Adtraic Verity: Journey For The Truth
Chapter 85

Devlin screamed from across the room, dropping his shovel and pulling Asahi away from the bars.

“Asahi, you can’t just rush and do that quickly!? You need some time before you start going there.”

Asahi called Devlin and forcefully pushed him away.

“Hey, get your hands off of me! I want to do this on my own!”

Devlin shook his head and sighed. He yanked Asahi by his collar and pulled him from the steel bars as far as he could. Asahi got tossed to the ground and forced into the puddle. Devlin then stepped forward and whispered to him with a doubtful look on his face.

“I guess it seems you haven’t changed a bit. For an intellectual world-traveler, and how you presented yourself earlier… you’re acting stupid right now.

Asahi fumed up. He hastily propelled himself away from Devlin, coughed up water from his mouth, and desperately raced back to the bars. He wrapped his fingers over them and lunged his body forward. But nothing worked. The bars were tainted in sleek metal, inferring that these were brand new and not once had this been touched.

Asahi slumped over to the ground and soughed, knowing that there was no way to make a dent in the bars.

“I guess there really is no way out.”

Devlin slowly shook his head and crawled to Asahi in pity. Even though he had been inside the cell longer, he knew what Asahi was going through. Devlin’s faint iteration trace grew while he recollected what Asahi had said about his past.

“He’s a world traveler. He shouldn’t be locked in the cell.”

Devlin spread his arms wide to Asahi and patted his back.

“Hey, Asahi… if you want to learn more about my history… I can while we wait for nightfall.”

Wiping tears over his eyes, Asahi inclined his head and mumbled.

“R-Really?”

Devlin’s moon-shaped eyes twinkled in recollection.

“Of course. Just make sure you stop yanking those bars.”

“O-Okay…” Asahi jittered while lying against a wall.

* * * * * * * *

Easing themselves, Devlin grew more comfortable telling Asahi more about his past. He even dropped his shovel and disregarded that unknown box, just for Asahi to calm down. As he resisted speaking at first, Asahi’s eyes narrowed.

“So… how did you get those water powers?”

“Oh… this?” Devlin proposed as he opened his hands.

Asahi silently nodded his head.

“Yeah…”

“It’s a long… story….”

He relaxed and stretched his legs, wetting his lips, cracking his knuckles, and blinking rapidly. After taking a deep breath, Devlin’s mind filled with a haunting memory.

“Destia isn’t what you think it is….”

* * * * * * * *

It was a place filled with sorrow, mischief, and shock. I was born inside a small cabin, furthest away from the wealthiest part of the nation. As I grew older, I started getting sick because of the chemicals that resided on the nation’s soil. However, it was discovered that I was the only one… who got sick… the rest were fine and immune to the chemicals.

“Haha! Look at this boy! He’s coughing because he can’t inhale the nation’s toxins!”

The people… started making fun of my coughs, going to such lengths to make a song about me, tossing me into the dirt, and excluding me from entertaining activities like the roller coasters and amusement parks. I felt my body deteriorating as I witnessed crowds of people gathering up the purple grass of my front yard.

“Cough cough. Yeah, that’s me… the boy who coughs because he can’t smell the soil…”

Of course, my parents isolated me from the people. But even then, that wouldn’t stop me from getting harassed.

“Loser! Get that icky stuff away from me!”

I balled out in the basement for years, eating unhealthy amounts of rations. I didn’t grow, nor did I grow out of my phase. The only thing I could do was embrace my harassment. So, one day I asked my mother to create an outfit for me. Though she was terrible at sewing and designing clothing, this outfit was perfect for me.

“Thanks, mother! This looks perfect!”

“Oh, you’re welcome, sweetie. Make sure to take care of it… and wear that mask!”

“Okay, I will!” Of course, I lied. I always hated wearing that uncomfortable mask on me.

Later… that year, I decided to wear the outfit and go outside. Though people stared at me, at least they were not laughing, let alone making jokes. This was just a deceptive trick to make me go further into the city.

As I stared at the tall tower, I was eventually kicked out toward the alleyways and almost beaten to death by a couple of no-good thieves.

