The One Who Realised

Kayuba and Bayu were sitting under an apple tree, eating apples when Phantom walked towards them and said, "I want to talk with Kayuba. In private." Bayu looked at Kayuba who nodded his head. Bayu rose and walked away. Kayuba looked at Phantom and asked, "What do want to talk about?" Phantom said, "I have been observing you for the past few weeks. There is something odd about you. Something that scares me." Kayuba smiled, "I am spooky. That is not a new thing. What scares you?" Phantom looked at him and took out a small dagger. He said, "I found it in your bedroom. It is like the same dagger that was found near Marcus's body. Why is this dagger with you?" Kayuba rose and said, "Somethings are best hidden. There is no benefit in knowing them. It will only cause you more trouble." Phantom said, "You have already caused me much trouble. What more trouble can you possibly give that you haven't given me earlier?" Kayuba said grimly, "The truth that I am going to tell you is going to shock not only you but everyone." 

Kayuba and Phantom walked towards the small hut where everyone was sitting and talking. Everyone looked at Phantom and Kayuba. Phantom said grimly, "Kayuba has something to tell all of us. He claims that the truth that he is going to tell us will shock us." Kayuba looked at everyone and sighed. He gulped down a glass of whisky and said grimly, "As you all know that Phantom was once my student. I cared for him like my own son. I taught him everything that I learnt and loved him as my own. But, as you all know the incident that happened between him and Alice's mother some years ago which ultimately resulted in a huge turmoil and caused quite a lot of damage. I had no other option but to keep him away from Rachel which is also a decision that was not made by me at all but I still supported it for the sake of Phantom and Rachel. Phantom and the other people were not aware that Rachel became pregnant and a demon child was developing inside her belly. Rachel didn't know about the pregnancy and fortunately she met Marcus and they fell in love and eventually got married. Everything was good and nothing was out of order in Rachel's life. But, Phantom was deeply tormenting the separation of him from Rachel and I couldn't bear his sorrow. I wanted to make Rachel feel the torment too and therefore I killed Marcus Cooper when he was on a hike. I am deeply ashamed and am ready for any punishment you like to give me. Xao Chang knew about this and excluded me from the Monastery a long time ago. That is the reason I seldom stayed in the Monastery and spent most of my time roaming here and there as a vagabond. I couldn't make anything right after the ghastly crime that I committed, so I never tried to meet Phantom or Rachel. Xao Chang once told me in his dream that when he returns from his mediation, he will strangle me with his own hands. I did whatever I did out of my love towards Phantom and therefore I have no regrets." He lowered his head in shame.

Rachel walked towards Kayuba and said grimly, "Even a disgraceful and corrupt person like Xao Chang despises your act. Now, think about what kind of sin you have committed, Kayuba." Kayuba lowered his head and remained silent. Rachel said grimly, "Whatever you did was already written. Xao Chang and I knew that you will be the one who will make a bridge between the demons and humans. You are the reason Alice was born and you are the reason the Monastery got divided much before we could do anything. You made it possible for all of us to be the ones who became powerful and you are the reason Xao Chang returned to the Elf Kingdom again. You are the reason Xao Chang will end." Kayuba asked, "What do you mean?" Rachel smiled, "You were born on the twelfth night of the Blood Moon. Your parents were both priests of the Blood Temple and when you were born, they put you in front of my idol. You were never a demon nor you will ever be. When, you pursued a path of evil and joined Xao Chang, it was also a part of the greater plan. Xao Chang realised it when he was in mediation and therefore he wanted to kill you as soon as you returned. He never cared about Marcus and Rachel, he only cared about the child and the connection she has with the Monastery. Sage Vushataya knew the fact too but never disclosed this fact with his son Mayakin. That is the reason he chose to marry us. Alice's blood is not impure. Her blood is divine. The only way to defeat Xao Chang and stop Xao Lin from coming is to end their bloodline. Xao Lin and Xao Chang will cease to exist if there is no one to worship them or care about them. They are dependent on people who chose to follow their way for their personal greed, lust, envy and other negative qualities. But, if the negativity turns into goodness there will be no one to follow their path and corrupt themselves. That is what scares Xao Chang. Therefore, he wanted to instill fear in the minds of other demons by punishing you." Kayuba said grimly, "But, he is too powerful to even consider the easy path. He will do whatever he wants." Rachel smiled, "I fought with him and yes, he is more powerful than earlier but he is dependent on the release of Xao Lin. The mediation has taken a lot of power from his body and he is now less resilient than earlier." Aliyah rose up and said, "We have to keep things in a slow manner if we want to be successful. Xao Chang must have already plotted a plan to do something nefarious to release Xao Lin." Rachel smiled, "Releasing Xao Lin won't be possible without Alice. The Blood Spear in her body is the only key to open the door. Therefore, the protection of Alice is our topmost priority right now." Rachel looked at Alice and said, "When the right time comes, you will have to choose between two very difficult paths and I hope you will make the right decision. If you ever face difficulty in any of your decisions, just close your eyes and remember why you were born and what is the importance of your life?" Rachel kissed Alice's forehead and walked outside the hut.

