.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
I placed a finger on my bottom lip. "How foolish you are."
"Foolish?" he scoffed. "I'll have you know I'm one of the smartest people on this planet."
He raised his arms to the sky. "My eyes see all. Even during the day, I can see the stars."
I looked up.
I suppose he was right. His eyes are special.
Where I can foresee outcomes… he can change them.
Though lately, I've lost faith in my foresight. Time has closed itself to me. I can no longer read it.
And worse… this present, this outcome, was never one I foresaw.
I grabbed both of Malachi's wrists. "Come on," I said. "We have some work to do."