Chapter 31: [29 – foresee; the selkie princess]

Of this entire world, during the time he had lived as Soren Rosenbaum, this would be the most magical place he'd ever seen. The palace was grand and luxurious, and Damien's mysterious building had been secretive and alluring, but this was absolutely beautiful, in the simplest terms.

Beyond the parting of leaves was a rather simple sight — or so it seemed. The further Brioc lead Soren into the forest, the stranger things became. 

Vibrant and colourful leaves decorated the grounds, twisting and curling in delicate vines around the trees. They seemed to have a life of their own, lazily hanging from various branches, swaying in the gentle wind. 

The tree trunks melted from earth brown into brilliant white, similar to the Soul Trees, though lacking the mysterious aura that they had. Nevertheless, they stood elegantly in the surroundings, creating a blank canvas for the colours to bloom over.

A place full of life and wonder — even Soren couldn't help but look around with glazed eyes, drinking in the sight. It was intoxicating, it was mesmerizing. A sight Soren couldn't have even imagined in the broken ruins of the apocalypse. 

Mere descriptions of magic couldn't compare to the vivid sight of them in person, dancing across your vision.

Brioc glanced at Soren and grinned wildly, adding with a cheeky look, "Shocked silent, Renren?"

Soren glanced at him and said quite honestly, "It's beautiful."

"Selkies are the most magical of all the animal tribes. Plus, with their knowledge that exceeds natural boundaries, they can find places where the typical person can't." explained Brioc with a light hum, violet eyes scanning the area with joy.

Soren's mind was still engraving the vision into memory, but he said nevertheless, "Who are we looking for?"

"Any of them would work. But if I had to choose one, the Selkie Princess."

"Princess?"

"Well, all tribes have different systems. The Fox Tribe has a leader who works within the shadows, the Selkies have a monarchy system, the Cheetah Tribe, also known as the Taels, have a completely free system, no leaders, no control, just chaos."

"I like theirs the most." added Brioc.

"Will the Princess help?" asked Soren with a frown. Two strangers, neither with a talent at getting along with people, entering a tribal territory and demanding aid seemed ridiculous, no matter how he looked at it.

Brioc, of course, had already considered the matter. "Then we break through, of course."

"I won't kill for fun."

"You're boring~" sighed Brioc with a frown before he shrugged. "If you won't, then you won't. I'll deal with everything, no worries."

"No killing," said Soren firmly with a frown. There was no need for unnecessary bloodshed, and Soren wasn't much of a fan of the Gordy sight of death after everything he'd seen, even if he was immune to it. Regardless, it would be foolish to rush in and attack a large tribe, unless one intended to be chased by dozens of enemies from all over the continent.

"I didn't take you for the sensitive type, Renren."

"I'm not." Soren paused, and continued, "There's a difference in being sensitive, and not wishing for pointless death."

Brioc laughed, his gaze turning sharper. With his unpredictable, playful personality, it was easy to forget that he was a prince who had run away from his kingdom, somebody who survived on his own despite being sheltered all his life. "I killed to survive, y'know? I got used to it, then it became pretty fun. I'd rather kill then be killed, and death sounds awfully horrible."

The crazy magician Brioc who slaughtered without care, was somebody who feared death the most. 

"Death is a frightening prospect, I agree, young magician." interrupted a musical voice, gently washing over their ears in soothing waves. "And yet, we seem to forget that those we kill often share thoughts as complex as our own, emotions as vivid as a blooming flower field."

In front of them, unknown whether it had been there all along or had suddenly appeared before them, was a serene lake of water clearer than the skies on a summer's day. It reflected the colours, both vivid and calm, lapping against the slight ripples in the water. Sitting with her pale legs crossed neatly, the heel of her feet peeking from under her dress was a woman.

Calm and all-knowing were her sea-blue eyes, light ocean wisps of hair seeming to float on her body, loose in a free, expressive way. A delicate pale tattoo ran up the side of her face, framing her eyes in its fragile luxury. When her eyes scanned them both, she momentarily paused on Soren.

"I apologize for my staring but, you are...?"

Soren blinked and replied simply, "Ren."

"Your whole name, if I may?"

His eye flickered as he opened his mouth and closed it again. Finally, he said, "Soren Rosenbaum." 

He hasn't intended to hide his identity to begin with, though he didn't intend to flaunt it around either. Nevertheless, the fact that she had continued to question meant there was something in his name she was searching for, and lying may have done more harm than good.

"Lovely." She laughed softly, a smile spreading across her regal features. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ren. My name is Vendra Selis."

