The True Fake

The blinding light faded, and Seraphina found herself standing in the familiar yet haunting grounds of the Rosewood Estate. The towering trees swayed gently, and the once-grand estate lay untouched, as though the fire that had destroyed it in her memories had never happened.

Beside her, Cedric let out a small breath of relief. They had made it back—back to the pivotal moment, before the grimoire had bound them in its twisted cycle. Seraphina's heart raced, knowing they had one chance to change everything.

"This is it," Cedric said, scanning their surroundings. "If we stop them here, we'll break the chain of events that led to everything."

"How are We gonna do that?"

"We can share memories through the book. I remember Matilda's mother once thought to me transfer it to be obejcects. If I did it with liquids. It can multiplier and shared with others."

"What are we gonna show them."

"The truth."

"The truth that we killed them."

"The Half Truth and we will fake the other truth and manipulate other memories."

Seraphina nodded. The weight of their mission settled on her shoulders as she thought of Alistair and Reinhardt. They had been just children, much like her and Cedric. None of them had known the dangers they were meddling with. Yet now, the stakes were higher than ever. She and Cedric were no longer children—they were people shaped by the horrors they had lived through.

As they moved swiftly through the estate grounds, Seraphina couldn't help but glance at Cedric. There was a newfound strength in his steps, a quiet determination she admired. Despite everything they had endured, he had remained unwavering in his love for her. That realization made her heart swell, and she knew deep down that he was the only one who could guide her through this.

"They should be in the east wing," Cedric murmured, recalling where he had last seen the two boys in his memories. "This is when Alistair and Reinhardt were first exploring the estate. The grimoire was hidden in the library."

They reached the estate's side entrance and slipped inside quietly. The interior of the Rosewood Estate was as grand and untouched as Seraphina remembered—beautiful yet eerily silent, with shadows clinging to the walls. A part of her ached at how different everything was now compared to what it would become.

As they ascended the stairs, Seraphina's pulse quickened. She could hear distant voices—faint but familiar. Alistair and Reinhardt.

"They're close," she whispered.

Cedric nodded. They reached the grand library doors and paused. Cedric pressed his ear against the door, listening carefully. He nodded to Seraphina, signaling that now was the time. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what lay ahead.

Cedric gently pushed open the door, and they stepped inside.

At the far end of the room, surrounded by shelves stacked with dusty tomes, stood Alistair and Reinhardt. Their youthful faces were filled with curiosity and excitement as they pored over a thick, ancient book.

The grimoire.

Seraphina felt a lump form in her throat. They were so young, unaware of the chaos and destruction their actions would cause. But there was no room for hesitation now. She and Cedric had to stop them.

"Alistair. Reinhardt," Cedric called out, his voice steady and commanding.

The two boys froze, startled. Alistair turned first, his bright eyes wide with confusion. "Cedric? What are you doing here?"

Reinhardt, more reserved, slowly closed the grimoire and placed it on the table, his gaze shifting between Seraphina and Cedric.

"You need to stop," Cedric said, stepping forward. "You don't understand what you're playing with."

Alistair frowned, clearly confused. "What are you talking about? It's just an old book."

"It's more than that," Seraphina interjected, her voice firm. "That book contains magic you can't control. If you continue, you'll destroy everything."

Reinhardt's brow furrowed, his hand resting protectively over the grimoire. "How do you know that?"

Cedric glanced at Seraphina before answering. "Because we've seen what happens. That book—its magic—causes the Rosewood Estate to burn. It traps us all in a cycle of death and destruction. You two die, and Seraphina and I... we're bound to suffer for eternity."

The room fell silent, the weight of Cedric's words hanging in the air.

Alistair, still incredulous, shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. How could you possibly know that?"

Seraphina stepped forward, her heart heavy with the burden of her past and future. "Because we've lived it. We've been trapped in it, over and over again. But now, we have the chance to change things. You two have to walk away from that book. If you don't, everything will be destroyed."

Reinhardt studied her, his gaze sharp. "And what if we don't believe you?"

Cedric's eyes darkened, and he reached into his coat, pulling out a small, glimmering vial. It was the potion Matilda had given him to unlock the truth of his memories.

"If you don't believe us," Cedric said, holding out the vial, "then drink this. It'll show you everything we've seen. Everything you've done. And everything that's happened because of it."

Alistair and Reinhardt exchanged a glance, uncertainty flickering across their faces. Finally, after a long pause, Reinhardt reached out and took the vial from Cedric's hand. He uncorked it and, with a determined look, drank the contents.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, Reinhardt gasped, his eyes widening in horror. He dropped the empty vial as visions flooded his mind—the fire, the deaths, the endless loop of time they had been trapped in. Alistair's expression shifted from confusion to alarm as he watched his friend stumble back, overwhelmed by the truth.

"This... this can't be real," Reinhardt choked out, clutching his chest. "We did all of this?"

Cedric nodded grimly. "Yes. But it doesn't have to happen again. You can walk away from it now, and we can change everything."

Alistair, still shaken by Reinhardt's reaction, stepped away from the grimoire, his face pale. "But... what do we do now?"

Seraphina stepped forward, her heart pounding. "You leave it behind. The magic, the experiments, all of it. Walk away and never look back."

Reinhardt slowly straightened, the shock beginning to fade from his face. "And if we do?"

Cedric smiled, a small but hopeful smile. "Then we break the cycle. We change the future."

Alistair hesitated for a moment longer before nodding. "Okay. We'll do it."

