The Testament: Part Two

Aliyah and Bayu were sitting on stools drinking whiskey when Aliyah looked at Bayu and asked, "So, I heard that you were a lover once. How did it go? Was there a happy ending?" Bayu smiled, "If there was a happy ending, would I be here?" Aliyah smiled, "Maybe. Maybe not. I'm not very experienced in that area of knowledge." Bayu smiled, "No one is. Yet, we try not to avoid it when it happens." Aliyah said, "Tell me something about your love life, Bayu." Bayu said grimly, "What is there to say? There was no romance, not much sex, and not a stable story line." Aliyah smiled, "Still better than mine." Bayu asked, "So, why don't you tell yours?" Aliyah smiled, "Ask anyone on the streets of the Elf Kingdom. They will spend hours narrating my love story. But, in the end, I am always the villain." Bayu smiled, "I am the villain of my story too. Maybe I was not the only villain but I was no good guy. The poor woman did nothing wrong yet she got punished and I stayed unharmed. Xao Chang is not evil. We are evil. We all are the evil of our lives. Lying, denying, and ignoring the facts every day won't change the truth. We made our lives miserable and yet we find fault in others."Aliyah smiled, "No. The fault thing is quite a tricky one. Self-blame is not healthy and I don't support such nonsense." Bayu smiled, "So, I have heard the truth. Aliyah doesn't feel regret." Aliyah said grimly, "Regret is for losers and weak. I believe only in moving forward and I don't mind crushing some hearts for it." Bayu asked, "What will you do after the war ends?" Aliyah smiled, "Only if the war ends really. I will be the happiest person if the war finally ends. I am sick of this age-long nonsense." Bayu smiled, "Happiest person? I only see darkness in you. Something that is stopping you from getting happy. Something that you want to get rid of yet every time you get more attached to it." Aliyah smiled, "And what is it? Guilt? Rage? Or hate?" Bayu gulped down the last of his drinks and said, "Love. While this divine emotion brings light and peace in other people's lives, it has only brought darkness and chaos in yours. You are afraid of love and therefore you try to be grumpy and distance yourself from others." Aliyah smiled, "Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?" Bayu smiled, "Believe it or not, but we are very much alike. You and I both want to fight the whole world and find a small and cozy place to rest, yet we always find ourselves chasing our tails." Aliyah said grimly, "We are nothing alike. You are a confused idiot and I know my goals. My targets and my enemy." Bayu asked, "Who is your enemy, Xao Chang?" Aliyah said angrily, "Yes! Xao Chang and the ones who are like him. They think they can dominate others because they have power. I spit on their faces." Bayu smiled, "Maybe, sometimes that spit falls back on your face." Aliyah asked, "What do you mean?" Bayu smiled, "Everyone feels that they are right in their sense but in reality, they are just what the others feel wrong. You call Xao Chang dominating, yet you want no opposition to your beliefs. Isn't that a form of dominance?" Aliyah said grimly, "You know what? I don't have to stay here and listen to your bullshit. I have to go and sleep. Fuck off for now." Aliyah rose and slowly walked towards his room and closed the door behind her. Bayu smiled, "Power is also a very funny game. The more you win, the more you lose." He disappeared in the periwinkle mist.