At this point, Brioc tilted his head and then laughed out loud. "Don't tell me, my companion was a prince, and now we've encountered a princess too? Isn't that exciting?"

Vendra turned her head toward him slowly. "I believe you are... Brioc Laurier?"

He laughed again and whistled. "I'm surprised, Princess. You know who I am?"

"I know who most people are, yes."

"Yet you didn't recognize a prince?"

She wasn't impatient with Brioc's quick-fire questions, carrying hints of disrespect and casual mocking. "I recognized him, but I didn't know if I was looking for a prince."

"Then, what were you looking for?"

"His name, whatever it was."

Her words were cryptic, but they were enough for Soren to understand. If she didn't recognize him immediately, it was because she was aware of his multiple identities. However, she didn't seem to know the entire truth either, only understanding that Soren had more than one name.

Brioc looked at Soren with a little hurt in his eyes — though Soren knew they were anything but offended. "How could you hide your identity from me like that, Renren?"

"I didn't."

"You did, don't lie."

Soren stared at him squarely with an impassive face. "I didn't admit nor deny my identity. My name is Ren, and it's also Soren."

Unknowing to Brioc, the prince had revealed a major secret that only a certain protagonist would completely understand. Since the names were similar, Brioc didn't think much of it and just shrugged with a dramatic shake of disappointment.

"Are you two looking for answers to something?" said Vendra suddenly, her calm blue eyes raking over their expressions. "You were hoping for me to answer them, were you not?"

"Yep, that's about right~"

She smiled apologetically, lowering her eyes slightly. "Then I'll have to apologize. The selkie's do not possess the ability to answer mysteries that no other can. Or we once could, but the relic was stolen by another several years prior."

"What?" Even Brioc was startled at this news. "The selkies aren't by any means weak, right? How does that happen?"

"I don't know. It happened as quickly as it was sudden."

"Then—"

"However, that does not mean I can't answer your questions."

"Three questions." stated Soren with a relaxed expression, walking over to sit on the swaying grass with a sprawled out laziness that was unbefitting of a prince.

Vendra smiled. "Go on."

"One. Do you know of Lock and Kat's current situation?"

A personal question that couldn't be answered with knowledge from the past, but only knowledge from the present.

"Two. You were looking for somebody — me — why?"

A question only she would know, and only she could choose to answer or deny. Whether he could trust her, or be weary of her depended on how much she was willing to reveal. 

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"Three." Soren lifted his icy gaze, boring into her eyes as he spoke. "Will this world collapse?"

A question that nobody knew, not even God himself.

Her smile didn't falter, instead, she seemed to have expected these questions. It was as if he could've asked anything, and she would've been prepared to answer. That feeling unnerved Soren even more, as he lazily blinked at her, waiting for an answer.

At his last question, Brioc had gone silent, his violet gaze now quiet, lost in thought.

Vendra parted her lips and said, "One, the children are well and safe. Your friend—"

"Not my friend." Interrupted Soren, ruining the strange atmosphere that had settled. He even politely corrected, "Acquaintance."

"My apologies. Your acquaintance is working on fixing the mark on the boy's body, but they are doing well."

"Celine agreed to help?" wondered Soren aloud as Vendra's expression tensed, growing odd.

"...Celine?"

"The Death Saint." affirmed Soren casually, still wandering in his thoughts.

"Death Saint?" repeated Vendra in a daze, her smile faltering. 

Brioc was the first to notice the change and asked with no regards for her emotions, "Oh? Do you know the Death Saint, hm?"

Vendra paused and smiled nostalgically. "Yes, we were friends, a long time ago. It isn't a story worth telling, we were friends, and we drifted apart as many others do. Now, let me continue answering your questions."

"Two, you're quite right. I was waiting for you, Soren, because there was somebody who told me to wait. That is also the reason I have answers for most of your questions— because the answers have been waiting to be told."

"Who was it?" asked Brioc curiously before his eyes flickered to the candy in Soren's hand and he exclaimed, "What! You have something to eat, and chose to to share?"

Soren glanced at him. "It's medicine."

"Well, I'm sick then. Here, give me one."

"No." He ignored Brioc's pleading look that could only make a person annoyed and asked, "Who?"

"A woman by the name of Jones."

"Jones." repeated Soren slowly, a questioning gleam in his icy eyes. "Her first name?"

"That was the only name she gave."

The name Jones wasn't uncommon, although it wasn't common for a woman either. In this world, it was even rarer compared to the elegant names that branded each person.

