Act 3 - Life and Death

“There is in every one of us, even those who seem to be the most moderate, a type of desire that is terrible, wild, and lawless” – Plato

After taking the life of her long-time friend, the Matriarch of the Arbiter let her thoughts drifted to the mortality of her own life as she left the Toiracsi resident. She sighed as she wondered to herself when this long journey of her would ever end. In her long life, she witnessed many births and many deaths of those closest to her, but never her own; her existence, the result of a curse inflicted upon her from long ago, locked her time permanently.

To her, the concept of time no longer held any meaning. After several centuries, she no longer kept track of her own age, her original name lost to the sands of time. She watched as many families rose to power only to fall generations later due to the incompetent of their successors. In that aspect, the Silverlake and Toiracsi families held a special place in her heart.

She watched as both families began as small, insignificant pebbles in the world, destined to disappeared at any moment, to overcoming obstacles and securing the status that they held today. Observing these two families as they grew step-by-step, she could feel the small flame of hope that her dream will one day come true began to rekindle once more.

Unlike their counterparts, through generations of successors, the Silverlake and Toiracsi became more powerful, more stable, like an oak tree tempered by the wind of time. Eventually, she came to see both families like her own children, sometimes appearing in front of them in disguises to offer guidance, other times, protecting them in the dark against any potential threats.

Soon after, tired of her lonely journey, she would establish the Zhen De family, and began her reign as its Matriarch. Using experiences from her long life, she mediated conflicts between different families to the satisfaction of all parties and soon enough, the word Arbitrator and Zhen De became synonymous with one another.

Despite her public reputation as the ideal neutral arbiter, there was always a soft spot in her heart for both the Silverlake and Toiracsi family. She wanted to preserve them, to keep them safe so that they could accompany her through this lonely journey through time. So, from time to time, she would provide each family with small advantages in every negotiation, unbeknownst to the opposing side.

Later, during the era that would eventually be known by future generations as the “Red Tide”, where multiple powerful families from around the world competed for influence; resulting in the deaths of many, it was she who rallied her family along with the Silverlake and Toiracsi to put an end to it all.

Tortured by the loss of the many innocent souls due to the constant fighting, she established the Five Covenants, to be adhered to by all families, or risk suffering the consequences. They were:

1) No children under the age of 18 will be the target of any conflict between their respective families.

2) All families shall work together to keep their conflicts away from the eyes of ANY member of their family that has not yet reach the age of 18.

3) June 18th shall be designated as the Coming-of-Age Ceremony for children of all families and there will be no conflict until after 11:59:59 P.M. of that day.

4) Should the current family head of any family pass away, there shall be a grace period of one year, where they will be immured from being the target of ANY dispute, in order for the new family head to be appointed and reorganized their family.

5) Any perpetrator violating any of these covenants shall be immediately executed without trial.

Agreed to by all participating families, the Zhen De family, as the author of the covenants, was tasked with its enforcement. To that end, she and her family was allowed to gather talented personnel from around the world and soon enough, the Zhen De family wielded a military force on par with any small country, with her at its helm.

Despite being surrounded by talented fighters and countless guards, she herself was no slouch when it came to hand-to-hand combat. What she lacked in strength, she made up for in absolute stealth. Death by assassination. Her body never aged, a side effect of her curse, forever kept in its optimal physical condition in the image of a 16-year-old girl. This aspect of the curse came in handy when it came to jobs she wanted to perform personally.

To hide her immortality, she hid away from both the public and private eyes, revealing herself only to a small circle of confidants within her own family. During arbitration duties, she hid behind her veil using the premise of absolute neutrality. At home, she forbade all from coming close to her abode, except the few that she approved.

Years after years, she continued to fake her own death when it became necessary, pretending to be her own successor only to continue to wear the mantle as the Matriarch of the Zhen De family.

Throughout her arbitration works, she continuously encountered both Jacob and Marcus, the current heads of the Silverlake and Toiracsi, respectively. They were her favorites amongst all the active family heads. She admired Jacob for sometimes seeing things that even she, in her boundless wisdom, could not. She enjoyed her battle of wit against Jacob during each arbitration, especially when he tried to outwit her to gain as many advantages for his family as possible. To her, it was a bit cute, almost like a mother watching her child pretending to be a grown-up.

As for Marcus, she loved his straightforward nature. Others would call him stupid, but she knew it was a façade. Marcus was cautious. He never moved unless absolutely assured of his own victory. She loved seeing his red hair flown in the wind as he charged into battle. The scene reminded her of a period when she was young, standing on the hilltop, seeing knights from her own country charging into battle.

Some years later, she received news that both Jacob and Marcus’ wives had each conceived son. Making room in her schedule, she hurried to their respective houses to give them both her blessing.

