Episodes 150. Be Self, Now or Past

"My goal?"

I asked about his reason behind all of this.

He looked like he was torturing me, yet somehow, he also seemed like he was helping me.

"There's none. I'm just mad at our parents. They never praised my achievements and always expected a lot from me. So, when I met Nova back then, I took the opportunity to amaze them. But unfortunately... after what I did, they considered me crazy and didn't acknowledge me as their child!"

His face turned angry, his hands pulling hard on the chains that held him, his head turned down as if holding back a mix of sadness, anger, and disappointment.

"If they don't consider me their child... then I can treat them the same way..." Instantly, his mouth curved into a smile. "I got a second job, which was the creation of Pageblug, the thing we often see now as a weapon in combat sports. At that time, I realized the strong power when combining it with some other items, starting with a five-colored agate stone and a human body. The Pageblug transformed perfectly and became more than what I expected."

"So that's why you used our parents' bodies as the first Pageblug?" I asked.

"Yes, but more or less, it was just out of revenge." He smiled in satisfaction.

"I'm not in the mood to be angry right now, but what you did was outrageous, ElBro!"

"ElBro(Elder Brother)? It's been a long time since I heard that term..."

NOTE: I can't find a way to call him in English.

"Enough with the pleasantries, ElBro. Was that all you wanted to say?"

"I think so? I guess that's everything..."

"Alright then... I have a few questions for you!"

"Ask away..." He didn't seem interested in complicating matters further. "You came here to set things straight, right?"

I couldn't deny that statement. Everything I've done so far is just for that answer.

"Who is Rizki Kamil really?" I asked with a firm tone.

Among all the puzzle pieces to solve, he is the one I understand the least.

Why does my second brother have the same power as me? Shouldn't it be only me who possesses elemental power, based on the story Nazrul just told?

And why does my eldest brother have all the powers? Not only that, but why does Nova also have the same power?

"It seems I need to explain the basics again." My brother nodded in understanding. "Pure elemental magic is different from elemental magic that comes from Anitya. Some people can wield it with the help of their Pageblug, but there are also those who can do it with bare hands. Because of such differences, humanity is divided into two classes, the Physical Class and the Magic Class... And there should be a mediator between these two types of humans."

I still didn't get what he was saying.

"So essentially, Rizki's power is a law unto itself. Unlike CODE magic and Anitya, his power is a system similar to the internet network I mentioned earlier."

"Huh?!"

Honestly, I'm even more confused.

"Let's put it this way, do you know schizophrenia, or what's commonly known as a delusional disorder? It's something like that..."

"ElBro, can you explain it in simple terms? I'm not a scientist like you. I'm just a person with fighting on his mind!"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot you were an idiot..." He gave a thin smile.

Was he insulting me?

Whatever it was, I was irritated by his reaction.

"I'll repeat, what you see isn't what happens. It's all just an illusion created by those who use Anitya." He explained. "What he can actually do is just CODE magic and some other magic like normal humans."

"So, everything I saw when fighting him was just an illusion he created?"

"I wouldn't call it an illusion, but more like a nerve manipulation."

Thinking about his words, I recalled my fight with him.

First, the bird that could destroy several walls I created.

Second, the stones and ice that restrained Linda and Ryan.

Third, the life-sized fire whale...

Both Ryan and I felt the heat of the water created by the collision of those two elements.

Suddenly, I remembered how Ryan could still use his wind magic even though he was handcuffed, while Linda couldn't.

I immediately nodded, understanding what really happened.

Then, when he used his light magic, he moved as if teleporting. But in reality, he was just stopping the nerve movements of everyone around him.

This reminded me of the stopped time during the attack by the five businessmen on Princess Tyas. And because their CODE magic was inferior to mine and my brother's, they couldn't stop us both.

So, from that conclusion, my brother's level of CODE magic was a notch above mine, judging by how he could deceive me from the start of our fight.

When the helicopter arrived, my brother didn't activate it because even if he did, the helicopter would still move toward him.

And for the walls I created but he managed to destroy earlier, that was a combination of his CODE magic and Anitya magic.

The firebird he created was real, while how the walls were destroyed involved his CODE magic.

I never thought magic could be this complex.

"Do you understand now?" Asked my brother, Nazrul.

I nodded and started to change my gaze.

I looked at the six burning pillars around him.

"Is this me?"

I meant the burning pillars here.

"Yes, these are all keys for you."

"Keys?"

What did he mean?

"Keys to signify that you can no longer be the Prince."

"Oh..."

I wasn't angry or disappointed when I heard that. My feelings were bland as if nothing could touch my heart.

"Then, one last question. How do I destroy the 'Prince'?"

I was just asking; there was no real intention behind the question.

"How would I know, 'he' is 'God', it's impossible to defeat 'him'!"

"Alright, change the question. Do you think the existence of the 'Prince' is dangerous?"

"If I'm being honest, of course it is, very much so! Your freedom will be taken away by 'him'."

I had gotten my answer.

I turned and left him.

Without any lingering anger or resentment that had long been planted in my heart, I forgave everything he had done.

Or... perhaps not, being there would make him suffer more than dying.

I don't know, I didn't care.

"Hey, are you just going to leave me like that? Then what is your answer to 'what are you going to do earlier'?"

I stopped my steps and glanced at him, who was already powerless.

"Simple, if she bothers me, I'll destroy her!"

"But she considers herself a 'God'!"

"She only thinks of herself as God, not the real God. As long as that old woman has a soul, she doesn't deserve to be called God."

"Are you going to play the hero after everything you've done?"

I held back my emotions and just took a deep breath.

"The public doesn't know what happened, so I won't gain anything by stopping now. Besides, this is me... Cike Nuwang! The pet who often moves in the shadows."

Saying that, I turned towards the exit and stepped down each stair, leaving the man alone there.

.......

*Crack!

The coffin door opened, and several familiar faces greeted my arrival.

"Rasyid?" (Erika)

"Mr. Rasyid?" (Sophia and Stevent)

They looked at me with wide eyes.

Unlike the others, Ryan walked straight towards me and stared at me seriously.

"So, did you get the answer you've been searching for all this time?" He said while holding both of my shoulders.

I nodded without answering.

"So, what are you going to do now?!"

I stared straight into his eyes, my reflection clearly visible in his eyes even in the dark.

"Nothing about me is real, so I will treat this falseness as my true self."

"Huh?" They all didn't understand my words.

Of course, they wouldn't because those words seemed to suggest I still didn't care if I was just a killing tool.

"Let me put it plainly, I will destroy Nova before the public knows the real tyranny of that old woman!" I said in a menacing tone. "Because I am the killer in the darkness, Cike Nuwang!"