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CHAPTER 55: We walk in Darkness together
"You want to buy the island?"
"Yes, please allow me to purchase it."
"Wouldn't you rather return to your company to discuss things…?"
"There's no need, we'd come to the same decision."
Barbarossa sat at his desk, set neatly with an appropriate amount of scrolls littered across it to make him appear to be a busy man, but not in any way disorganized. His two attendants stood beside his desk while Sinbad, Ja'far, and Sakura stood on the side of his desk, addressing him. Sinbad had arrived early that morning for a meeting with Barbarossa, ready to discuss the details for buying the island.
Ja'far gave Barbarossa his and Sakura's preliminary calculations, which they had put together that morning; it had been rather rushed and extremely early that morning, but Ja'far had worked on it some of the night before, believing he had more time to finish them off when Sinbad arrived at his room's door, telling him that he was going to buy the island. He didn't even have much of a chance to get angry with Sinbad because of the short deadline.
According to those calculations, even if they made allowances to repay the money the company would owe, they would be able to create enough business to net an enormous profit.
"This is such a huge opportunity for us. I have no objections." Ja'far stated, rolling up the scroll in his hands.
"Offers like these don't come along every day." Sakura pointed out, smiling. "The island's location is excellent and works to our advantage in trade. The existing city will save time with renovations and expenses; we don't need to start from scratch, which would probably be the case with any other offer we got for land."
Barbarossa glanced between the three, holding up his hands. "If that's the case, then I gladly accept, but….if I may, Sinbad, Sakura, you both look terrible."
Although it was too obvious not to be noticed, no one else in the room dared to comment on Sinbad or Sakura's appearances, with the dark lines of exhaustion under their eyes, the way their skin seemed to have become a sickly pale tone, their lips dried and cracked; giving many ways to describe the two in this moment but Barbarossa had summarized their appearance perfectly in a single word.
Sinbad gave a weary smile, giving a dry chuckle. "Do we?"
Clenching his open hand on the desk, Barbarossa continued to watch the pair with an unchanging expression. "The truth is…last night I received a report that you both had been spotted mid-air above the island."
Sinbad and Sakura remained indifferent, while Ja'far, who hadn't heard about their little nighttime excursion, berated them for doing something like that without permission.
"I don't mind. Just worried," Barbarossa chimed, "After all, that place hasn't been properly cleansed yet."
Sakura remained rigid, her muscles clenched in order to avoid trembling like a leaf trying to hold onto its branch in autumn. Sinbad made no move of reaction either, his inner turmoil remaining sealed shut to keep from reaching the surface.
"Did you…see something there?"
Sinbad responded with little hesitation, "No, there wasn't anything to see."
Sakura swallowed softly, reaching out to hold Sinbad's arm as a sign of aesthetic affection. "Just a view that stole our hearts."
..
..
Something was off. Ja'far knew it from the moment he saw Sakura and Sinbad at the beginning of the day, but he didn't have the chance to bring it up because of the last-minute work he had to do. After the conversation with Barbarossa, he was concerned. The two were walking quietly beside one another, their hands connected, but Ja'far hadn't seen the two make eye contact once today, nor did they start a discussion that would usually turn into an argument. They were too quiet.
"Why didn't you tell me you went to the island last night?" Ja'far asked as the three walked across the palace halls.
"I was restless last night and wanted to take another look at the island." Sinbad answered, "Sakura and I just had a quick flyover before heading back."
Sakura smiled. There was a painful twist in her stomach, and her throat muscles were contracted. At least she knew she knew she wouldn't throw up with her stomach empty. She felt like anything she ate would come up before it could be digested anyway.
"Are you two, really, alright? You didn't see anything on the island?" Ja'far asked, worried.
Sinbad tilted his head to the side, "We're fine, Ja'far, just a little tired-before we left last night, we kinda-
Ja'far held up his hand, grimacing. "I don't want to hear it!"
"Anyway, Ja'far, you can head back without us. We'll follow in a little while." Sinbad said.
Ja'far looked to Sakura for the answers that Sinbad wouldn't offer him, but he saw that same painted smile on her face; he had seen it that morning and in Barbarossa's office. She wasn't going to say anything.
"I understand."
When Ja'far was completely out of sight, Sinbad lurched forward, dry-heaving. Unlike Sakura, he managed to stomach breakfast that morning; unfortunately, it seemed to have been in vain as the contents spilled on the clear tiled floors. Sakura continued to keep her hold on Sinbad, rubbing his back as he wiped his mouth.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes." He responded, in a manner that sounded with the intention of an attack. "Because with this, we'll finally be able to make our dream a reality. I'll do whatever I have to do to make it happen. I'll keep pushing forward, no matter how soiled my hands become."
Sakura breathed out, "And I'll do the same by your side."
"By my side." Sinbad stood up straight, taking Sakura's hand in his. "Because this is our destiny."
..
..
Sindria Trading Company finalized its alliance with Parthevia, beginning preparations to gain its independence as a special administrative district of Parthevia. A few of the specialized employees were invited to see the island that was soon to be their new country, mainly the representatives of the international alliance. Everyone became swept up in their own excitement as they explored the island. Sinbad and Sakura were along with the crowd, but they had separated to reach a specific location.
The area where the research facility once stood, only a few nights ago, was now cleared; there was nothing but a blank plot of land in its place. Sakura and Sinbad stood on higher ground overlooking it. The image of the building is still engraved in their minds.
"How is it? We've disposed of everything as you wished."
