Valentine's Past

I failed.

I failed you, Artemis.

I failed you, Caitlyn.

I don't deserve your mercy.

I don't deserve your protection.

I don't deserve the position.

I don't deserve the heaven you will make.

It felt so near, I could grab it by the hand and never again feel the pain of losing. But, I still failed you two, I am sorry. Though I don't know if you know how I became the Pope's dog, or what the hell is a Requiema anyway.

I will use this time, in the afterlife, in this void, to convey my story to anyone who will listen, to anyone, who is listening.

I am a Requiema, the blessed blood which runs in the Requiema Dynasty, the original dynasty who once ruled the country the world now calls "The Empire". I did not experience any royal-lavish life, I was born in a small rural village to the East of the Empire's Puppet Dukedom, few tens of kilometres west from the Floral Kingdom border.

I never really knew where I was from or where my parents were originally before living in the confines of that rural village. All I knew at that time was that we were happy. I was uncaring since monsters would only attack every once in a while and were easily repelled by hired adventurers or the local garrison, there was no reason for worry.

It all happened at that fateful night, memory is fuzzy but I can explain it clearly. My parents both went out to the village center for the yearly communal sacrifice to the God of Agriculture. I was snuggled under the sheets of my bed when I heard a loud boom.

The loud boom was followed by a sudden cracking sound, and then the screams of other villages echoed with it. I stood from my bed and opened the door of our small hut and saw the nightmare unfold.

We were being attacked, not by monsters or bandits, but by the same Empire that said it would uphold the peace. I didn't know back then, but that incident was covertly called the "Night of Knives". The crown prince of the Empire caught wind that we, the Requiemas were still alive and living just south of his soon-to-be-ruled country.

He was a paranoid young man, he thought we would rise up against him to take back the throne, I didn't even know that I was a Requiema! My whole life I grew up thinking my last name was Gumovs and was a descendant of the small village.

He sent his so-called great Airship and his fanatic commander and attacked our village, he used the Airships to bombard the walls and the houses before his ground troops proceeding to kill the villagers in an attempt to root anyone of Requiema descent out. It was a blood bath, a blood bath I thought would stay like it was, them killing us off while I and my family cowered underneath our hut or fled.

My mother came back running to me as the Empire's troops drew nearer to our side of the village, I could hear their steps and horses sound closer and closer with the screams of the men, women, and children they slew.

My father did not come back, I asked my mother where he was but she simply ignored me. Tears were falling from her eyes and down her cheeks. At that moment, even though I was a frail child, I came to the realization, that my dear father, was dead.

My mother then carried me under her chest with her arms and she ran, she just kept running the opposite direction. We were the only ones I remember running, the rest were either dead or have fled themselves.

We entered the woods that were adjacent to the village and in the middle of those woods was a small river. The small river was a place for fishing and had two boats every time. When we got there, there was only one boat. My mother was panting, she had run so far on her feet while carrying me. Such a weakling, I was.

Then, an arrow flew by and hit the boat when we were boarding it. They have found us, I heard the horses and the footsteps rustle through the bushes and the grass. I even heard their Airship is coming towards our direction.

"Kill them! Kill the Requiemas!" I heard that voice, the voice I will never forget, the voice that I despise until this day of my death, as long as he walks under the same land and breathes the same air as I, I will never rest until he dies.

Another flurry of arrows struck us, this time two arrows struck my mother's back and she fell down in front of me. I began to tear up, begged for her to raise her head. I tried frantically shaking her head and tugging her over but she was not budging, I was just a small and insignificant child who just happened to have some god's blood running down my veins, I hated it.

I was facing down when the footsteps finally surrounded me and the sound of the blade leaving its scabbard all was too explicit of the impending death that was upon me.

I did not look up, I did not want to look up.

I saw his feet, those leather boots of his, in front of my face. He kicked me hard and I was sent to slumping to the soil near the river shore, he kicked me again and again and again until I was heaving.

"Your blood shall no longer threaten the Empire!" He shouted after he finally finished torturing me. My body was numb and I was finally accepting that I was gonna die.

But of course, fate had a different course for me. Suddenly, a white light shined over us like a bright sun directly above us.

"Who the heck is that?"

"What the hell is happening!?"

Indeed, what was happening?

"It's the Pope! Run! Run!"

That's all I heard before everything went into disarray. Again, my eyes were closed but I could hear the frantic running, the horses screaming and the men groaning one by one, an Airship crash landed and exploded. I also heard a brief sword fight before it all went silent.

I was scared so I did not open my eyes, again another set of footsteps rustled through the grass and came near me. I was expecting another beatdown, a kick, a punch, or I was to be drowned in the river.

But, I felt a soft hand grab me up and my eyes opened as tears drooped.

It was the Pope, he shined in such holy light that I was calmed, behind him were his scripture of magic, a powerful group in a peak of A-rank warriors. He saved me and I thank him for that, but he did not save us.

He let my family die, the village die, and I never realized that he only used me to gain control over my strong abilities for his own gains until the two masters I have now told me. He was a bastard! He used me, this damn scripture of his, that damn Theocracy, he thought me things like 'forgive and forget' and 'Nothing is gained through revenge' such hypocrisy!

But my eyes were opened, Caitlyn opened my eyes and Artemis lead me down the path of truth. I saw the future of mankind, where humans could live together in everlasting harmony, no suffering, no cruelty, something he called a Utopia.

A Utopia. Such a wonderful concept that will be achieved! They showed me what true power looks like, the real power to change the world. That's why I devoted my body and soul to them, no god or goddess would promise such a future but I saw within them hope and prosperity, not only for me, but for us humans as a whole.

With their army and might, we shall crush those in our way and lay down the foundations of our Utopia, we shall burn the Theocracy! Assimilate the kingdoms! We shall burn the forests of monsters and drown the holes of goblins and critters, we shall conquer the sky, decimate their Airships and tear the wings of the dragons from their bodies and finally! We shall go forth and destroy the Empire, that accursed crown-prince and his little commander turned general, they shall know my wrath, the wrath guided by the two bright lights of the truth of Artemis and Caitlyn

For the true future of humanity, there are no gods or goddesses who can stop, neither the Republic! Neither the Empire! And neigh will the beastmen ever see the light of the new era.

For the Era of Man is upon us, for Utopia! Human supremacy! They will lay dead, burned, decapitated in the streets of their cities and towns, their leaders shackled and gagged.

If I am to continue living. If this is not the afterlife. Please, o Artemis and Caitlyn. Forgive my failures and let me continue on the path of truth that you showed me.

I beg you.

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Artemis slowly glanced over the monitor displaying her vitals, her heart rate was fine, everything else was steadily recovering. Caitlyn was sitting right besides Valentine's bed holding her right hand.

"What did she say?" Artemis asked.

"You already know," Caitlyn whispered.

"I forgive her,"