I shudder as I feel a cold chill move throughout my body from the power of the words he has released towards me. He is truly the man who defied fate itself. When confronted with the despair of losing what he based himself on, he doesn't cower but pushes forward, because he didn't accomplish everything he did because of that power; the power only came to him because of the type of person he already was.
It was only a tool to amplify his greatness, because the true power lies in the flesh and blood of the man I see before me. It is a power that can never be stripped away or destroyed. The greatness lies within him; all the people, resources and knowledge he has gained are just a muse for such power.
Stretching out his arm, he says, "My path will be harsh and deadly and even I don't know where it might lead, for the others who choose to follow behind me, that's why I have gathered all those you've seen towards my empire for the sake of pushing forward while keeping as many alive a possible, and for that dream I believe you are essential. So, will you please accept the proposal I gave you earlier? I know it will keep you in this land, but here I believe the truest version of yourself can blossom for a goal none can fully see the scale of."
Captivated by his existence, I reach my hand out forward, and in that same instant, he brings his own to grab mine, yet I reflectively pull it back before he takes hold of it.
Worry washes over his face as confusion captures mine, and looking at me, he says, "Is everything okay?"
The voice has been nagging me in the back of my head, the voice that truly took form on that day of utter embarrassment and hatred that leapt from my soul. My better senses, the selfish desire I used to sell at my own parents and my people, the desire that allowed me to even approach this light in the first place. It all rose and ripped control of my arm, pulling it back.
Standing up, I bow and say, "Yes, but I can't accept your proposal, Wèilái. I thank you for everything you've done for me, and I promise on the name of Captivant to never tell anyone a single thing I have learned that could possibly harm you all. Goodbye!"
I turn and rush out of the area at full speed, not even stopping for a moment to gaze at his expression. This is wrong, this isn't how I should be saying goodbye to a man who has inspired me so much throughout the years.
But I can't face him, I can't look at him, because little by little I was enraptured by all he gave me. The friends, the goal, the joy, the smiles, and even the tragedies, all I had experienced here made me feel full.
I became someone who would willingly bow his head to another hero and become a tool in part of their story. I became a follower no different than the scum back home, only to a greater king.
I don't have the glory to move forward if I betray this hatred, this anger, this need inside of me. I must never allow it to wane even for a moment, because if I do, if I do. I will just live a life of a sheep, and become nothing. I refuse to do that, I can't do that.
Falling to the floor as I rush across the hallways, I place my hand against my face and, holding it, I say, "So then why? Why does it hurt so much?"
Feeling the pain surge from my chest to every other place within my body, I struggle as I fight back the tears with all I can muster, yet they continue to flow until I hear a voice say, "Ahh, you are Captivant?"
Looking up, I see a man dressed in elegant clothes, similar to those found in the west of Terrafide, covered in extravagant jewellery. Yet there is no one place it is all from, some carry designs similar to Dá, while others have designs similar to what you'd find in Terrafide and Molstoria.
In his hand, he holds a handkerchief, and with a smile, he says, "You can use it."
Taking it, I rub it against my eyes, clearing the tears, and then say, "I am sorry about that. Thank you."
"No need for that, it's my responsibility anyway."
"What do you mean by that?"
Kneeling down, he says, "I am the guild master of Aphrodi Unisonus, Cario Unisonus, you know what that is if I am correct?"
Sweating, I say, "One of the 7 biggest guilds of Adventurers in the world, who directly report to the main adventurers' guild in Cordum."
"Exactly, and surprisingly, they asked me to do some reconnaissance while I am here, to check if the Captivant aiding Dá is the small Captivant who is registered with the adventurers guild. But I doubt they would be the same person because I am sure our Captivant knows that aiding in any military operations is a crime for all adventurers punishable by a lengthy prison sentence?"
"That Captivant must be a crazy person, hahahahahahaha."
"I know it's you, Adrian."
I turn to run, yet I am grabbed by the collar and brought back to where I began. Then staring into my eyes, he says, "I could arrest you and bring you back, but first, I would rather not start an international incident with Dá, who has been extremely friendly to adventurers due to their leader formerly being one. So I have come to talk to you about my own violation."
"Do you want something from me?"
"I have many goals, and so does Aphrodi Unisonus. But the one I would like to accomplish is the arrival of a young upstart hero on our continent, a child by the name of Warwick. If possible, I would like you to meet and support him in a similar way you've done for Wèilái?"
