A man was sitting by the table on the couch, it was late night now. He was mused, pondering quite hard as his both brows were tightly drawn together.
Later in the evening, when he had declared the knowledge about reincarnation to Ruis and Sara. They both had eerily the same reaction as Ender had when he declared it to him.
~ Just why?
He was trying to make possible connections on what exactly this could mean, do they know or understand something he didn't? It was quite ridiculous to even think such a thought.
In this state of puzzlement, a voice echoed within him.
– They're kids, Tenebris. This is an understandable outcome as they're gradually learning the truth about the world. The more truth one pursues, the more truth one learns about oneself.
He exhaled, before letting out a whisper of dread.
"Truth is merely an excuse to not live the living."
The heavy air which was already there became way more dense now. And the night went like that.
...
When the sun arose, and people began waking up from their sleep. Ruis was already standing by the balcony. His crossed arms resting over the curved pavers of the smooth concrete.
From here he could see it all, yet it wasn't all. The sun was gradually rising up from the horizon. The sky was still bluish-black, yet after several minutes. As he stood there.
Light flooded every corner of the streets, yet the shadows of houses and shops still stretched wide and long.
Today was quite weird for Ruis, he felt an unexplainable feeling erupting in his chest. It was as if he was also a bit nauseous. And could vomit at any moment.
Still, the cool breeze made his nerves more relaxed rather than when he was lying on bed.
"Reincarnation..."
He muttered out. Still mused. It was then he heard footsteps approaching behind him.
"Is that still on your mind?"
It was a gentle, soft tone. He recognized who it was by the voice, no need to turn around.
"Well... I wonder what kind of life I had lived previously, it's quite fun to think about it. Isn't it?"
Silence was his response, which made her place her palm over his shoulder.
"Ruis?"
He still didn't reply, his eyes had a form of unreadability in them. Sara lowered her head, it was at this moment his lips moved.
"I'm not getting any prophecy from my inner voice. Do you know what that means?"
Startled by his sudden words, she subconsciously takes a step back.
"Your digestion is complete?"
He gave a lazy nod, mumbling.
"It's time to ask Mr. Azon about advancing to the next shift."
Sara's lips quivered. Her expression began drowning in melancholy.
"I wonder when my voice will say something instructional, it barely whispers..."
Ruis faced himself toward her. Before speaking out the words which baffled her.
"That's because of the way you are..."
She couldn't grasp the substance of those words as per usual, Ruis already knew this would happen.
Someone this pure couldn't grasp the living hell the world demanded, just to exist.
He goes where the set of flower pots were existing. Plucked out a beautiful white Daisy flower. And turned himself before the balcony.
"Sara... If someone is too pure for the world."
With his other hand he began plucking the petals out one by one, as when each petal rested on the street, they were crushed instantly by the steps of people wandering around.
"The world will snatch their purity like the way angels snatch souls from disbelievers."
Sara didn't look at his eyes, her head was down. Like lost in deep thought.
At this moment, a young man enters the scene. He was wearing a black t-shirt at this very moment.
Ruis and Sara came to be aware of this man's existence.
Ruis kept his gaze fixed over the street, silent.
Seeing Sara's troubled expression made the man inquire about her.
"What happened here?"
"N– Nothing."
Hearing the hesitant reply made him take a step forward.
By this point, the sun had arisen completely. The gentle, soft beams had reached here. Swallowing everything, the balcony, the flowers, all of them in their warmth.
Ender disappears inside without saying a word.
Silence forms between them for a few moments. Until he let out a whisper, his voice rather expressive.
"They're coming back today, so it's a good chance to ask Mr. Azon about my advancement."
Sara unconsciously nodded. Maybe it was because of the sun, her troubled expression went at ease than before.
Moments Later...
As she had woken up early, she was taking a nap in her room.
But she continued moving within the cotton sheets, as though having a hard time.
Maybe... in her dreams.
...
"What's this place?"
Around her were a series of white lavenders across a big field of land with a clear cyan sky covering like a dome.
The gentle, soft rays of sunlight gleamed off the modest white dress she was wearing.
The breeze here was surprisingly warm, just enough to make her mind more alert, just enough that she brushed her fingers across the lavender while walking barefoot on the land.
For a moment, she began enjoying herself. The lovely sweet smell coming from lavenders seemed like they were making her day.
Until the area she had occupied, the lavender which was on her hand, began withering.
Before she could process what was happening, the entire field of lavenders withered away just like that.
"Ehhhh?"
Sara's jaw dropped. She didn't expect any outcome like this, nor that she wanted it to happen.
The crystal clear sky shrouded with darkness, as if it had become midnight in a blink of an eye.
Sara took some steps back, many emotions could be seen on her face, but the most visible of them... was awe.
While taking steps back, she felt like she bumped onto something, no. Someone was standing behind her.
She turned around reflexively to see herself, the difference between them was, her other self dress was bloodstained.
The ground they were standing on, collapsed. As she was sucked into a deep, endless void.
