V: The Prophet's Song II

The crowd began whispering my name while gazing into my eye, some men had doubts visible in their face, some were worried, but most of them panic. We have no plan on how to defeat the Black Queen, I didn't see an ending where the Black Queen, gave up, knocked out or died. However my visions they showed me a bright light… a light I've never seen before, it was beautiful, I cleared my voice and caught the attention of my people, my attention was always focused on the wind and the sky, Not knowing when will the visible rain fall. In order for the prophecy to be done, the rain must fall, and it will fall, any time soon. I have to act fast giving them the warning of the prophet, or else.

"Listen to my word, for this words didn't came from my mouth, but rather from the prophet." People then began turning their heads towards me, I gazed to my back and saw Grave and Valkyarie hearing their whisper planning about what's happening next. She's the only one unaware of the word, Grave can tell the full story. I'll have to tell all pairs of ears. "The economy of this land is unknown to my knowledge, I've never been here, but please share your food, your drink, and your shelter… I am giving you all a warning from the prophet himself, beware of the storm, will rain upon this land and kill who ever is hit by a small rain drop." Their voiced roared gibberish, for they have mixed opinions on my warnings.

"Why are you ignoring me young man!" The voice of one old man stood out from the rest, his scream was pure with anger and his eyes were like a dragon hunting his next prey. "Aren't you the minion of the Queen, we saw you killed an innocent family, danced with the Black Queen, and became a witness of her coronation… Don't listen to this man, kill him for he was a false prophet!" the people heard his voice and all of them raised their swords pointing at my head.

Grave however took a step and raised his hand in the air, and a grip from his hands formed. The non believers became visible, thousands of people had a hard time breathing, they fell to the ground, their swords fell with them, some people panicked even more, but out of all the non believers, the old man remained standing. He looked into me again, and threw his sword to my direction, and it hit my stomach, stabbing me a long the process.

I began to cough blood and I began to fall as well, I saw Valkyarie, with a blurry sight running to catched the man, Grave released his grip, and this time. Death was the true option. Hopefully this time. Im tired of this mission anyways. I saw Grave, stood beside me and I felt his hands through the handle of the sword, he slowly pulled it out and I felt my blood leaking even more. Until I saw nothing but pure darkness.

"I've called you once again, Joseph." The prophet said as I return to this place. But this time, as a dead person. Is he the one to judge me where I'll go in my afterlife, heaven or hell, I don't really care as long as I can have my eternal rest im fine by it. "Grave planned everything to commit one of my prophecy. 'For a man with wise words would be killed by the death, in order to give a new life to the man, but with a better understanding of the situation, and a power never seen my other eyes.' In a few hours the rain will start, and you will see two men, who would help you and your people survive… look for a specific tree that can help you stop the rain, get a piece of a green bough and offer it to the highest mountain of the land, at the eastern part of the mountain, called 'Lily of the Valley' after that, you will see how the non believers die, running all of their body would later turn into beast, the Black Queen would be aware of the existing land, and all of you will leave that land, if you're late, Her power would reach its most powerful form and half of this land would be split." The prophet said, with a very serious voice, he once again touched my forehead and before I even saw the vision he was about to show, I moved away. "if you don't wanna listen, I respect that… warn the people of my word." He said before Grave step in.

Grave then took one of his potion and his snake stabbed my soul where my wounds we're placed. He opened up the bottle and the souls traveled to the body of the snake. The soul traveled to mine and before I knew it my eyes saw the crowd of people again, Valkyarie was pointing a sword to the man who killed me and saw T.E Conway and Galileo Cross climbing up the stage, and Galileo kneel to me, whispering a magic spell that healed my wound.  Grave then gave me a hand and the people stopped their gibberish as soon as they saw me stand. Valkyarie kicked the man and he fell on the ground.

"Listen, we don't know this man… Valkyarie just called us to save herself and this man." T.E. Conway said in a very calming yet loud voice. "We don't know what this man knows but please listen to his message, I had a dream before this happened, I saw him yelling at his people, ruling them to be part of the world… he might be the prophet's pen." Galileo Cross then approached T.E. Conway and gave him a supporting voice.

"He's might be the only man who can save us, he is very knowledgeable by far, don't judge him for what he had commit, you said it your self… he was dancing with the Black Queen, possibly manipulating this man… if he was not manipulated, you all would have been dead." Some of the people whisper as he steps back. I looked into him and he just gave me a smile, T. E. Conway stepped beside me and I noticed he was squinting his eyes to the crowed, I looked to the direction his looking and saw two men standing.

