Chapter 44: Fate (Part 1)

It has been a day. Not really, but according to the time on the island right now, it has; though if one tries to use their sense of time well, they would know that it has only been two hours. It has only been two hours since the fiasco with the time began.

Ethan: "Well,"

He says as he steps out of the bushes into the clearing.

Ethan: "I am finally here."

A faint smile is on his lips and there's good reason for it. He is seeing what can be called one of the most important reminders of history for the very first time.

Ethan: "Ha!"

A sigh escapes his lips as he looks at the golden monument. He is neither taken in by its beauty nor disgusted by it. Even though there is a smile on his lips, there is no real awe felt by seeing the monument. The only reason for the smile is the sense of achievement felt by him in reaching this place.

Ethan: "Still though,"

And yet, he can't deny that there's something amiss.

Ethan: "I'm sure …"

There should be something there that is not.

Ethan: "there should be a pond here."

He remembers the legend well. He has studied about it many a times so as to completely memorize everything about it. And it is times like these when that memorization helps him noticing things that may or may not seem insignificant.

Ethan: "And then,"

His eyes, as they try to look for the pond, spot something else that catches his interest.

Ethan: "So she went in, huh?"

He understands immediately that his partner has gone in the tomb as he sees her footsteps leading up to the gate of the tomb. There are, however, no footsteps inside the tomb.

Ethan: "And she's wasn't alone either."

He says as he sees three other footprints besides her going in the tomb as well. And just like her footprints, they can only be seen up till the entrance.

Ethan: "Now this is interesting. If I try to step in the tomb, I would probably find out the reason for that. But, I'll hold off on that for now."

He decides to first properly search the clearing and everything around it. After all, it's quite possible he would be led to a place he can't leave just by stepping backwards when he steps in the tomb.

Ethan: "So, I am really curious about where the pond is."

He puts a hand on his chin as he wonders about that.

???: "I can tell you if you want me to."

A voice, a familiar voice comes from behind.

Ethan: "…"

He recognizes that voice, and is caught off-guard by it.

???: "But I suppose you probably hate me so much you wouldn't want to hear anything from me."

His eyes stare at the ground as his mind clogs up with hatred. The desire to kill the owner of this voice takes over him as he turns around.

???: "See, I knew you hate me."

The voice continues. As he hears that, he realizes something. He realizes he was about to do something really stupid. And he steps back.

Ethan: "No, no,"

???: "No?"

Ethan: "No, please, feel free to tell me."

He says while his head hangs low and his eyes stare at the ground trying to hide his anger and hatred.

Ethan: "Where is the pond mentioned in the legends, Ozyllus?"

He asks the owner of that voice.

Ozyllus: "Well, the pond's on the opposite end of the island to the beach you initially landed on."

Ethan: "I see."

He understands that if he loses himself to anger or hatred right now, all the things he had done for so long would be for naught. So, he has to stop himself. He has to think rationally. He has to look at the man who turned his life upside down and try to talk to him calmly and rationally as if the hatred from 12 years ago has disappeared.

Ethan: "Then, tell me, why are you here?"

He holds those hands that are shaking from anger and asks so.

Ozyllus: "That's a good question, considering your position."

Ethan: "My Position?"

As Ozyllus sees his reaction, he ponders on how to give the answer to his question. After a moment of silence, he asks,

Ozyllus: "Do you know why I chose your eyes?"

Ethan's lips curl in disgust as he hears that question.

Ethan: "… I don't."

Ozyllus: "It was because you didn't have a purpose."

Ethan: "What!?"

His eyebrows twitch and his hands tighten but he is still somehow able to stop himself from attacking the so-called god.

Ozyllus: "It's because, out of all the people in the world that I saw every day, you seemed like the most devoid of a reason to live."

He says as he turns to look at the sky.

Ozyllus: "It was as if there you had no real desires, as if you were living for the sake of living."

He continues on.

Ozyllus: "You looked like you'll easily jump off a cliff if you feel like it, because there was just nothing driving you to live."

Ethan hears those words with wide-eyed shock on his face.

Ethan: "T-That's … bullshit!"

He says to the so-called god.

Ozyllus: "Is it?"

Ethan: "Of course it is. I was an eight-year-old boy. Maybe I had just not found anything that I was passionate about, but that doesn't mean I was …"

Ozyllus: "You were."

Ozyllus cuts in.

Ozyllus: "It was not that you had no passion for anything you did; it was that you didn't have any feeling at all towards it."

Ethan is left unable to respond. Memories of when he was an eight-year-old could have easily been forgotten by him if his life remained ordinary. But the incident that happened that changed his life forever was etched into his memory. And so, he couldn't forget the days around that fateful day either.

He remembers them. He remembers them well. And so, he can't refute Ozyllus' words, because they spell the truth.

Ozyllus: "If you missed eating, you didn't feel anything. If you missed class, you didn't feel anything. If you were ignored by everyone, you didn't feel anything. If you were bullied by everyone, you didn't feel anything. If you were congratulated on your birthday by everyone, you didn't feel anything."

Ozyllus keeps wording those irrefutable facts and Ethan is left with no room to escape.

Ozyllus: "It was as if, no, you really were … hollow. You were hollow inside."

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