Rest in Peace, Heroes

Hello, at first I wasn't going to write anything, but this chapter would feel weird without it. After writing it, I feel strange. I loved it, but I feel empty. God, it's complicated to explain and I love it~

I feel like this is writing something with passion. Not even my best fanfic was written with so much feeling, and even though I feel it could be better, I prefer to leave it as it is and let these feelings remain.

Now without further ado, enjoy~

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Previous Chapter

Under the starry sky reflecting in the beautiful lake with Orario in the background, Merlin saw them...

He saw them there...

Something that would forever change the life of the young reincarnated.

Something that would mark a before and after in the history of the entire world.

The young Merlin saw them there, two legends, two heroes to many and villains to others. That day could be the beginning of everything or the end of everything...

Only time will tell.

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POV Omni

Finally arriving, near the summit of a hill overlooking the lake of Melen and showing a view of Orario in the background, Merlin saw two humans leaning against a tree.

'They must be a couple, better not disturb them.' Just as he was about to continue on his way, Merlin saw it.

Multiple white and black birds surrounding both figures, forming a tunnel pointing to the sky, Merlin was surprised, recognizing it as the Rukh of magi.

Interested, the young reincarnated approached the bird, which perched on his finger and began to guide him towards the figures... there he saw it.

Under the starry sky, illuminated by the moonlight, lying peacefully, were the legends and two of the people Merlin respected most in the world.

The legends, Zald and Alfia...

Both were not breathing, with blood covering most of their bodies and their clothes in tatters. Both had passed away...

Leaning against a beautiful willow tree with peaceful smiles as they looked towards Orario from the mountaintop with the lake below them illuminated and Rukh flying around them.

Both heroes took their eternal rest, having fulfilled their 'destined' mission.

Alfia, the heroine who fought with the Zeus Familia in the great missions and sacrificed her life for future generations, rested her head on Zald's shoulder, with closed eyes and a peaceful smile.

Zald, the hero who single-handedly defeated one of the great missions and paved the way for future generations, with his head resting against a tree, looking at Orario, died while smiling with half-open eyes.

In calm, both heroes died, turned into villains, whom future generations will curse, and who will abandon their legends for the future of the world.

In total shock, Merlin stared at them, while the Rukh bird tried to guide him, following the bird that seemed to want him to approach both figures, Merlin got closer until he was face to face with both heroes.

The wind blew gently, making the leaves of the trees dance around and the Rukh began to move everywhere, creating a beautiful image for anyone watching from outside.

Merlin, still in shock, knelt beside the bodies of Zald and Alfia, observing every detail of their serene faces.

Sadness and respect filled his heart, but also the fire within him grew stronger and his ambition for strength grew even more.

-'I also want to end on my own terms. I can't say they had no regrets, but at least I can see that both died in peace, and I want to be like that... If I die, it will be my way, if I follow a path, it will be my way, my adventure will be mine, my dream will be mine, and my ambition will be mine...'

-'No one will stand in my way. Not the gods, not the monsters, not humanity. No one will stop my adventure from continuing. I will write my own story and be the protagonist of my world, and for that I thank you Alfia and Zald, even if you don't know it. Seeing you in this state made all doubt in me disappear. I will live without any regrets and without fear.'

-'I no longer fear those gods taking my soul as a whim when I die. But there is no use in talking while being weak. First, I must be strong. Strong to protect myself, strong to protect those I love, strong to fulfill my dreams, strong to survive, and strong to advance. I will obtain the necessary strength and master it.'

Coming out of his thoughts, Merlin decided to sit cross-legged in front of the two legends. He simply looked at them in silence, wanting to imprint their image in his mind. Merlin decided to do something very bizarre and that many would criticize.

He began his greatest work. He took The Enchiridion from his back and, with a piece of charcoal, started drawing the scene before him without changing anything at all.

Was it unethical? Yes.

Was it strange? Yes.

Was it wrong? Also yes.

Merlin was not going to justify himself. He was calmly drawing the demise of two legends. He wanted them to be forever etched in the book, where he would write his own story, at least what he knew, and their feats. The title of this page would be:

-Rest in Peace, Heroes-

Each stroke on the paper was an attempt to capture the serenity in their faces, the peace they had found after so much suffering and struggle.