Maybe those two men was the men that the prophet was referring to. A man with eyes all over his body wearing red, while holding a black cat on his shoulder, his hair was long and messy, and was standing out in the crowd. He was talking to the another man, that the prophet may refer to, he was wearing all blue, and looked like a normal man, but I've known that face very well, a long side cousin of the Black Queen, a very silent man who now shows nothing but agony on his face.

"My people, I am Joseph Castlevine, a poor boy from the main island, a man who followed the black Queen even before she became our ruler… no… no one's ruler. A normal man who never wished to stand in this crowd, but here I am face to face with you all. I only have one quick message and listen to my words, for I am the man who happened to have a face to face conversation with a prophet… look up to the sky." They followed my command and all eyes were looking. "Again I remind you, a storm will hit this land, not an ordinary storm… I do not know this land and how much damage it would cost… it will land in a few hours, and we do not have any time left." I suddenly felt something in my own back, it isn't a touch, it felt it came from the inside, I tried to scratch it but it remained. My ribs also felt a bit weird, maybe I broke a bone or two, when I was unconscious, however I don't feel any pain.

"Everyone, please do not panic! Do not waste your time to do so, please gather all your food, water, and personal love ones… We will figure out a way for you all to be safe." Valkyarie announced, some people left the scene, running to their house, but some stayed, and remained their eyes on us. "Do not stare at us! Run and survive, we do not have the answer to this problem yet!" She warned, but these men just couldn't hear us, telling themselves that they are deaf.

"Lurex Melina, Tawal Alshamas!" I looked to T.E Conway as he screamed those names and then the two men looked into us, he then called them and quickly they blend into the crowd going in our direction. I looked into my back and saw Galileo Cross leaving the stage, followed by T.E Conway, Grave then put his hands on his pocket and gave me a look, before completely disappearing like thin air. I was left alone with Valkyarie who looked so pale.

"Listen you young man, I don't believe all your prophecy, all your non sense speech, who are you to call your self a man who have seen the face of the prophet!" the old man continued to rant against me. I just smiled at him and went to Valkyarie, now sitting on the floor with her hands on her head massaging her forehead. "Go and die poor man, the sky and rain is from that Black Queen, not from your prophet… You will be forever known as betrayer of Onryx, biggest fool of Foshof!" I heard him laughing and as I gaze into him, thunder noise began to roar the sky. The sky has become darker and darker and Valkyarie's temperature has increased.

"Hang on tight, stay strong, I will bring you some medicine later." I whispered into her ears, as she slowly looked into me, her eyes began to tear up, her eyes widen and shined like the night sky with beautiful starts, she touched my cheek and her smiled was wider than usual. "W-what's the matter? Did you had a vision from the prophet?" I asked, she quickly shook her head and laughed. With her tone, and smile, her fever felt gone, im not sure but her smile tells me that its healed.

"You've never kept your promise to me… doesn't matter, im so glad to see you again after a thousand years." She whispered. "I never got to introduced my self to you… well it was kind of your fault." She laughed and I raised my eye brow. Im so confused, is the Black Queen playing game now? "When will we push our carts again?"

"Valkyarie Redstar, what are you talking about?" I asked, She then pushed her self slightly to adjust and she spreads her hands leaning towards me, I felt her touched from an area that I haven't felt before, I looked to my back and my eyes blinked twice to check If I was hallucinating. When did I grew a pair of wings… no, this isn't wings, it look like a wing of a dragon fly… an elytra. "W-what is this?" I asked my self.

"Its beautiful isn't it?" She said. I looked into it while grabbing it and I just nodded. "Joseph, marry me when this chaos is over." I heard her said, and I simply nodded. I don't know how to love, but I want her, I can sense that she needs somebody. "Go on with your mission, sorry I couldn't help you this time. I'll help you when my pain is over." She continue and I once again nodded, and I saw T.E Conway coming back, he then checked on her and he gave her a hand and does his magic.

The quartet returned, and Larry Lurex gave me his hand, I stood up and accepted his hand, Tawal then smiled at me and I also gave him my hand, and he accepted it.

"Look, we don't have enough time… We will gather all the people who wanted to listen to your word, after the rain please check on us Joseph, you may enter through the north part of that mountain." Larry Lurex said and Tawal pointed to the mountain where our stage is facing. "All of the believers would be safe on our mythical land called Lily Of The Valley… but for you to access, you must learn a ancient magic that would take thousand of years to master… so what we will do everyday, before the night comes down we will wait for you, but make sure that the rain has stop and you are dry like a dead leaf, for the smell can cause a toxic, and eventually killing the others." He added and as I nodded their eyes made a contact to mine.

"Go, Joseph… complete your mission, will take care of Valkyarie." Galileo said and I spread my wings, before giving Valkyarie a final look.

