Piece 2 (part 1)

The first time I came to this place… I was only four years old.

Grandma brought me here alongside Uncle John, and she showed me exactly where I needed to be. Uncle John did come with us at the time, and the three of us climbed this old dirty abandoned castle all the way until we arrived at the roof.

When I first saw them, I was confused. Seeing two statues of a man and a woman made me feel amazed that they were so detailed, since there aren't many statues in Cytus. However, learning that they are my parents broke my heart.

I did not know that they were frozen in stone until I was four. I did learn about how they were the emperor and the empress, but I had no idea how they passed away. I was told by Grandma that the two had died like warriors, but I did not know it was like this.

Completely turned into stone, the emperor and empress lost their lives while also taking the dragon god with them. It was a sacrifice made for the people, so that no one can ever be harmed by the dragon god ever again.

Ever since then, I've been visiting them. Not every day, not every week. Because Uncle John was the only one who was able to bring me here, I was completely reliant on him taking me. However, there were also times when I just genuinely wanted to see them, and I rented a carriage with my allowance that I've saved for months.

At least once every three to four months. Sometimes during special moments, like the new years or birthdays. Occasionally, during a rather emotional time.

When I was feeling very lonely, I came here. When I got home after being bullied at school, only to have Grandma yell at me for random things I didn't really care about. When the winter felt so cold I just wanted warmth, or when the spring felt so nice that I just felt good.

Many moments and many times have I come here. Even so, arriving back here to see them still made my heart spin.

These statues were once real people. A real person, a pair of emperor and empress of a large empire.

They are my parents, and this is the place where they rest.

"Today's my twelfth birthday. I'm almost a teenager. Even though… the age for adults is only sixteen, so I'm also technically four years away from being an adult. It's so weird, huh?" 

My voice echoed in the small room that is on this roof, and nothing but the sound of wind was heard to my ears. This small bedroom is widely opened to the outside because there's no wall anymore, possibly because someone had destroyed it during the battle.

This room was… actually my bedroom. It was the room the emperor and the empress prepared for their child. It was the baby room, and there's even signs of baby toys and care utilities that got left behind. I recalled how I never once had any toys growing up, and I wonder how much of a pampered child I would have been had I grown up normally alongside them.

How would things be like… had my parents weren't like this?

'It's best not to think about what it would be like, and just focus on what is in front of you.'

Grandma's reminder was reminded in my head, and I giggled remembering her. 

For all my life, Grandma has been the most important person to me. She took care of me ever since I was two, and she worked so hard so she could feed me. She's technically the parent I never had, even though we aren't exactly related by blood.

Grandma wasn't exactly Mom's mother. She was Mom's nanny, and she was the one who took care of Mom when she was very young. According to Grandma, Mom's mother died after giving birth, so she had to be the one to take care of Mom.

The parents of my parents are all dead. Mom's mom is dead after giving birth, and her father is the tyrant who ended up dying in her own hands. Dad's parents were killed by Mom's father after being accused of a coup. As such, I was left with no one but the woman who took care of Mom when she was young, which was Grandma.

Grandma was… wonderful. However, I am still yearning for more, which makes me fear that I am a little greedy.

I yearned for them. Mom and Dad, who have been turned into stone. The way they died was rather unusual, and somewhere deep inside of me, I just hoped that one day they could return.

Magic is a mysterious thing. It works mysteriously in mysterious ways. 

"I'll come back once I turn thirteen. I'm sorry, but Uncle John is starting to get really busy…" I said to the statues of both Mom and Dad while standing up, and I rubbed my butt to clean my clothes from the dust.

I noticed that the sun is already disappearing, and it's about time for me to return anyway. It's always like this, I spent months not coming here, spending about an hour for the trip, and yet I only talked for about fifteen minutes to them.

After all, it's not like there's anything they can say to me. It's not like there's a lot in my life that I can tell them as well. Most of my problems, I just kept them to myself. Things like getting bullied or how unfair it was living a poor life like this, I just kept them to myself.

Begging them for help… is like begging a pile of rocks. Nothing is going to change, and I will have to be the one to change that.

"I'm starting to learn how to run the diner alongside Grandma. I'm old enough now to cook, and she has been teaching me little by little. After this, I'm just gonna be helping her at the diner after school, so I might be quite busy. I'm also not sure if Uncle John can spare time anymore considering his position, and I don't know if I will have the time to come here.

So… I'll see you guys again in a year. Thanks for always being amazing."

My words are beginning to grow dry towards them. The last time I visited was over six months ago, and I don't even remember what I said to them that time. For sure, the words I'm saying now are much-much drier than before.

Coming here… doesn't feel as magical as it used to be, anymore.

"Then, I'll be going." I said as I turned around to leave, but my footsteps stopped when I'm outside the broken down room. 

I realized something that I haven't mentioned yet, and I placed my hand on my neck. I took the necklace out of my jacket, and I turned around to show it to them.

"By the way, Grandma gave me your necklace for my birthday. Does this look nice to me--"

PRAANNNGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!.........

As soon as I turned around to face them… the necklace shattered.

I quickly realized as the pieces fell to the floor, but I noticed that the necklace was still wrapped around my neck. It was the gem that shattered, and I wasn't sure what exactly happened.

However, things began to occur before I could even understand it.

