The Final Festival

I finished explaining it all to them. And they looked rather amused. 

"Damn, you had a long time, Silver." grinned Erio, seeming somewhat pleased.

"I suggest we should get a move on already, to the tower." said Aisy. "You can see just how crowded the area is getting already."

She was right. So we didn't spend more time there and decided to move on. The weather, reader, was dark red. With dead apple trees every here and there and through a jumbled formation of homes and all, we walked. The tower wasn't too far, only a distance of around fifteen minutes, I say. By the time we were there, over a seven hundred villagers had gathered there. And every one of them had a pouch of unknown flowers in their hands.

Somebody, noticing us bare-handed called us. "Where's your flower?"

"We couldn't find one," replied Erio.

The man hurriedly took some flowers out of his own pouch and lent it to us. Said, "Are you morons? If the heads see you without this flowers, you are going to get executed." warning us like that the man ran up front to pick up his pace with the others.

Really, something was weird about this. The heads will execute us if we don't bring this flower? And they called it a festival? At that point, I noticed some started running for the tower, of course, it was almost into a night. So the ritual was likely about to begin.

"We should hurry too," 

***

We came close to the tower, as all of them except the very preists wore an entirely different type of clothing, which is a robe, our difference shone up quite obviously. That wasn't a good thing, so we decided to not join the festival directly but to stay afar and only spectate. 

Soon, as soon as it finally turned into a night, only a little fade of redness being covered throughout the sky, I saw, even using my Crystal Eyes that then the whole village was empty. Not a single person, not even children nor babies, everybody, every single person, be he physically disabled, lacking eyes, legs or even hospitalized patients, everybody had gathered before the tower. 

The scene to be frank, gave me chills. We were on a high place from the ground, almost like a very small hill where I was standing right there leaning beside a tree, while Erio sat down and Aisy was right by my side closely trying to observe what is going on out there.

Suddenly, in front of all the civilians gathered, a fire lit up discovering us where there was a stage. Following this, seven priests, one by one lined up before the mass. Like that, the dead quiet environment only added to the suspense for me.

One of the priests in the middle with a slightly different attire than the rest moved a little further as if he was about to give a lecture or start a performance.

The priest first took a glance at the mass and murmured some things or spells perhaps, that I was unable to hear from here. And then before thousands of eyes, yes the civilians crossed a thousand in number by then, he started his speech:

"O Civilians of Antarah, I welcome you as tonight we celebrate - The very thousandth festival of Rebirth!" the voice somehow reached my ears as I felt sympathy for those who made their place closest to the priest, the sound was just excruciatingly loud.

"Tonight, a thousand year ago, the Savior, and the Greatest Hero of Asylna, Axia vi Valukia put the Demon King to his long, long slumber. We had prospered like never before in a mere thousand years since then and all thanks to Him!" the whole crowd shouted in affirmative response to this. Then catching his breath he continued,

"O Civilians of Antarah! However this year, our celebration shall face a slight hinder... No.. Bless... A great blessing! For I, O Antarah, have received, A REVELATION!"

With this comment on, some indiscipline broke out among the mass. As I saw, some guard looking indivuals used a frightening paralyze spell to paralyze some of them. That shut the others as well. As the pitch returned to its silence the priest continued, 

"O Antarah! I have ever said no lie, and this one is a lie neither! So listen you, for what I tell now, is bound to be true. The next Hero candidates have been reborn!" Oh, so they know, I thought.

"That's right! It means within a more seventy years, the grand threat of Apocalypse shall rise again. O Antarah, Just like the previous Hero, the Hero of this millennium shall too, face one enemy from among the candidates. But the enemy now will be able to defeat him and more! That's right! The Heroes of this Era are doomed to fail in their Quest!"

Oh? That was a concerning statement.

"O Antarah. And the enemy? He shall join the Demons! The voices have reached me, Antarah! This is my last command, a last true commandment- KILL EVERY HERO CANDIDATES! For that is the only way to stop the enemy from rising up to his power now."