The only thing they left me was a small yellow pendant. Of course, I didn’t know what it was at the time… but I admired its patterns, so I placed it in my pockets. Another year passed, and I still wore the outfit. Every time I tried to go to the city for errands, I was beaten up, harassed, and injured by crowds of people. The Queen of Destia didn’t even care; instead, she praised it and used it as her sick ‘form’ of entertainment.

“Get lost, cough!”

B-But… that wasn’t the worst of it a-all…

* * * * * * * *

Tears welled up in Devlin’s eyes, and his hands trembled. Asahi bent over to him and asked what was wrong.

“Hey, are you alright?”

Devlin tremblingly nodded his head and wiped a tear off his face. Though he wasn’t okay, he answered.

“Y-Yeah… I… I’ll continue. It’s just… this is really hard to say without… t-tearing up.”

Asahi rubbed Devlin’s back and whispered with a soft voice.

“It’s fine… I won’t make fun of you.”

Even after Devlin’s jokes to Asahi, he couldn’t believe that the white-haired boy would still support him. He slowly gave a slight, shaky grin and continued.

“T-Thank you. N-Now… nearly five years later….”

* * * * * * * *

On one fateful day, during a warm summer in Destia, the pollen thrived significantly here, followed by the chemical I was allergic to. I was forced to travel to the city to get some errands, and I made some friends. For those five years, they have helped me overcome my problems and allowed me to pass through crowds without making fun of them.

As I traveled through the ricocheting streets, I saw my mother and father screaming at the guards to stop stealing their stuff.

“Please, just let our poor son into the academy! He needs it!”

“I’m not letting that allergic cough boy anywhere near that place! Get lost!”

I followed the parents without getting too attentive, basically stalking them. But then, as I was about to talk to them, I saw a massive group of strangers harass them and beat them up.

Their faces, arms, and legs were all quenched in crimson. I couldn’t do anything but watch as I saw my parents cry desperately from the bruises.

“MOM! DAD!”

And then, as I saw my parents trembling in pain and puddles of crimson, I saw the group sprint to me. I tried to fight back but was immediately swung into a brick wall. I was then thrown, tossed, and beaten up to the point where my mental state changed.

“STOP!”

“QUIET COUGH-BOY! STAY DOWN!”

However, a miracle happened. The yellow pendant, which I picked up when I was first beaten up, glowed a bright blinding white, like a shimmering star. I felt an angelic aura shine around me as if all of the pain was expelled away from me. My eyes gouged out from the light, replacing my eyes with moon-shaped pupils.

I felt my normality dissipate. My parents drew their last breath, watching their son transform into something they had never believed possible. My hands were connected to the flow of water; my little self summoned gushes of water and drowned part of the group.

“What the?! Where did he get water powers from?”

As soon as they saw their allies coughing water, the rest of the group fled from me, and for the first time in my life… I finally gathered the attention of everyone. Instead of laughs, it was gasps of awe.

That yellow pendant contained one of The Forty-Six Forbidden Angel Factors: Comedicana. When I finally absorbed that factor, I completely forgot my parents, and instead of people laughing at me, they were laughing with me. That’s when my life… as a Jokester began.

* * * * * * * *

Devlin’s voice abruptly stopped as tears flew down his eyes. Asahi stared blankly at Devlin with amazement. The shock robbed him of his speech, recollecting what Devlin said.

“So… you absorbed an Angel Factor?”

Devlin slowly bobbed his head and replied.

“Y-Yeah… I wish I hid this from you, but I got… too carried away.”

“Oh…”

(I guess whatever those angel factors are… they are quite different from what I thought…) Asahi thought.

Silence emerged from the cellar. Devlin took a deep sigh, stood up, and checked if night had arrived. Asahi joined in, both standing against the wall, peering their eyes through the bars.

Beyond the window were the last rays of the sunset. A pale orange hue shone over the vast glittering sea. Waves crashed softly against the tame shores. The stars arose from the fading blue, with a circular moon gradually rising from the flat horizon.

Though Asahi couldn’t see much but the ocean, he felt a strong sense of relief course through his body.

As Devlin made a sigh of relief, relaxing his body and staring at the ceiling, Asahi took a deep breath, prone his fingers over the ledges of the window, and commented with his eyes sparkling in awe.

