Epilogue: Cordelia

As I pushed open the creaking door to my current place, I could hear the waves crashing against the sand. Opening the door, I saw the window which displayed the crystal like ocean. It’s sparkling was usually a spectacle to see, but by now I was used to it.

I could also see the bed and desk I had become familiar with over the past six years. As the wind went pushing through the window and towards the door, my golden locks were pushed backwards. I could hear whispering from around me.

“She’s so beautiful!” One girl whispered to another.

“That’s not all, her grades are also really good as well!” The other responded.

I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. I used to receive compliments before, but now I was getting them from people who were complete strangers. I wonder if mom and dad would also compliment me on my appearance now.

It’s been so long since I’ve heard from them, but I hope when I see them again I’ll be able to show off everything I’ve learned while being at the academy. I want to show them how popular I’ve become. I want to show them everything I’ve accomplished. I wanted to show them that sending me here wasn’t a mistake.

“It’s a shame about her parents though.” Their whispering continued.

“What are you talking about?”

“Wait, are you serious? Do you live in a mountain? The whole kingdom of Milarch got overthrown!”

“So you think they’re…”

“Yeah…”

“Well, I remember when Milarch used to be such a great kingdom too.”

“Yeah I know what you mean. If it wasn’t for that black haired demon who led the whole thing, it would still be around. Him and his shimmering green ring.”

“So now it’s just a wastela—.” They cut off abruptly.

I guess they took notice of the fact that my face was slowly turning red. As they quickly realized I could hear what they were saying, they swiftly made their way into their rooms next to mine. Letting out a sigh, I entered my room and shut the door behind me.

As I stepped in I felt a strange feeling underneath my feet. It didn’t feel like the usual wood floor I was used to. Instead, it felt far more slippery and made a strange noise when I dragged my feet.

Looking down, I could see that there was paper instead of the wooden floor. Moving my feet off the small stack of papers, I could see that they were letters. Finally! I had been waiting so long to get letters.

Hopefully something from mom and dad are in here. Maybe now I’ll finally get to hear from them. Please be here.

Reaching down, I picked up the six letters which had been lying on the floor a second ago. I went to open the first one, but stopped. The anticipation and anxiety of opening the letter kept me frozen in place, unable to move my fingers to open it.

I wanted to know what was inside the letter, but if it was sad news then I also wasn’t prepared to hear it. But even then, I’d prefer sad news over none. I had gone for so long without any updates. I needed to hear something, anything.

Taking a deep breath in and exhaling slowly, I finally was able to muster up the courage to move my fingers once again. As they made their way towards the part at which I could unlock the secrets of the letter from, they brushed against the paper. The rough paper caused each break in my skin to take in the strange feeling of it. I used paper everyday to take notes, but this paper felt far different from anything before it.

Finally, I gently forced open the letter, exposing the writing inside. It was written in black ink which had not smudged or faded at all in its journey. It looked so fresh too. It was like the person who wrote it was writing it in front of my very eyes.

“To whom it may concern,

I believe you are the person this place belonged to. The location was a blacksmith shop and I was able to recover some names related to the deed. We were able to find you, so we chose to send this letter towards you for simplicity. The residence I am referring to had burned down quite a while ago along with any possessions inside. It was a miracle I could even find who this place belonged to. Anyways, that’s everything.

-K”

As my eyes glanced through the text, I was left speechless. I looked through it over and over, hoping I had misread something. While doing tests in the academy, I would always make one dumb mistake on a test because I misread something. But as I looked over it over and over, I couldn’t see any error.

I desperately kept looking and looking until my eyes had been strained from trying to find nothing at all. Drops fell onto the paper, finally smudging the perfect ink on the page. After the first few fell, the rest came flowing like a waterfall. I even used the paper to wipe my eyes in hopes to stop the rushing water.

Everything was gone then. That was the place which I had enjoyed so much of my life, the place where my family lived, the place where I created so many memories. I will never be able to forget it all.

The fact I couldn’t forget those memories felt more like a curse right now than a blessing. I wanted to forget. I wanted to wake up and realize this was all a bad dream, but as I dug my nails into my skin until I drew blood, I knew it wasn’t a dream.

I couldn’t wake up from this no matter what I did. It was all happening. Everything I had hoped for was falling apart. I could never go home now. The home I’ve wanted to return to for the last six years is a place I will never be allowed back.

