The Path of Ruin

Do you want to live...

Kael repeated this question in his mind. The first answer he got was... no.

He didn't want to try anymore. He didn't want to suffer, he didn't want to try things even though he knew he would fail.

He was... really tired of life.

"Why... are you asking me this?"

The King continued with great seriousness, not taking his eyes off him for a single second.

"Because you still can."

Kael looked at the man in front of him like a madman. His lips curled upward and he was about to laugh, but he restrained himself.

"Your Majesty... I may be fifteen, but I'm not an idiot. I'm going to die, maybe after you, yes. But-"

"No, Kael. You really can keep on living."

Kael saw the seriousness in the king's eyes again. And in that moment, he knew. This man... was not lying.

But... even if he wasn't lying, was there a point?

"Even if it is possible for me to survive somehow... I don't want to try to live anymore."

The king's seriousness broke slightly with this sentence. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"My brother, don't you want to kill him?"

Kael smiled too.

"Even if I survive, I do not believe I have the strength to pursue an impossible dream once more, Your Majesty."

"If it's not impossible... you think it's worth trying?"

"What exactly are you talking about, Your Majesty?"

The smile on the king's face finally widened.

"Before I die... you will kill me, Kael. It is as simple as that."

Again, Kael did not understand what he meant. The king continued.

"This kingdom is finished, Kael. Two of my knights have turned into creatures, the others are dead. My son and daughter are dead. Even if I managed to kill the dog sent by the Empire... it is too late. It's over."

Each of his words was full of sadness. Here was a man who had lost everything, and now... he didn't seem to care about much. Maybe that's why he kept going.

"I wasn't very successful as a king. Making the kingdom richer, trying to solve problems, expanding borders... Seeing slaves like you, I used to wonder why people suffered, but still I did nothing. Now... I'm going to die, there is no chance for me to live. But... for you, there is."

He did his best to stand up straight. His complexion was beginning to fade, the hollowness under his eyes becoming more pronounced. He didn't have much time.

"You will suffer more. You will have to fight for your life all the time, whether you want to or not. But... you can get out of here. Afterwards, if you really want to quit life... you will always have the opportunity to die. You can give up whenever you want to give up. But still... don't you want to at least take a chance?"

Kael did not know how to answer this question. He wasn't sure if what the king was saying was true. He could be deceiving him, but why would he do that?

He looked at the king. He was collapsing by the second. He didn't even have a minute left, probably. Death was inevitably upon him.

He had thought it was the same for him until now. He would probably die a few minutes after the king, but he would die nonetheless.

And now... was there a way for him not to die?

He thought about what the king had said. He was not wrong, he really wanted to kill his brother. Even though he had initially only used it as an excuse to live, he had put a lot of work into it. He had worked for it for years, no matter how impossible it was.

A smile appeared on his face. He had missed something, and now... he remembered.

"I am... a slave, Your Majesty. Even if I survive, I will always be under others."

The king smiled in return. It was such a weak smile that it seemed strange. But then... Kael saw a faint, tiny gleam in the king's blue eyes.

"I, Markhus V. Arcanoa, by my authority as sole king of the Kingdom of Arcanoa, free you from your slave status."

Kael felt the mark on his neck burn intensely. But he didn't even scream, he just stared at the king in front of him, his eyes wide.

Was he... no longer a slave? Had he heard wrong?

The king threw himself on his back on the floor, keeping his smile on his face. He spoke in an even lower voice than before.

"Make your decision quickly, Kael. If you kill me, you will have a chance of survival. I haven't told you everything because there is no time, but... you will suffer. Believe me, you will. Maybe you'll curse this moment you chose to survive. But you'll have another chance. Do you want this chance to continue chasing a dream you think is impossible... or not? The choice is yours. You have to make your choice before death takes me. But... let me tell you this anyway."

And that's how he articulated his next sentences, even if he had to force them.

"Whatever your choice, thank you for coming to this room and spending your last moments with me. Apparently, even someone like me needs someone to talk to, huh... I feel at peace."

The King said nothing more, and he didn't seem to have any intention of speaking. He was just... waiting for Kael's choice and death.

And Kael... did not know.

'What do I... want in a situation like this?'

He thought back over everything he had done so far. Not only tonight, but also before... from the first memory he could recall until now.

He kept talking about wanting to die. He may have had his reasons, yes... But, even then, contradicting to himself, he was always doing his best to live.

Now, when he had a real choice... what should he do?

'He said I would suffer, he said I would curse this moment if I chose to stay alive. But... a second chance... Besides, I can give up, I can end my life anytime I want. I am no longer a slave, either.'

The seconds ticked by. In the silent room, the king could barely keep his eyes open as Kael continued to think. He waited in silence as his vision continued to blur every second.

But no matter how long he waited, no matter how hard he tried to keep himself alive... he could hear nothing from Kael.

'He's a young kid after all... It's not an easy choice.'

He respected him. That he had made it this far, despite his age, despite his weakness, was a great achievement in itself. If he didn't want to continue living... how could he force him? The only thing he did was to give a chance to the boy who was with him in his last moments.

Everything else was in his hands.

His life no longer depended on others. He had the choice to direct his own life.

In his last moments, he watched the white ceiling. He thought of the last things the dog of the Empire had said.

Arcanoa... was the last kingdom on the continent that the Empire had not conquered. So it was now the only absolute power on the continent. Even the Church, which was supposed to remain neutral, was on their side.

The Emperor had a purpose. Taking over the continent was only the beginning, he was sure of that. But... he had no idea what the real goal was.

After a brief moment, he paused. If he could, he would smile again.

'Heh, why do I keep thinking... I'm a goner anyway.'

He waited for Kael for a while longer. But... the young man never appeared.

'So you've made your choice, huh...'

With his breathing becoming more difficult by the second, he finally stopped holding himself back. He didn't need to try anymore, that was it... it was time to leave this world.

Actually... He was glad that Kael hadn't accepted the second chance he was offered. To put such a huge burden in the hands of someone so young, to make his life perhaps a living hell... In that sense, he felt bad, even if he was giving him a chance to live.

But there was also a disappointment inside him that he couldn't get rid of no matter what. The eyes he had seen when Kael first entered the room... he rarely saw them. And not only that. Kael's condition... was even worse than his own. He couldn't even understand how he had survived until now. He had believed him to be a madman who would do anything to live. Maybe that was the reason for the disappointment he felt.

'Whatever... it's too late anyway.'

But then... his ears, which could hear almost nothing anymore, caught a sound.

That uncomfortable, ear-piercing sound of metal being dragged. It was getting closer and closer. Soon, his blurred eyes caught a shadow. A tiny shadow looming over him. And then... Kael's hoarse voice echoed in his ears.

"I... thank you, Your Majesty. Although I have no idea what will happen... I will take the chance you have given me."

The King smiled one last time, even if he could not move his lips.

'I knew it. Heh, I knew it from the moment I saw you.'

Then... he saw something shimmering in Kael's blurred image. The next second, he felt a momentary pain in his chest.

It was the cold metal of a sword. His own sword.

His world went completely black. But... he felt no regret. He only wondered.

What would this young man, Kael, whom he had given such an opportunity, do? If he could... he would like to see...

'Ah, but… It's too late, huh…'

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