After a brief pause he said,

"Fear not! We have learnt the tales of Axia the Hero, ever since had we been little children. Our mothers. In our sleeping beds, used to recite to us the poetry of his odysseys! Remind yourself of those days. Did you all forget? Even he foresaw the future before entering the final dungeon in the underworld of demons, that the Demon King will devour him alive but did he back down!?"

"O Civilians of Antarah! He never backed down. In fact, He changed the future itself for the victory of Asylna. That's right! Courage and faith can change the future! We, if we truly are grateful of Axia. Will we then backdown and submit to the demons?" 

The entire crowd shouted with a late response "NO!"

"Then unite in my cause! Kill the Hero, as hurtful as it may sound, this is the only way left. As to how will we stop the apocalypse? We are not weak anymore. Yes, Antarah, WE AREN'T WEAK. We don't need to rely upon those heroes anymore. Exactly, for the first time in our history, we shall defeat the underworld by ourselves. Rejoice, Asylna! Rejoice, Antarah! You are about to witness a Grand New Beginning!"

Then the priest stopped, looking at the crowd he tried to understand their reaction of this.

I was shocked, did they already comply to him? That easily? They will start killing the heroes!?

But no, one man stood up. I had never seen him. Said, "Why can't the Hero of this era change the future like Axia? He can! I will believe in the heroes. How ungrateful could you be!"

"Silence, you fool! Axia's power revolved around the knowledge of reality. Why do you think he is called the Greatest Hero? There is simply no way any Hero could break the chains of future unless it was under their order. Axia too, only could know the future beforehand and break taboos of time to create blockades in the chains. To put simply, it's impossible unless you had the same exact ability as Axia,"

"Oh right? Then how do you expect us to change the future through mere bravery!?"

His counter argument shut the priest down. Was he going to contradict himself saying something like this is the last effort? I wondered.

We were witnessing all this from my place. Shocked, all three of us. What have we fallen into? No, how will the priest react to this? Each of the words he utter held significant value at the moment. Silent, he was trying to construct an answer as a thousand over waited for it.

"O Antarah, right you are. And this is exactly what the revelation was about. Now listen-"

An unexpected thunderstorm blocked his speech. It was truly out of nowhere, a storm simply just began. As he looked to repeat himself, everybody looked upwards as if a miracle was being shown.

The sky, readers, split straight creating such massive hole, that perhaps could take the whole village of Antarah in one bite. The whiteness reminded me of the void I saw after death. Clean, white, void as if... nothing. 

In an awe, fear and confusion, people backed down, some screamed out of panic and started running away. None of it would appear fruitful though, as a disaster would come down.

 While I tried to understand just what happened that the very system itself descended to block his speech!? 

The priest with a brave face declared, "And Antarah! This may be final words, for I am breaking a taboo by revealing the revelation! The Hero shall himself become a-"

Bang! A thunder from no sky hit and reduced the priest to ashes. The innocent civilians were praying for their lives and shivering out of the horror of this scene only trembled.

I though, was still leaning on the tree. No, all three of us were still in our places.

"Looks funny. We might die." I said, possibly in an attempt to break the tention here.

"I know right? Nice meeting you two." Erio replied to me.

"Me too, guys a heaven exists right?" said Aisy. 

Our reactions to the event was too bland. Maybe the void didn't like it. As we saw, and so did everybody of Antarah, something was forming inside the void. Not too long passed before I recognized what it was.

The Face...

"Heroes, and the brave who protested against the liar, live, you ten. The rest, die for your blashphemy."

What happened then? I don't know. Like the first time, I returned to the void, except I didn't expect to still be alone in the void. Well, I was wrong, as I turned around, I found people, they were the civilians of Antarah. Yes, all of them. They looked like statues. Unmoving, and… dead..?

