This doesn't exist.

[therealkaichan]

What I have of chapter 12 here. I'll probably take a while before writing the final fight and I wanted to share this with you who are the only person in this filter.


Chapter Twelve

Betrayal


Kana wouldn’t take that story. Definitely not.

It had to be a lie. Even if it made sense with her dreams, and with the strange hollow that was her youth. Even if it explained Kael’s strange appearance change and Kean’s disappearance and even why she had so much trouble controlling herself.

She couldn’t. Couldn’t believe that this was true.

Adir had killed Aileen. Had it been because she had found the truth out? Had it been because she...

“Kana.”

She turned, even when she knew exactly who it was. The person she had trusted in the most. The person who had been the most important to her.

“Kael...”
“Let’s go.”
“Sure...”

They walked in silence. It was something they had done a few times, walking to the borders of the campus to talk. Kana could barely remember the last time, however. It hadn’t been like this. She hadn’t been eaten up by doubt.

“Kael.”
“Yes?”
“Is it true? The things the Priest said. Are they true?”
“Yes.”
“You... Why?! Why would you even...”
“It’s a bit of a long story. A sad story as well.”
“Tell me.”

Kael walked a little more in silence before beginning to talk. Kana didn’t say a word until he did, she knew well that he sometimes needed a little time.
“We were always different, Kean and I... Where he felt I reasoned. He was a channeler and I was a shaper, and it was fine, we liked it, it felt like we were two halves of a whole all along. I learned about Fate when I was six years old. We were at war, and war was probably the best time to understand it.”
“And Kean...?”
“I tried to explain it to him several times, but he was pretty sure that there wasn’t such a thing.” Kael chuckled, his hand taking out the coin from his pocket. “He came to understand it eventually.”
“How?”
“We graduated. He got a girlfriend... They were engaged. She was pregnant.”
“Did she...?”
“She lived. The baby did not. He understood Fate in another’s death instead of in his own... But it made sense... It was Kean after all, he only saw things with his heart like the complete idiot he was.”
“Yeah... You would always talk about that.” Kana frowned a little. Looking around wasn’t as relaxing as it usually was, not with Kael talking about things like that.
“He told me he wanted to stop Fate. To make a world where those choices wouldn’t be pre decided. It was the kind of things he said all the time, but this time, he was ready for it.”
“And how were you planning to do that? If Fate was so strong, how would you stand up to it?”
“I had worked with Gabriel Rhodes when I was younger, back before graduating. He probably told you about that, right?”
“Yeah, he said something about that.”
“He was one of the few scientists that had ever truly understood Fate, and I joined his team because wanted to meet the Goddess. She had the answers I wanted. I would have her stop this Fate cycle even if it drove me to madness.”
“Why?”
“Because it was really annoying.”
“It sounds logical. So, what about this man? Why would he show you the goddess anyway?”
“During his investigation Gabriel had been able to glimpse the Goddess, and she marked him. He likes calling that his taint, though I don’t see why. She gave him his two capabilities as a gift. His magic wouldn’t harm Her, and he wouldn’t age... He would be able to pass these gifts onto others, but in exchange they would give up the piece of their souls that allowed them to be reborn. It meant that they became outsiders to Fate, but also lost the only thing that is eternal in a person.”
“Wait, wait. Harming her?”
“Of course... Magic is harming her all the time. Magic is outside of Fate, but it wasn’t a gift given by her. The energy processed by magic is simply discarded. Turned into nothing.”
“What...?”
“It means that whenever a person uses magic, they kill a piece of our Goddess and by extension our world.”
“But then why do people keep on doing it?!”
“Why wouldn’t they? Most don’t even believe in such a thing as a Goddess. And others don’t even care about what will happen to a future world they won’t live in.”
“That’s... That’s not right.”
“That is how people are, Kana. You know it well.”
“I... guess, yeah.”
“This is why our magic can’t be used by one person alone. The body isn’t supposed to burn energy it’s supposed to transform it. This is also why our magic cannot heal. Because it is a deadly weapon that slowly kills our Goddess each time we use it.”

There was another long silence. Kael kept on fiddling with the coin, he didn’t look affected by the conversation in any way. In Kana’s point of view it was the same kind of aloof acceptance she heard in Hans’ tone. It felt really strange to see that in Kael.
“Kael.”
“Yes?”
“Why didn’t you speak about this before?”
“I would’ve been killed and become some idiot killed for peace. I don’t even want peace.”
“Then...?”
“When I saw her, she asked me to protect her. She promised she would stop the cycle of Fate as a reward if I managed to do such a thing. She said it was the first time one was ready to sacrifice both his most beloved person and a half of his soul only to see her and ask her why.”
“Weren’t those two the same person?”
“No. The person was you, of course. My dearest younger sister.”
“But I’m here.”
“She gave you back. The Mother is kind, if you are willing to understand her instead of killing her. I promised I would stop them from ever using magic again, and she sent me back as well.”
“And Kean...?” Kael showed Kana the coin with a small smile.
“We both decided he would be the sacrifice. He was ready to give everything up.”
“So he died...?”
“It’s... Tricky.”
“Uh?”
“He’s here.” Kael put his right hand over his chest. “She made us one again.”
“That’s not right.”
“We both accepted. He was given the chance to exist even when he was ready to sacrifice even that. And in exchange for accepting being her weapons, we were given the ability to use her energy as magic without hurting her.”
“What?”
“The power to heal. The power to harm. We are her messengers and her angels of death.”
“Kael that’s bullshit.”
“No, no. That’s nothing but the truth... But it’s fine. Soon the last Sacrifice will be completed, and by then every single mage in the world will be gone.”
“You are...”
“I’m getting rid of every single one of them. People won’t understand words, they won’t even understand logic or scientific proof... Humans only understand fear and pain. So I will give them enough pain, enough fear to last for every generation that is born.”
“That’s crazy.”
“I never claimed sanity, did I? I said I would kill Fate, after all.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
“My sacrifices are almost ready, and now that the papers have leaked it’s only a matter of waiting. The same soldiers that kill the Mother will be the ones to give me the final weapon to kill every single mage. So go and look for your partner. Come meet me before seven days. We’ll see whose conviction is strongest.” He smiled at her, a smile that was so different and yet so alike the smile he always gave her, and she couldn't help but shiver.
“Kael wait.”
“Yes?”
“Are you really going trough with this...? Do you have any regret?”
“No. I’m doing what has to be done. I’m but a tool of the Goddess.”
“I see... I’ll be there to stop you then.”
“I’ll wait for you. You do get some special priviledges after all.”
“I always did with you, huh?”
“I can't help it. You are our beloved little sister.”

With that Kael turned and started walking on his way to the large building where his office was located.

The time had arrived, even if a little earlier than he had expected.

It was best to get everything moving.