"Thank you. Now we can create our country here."
Sinbad and Sakura continued to stare at the area, as if they were waiting for the building to appear again, along with its experiments, the wails and cries that they ignored. The burden that they would carry with them always.
'We're going to stand in the dark together.'
'This is our sin.'
..
..
Sindria Trading Company moved towards its goal of building a country; it became clear that there were no easy paths. The company headquarters was filled with fast footsteps, a mix of many voices which made it impossible to hear any conversation from afar; all of this began in the early morning, nearly before the sun was up, and ended long after it had set. Although the circumstances in the company's massive change in work production were expected, the degree of it was still surprising. Although everyone knew what needed to be done in order for the company to reach its goal, no one really complained, especially under the company leader's influence. Representatives of the company were sent to visit their countries to update their allies on Sinbad's current status and to ensure their cooperation throughout the process.
Sinbad had been working especially hard; as the company leader, it was nothing unexpected. Although there were those who knew Sinbad well enough to tell that he had been working too hard, despite his fatigue, he rarely stopped working, and the only one to know the reason behind his sudden development in work ethic was his partner, who had also taken to working longer and harder than ever before. The stress and strain of work was taken like a cure to the haunting memories and raging guilt that Sakura and Sinbad endured.
Sakura's department had an increase in supply and demand since the first launch of a few samples of her products. She created food pills that relieved hunger and would keep you full longer than the duration of regular food (which was good for places experiencing famine), tea for fatigue, a remedy for aches and pains that would work instantaneously, and she also started to work on antidotes for what was once 'incurable' poisons (with references from Serendine). The only problem was that production was slow because Sakura was the only one making the merchandise. Even when she used shadow clones, that technique wasn't easy; she couldn't make more than five if she wanted to sustain them long enough to get the job done.
Breathing softly, Sakura put down her quill after finishing the last of her reports for the afternoon. She had to fill several large orders that day, and she had to write up the reports for them, and everything had to be precise, in reality and on paper.
'Finished.' Sakura thought, rubbing her shoulder.
"That boy is working you too hard, my king," Beleth told her.
'It's fine, Beleth.' Sakura assured. 'It's not like Sinbad's in any better shape than me.'
Although Sakura understood why Sinbad was working so hard; as a medic, she knew that this was not healthy. Sinbad did not have the same stamina as herself but he was stubborn and had been avoiding sleep. They may not have been able to sleep as well at night but it was a necessity that they couldn't go without-at least not at the pace Sinbad was going.
Gathering all of the scrolls in her arms, Sakura left the room, heading in the direction of Sinbad's office. In the halls, she spotted Ja'far and Mystras heading in the opposite direction from her, crossing her path, and they stopped to greet her.
"Hey, Sakura." Mystras waved.
Ja'far stared at the stack of scrolls in her arms. "On your way to see Sinbad?"
Sakura nodded stiffly, explaining she had to get the documents to him and was on a bit of a deadline. Nothing could be shipped out until Sinbad signed everything to approve them, and he wanted the products delivered today so that they would reach the market on time.
"While you're there, do you think you could tell Sinbad to take a break?" asked Ja'far, crossing his arms. "He's been working way too hard, and I'm worried he'll collapse."
Sakura raised her eyebrow, scrutinizing Ja'far and Mystras's appearance. The dark lines under their eyes are from utter exhaustion and long nights of work. "When was the last time the two of you looked in a mirror? Your reflections will probably scream back at you, 'You're killing us. Get some sleep already!
Mystras rubbed the back of his neck, admitting that Sinbad had just told them the same thing when they tried to convince him to rest a bit.
"It's not just us," Ja'far pointed at Sakura. "You haven't slept in a week!"
"I'm fine." Sakura huffed. "Don't worry, I'll talk to Sinbad if the two of you head to your rooms right now to get some sleep."
"Fine."
"Okay." Mystras agreed.
..
..
Down the hall, only a few feet away from Sinbad's office door, Sakura heard two voices bickering on the other side. One she knew was Sinbad's and the other Serendine's. Since their negotiations with Parthevia were officiated, Serendine had distanced herself from the rest of the company, including Sakura. The increase in scheduled activities for the day had kept Sakura from taking lessons from Serendine as often as she would've wanted, but she noticed the princess had been behaving far more aloof than before with her. Sakura didn't bring up business during these sessions just to keep the tension from rising.
Keeping her presence unknown, Sakura moved towards the end of the door and stopped. Leaning against the walls, taking in shallow breaths.
"Stop your plans to found a kingdom right now."
Sakura placed the voice as Serendine's; she would be the only one to make such a declaration.
"You're being deceived by Barbarossa. That man cannot be trusted." Serendine stated, and then she said something that set Sinbad off. "You should know what that man is doing is…
Sakura flinched when she heard a single knock against a piece of wood and the scraping of a chair's legs against the floor, and then Sinbad spoke.
"Enough." Serendine fell silent.
"I've already made my decision. It has nothing to do with you." Sinbad stated, his tone firm. He said that this wasn't just a verbal promise anymore but an international contract. "It's not something based only on what Barbarossa says. Founding this kingdom is a matter that's already set in stone."
There was a brief moment of silence; Sinbad, having said his part, could only mean that Serendine was pondering her comeback. When she gave it, Sakura felt her heart stop.
