“What in the actual hell?”

Mikhail reacted as he heard everything patiently.

“That happened?”

“Yes,” I responded as softly as possible.

We had a long talk as we stared at the ravages of Soli. The damage done was severe and bodies lied everywhere. The blood glowed from every direction.

My heart had become the most fragile thing, seeing my beloved friend die was hard enough that now I have to bear the failure of not saving these innocent people.

I couldn’t help them, but I tried. If anything I was praying for them to return. If I had the power then I would have definitely would have called them back.

I looked at them,

Maria sat on the ground, while Krial leaned on a nearby tree bark. Mikhail was standing with his hands folded and Avon stood beside me staring at the black sky.

Behind everyone were standing six people. One women with a bow and arrow, a man with a mace, a boy with glasses on, a girl who played her dress and hair at the same time, a boy with a sword and last but not the least…..The King of Vivet, John Gloom.

“I—don’t know what to say….”

Mikhail gasped as he took a seat on the ground and looked around him.

“All of this for what?”

He said it aloud. I turned my attention towards him as I thought the same thing.

I agreed that a plan of disposing me was well enough, but to kill innocent hundreds was unforgivable and this time it didn’t even look like they were trying to prove something. It was just for their amusement.

‘Were the Elementus always this cruel?’

I thought.

“So—this world is created by…”

Maria tried to talk, but couldn’t get anything out as she was shocked and petrified by the thought.

“Yes, by exterminating more than half of the original world.”

John Gloom said as he walked in between us.

“I always hated the concept of God, and now I have a firm belief for what I used think.” He said as he walked in front of Krial, “This world is a like drawing, but the ink used for it is the blood of hundreds.”

He said as he looked at the sky and then at the surroundings.

“So, this is his perfect world?” Mikhail asked me.

“I-I don’t know,” I replied as I downed my head and looked at the ground where my feet made as moved sprinkled some sand.

“Hmph!” He reacted as he got and started walking away from us.

“Where are you going?” Maria asked him which stopped him in his tracks.

“Staying here is dangerous, and is this is about taking the world back or something…” he said without turning back, “Then I am out. I am not a team member or anything.”

I looked at his back as I hoped for him to turn back and say that he was going to be with us. I needed every support I have got to make things right. I was turning selfish, but I couldn’t do anything myself. I was just too….afraid.

“Leaving, huh?” John said in a quirky tone, “At least wait till you see the magic.”

‘Magic?’

I looked at John and then observed his gaze. He looked at every body lying down and smiled at me as he did. I looked at the scene again and with every inch of my heart’s voice I screamed ‘Come back.’

“Don’t you find this weird. Its been a long time, yet the Light of Ordination hasn’t purged the bodies.”

One of the boys said as he walked towards Mikhail.

It was indeed strange that the Light hasn’t burned the bodies.

But, then suddenly we saw Lights blazing all over the sky. It projected itself down on the ground.

‘It’s here.’

Is what we all thought as the Light had finally came to do its job.

We calmly waited for the bodies to disappear. I looked Maria who now prayed and Krial who downed his head as well, but there was one person who looked straight and smiled with a big grin on his face.

It was John Gloom.

It was as if he knew something we didn’t.

And in moments we realized what it was. Before downing our heads, we took a final peek at the carcasses.

“What?” Maria said as she saw something. I looked in the direction she saw.

To my surprise, I was seeing an arm of a dead man moving. The light illuminated him and his arms, legs moved in an unorderly fashion. His head turned and his hands became a support for his legs, with a thrust upwards. He was able to stand.

He was back from dead.

We looked elsewhere and found the exact thing happening everywhere. People were coming from dead. The light illuminated their corpses and it was as if the light was blowing life into them.

“How is this…even possible?” I said in an awe.

“Sire, you did this?”

Avon looked at me for an explanation.

‘I wish.’

I said in my mind, because it wasn’t me who did this. It…

“Plan: Make everyone come together and create a commotion by bringing people back from dead….is a great success.” John remarked with a great pleasure of joy.

“You? How did you?”

“We die at the age of 25, don’t we? Where do you think our remaining years of existence go?”

John said as he folded his hands and looked me in the eye.

‘What?’

I looked at him with my hands shaking.

“To break balance, imbalance is necessary?” He whispered in my ears as he walked beside me and then turned behind to walk towards his ‘Ravens.’

“If you stay with us, maybe you can actually save your brother and sister.” The boy who was standing next to Mikhail leaned towards him and said it in a soft voice.

