X: Bohemian Rhapsody II

As soon as we stepped back into the main island crossing the bridge with a blood river. We encountered a smell of something that is new to my nose we're present, but what caught my interest was the dead body of the giant Black Queen, Her head was bowing to the ground, her arms we're closed in the side of body, and the giant crown has fallen off, as a symbolism that her reign isn't that long. The shortest reigning Black Queen is dead and her dead body we're slowly rotting as the crow eats her flesh and drink her poisonous blood. The atmosphere never changed as the dark skies gave the forest a whole new meaning to it. I used to love playing and hunting bugs in the forest when I was a kid, back in the days we're the sun light is present in the sky. But I don't think that my younger self would appreciate a forest with the current theme of nothing but horror.

It made me sad to just simply looking around and seeing, the floods of blood mixed with soil, the dead plants and the dead animals being swarm by flies. As we left the city I was reminded about the giant rock that the Black Queen threw in our direction when evacuating, going to the direction to the secret island. Thinking about time, it's only just a few days after the long years of the march yet everything is still not recovered, and it's still too dangerous to stay here. My team gazed around and I felt Valkyarie's hand touching mine, and I slowly felt her head coming closer to my ear.

"Are we going to split again?" She asked and I simply nodded and sigh. "I see… can I volunteer to lead the people of the second island, I also want to rush to come into the third island to check my own people." I looked into her eyes and with a smile on my face I gave her a nod, perfectly timed when we entered the main city, where I personally grew up in. She gave me a smile and our lips touched each other while her palms are both in my cheeks. As soon as she let it go her eyes stared into mine and I just felt something. "Joseph, please stay safe at all cost." She said before turning around and guiding the people of the second island to the path that the prophet gave to me.

"People of the second island, the people who have been guided by the White Queens and Joseph Castlevine, please listen to the wife's words… we shall take the road where the path to safety is given and said by the prophet himself… We shall all walk into the royal road entering the bridge to the third island and I'll guide you all to the Valkyries' vil." Her voice was heard by every ear and they quickly made a move, the carts from the previous evacuates came to pick up and Larry Melina helped her organized while Tawal and I started to do what we are tasked to do.

He was silently waking with me, going into the western part of the island where most of the poor people we're living, and said to be we're the land where I was born in. I tried to start a conversation with him but I honestly don't know what to say, he has been the backbone of the White Queen, and I really have no idea how powerful he is, for he rather have his mouth closed than spoke something that we might regret hearing. His missions and help by far has been really active and successful, for a man who's silent, it's not a bad progress. Though I feel like if he was with Larry Melina he's activity would be much better, for my personal observation, he's so close to him.

As soon as we reach the western side of the village, we began looking for people, we split up again and I did my own search and calls. I used the magic that the prophet told me, so I can look faster. I looked up to the sky and be in synced with the wind. I heard the whispers of the people around us and it isn't that many, but one man stood out the most and he's talking about his one goal and its solutions. I ended my magic and directly headed to where the survivor we're located and I quickly entered a broken house where I looked around for the hidden door on its floor leading up to an underground base which I didn't know until now. 

I moved some of the debris, and broken materials scattered on the floor and under a very dusty carpet we're a door to the basement where the people are gathered, I quickly entered and I slowly walked down the stairs for my eyes couldn't see well in the dark. But slowly I started to see a small light, and the noises of the people we're also becoming more and clearer. But they began to become silent. The lights we're suddenly gone and the people felt that their gone. I continued to walk down until eventually I didn't felt any more steps, I still couldn't see anything, but I felt their presence around.

"People of the land, listen to my words… I am Joseph Castlevine, a citizen of the main island, one of your neighbors'. I have been called by the prophet to save you all from the danger of this land… the Black Queen is dead, but the land isn't fixed. I need you all to follow me and I will lead you all to evacuation." I said to them and I felt that their eyes we're looking into mine, until the lights from a small candle lit up the small room, they we're hiding on a table that has been flipped to act like a shield and their eyes we're actually looking into me. They then came out and one man who I've known for, for many years approached me, for he is quite popular amongst the people. "Scaramouche, you we're talking about the goal and visions of the people, I've come to help you."

His smile widens and he approach me and gave me a big hug, he began laughing and lifted me up off the ground and spin me around until I tapped out when I felt dizzy. He laughed and his arms we're spread open. "Everyone look! It's Joseph my favourite journalist out of all thousand interviewers!" he proudly said and they gave me an outstanding applause, I just gave them a smile and bowed. "Where have you been? No actually how have you been, I haven't seen you for a while! Where we're you when the chaos of the march began?" He's just a magical clown but deep inside he has one of the kindest hearts I've ever encountered, he grew up near where I grew up though we're not close when we we're kids, but growing up we quickly became the best of friends every time I've interview him.

