The Prophecy

Aren didn't ask Elise to leave again.

That was probably the first sign that something was wrong.

He sat across from her at the small kitchen table, his coffee untouched.

Elise, on the other hand, had already finished hers.

She placed the cup down gently.

"That was good."

Aren looked at her.

"You broke into my apartment."

"I know."

"You told me a group of seven people I've never met is hunting me."

"I did."

"And you're sitting there drinking my coffee."

Elise smiled.

"You're very observant."

Aren stared at her.

She smiled wider.

He looked away.

"You're strange."

"I've been told that too."

Aren picked up his coffee and took a sip.

It had already gone cold.

He put it down.

"Tell me about the prophecy."

Elise's expression changed.

"You actually want to hear it?"

"I want to understand why you broke into my home."

"I didn't break anything."

Aren looked at the locked door.

"You picked the lock."

"That's not technically breaking."

He stared at her.

Elise cleared her throat.

"Fine. Continue."

Aren leaned back in his chair.

"Your family has kept this prophecy for generations."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because of Chryzoul."

Aren's eyes narrowed slightly.

The name carried weight.

Everyone who knew anything about Sacred Relics had heard of it.

Chryzoul.

The relic that had disappeared.

The relic that was said to be stronger than every other Sacred Relic in existence.

And the relic entrusted to the Escaflowne family.

"Your family still has it?"

Elise shook her head.

"No."

"Then what happened?"

"That's something we don't know."

She reached into her coat and pulled out the old book from earlier.

She placed it between them.

"Chryzoul disappeared generations ago."

Aren looked at the book.

"But the Escaflowne family continued guarding the prophecy."

"Yes."

"Even without the relic?"

"Especially without it."

Elise opened the book.

Several pages had been carefully preserved despite their age.

"The prophecy was never just about Chryzoul."

She turned the book toward him.

Aren looked down at the faded writing.

"Read this."

He did.

The old handwriting was difficult to understand, but the translation beneath it was clear.

A man shall come and vanish the evil that controls from behind the scenes.

Aren frowned.

"That's it?"

"There's more."

Elise turned the page.

A woman of the blood that bears the Sacred Relic shall guide and aid him in defeating the devil.

Aren looked at her.

"And you decided that woman was you."

"I didn't decide."

She tapped the page.

"I was born into the family."

Aren remained silent.

"And then everything started happening."

"What do you mean?"

Elise closed the book.

"For most of my life, my family treated the prophecy like an old story."

"So you didn't believe it either?"

"I wanted to."

She looked down.

"But wanting something to be true doesn't make it true."

Aren nodded.

That made sense.

"So what changed?"

"The signs."

"What signs?"

Elise hesitated.

"Things that were mentioned in the prophecy started happening."

Aren waited.

"One after another."

"And that's when the Society 7 became interested?"

Elise nodded.

"They knew about the prophecy."

"How?"

"The Society 7 has been operating in the capital for years. They have people everywhere."

"Yet they ignored it."

"For a long time."

"Why?"

"Because they didn't believe it."

Aren glanced at the book.

"Until recently."

"Until recently."

Elise's voice became quieter.

"They realized the story they'd laughed at was describing things that were actually happening."

Aren leaned back.

"So they started looking for the man."

"Yes."

"And you started looking for him too."

"Yes."

Aren looked at her.

"How did you find me?"

Elise smiled.

"That took a while."

"How long?"

"Months."

Aren raised an eyebrow.

"You spent months looking for me?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because I had a feeling."

"What kind of feeling?"

"I don't know."

Aren stared at her.

"That's not very convincing."

"I know."

She laughed softly.

"But then I found your name."

Aren's expression changed.

"My name?"

"Your family name."

Elise looked at him.

"Vane Gogh."

Aren said nothing.

"The moment I saw it, I knew."

"Because of the prophecy?"

"Not only that."

She paused.

"Because of your grandmother."

