Crucis

"Huff...haah… Ugh. Why? Why must this happen to me… d-damn it all! Argh…"

The downpour drenched my clothes and pelted my aching body. I was an incoherent mess, my robes were bloodied and torn apart, exposing my bare skin and my wounds to the cold rain.

I feel… so tired, my vision was getting hazy. My legs were giving up on me and my knees trembled every time I took a step forward. I felt my strength dwindle gradually, my steps staggered and my gait wavered. It was hard to breathe, it felt like something heavy was pressing against my chest. I winced in pain as I slumped on a nearby tree to get a brief rest and to catch my breath.

"Mother... Father… Omri... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

I was in agony, my knees lost their vigour and my body fell to the cold, muddy ground. The gash on my back throbbed and I sensed my warm blood ooze every time my heart pulsates. I tried to stabilize myself, but my body refused to cooperate.

As I lay down, tears started to well up from my eyes.

I was truly alone now, my family, my friends, my freedom, and my life... All had been taken away from me. The sound of heavy rain muffled my miserable sobbing.

"I'll... kill those bastards! I swear, I will make Fate pay them in kind… Just… wait for me…"

The rain was relentless as were my tears.

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An unruly company was walking out of the burning Palace of Anima. Donned in their full body heavy armour, they marched at a steadfast pace. Black, hooded cloaks embroidered with a fierce lion insignia on the back, draped their bodies and their movements looked as if to represent the coming of night.

At the helm of the group, was a man, clad in a simple black suit. His cloak however was dyed crimson and at it's back was an insignia of a serpent that was embroidered with golden threads.

"Damn, burning down that house was a chore! Let's get on to the main event." His lips arched to form a sinister smile.

"Prepare the lambs! Make sure to find the lost calf. We cannot afford to have loose ends!" He then ordered his followers to spread out throughout the city.

As the talk of revolution was rife, many delighted onlookers were gathered in the Plaza of the city of Anima. Their gazes were focused on the central forum as they awaited the trial of the deposed sovereigns. The air had an ominous feel as the overcast of storm clouds hovered at the midday sky.

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I've been running through the dark and narrow alleyways of the City of Anima, barely escaping from my pursuer who was just several paces behind.

"The Moira should just disappear from this world!"

The hooded assailant threw a knife at me, I quickly tilted my body to the left in order to evade it. Fortunately the knife narrowly missed my right leg by a few inches, I ran in a straight path until I reached the edge of the narrow street.

'Damn it! A dead end!'

A high wall was blocking my front and the sides, there was no place to hide nor climb to. Dejected, I turned back hoping that my pursuer lost sight of me.

Unfortunately, he was now blocking my escape path. It seems a direct confrontation was inevitable.

"You persistent runt! You've got nowhere to run now, hahaha!"

My attacker drew his sword, he then cautiously closed his distance, his heavy footsteps echoed along the alleyway as he trudges toward me.

"Stop resisting and let me have your head. I'll make sure it will be painful-"

I invoked my mana and with a flick of my index finger, a golden aura knife materialized by my side. It flung itself in a blink of an eye towards the attacker, the knife sliced diagonally through the man's head. He wasn't able to finish his sentence as the blade disabled him in mere seconds.

Blood spilt from his face and crown as I saw his head split apart. The knife disintegrated shortly, and his corpse fell hard on the cobbled ground. Gradually vanishing to nothingness, leaving only a pool of blood in its wake.

A sharp pain coursed through my entire body, My nose started to bleed profusely and I tasted a bit of blood in my mouth.

This was the price I had to pay in order to forcefully cut someone's Fate. The problem was, it was dangerous as it required an equal portion of accumulated Divinity, which my body currently lacked. I wiped off the blood from my lips and cast a lower healing enchantment into my body to recover.

I sighed and glanced at the personal effects that were sprawled on the ground. I picked up his cloak to inspect it and saw a lion-patterned insignia on the collar.

It was the coat of arms for the Seditio, a radical group opposing the existence of us, the Moira.

I closed my eyes for a while to rest and to comprehend the situation. 'How did the Seditio infiltrate and occupy Anima at such an alarming rate? What drove them to attack us?'

I started to recall a distant memory as I stared at the insignia, my consciousness gradually drifted.

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"We the Moira, are beings blessed by Fate, we are born to this world to give insight and guide humans to their appropriate world lines. Our eyes are tinged with an emerald hue, the darker it is, the higher it indicates that a Moira possessed a far greater pool of power. It is a physical trait that our kind possessed." My father was holding his fringes up to his forehead as he displayed his vibrant emerald eyes.

"We are also blessed with precognition and high mana aptitude there were also cases in the past wherein descendants are able to accumulate Divinity." He then demonstrated his excellent mana control by creating a water sphere, quickly freezing it into a smooth ball of ice, then evaporating it and turning it to steam.

"When a person dies, it is our responsibility to manage their Threads of Fate. Some of Those threads are called 'bonds' or 'strands' and it holds the person's existence; The soul."