Sinking deep within the darkness, she heard whispers coming all around. They were about her.
"Pffft! It's hilarious to watch how he thinks you're pure, it's like a fantasy story, you know what makes a fantasy a fantasy? That they're delusions made by mankind!"
Sara knew who 'he' these whispers were referring to, still she couldn't do anything about them.
Because they were the truth.
"If they all came to know that you have done a sin too, then there will be no difference between you and them, the delusions you all have about each other is ridiculous!"
Sara's eyes closed. Deep in her heart, she keeps chanting these words to herself.
~ It will end. It will end. It will all end.
But suddenly she felt someone touching her chin, still she didn't dare to open her eyes. At this moment, she heard a similar tone, it was herself.
"Actually, if someone looks at you at first glance, there's no mistake, they'll find you pure. But what? That's just a foolish illusion you emit every single time. Deceiving them from your truth."
Sara could guess she was looking at her with a malicious smirk.
She was losing the every structure of herself, her existence, but suddenly, an emotion began popping up in her heart.
It gives her enough guts that she, at last, opens her eyes.
"It doesn't matter if I'm pure or impure. It doesn't matter if I've sinned or that was fate. I know one thing very well."
A light smile slowly formed over her cheeks, it was barely noticeable.
"He's my world. Even if it's a world of illusions we made, I'll be by this side, ever after."
Her words made her another self ponder.
"What if that world never existed?"
She said in a low voice, it had signs of hesitation.
"Then we won't exist."
Surprisingly, her smile was still there when she said it.
Stunned, her other self started being swallowed by darkness, it was herself too at the same time, even so. She closed her eyes.
As though she expected this outcome given by fate.
***
"HUFF!"
Sara was sitting on her bed, her heart was beating quite faster than normal. Her forehead was covered with sweat.
She takes some glass of water from the bottle which was by the side table beside her bed.
When fully coming to her senses, she leaned back on the bed. Wondering what had just happened in no time. At last, she exhaled a quite tiring breath.
***
Three figures were strolling past some stalls, their faces usually thrilled.
"Damn, I wish we could spend some more time there."
Zack spoke out loud, looking for things on stalls which could grab his attention. But suddenly, out of nowhere, someone slapped his neck from behind.
"You need to pay rent to live there then."
A cheeky smile curved over Lisa's cheeks as she was the one who had done it. Zack scratches his neck, even so he still speaks confidently.
"Acting like it's a hard job to do, trust me I'll find a better place than that."
"Delusional."
He ignored her grumbles as at last, he had found something which had grabbed his attention.
Trapped within a cage sat two birds.
His steps stopped, and his gaze went fixed over it. The girls seemed to notice this as well, so their steps paused along.
Zack's eyes had a form of pity within them. He marched his steps toward the stall.
"How much will it cost?"
"17 yurums."
"Alright, deal."
He began rummaging through his coat's pockets, by this point, the girls had come over here as well.
"What's this for? You wanna become a bird keeper?"
"I'm gonna free them from this cage. Then they'll live a happy life ever after."
He made a faint smile while locking his gaze with the cage. Extending his arm towards the shop keeper, his hand filled with cash.
Startled by the sudden declaration, Lisa's expression changed. While Misha, who was quite silent, watched the scenario. Opens her mouth.
Zack's color drained from his face even before her words were complete.
"If you free them even briefly, they will only be caged again by someone, trapped in an endless cycle that ends only with their death."
His hand froze in the air like time itself had stopped. Indeed, that was the harsh truth of the world.
Misha continued her pace like nothing happened. While...
He yanked his arm back, sighing. His expression was unusually calm, before he began walking too.
Lisa bit her lips as she strolled together with them.
"Dang it, I was so close."
The shop keeper mumbled to himself.
***
Ruis was sitting in the living room, his back hunched as he was sitting on the sofa.
His eyes seemed like they were waiting for someone.
Soon after, Azon arrived as he shrugged off his coat to the door hanger. Sat on another sofa beside.
Placing some papers on the table as he wore glasses, he began studying them before marking some things in it.
Ruis realized this was the perfect time to ask it. So he got straight to the point.
"I think my digestion is complete."
This made Azon's pen stop for a brief moment, he didn't look up at him yet still mumbled.
"You sure?"
Ruis took a deep breath, stating what was happening.
"I'm not getting any prophecy from my inner voice about any new aspects further, still I could wait a bit longer if you want."
Azon leaned back on the sofa's soft cushions. His tone sounded rather mused.
"No need, we can begin the advancement ritual, but not here. We need to go somewhere else for that."
They both heard the main door being opened, as restless, heavy footsteps were approaching towards here.
The girls along with Zack had also arrived, hesitating to come in as it seemed to them. They both were discussing something very important.
Even after seeing them, Ruis didn't break the flow of their conservation as he made his reply.
"Alright, I'll be up when you call me."
Ruis got up and made his pace, but before he could go towards his fellows, he heard a quite resolute voice, its weight covering the whole room.
"Tomorrow, at noon."