Death? - Part 3

Meanwhile, as Maze began to search for Rin, Pharaoh took this time to speak with an old friend… 

"Took you long enough, Fate? I did not think it would take you a minute to arrive at the lower realms, what a shame?" Pharaoh smiled as he gazed at the woman before him who was wearing a long white dress and had a faint crown above her head.

"And who would have thought the once great Pharoah of Valley, would one day ask for help? Truly times have changed; so, what do you want?" Fate's avatar asked as she scrutinized Pharaoh's new form. 

"A favor," Pharoah replied with a straight face and eyes void of any emotion like the eyes of a dead fish. After, a butcher takes it out of the water and chops its head off.

"Sigh and what exactly does this favor entail? As my time is precious and you only have one chance to succeed before everything you planned goes to waste, Pharoah." 

"Tsk, so just had to go and decipher the kids' fate, huh?"

"I... I-I just what are insinuating… as I would~" Fate's avatar stuttered as she could not understand how she was found out so quickly.

"But then again, you always were the inquisitive type, so, I guess it's just something you do unconsciously without even realizing it at this point."

"Okay, okay you got me there… I did take a teensy-weensy peek but that is beside the point. So just what exactly is it that you want?"

"Sigh, a hundred years to cultivate in peace on a desolate and dangerous planet within the higher realms," Pharoah muttered as he just shook his head and waited for Fate's response.

"Sorry but I can at max grant you ten years which is like ten minutes in Multiverse X but a minute in Multiverse Z. Plus, even if you accomplished your goal, the kid would still need to endure the consequences of his actions. Regardless of whether you succeed or not," Fate's avatar stated as she snapped her fingers and transferred them to a place located outside the confines of time and space.

Where a gigantic island floated in a void of nothingness and a cabin could be seen in the center of the island or better yet prison. That Fate graciously accepted as her new residence after being cast away by Heaven for falling in love with…

Which floated in a dead plain and was surrounded by three inverted mountains coated in a membrane of purplish light. That hid the talismans and the runes embedded within them which periodically flashed across their surfaces, resembling the scales of an emerald dragon.

 'You are right... but this is the only way I can think of that has a chance of succeeding and it is the only way. I have yet to try so let us proceed and trust that it is not yet time for us to die. So regardless of the outcome, let fate be my stirring wheel.' Pharaoh thought with hope as he crossed his fingers and yearned that everything would work as he and Noctis planned.

"Regardless of what happens, I'll take the risk and please do stop prying in the fates of others," Pharaoh warned Fate.

"Hmm, I'll try but are you sure, you plan to take this path?" Fate's avatar asked with a smile.

"Yes," replied Pharaoh as he was fully aware of the consequences if he failed.

"Well, then good luck, and may death be with you," Fate's avatar said as she began speaking tongues after glancing at the cabin, "Unge sanguinem impiorum. Permitte caerula corda urere, et somnia fovere. Sicut daemones contremiscunt, et angeli plorant. Portio tua sit eius edictum, o Victoria filia!"

Manifesting an illusionary prize wheel that spun in the air as a set of numbers flashed across its face. That ranged from zero to ten, each holding a distinct color and auspicious beast on its slot, which represented the outcome of a person's past, present, and future.

And so, with a clap of the avatar's hands, the illusionary hand on the wheel began to spin before finally landing on...

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! DING! DING! DING!

"So unprofessional… but thanks anyway, Fate," Pharaoh chuckled as the wheel finally stopped spinning and landed on a number, simultaneously, transporting them to some cursed or blessed day.

Before he even had a chance to view what number it landed on. 

"Oh... so someone finally landed upon that accused number, huh? And of course, it would be him; so, the prophecy is slowly coming true… but then again, just what will be your outcome, @#$%^&^%$?" Fate's true self muttered as she glanced at the disappearing Pharaoh or Rin to be exact from the window of her cabin. 

With a sad yet longing look at what the future had in store for them. Before looking away and glancing at Rin's future wife, who was about to wake up and receive the greatest shock of her life.

***

"Dad... Dad... Dad..." Rose called out as she felt a part of herself disappear.

"Rose! Oh, my god you finally woke up! I thought you would stay asleep for centuries," A fragment of her Father's soul said as it jumped around excitedly before calming down and sighing.

"Dad, what happened? Did Rin manage to survive?" asked Rose as she was slowly regaining consciousness.

"Ahh, I'm not too sure, but we have more pressing things to worry about my darling... as by the time you hear this, I will either be dead or somewhere far away."

"What are you talking about father? I do not understand... why would you be dead?"

"It's a long story but just know, I'm sorry for being such a failure as a father and protector. So, please live on Rose and I hope your wish comes to fruition. My... little... m... m-munchkin."

The fragment whispered as it began to flicker like a lightbulb about to go out. Before it went poof and merged with Rose's soul, body, and mind, blessing her with his legacy and knowledge.

"T… T-This… just... how could you have left me alone once again?! Didn't you promise me, you would stay alive to see the day I got married, Dad?!" shouted Rose as a wave of anger overtook her yet before she could leash out, her mother wrapped her arms around her and comforted her. 

"Sigh, I'm sure he didn't mean it like that, sweetheart, but what do I know as I can barely even take care of myself?"

"Hmm? And who are you... No, just what are you?" asked Rose as she turned around to see who had just spoken a while ago.

'Well, your mother silly... but I think it would be better if she saw me as an old friend of her father's,' Thought the woman as she told Rose a fake name as now was not the right time to spill the tea.

"For now, you just call me, Isabelle Solace your new caretaker and teacher, Rose Evangel Woods." Rose's mother said as she smiled at her daughter while concealing the sadness and bitterness, she felt from lying to her daughter.