"Then…what happened to marrying me?" Serendine asked, her voice light in tone but heavy in desperation and strained as if it was painful to speak. This was her last move to play. "I'll make you into a famous revolutionary. The blood in my veins can help you achieve all your goals. I thought you understood all that when we were in Zepar's dungeon. You don't come from a royal bloodline. Without that, you can't create a lasting country!!"
"Could you be quiet for a minute?"
Sakura's fingers pressed against the wall, twitching when Serendine's voice rose at the end. Then she heard Sinbad's voice; it was cold but also on the edge of losing whatever composure he had.
"Isn't that just your opinion? We have a mountain of work to accomplish, so I can't worry about that any longer….It's true that I don't have the right 'blood,' but Barbarossa and his party taught me that it's possible to lead a country even if you're not royalty. I don't need royal blood to create a country. In fact, it's because they're not royalty that I realized you can create a government by the people and for the people."
Sinbad paused, his voice calm, but it was straining. "I'm making my world a reality now. So please don't get my way."
"You're either behind me, by my side, or in my way…."
Sakura bit her bottom lip, reeling her head back to rest against the wall, her eyes shut tightly and still trying to close further, she felt her lungs burning as she struggled to breathe.
"You can' Sinbad!! That's what he wants!" Serendine's voice rose again, agitated. "That man is just manipulating you for his own benefit!! OPEN YOUR EYES, SINBAD."
"SHUT UP."
The kunoichi heard the shuffling of scrolls falling on the ground and a loud gasp from Serendine.
"This is a decision I've chosen for myself! Not because I was told to do so by anyone else!!" Sinbad panted softly. "If it's so important, do it yourself! My goal is to correct the injustices of this world, not take back Parthevia. I have to keep moving forward. If you want to take revenge, you're going to have to get it on your own."
When the footsteps grew closer to the exit and entrance of the office, Sakura swiftly took her leave. Her feet light, like feathers brushing up against the wood, not making a sound as she ran across the hallways.
..
..
Sinbad stomped out of his office, leaving Serendine standing there alone, staring at the ground. Just as he stepped out, he stopped for only a moment, giving his final words to the princess.
"Do not bring up getting married again. You and I both know there's only one person we want to be with."
Serendine gasped, turning around just in time to see Sinbad's form disappear around the corner. When had he…?
"You think I didn't notice? It's easy when you're in love to see when someone else is. But you should change your preference to one that isn't already taken." Sinbad raised his voice, just loud enough to reach Serendine's ears from her location before everything went silent once again. She listened as his footsteps vanished.
Judar leaned against the wall, his hand behind his back. Peering around the corner to see Sinbad walking down the hall in the opposite direction from his hiding place, he knew that Sakura had already run off, and Serendine remained in the office.
Smirking, he looked at the window, towards the cloudless sky. "Things are really getting interesting now."
..
..
Sakura made it back to the lab and closed the door before returning to the desk, dropping the scrolls before falling into her chair, heaving deep breaths. She clutched the end of the armrests tightly, keeping the terrible stirring in her stomach at bay. After a few minutes, her breathing regulated, and she no longer felt herself wanting to throw up her lunch.
'It's okay; it's fine; this is fine.' She told herself. 'I made this choice, I will get through this. This is for Sinbad. For us. For the dream…We're so close…so-
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as the door behind her creaked open and Sinbad entered. He appeared completely calm, despite the fatigue, but there were waves of frustration rolling off of him from what Sakura could tell (and from what she had heard only a few minutes ago).
"Sinbad." Sakura stood up from her seat. "What are you doing here?"
Wordless, Sinbad walked toward the pinkette, while she continued to step back until she hit the edge of the table, gripping it from behind her. She called his name again, but it was as if her voice couldn't reach him now.
Touching her cheek, Sinbad leaned forward, passionately capturing her lips with his and wrapping himself around her. In a snake-like coil.
"Sin-Sinbad?" Sakura gasped, pulling away, placing her hands on his shoulders to keep him at bay as she felt him push forward. "W-What are you doing?"
"It should be obvious." He replied blankly, leaning into her neck, earning another gasp from Sakura as she felt a gentle pull on her skin, while the strap of her top was being slid down her shoulder.
"You still have work-the reports are done, I was just about to bring them-
"Forget about the reports. We can deal with them tomorrow."
"But you said you wanted to get them verified for shipping-
"Sakura."
Sinbad pulled back, only to rest his head on Sakura's shoulders. Breathing in her scent, it was earthy from all the herbs and stung his nose along with a hint of sweat from the hard day's work, but it didn't make Sinbad pull away.
Sakura slipped her hands under Sinbad's arms, "You know, you've been overworking lately. How about I help you finish up your work, and then you can go and rest?"
"Mmm," Sinbad replied, his hands trailing along Sakura's exposed waist.
"Sinbad, you need to rest." Sakura pushed Sinbad back carefully, staring into his tired eyes. "Please."
Grasping her forearm, Sinbad slowly started to lead Sakura towards the door. When the door was ajar, she asked, "Where are we going?"
"To get some rest," Sinbad stated, opening the door completely and pulling Sakura out of the room.
"Sinbad…" Sakura called out to the boy walking only two steps in front of her.
"Sakura, please."
She didn't say anything else, only allowing Sinbad to lead her back to their room. Where they were both able to exhaust themselves and fall into a restless but much-needed slumber.
..
..
