Era Of Dawn II

"Hnnngh," I let out a satisfying groan while stretching my body. "That was pretty fun."

Several hours had passed since then, and I had left that stuffy mansion with Raya by my side.

Agnes' grandfather wanted me to stay longer, maybe hold a banquet before leaving, but I never was one for grand farewells— so I walked away as soon as I could.

The sun glossed white amidst the light-blue sky untarnished by clouds. It was nothing like the moody darkness before. Gone was the D'Anelé household, and in came the vast open fields, shaped irregularly with no fence or wall enclosing them and only marked by the occasional barn or grain house.

We tretched along the only path that lead out, a rocky, paved road stretching along the green forests. In the distance, pale hills looked over us.

"You should have gotten some horses," Raya complained as she carefully avoided the overgrown weeds. The wounds on her face seemed to have vanished, but when one looked closely, they could see the slight swelling behind the make-up.

"I really shouldn't," I corrected her and kicked a stone away, "and a walk could be good for you."

She moved faster. "Agnes, you should have left me behind."

"What's this now," I tilted my head, "after all this time you wished to be by my side?" I watched her back as she sped up.

"Do not forget. I hate you."

"Sweetie, you have made that perfectly clear."

"If you take me with you, I will make your life hard."

"No you won't. You don't have the ability to do so," I shrugged my shoulders, "I hope you don't, because most people that do, end up dead."

"Eh," she turned around, her eye twitching, "you are joking, right?"

I smiled. "Of course. What were you thinking?"

"Asshole." Ah, I hurt her feelings. She watched me, frustrated, and jogged away.

We kept walking, ten meters apart from each other. Well, I didn't mind as long as she stayed on the road. And more importantly, I was currently preoccupied with something else.

"ʜᴇʏ, ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ." Agnes called out.

"Yes, I don't think that is going to happen," I replied.

The girl floated around me like a pixie, "ᴡʜʏ ɴᴏᴛ, ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ'ᴛ ʜᴜʀᴛ ᴀɴʏʙᴏᴅʏ. ɪ'ᴠᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɪɴ ɪᴛ ғᴏʀ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴇɴ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇs," she pleaded with an innocent grin.

"Yes, worst ten minutes of my life."

"ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏɴ, ᴊᴜsᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙɪᴛ," she shook me by my shoulders, "ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ғɪɴᴇ"

"No."

She pouted, "ᴄʜᴇᴀᴘsᴋᴀᴛᴇ."

Ever since she repossessed her body, she had asked me to switch places with her. I knew, behind her fanged smile was a tiger that had tasted human flesh— once she found out there was hope for attaining her body— she wouldn't settle for anything less; thus her voice had been annoying me since the break of dawn.

"ʜᴇʏ, ʜᴇʏ." She hit me on my head.

"I am not going to leave your body," I told her again.

"ɴᴏ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ. ʟᴇᴛ's ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴇʟsᴇ." She pulled my cheeks and giggled. Her giddiness was a bit unnerving.

"Well, as long as it doesn't involve you inserting yourself into me, I am open for talk."

"ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ." She softly wrapped her arms around my neck, "ɪɴ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟ."

"Why," I asked her.

"ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ɢᴏᴇs? ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇᴀᴛ ʀᴀʏᴀ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ sᴛᴇᴘs ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ sᴜᴄᴄᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ɪ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇʟɪᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇʟɪsʜ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ— ᴛʜɪs ɪɴᴛᴏxɪᴄᴀᴛɪɴɢ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ." She laughed happily, right next to my ear. "ᴡʜᴏᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀs ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴀɪᴅ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ? ᴍᴍ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ᴍʏ ᴇʏᴇs, ɪ ᴄᴀɴ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜᴏʀʀɪғɪᴇᴅ ғᴀᴄᴇs ᴀɢᴀɪɴ."

"Well," I patted her head, "my plan started the moment I arrived in this territory. I was told, the one currently overseeing the household, Rayas father, wasn't well liked, even though he was capable. Inferiority complex, arrogance. . . you already know. So, if he was outed as incapable what do you think would happen?"

"ɪ sᴇᴇ." She nodded earnestly, "ʙᴜᴛ ᴇᴀsɪᴇʀ sᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴅᴏɴᴇ."

"No, it really was pretty easy. Everything just played out by itself. I knew the cards in my hands, my title, and thus had the advantage. The question was only how I should play them." I ran my hand through her hair and she growled cutely, "first, I needed to make all of them mad. There were several reasons for that. I knew Rayas father would make it a personal issue if I insulted his honor, in this way, he not only had to carry the responsibility but also the consequences. For the crowd, I had to incite them so they would also step in. This way everyone bore fault, and Rayas father who had the support of the masses dared to act more brazenly."

"ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ sᴛᴇᴘ?"

"Correct, The second step was your grandfather, he was my leverage that supported me, I couldn't just be all talk, right," I answered her. I then pointed at Raya who had gone off first. She was struggling to keep her balance on the uneven road. "And she was the third step. By that time, you were already with me."

