Chapter 29: [27 — coexistence; final farewells]

"Another idiot." was Soren's blunt reply to the intentionally startling news. 

After all, who wanted to become a God? What benefits were there to doing such a thing? The power, the faith, the immortality? Unfortunately, Soren had experienced similar things and found them to be a curse rather than a blessing. Eternal life was eternally dreadful, devoted faith was incredibly bothersome and unlimited power was useless most of the time. 

Sage gazed at him with a slight frown on his dampened expression. "What do you mean?"

"The idea sounds horrible." The last word felt  heavily empathized even upon his indifferent lips.

"You shouldn't destroy somebody's dream like that, little prince." said Raphael in a slightly mocking tone. "Didn't you have dreams as a child?"

His words were intentionally disbelieving despite it sounding kind. Sage furrowed his brows more at this duo who mocked his God's strength.

"No."

".....none?"

"I don't remember my childhood." said Soren honestly without care, not realizing the gloomy clouds that he had just created.

Raphael descively changed the subject. His gaze turned to Sage and a lazy smile stretched across his lips. "You really believe he can become one?"

"He will."

The protagonist laughed. "If it were so easy, several would slap the label on and call themselves allmighty. But you don't see that happen, do you?"

"You don't understand." stressed Sage, defeated as frustration tainted his voice.

For the first time, Soren saw the unwanted maturity, heavy in Raphael's tone. "You, don't understand." repeated the man with a careless smile, though it hinted at his weighing past. "You killed people for a stupid reason, children in that manner for a chance that may not exist. The dead should remain dead, and some things, even if you want to, you can't do them."

"Understand this. You are a fool, and your leader is one too." He laughed bitterly. "Just because you sacrifice many to save the one, doesn't mean that one will be saved."

"Don't make excuses for what you did. Admit to your selfish foolery and then there's that."

What Raphael despised was Sage's tone, free of worry as if everybody should understand. The idea of reviving your most beloved was alluring and sweet, but even if you chose that path, you couldn't deny that you were scum. Sage was a murderer, an absolute scum. The fact that he denied that for the belief anybody would do the same was a ridiculous farce.

Soren felt a twist in his chest, ever so faint. A familiarity that he couldn't quite understand, from what, he didn't know. 

Raphael turned to Damien with a wry grin. "Sorry kid, although I can understand your relationship, there's a point where it's a bit much."

Damien had listened silently the whole time and shook his head calmly with a steady gaze. "Because of my age, do you think I'm more emotional?" He gazed at Sage cooly. "Did you think I'd listen, because I cared? I intended to talk to you to hear your explanation, not to forgive you."

His voice carried not the faintest hint of warmth, just chilling disappointment. "Do you believe I'll show you mercy, Sage?"

In fact, a part of Sage had expected it. Damien wasn't completely cold-hearted, understanding his own emotions as well as all others. Yet, because he was sensitive to emotions in such a complex way, that he knew very well the extent of Sage's crimes, family or not.

Sage looked at him helplessly. "I truly did care for you, Leader."

"If your loyalty and care only amounts to this much, do you think I want it?"

The care Sage had for Damien wasn't false, but it mattered little in the end. After all, Sage had chosen to betrayal despite these feelings, his actions contradicting his words. That sort of hypocritical care meant little in life. Damien wouldn't deny their history, but he wouldn't forgive the present either.

"No, I don't." said Sage calmly, despite the certain torture that awaited. Even if part of his trusted Damien, he also knew the teenager, ultimately, was a trained and merciless killer who put logic over emotions in the long run, no matter how strong those feelings were. "I'll say, careful who you trust. We have eyes everywhere and nowhere. It was a good ride, Leader."

"Maybe, somebody close by will become your greatest foe."

Damien's expression suddenly twisted and he lunged forward, feline eyes sharp as he stretched out his hands, long pointed nails reaching out as his lips parted to reveal his pointed canniness, his human form falling to shreds and yet, he still wasn't fast enough.

From the tattoo hidden in Sage's body, slender white branches begun to sprout, blooming in beautiful twisting turns, decorated by hanging pale blue leaves. They curved and delicately creeped up his body, completely in decorating it in a fragile design. His body, now limp, slumped forward, framed by each prickly snowy branch. It was beautiful. It was cruel. It was stunningly devastating.

The teenager crouched on the ground, one leg stretched out to stabilize his body as his eyes bore through the sight in front of him, dark tail swaying with caution. 