Things hardly settled in Sindria trading, although it hadn't taken too long for those closer to their leader to see the change in transition between him and Serendine. Their interactions with one another were scarce, hardly ever seen in the same room together, no friendly greetings or acknowledgments. In the company's current condition, it was easy to overlook these small details as opposed to the larger ones blocking them out, but people like Ja'far were far more intuitive and able to look passed what was right in front of them. He asked Sakura about it; but actually knowing the truth behind, she pretended to be completely oblivious, insinuating that the only probable cause was due to Sindria officially being allied to Parthevia. That got Ja'far off the trail and he wouldn't ask Sinbad about it.
Sinbad wasn't the only person whom Serendine had begun excluding from her daily routines. She had made and built on excuses as time passed, to keep from meeting Sakura for their lessons. Sakura was already very busy and hardly had any free time in her day, but she always made space for Serendine. Now, those blank spaces that the princess refused to fill in, Sakura had filled with more work. Now, Sakura and Serendine were as close as strangers could ever be.
When Sinbad, Ja'far, and Sakura were walking through a quiet walkway, their voices bounced around. Serendine was coming down on the opposite end of the room, and she made no sign of acknowledgement to their presence as she strolled past them. Neither Sinbad, Sakura, nor Serendine dared to steal a glance at the other and thus passed as if someone on the street.
Ja'far peered slightly over his shoulder, watching Serendine step out of sight before turning back to Sakura and Sinbad, who were going about their business, and he decided to do the same.
"If we're looking at this much monthly, we should be fine," Ja'far said as he walked alongside Sinbad and Sakura.
"That's going to take a lot of inventory," Sakura pointed out. "I don't know if I can meet this demand at the rate I'm going."
"I told you, if you train more employees to assist you-
Sakura cut Sinbad off, "That's going to take up a lot of time, Sinbad. I'll have to come up with a test and-
"Ja'far, Sakura, Sinbad!"
The three stopped and turned around to their caller and saw Vittel, walking in quick but silent footsteps towards them.
"What's going on, Vittel?" asked Ja'far.
"Sorry, but…." Vittel hesitated; the hold of the scrolls in his arms tightened. "We have a guest."
Sinbad sighed, "Again? Can't you handle visitors right just-
"It's no ordinary guest!" Vittel spoke in a rush. "It's that royal Parthevia mage, Falan."
..
..
Hearing the name of a person, who had attempted to kill you in the past was not something to make the highlight of your day and neither was hearing that said person was requesting an audience with you. It didn't sit well in your head and this was no exception for Sinbad and Sakura as they went to go and greet their 'guest' along with Ja'far, Mystras, Vittel and Hinahoho. Seeing Falan at the palace without confronting her was enough of a difficulty, but to actually have to interact with her-it made looking back on seeing her that day easy.
The anxious feeling building in their chests deflated when they actually opened the door to the room where they were expecting to see Falan, only to see someone they did not recognize as the Parthevia magician. At least that was the case for Ja'far and Sinbad when they entered the room and saw the women standing in front of them.
Sakura was not precise in that situation.
"Sorry, we must have the wrong room," Ja'far said, about to head out of the room, when the woman spoke.
"No, you have the right room. It's been a long time since we last met."
The woman stood up, she had long orange hair in two hoops, wearing a short top with a long collar opening in a deep cut exposing most of her ample chest. She carried in her hand a long, golden staff with an oval-shaped dome. As Sakura looked at her, an image appeared flashing in her mind, going as quickly as it came.
There was something black being held in her arms, cradled like a precious object despite its grotesque appearance. It started with a round top, reaching down to two outstretched figures and down to another two, like arms and legs.
"Mama..Papa, I'm scared…It's so hot."
"Tess…..TESS"
Sakura spoke in a near whisper of a voice that didn't feel like her own as she stared at the women, a vaguest sense of familiarity. "Falan."
The woman looked at her, "Ah, so you do know who I am. I thought my initial appearance would have you believe I was someone else."
Sakura touched her forehead, blinking rapidly. It happened again, that uncertainty she felt. As if she was hanging on the edge of knowing what she spoke, but at the same time, she did not. There was no clear way for her to describe it. Whatever she had seen before was gone too, but she knew that she had seen something-something that made her heart beat and her stomach twist.
'What was that?'
"I need to have a word with you."
Sinbad, Sakura, and Falan took seats at a table while Hinahoho, Mystras, Vittel, and Ja'far remained standing right behind Sinbad and Sakura, as if they were guarding them. With the tense silence, Falan decided to break it by asking if anything was wrong, and to have Sinbad respond that everyone was just surprised to discover that she was the magician from Parthevia.
"You should be in Parthevia. Does Barbarossa know about this?" Sinbad asked bluntly.
Falan shook her head in response, "No, I came here secretly. I'm not here on official business but rather personal reasons."
Sakura folded her arms; the feeling she had around Falan now was something that she just couldn't place, and she wasn't sure what kind of light she would place it in. "What would those reasons be exactly? As we're allied with Parthevia, you're more than welcome despite our previous affiliations, but there are still those here who may bear a grudge for your past actions against them."
The grip on her staff strengthened, but other than that, Falan made no real movement. "I came here to tell you something, but I know you do not trust me, so there is no guarantee that you will believe me, no matter what I say. But I still want to try…."
Falan's eyes fell on the young company president, "Destiny. Tell me. What do you think destiny is?"
Ja'far wanted to protest to Falan's questioning, to put it on hold until the Parthevia mage answered their questions, but Sinbad silenced him and answered.
"I think of destiny as a guide to the future." Sinbad said, "Every person has a goal to accomplish in life, and we're all looking for the right path to lead us to the future. We're guided by our destiny, which influences our actions and leads us all forward."
