226: INTERLUDE 11: PHOENIX'S TEAR

INTERLUDE 11: PHOENIX'S TEAR

"The world is a beautiful place…"2

...was what she thought when she opened her eyes for the first time.

The infinitely changing white clouds floating above, the ultramarine-colored boundless sky, old titan-sized trees that gave off a sense of holiness, new sprouts filled with bursting vivacity.

Such forms of natural beauty went without saying, but even the great cities where mortals continued to struggle to live were filled with incredible beauty.

Of course, the world was neither gentle nor easy.

Rather, the harshness of just surviving was but a natural part of the world. Herbivores were eaten by carnivores, carnivores were hunted by humans, and humans were defeated by something non-human. Even those non-human things were defeated by something much higher in a hierarchy from them. 

It was a cycle — A never-ending cycle. 

No one could claim to really stand at the top of the food chain. The victors eventually turn into the losers, always faced with the despairing cruelty of the world.

There was evil, but for every evil, there was a greater good and vice versa. The cycle was everywhere. The world, oh so beautiful, was divided in a complete white and black, monotone background.

Everything had its own order and this was the reason behind it's beauty. 

Life rejoiced at being alive yet also struggled to remain alive. 

There was neither beauty nor ugliness in that, but only earnest sweat and effort. As long as people continue to fight to reach their dreams — in other words, as long as they continue to choose to live…

The world would surely be eternally beautiful.

This was what she once thought.

When she fought in a war that spanned across space and time, watched her friends and companions fall in the embrace of the Mother Goddess one after another, or faced unholy beings. 

Wounded, sad, alone, afraid, scared. Again and again, escaping from the jaws of death by the most miniscule of circumstances.

Even then, she never once gave up on hope and continued to advance, determined in her beliefs.

The titans did not scare her

The giants did not make her waver.

Even the horrors of the depth and the darkness swirling inside it, did not destroy her faith.

Her belief was ever firm. 

She believed in the possibility of this world. She believed what she did was for the sake of 'good', and to vanquish 'evil'. She believed that she, as well as all the others, were born for some grand goal.

She was proud of who she was. She was proud of what she was and she was even more proud about what she had achieved.

Because this was her choice.

Because this was her own decision — Her freedom.

Her heart was left unshaken but…

When the war ended.

When she looked back at the trail of cold corpses, enemies and allies alike, she had left behind her.

She couldn't help but ask herself.

'Was it worth it?'

One year, ten years, hundreds of years later. She still continued to ask herself that question, never finding the answer she was looking for.

Until one day — seven hundred years ago

"Yahoo!! My name is Darwin! Gretel Darwin. I am a witch. Happy to meet you." 

"H-hello. F-forgive my sister for her rudeneww. Sowwy. I bit my tongue. *Ahem* My name is Hansel Darwin. I am a scientist… I think?"

A hyperactive girl clad in blue, like the color of the sky.

A shy boy wearing a white cloak and supporting an awkward smile.

Those two were her first true friends. 

Even to this day, she wondered what would have happened if she had never met them.

Perhaps...No. Surely, many things would have been different from how they were now.

But, if she was asked if she regretted meeting them, then the answer would be obvious.

She would never regret it. If she was given the choice to meet them again, she would accept without hesitation.

Neither of them were particularly powerful. In fact, even for mortals, they were incredibly weak. Not even coming close to the Duke level.

She could have crushed them without even lifting a finger if she so wished but, in her eyes — they were true giants.

She loved them, respected them, admired them.

They represented all the good she thought should exist in this world.

Her world, which was slowly losing its light, was once again illuminated thanks to their existence.

This was how much they meant for her.

That was why- 

"No."

She could not understand.

"Why?"

She could not accept it.

"Why did it happen?"

She refused to believe it.

"*Hic* Hansel...Gretel...Please, please, I beg you. Open your eyes, listen to me. *Hic*"

Kneeling in front of their mutilated cold corpses, all she could do was shed tears as she kept nudging them, hoping for a miracle to happen.

Sadly, reality was cruel and miracles did not exist.

All she was left with were bitter tears as she realized a new truth.

"Ah...This world is truly ugly."

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