A voice whispered in my ears then, "Silver,"

"Are you the face? I am enjoying the system, just wanted to tell you, whatever you are."

"Glad, I am for that. Now listen carefully, Hero! There are three taboos that result in death. Revealing the revelation without permission, revealing the future without permission, reviving the dead without permission. Permission of the Lord alone." 

"Oh, what about Axia?"

"He had the permission."

"How to get the permission?"

"Ascend, you can only realize it."

"Was the preist's prophecy true?"

"Curious inquiry, Hero. Of course it is."

"What's the point of sending Heroes if you know we will fail?"

"Perhaps, the goodness is in failure."

"Should I then become an enemy?"

"Do as you please. But only completing the quest of stopping the apocalypse, which is, the invasion of Demons can bring you to the 'Wish'"

"Question, will the Hero candidates stay Heroes until they die?"

"Certainly,"

"Oh, that means enemy is a made up term. It only refers to the 'enemy' of other Hero candidates."

"Certainly,"

"Then if Heroes are doomed to lose, he meant that an enemy shall win. Am I right?"

"The Lord alone knows the future, and he lets only from His own knowledge when someone else learns it."

"I see. Let me return now, what happened to Erio and Aisy?"

"They will betray you. Kill them, Hero."

"You are telling me to become an enemy yourself? That's sad."

At this point the Face grinned up a similar smile as before and said, "Hero Silver, you are unique. At this moment, while most are begging for their lives to me, you are only analysing the situation. As if I am a book open for you to read."

"Of course, it doesn't make sense if the 'Lord' sent me to lose in this quest."

"How sure are you, Hero?"

"Confident, and one last question-"

"Curious inquiry, Hero. No, there truly is a grand purpose behind all this. Have faith in the Lord."

"I see... So now.. I won't be able to kill Erio and Aisy. Will I then fail?"

"Hero, then I shall kill them if you wish. As to whether you will fail, that knows the Lord alone."

"Could you do it in the least painful way?"

"Yes, you are selfish. Hero."

"I am sorry. But fine, do that only when they are coming to kill me, at the very last moment."

"Certainly, that is where they die."

"Guess I will need to ask more. Why am I getting this privilege of getting to kill my murderers?"

"You are not alone. Many more are getting different privileges now. Everytime your Heroes return to the white void, you shall go back with a reward."

Killing my teammates was an award to him, apparently. I reluctantly agreed to it though. I am sorry, Erio, Aisy. Those two, I only knew them for about two days but they became so close to me already. But, I value myself far above them. Far, far, above them, above anyone. So I was sorry. It's self defence. Almost feels cruel to justify myself sometimes. 

I wondered, how could situations turn that they come to kill me. I frowned but I had some more to learn from the Face.

"And truly the last question this time, is the future changeable?"

"Only if you know it beforehand and cause disturbance in it taking place."

 "How can you know the future?"

"Only when the Lord lets you know. But Hero, now that I have enlightened you regarding certain futures, if you do reveal them, you shall be breaking the taboo of revealing the future and face the same or harsher wrath this miserable preist faced."

With that, my queries were satisfied. Shocked and disabled in a sense, I was near to falling depressed the next moment. The Face wasn't there to show sympathy to me though.

"Hero, now the whole of Antarah shall be petrified as their punishment. Only the Heroes, and the Brave one shall survive it. And with that, finally - I must lead you to another Hero, like I am leading Him to you. Go forth to the Capital of this country. All three Hero parties shall meet there. What will happen after that? That knows the Lord alone." 

Everything disappeared and like the first time, I fell subconscious again. My Quest was truly taking a turn at that point. No, my quest only began from then on.

How cruel the system is. Not the demons, first we had to overcome a civil war among the Heroes themselves. Perhaps, to select out the 'worthy' even though the Lord apparently knows who will be the one to succeed. Oh, to make him stronger maybe? Who knows… ah yes. Knows the Lord alone.