The letter didn’t talk about anyone else either, not a single mention of mom or dad. I recalled the girls’ conversation from earlier and the worst stuck out. “So you think they’re…” Dead.

The sobbing continued until I had finally run out of tears to shed. I tried to force out more, but I couldn’t do it anymore. I was completely out of tears to shed now. I was too tired to even cry.

Looking out the window, the rhythmic motion of the waves began calming me down. They moved like normal, unconcerned about the worries of the people around them. The ocean had little care for our problems. This thought had caused me to relax my thoughts and my breathing.

I went through the other letters. The next two were advertisements for upcoming vendors in the Capital of Lores. What a waste of time.

The two letters after that were recruitment letters from the church of Craviot. The sheer thought of the sentiment disgusted me to no end. The people currently occupying the kingdom I loved so greatly before are now asking me to join them. The idea almost made me want to vomit.

The last letter acted more so as news of the ongoings of Lores and the nations around it. The letter documented how they were looking into the production of a new type of gun. The original guns had been introduced by the ‘demon’ of the revolution, but after the fall of Milarch, every nation has worked to create the guns for themselves.

Only now are they trying to innovate those weapons. Even in the academy they started formal training with the guns to make sure everyone there was prepared to use the weapons. Knowing the weapons were made by the ‘demon’, I refused to use them.

I focused on learning the sword until my mastery of it was like none other. I dreamed of getting good with it so that my father would create a blade just for me. I wanted him to make one of his exquisite blades just for me. I wanted him to make me the greatest creation he had ever made, but now none of that mattered. He couldn’t do that anymore. He wasn’t able to do it anymore. The thought saddened me to no end.

On top of learning the sword to an extent which could even rival great blademasters, I also took classes on magic which they had also started offering. While I wasn’t amazing at magic, I thought I was at least proficient at it.

I could use water magic to help me with my daily needs. On top of that, I could even use it for combat. While I wasn’t too strong with it, when paired with my sword it made for a fairly deadly combo.

I had also been able to pick up fire magic. I was far better with that than I was with water, but still, my sword skills triumphed over both types of magic I had at my disposal.

Guiding myself to the bed, there had been just one last letter left for me to read. Forcing it open with far more strength than the previous ones, I looked at the text inside. It contained nothing of value. It was only telling me how well I was doing in the school and how I should continue with the way I was going.

Throwing it all into the trash which was right beside my bedside, I could only laugh at it. “Continue with the way I was going”? Everyone I cared for is gone, and you want me to just continue like everything is normal and fine?

My laughter only kept getting louder and louder until I was sure the people living in the rooms next to me could hear me. I wanted to make sure the whole academy could hear my laughter. It was thanks to this academy that I was laughing at this very moment, after all.

Lying down in the bed, my laughter started to subside, leaving nothing but silence. What choice did I have except to keep doing well? My parents sent me here, and for this very reason I needed to make sure I kept doing that.

If I didn’t continue doing well, then I would be failing them. I would be failing the feelings they had left me with. I didn’t want to fail them anymore. I couldn’t save them and now I didn’t want to betray the last feelings they were able to leave me with.

If it wasn’t for that demon maybe none of this would have happened. He was described to have black hair and a shimmering green ring right? That’s you, isn’t it Hibiki? You are the reason my parents are dead.

I gave you that ring so that you could protect them. I didn’t give you all my feelings so that you could just let my parents die with your selfishness. You wanted to lead a rebellion? So what? You had a job and a will which was entrusted to you and you didn’t even bother trying to fulfill it.

I knew it from the moment I first saw you that one day dad brought you home. You were terrible and had fake feelings. If only I hadn’t been swindled by your words, then maybe I could have seen it earlier. Maybe I could have protected them from you.

Your betrayal was my fault. Entirely my fault. So I’ll make sure I never make that mistake again. I’ll make sure I never trust those with black hair like yours again. I’ll make sure I’ll never trust your kind again.

For these words, I swear I will carry through with them. I’ll make sure I’ll destroy all those who even have a resemblance to you. All to make sure someone like you can’t once again go and destroy the world in the way you have done.

I hate you Hibiki! I hate everyone like you! If you’re still alive out there then you better stay in hiding where you belong you stupid coward! I’ll make sure the tricks you played with everyone will be buried with you. I hate you!