"ᴀʜ," she exclaimed, "ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅ ɢᴀᴍᴇ?"

"Yes, she was the catalyst. The spark, the trigger— ah, you wouldn't get that reference. Anyways, she was the person that set everything in motion. She challenged me and naturally lost beautifully and inadvertently caused the final act. Everyone saw: I made an example out of her, and they got nervous. They knew I was a danger, so they moved impulsively. Throw me out as soon as possible, while I wasn't too big of a threat, they thought." I laughed, "yes, all the incentives for Rayas father to step in had been laid out. And he did. The rest, you already know."

Her eyes sparkled, "ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏs, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ."

I sighed in resignation. "The rest was timing. Lump them all together and strike them down at once. I turned the crowd against each other and fear soon overwhelmed their anger. They betrayed each other, but more importantly, they betrayed Rayas father. He lost his reputation, and after I revealed my title, he also lost his authority. After all, he volunteered to take responsibility by going against me so brazenly, so he also has to bear the consequences of losing an Archduke. The father steps down, the crowd leaves without trusting anyone and the grandfather struggles for a new heir. I think that is the closest they have ever come to ruin."

"ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴜᴢɪᴜs?"

"He was just an unfortunate pawn caught up in a bigger battle." I shook my head, "poor boy, hope he doesn't take it too harshly."

"ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ sᴘᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ."

Agnes closed her eyes and stayed quiet. In her words, she was relishing on the feeling of revenge.

I picked up the pace to slowly catch up with Raya. On my way, I saw an old farmer rattling at the rows of corn with an old, decrypt scythe. The corn rustled everytime he passed by. I waved him hello, and he returned the gesture. One of his overall straps slipped off his shoulder.

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴛᴏᴏ ʙᴀᴅ," Agnes said with a smile, "ɪғ ɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴘᴇʀᴍᴀɴᴇɴᴛʟʏ, ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴋɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ sᴡɪғᴛʟʏ."

"I thought we had gotten closer."

She began to laugh again. She was in a great mood today, "ᴍᴇ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴏsᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ? ʜᴇʟʟᴏ, ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ?"

"Yes, yes. I get it, sorry," I gazed into the distance.

Whoever said the medieval scenery was shiftless, probably never travelled back in time. The irregular boundaries around the forestry prove otherwise. Some are cut off by banks of dirt, while others were let to grow freely. Wheat, oak and barley, the fields switched as frequent as the weather in april. There were as many wide lying meadows that were left untouched, as the ones trampled by wild animals. And the flow of a river could be everchanging, much to the exasperation of the villagers and townsfolk.

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴡ?" Agnes asked me.

"First and foremost, I need to attain my Archduke title. For that, I am currently taking Raya to the capital. I can hardly wait seeing the astonished faces of the prince and his sister," I continued with a voice much colder, "afterwards, I need to find the organization that killed Estella. They targeted my life, so now they had to pay with their own, or else I wouldn't sleep well."

Agnes stared at me, "sᴇᴇ, ʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ. ᴀs ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴀs ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍs, ɪ ᴅᴏᴜʙᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄᴛ ᴏɴ sᴜᴄʜ ᴏʙsᴄᴜʀᴇ ᴀʟᴛʀᴜɪsᴍ. ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛ?"

"Am I not trustworthy?" I sulked, "why do you not trust me?"

"ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴅʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ," Agnes said seriously. "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴡ?" She stopped me from taking another step, and wouldn't let me do so until she wrung out an answer from me.

I shrugged my shoulders, "usually, when I don't know where to go, I ask myself, what would the devil do? That always seems to do the trick."

ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ᴍᴜᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴀsᴛ sᴇɴᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ, ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ sᴏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ғᴀɪɴᴛ sᴍɪʟᴇ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏ ʜᴀᴘᴘɪɴᴇss ᴏɴ ʜɪs ғᴀᴄᴇ, ᴏɴʟʏ ᴀ ʜᴀᴢʏ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ ɪɴ ʜɪs ʟɪɢʜᴛʟᴇss ᴇʏᴇs, ʙʏ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴛᴏᴡɴsᴍᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴀᴡ ʜɪs ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴄᴇʟʟᴀʀ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴀɴ ɪᴍᴍɪɴᴇɴᴛ ʀᴀɪɴsᴛᴏʀᴍ ᴡᴀs ʙʀᴇᴡɪɴɢ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ sᴏ ᴛᴇʀʀɪғʏɪɴɢ.

ᴀɴ ᴇxᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀʙʏss, ᴀ ᴄʟɪғғ, ʙʟᴀᴄᴋᴇɴᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇʟʟ, ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪғ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ. ɴᴏ ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ғʟɪᴄᴋᴇʀ ᴏғ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄʀᴀᴡʟ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴏᴘᴇʟᴇss ᴄʀᴇᴠᴀssᴇ.

Tʜᴇʀᴇ ᴇxɪsᴛᴇᴅ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴀs sᴄᴀʀʏ ᴀs ᴛʜᴀᴛ.