I remembered my father's words on the eve of my 7th birthday. After being away from the castle for two years, he promised me that he will read me a special book as a gift for my coming of age. It was the Tome of the Moirais. An ancient artefact passed down to every monarch succeeding the throne of the Palace of Anima.

While holding the tome, he reached out his rough hand to my small head and proceeded to pat it gently, he smiled and explained further.

"If you sever those threads with Divinity, a person will cease to exist. The body will perish and its soul will be thrown to the World's Abyss and will be forgotten. If you tie their threads however, the person's soul will be bound to this world. The body will perish but its soul will not be taken away. Instead, it will stay in this world line, and will be remembered."

Father then closed the journal in his hand and summoned his spatial inventory. It looked like he was placing the book on a floating, invisible shelf.

"We are to make sure that souls must be bound to their designated world lines, this allows the soul to cycle and reincarnate within their world, replenishing the flow of Mana. The process usually takes hundreds of years to complete, it also allows the soul to be free of their past memories prior to the reincarnation. If there was a loose thread, that thread may interfere with Fate, and if neglected, it will-"

"Haaaaaaaaahhhh."

Father got distracted by my long yawn. I was fairly tired and I felt a bit uncomfortable in my seat. Father glanced at the time on his left wristwatch and winced, realizing that he kept me up an hour past my bedtime. He picked me up from my seat and embraced me warmly. It was very comforting and I was getting drowsier. As I clung on his warm chest, I buried my face gently on his soft, white, buttoned shirt.

He looked at me with a silly pouting face. His gentle hand ruffles my silver hair.

"Looks like it is time for bed little one. We shall continue this tomorrow alright?"

"But father, you promised that you'll finish the book with me on my birthday." I whimpered and clung to him harder. I really didn't want my day to pass.

"You only spend time with me on special days, why can't it be every day, every hour and every minute? I looked at my father with a pitiful expression, I acted like a small kitten begging for attention.

Father groans and glanced at me with a hesitant face, he was clearly weak against my charms.

After all, it wasn't easy being a father as well as being the monarch of the Palace of Anima.

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Emperor Lucis Regius Ferre was a busy man. He was so preoccupied with his responsibilities, that he would sometimes leave for extended periods of time to travel around the territory and also do diplomatic work. But on normal working days, he coops himself inside his study with a big pile of paperwork and deliverables that concerned the affairs of the Empire.

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My father was a workaholic.

The worst he did was when he abruptly left me and my mother a day after my 5th birthday. My mother was devastated to find out that he suddenly rushed to war and was inconsolable that day. Fortunately, my father sent a swift letter that morning explaining the situation.

Apparently, the Church of Arbor, the ardent followers of the Tree of Truths, caused civil strife on the Northern borders. My father mobilized his generals and half of the army to defend the Palace of Anima and her lands. My mother, Empress Florestella Nocte Ferre had to temporarily fill my father's shoes and lead the territory.

Swift letters were exchanged every day during the father's absence from the palace. Although he wasn't physically around the castle, his letters helped minimize the loneliness my mother and I felt. During my birthdays, and on holidays he would send me large gifts such as books, swords, and toys. All from the northern lands.

On normal days, he would send me a letter of greetings with sweets and pastries attached. My mother would get freshly picked flowers and small fragile trinkets like a glass quill or a delicate brooch which was mesmerizing to see, as such gifts usually expire or get damaged in transit. Despite the distance, father treasured us in his own way.

This continued, until two weeks ago, father sent a letter notifying his return on the 5th day of the month of Spring. Which was a week before my 7th birthday. Fortunately, he managed to return safely, along with the army with only a few casualties, which was an unprecedented achievement.

My father thought long and hard before replying to my question. He then took a deep breath and finally answered.

"Alright, I won't leave you and your mother abruptly again, I promise. I'll take a long break with you and your mother. How about we go on a picnic tomorrow at the gardens?"

He kisses my forehead and smiles. "I shall make sure to finish reading the Tome for you tomorrow, before your bedtime."

My eyes sparkled with joy from his reply. "A picnic is okay! Will there be custard sandwiches tomorrow? They taste great with juice!"

Father walks out of the study with me in tow on his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered to him softly.

"Spending time with father was the best gift I could ever have, thank you for keeping your promises. I will never ever forget this day." I gave him a small peck on his cheek. and he stopped on his tracks briefly. I noticed small tears welling up from his eyes and he was flushed by my adorable gesture.

He then increased his pace and darted through the hallway. He brought me to my room and laid me on the bed carefully. Father tucked me in under the soft blankets and his warm hand gently caressed my forehead.

My eyes were drooping and sleep was beckoning to me.

"Athos, thank you too for today and for being my adorable son. Sweet dreams, little one."

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My consciousness then started to return to the present time. I woke up and snapped out from the overflowing memories. 'Why am I suddenly remembering the past?' I thought.