“The beauty of the sun descending is almost better than the sun rising. As the warmth of day fades away, the welcoming gentleness of night emerges. I love sunrises and sunsets… they only happen at a certain time… and if you catch your eye at the perfect moment, you would be greeted by nature’s beauty.”

Devlin stood back up and peered through the window.

“A stunning sight… indeed. Asahi, you are really good at monologuing. Say, maybe…”

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from behind bars.

Asahi and Devlin grew alert and raced to the bars to investigate the noise. A warm yellow luminance emerged from the door, revealing a tall, bulky figure stepping forward carrying a staff. Asahi gulped in fear, hoping that it wasn’t a bad sign.

(Please don’t be an execution…)

And so was the same for Devlin.

(Please let this be a meal…)

Then, as the sounds of metal crashing into each other echoed over the dungeon’s hollow walls, the tall man shoved his key through the lock and pulled the cellar door open. That man was revealed to be a guard.

He demanded while stomping his feet against the floor.

“Visitor Asahi, please step out of the cell!”

Without resistance, Asahi stepped forward, leaving Devlin staring at the window. Asahi examined the guard. He wore solid metal armor, with a few streaks of brown emblazoned on his chest plate. A brown ribbon dangled over the peak of his helmet while an iron visor covered his eyes. An intimidating figure to say the least.

They stood there silently and waited for an answer; the guard bent down to Asahi and revealed.

“You are free to wander the palace for this night. Please, roam here at your own will and don’t touch anything! The Queen will be with you an hour from now, so be prepared. Our butlers and maids will ensure that you will be ready for the conversation.”

A relieved grin beamed from Asahi. The guard continued.

“If you choose to fondle with stuff, you will be forced back into the cellar and be scheduled for execution.”

Asahi’s smile froze.

“R-Really?”

“Indeed…” The guard answered as he slowly closed the cellar door, forcefully locking it with one of his keys.

“And who ordered you to do this?” Devlin asked as he raced to the door.

The guard pulled his staff away, walked toward the door, and replied.

“The Queen herself…

He slammed the cellar door shut and raised his voice.

“Silence, criminal! Or else your execution date will be moved earlier than what was expected.”

Asahi’s eyes shrunk.

“Huh? What did he do?!”

The guard hurriedly shoved Asahi away from the cell, forced his staff through the cellar bars, and raised her voice in a gruff tone.

“Visitor Asahi, don’t question that criminal. Focus only on what’s outside the dungeon, and go upstairs… now!”

“But… Devlin–“

“SILENCE!”

As Asahi slowly stepped away from the dungeon, he stared at Devlin’s trembling eyes and sighed. He clutched his pity, glared at Devlin, and whispered as the guard forced him out the dungeon’s door.

“Don’t worry, Devlin. I’ll find a way to get you out of there. Though you have messed around, I’m sure you would change…”

Despite the distance, Devlin clearly heard Asahi’s promise. And so, he gave thumbs up, made a small wink, and replied with a quiet voice.

“Thank you…”

* * * * * * * *

Asahi’s eyes sparkled from the light. He approached a tall moderately brown-colored narrow hallway with a long red carpet stretching from his toes through a canvas of arch-shaped windows, a line of closed polished brown doors on his left, and dangling warm humming ceiling flights. The place was silent, devoid of any noise; with only Asahi’s quiet footsteps echoing over the walls.

It was so quiet, that he could even hear his breathing.

“It’s… so quiet.”

Dimmed by the cold touch of unjust suspicion, Asahi turned his head toward the windows and saw the crisp sparkling ocean stretching for kilometers of unseen land. The moonlight glazed over the sky like cream spreading on a patisserie.

He took a cold sigh, turned away from the windows, and mumbled as he heard the distant crashes of the waves below.

“How high up is this place? Am I still in Pladtioa?”

As he reached halfway through the hallway, Asahi turned to one of the many closed doors and wrapped his fingers over a golden doorknob. Slowly it clicked, followed by the sound of a slight creaking noise.

(Click)

The door slowly opened, revealing a room filled with mirrors. From each direction, there were many varying sizes of mirrors. Some were round and small; others were rectangular and huge. Two windows spanned the sides of the room, while only one shelf was placed over the right corner.