"ʜᴏᴡ ʀᴇᴀssᴜʀɪɴɢ," she sighed.

Suddenly I heard a shrill laughter in the distance, and when I turned my head, I saw a couple of children playing amidst the a herd of sheeps. They were enclosed by shallow ditches and stone walls. Fun fact, cattle in the medieval ages were a lot smaller than I imagined them to be.

"I've got him!" A small girl with freckles screamed joyfully, as she wrapped her hands around a sheep.

A boy immediately ran towards her and shouted, "hold him down," and joined her, "Alex, you idiot, come help me," he shouted at his friend.

The sheep struggled in confusion and jumped around, but the combined effort of all three made the sheep unable to break free, and the small girl gruelingly climbed atop of it.

"I tamed the dragon, I tamed the dragon," she yelled while desperately clinging to its soft wool.

"You did it," the two boys exclaimed with a bright smile, sweat running down their head, "now say the chant quickly!"

The girl began singing, "evil, evil, turn around. It will be I that hunts you down, you can run and run, out of town," her pitch was a bit jarring, but the melody was nevertheless catchy, "evil, evil, turn around. It will be I that hunts you down, you can run and run, out of town, but the 'cloud' never leaves in the Era of Dawn."

I was caught off guard by the familiar words and thus froze mid step. "Agnes did she just say, Era of Dawn?"

"ʏᴇs, ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴜɴᴜsᴜᴀʟ ɪs ɪᴛ? ᴛʜɪs ᴇʀᴀ ɪs ᴅᴇᴇᴘʟʏ ᴇɴɢʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴs ʙᴏɴᴇ sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴄʜɪʟᴅʜᴏᴏᴅ. ғʀᴏᴍ ʟᴜʟʟᴀʙɪᴇs ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀᴛᴜᴇs, ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ." She clapped her hands, "ᴏʜ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅs ᴍᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴊᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ғɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʀᴀ ᴏғ ᴅᴀᴡɴ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʏᴏᴜ? ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜɴɴɪᴇʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅ."

"No, well yes, but that was more in a metaphorical sense. I can't actually start a bar brawl with a symbiotic entity, you know."

"ʜᴍᴍ," Agnes squinted her eyes in confusion, "ᴡʜʏ ɴᴏᴛ? ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ. ᴡᴇʟʟ, ɴᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ɪɴ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ, ʏᴏᴜ'ᴅ ᴅɪᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀʏ ɪ sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ."

Now it was I that was confused. "what are you talking about, if that was possible, I'd do so."

Agnes' eyes opened wide and she cupped her mouth, "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs? ᴀʜ, ɪ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴅɪᴢᴢʏ." she shook her head and composed herself, "ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴋᴇ ᴏғ ᴜs ʙᴏᴛʜ, ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪs:" sʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ, "ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ɪs ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ— ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀs <ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ>!" She yelled grandiosely, "ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴ ᴀʙɪᴅᴇ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴜʟᴇʀs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʀᴀ ᴏғ ᴅᴀᴡɴ. ᴛʜᴇʏ sɪᴛ ʜɪɢʜ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴜs ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ, ʜᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇ. ɴᴏ ʜᴇʀᴏ ɴᴏʀ ᴋɪɴɢ ɪs ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs! ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ᴀ ɢʀᴀᴠᴇʟᴇss ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ!" There was an odd pride in an authority unbefitting for her.

I couldn't help but blink my eyes in disbelief, "the hell," I screamed, "why didn't you tell me this sooner!"

"ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ'ᴅ ʙᴇ sᴏ sᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ sᴇʀɪᴏᴜsʟʏ!" She exclaimed in shock, "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ғɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴠᴇʀɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅs!"

"So it's their fault that this wretched society exists? This makes my job a lot easier, I just have to kill them all to change the era," I rebutted strongly. "Tell me such things earlier, idiot!"

"ɴᴏ-! ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜᴄᴋ!" She staggered and almost feel to the ground, she stared at me speechless and said, "ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴛ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀ sɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ɪ sᴀɪᴅ? ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅᴜʟᴏᴜs ᴘᴏɪɴᴛs, ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇᴍ."

"Why not?"

"ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴍᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ," she told me straight. "ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ, ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀs, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴀ ᴅᴏᴢᴇɴ, ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ sɪɴᴄᴇ 𝟷𝟽𝟶 ʏᴇᴀʀs, sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ, ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɪʟʟ sᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏɴsᴛʀᴏᴜs ʙᴇɪɴɢs? ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇ ɢᴏᴅ. ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ɢᴏᴅ?"

"See, here you have the answer," I said, "now I know what I want to do."

I lifted my head and watched the untarnished blue sky, and my face broke into a smile. Agnes, she could fight it, but she could never stop it. I felt a wave of relief overwhelm me, like solving a hard puzzle, or remembering something I had forgotten. Ever since I arrived, I asked myself, what was my purpose— and now I finally understood.

Since ancient times, the devil was destined to rebel against god.