30 Ace and Arzen

"Who are you?" I asked him again

"Who am I?" He raised his brows.

"That what I asked," I told him.

"You seem to be happy here. Why don't you stay here and give her to me too?" He asked.

"What?" what is this fellow talking about.

"You want to be here, right? With them." he pointed at where my brothers are. "So, just stay here. Live in this illusion." he continues.

"They're not an illusion!" I protested. 

"You should know as well as I do, that sometimes, what we have lost, can't be back," he said in sorrow.

"I know" I whisper.

"You said that you're going to protect her. You vow that you won't hurt her as I did. So, what are you doing now? Isn't it the time for you to let go of your guilt, Ace?. I'm sure they never hold grudges toward you" He said softly.

"I know" I whisper again. No, I don't know but I know. It's hard to explain. I don't know this man, yet I feel like I know him.

"Do you know that she was pregnant when she died the first time around?" He whispers with a really sad voice.

I snapped my wide eyes to him. Mouth gaped in surprise.

"She was. I found out after I did my own investigation. I guess she wanted to save the baby. Do you know that if her pregnancy was found out that time, she would be moved until she gives birth, after that she would have been executed? The baby either would be given to her family, given to the father, exiled or killed." his voice turns hoarse at every word.

"No..." I denied.

"With me, who had to marry that girl as its father and her family that never loved her, it was the best choice, in her conscience that time. I was a coward and always hesitate to step up. I knew that, but if I knew, only if I knew before she was gone. I would have taken her away. I love her after all. Having a family with her would have been wonderful, don't you think?" he asked me with a tearful expression.

"Yeah, yeah. I have that dream as well." I told him. I don't know why I told him that or who was it that we were talking about. I just understand it. I know I understand it.

"Yet, you forgot about her" he complains.

"I don't think I forgot. I had this vision of a girl so many times. I knew she is my treasure, but every time I am about to call her, something always comes up. After that, I only able to recall her voice. Sweet and enchanting. Even if I am not able to remember how she looks, how she feels, I know she is precious to me" I explain.

"Of course, she is precious. She is different from other ladies. She doesn't need makeup to be pretty. She is able to stands by herself. Strong-willed. People say she is cold, but if you know her, she is the most caring person you will ever know" He recalls with a smile.

"I know, right. She is brave and never scared to face her problem. Her eyes when she was excited are beautiful. Shining with curiosity. Kii is... Ah..." I trailed. Kii, her name is Kii. My Kii.

"Do you remember her now? Your treasure?" he asked again.

"Yeah," I smiled faintly. "My treasure..." I close my eyes, her figures materialised in my mind. Her hair dancing by the wind, her smile is sweet, her eyes sparkling with vigour. 'Ace-kun, let's go on adventures!' her voice echoed.

I smiled to myself. "Yes, I remember her. My treasure. My precious, My Kii. My treasure is my fiancee whom I just proposed to, Kii Fern Wallace" I open my eyes and smiled at him.

Kii Fern Wallace. The girl that gave me so much happiness.

He smiled "I am glad you remember. I never love that Angela girl, you know. I thought that I need to be nice to her because Kii was treating her badly. I thought that girl was like a child that needs my help. I never see her as a lover. I was nice to her to atoned Kii's behaviour. I was such a fool" he sighs.

"You were," I told him.

"And what about you? You were about to do the same thing. You were about to leave her too" he accused.

I know he is right. "How are you here now?" I asked instead. My head is still muddled, but bit by bit the cloud is cleared. 

He stares at me for long times, as if speculating about pro and con telling me his reason.

"As you know the keeper was the guardian spirit that given to me when I was born. We, Princes, were given spirit as we born, same as my brother who his guardian spirit was staying at the dungeon right now. I was devasted by her death. One day, he told me about an ancient ritual about resetting the time. He said it was very risky, one will need to sacrifice his own soul to do that" he smiled.

"I had nothing to lose anymore. My dreams, my lifeline had gone. Without Kii, I don't want to live anymore. I need someone to go back, to protect her. I was about to give up when I notice him stalking me and his hatred toward me. He used to idolize me, so I knew when he changed. I decided to use him. I really am a despicable person" he sighs again.

"You used Aoi" I stated.

"I used Aoi" he confirmed.

"I saw him left the place where Kii was imprisoned at a point. I asked the keeper what was his business, that time, as far as I know, Aoi didn't care about Kii. The keeper can't lie to me, nor he can defy me. He explained that Aoi knew what happened. That was when I decided that Aoi was the suitable person to be sent. I'm sure. He would protect Kii."