"For what reason?"
"It's simply something I think will bring my ideal world closer, and for you, I think it would be some nice exposure to a completely different way of life, and a way to separate yourself from Wèilái. Because, as things are going now, that little dream you have of being a great legendary hero will be consumed by Wèilái?"
This man's eyes look past me, in a way similar to that of Wèilái, yet he doesn't radiate the same grandness that enraptured me. He isn't a hero nor someone who makes me bow my head; if anything, he is someone whose eyes merely see me as a tool for him to wield towards his goal. There is no respect in his eyes for me. It's funny now that I have cast that away, I can truly see the love they all had when staring at me. Still, I can't stop here; I can't be devoured here. "I will take your deal."
Smiling, he grabs my hand and lifts me up, saying, "I hope our business going into the future is incredibly lucrative."
"Honey, how are you!"
Turning his head around, he says, "Oh darling, I am over here," with an incredibly stupid smile spread across his face.
I guess women are the greatest weapon against even men of his statu-.
My eyes open wide, and walking up beside him, I see dressed from head to toe, in a gown that doesn't suit her a bit, the assassin, Ai Kumo.
Holding his hand out, he says, "This is my date for this night, Relai."
As our eyes meet, both of us point at each other, we jump back and point towards the other's face, and I say, "AI!"
She quickly composes herself and hides behind his Cario's back as she says, "This pervert tried to hit on me?"
Looking forward, he glares and says, "What?"
"Don't be fooled, that woman is a spy from Chronicle Ni-."
She quickly grabs me by my collar and places me in a headlock, before whispering, "Shut the hell up or I am snapping that bean sprout of a neck of yours."
"Oh, I know she is a spy from Chronicle Nimbus. I wanted to see if I could convince her to help you in Molstoria, navigating the politics around there is a bit trickier than here, but now it seems you two are already acquittanced so it seems I don't need to keep pretending to like her."
We both freeze for a moment before staring at each other and shouting, "NOOOOOO!"
Clapping his hands, he says, "Rejoice for our great and new partnership today."
I felt many things on that day, the day I rejected a certain future for a world unknown and scary to me. It was made from the same feelings that brought me there in the first place, yet hurt so much more.
But what was worse than that all is the hatred I felt in my heart, the hatred of the man who had become devoured by one greater than him. Whose existence failed to captivate the world, the existence which seemed like it could be controlled by the whims of others.
I lived my life to be different, to always stand on the floor I had chosen by myself, and even if the world rejected it, I would still be able to protect it. Yet I was reduced to a tool, and in the face of that, my rage surged, as I made a single promise to myself again; I would never let anyone not know my power. That deeds I commit shall be on the surface of the lips of all who hear about them scattered throughout Molstoria.
-Age 22-
Continent: Molstoria
Φ"Hey, did you hear of that young general? I think Warwick is his name?"
"Apparently, he went to the Journey's End Sea and completely decimated the pirates that had stayed there for centuries."
"I also heard he is only a 7th seat. To accomplish so much at his young age is amazing."
"Did you know that the warrior known as Warwick is apparently a survivor of the island of Bloesem?"
"You mean one of the islands that was quarantined due to those crazy Legacies attacks? Are you telling me he not only survived that but then became a hero?"
"How heartwarming, but I didn't think he wanted to be a dog for the Rinastcean Union Marines, given that they were the idiots who quarantined off those islands, leaving them all to die."
"I guess finances are more important than principles."
"I don't think so; he always sounded far more critical of the Union policies than people often say."
"And how would any of you know what this man is thinking?"
"Because of Captivant?"
"It was in Captivant's logs?"
"Captivant books were very enlightening about everything."
"Who the hell is Captivant?"
"An author he wrote about other things, like the Coalition war in Dá."
"A war of liberation in which the eastern Dá emperor who lands was being fiendishly stolen, and sovereignty was being threatened, was struck with a surprise attack from all the other nations combined, yet they were able to successfully repel all the forces with their great generals, and even managed to recapture most of western Dá."
"Are you serious? That story sounds hard to believe?"
"It's true, CN reported on it some time last year, but we didn't know the full story. A nation that resisted oppression from those stronger than them, how inspiring."
"Whatever, it's not like we couldn't do the same if the Union ever tried to come against us."
"But should we be worrying about things like the Union. If such strong people exist halfway across the world, and our only getting more power isn't that a threat to all of us? Don't all these people from across the world just make you feel scared?"