Aren's eyes narrowed.

"What about her?"

"She was a Relic Bearer."

"Yes."

"And she carried The Relinq."

Aren glanced toward the small metal charm sitting on the table.

He hadn't thought much about it since she gave it to him.

Elise followed his gaze.

"She passed it to you."

"Before she died."

"Then you are the descendant of a Relic Bearer."

Aren looked back at her.

"So?"

"So you're the first person I've found who fits everything."

"Everything?"

"You're from a family with a history of Relic Bearers."

She counted on her fingers.

"You possess a Sacred Relic."

"Technically."

"You have extraordinary swordsmanship."

"That's training."

"And..."

She stopped.

Aren knew what she was going to say.

His expression hardened.

Elise didn't say it.

Instead, she closed the book.

"I don't think the prophecy chose you because you're perfect."

Aren looked at her.

"I don't think it chose anyone because they're perfect."

For some reason, those words bothered him more than they should have.

Aren stood.

He walked toward the window.

Outside, the city was beginning to fill with people.

A newspaper boy shouted from the street corner.

A tram rattled along its tracks.

A horse-drawn carriage passed an automobile.

Life continued as normal.

Aren watched it all.

"You said the Society 7 is hunting me."

"They are."

"How many know?"

"I don't know."

"How many people in the Society?"

"Seven members."

"Only seven?"

"Seven that matter."

Aren turned.

"God-Rank?"

Elise nodded.

"They're all God-Rank Relic Bearers."

"And the seven Sins?"

"That's what they call themselves."

Aren looked out the window again.

"Pride. Greed. Wrath. Envy. Lust. Gluttony. Sloth."

"Yes."

"Sounds childish."

Elise smiled.

"You're saying that about seven people capable of destroying entire districts?"

"I'm saying the names are childish."

"Fair."

Aren was quiet for a moment.

Then he asked:

"What do they want?"

Elise didn't answer immediately.

"We don't know."

Aren looked at her.

"They've never openly declared their intentions."

"Then why are you worried?"

"Because they've started moving."

Aren's expression changed.

"Moving how?"

"They've begun searching for you."

"Why now?"

"Because they believe the prophecy has reached the point where the man will appear."

"And they think that's me."

"Yes."

Aren sighed.

He looked down at The Relinq.

He picked it up.

The small relic sat quietly in his palm.

"You know what's funny?"

"What?"

"I've never even used this thing."

Elise blinked.

"What?"

"I don't know how."

"But it's your family's Sacred Relic."

"My grandmother gave it to me. She never taught me."

"You never tried?"

"I did."

"And?"

"Nothing happened."

Elise looked genuinely confused.

Aren shrugged.

"Maybe it doesn't like me."

She laughed.

Aren looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You laughed."

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because you're the first person I've met who owns a Sacred Relic and talks about it like it's a broken pocket watch."

Aren placed The Relinq back on the table.

"I don't need it."

"You might."

"I have my sword."

Elise looked at him.

"You're very confident."

"No."

Aren picked up his sword.

"I just know what I can do."

Elise smiled.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then she asked:

"Do you really want to live alone?"

Aren stopped.

"What?"

"You've been avoiding people for years."

Aren looked at her.

"That's not your business."

"You're right."

She didn't argue.

"I shouldn't have asked."

Aren expected her to push further.

She didn't.

That surprised him.

He walked toward the door.

Elise stood.

"Where are you going?"

"Outside."

"Why?"

"I need air."

Elise followed.

Aren looked at her.

"You aren't coming."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know you."

Elise smiled.

"Then get to know me."

Aren stared at her.

She opened the door.

"Come on."

Aren sighed.

He wasn't sure when it happened.

Maybe it was the prophecy.

Maybe it was the Society 7.

Maybe it was simply the fact that Elise had somehow managed to turn his quiet morning into the strangest day he'd had in years.

Whatever the reason—

Aren followed her outside.