"Please take care of my children who is stepping on this land, tell them that they will hold into my hands for they are the future of my hope and dreams." I said and flew high into the sky, giving me a clear view on this mysterious land. "A green bough." I whisper to my self and noticed the sky is darker than a eclipse.

It was a huge city filled with paths that I'll never walk to, I already saw the bough that the prophet refers to when he touched my forehead, it was a green bough from a strange tree, im the middle of the jungle, it was a odd one giving that it's glowing a bright green light and shaped like a ring. The only problem for me is that there we're no signs where its located, specially that im not familiar with this place. The only thing that I remember being connected to the green bough, is that the location has a lot of trees. On the side, there is bright red rose.

I'm heading to the south, where the rain would start landing. Coz I know for a fact that that tree where the green bough is located would soon be a clear land. And the signs of the rain starting is becoming more and more visible. When the rain starts, it will kill all things and destroy everything above this land. It would take millions if years to recover, but luckily the Black Queen isn't visible even up here in the sky. I wonder if this land is still Foshof, And can she see it? The prophet said that she will be aware of this land if I'm late, so I won't waste any second.

I landed in the far south forest where I swing my sword to cut off the grass surrounding my path, I heard the thunder coming from the south east, and knew that the rain is coming close for the animal cries so loud and clear from here. I run fast, looking from left to right, smelling, hearing, and viewing the possible path that would lead me to where the Mythical tree is, but its nowhere here.

I spread my elytra and flew back in the sky, I saw the city where the rain first landed, people were running away, the smell of blood and acid is horrible, they didn't know what to do and I am here knowing everything, felt guilty that I have no time to spread my words to those people.

I gaze to where the main city is located and saw the people were gathering being lead by the quartet, carts were travelling going up to the said mountain, but some people are not riding the carts and returning back to their homes. They were all visible.

I flew to the south-east forest in risk of losing the possible answer to my solution going to the smaller forest, as I landed I did the same thing, cleared the path of my sword and eventually seeing red roses, however… the rain is coming closer to this path. I then followed the petals from the ground, but it was endless and felt I was running in circles, more cries of animals and the sound of screams from a near by house traveled to my ear. It was a worse sonata, same rank to the sonata of the Black Queen that Grave produced.

I stopped following the red rose but I noticed something… a white rose covered with fresh blood, I quickly went there and  to my surprise I saw the green bough that im looking for I rushed to grab it but felt a push from a man, I looked into him and saw my self, but he was wearing a crown similar to the Black Queen's crown. He then punched me and accidentally dropped my sword. So I punched him back in the face and noticed another me joining in the fight, it was me without an elytra, there are now multiple versions of me, a young innocent boy, a formal man attending the coronation, a murderer, an old poor man, holding a sword… all of my versions are fighting over this bough.

I pushed him and tried to run away, but I got punched by another me, so I took out my elytra and flew to the tree and bit off its branch, but a stab from my arm made me scream and dropped the bough from my mouth. I saw my self with the crown lifting my own sword up and preparing to stab my face, but before he did stab me I already pushed him off and from the distance I saw Grave standing. Did he summon this things?

I managed to steal my sword back and stabbed one of them, eventually stabbing another, and another and another. But then I realized that im repeating what I did before. I no longer wanna kill people, specially killing my self. I pushed one of my clone that is running towards me and quickly took the bough, I left my sword eventually flying up in the sky looking down on Grave. He gazed to me, coldly.

And his deadly stare was unusual, I felt something. A sense of being a traitor. I knew from the start that he was not trust worthy, and it seems that im right. I put on the ring and flew to him, and with full force I tried to push him away full with anger, but he vanished like usual. I looked around and saw him behind me. I stood up and tried again, but before I even got to touched his shoulder his snake stabbed me again, this time it was near my heart. His cold eyes looked into mine, and the cold wind started to blew. The sound of rain coming closer and closer to us made my heart beat faster than usual. Can the death himself be killed with the prophet's powerful rain?

"You know why I'm watching you?" He said. I shook my head. "I am here to take what I've given to you, you have successfully fulfilled your mission, and its time for you to return to Mount Deacon." He then opened up a bottle and I saw a soul traveling into the snake's body, going into the bottle. After that, the snake pulled out of my body and to my surprise I was healed, not a single drop of blood leaked. "The power of your elytra will only be available for another hour, for I have taken this bone." He then opened his hand and saw one of my rib, I touched my chest and I didn't feel the odd rib from earlier.

Did he put it when I was facing the prophet?

He then threw me the bone and I catched it with my hand, I looked into it and I've confirmed it is a human rib, from a thousand years ago. I gave him a look and more thunder from the area began to hit the land, the screaming agony has also been more louder.

