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7.35% Garden of the Abyss / Chapter 38: Revelations from The Sage

Kapitel 38: Revelations from The Sage

"You seem confused, I understand that--you probably think that witch was the one who summoned you. "Adelaide", I believe her name is, " Beatrice traced her finger along the rim of the cup.

His silence confirmed her words as he sat there agape, still trying to understand what was being said to him.

"To put it simply, she hijacked your summoning. I brought you into this world, but she brought you to her before you could arrive here. Quite a nasty one, that girl. Worry not--Sora was intended to take her out on his way to retrieve you, but she is more slippery than expected. That man has more brawn than brains" Her smile fell.

"What…" He began to speak.

"Hmm?"

"What took you so long? What took you so long to find me? If you knew where I was this entire time, what took you so long--?" Ren gripped the tablecloth.

Her gaze narrowed as the movement of her finger against the teacup halted. It was easy to tell she was not somebody who liked to be questioned, especially without manners.

"There are many potentialities that come with going to the capital, most of which result in death. I'm sure you've realized the position that people summoned like you are in, no? The "Outlanders"--are no exception, we're the most wanted criminals in all of Mastorn," Beatrice spoke in a tone of authority.

"I don't care about any of that--if you arrived earlier, he'd still be alive!!" Ren slammed his fists against the table as tears sat on the edge of his eyes.

She didn't flinch or so much as react to his outburst of emotions--only carefully watching him with her nebulous gaze. That lack of emotion from the woman only added fuel to the fire, more than anything he wanted to unleash all of that pent-up anger. The only thing stopping him was the innate fear that seemed instilled into the core of his body--fear of the woman who sat before him. His instincts alone told him that the woman wasn't an entity to mess with, it was a miracle he somehow yelled in the first place despite this fear.

"Calm yourself, Ren Nakamura. I am not your enemy, nor am I someone you should use as an outlet in which to unleash your anger," The woman's gaze locked onto his own.

Her words carried power, an authority that he couldn't resist as he felt himself return to rationality not by his own will, but by her command.

--Was that magic? Or am I just that scared of her? He looked at his trembling hands now that he had sat back down.

"Saving you was a risk--the only reason we stepped in was because of the danger that Argonaut posed to you. If Sora didn't show up when he did, you would've been dead or worse," Her voice left her lips in a cold chill.

"I don't get it...why even save me? What value do I have to you anyways?"

He awaited her answer as he kept his eyes on the table, feeling a mixture of anger and grief overcome him once again as he remembered his one and only friend in this world.

"Such information would only serve to confuse or frighten you, child. All I can assure you is that your being here is no accident," The way the words left her mouth was calming, yet at the same time he still felt a layer of fear come across to him.

"You're still refusing to tell me...I didn't want this. Who would you want this? Do you have any idea what I saw? What I experienced?"

"Fate doesn't ask for your permission, Ren. This was always your path--your destiny in life. I simply was the catalyst to set you on your chosen path. Experiences such as that you witnessed at the Althaus estate...cruel as they may be, such growth is necessary to survive in this world."

After she finished speaking, he slowly brought his gaze to match hers--seeing a small smile formed across her lips as her primordial eyes watched him. No matter what words she spoke, it seemed her emotions never shifted. To put trust in such an enigmatic, yet hollow being--he found it impossible to put faith in such a smile.

"I'm not your "child" and I'm not special. I don't care what your reason is...you took my life away. I...I'll never see my parents again. I never even got to say goodbye," His lip trembled as his own words opened his eyes to that spoken truth.

"Can you call the life you were living one worth living? In spite of the opportunity given to you now? What I'm giving you is the chance to live a life more than just someone who was caught in the flow--living only to make ends meet, a life only lived seeking self-pleasure," Her words were like shards of ice, digging into his skin.

An ambient hum filled his ears, he couldn't tell nor did he bother to distinguish if it came from within his own mind or the room itself. He found himself more at a loss for words than filled with blinding anger at this point. The woman in front of him wasn't human--not in the slightest. She didn't operate on emotion and her reasoning was completely inhuman.

"A life not worth living…? How can you say that? Who are you to judge whether my life was fulfilling or not?" His words left his lips quietly and calmly as he tried his best to compose himself.