"I'm the one who's supposed to ask you those questions for I am the journalist." We both laughed and the people around didn't look feared like earlier, they began to continue their usual activity earlier which is drinking. "Scaramouche, I am with Tawal Alshamas, the silent man of the White Queens. I've been called by the prophet to save everyone, and I know you've been reading those prophecies." He quickly nodded and he took a small book from his bag and showed it to me. It was the book of the prophet 'mo konesans kont volonte nati imen' written to be read, and not to be ignored. "Your knowledge within the book has been useful, for it has saved your own life." I said while holding into the leather book cover.

"What do you want me to do so that I can help you with your mission?" He asked and I gaze around the people. "Everyone listen up! We shall follow this man for he has a better knowledge over me, leave those bottles of wine and beer and face the truth, we don't want our bodies to continue aching all the time, get up in your spines and follow the man." he always knows what my heart tells me for he is a hybrid of a beast fairy and a human, he knows how to read the heartbeats of the people and has been very charismatic towards everyone. He's own people followed to his words from my heart and together we climbed up.

I opened the door and saw the people forming a line and Tawal Alshamas and surprisingly Larry was already there. I pointed to their directions and Scaramouche for my people to come along however something changed when the eyes of Larry Melina and the Eyes of Scaramouche met. They have a tension for a second before eventually giving each other a hug. They both laughed at each other and like what Scaramouche did to me, he lifted up Larry Melina up and their smiles we're wide and bright. He let Larry go and our eyes met each other.

"Dear Tawal, I'll be going with Joseph and Scaramouche. Lead the people and feel free to rest; Valkyarie is waiting for you over the end of the bridge, be careful darling." Tawal just simply nodded and the crowd that I've gathered blend in to the crowd that the two found. "We better get going boys, off to the big city of the main." He cheerfully said and we started moving.

"It's been so long Darling, how have you been?" Larry asked while gazing to Scaramouche, he gave him a smile and took out fifteen balls and juggle them around, He was quite skilled in terms of entertainment for he used to work for the former royal family, entertaining them day and night when they we're bored.

"Surprisingly fine, I didn't recognize you earlier, for you have grown your hair a lot. I've been reading the prophetic book and I sense that another prophecy us yet to come." Scaramouche caught my attention and he stopped juggling the fifteen balls and took out the book, and flipped its page for a few times before pointing his finger on to the text. "This one, it simply says… 'A man in the shadows would appear, offering a dance would lead to a treasure, the knowledge of true royal evilness would beg… and destiny would switch if the wrong decisions are made.' I've been studying the timeline and which prophecies are already fulfilled and will be fulfilled, and if my theory is correct it should be the next." He explained and we stopped walking when we reached a small town in which we grew up.

The carts continued to travel, and I simply watched them until the last cart was no longer in my vision. I looked into my team and we knew exactly what to do, I directly went to the straight path, where my home is located, Larry went to the west and Scaramouche went to the east. I looked around the house that used to stand still and build who I am today. This place used to be my home, growing up, but I didn't expect that this day, seeing everything is so depressing. Full of dead people, some of them are familiar for I'm the one responsible for their deaths under the Black Queen's control, building are smashed to bits and pieces, the smell of rotting corpse… is so depressing, yet I sense someone. The survivors.

I heard a loud explosion and I quickly covered my head, my eyes blinked when I heard more. There was silence for a second and I quickly moved. I went to the route where I used to run as a child, a way to my home. And there I saw my mother, breathing heavily in front of a dead man. He's head was blasted with something I'm not familiar; it was a small device in her hands. I took a step and our eyes met again.

"Mama… you told me not to kill, but why?" I asked her and she quickly dropped her weapon, the tears in her eye began to drop into her beautiful cheeks and she quickly run towards my direction crying and giving me a hug. "Mama, when my life began, you preach that killing is bad, now you've thrown all of your preaching's away." I whispered into her ears and she continued to cry, shaking and fearing.

"I'm sorry my son… I'm so sorry…. I've killed your father, your corrupt father... Your demonic father!" I heard her whispers as I tapped her back. I let her go and I walked to the direction of the dead man. So you we're my father all along, I used to gazed on you when I was working, you are always contradicting my words, and I ignored you. You made my mother cry, how fool of you. "Joseph, please carry on with your life and ignore what you've seen." Her voice remained its tone of fear, and I took the device that killed my father.

I've seen this before in books but it used to be a myth. I searched for this to find survival, but failed. A gun, a rare item that only a few people know, said to kill anyone without a chance of survival. I dropped it and I went back to my poor mother and gave her a hug.

"Nothing really matters, I will carry on with my mission my mother, sorry that I've made you cry. But you can't deny the fact that you we're the woman who killed your own husband. Good bye my mother, I shall continue to my mission and face everything. Specially the truth… I'll be back here tomorrow at around the same time, if I didn't return carry on in life, and think that nothing matters." I let her go and I didn't have a chance to face her again, I just left her alone standing, I sense her eyes looking into my body as I slowly fade away to her visions. And the Moment that I left she behind I started praying to sense the other people around the village.