As Sinbad went on to explain that destiny was a natural cycle that creates the future, Sakura watched Falan carefully for any changes in appearance to the answer, to see if she could find the mage's reason for asking the odd question, and what she might have wanted in turn for an answer. Although Sinbad's explanation sounded accurate to Sakura, she didn't know what to think of destiny herself anymore. Not when she had been led to a world where fate and destiny have no effect on her. Then a thought occurred to her; fate wasn't what sent her to this world, so did that mean…
'Did I abandon my own destiny?'
"I see, even someone as special as you thinks he has to follow destiny," Falan said, then glancing towards Sakura. "Even though you now have her-an interloper by your side."
Sinbad frowned, "What do you mean?"
"You both should know the truth of destiny that controls this world and….just what kind of existence you humans actually have."
At the request of Falan, Sinbad sent everyone out of the room as their guest wanted to speak to Sakura and Sinbad privately. No one protests being sent away by their leader, although they weren't entirely in agreement for safety reasons, but since Sakura was there with Sinbad, even without metal vessels, they were all well aware of Sakura's unusual abilities. There were two reasons why Sinbad had actually consented to this private meeting; he was interested in what the magician said, and she also seemed to know about Sakura, a matter which only he was aware of in their immediate circle. That would not have been the best way to reveal anything.
"I'm sorry for making you dismiss everyone, but what I am about to say cannot be understood by just anyone," Falan said.
"Don't worry about it." Sinbad leaned forward, setting his arms across his legs. "It seemed like you didn't want everyone here; that's why I asked them to leave. Besides, it seems like you have something important to discuss, don't you, Falan?"
Sakura had the same assumption as Sinbad, but there was also something else. The longer Sakura looked at Falan in her initial form, the stranger she began to feel. It was like she should be able to place Falan as someone already categorized in her memories, but not in the way that she currently had her placed.
Falan smirked, "Just as I expected. I'm glad I chose you."
"What do you mean?" asked Sinbad with a shallow smile.
"Just what I said, I admired you since that time we crossed paths in Valefor's dungeon."
Sakura frowned. Her memory took her back to their time in Valefor's dungeon, where they were all nearly killed. There was also the reminder of Ja'far, Vittel, and Mahad nearly being transformed into monsters. This resulted in a sarcastic response to the magician. "You certainly have an interesting way of showing your admiration, don't you?"
"I created that beast to test your abilities. Does that tell you that makes you angry at me again?"
"No," Sinbad replied, "So are you going to tell me what you've chosen me for?"
"Yes." There was a frightening gleam in Falan's eyes as she smiled broadly at the two. "I've chosen you as the one who will receive the key to free us from the bonds of destiny."
Sinbad and Sakura were taken aback by the declaration.
"Falan, that doesn't make any sense. What exactly are you trying to say destiny is?" asked Sinbad.
Falan continued to smile, "Destiny is….the flow of the great will that guides this world."
Sakura and Sinbad listened attentively to Falan's words of destiny. She told them of the flow that guides everything in this world. Everything that people think, feel, create, which they believe to be of their own accord, is not that but in fact nothing more than the flow of destiny in which they were existing. It meant that they couldn't go against the system established in this world.
"That isn't so unusual, though," Sakura pointed out. "Isn't destiny a natural phenomenon?"
"But what if it wasn't? Falan countered, "What if-what if the flow was something set and dictated by someone?"
Both Sakura and Sinbad fell silent, their eyes widening as the question settled deep within the confines of their minds. Destiny was always something individuals thought to be in accord to themselves and fate but they did not truly consider who it was that decided that fate. They didn't stop to consider if there was someone pulling them in the directions of the paths they believed they were choosing to walk.
'Is that the same in my world?' Sakura wondered. Destiny in her world had not thus far been very generous to many of the people in her life. Her teammates, in particular, ignited a small spark of anger within her.
"It's never crossed your mind, has it?" Falan asked them, "If you really think about a person's destiny….Why are people born, why do loved ones die, why do people grieve and cry out in agony? It's because people have been living false lives based on the 'rules' that were created within the system."
Sakura interjected, clutching her hands tightly together. "So you're saying…that we're not truly in charge of our own lives and the decisions we make or the path we decide to follow?"
Falan nodded. She stood up and came towards Sinbad and Sakura, placing her hands on each of their shoulders. "Despite that, are you really going to insist that destiny is something you should believe in? It was created by someone; it is controlled by someone. 'Destiny' is nothing more than a prison."
What Falan said had Sakura's mind running on two sides of the matter. Destiny, by the definition as Falan had placed it, and yet there was another part to this, that it was not all that Falan had claimed it to be, and then when she said 'someone' had created destiny, an individual, that caused Sakura to feel a sharp wrench deep in her, but it was almost out of body. She clutched the side of her head.
'What is this?'
"Sakura?" Sinbad touched her shoulder, "Are you alright?"
The pain was gone.
"I'm fine," Sakura assured, turning back to Falan. "You were saying."
"I can't accept a life that was decided for me," Falan claimed. "Our joy, our suffering, even our deaths are something dictated by destiny. A world like that….Is something I will never allow."
Falan stepped back away from the pair. The next thing she said had Sinbad and Sakura completely awestruck. "But you, Sinbad, you were born with a vast amount of magoi at your disposal, and you can feel destiny. You're someone special. Even though you're bound by destiny, you also have the power to deviate from it. That makes you a singularity."
Sinbad frowned, "Singularity?"