Seraphina felt a weight lift from her chest. The grimoire remained untouched, its dark magic now dormant, as Alistair and Reinhardt stepped away from the table, leaving it behind.

The first step to changing their fate had been taken.

As Cedric and Seraphina left the Rosewood Estate, the weight of what they had just done settled over them. They had convinced Alistair and Reinhardt to abandon the grimoire and its magic, averting the catastrophe that had once been their fate. But their mission wasn't over yet. They still had to deal with Evelyn, Sofia, and the forces of the World Organisation, which included the remnants of the devils and corrupt monarchs who had orchestrated the chaos for their own gain.

Seraphina had her doubts about bringing Evelyn and Sofia into their plan, but Cedric was certain. They had been manipulated by powers far greater than themselves, and he was confident that, with the right persuasion, they could turn them into allies.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Seraphina asked as they approached the estate where Evelyn and Sofia had been staying.

Cedric gave her a determined nod. "We'll give them a choice—face the truth, or continue living in a world built on lies. I believe they'll make the right decision."

Inside the grand halls of the estate, they found Evelyn and Sofia waiting. Their expressions were a mixture of suspicion and curiosity as they regarded Cedric and Seraphina. Neither had expected them to come here of all places.

"What do you want?" Evelyn asked, her tone sharp. "Haven't you done enough damage?"

Cedric remained calm, despite her accusations. "We're here to offer you a way out. To show you the truth."

Sofia crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "And why should we believe anything you say?"

"Because we were all manipulated by the same people," Seraphina said, her voice steady. "The kings, the World Organisation, the devils—they've been controlling us, twisting events to suit their plans. But we've learned the truth, and we can show it to you too."

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "How?"

Cedric held up a small vial of liquid—similar to the one he had given to Reinhardt earlier. "This will reveal everything to you. The lies, the truths, the manipulation. You'll see the world as it really is."

Sofia hesitated, glancing at Evelyn. There was an unspoken tension between the two, as though they knew they were at a crossroads. If they took this step, there would be no going back. But the temptation of knowing the truth, of seeing beyond the veil that had been cast over their lives, was too great to resist.

Without another word, Evelyn snatched the vial from Cedric's hand and drank its contents. Sofia followed suit, and both women waited in tense silence.

Moments later, their faces paled as the flood of visions and memories overtook them. They saw the truth—how the World Organisation and the devils had manipulated their lives, how their own ambitions had been twisted to serve others, and most of all, how they had been used as pawns in a game far greater than themselves. The memories of Cedric and Seraphina's involvement in the downfall of the king, the devils, and the World Organisation had been erased, leaving only the actions of the true culprits.

When the visions finally subsided, Evelyn dropped to her knees, shaken to her core. Sofia stood frozen, her expression one of stunned disbelief.

"I... I had no idea," Evelyn whispered. "We were being controlled all along."

Sofia clenched her fists, anger welling up inside her. "Those bastards. They used us."

Cedric stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Now you know the truth. But knowing it isn't enough. We have to act. The World Organisation is still out there, along with the devils who escaped. If we don't stop them, they'll continue their plans, and more people will suffer."

Evelyn slowly rose to her feet, determination replacing the shock in her eyes. "What do you need from us?"

Seraphina glanced at Cedric, nodding in approval. They had their allies now. "We need to take down the World Organisation, the remaining devils, and those still loyal to the corrupt kings. But we can't do it alone. With your help, we can finish this once and for all."

Sofia looked from Seraphina to Cedric, her anger now directed toward their common enemies. "I'm in. Let's end this."

Cedric smiled grimly. "Good. Because we're going to need all the help we can get."

---

Over the next few days, Cedric, Seraphina, Evelyn, and Sofia began to form a plan. They contacted Alistair and Reinhardt, who, despite their past mistakes, were more than willing to join forces. The two men, having seen the devastating effects of the grimoire and the chaos it had caused, were determined to make amends by helping to dismantle the power structures that had caused so much suffering.

Together, they pooled their resources, knowledge, and skills. Cedric and Seraphina, with their understanding of the world's inner workings and the secrets of the grimoire, guided their strategy. Evelyn and Sofia, with their connections to the nobility, helped them gather allies and resources from within the kingdoms. Alistair and Reinhardt, once the instigators of the magic's misuse, used their knowledge of the arcane to counter the devils' influence.

It wasn't long before they had a clear target—the remaining leaders of the World Organisation, who still pulled the strings from the shadows. They were the ones who had orchestrated everything, who had turned the kings and queens into puppets, and who had unleashed the devils upon the world. They had to be stopped.

The plan was simple: infiltrate the World Organisation's stronghold, expose their corruption, and dismantle their power from within. But even with their newfound alliance, Cedric knew it wouldn't be easy.

---

On the day of the assault, the group gathered just outside the World Organisation's hidden base—a grand fortress built into the cliffs of the Central Kingdom. The winds howled around them, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Cedric looked at each of his allies, feeling a sense of pride. They had come together, despite their differences, despite their pasts, to fight for a better future.

"This is it," he said, his voice firm. "We take them down here, and we end their control over the world."

Evelyn nodded, her eyes blazing with determination. "We won't let them manipulate anyone else."

Sofia smirked, drawing her sword. "Let's make them pay."

With a final glance at Seraphina, who gave him a small but confident nod, Cedric led the charge.

The battle ahead would be difficult, but for the first time in a long while, Cedric felt hope. Together, they would destroy the World Organisation, the devils, and the corrupt rulers who had caused so much suffering.

And when it was all over, they would finally be free.