Arriving at the Toiracsi’s house first, the servants welcomed her inside and led to the room where Marcus’ son, Isaiah, and his mother was resting, Marcus standing by their side beaming. She walked over to their bedside, took one look at the child, and smiled. His eyes were strong, like Marcus, and his grip, firm, as he reached out and grabbed her finger. She put a hand on top of Isaiah’s head and said a small prayer.

“Take good care of him Marcus. The child has a bright future ahead of him,” she said to a nodding Marcus and promptly left the residence.

Similar to when she visited the Toiracsi’s home, she the servants of the Silverlake household welcomed her inside and led to the foyer where Jacob waited for her. They exchanged greeting and Jacob led her to a nursery where his son, Janus, was currently sleeping. However, unlike the excitement she felt when she saw Isaiah, an overwhelming sense of nervousness gripped her entire being as she turned the handle on the door.

Carefully, as not to wake the child, she opened the door to the nursery and entered the room. She did not know what was happening to her, but she was sure, that the cause was the baby in front of her. Slowly, she approached the crib and to take a look inside, her heart steadily beating faster with every step. She reached out her hand to touch the sleeping baby, to bless him, just as she had done to Isaiah when a sudden pain gripped her heart, forcing her to step away.

Body drenched with sweat, it took everything she had to maintain her composure as she turned and look over at Jacob, his face unchanged as if nothing strange happened.

“Is everything alright?” Jacob asked.

“Yes. There’s no issue. He seems to be a healthy child. I look forward to his future,” she smiled as she answered him. Unbeknownst to Jacob, that was her true and unfiltered sentiment.

In that small instant that the pain struck her heart, she could see it, the wish she had been yearning for all this time. She knew precisely who this child was. He would be the one to free her, to fulfill the wish that she had long given up on. Hiding her excitement, she bid Jacob farewell and returned home, waiting for the day she could meet the boy again.

That night, as she was about to retire for the night, a figure appeared in her bedroom, his face hidden in the darkness, further obscured by a mask.

“It seems you’ve found it,” it said to her.

“Yes. After so many years…I never thought it would be possible.” She answered.

“What will you do now?”

“What else can I do but wait…wait until the day that he will be the one to fulfill my one true wish.”

“Even if that means sacrificing all you’ve built up, L’ange?”, the voice said mockingly.

“I didn’t choose that name…it was a name given to me.”

“Nevertheless, it is your name. Will you sacrifice everything for your own selfishness?”

“Is it truly my own selfishness? Does my suffering for eons because of this world’s insanity count for nothing?

“What about him? What you’re about to do will be far worse, not only for him but for the world as well.”

“He will understand my decision in time. Time heals all wound. It covers up all scars. Just like it did to me. As for the world, I care not.”

“It seems I won’t be able to convince you.”

“Will I be able to convince you to stop in your pursuit of your own wish when, after centuries, it will finally be within your grasp?”, she asked satirically.

“Fair enough.”

“Don’t interfere. I would hate to act against someone I’ve known for so long.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not in my interest to interfere. Afterall, I have a guest I’m waiting for at our theatre.”

“Has he decided to come?”

“Yes. In due time.”

“I see. I hope you’ll be able to enjoy yourself”

“As do you”, the voice said before disappearing.

The next morning, the Matriarch of the Zhen De family called a meeting with her closest confidants. She ordered them to begin crafting a background for her, one where she could use publicly without revealing who she really is. Without questioning her intentions, her confidant started their works. They forged her birth certificate and submitted it to the government office, solidifying her new persona as Hua Zhen De, the new daughter of the Zhen De family.

On the day of Janus’ public introduction, she decided to personally check on his growth, ordering her confidants to act as her parents. This would not be a problem for her as no one living, outside of her family, knew what she looked like. Fortunately for her, her physical appearance was also easy to explain as her simply being a bit more mature for her age, no one can truly contradict it anyway.

At the party, by wearing outfits embroidered with the flower representing the Zhen De family on her chest, she ensured that Jacob would naturally approach her. Utilizing her youthful appearance, with the assistance of her parents, she cajoled the young Janus into dancing with her. This was for two reasons. She used the opportunity as a way for her to appraise him up close, making sure his growth was aligned with her expectations. The second was to ensure that, by showing the close relationship between the Silverlake and Zhen De family, it will deter anyone from having crazy ideas, creating an additional layer of protection for Janus.

For Hua, each day that Janus continued to grow was one day closer to her wish finally being granted.

Satisfied, she returned home and continued as if nothing had change, with none the wiser. What were a few more years of waiting compared to the centuries of torment that she had to endure?

When Janus was old enough to enroll in high school, Hua followed suit. She figured this would be the best time to approach him without arousing any suspicion. Staying by his side, she could ward off any danger that might threaten his life. With her personality and experience, it took no time for her to gain the trust of Janus along with Isaiah whom she knew Marcus ordered to monitor Janus.