Not to mention, could there be such a coincidence? That the mysterious 'Jones' of the duel identity, 'Lydia Jones' could appear exactly where Soren did, carrying secrets that only he would wonder?

"Your final answer." said Vendra, noticing the suspicion in his eyes. "This world..."

Brioc leaned forward eagerly, and Soren gazed at her silently, both waiting for an answer that would determine their fates, and everyone else's.

"...is destined for collapse."

"But," continued Vendra slowly, with a soft smile at her cherry lips. "We have already moved off course from destiny, and now only time will tell."

Her sea-blue eyes shifted to Soren, staring deeply at him. The catalyst that threw fate onto a twisting path of unknown horrors was none other than this outsider himself. This outsider whose actions and words would cause raging waves through the continent, even if he didn't intend to do so.

Because the current existence of Soren Rosenbaum was the very thing that altered the story that was supposed to unfold.

However, for Soren, this wasn't the answer he longed to hear. What he wanted, he didn't know. Hearing the blunt truth of his existence only disturbed him. A simple, unbothered life was what he wanted. In fact, he hardly wanted to live at all, if not for the curse that plagued him. Soren Rosenbaum longed to live, to be loved. Ren Suzuki wanted to die, to be forever forgotten in the passing time.

These words felt like a burden over his shoulders, shackling him once again. If this were what the protagonist had to bear, Soren almost pitied him. Almost.

"I will not do anything." said Soren calmly after a moment, catching the flicker of disappointment in Vendra's eyes. 

It was unrealistic. He was no hero of justice, sacrificing everything to save the world against all odds, as Raphael did. He admired the hero that did, but did not aspire to become him. It wasn't running away from his responsibility; it was turning away from what would be forced upon him. What was the point of saving a world where he held no ties? To save his life which he had already forsaken? A ridiculous idea that was, no matter how he thought of it.

"Your existence can save this world." said Vendra slowly, without any force.

Soren lifted his gaze coldly at her. "Don't want to." 

"But..."

"I refuse."

It was true that he had stretched his hand out to that protagonist who showed him life within the many pages, but that was an exclusive promise to somebody who helped him understand emotions in his blank world. When Soren said he didn't want to be involved, he'd turn a blind eye to the entire world.

When he said he wanted to leave, he disappeared without a word. When he wanted to save Atlas, he found a way to fight even with his weak body.  

This was the stubbornness of an undying reaper who had stood at the top of the apocalypse.

Although that was not by choice, but of the unfortunate consequences of situations he never asked for. At least in this, when he had a choice, he would not be forced into anything else.

Ren Suzuki was emotionless, bland, impassive. But in reality, he was emotionally numb and unstable, like a child when it came to feelings. He couldn't understand, so he ignored them. Even his own, which slumbered deep inside. But unconsciously, those stubborn choices of his were a manifestation of the many things he didn't show.

"Now come on, princess. You can't force your ideals onto other people, can you?" said Brioc cheekily, stretching his arms back in the air. He wanted to survive, and for it to happen, the world had to as well. Nevertheless, Brioc was a person who survived in his own way, against all odds.

Vendra's eyes revealed a tinge of sadness as she nodded. "Yes, you are right. I apologize, Soren. However, I would ask again, even if I had to to do this. You may hold no attachment to this world, but everything I know and care for is here."

"I cannot sit by idly and watch it crumble into pieces"

Her eyes carried desperate determination, even in her gentle elegance. Jones, the partner of Lydia, had created another outlier in this story. A woman who would fight to the end, even if she had put out her life on the line. 

Knowing this, Soren wondered, would a tragedy really await? Only time would tell.

"Meet that hippo." said Soren solemnly as two confused sets of eyes stared at him.

"Pardon?"

"Oh." said Soren heartlessly as he realized that they didn't understand. "Raphael will aid you."

A loyal, strong-willed but caring companion wouldn't be bad for Raphael. Maybe, just maybe, she would even up becoming the key piece to saving this final world of his.

"Your fri— acquaintance?"

Soren nodded and she smiled. "Thank you, for even telling me of that. Now, you two had a question to ask of me in the beginning. I'll answer you properly now."

This time, Brioc stepped up. "That's my cue~ we do have a question. Do you know the location of the Barren kingdom?”

Vendra hesitated. “I do not… but I do know the whereabouts of somebody who might. However, whether they are alive or dead remains a mystery, even to my tribe.”

“Where?”

“On the Darkness mountain where none can survive…”

She continued slowly, “…lives the last necromancer — the only one who can find the lost Barren Kingdom.”