Elgin and Lys were standing before the portraits of their father and mother, where Lys who was just fifteen at that time was standing near his father and Elgin who was just three was sitting in her mother's lap. Lys laughed, "You were quite fat in your childhood." Elgin smiled, "And you were quite lanky." Lys smiled, "Father would have been so proud knowing that his two sons are fighting Xao Chang together." Elgin said grimly, "Nah, he would have been quite sad. He never wanted both of his sons to fight in such a dangerous war. He always knew Xao Chang was more powerful than us." Lys said grimly, "Yet, he didn't back off from the war." Elgin said grimly, "Not one could. It was better to die on the battlefield than at home. Maybe, that's why he always stayed away from home. He didn't want to show his fear to his children." Lys said, "No father wants that. But, he was not a coward. He fought valiantly and fought till his last breath." Elgin said, "Yes. We will do the same for our family." Lys asked, "What do you mean?" Elgin smiled, "I forgot to tell you that you are an uncle now. I have a son of just fifteen weeks and his name is Diego. Short for Dorian Versalis." Lys laughed, "So, you finally managed to fuck some lady? Who is she?" Elgin narrated his love story. Lys said grimly, "Aliyah was right. A relationship based on lies and deceit is not sustainable. I mean that the boy is going to face some very serious consequences due to these mixed genes. Mortals aren't capable of mating with us." Elgin said grimly, "Love understands no biology. I just wanted it to be good and it didn't have a happy ending and that's all." Lys said, "Leave all that stuff behind. How's mother and Licha and Vera?" Elgin said grimly, "Mother was assassinated by some unknown assailants and Licha is the prime suspect and no one knows Vera's whereabouts." Lys said grimly, "Why didn't you do anything? It was your responsibility to look after them after my demise." Elgin said grimly, "After your demise, everything went downhill. We all were scattered and Mother took Namaria and declared herself independent. She ran an autocratic government till her retirement and then Licha started abusing her powers and Vera eloped from the palace one day and no one could say where she went." Lys asked, "It was all Aliyah's plan. Wasn't it?" Elgin said grimly, "You perfectly know how she is. I just wanted things to be normal but she declared war against Licha and currently, we are going to do that." Lys asked, "Do what?" Elgin said nervously, "Siege Namaria and execute Licha." Lys asked angrily, "You are going to kill our sister? Seriously?" Elgin said grimly, "Licha will never accept defeat. She is a dangerous person now. She aligned herself with greedy industrialists like Leo and she has only evil plans in her mind now." Lys asked, "And who told you that? Aliyah?" Elgin said grimly, "It was a mutual decision. We all decided it to be the best." Lys said, "She is your sister. You should have talked with her first." Elgin said, "She is a danger to all of us and you should know that." Lys said, "I don't trust Aliyah if she wants to kill my sister. She was never a good person to judge someone and she still is making a mistake." Elgin said grimly, "We cannot blame her for Licha's crimes. Licha is a bad ruler and she proved it by selling Namaria to a greedy industrialist like Leo." Lys said grimly, "That might be true but still that doesn't mean we have to kill her. She is our sister after all and now in Mother's absence, it is your responsibility to protect Licha and Vera." Elgin said grimly, "I wanted to protect her and Vera, but they chose their paths a long time ago and they are not changing it." Lys said grimly, "Then, let them. If you are not going to be a good prince yourself and will abandon Namaria after the war, then how can you not let Licha do it herself? If the people are happy, how can you say Licha is a bad ruler?" Elgin said, "You don't know anything at all. Things have changed after your demise. I have seen many things that you haven't. I saw two of my good friends betraying us and killing innocent people for their lust for power." Lys said grimly, "I have seen far more horrible times than you and therefore I know the importance of family. You will never be able to forgive yourself for the murder of your sister." Elgin asked, "So, should I just ignore all her crimes and let everyone suffer?" Lys said grimly, "Maybe, yes. She might change in the future. I know my siblings cannot harm anyone intentionally." Elgin said grimly, "Then, you don't know your siblings very well." Lys asked, "Who will be her successor?" Elgin said, "We haven't decided that yet. I voted for Vera but she doesn't want Namaria. She is happy living like a common person amongst common people." Lys asked, "Is Aliyah going to become the new ruler of Namaria?" Elgin said, "No, and on the contrary, she is suggesting that we declare Namaria as an independent state. If that happens, they can elect their king themselves." Lys laughed, "Elect who? Democracy is a hoax. Power is power and the absence of it will only create chaos. The people will start killing each other for competition and a new Xao Chang will emerge from them." Elgin said grimly, "We don't have many options here. That's why we are going to the mortal world. The Elf Kingdom died the day we lost the war against the demons and it never recovered from it." Lys asked, "So, are you going to just leave all of this like a coward? You are not a brother I know." Elgin said grimly, "Time changes everyone, even the bravest guys turn timid." Lys said grimly, "I was much more happy being dead. At least, I was happy to know my brother was a brave guy but now I feel sad to know my brother is just a timid boy." Elgin said grimly, "Think whatever, brother. I have a son to protect and I am tired of searching for cold amongst fire." Lys said grimly, "This fire is going to burn everything you love and care about if you don't fight it. You are just going to repeat the history." Lys patted his shoulder and disappeared. Elgin looked around and sighed.

Aliyah and Vexana were drinking tea when Elgin and Lys entered the room along with Devee and Leven. Devee looked at Aliyah and smiled, "From when did you start drinking tea?" Aliyah smiled, "Sometimes, you need a new beverage to calm your nerves." Lys asked, "The famous Aliyah doesn't know how to calm her nerves. How is that possible?" Aliyah smiled, "New problems keep barging in every day. First, the Xao Chang problem, second the Elgin problem and now the Licha problem." Lys asked, "Elgin told me last night that you are planning on killing Licha. May I ask why?" Aliyah smiled, "What is there to ask? It is plain as water that Licha has to go. She is now a problem and we don't want problems staying alive." Lys asked, "And who gave you the right to determine her as a problem?" Aliyah said grimly, "I am not some savage who has a big bloodlust. I do whatever I do for the good of my friends and family. Licha joined hands with bad people who have no good intentions in them and I must protect the innocent people from monsters like Licha." Lys asked, "What great sin did she commit that you are calling her a monster? Did she kill thousands of people or loot millions of money? She did nothing like that and yet you are calling her a monster. How dare you?" Aliyah said angrily, "So, should I just wait for your lovely sister to kill thousands and loot millions to take action? I once made the mistake of underestimating my enemies and faced a great loss for it and I am not repeating that mistake." Lys said grimly, "Yet, you are making it nevertheless." Aliyah asked angrily, "What do you fucking mean?" Lys said, "Tell me, Miss the righteous one. How are you going to control the situation after Licha's death? Namarians will never forgive you for killing their queen. It will rage in a civil war and thousands will die in it." Aliyah said grimly, "That's why I am not killing her in Namaria. She is not a queen if she dies in Namaria and believe me when I say, Licha is liked by no one. She has absolutely no support in her palace. I would be doing them a favor by replacing her with a better ruler." Lys asked, "And who will be the better ruler?" Aliyah sighed, "That decision is still under discussion. But, at this point, everyone is better than Licha. She already failed as a queen in every way." Lys asked, "But, did you succeed as a queen yourself?" Aliyah smiled, "I never was a queen." Lys smiled, "Exactly. You don't know what being a queen means? You are judging someone when you don't have any qualities of your own." Aliyah said, "I might not be a queen but I have bled more than your pious sister. I lived and fed amongst the ones who knew that they were going to die tomorrow. I have seen the horrors and tragedies of the poor who are as much a part of our kingdom as are the rich." Lys smiled, "You are not a very happy person and therefore you can't see the happiness of others. That has always been your problem from the start. A curse for you and your loved ones." Lys disappeared. Aliyah looked at everyone and sighed...