KREK!!!

ZREGG!!!!!!!

Cracking sounds came from inside the room, specifically from the two stone statues that are inside. My eyes were wide open as I studied the cracking that is getting bigger and bigger on the statues, starting from the top of the head all the way until the bottom of their feet.

I began to sense something that I couldn't sense before. The wind has turned much stronger as the cracking turns more intense. The aura of life has appeared from the statues, and I realized what exactly is happening.

Ten years. Ten whole years have passed ever since the fall of the Veldonia Empire.

KREKK!!!!

BRESSSHHH!!!!!!

Ever since then, the people were split. They had to live in the four different nations, forced to become an outsider and refugee. Since then, the people wondered if they could, one day, return back to their homeland.

KRESSS….!!!!

"GHAHKKK!!!!!!---"

Some lived a life that is very different from their past. Some had a better life, others had a non-optimal one. And some had their fate completely rewritten. Even then, everyone moved on with their lives.

"M-Mel… Melvin…"

"W-We're alive...."

Only one. One in particular, and only one has ever truly stayed believing. Only one has ever truly prayed and waited… for the day that they return.

PRANNGGG!!!!!!!

The sound of a glass cup shattering on the floor was heard throughout the diner. Everyone who was present eating dinner noticed it, and they all turned to the old diner owner who looked like she just saw a ghost.

The old diner lady lifted her eyes to the afternoon skies that had turned very dim. With horrified eyes, her mind is trying to believe exactly what she is sensing.

"Helsing!! Blake!!" The old lady shouted, and the people at the diner only turned confused.

TAP!!

TAPP!!!!

Not even a second later, two shadows landed right in front of her. The shadows kneeled right before her, and everyone noticed their clothes to be unique.

They are wearing a pitch black robe. Their faces cannot be seen, and they blended so well with the darkness of the floor where they landed. Their heads are down, paying respect to the old lady who owns the diner.

"You need us, Lady Estella?" One of the shadows asked with a cold grim voice, and the old lady pointed her hand to the skies.

"Investigate Veldonia. Alert everyone that is available. Find out if Harbinger is still in place."

""YES, MA'AM!!!""

The two shadows shouted after receiving their mission, and they disappeared the same way they arrived. The old lady then turned around as she walked quickly to the house behind the diner, but everyone who was eating was still staring at her.

"Diner's closing!! Eat your meal quickly and go home!!" The grandma shouted loudly to everyone, and the customers only became even more confused.

KREKK!!!

KRESSSSSSS!!!!!!

As more pieces of rocks fall to the floor, the tears on my eyes are rolling down faster. The world around me has turned completely insignificant, leaving only the view that is in front of me.

The strands of red hair that are flailing around after being freed, the bright blue eyes that were slowly being opened, and their beautiful faces which contributes to why I look so beautiful.

My blue eyes, my red hair. Dad's blue eyes, and Mom's red hair.

As those characteristics began to grow more and more apparent, something else is also quite apparent to me already. It's the fact that they are alive. So alive, that they can move around and stare at their hands that are currently dripping sand and rocks.

My god… they are so beautiful…!!!

Mom is just… naturally pretty, I guess? But Dad has got to be the prettiest man ever. His eyelashes are long, and his blue eyes combined with his white hair are so… he's perfect. His looks are just a 10/10.

I knew he was a handsome guy when he was still a statue, but looking at him now…

Of course, the most beautiful part is still everything about this. My prayers were heard, and now the two people who I longed for the most have finally…

"M-Melvin!" Mom, the Red Bloody Empress of Veldonia, tapped the shoulder of her husband.

The Death Emperor of Veldonia turned his concerned gaze to his wife, and he stared specifically at the torn part of her clothes at her stomach. He noticed that something was odd, and the two stared at each other weirdly.

"The wound is gone…" Mom muttered, and Dad realized his suspicion.

"It's completely healed. How is that possible?"

"I--"

Mom finally turned her eyes to me, and she realized the young lady who was staring at the two of them outside the destroyed room. Her eyes were opened widely as she stared at me, and Dad followed her gaze to find me as well.

The two had their eyes locked onto me for a moment, trying to understand what they were looking at. My appearance is completely similar, if not the same as my mom's. I have her red hair and her facial shape. The only thing that is different is my height and eye color which came from my dad. 

And seeing the younger appearance of herself, Mom lifted her right hand to cover mouth.

"M-M… Melvin… that's not our…" Mom muttered from the shock, but Dad only shook his head a little.

".…It's.…not possible. She's only two…"

Dad was simply too confused to think properly, and Mom cannot believe what she is seeing. I started laughing a little bit after seeing their reaction, probably because I was far too happy to hear their voice.

I can't believe it… It's actually them.

"That's not… Millis, isn't it?"

Mom tried asking one more time, but Dad did not answer. Instead, I nodded a little bit at her, and her confusion finally cracked.

BRUKK!!!

Dad completely lost his strength and fell to the floor, and Mom took her first steps forward. Her face looked like she was so lost, and she finally arrived right in front of me. Her eyes stared at my appearance very closely, studying my face to see if what she feared was really true.

Her right hand touched my face, and I leaned my face a little to embrace it. I held her hand that was touching my face tightly, and her tears had finally dropped from her red eyes.