He turned his back immediately after his speech. Mikhail stood half-faced, with his face stunned by what was happening beside him.

I looked towards everyone and everyone was much shocked except for John who was now walking back.

“This world needs to purify itself. This is just plain wrong. Make it right.” John said as he walked away from us, “Now, if you’ll excuse me and the Ravens. I have to prepare for my additional plans.”

“Wait!”

I said as I started to walk towards him, “What are you…? What am I supposed to do?”

He turned and then looked at me. With a gentle smile he said, “Revive us, Mortis and make your Mother proud.”

********

[The War Council]

In the frail sunlight, where the clouds seemed more mighty than our glowing ball. A man walked with his arms behind his back, in black drapes with a white belt and white striped over his clothes. His face expression remained stunned and his eyebrows meet each other.

It was certain that he was angry, but more than that he appeared concerned to what was happening.

“Sir, do we really need to intervene?”

His courtman, who walked with him everywhere asked with a doubtful expression.

“We wouldn’t have to,” The man answered, “But only because of some fool I entrusted responsibilities with failed.”

“But, General Juan…”

“I am The Leader of the Council, Krux.” The man replied to his courtman, “To share my problems is my priority. Nothing should hinder the peace of the Pentacross……That’s what we should be focused on and that’s what we will do.”

Krux nodded hesitantly and walked closely to Juan as they walked in room. They pushed the door and in front of them was a large round table with five people sitting on the chairs around it.

They all looked at the door opening and then watched Juan take his seat. Juan walked with elegance and took his spot.

The room was dark, but laminated at the same time. With his hands placed on the table, Juan took an upright posture and looked at everyone.

The assertion was clear, something had happened and it was serious.

“How are you all?”

Juan asked in a playful manner.

“Really? We gon’ talk about that now?”

A woman spoke up.

“Casual courtesy, Miss Amanda.”

Juan replied with a smile.

“We know right not to expect that from you..”

“That’s harsh.”

“You really are in jest today, aren’t you?”

A man on his left hand side interrupted.

“Jest is a strong word, though I agree I am disappointed.”

“You said that his essence was greater than a Lamia, but never said that he was on par with a Minotaur.”

Edwin walked close towards the table as he spoke.

“Would that have changed the outcome?”

Juan imposed a question.

“I would have gone there myself and kill that piece of…”

Edwin spoke harshly, clearly dissatisfied with the information and the events that have taken place till now.

“This is partly because of you, Spike.”

Juan said to the man who sat on his left.

“Really? I saved your most decorated warrior.”

Spike replied with a huff and a laugh.

“You didn’t save me, but came in my way.”

Edwin interrupted with steps closing in towards Spike.

“That’s the most dignified way of saying ‘Thank you’, but I accept it.”

“Spike…”

The steps now were hefty and the expression Edwin wore was of anger. He walked as close as possible, but was stopped by a voice.

“Edwin! You are not a General. You cannot be close to the round table.” A man with a huge body spoke up with his head down and eyes partially closed.

“But, Master…”

“God, you’re sucha cry-baby!!”

Amanda teased Edwin as he stepped back to keep the respect of the only person he cared in this room.

Hearing Amanda speak he looked with a fierce reaction and said, “Amanda, be quiet and I’ll spare you…or what do you say, want to spar?”

He challenged Amanda who looked at him with a grin and touched her lance which stood beside her.

“Be calm..”

“I can’t be..” Edwin lashed out, “Nikola’s been missing, half of my troops are dead and people are coming back from dead.”

He said as he looked at Juan who now banged his hand down on the table which made everyone silent.

But in all the silence, a chair slipped behind and a boy got up from his chair and turned towards the door.

“You’re leaving?”

Juan asked him with a concerned face.

“Why not? I couldn’t care less about it.”

“They might become a problem for us.”

The boy flicked his hand over his hair and then looked backwards.

“Who? The Revivers?...The Elders will take care of them.”

The boy replied and then again started to walk towards the door, but Juan made him stop with his utterance.

“It seems that he is alive.”

Juan said with a heavy voice.

“Who?”

The boy enquired.

“You know who..”

The line was enough for the boy to turn around and look Juan in the eyes. The eyes posed him an answer, but he was unsure. He stood still for a few seconds and then to confirm his doubt, he spoke.

“Mortis?”

To which Juan stood silently, but blinked his eyes once.

“I-I-can’t…”

The boy walked towards Juan and on the other corner in front of Juan, he placed his palms on the table and looked at Juan.

“Where is he?”

He asked with damning assertion.