SYSTEM ASCENSION

”So... Zeal is dead. I told that idiot to come back home.”

”Turns out that he was one of them.” She replied. ”The ones the light picked.”

”I knew.”

”I still remember it like yesterday,” she chuckled. ”The crown prince would cling unto him everytime.”

He glanced at her.

”Burn a soul candle for him. He’s a child of the black empire afterall,”

”And he’s also the reason we haven’t stormed Salvador empire in search of the crown prince right,” she crossed her arms over her chest. ”Now that he’s dead. Are you going to take action?”

The king turned around and walked. She watched the children for a heartbeat longer before going after him.

”He made us promise to keep peace with Salvador empire during my reign. What sort of king would I be if I can’t keep a promise to a child?”

”My apologies.” She bowed.

”It’s alright.” He waved his hand.

The door was pushed open and they advanced into a hallway.

”You came back alone, so I’ll assume that he could not find him.”

Her expression dimmed.

”I couldn’t. He might not be in the Aoi continent anymore.”

”We’ll expand our search.”

”Allow me to continue searching, my lord.”

”You’re supposed to stay here and manage the kingdom affairs.”

She bowed slightly.

”Selling the blueprints of the black empire was already a serious crime, and he flew right after. I’m afraid he’ll tarnish the reputation of the black empire. Allow me to catch the traitor, my Lord.”

”You sure have your ways with words.”

”I only speak facts.”

”Very well,” he nodded. ”you’ll accompany the next search parties.”

”Thank you my lord!”

They entered the royal chamber. A large room with floor to ceiling windows. A portrait of the emperor and the empress was perched on the left wing of the wall. The king stood before a wing, and stared into the kingdom below.

”What else do you have to report?”

”Something known as ”Blur” has been spreading around in Salvador empire lately.”

He furrowed his brow.

”Blur?”

”A poison that kills swiftly. I observed it, and it seems to be made with human vitality.”

He only nodded. No surprise of any sort.

”While it might look like Salvador is facing that problem, Torzi empire, Quora empire, Nazarland, Rumis, Casar...”

”The disposal .”

”Yes, my lord.”

He turned around.

”They’ll see what happens when they mess with us.”

”Yes, my lord!”

___

The air in the mansion smelled like dust. Sun flickered in through the open windows.

The house was empty. Everything was being taken down. The curtains, couch, lamp, vases, everything.

Rowen stood by the door, hands folded against his chest. He wore a funeral robe, quietly watching as Zeal’s belongings were rounded up into cardboard boxes for the orphanage. Zeal’s own wish.

The mansion was emptied in no time. Most of his belongings, returned into the wraps they were brought with, still new and unused.

’He rarely comes home, so it’s not a surprise it looks like this.’

Rowen turned away. He inspected the room a little longer, when his eyes caught a pile of letters in a box a lady was luring outside.

”Stop.”

She froze on track, startled for a bit before she took a deep breath.

He approached her, and only reached for the letters.

”You can go.”

He didn’t need to watch any longer. He left Ned in charge, and just went to his car. The letters dangled between his fingertips as he got in and shut the door.

”Aaah...”

The ceremony had been draining. Ninety percent of sound city residents and beyond, attend the funeral, all with the aim to see the faceless once in their life.

Mass funerals were held, and the bodies were burnt.

He reached for the first letter, pulled it open and read the first page.

*I am writing this letter because I lost my phone. Rowen, could you get me another one?*

Rowen, despite himself, chuckled.

”Such a piece of shit.”

He placed it aside and opened another one.

*I almost died today! I went bee fishing!*

”Bee fishing?! What the hell is that?”

He flipped another letter.

*Do you realize that waiting for a waiter makes you a waiter?!*

”What .... he’s got a point.”

*Guess what! I went fog diving today! I died! But some nice people treated me. I stayed with them for a while, and even babysat the little prince! Do you think I’ll see him again...I named him too.*

Rowen’s expression flattened. He began to skim through all of them.

*Today, I...*

*Ice cream is...*

*I had fun...*

*We went to Quora empire...*

*I am writing a recommendation letter for a girl called Rola....*

Rowen released them all, and the pile of paper pooled at his feet.

”You could have just said it directly to me! Idiot!”

He took deep breaths, and gazed at the papers. One caught his attention, and he picked it up. Unlike the rest, this one wasn’t like his younger brother. It was written double, front and back. It had a lot of scribbles, like it was written by a person who wanted to make an impression, but failed at it.

He opened the page.

*My name is Zeal. I am...*

The first part was scribbled off, and beneath it was a fresh start.

*I met this old man that said I had a twin brother, and...*

Scribbled.

*I grew up in an orphanage. I am thirteen years old. The old man said I should write you a letter...*

Scribbled.

*I am your younger twin. I...*

*Can I return...*

Rowen clenched his fist so hard that the letter ripped apart. His lip quivered.

”Dumbass...”

He turned the back of the paper, and realised that the handwriting was messy. It wasn’t written at the same time.

*I wanted to come home. Richard allowed me. He said I was strong enough, but then a light took me , and I woke up in a jungle. I was teleported to a thousand people. Life was hell, and I had to kill the people I met in the trial. Three years, I wished I had seen you before it happened. Now, I don’t want to see you, because I don’t trust myself anymore. Screw it! I’ll just travel around! While I write this, I hope you never see it. How much of a piece of trash your brother is.*

”...”

___

”Should we also move this?” A lady approached Ned, holding out a sword. ”We can’t have this taken to an orphanage.”

”Oh...hah...” Ned glanced out the door towards the unmoving car. ”Mr Rowen is still around. I’ll ask him what to do with it.”

He went to the car, and knocked on the glass.

”Mr Rowen, a swo...”

He paused on track, eye wide for a moment, before dimming. He straightened up and turned around.

”What did he say?”

Ned walked past her.

”He needs a moment.”