Asahi felt a stingy cold feeling of nervousness creep up his back as he walked into the room.

“What is this?”

Upon wandering the room, glimpsing at the mirrors; suddenly he heard a faint voice echo.

“Please…”

Asahi’s eyes shrunk in fear. He hastily raced out of the room and closed the door shut; not accepting to go inside that room again.

“What was that?!”

Despite the encounter, Asahi continued to open each door in the hallway. Starting from the first, he opened it. Strangely, it was an exact replica of the previous room; filled with mirrors and creeping voices.

“Help…”

He then hurried to open the next door. It was the same sight, with fewer mirrors and shelves. This constantly made an occurrence to Asahi as he opened each door in that hallway. It almost freaked Asahi out, thinking of the possibilities of what the rooms were for. Nevertheless, as he approached the last door, he remembered what the guard said.

“Don’t touch anything!”

Swiftly, Asahi raced through the hallway, hearing voices follow him in his tracks.

“Please… help us.”

“I’m trapped.”

“Destroy the mirrors. Please…”

Unfortunately, because of Asahi’s fear; he couldn’t hear the voices.

After racing through five hallways of the exact same design, at least he approached what looked to be a ballroom with one massive mirror suspended on the ceiling. Asahi slowly shook his head, feeling anxiety creep upon him. Sure, the room was filled with lights; but the sleek tiled floor was so polished, that Asahi could see each reflection of him. He shuddered in fear.

“This palace… is so strange.”

Granted of Asahi’s weariness, he swiftly sprinted through the ballroom, accidentally toppling tables and chairs to the floor. The ballroom was a circular shape, having the ceiling be the height of two-story buildings. His footsteps echoed, his nervous breaths flew in the air, and the voices continued to follow him.

At last, approaching two massive fancy wooden doorways; Asahi made a sigh of relief and pressed his hands against them; Feeling a chill on his back. He desperately forced all his strength to the doorways; and in one swift motion, they swung open revealing a large open room with ceiling lights, stairways, and paintings.

As Asahi hurried through the doors, suddenly…

“OUCH!” A voice sounded in front.

Asahi tripped toward the ground and planted his face toward a warm surface.

“Eh?”

Asahi fainted.

* * * * * * * *

Not much time later.

Insects chirped, and the cold, gentle chill swept over his face. Asahi heard windows flapping open, followed by the silk texture of a blanket brushing against his chest. Slowly, he lifted up from the blanket and rubbed his eyes, releasing a loud yawn.

“W-Where… am I?”

Suddenly, as Asahi tried to pull his arm up, he felt something grasp and anchor it down to the bed. Asahi’s face brightened.

“W-Wait…”

There he saw her arm lying on his. Asahi immediately lost his voice, his face reddening so bright that it stung. His breathing quickened.

“H-Huh… is that–“

Asahi lifted his head up and saw a beautiful toffee-haired woman with her knees bent, and her back pressed against the blankets. Those fierce sienna brown eyes fringed with her long lashes, the cinnamon hue of her glabrous skin; Asahi immediately knew who she was.

“…”

She wore a rather elegant brown dress, stretching down toward her ankles. It glittered and shined just like the attire of Aletha’s clothing, but instead of actual luminescent lights sticking onto them; it was a sparkling, glitter texture. Asahi’s chest rose and fell… mumbling.

“N-N…Narcissa?”

At that moment, Asahi bounced off the bed and flinched. It was clear for him that he wasn’t supposed to be here, but had suspicions that someone placed him here. Either some silly folk placed him here, or this was genuine. Nonetheless, Asahi denied and questioned.

“What is going on?! I-I thought…”

He raced toward the window and swiftly shut it, raising his voice, trying to wake her up.

“Tell me and explain to me what is going on!”

As Narcissa still continued to rest against the bed, the same high-pitched voice sounded from the door.

“Pfft, I can’t believe you don’t know what’s happening.”

Standing and leaning against the door, with a smug look beaming on her face, was the same blond-haired maid with a clearer and more vivid appearance.

Her hair was short, and so was her height. Her arms were slender, having ashen skin as well. In a surprise, Asahi swiftly sprinted to the girl and pushed her against the door, gritting his teeth in anger.