"Yes, it means you have the ability to oppose destiny," Falan stated
Sakura went rigid when Falan's eyes fell on her once again. "And you-you're an interloper. Someone who had defied your own destiny to come into this world. You have already done what we wish to accomplish."
"Then, what exactly….is an interloper?" Sakura asked.
"They are ones who do not belong to the great flow of this world because they are born and bound to another. A destiny with a different system. They are the ones capable of not only defying destiny, but influencing others to move away from their own destiny." Falan said, looking back and forth between the two. "For this reason, the two of you could not have made a better match."
"What exactly does that mean?" Sinbad asked.
"An interloper and singularity," Falan stated, in a manner that told Sinbad and Sakura that she expected them to already know what she was talking about, but after a few moments, when they made no motion to comment, she continued to elaborate. "The possibility of freeing this world from the bonds of destiny is you. Both of you. Sinbad, are you going to continue to live a life bound by destiny? Don't you want to escape it and grasp true freedom as this interloper has? It's possible for someone like you!"
Sinbad's expression turned indifferent, "Could you wait just a minute? It's honestly difficult to understand what you are telling us. In fact, it just sounds like ranting." Sinbad held up his hand. "Although you don't seem to be lying to us."
Sakura nodded, "Although it's a wonder how you know all of this."
"Exactly." Sinbad pointed. "You're not just a magician, are you? How do you know these things?"
Falan just smiled again, "Just someone who really hates destiny. I am part of an organization that aims to return the world to the way it should be."
Sakura narrowed her eyes, "The way it should be?"
"Yes."
"You said organization; there are others like you?" Sinbad asked skeptically now.
"Yes. We are a long way from knowledge of ancient magic. A group formed by the nameless-'Al-thamen.'
Again, Sakura felt it-a trigger of some sort, with emotions she couldn't place as her own and yet couldn't discard as another's either. Sakura placed her hand on top of her chest, trying not to lose face in front of Falan and Sinbad.
'What is happening?'
"Sinbad, Sakura; we expect great things from you." Setting her staff under her arm, Falan grasped Sinbad and Sakura's hands in her own. "We expect you to turn the world into what it really should be. Because of that, we will give your assistance. Of course, there is one way of defying fate in which we cannot help you."
Sakura leaned her head back, "What would that be?"
Falan said nothing but one word. "Hajin."
"What's that?" the pair asked the mage.
"Something I hope the two of you will create," Falan told them. Although that didn't cover ground for a real explanation, and they weren't given the chance to ask before Falan changed their course on the sub-topics in the conversation. "You should remember this before you decide to decline. If it were not for destiny, then the two of you would never have crossed each other's paths. It was not fate that brought you together, but the will and actions of the interloper who coincidentally crossed paths with your own Sinbad."
Sakura peered at Sinbad; his silence made her wonder what exactly he was pondering, but her thoughts stopped from dragging her into a dark place when she saw the smallest smile on his face.
"I understand. We'll accept your assistance."
Sakura literally bit her tongue to keep from speaking out against Sinbad. She didn't accept, but because Sinbad had, she doubted that if the time came, she would defy him anyway.
Falan nodded, smiling pleased. "As expected, I knew you'd-
"But not right now," Sinbad interjected, holding up his hand. "As you can see, we're currently occupied with building our kingdom. So we can't help you right now. But the next time you visit, we can talk about this again, and don't worry, we'll keep it a secret."
"Very well." Breathed Falan, shutting her eyes. "That's all for today, but remember, destiny is going to make the two of you suffer too."
Falan then produced a black, sheathed dagger from under her long-sleeved cloak and held it out with both hands towards the two. "If you should reach that point and wish to run from destiny, please use this. It is one of our own creations. It's similar to your metal vessels. With its power, you will be able to 'tear' destiny."
Bowing her head and holding the dagger higher towards the two, Falan said, "This is proof of our loyalty to you. Keep it."
After placing the dagger on the table, Falan then walked towards the door. Once she was officially outside of the room, she turned back to the two once more. "There is one more thing you should know, Sinbad. Your interloper emits a sense that she is 'not like others,' and that tends to capture interest. Because she is what you would need in order to thrive beyond the flow of destiny and set yourself high. She is an asset."
Sinbad replied immediately, correcting Falan's statement. "She's my partner."
"She is what you make her."
..
Sinbad and Sakura waited silently for the door to close before making any movements or drawing another breath. Sinbad went to the table and picked up the dagger, examining it closely. Like their metal vessels, there was an eight-pointed star shaped on it. Although it didn't give any reaction that was cause for alarm, Sakura felt that there was more to it than met the eye.
"Why did you just agree with her?"
"I feel like creating close ties with her will be worth it. As for destiny, that is right now, and all we can do is keep moving forward." Sinbad told her, staring at the dagger before raising it up and swiftly jamming it in between the wood of the table. "I'll use anyone or anything, no matter what."
Sakura didn't respond, silently watching Sinbad, but Falan's conversation had opened a new depth within her mind, one that would slowly fill with Sakura's new knowledge of this world and her opinions of what it was she had done by arriving in it.
..
..
Sakura's mind refused to turn itself off that night to give its host her well-needed rest. Her thoughts on destiny and the ability to make others fall out of it were dwelling on her. Sinbad slept quietly beside her, snoring lightly with his chest rising and falling in deep breaths.
He had put Falan's token of loyalty away where no one would be able to question it.