"This is..." Raphael frowned at the strange, horrifying sight that had once been Sage. In his many lives, it was not something he had seen before.

Even Soren was slightly surprised at the scene, staring at the pale leaves strangely. This mesmerizing beauty... he'd seen these leaves before. Back in the training room where he had entered for the first time existed these blooming icy leaves, hanging onto sickly white branches. The scene was burned into his mind, for it was rare for this empty man to feel such wonder. The sort of curiosity that was far different from a simple interest in this new life, or a new person.

Then, as they watched, a despairing darkness slowly swallowed the fragile colours, dying them in their abyss.

"A fallen soul tree." said Damien after a moment, words ringing in the silence. He stood up, eyes a little blank as he stared at the corpse now etched in permanent black. "I'll investigate this."

He turned around, facing the door with his back to the other two. "It's been a pleasure, but this matter involves our tribe too deeply. Do not interfere, understood?"

"What's a soul tree?" asked Raphael with a frown. 

"The one thing that represents each living thing's entire history. Once no paths exist anymore, they are completely and utterly gone, from their very souls."

Raphael lowered his eyes darkly. "I will have to report it. This isn't a situation that involves the tribe alone, but everybody involved with the third religion."

Damien paused, his tail hanging low, curving around his legs. "Very well."

The door gently closed with a restrained anger. On the other hand, Soren frowned more deeply. It was a strange thing, to see a plot you read unfold before your very eyes, but it was even stranger when new mysteries were added. Ones that existed in pages he could only imagine, long ripped out and gone.

The thing that was even more perplexing, and all the more annoying, were the vague feelings stirring in Soren's chest at this information. The training room. Soul trees. The third religion. Unknowingly, the three things were related in a way he could not understand.

"What will you do," said Raphael, interrupting his thoughts. "...little prince?"

"Leave."

"You're planning on leaving?"

Soren glanced at him. "You knew."

"I did." admitted Raphael with a nod. "Although I can't say I was completely sure about it. Well, I won't tell your brothers about this part, in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't."

Raphael laughed, shaking his head. "Well, I expected that answer. What will you do, hm?"

"None of your business."

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"I expected that too." Raphael grinned lopsidedly, a customary hand placed on the hilt of his sword in habit, but his posture naturally relaxed. From the tension in his seemingly carefree posture in the beginning to this gradual true relaxation, their relationship had progressed to a point neither expected.

Soren had no intention of getting too involved with the plot, and he was firm when it came to his own decisions. But Raphael, despite being colder and crueler than the innocent hero of justice in the beginning, was still a hero of justice in the end.

Even if he didn't immediately jump into saving the world as he once did, he'd undoubtedly be roped into the complicated tangles of [The Transmigrator's Last World]. Perhaps with Soren's slight adjustments to the plot, a tragedy wouldn't await. Soren thought so too, ever so slightly. In the end, it was best not to place bets on futile strands of hope, where no clear ending was certain.

Hope could save a person, but it could also destroy them in delusion. Raphael, perhaps, was a perfect example of that. 

"Well, I guess this is goodbye isn't it, little prince?"

Raphael suspected Soren, while Soren was cautious of Raphael. Yet, the two had a strange, contrasting sense of coexistence that had gradually felt normal. Maybe it was that reason Raphael chose not to pursue this mystery called Soren, despite his lingering suspicions.

Regardless, there were other matters more grave then this indifferent little fool who only wanted to escape his life.

Soren met the other's dark gaze and nodded. "Yeah, bye." 

He turned around and left the room.

"....." The door soon opened again and a slightly exasperated Raphael leaned against the frame, squinting at the slippery prince who had shamelessly left. "Seriously, did you actually just leave like that?"

"Yeah." replied Soren without a care with his typical matter-of-fact sort of expression.

Raphael pressed a hand to his head and waved him off. "Go, go. I don't know what I was trying to do, but I definitely regret it."

"Okay, bye." 

"Yeah." Raphael lazily leaned against the door, staring at Soren with a wave. "Bye."

Soren paused, casting one last look at the protagonist before turning around completely and walking away. He walked for a few minutes before he realized — he had no idea where he was. At such a crucial time, too. The prince frowned and turned back in the direction he left, before a woman appeared in front of him from nowhere.

"Ah." said Soren blandly in surprise.

Hazel stared at him. "I thought I'd surprise you, but that has got to be the blandest response I've ever gotten."

In fact, there wouldn't have even been a response if Soren wasn't busy thinking about... well, everything. Though Hazel didn't need to know that, her being happy with her accomplishment was enough.