"Keep that bone to your self and I will send you a white dove as a guide, but I can't guarantee you, that you'll return to Mount Deacon flying. You'll have to suffer for a little bit and climb it yourself. Once your there, quickly do what you are tasked to do." He then walked towards me and I looked into his cold eye. It was full of souls this time. "You are afraid to kill, remember what the prophet told you… all of these people screaming… they are all beast in a few hours. You'll have to kill them, in order for survival… don't worry, they have fingers to count how many days they have remaining." He added. I gave him a nod before spreading my elytra. I gave him a final look and asked him a question he would never expect.

"Who am I to keep this bone? I don't want it… Who can I give this bone to?" I asked.

"To the woman who waited for his return for thousands of years wait for him to return." He vanished once again and I quickly flew up in the sky where I saw the white dove that he sent and together we fly to the north, going back. I turned by head and the entire place is just full of floods of blood. Some beast are also swimming in it, and some are drinking it. The acid rain was strong, its coming closer and closer to us.

The non believers of the prophet must be suffering from hell. Their human soul will be forever lost, for even the death himself, a collector of lost souls would not collect their dirty soul. They are new, but nothing but a ugly beast.

The land is to big, and as expected after a few hours I felt that my wings isn't right, and eventually I smashed my head into one of the houses and making my self roll into the streets. I saw the non believers laughed at me as I took my strength to stand up, but failed coz I'm tired already. I looked into the sky as I saw the white dove flying freely, while I am a bird with broken wings.

"Look at this so called prophet, fell into the ground and is weak!"

"No one will help you here kid, they all went to the mountains for a pick-nick"

"Don't help this fool!"

I heard them say. I just simply laugh and them and stood up. I saw the old man playing with his pet and he just gave me a gaze. I ignored him and walked to the paths of this city, alone. I looked around and followed the signs from the post, and after a few hours I saw the path going up to the mountain, but before I even step on its dirt, I fell once again. My body just couldn't handle it anymore, I'm sick and tired, then I saw a man coming towards my direction, but my visions were blurry I couldn't recognize him.

"You must be Joseph Castlevine." His voice sound like heaven. I felt him touching my head and heard him laugh. "You're one brave person I will say, you reminded me of my self when I reign my own land." Is he a king? "Well, those times are over, look, the acid rain… its gonna hit you in a few seconds… prepare." My eyes widen and tried to stood up to run, but I was weak and tired. It started with my foot, eventually leading to my leg. I screamed with all I can for the pain is to much. It reached my body and I knew im gonna die any moment now. But with a blurry vision, I noticed the man isn't affected by the storm. "Joseph Castlevine, you are lucky." He then stood up and I felt him grabbing my pocket and taking out the bone.

"Gi-give it back… I have to return it to a woman." I whispered and saw the acid and blood flowing from the side of my face. The pain was never ending, I have no more strength. Im always alone in suffering, what an unfair world.

"I will, don't worry." He said. "Here, eat this." I saw his hand coming closer to my mouth and eventually feeding me something sweet, it was something I've never tasted before, and all of a sudden my body felt different, I was energized by it, but the pain from the storm was still there. "Any better?" He gave me a hand and I tried to grabbed it, but it just passed. "Oh, sorry I forgot… I am a soul, a long lost soul." He said, so I stood up for my self and saw the bone in my feet, I looked around and he's gone.

I heard a structure falling from behind me and then heard the people scream, eventually the beast from the storm showed up, they killed the people already suffering from the storm by smashing their heads into million of pieces. I'm  defenseless, and thankfully I now have the energy to run away, so I took the bone and climb the mountain, and I managed to escape.

The acid burned most of the threes and plants, but the blood covered everything, as well as my whole body, but somehow, I'm still here, strongly fighting. I then stepped on something and saw a dead body in front of me, it looked fresh and in his hand was a book. I took and saw the book of the prophet. I turned it for a few pages and pointed my fingers to the only readable page.

"Time would repeat and repeat, until the perfect timeline is executed, a man would be beyond boundaries to commit that act.." The prophet is a strange man, no one knows how did he started, and how he saw these vision. No one is looking forward to his prophecy for all of them are just pure chaos. Can the light of day shine on him?

I threw the book back to the man's body and continued my journey, after a whole day of walking I reached the top, where I'm supposed to do my ritual, but one drop of acid in my back disturbed me. I screamed for the pain it delivered and it felt stronger than before. I pulled out the ring and started, but couldn't focus because of the acid hitting my body. I calmed my self and began meditating.

For three days, and three nights. I can do this.

Queen - The Prophet's Song

Chorus - Verse 2 half