When Falan had appeared, Sakura didn't know what had come over her, what she saw and said and why she had such a strange sensation of nostalgia that was simultaneously foreign. She had hoped that she would be able to place the feeling but she just couldn't. She felt something strange, almost out of body and yet at the same time she was present, similar to the experience of having a dream. And like all dreams it ended and brought her back to reality where one who couldn't remember their dreams would frustrated attempt to recall the details of the picture their subconscious had painted for them and still come out with a blank canvas.
While lying on her back, Sakura raised her hand up towards the ceiling and flexed her fingers several times. In an attempt to distract herself from the meeting, she drew herself to another matter, but that wasn't any less concerning than the previous issue. Nonetheless, she thought about this new issue and as her analytical ability began to process her thoughts and place them together like pieces of a puzzle, taking past experience, and then coming to a conclusion she did not want to reach.
'Oh no!'
Sakura leapt out of the bed and rushed out of the room.
..
..
Serendine crept quietly into the office and set a scroll down on the desk. It was not the most compassionate way to bid someone farewell, but it was the easiest. Face-to-face would have made things that much more difficult. Glancing at the painting that was resting in a frame right behind Sinbad's desk, a tear slid down her cheek before she quickly wiped it away.
"Going somewhere?"
Gasping softly, Serendine turned on her heel while reaching her hand towards her sword, only to stop when she realized that the person who had caught her out was none other than Sakura-someone she knew better than to draw her sword against.
"Sakura, I was just-
"Just going to leave without a word of goodbye…at least not verbally." Sakura glanced at the scroll on the desk, keeping her hands on her hips. "I have a bit of experience with runaways and running away myself."
Serendine averted her gaze, turning to the dark corner of the office. "It doesn't matter, it's not any-
"Any of my business." Sakura finished for Serendine, blankly. Lying well on her claim for having experience in situations like these. "You're leaving to take revenge for yourself, aren't you?"
Serendine's silence was all Sakura needed for an answer. Running her hands through her hair, Sakura gave a dry laugh that had Serendine feeling mocked. "What is with you, Avengers? You think you can just walk away from everyone who cares about you like they were nothing."
"You wouldn't understand."
"Actually, I understand more than you think." Sakura took a step forward, "I have lost someone important to me before because he chose revenge over life. He was willing to shroud himself in darkness just to achieve the power for revenge. He walked away and ruined everyone who stood in his way."
Serendine squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her shoulders trembling. "Sinbad told me that if I wanted revenge, I would have to take it myself. So please don't get in my way."
"Where are you going?" Sakura asked.
"To get more power," Serendine stated. "Judar, Sahel, and Tamira are coming with me."
"You do realize that if you leave and get discovered, Sindria Company won't be able to aid you anymore because you will have officially cut all ties with us, right? You once told me how you hated being on the run, and you're willing to go back to that? Is it worth it?"
Serendine seemed taken aback by Sakura's force and blunt questions, along with her cold expression.
"Sakura-
"It's a simple question, Serendine. Is it worth it?"
Sakura kept quiet after, holding her position firmly to show Serendine that she wouldn't be leaving that office until she answered.
"Yes," Serendine answered in barely a whisper. Then her voice grew firm as her belief was planted firmly in the soil of her mind, and she was once again able to look Sakura in the eye. "Because when everything you love has been taken from you, all you have left is revenge."
"Revenge does nothing but breed eternal misery," Sakura stated firmly. "No matter how strong your hate is, that is an inevitable fate of those who choose to walk this path, because they will have dedicated their entire being, everything that they are, to this simple goal. Forgetting their future after that. There will be nothing left of you."
Serendine smiled, she raised her arm that was at the hilt of her sword to her chest, resting it in between her breasts where she could feel her heartbeat. "Yes, it hurts; it's lonely, and sometimes you think it would be better to just turn your back on the past and keep moving forward with those who are offering you a better future, but it's different when you still have something worth fighting for."
"If it were different, then there would be a better outcome." Sakura pointed.
Serendine's eyes hardened, and she threw her arms out wildly. "Then I'll take it! Because I hate Barbarossa so much that I'm willing to destroy myself if I can take him down with me!"
Sasuke's stoic face flashed across Sakura's mind, nearly blinding her reality and what was right in front of her, and for the first time, Sakura felt anger, true anger towards the Uchiha she had so devotedly declared her love for. This was the first time she had felt any kind of resentment towards him. Even all those times he pushed her away, rejected her, called her annoying, even when he left her on that bench out in the cold night, she had never felt any negative emotions.
With her head hung low, she whispered just loud enough for Serendine to catch in the silence of the night. "Stupid…"
"What?"
"You're so stupid." Biting her bottom lip, Sakura shook her head, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. She smiled up at Serendine. "At some point, you have to stop and move on, or you're not going to grow. You'll always stay frozen in time, holding onto a past that can't be changed while everyone else around you keeps on going, lives their life's and leaves you behind because you refused to let go of something you couldn't change and always blame yourself for."
Sakura blinked back her tears, taking a deep breath, knowing that she had to be quiet to keep from alerting any sleeping individuals. "Your life won't be your own anymore, and it will be short-lived because that's all revenge is compared to a lifetime."
"The past can be mended!" Serendine exclaimed, tears now streaming down her face. "I will make it so! I don't care how much pain I have to endure or if I destroy my future! You tell me to move forward, to let go of the past, but how can I do that when I still have people I care about? When there is a chance for me to save them, now with this power? What would you do if you had the chance?"