"What about you. You don't plan to protect her?" I asked.

"It's not that I don't want to, but I can't. Did you forget what was needed for resetting the time?" he prompts.

The answer comes in a second. "Someone soul" I realised.

"That's one of them. I knew if I was successful, my own existence would be erased. I would cease to exist in the world as if I was never there to begin with." He tells me.

"Vanish. You were erasing yourself." I state.

"Yes. I don't mind to be erased. As long as she would be happier. I was confident that Aoi would be capable enough to protect her. Besides..." he trails.

"Besides?" I prompt.

"She won't be the Kii that I know anymore. My Kii was dead. The Kii that was pregnant with my child. The Kii that suffered because of me. The Kii that I love very, very much wouldn't exist anymore. So, yes. I offered my soul to make the ritual successful." he concludes.

"I see. That's explain everything," I said. To be honest, I still don't see, but I feel like I understand what he means.

"The keeper was preparing for the ritual when we were attacked that day." he continues.

"Attacked?" I asked.

"Attacked by The Ethervizh and The Etherkouz. Rhuifen also really loved Kii, you know? And The Ethervizh was feeling betrayed by us. A few years back, they lost their Princess to us. Then, Kii was also treated awfully. It was understandable" he said.

"I know Rhuifen loved her. He still does even now" I said with a scowl.

He smirks at me before continuing. "We were losing. I knew I was going to die, so I escaped to do the ritual. I didn't want Kii's chance to be happy vanished. I believe that Aoi would notice and he would come to find me. The keeper was ready when I come. I told him that he was free, but he didn't leave. He stood by me until the end. I let go of everything when I noticed Aoi was coming. So, that's why I'm here now." He explained.

"All this time, you've been here?" I ask for confirmation.

"Not really. My soul has vanished, remember? This is only a one-time thing, I was able to be here now because you were unconsciously asking me for an answer." he explained.

"Where are you now, then? Are you even real?" I muse.

"I'm living in my own illusion, in a place where Kii and my baby were." he smiled. "You know, this spell is not supposed to have this effect, but with the guilt in your heart and my own guilt added into that, that was what made you here now."

"What should I do to go back?" I ask him.

"You just need to wake up," he said.

"That easy?" I asked.

"That easy," he confirmed.

"The voices that I hear. They're for me? They have been calling me?" I said.

"They have been calling you" he confirms again.

The cloud that blurred my mind shifted little by little until I realised what happened to me right now. I know who this man is, why he is here, and how I am able to be here too. Ether was able to take me here because this man's soul had vanished.

"I know who you are," I told him.

"Oh?" he prompts.

"You're Arzen. Arzen Ace Fern Rhein." I exhale.

"You are me" I conclude.

He smiled. "Yes," he said. "My dream to be with Kii, to have a family with her, only able to exist in an illusion. Both my Kii and I have vanished. Your Kii and you though, still able to fulfil it for real. So, don't do what I did, Ace. Don't leave her. Go back to her. She is waiting for you" He smiled again.

"Understand" I smiled too.

As his figure starting to fade. I asked him for the last time "Are you happy, Arzen?"

"I am. I am with my Kii and our baby now. We are happy." he smiled.

"I see" I whisper.

"Take good care of your Kii," he said before he vanished completely.

"I will" I whisper to the wind.

I don't know for how long I've been standing there after he vanished. I just need to wake up he said. I never thought waking up is this difficult. I shifted as I feel someone is approaching me.

"He is right," a voice said.

I turn to the voice. "Oyaji?" I asked.

"No one held a grudge toward you. We were prepared to die in the first place" he said.

"But, I ruined your family. Your crew, if not because of me you and them wouldn't need to go for war" I said.

"We did what we did because you're precious to us, son. Your brothers will do the same thing over and over again. Tell me, if it was Marco or any of your brothers that were about to be executed that time. Will you just ignore them and let them die?" Oyaji asked.

"Of course not!" I stated.

"Then, you have nothing to be guilty about, son" Oyaji smiled again.

"I, I miss you all. I want to have more adventures with all of you, but..." I trailed.

"Ace is so silly," Luffy said as he and the others come closer to us.

"We are part of you, Ace. Wherever you are, we are there with you" Sabo said with a smile.

"We live inside your heart as you live inside of our heart" Marco adds.

"Don't hesitate. We want you to be happy, Ace. Wherever you are" Thatch said.