"What is the point of your frustration, Ren? What's done is done, you're here--not there. That much is unchangeable now," She spoke without a hint of empathy, "I am a slave to fate, just as you are. As we all are. Questioning such things is a task left for madmen."

He almost couldn't believe the words coming from her mouth--yet he had to. "Fate"--the concept seemed to be something she held close to herself, using it as a reasoning for her actions. It almost sounded like something a cult would use as an excuse for their less-than-moral actions.

"And what does this "fate" have in mind for me? Why did "fate" dictate that I should be brought into this world?" Ren asked her.

"It isn't any of my place to speak of the intricacies of fate and the future weaved, nor do I have that kind of knowledge. Simply put, all I know is that this was the correct path for you and that you will have a very important role to play in the time to come," She lifted her teacup to her lips once more.

Once again, he found himself unable to read Beatrice. It was hard enough to even understand her words coated in an enigma.

"Just tell me...what my purpose for being here is. As an "Outlander", or whatever. Why did you want to speak to me anyways?" Ren asked, wanting to end this meeting with this final exchange.

"Now that much, I can answer for you. First I should tell you what the "Outlanders" are," Beatrice spoke.

As she lifted the pot of tea over her cup, nothing poured from the nozzle. For the first time, he saw a hint of emotion from her as she wore a slight frown at the lack of tea.

"Each Outlander is brought to this world by me, for the same reason just as you were--they were marked by fate as someone who would play a role in my plan. You see, I am a "Sage" of this world, my entire purpose is to protect both this world and the ones who inhabit it. I've lived since the dawn of time, and not once has my care for this world dwindled under my aging soul," Beatrice's eyes seemed to confirm her words.

Letting himself listen closely to her words enveloped in grace, he found himself captivated by her otherworldly eyes--watching the tiny stars sparkle and fade as the universe breathed within them.

"The "dawn of time"...?"

"Yes...I've seen it all. Many times I have failed at my job as the world plunged itself into war, ridding itself of life. I've watched the world be destroyed and rebuilt more times than I could count--and once more, that time draws near," Beatrice smiled as she ran her slender fingers over her pale cheek.

"You mean this world is in danger of ending? How can you tell?"

"When you live as long as me, Ren, you begin to pick up on patterns, but don't worry yourself--such events won't transpire for a while, if we can help it." She looked at him with a smile.

The room fell silent, he nervously watched the scarce sunlight prance about past the dark curtains before Beatrice suddenly clapped her hands together.

"Well, I think you ought to settle into the house. Ask Sora to show you to your room--I believe a bit of rest will do you favors, Ren," She snapped her fingers, causing the door to fly open.

"You know, I don't think I'll ever get used to magic," Ren muttered before standing up.

Before he could exit the room, stepping just one foot out of the door--

"Just one last thing--first thing tomorrow morning, you'll be joining Tristan on his mission," Beatrice told him, resting her chin against her hands.

"Mission? I can't even properly use magic yet--"

"Think of it like...an apprenticeship~" She smiled innocently.

The door slammed shut, knocking him out of the room before he could get another word out. He considered kicking the door open out of frustration, wanting to get the last word in but held back his childish behavior with a pout.


Kapitel 39: Golden Mindscape

"Damn old-young-hag, I'll get you back," Ren winced as he rubbed his rear that was hit directly by the door on his way out.

Waiting in the middle of the hallway was the one man he was looking for with his unmistakable fiery hair. However--something struck odd to him. Sora was wearing a black tank top with silken gray sweatpants. Normally, that would be just about the most normal-looking attire you would see--on Earth, that is.

"Oh, hey! How did the meeting go?"Sora called out to Ren.

"Forget that--you've still got normal clothes? Did you really keep them this entire time? I lost mine the day I got here," Ren pouted, poking the man's tank top.

"Urr, no. Beatrice made this for me. She's made clothes like this for everyone here, I'm sure she'll make you some as well as long as you don't end up on her shitlist," Sora laughed, patting Ren on the back, "Actually, speaking of that--you're going to love your room! Come on, man, I'll show ya' there!"

Ren nodded, driven by curiosity as he quickly followed behind the crimson-haired man. He was led up a spiral staircase that overlooked the entire lounge, each step somehow causing his stomach to constantly sink further down and tingle from the height. Atop the staircase was a hallway containing a plethora of rooms, each door uniquely designed.

