Only so

When they muzzled the ruler and his beast entirely, he detached their enemy from his creature, and locked him in a huge sphere. Strange, evil and indecipherable writings gradually appeared on this prison of poisonous and foul-smelling mud that spread even to the depths of wild waters.

- Master! What is this magic? Ariadne asked, disgusted.

- Iredarama artefo gasculis Nevrada.

- What does that mean?

Ariadne did not understand the master's words, but it was clear that the magic was fierce and very dangerous, and created for the purpose of total and absolute destruction. And unfortunately, it was precisely acting on the only person that was willing enough to come saving them.

Finally, the master traced the old words so that his protégée would understand.

- From the ramparts to the nucleus, the march of destruction.

- You mean....

- It's absolute magic. Very few people can master such a spell, and apply it in their own way and by their own means. But his hatred is such that Mertillo has lost the thread of his thoughts, casting such gigantic power against his opponent, pushing back into the dark and forgotten corners of his mind, that there is actually no chance for him to win. The master sighed.

- You can almost believe that fate doesn't exist.

- Then the sovereign... he will die!

- Theoretically, he's already been dead.

He was almost calm, almost indifferent when he explained all this to the princess. She shook her head, feeling an unreal disillusionment.

- Master, are you honest? You don't realize it or maybe you just don't care, but your detachment and calm can also be described as evil.

He laughs.

- Oh, really?

- Yes. And I wonder why you are like this. She shouted angry. I am sure that in terms of evil, you are far from them," she said, pointing to Mertillo and his associates. And yet, you two look alike. Even if he or she is the person you love most, you don't have the courage to tell the truth.

- Probably. But I can say with certainty that I have become exactly that way since I lived with him.

Ariadne's heart stopped hurting because she began to understand that the real problem was neither the perpetually Stoik master standing beside her to protect her, nor herself, who gave herself to a stranger on a masked night of celebration, to find him in the middle of a lost empire.

Then she sat down and followed the fight with more objectivity, finally conceiving that there was a small chance, even a tiny chance that this person so cold and frightening, and yet who had found enough goodness in him to come and save them, alone locked up in a dark place created especially to kill him, could not perish here.

- I, who boasted of being a useful and sensible person, found myself helpless and couldn't even give him a little help.

- You shouldn't do that. More than this foolish crook, his majesty always arouses this kind of feeling, this kind of weakness.

- Really master! Yet, the sovereign suffers there, before us! He is locked inside something as destructive as it is repugnant, and we are only here to admire the battle, and to talk about him as if he were a mythical character and not a person of flesh and blood. It's totally crazy.

- Yes, and then what?

- Shouldn't you ultimately go and help him? After all, he is your sovereign. Well, as far as that fact is accurate.

- I have never denied that he is my sovereign or that I would hate to help him, but it's just that....

- But what is it just?

The master turned to her.

- Well, that he doesn't need any help. And you will soon see with your own eyes the truth of my statement.

Ariadne could not yet imagine such an immeasurable force and asked again.

- Hasn't he been locked up for too long? I'm still starting to worry.

- Probably. But my first duty is to protect you, so I prefer not to walk away, even a centimeter. Otherwise, I already suppose that you are one of those people who, despite the trust they have in their loved ones, cannot prevent themselves from unconsciously heading for danger, even though it is not necessary or would aggravate a situation, just to ease your conscience, or because you believe you are doing the right thing.

- Maybe so, but I feel like leaving him inside is worse than leaving me alone. Tell me, will he punish you if you ever leave me alone to go to his rescue?

- An exemplary punishment, as he so well knows how to say. But don't worry, Your Highness. It is more important not to let yourself be put at risk. But if the anxiety is eating away at you so much despite your good feelings, then I guess I have no choice but to tell you the truth.

He stared at the princess with frightening intensity.

- Know this, Your Highness, that my sovereign is strong.

And as the master confidently said, the black prison began to crack under a dazzling light, the ruler came out of the ruins of the prison leading the beast, and again also nonchalantly stood before his enemy.

- Majesty! Ariadne shouted, deeply relieved.

The prince looked at her and smiled. It was the simplest smile she'd ever seen.

And Ariadne felt her tears wet her face. She was strangely touched by her authentic and hurtful way of acting.

- Mertillo, a few moments ago, you used Emyr's fire to lock all these people in a dreamless sleep. You dared with your dirty hands and your perverse mind to invoke a pitiful and unknown magic by giving it a sacred name, the origin of a power born of the most beautiful proof of love. This spectacular fire, a being I loved very much, offered it to me, and chose to throw everything else away so that it would be like this. I will never allow anyone, and you even less, to mess up this story or this magic. I can never forgive that.

- It's good for me, because to be forgiven by someone like you would likely prove as useless as pitiful.

- That sums up your endless thoughts? You are really too weak.

- Low ? Me ? Would you even ignore that you are the most awful of all. You never accepted it. Even before you fell, you were already as numb as stones and damaged like no other. So you never received anything from others, except pain and suffering. But it was legitimate, because you were no more and no less than a monster.

- No, you are wrong! Ariadne intervened with all her fires. He may be cold, but he is true. He is more authentic that all of you out there can never boast of being so, doing nothing but running in the dark on this ridiculous boat ....

Mertillo sneered.

- Ah! Again this ignorant princess who meddles in the affairs of others. She's pathetic, isn't it, Your Majesty? Isn't a child who believes in your beauty and grandeur as much as she does is ridiculous, adorable and ignorant?

- She is.

- I would like to be present to see her face when she learns of what heinous crimes you have been convicted of. And above all, when she finds out all the horrors of which you are capable. I can't imagine any more sadness, I'm sure.

- Ah, Mertillo, and say that I'm looking forward to it. No matter how much I suffer, I still like to feel the suffering of others. I tell you so that you can complete the parts of truth that you already have. As you put it so well, everyone has the right to free thought. In spite of all my power, it is impossible for me to prevent someone from loving, nor the power to change a state of mind. But I do not regret it nor am I upset about it. Because this immutable fact leads me on a path of revelation. It may not have been my own choice, but I am so.

- You ....

- Now Mertillo admires the true power of Emyr, the one and only one you covet and ignore. You must know what an envious and damned being you are.

And the stranger spread all around them, in space as well as inside their beings, a surprising and majestic fire, ravaging their skin and heart. And a blinding light accompanied this powerful propagation, his dark hair streaked with silver mingled with this fabulous flowing power. Ariadne's eyes filled with wonder and ecstasy, but also with surprising sadness and almost hateful contempt. This beautiful magic which was one day created in despair by a great magician who tried everything to save a being who later lost the affection of people, the last act of his life, as sublime as tragic, having abandoned the rest of the world, and even himself, to succeed in his last breath in conceiving the unquenchable fire capable of healing everything. And now, that same mythical fire was invoked again and appeared under a full moon sky in all its splendor, in order to save strangers for whom, this stranger felt nothing more than a slight empathy, and to punish others.