His hands moved with precision and care, depicting every detail of their figures, their expressions, the tranquil atmosphere surrounding them, the beautiful willow tree behind them, even the Rukh in motion.

Everything was captured in the beautiful image.

Over time, the stars continued their course, and the sky began to lighten with the dawn.

Merlin finished his drawing, a faithful and respectful representation of two souls who had given everything for a future they would never see.

Closing The Enchiridion as if ending a story, Merlin sighed, looked at both of them, and decided to do what he had to do from the beginning.

Rising slowly, with a heavy but determined heart, he observed the bodies of Zald and Alfia one last time, ensuring their serene faces and sacrifices were imprinted in his memory.

Then, with care and reverence, he began to prepare the ground to pay them the tribute they deserved.

First, he searched for a suitable place near the tree where they had found their eternal rest. The tree itself was beautiful. Merlin recognized it from one of the books he had read; it was called Vitraya Ramunong, a giant tree resembling a willow. It was said that the tree was connected to souls and concentrated them with the earth.

With his own hands, he began to dig, causing them to start bleeding. As he worked, the wind began to blow gently, and the Rukh started moving around Merlin, the tree, Zald, and Alfia.

After a while, Merlin managed to dig two deep graves. With solemn effort, he moved the bodies of Zald and Alfia to their respective resting places.

He placed Alfia and Zald with care, ensuring that their expressions of peace remained intact.

Then, with trembling but determined hands, he began to cover them with soil, creating a soft and even layer over them. When he finished, Merlin knelt once more, uttering a few quiet words, a personal and heartfelt farewell.

"May your bodies return to the Earth and your souls to the sky that calls them."

When the words were spoken, the Rukh began to form a tunnel that seemed like the pillar that takes gods to the heavens, as if guiding something to its rest. The Rukh began to rise and soon disappeared under the blue sky.

Only two remained, one black and one white, which entered Merlin as if blessing him. Looking at the sky, Merlin felt an involuntary tear escape. He quickly wiped it away and decided to bid farewell to the heroes personally.

"Rest in peace, heroes. May your sacrifice never be forgotten, and may your legacy endure in the hearts of those who knew and respected you."

Merlin, determined to mark the place so others could find and honor the fallen heroes, decided to create a simple but meaningful monument with what he had learned.

With The Enchiridion as a guide, he carved an inscription on a nearby stone, which he placed as a tombstone:

"Here lie Zald and Alfia, two misunderstood souls. May time reveal their true deeds and may their sacrifice not be in vain."

With the sun beginning to rise on the horizon and the sky taking on golden hues, Merlin stayed a moment longer in silence, reflecting on what he had witnessed and what it meant for the world.

Staring intently at the crosses he made with the names of Zald and Alfia, Merlin looked towards Orario, where he saw multiple pillars of light appearing on the ground. It was a sign that a god was being sent to the heavens after being "killed."

'So this era has come to an end, eh... Heroes who return as villains, adventurers who believe they are heroes, gods who think they are omniscient, trials that are overcome, villains defeated, and the evil god vanquished. Gods against gods, heroes endured and saved the world, putting an end to the darkest era that has assaulted the world since the arrival of the gods.'

Coming out of his thoughts and giving one last look at the graves, Merlin began to descend the hill, determined to continue his own path but now with a more burning ambition than ever.

And so, with the sky and the earth as his only witnesses, the wanderer continued his journey...

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[End of Chapter 6]

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Note: This chapter is an absolute turning point in the plot. It went from wanting to give Merlin a bit more development and a rest for both heroes, to showing something that would be crucial to the plot, or rather, a very important clue...

[For those who like to think, rack your brains~ Mwahahaha~]

Note: I know that Zald and Alfia die in the dungeon, Alfia throwing herself to the deep floors and killing herself with fire while Zald, I don't know, but in my story both die somehow ending up on the surface through the lake of Melen [I know it's blocked], and after leaving the beach, Zald manages to drag Alfia to a place where they both die in peace, witnessing Orario in the background and leaving everything to future generations, without being consumed by the dungeon, played with by the gods, or any other divine crap. Both heroes died on their own terms.

[1797 words]