"I'm here to show you the way out. Leader sent me." explained Hazel when it looked as if Soren would turn and leave her behind. 

Soren froze and turned around. "Thanks."

She nodded with a smile and started walking with Soren trailing behind. "Oh yeah, don't worry about being cautious around me. I already calmed down, for the most part." Her voice faltered. "Though... it's hard to accept."

"Sorry for getting mad at you." Hazel was the type who easily reacted based off her emotions, but would always reflect later. If she did something wrong, she was always the fasted to apologize for amend her mistakes.

"Sage is dead." said Soren calmly. Even if his words seemed cruel, it was better than leaving her in the dark, not knowing until the future. It was better than beating around the bush about something she wished to know about the most.

She seemed to hesitate in her steps, her ears drooping as her tail curled around her curled fingers. "I know. Leader explained... everything to me."

"You must think I'm an idiot." she continued with a downcast sigh. "I'm older than Leader, but it really doesn't seem like it. I know I react off my emotions, but I really can't help it."

Soren wasn't sure what it was that made Hazel spill her heart at this moment. Whether it was because she was extremely sensitive at this time, or that Soren's silence gave her the sense that he was listening — and he was, sort of — he really couldn't understand.

"Sage..." Hazel grounded her teeth. "I can't believe he betrayed the Leader. How could he? Ugh... now I just wish I could've given him a beating!" Her face fell. "Not that I can really do anything to him anymore. I can't imagine... what Leader is feeling right now."

Soren figured, Damien wouldn't be dissecting his emotions at this moment. He'd do it eventually, but there was a lot to be done and that teenager was a type of workaholic. 

After spending more than several months since he first arrived in this world with Damien, although the murderous intent was a little off putting, it was impossible for Soren to be as indifferent to him as a stranger. Even if he didn't intent to get involved, he said, "It's fine. Just stay by his side, and that'll be fine."

Hazel looked at him in surprise. "You say some surprisingly things, your highness."

"I read it in a book."

"...ah?"

Soren ignored her double surprise and confusion and kept walking behind her even when she glanced back. Most of his emotional knowledge came from, quite literally, knowledge. The information relayed to him by others in the form of writing, that was how he could understand the minimum. Hazel's grief, her worry for that gloomy teenager — it was a fairly common plot point.

Hazel continued to lament, although at times she'd go completely silent with a dazed look in her eyes. Even if she had claimed to be calmer, it was impossible to regain the same sort of cool as Damien. Soren didn't interrupt her either, allowing her to simmer in her dancing thoughts dripping with emotions he even found admirable. After all, wasn't something you couldn't begin to comprehend fairly interesting? 

When they reached the outside of the building, Soren subconsciously turned back. It was surreal, everything that occurred as he had read on paper, and some out of the original tale. Everything had been peaceful too, for Soren at least.

In the world without broken buildings, endless corpses and desperate fighters who fought like corpses, already having died long ago. Now that he'd finally stepped a foot into an unbound life, repaying his debts to the original and finding his own freedom in this world, it was strange.

There was nothing holding him back. No chains to bind him, so lagging tiredness from countless battles which fell upon him in tidal waves.

Only a single protagonist which connected him to his past, now thrown aside by Soren himself.

There was... a vague regret.

But also an overwhelming sense of something that Soren didn't really get. It was hard to describe, similar to being trapped in a cage for a very, very long time, then having the doors open before you. It was conflicting, it was confusing and it was incredible.

Soren was the reaper who lived to the beat of his own drum. He wasn't always alone, though the companionship would twist and crumble into betrayal, and he'd be alone once again until the next. The difference this time wasn't that he could make his own choices, he did that before, but it was liberating. 

He didn't have to sleep with one eye open, lose himself in his thoughts of his immortal body despite his lacking resolve to live, he didn't have to do anything. He didn't have to think anything either.

Hazel stopped at the exit, looking at Soren who was staring at something unseen. "Aren't you leaving, your highness?"

He looked away, and stepped foot out of the gates. Names and identity were an important thing even to the ones who cared little, and he'd lived by Soren Rosenbaum during his time in this world. Because that was who he was, who he possessed and who he intended to be.

But where did Ren Suzuki exist in all of this?

No, it was only now that the coexistence between the scum fifth prince, Soren Rosenbaum, and the undying reaper of the apocalypse, Ren Suzuki, truly begun.

“Yeah. I am.”