"Even if we are not there with you, knowing you're happy will make us happy too," Namur said as the other nods at his statement.

I look at their face one by one. I am truly blessed to have them. I look up to Oyaji.

"I... I..." I tried to say just how much they meant to me, but I was lost of words. Nothing I said can describe just how thankful I am to them.

"You will always have a place here, son. This is your home too, but right now you also belong somewhere else. Go back, son. To the place that been calling you. To the people that were waiting for you." Oyaji said.

"We are always with you. Don't forget that" Sabo adds.

I look again at their smiling face. 

"Thank you for accepting me in your life. Thank you for loving me" I bow.

"Go on, find your happiness and a new adventure!" Luffy said enthusiastically as he and Sabo come to me for a hug.

I smile at them. "I love all of you," I told them as I feel consciousness come to me.

I was laying on a bed. I stare at the ceiling for moments. People around me are talking about something. No, they're making a plan to go somewhere. How long I've been asleep?

They are talking about Kii. Kii! What happened to her?

"I am coming with you all!" I said to them.

"Arzen!" They exclaimed at the same time.

"You're awake!" Nii-sama said.

"I'm sorry for making you worry. What happened to Kii?" I asked.

"She is missing, along with Angela," Aoi said.

"We finally able to trace her. She is in The Holy land territory. We don't know how she was there, for now, we are planning to fetch her." Uncle Raselle said.

"I'm coming," I said.

"Your body is..." Uncle Raselle trailed.

"Uncle, I'm fine. I can't stay here knowing Kii is somewhere out there. We don't even know if she is safe. I would die if I just stay idle here whereas she may be in danger" I state.

"Are you sure your body can handle it, Arzen?" Nii-sama asked in worry.

"I am sure. Thought it seems that my control over my magic is disturbed" I lit my fist with my fire magic but the fire lit my whole body instead.

"Careful!" Aoi said while his magic extinguished the fire that burns my bed sheet.

"I'm asking the elfen tribe for help. They agree to arrange a place for us to teleport to their border. Since teleportation is hard and we need to know the exact place to teleport, having them helping us will make us come faster." Uncle Raselle explained.

"Who is coming beside us?" I asked.

"Arren Nii-sama, Noah, Uncle Raselle, Ben and I" Aoi informed.

"Nii-sama should stay. Someone needs to be here to supervise everything. Akai-san alone will be overwhelmed. We don't know who take Kii there. It is possible that the culprit still here" I said.

"I agree," Akai said, looking at Nii-sama who nodded.

"Okay, get ready. The preparation will be ready in an hour." Uncle Raselle said before he leaves with Ben.

"There are a lot of things that we need to discuss, Arzen. But for now, Kii-chan safety is the priority. We will talk after we got Kii-chan back" Nii-sama told me who nods at him.

The journey comes so fast. Before we realise it, we are already at the border of the elven tribe's territory. Two of their warrior welcoming us as we arrived.

They told us that they have speculation to who got Kii and that pink girl are. It was slavers they suspect. A few of their people also have become victims, they said. God, I hope Kii is alright.

Not want to waste time, we move as soon as we arrived. The elf named Sara said that they have found where the slavers hideout are, so we are now going there to check if it is true that they were the one who got Kii.

As we got near to the hideout, we hear a rattle noise. It seems that there is a battle going on not too far from our place. We run in a hurry to the place. On our way, we meet a beastman kid and a demon kid.

"Help!" they said. "They need help. We are escaping but we got found out. They have reinforcement." The demon kid said in a hurry.

"Don't worry, we come to help," Uncle Raselle said.

As we arrive there. My eyes found Kii immediately. I saw her blasted out.

"No..." I whisper and run to her as I saw the enemies readied for another attack. My fire lit my whole body unconsciously as I desperately tried to reach Kii.

"Leave her alone, you bastard!" I shout as I use my lightning and fire to blast their attack. They drop, unconscious, like dolls being cut from their strings.

"Ace-kun..." Kii whispers.

"Kii, you okay? Are you hurt?" I said, checking for any injuries on her body.

"Ace-kun, Ace-kun..." Kii sobs as I held her tight to me.

"Kii, I'm sorry, I'm late. I'm sorry for not coming earlier. I'm so glad you're okay" I tell her.

Kii said nothing. She just held me tighter. With her being back in my arms, I feel like I finally come home.

Ether, please don't separate us again for whatever reasons. Let us together for eternity.