There we're no one around.

At the end of the village was the forest, I took a seat at a small rock and silently rest. I'm late; I shouldn't have prevented her killing my father, for I always became curious about him. A concept of a family, it was just a dream when I was a kid. I fully understand the world now, and faith is just too unpredictable. I wiped my tears and took a rock in front of me.

My body is just giving up; I want to end the sufferings faster. Nothing really matters anyways, my spine always hurts and I couldn't function normally. I'm sure the prophet would understand my concept of death. Hope that Grave would stop contradicting my decisions. He has seen all kinds of me, variations from multiple timelines... My time has come; death was at the tip of my tongue. I have to leave everyone in order for them to prove the truth. The truth is that this world would never be fixed.

I'm so depressed by doing the same thing over and over again, and being my mother's betrayal just made it worse.

I stoned myself in the head, and it started bleeding, my head quickly reacts and made my entire body uncontrollable, I took another force to hit my head I felt my body falling to the ground also hitting my head in the process. I was heavy breathing, even if I wanted to stop breathing. I lifted my hand for hopefully for the very last time.  But I was stopped, someone took my arm and took the stone in my hand, I heard it bounced off the ground and I looked into the man who saved me. My eyes we're blurry yet I knew who it was, with his long curly hair, and a wonderful smile, he saved me.

"Joseph Castlevine please don't make me act like a fool." He warned me, I saw him opening a bottle and lifting up my head to force me drink his potion. I didn't want to drink it but it was drowning me so I took a small drink. It was a potion of healing made of various herbs. "What happened to you?" He asked again while continued to heal my wound with more herbs.

"I have no idea to tell you the truth… I'm sick and tired of doing the same thing every day… I knew that the truth would always land on the same destiny, it's always repeating and I'm already sick of it. The truth is that I'm not the answer to the problem, I'm just a Prophet's prostitute." I heard him giggled and I felt him casting a magic while humming a song.

"Joseph Castlevine, I also have the knowledge of your multiple versions… Grave told me about it. Your mother killed someone did she? I heard a gunshot and I quickly went to find it, and I stumble upon you." He explained and I simply nodded.

I stood up when he was done healing me; everything was back to normal except my trauma. Why do people have to kill each other? It depressed me.

"T.E. Conway, may I asked you a question?" I looked into his pure eye and he gave me a smile and nods. "You've seems to have a knowledge about the events of the story. Do you mind answering my question… why does it have to be me? Out of all the great magicians, strong warriors, the clan of Valkyries… they we're not selected by the prophet… or someone like the gods in the sky… why does it have to be me? A normal person who has no other option, but choose suicide, and be deceived by the voice within his own head. A poor boy, which doesn't have a power to cast strong magic, fight like those fearsome warriors at the mountain of Nevermore… I am nothing compared to them… why does it have to be me? Does the gods want me to suffer?" I felt my tears dropping down at my cheeks and he touched my head and giving me a head pat.

I wiped my tears and I heard someone coming, T.E. Conway was looking in that direction and he had a smile on his face.

"Joseph Castlevine, you know I have the same thoughts when I was a young boy." It was Larry Melina's voice and I looked into him, leaning beside a tree. "Why does life chose me? I didn't wish to be born in this world, and I'm afraid of death. I don't want to die for I have no idea what's going to happened after death… but you know, as I age, I realized that the concept of time is scary if you realize it darling… people didn't have enough time to live their life, to show their true self and emotions… everything doesn't matter if time is running, and eventually you will have to say goodbye to everyone… when death arrives… Joseph Castlevine, darling… your faith if already written by the prophet, your job is to simply do what is written… unlike us, who has no idea on what's going to happened next... We always fear that every day, we might never have a chance to see the light of tomorrow… let me ask you, do you want to love forever?"

I didn't answer and just cried while I face them away. I walked away to them and I was alone in the city where I grew up. Everything is just depressing, yet those words helped me cope. I still have a lot to learn about them, but I don't think that they are willing to answer my questions, for those questions must be shown and proved not spoke and told. I returned to the rotting corpse of my father, my mother was gone and I was alone as usual.

I sat down and watched the corpse of the dead Black Queen, getting eaten by the crows and I noticed something I feared. I quickly stood up and ran back into the jungle, I avoided the direction where Larry and Conway and before I could make it to the end of the island, I felt the ground shake, and everything was suddenly covered with dust. I cough and wiped the air for a moment before I looked into the direction of the kingdom, that is now covered in dust and an odor that is unexplainable, after some time when the cloud of dust disappeared, blew off by the wind, my own two eyes saw, the giant corpse of Black Queen is now laying, smashing the entire left side kingdom along the process.

I realized that she's actually dead. 

Everyone stepping on this world is born to live, and to die with an impact to the world shall be an honour. No matter how good or evil your deed, the goal in life is to live a legacy. Don't die like a normal person, die like a legend. It doesn't matter to me, but to others it does.

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Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

Ballad Section