At the end of said hall, Sora stopped in front of a plain wooden door.

"Ready to see the room you'll be living in from now on?"

"I am," Ren nodded his head fervently.

As Sora opened the bedroom door, presenting the room to him--his eyes widened as they took in the new sight before him. It was spacious, but not large enough to overwhelm him, giving him enough room to perform his daily routine without bumping into the furniture. Despite the era of the world, the simplistic wooden grey floorboards and walling gave the room an almost modern sense to it. His bed sat against the wall, with an entrancing view through the glistening window beside it.

"Beatrice prides herself on her architectural skills--she designs every Outlander's room specifically catering to their individual tastes. It's kind of creepy that she knows all of this, but I'm sure you're not complaining," Sora smiled as he leaned against the door.

"Ah...maybe that old hag isn't so bad after all," Ren let out a satisfied sigh.

"Don't...let her hear you say that. Like, ever," Sora nervously smiled, scratching his own cheek, "well I'll leave you to it then to get settled and uh...meet me later. We'll give your friend a proper sendoff, okay?"

Ren snapped out of his quiet celebration, his gaze softening into melancholy as he nodded his head. Somehow, he forgot the grief plaguing the back of his mind. Maybe it was his own way of trying to cope by ignoring the problem altogether.

--That's like me I guess. Running away from anything that requires a semblance of effort.

"Yeah. See you tonight," Ren responded quietly.

Luckily, his mind didn't remain on the topic of death for very long as he sank into the welcoming comfort of his new bed, falling into the world of dreams.

"What was it like? I mean, your world?"

He turned his blurred gaze to see the boy sitting next to him. Even sitting inside this sepia room, clouds of gold hugged the walls, spiraling around the room as a natural force.

"My world…?" Ren responded in confusion.

As his eyesight focused, he found himself back in his room at the Althaus manor. He instantly turned to confirm it--the boy sitting next to him was his one anchor to this lonely world.

"Meinhard…" He spoke quietly, feeling his eyes ache as he desperately tried to hold his tears back.

"Huh? What is it? Did I ask something bad?" Meinhard looked at him.

"No...no, you didn't." Ren smiled.

That's right. We spoke like this every night. I was such a gloomy, boring guy, yet--he stayed with as much as he could. It was rare for him to ask about Earth, I didn't mind if he did but...it was nice to know he talked to me just because I was...well, me.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Meinhard smiled, running his hand through his golden locks, "the same goes for that book that Althaus wants you to write...you don't have to do it. I get that maybe it's not something you want to think about."

That's right. I never told him. He didn't know a single thing about who I was on Earth. Part of me wanted to keep it that way--maybe I feared that he would think differently of me if he realized what a sorry life I led.

Suddenly, he felt an overpowering sense of dread crawl over his skin. Everything in his body told him to look at the bedroom door--sure enough, he was standing there. That wicked smile and deathly pale skin, with a trench coat that shrouded the man in an air of mystery.

"...Rouge…" Ren's voice came out in a whisper.

Ren tried to stand up, feeling his strength fade as he fell right back down against the bed. It felt like a million tiny needles were just under his skin, creating an almost static feeling throughout his body. All he could do was look at Meinhard as he desperately tried to warn his friend to run.

"...un…" Only fits of air left his lips.

--Run. Run. Run. Run. Run.

He couldn't close his eyes, forced to watch as the wicked entity inched closer and closer to the bed as blood began to seep through the walls. Soon, silver blades pierced the walls, ceiling, and floor--twisting and bending unnaturally.

"Ren…" Meinhard held his hand out to him.

Meinhard…! Rouge, please. Please, please, please, not again. I can't see this again.

Tears poured out of his aching eyes as he tried summoning any strength left in his body to meet Meinhard's extended hand.

Just as the tips of their fingers met--the endless blades conjured in every space left unfilled. All that filled his vision was crimson, feeling the warmth fade from his friend's fingertips as they became a hopeless cold.

That's right.

I'm powerless to stop anything. I'm powerless to protect those I care about. Nothing has changed since I came to this world, if anything--I've become weaker. Faced with these obstacles left and right...I've failed at every turn. Is it my "fate" to suffer in this world? Is my life meant to be entertainment for some bored gods hanging in the skies?


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