Chapter 85: Before The Battle 2 (Part 1)
At the highest point of the entire city of Kesley, at the summit of the tower that is vermilion's headquarters, a single person casually stands with a faraway look in his eyes.
His gaze seems to be piercing the structures of bricks and marbles that flood the city, but at the same time, they seem to be looking at something completely different. It's like he can see beyond the buildings, beyond the supernaturals, beyond the present, into a picture that has been forgotten.
This man has more secrets than anyone alive in the world and he has more emotions than anyone ever realizes.
He is a man with a combination of power and influence that put him on a bigger pedestal than anyone else in the entire world can even hope to have.
However, he sees no value in them.
He questions if there is any meaning at all in all his power, in all his actions, in his very life.
He has an identity, a very imposing one in fact. However, he has lost meaning in that identity far too long ago.
His story had begun aeons ago. It had been a colourful story too, with countless ups and downs and bonds deeper than blood. But, that was all in the past. Because, not only did his story begin aeons ago, it ended back then too.
All this, all the years he has lived after that, all the breaths and lives he has taken, all the connections and schemes he has made, all the influence and authority he has gained, it's all just an epilogue to his story that has already ended.
This epilogue may or may not add a 'happily ever after' to his end but it wouldn't matter either way because it's nothing but a supplement.
Nothing matters anymore.
Nothing at all.
It has been said that whenever a Phoenix dies, it turns to ashes. And from the ashes of that legend, a new legend is born.
It's a continuous cycle of reincarnation. It symbolises both life and death. And all who read about it are fascinated by this legend to some degree at least.
However, what very few have realized is that this continuous cycle of reincarnation doesn't just symbolize life and death, it also symbolizes singularity.
Regardless of whether the Phoenix is able to remember the events of its past life, it still remains just one creature.
It is reborn whenever it dies and so, only it remains.
There never is a second Phoenix, there always is just one.
It will forever be a singular entity. It will forever be alone.
The story of a Phoenix is never meant to be a tale to be spoken of in a legend by itself. It is always meant to be spoken of as a part of a legend of someone else.
The Phoenix is never the protagonist of a story. Because, well, if it will never truly die, if the story will never truly end, what would be the point of having that story told?
It is a legend with so much meaning and so much power and so much influence but even with all of it, the Phoenix is nothing but a side character in someone else's story. And, if that story has ended, if the story of those who were meant to be the main characters has ended, it doesn't even matter anymore what happens to the side character, the Phoenix.
And so, once more, the conclusion is reached - nothing matters.
Nothing matters anymore.
Nothing at all.
In fact, everything is becoming redundant. And simultaneously, everything is becoming a blur.
Reid Vezalius Rosevelt's story spanned a good 30 or so years and then the epilogue that continues forever started.
But, after so much time, it is becoming a blur.
The actual story, the actual life, the part of his past that has meaning is fading away with time and only the meaningless epilogue is being left behind.
While he has long ago lost a purpose to live, he is now losing his purpose to breathe as well.
Is this how things are going to end?
Is oblivion what awaits him after all this time?
Will he forget the value of the only thing in his life that had any value?
If this is the end that is to come, then maybe the reason why the Phoenix is not the main character of any legends is not because of its lack of an ending but because of the tragedy of it.
The tragedy of the bird who lives forever, constantly forgetting all the bonds and memories it had considered precious in a past life. That fate awaits Rosevelt as well. And maybe that is what this unending epilogue was all about in the first place.
Rosevelt: "Ha!"
The despair in this possibility is eminent to anyone who thinks of it. But, beneath the despair that these thoughts put him in, there is a silver lining. It's a very thin line, but it is undeniably there.
Maybe, it wouldn't be such a tragic ending. Maybe, someone will come along who will be capable of not just ending his life, but ending his continuous cycle of reincarnation as well.
Maybe, there will be an enemy worthy of ending the Phoenix's story in a way that doesn't scream of despair.
Maybe, there will be a hero who can be his enemy.
Rosevelt: "Abgere, huh?"
That name comes to his mind.
Abgere, the man who is trying to extinguish the flames on his wings, his Hellfires.
He has already dimmed the flames a bit.
Maybe, just maybe, he could be the one who douses them completely. And then, finally, the vermilion hue of the Phoenix will be able to rest, after having burned bright for so long.
If he can overcome the Phoenix's trial, if he can douse the flames the Phoenix has thrown at him, if he can douse them all out, then he might be capable of doing so.
If no Hellfires are able to stop him, then maybe the Phoenix won't be able to either.
Rosevelt: "..."
Is it too much to hope for something like this?
Is it too unrealistic?
Is there no way this dream can be achieved?
The Phoenix can only ask these questions to phantoms who don't answer back, and wait for the man who has sworn to kill him to finally come.
And so, he asks those questions to the phantoms who don't answer back, and waits for the man who has sworn to kill him to finally come.
He waits with a smile, at the peak of the world that his eye can capture.
This man has more secrets than anyone alive in the world and he has more emotions than anyone ever realizes. And, as they all are dying out, he wishes for death.
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