Over time, she slowly conditioned Janus to see her as someone dear to him while keeping all unnecessary factors as bay. She ordered her family to annihilate anyone that might bring harm to him except for the Toiracsi family. She knew Marcus was afraid of Janus, but she needed Isaiah nearby to reduce the suspicion toward her. For Hua, Isaiah, being the son of the Toiracsi, was the perfect cover.

Under a normal life, Isaiah would be the ideal son, perfect in every way. He had the look, the intelligent, and the strength to execute any Toiracsi family mission. He was obedient, heeding the order of the family head without question. He would play the fool as necessary, acting boisterous and friendly toward Janus, and most importantly, drawing all the public attention toward himself. To the outside world, her demure demeanor was the perfect complement to Isaiah’s outgoing personality, making them look like a perfect group of friends.

Eventually, through her own intelligent network, she learned that Marcus was gathering weapons through a secret channel. A little bit of intuition and she quickly realized his plan. She began writing letters to Marcus, cautioning against such a move, arguing that it would jeopardize the peace she had built for so long. Her letters went unanswered as Marcus continued unabated.

Giving up on persuading Marcus, Hua began making her own plans, in preparation for the day Marcus would execute his. After knowing him for so long, Hua could trace his thoughts perfectly. She knew that Marcus would target June 18th as the date to act, as that was the date when all defenses are at their weakest. No family, save for Marcus, would be crazy enough to act for fear of retribution from the Zhen De family. By this point, she knew that the fear of Janus has encompassed Marcus, and that nothing would stop him.

The morning of June 18th, she instructed her family members to monitor Marcus’ soldiers. If they had any threatening posture toward Janus, to immediate execute them without question. Then, she made her way toward the site for graduation.

For the full day, she continued to act as if nothing was wrong, behaving just like Hua would be expected to act. After Janus’ speech she excused herself and made her way to the Toiracsi mansion, finding Marcus relaxing in his chair.

Once more, she tried to convince him to call off the plan. Merciless as she can be, even she would hesitate to kill someone she known for so long. However, as soon as Marcus’ phone rang, she knew that her men failed in their mission.

With an expression full of regret, she immediately slit Marcus’ throat from behind, ending his life. Full of anguish, she began to make her way out of Marcus’ room when a sharp pain shot through her heart. Despite nearly collapsing from the pain, her expression was one full of joy. She knew very well the source of her pain. Beyond all doubts, Janus was still alive, her hope still existed, as she whispered, “If only it was that easy”, and dashing madly home.

Hua knew that Janus was still alive but, if Marcus’ plan succeeded, then he would not be alive for long. She had to hurry and put her plans into motion to save Janus’ life, by any means necessary. Running back into her room by using a passage only she knew, she pulled apart the sliding door leading inside with hysteric strength, nearly ripping it apart.

She pushed aside the bookshelf in her room, revealing an entrance leading down below and made her way beneath the earth. When she arrived at her destination, she removed her current outfit, put on a set of ceremonial robes set aside at the entrance, and made her way inside.

Her destination, an unadorned room built beneath the earth that only she knew, decorated only by a large, three layers concentric circle at the center of the room. Walking over each layer, a wall of light, decorated with various runes, would emit from the floor, extending to the ceiling, closing her inside. When she made her way to center, she kneeled, eyes closed, hands clasped together as if in prayer as she cried out the names of the goddess of fate.

“Urd, Verdandi, Skuld. Hear my plea. Let my prayer reach your hallow hall. By my true name, let the world be reborn.”

Soon as she finished her plea, the room began to rumble as chains shot out from the wall, wrapping around her hands and feet, pulling her up and suspending her in the air. Then, from the outermost circle, seven swords rose from the ground and surrounded her. They pointed their tips at her body and one by one, started to impale her. One on each foot, one on each hand, two at her ribs, and one stabbed at her heart.

She smiled as her blood trickled from her body down to the ground.

“I curse this world that trapped me for so long,” she screamed.

“Suffer!” She cried out as crystals from the ground, as if responding to her blood, began to rise.

“Suffer, suffer, suffer and struggle in anguish and pain.” She continued to cry as the crystals approached her feet.

“Feel the pain that I felt, hate the world as I did,” she continued as the crystal wrapped itself around her body.

“Suffer and despair,” she whispered quietly as the crystals made its way to her neck, droplets of tears falling from her eyes.

Before her body became fully enclosed in the crystalline structure, the curse that was the bane of her existence for so long began to fade away as she smiled one last time.

“Hate me…resent me…and then one day, come an end me…my hero.” She said as the crystals finally enclosed her body.

From there, the blades that impaled her body began to pull away and rotated rapidly in a circle. Light began to spread from the center and expanded until it covered the world. That day, in a place no one knew, the existence currently known as Hua Zhen De, was erased from all histories of the world.