"If it's for revenge-
"And what if it wasn't for revenge but justice?" Serendine quickly countered, "What would you do then?"
"But it's not-
"What if it was!? What would you do?"
Sakura remained silent, staring at Serendine, trying to hide her indecision. At any other point, she would've known the answer and would have been able to give it straight away, but it was different now. Because she had already made her pledge to Sinbad.
"Now you tell me, Sakura, it's a simple question."
Sakura closed her eyes. "It doesn't matter, because I already made my decision to let go of my past and move forward with Sinbad at his side."
"I'm not the only one who's stupid then." Serendine shook her head. "I might have chosen revenge, Sakura, but at least I still know who I am; I'm still whole. You, on the other hand…"
Sakura's vision turned back on Serendine so she could glare at the princess. "What are you saying?"
Serendine was blunt in her answer, her words cutting sharper than any blade, piercing straight into Sakura's mind.
"I'm saying that you are losing yourself to him." Serendine's voice grew more fragile, like a desperate plea for her to understand. "I've been watching you, Sakura. You do whatever he wants, and you don't care about what you wish for. Eventually, you're going to become nothing more than his shadow, following after him and having no free will of your own."
Sakura was taken aback by Serendine's declaration and immediately went on the offensive to refuse it. "That isn't true."
"Yes, it is, because I've seen you. You're more devoted to Sinbad than anyone, and I know how far you're willing to go for him. How much are you willing to change for him? I don't think it's fair to you."
"I've made the decision already to follow Sinbad. I want to see his dream come true," Sakura stated, determined. Swallowing down the bitter taste of every agreement to Serendine's declaration, without leaving a lingering aftertaste. "Even if I have to dirty my hands, I will do whatever it takes to continue to stand beside him. Because without Sinbad…."
Sprinting forward, Serendine grasped Sakura's shoulders tightly and pulled her so close that their faces were mere inches from each other, unable to hide anything from one another.
"You can't get swept up in someone else's fate, Sakura! If you feel like you have to prove your worth to someone, then you should just walk away. I have chosen my own path; you should choose yours. Stop using love as an excuse to stay and stop trying so hard to change, or you'll forget who you are!"
Sakura couldn't respond, she couldn't counter. Even though she knew that Serendine was referring much to herself at certain points that triggered Sakura's emotions. She wasn't nearly this lost as their trial in Zepar's dungeon but it seemed that just as before, Serendine was the better master of her own heart.
"I've watched you, and I found something; no matter how much you change, you are never going to think you're good enough when you stand next to him. You will always have doubts, because you didn't do any of this for yourself-you did it for him."
Sakura pulled back carefully in an effort to distance herself from the princess, but Serendine refused to release her. So Sakura stopped.
"How can you be so certain? All these claims of losing myself to him? Am I not just doing my best to make sure I can stand by his side instead of the background? How is this different from me working to be where I want to be?"
Serendine barely took a breath before she responded. "Because I've seen the kind of love you allow yourself to be given, Sakura. It's like a poison, sweet, but it will kill you all the same."
"Hate is the real poison here, and you don't seem to have any problem giving it to yourself!" Sakura countered.
Serendine smiled softly, "Yes, and the outcome will be the same for both of us because we reject the simple cure to our poisons."
"Which is what?" Sakura asked, irritated.
"Loving yourself enough not to sacrifice everything you are for something or someone else." Serendine's eyebrows knitted together in distress, and her expression changed to something Sakura hadn't seen but had felt she had worn before. The tears running down her face, her eyes wide open, afraid to blink in case the person in front of her vanished…this was the face she had when she lost Sasuke.
"Come with me."
Sakura wanted to step back, but she didn't; instead, she stood there, silent and still with shock, allowing Serendine to take Sakura's hands in her own and press them at the center of her chest.
"What?"
"Leave with me," Serendine tugged on Sakura's hands, reeling her closer. "Leave the company with me!"
Sakura blinked in disbelief. "Serendine, why would you even suggest something like that? When you know how far I've gone for Sinbad and my feelings? How can you expect me to betray him like that?"
"Because of this!" Serendine pulled Sakura roughly, causing her to stumble a bit straight into the Parthevia princess, and for a moment, she was convinced Serendine was going to smack her, but Sakura's mind wasn't worried about that when Serendine's lips fell on top of her own and erased all her thoughts and counter reactions. Sakura didn't move, and in that instant, it was as if everything around them had become paralyzed with shock.
Serendine moved away, releasing Sakura's hands and stepping back so that their eyes met. "I love you, Sakura."
With trembling fingers, Sakura touched her lips, unable to utter a word as of yet, so Serendine took the chance to be heard.
"You're always standing by Sinbad, doing everything for his sake, and even after all of that, you still called yourself weak and a burden. I helped you because I wanted to change that. I wanted you to see your value, but the more time I spent with you, the more I saw it. You are going to cling to Sinbad as I cling to revenge because you believe you have nothing else, and it's going to destroy you. So I'm giving you a choice."
Serendine extended her hand towards Sakura; there were tears in the corner of her eyes. "I won't make you feel like you need to be anyone but yourself; you won't feel like you have to change to stay by my side. What you are-who you are is enough; it's more than enough for me."
Sakura took a small step back, "I…."
"I know that you love Sinbad," Serendine swallowed. "But if you stay here, you're going to lose yourself to him. You're going to think you can't survive without him, and you will destroy yourself for him. I don't want that to happen to you…so please," Serendine widened her hand, stretching out her fingers to expose her palm further.
"Please come with me."
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