Kayuba was sitting near the fire when Alice walked towards him. Alice looked at Kayuba and asked, "Can I sit here with you?" Kayuba smiled, "Of course, dear." Alice sat near him and asked, "What are you drinking?" Kayuba looked at the bottle in his hand and smiled, "Just some ordinary and cheap rum. Helps me forget some of the pain in my life." Alice said grimly, "Then, I want some rum too. I have also had too much pain in my life." Kayuba looked at the bottle and then at Alice. He said, "Okay. But, don't drink too much. Aliyah will scold me if she gets to know that I got you drunk." Alice smiled and drank some rum. She smiled, "It is indeed cheap. It even smells awful." Kayuba smiled, "It is a customised rum I learned from one of my friends in the Carribbean. He was a great guy but was executed at a young age. He was a good pirate though." Alice smiled, "Do bad guys always get punished?" Kayuba smiled, "Only the ones who get caught. The world is a very funny place, Alice. You are the best of good till someone tarnishes your image. I was once a good guy too. A little handsome too. I don't remember much about my past but I vaguely remember that I had a wife. She seemed kind and caring and must be beautiful too. I don't remember her name but she was white as pearl in an oyster. Her smile always brings happiness and peace in my heart and the only other memory that I have of her is that she was lying cold, covered in blood. Some bad guys were laughing and I always felt furious when I heard their laughter." Alice asked, "Were you the bad guy in someone's life?" Kayuba smiled sadly, "Numerous times. I only remember angry and scared faces when I close my eyes. Maybe, that disgrace and disgust is my redemption." Alice smiled, "You killed my foster father, imprisoned my real father, treated my mother as trash and tried to kill me too. Yet, I don't feel even an iota of hate for you in my heart. Maybe, that forgiveness is your redemption too." Kayuba sipped some rum and smiled, "Who am I to know redemption? Forgiveness or punishment. Everything is a punishment for me." Alice smiled, "After the war is finished, will you come with me?" Kayuba asked, "Where?" Alice smiled, "I want to show you something. Something that will be your real redemption." Kayuba smiled, "I can't promise you but I will try my best to stay alive for you." Alice said grimly, "Well, if that is the case. I think I can show it to you just now too." Kayuba smiled, "Okay." Alice waved her hand and the smoke from the fire turned into a mirror.

"A small girl, almost three to four years old was walking with her mother and father to a carnival. She was holding a balloon in her hand and was walking steadily, trying to match the pace of her parents. She tripped and started crying but the parents were oblivious to her cries and continued walking till they disappeared in the mist. The girl stopped crying and opened her eyes. She saw that her parents were nowhere near her and she was all alone. There was no other person in sight and the mist was engulfing her constantly. She tightly grasped her balloon and started running forward towards the direction of her parents. She ran as fast as her tiny feet could take her. She tripped many times but she didn't cry. Her fear made brave and she continued walking briskly. She stopped at a small pole where a small old lady was sitting on a bench. She was wearing a purple tunic and was holding a cloth bag filled with pumpkin shaped sweets. The girl was scared but seeing no other option she bravely approached the old lady and stopped near her. The old lady didn't look at her. Maybe her eyesight was weak or she didn't know a small child was standing near her. The small girl pulled her tunic and gave a loud cry. The old lady looked at her and smiled. The girl tried her best to smile but the intense fear in her heart restricted her lips to curl. The girl looked at the old lady and the old lady looked at the child. The old lady eventually asked, "Where are your parents, cotton candy?" The girl was too young to speak and even if she could her parents names were unknown to her. She pointed in the direction forward and the old lady saw a ferris wheel in the distance. She smiled, "Okay. I will take you to the carnival." The old lady took the child on her shoulder and started walking towards the carnival. She finally reached the carnival, but there were lots of couples. The old lady looked around and saw a couple looking sad. She approached them and asked, "Why are you sad, sweet birds?" The woman said grimly, "We were trying for a child for so many years but to no avail. We heard from a relative that a renowned tarot card reader sits in the annual carnival and she can tell accurately if we will have a child or not. She told us that we will never have children as I cannot be a mother and my husband cannot be a father." The old lady looked at the couple and said, "I can sell this child to you if you are willing to pay me three thousand dusus." The couple looked at the child who was looking cutely towards them. The old lady gave them the child and the couple paid her three thousand dusus. The old lady looked at the child and gave her the bag of pumpkin shaped sweets and walked away. The child looked at the couple who were looking at her with love. The child was too innocent to know that the cunning old lady sold her for a hefty price. She smiled and the couple took her and sat in their carriage and soon disappeared in the mist. The old lady was walking towards her cottage when she encountered a young couple looking desperately for their lost child. The mother looked at the old woman and asked, "Have you seen a small child wearing a pink frock and yellow waistband somewhere?" The old lady looked at her and said, "No. I didn't see a small child. I am getting late and my granddaughter must be waiting for me." She briskly walked towards her cottage as a wicked smile flashed on her face."

Alice looked at Kayuba and asked, "Who was the culprit in the story?" Kayuba said grimly, "The old lady. She is the one who sold the cute child instead of reuniting her with her parents." Alice smiled, "Exactly. The old lady saw her profit and pushed the innocent child in a strange environment. The old lady is you and the child is me. You could have done the right thing but you saw your own profit and pushed me into a life full of pain and suffering. It was not a story, Kayuba. It was a reflection of your true self." Kayuba lowered his head and said, "I understand now what my real redemption is." He rose and walked towards his room with teary eyes. Alice looked at the bottle of rum and drank it. A soft and cold breeze blew and the moon shone bright in the cloudy night...