The girl looked down at Asahi for a moment.

“H-HUH!?”

She swiftly cocked her head up to his face and whined as she tried to weakly push him away.

“G-Get away from me. I… I don’t belong to you. Lady Narcissa…”

Asahi interrupted.

“That’s the same question I’m asking you. Wait… what? What do you mean by that?! I’ll ask you one more time, what is going on…?! “

The maid breathed heavily, feeling Asahi’s chest pressing against her. She jumped up and pushed Asahi, screaming with a red face.

“S-Stop!~”

Asahi swiftly skidded his feet backward and trembled.

“O-Oh… no. Sorry, this is a misunderstanding. I’m not interested in this.”

The maid blushed.

“L-L…LIAR! LADY NARCISSA WILL BE–“

Suddenly, rising up from the bed… was no other than the royalty herself. Swiftly, the maid raced out from the door, holding her mouth and trying desperately to hide her blush. As Asahi scratched his head, falling into a state of pure confusion, Narcissa asked with her gentle voice.

“H-Hello…? Maid… are you there?”

Her eyes broadened.

“WHAT?! W-Who are you?!”

Her eyes widened in shock, with her face reddening so bright that it was as if she was a red cherry. She then squinted at Asahi’s silver eyes, backing up and tripping on things; as if she was going to faint. Just like Asahi; shock robbed of Narcissa’s speech.

“I…I…I…”

Though she asked Asahi who he was, despite meeting her a few hours ago; on the condition that he read that book with Devlin, Asahi knew that the Narcissa who was blushing and trembling in front of him right now; was the ORIGINAL Narcissa.

(Don’t forget.)

Recalling the reason he got here, Asahi mumbled to himself.

“I need to find a way to make her release her curse. That’s all I’m here for.”

Narcissa bent her head with a confused look and asked.

“Huh? W-W-What are you saying? What are you doing in my room… a-and–

Asahi interrupted, stepping forward and closing his eyes.

“Don’t worry… I’m just as confused as you are.”

As Narcissa peered tremblingly into Asahi’s eyes, he tried to calm her down and lowered his voice.

“You’re the real Narcissa, yes?”

She replied with a gulp.

“Y-Yeah…?”

Faced with a difficult decision, Asahi thought silently as Narcissa stared at him.

There were two pathways he could take from this conversation. He could either flee and run away like a coward or genuinely speak on his motives and explain who he was.

And after he saw that innocent look on Narcissa’s brown eyes, Asahi took a deep breath, chose his path, and explained vividly.

“The reason I’m here… is that I read your book.”

(And also because you kidnapped me.) He kept it in his mind.

Narcissa’s eyes widened. She backed up in shock and shouted confusingly.

“You read my book?!”

Asahi stammered while speaking.

“Yeah, but now I realized… that… out of all the people you met, I’m… apparently the only one to be your suitable interest. Judging from your act alone, I could see that you are attracted to me. And that’s exactly what was prophesied in the pages.”

Narcissa silently nodded and quivered her lips, recollecting what her reflection witnessed during the day when Asahi first awakened here. She knew what she was feeling at this current moment and realized.

As she stared deep into Asahi’s white hair, Narcissa nodded her head and replied with a trembling voice.

“I heard from my reflections that y… you’re smart, you’re clean, and you’re really, really pretty. I don’t understand either why the curse requires this type of person, but… I’m okay with it. As long as you help.”

She bent her head to the ground, clenching her trembling fists and taking short breaths.

“Look, I have never felt this feeling for so long; you don’t understand. The only time I felt this… was when I was with my tutor. I couldn’t feel this way to anyone else. I don’t know why. But when I see you… I feel a genuine feeling of attraction. An emotion I have never felt for many years. It’s as if you’re the key. D-Do you know about my tutor?”

Asahi nodded his head with a nervous smile.

“Indeed.”

Narcissa raised an eyebrow.

“Wow!”

She smiled with genuine happiness and looked away from Asahi, trying to hide her blush.

“T-Then…”

Her eyes started to water.

“Y-You… are the one I waited so long for… to relieve me of my curse. You could save my father, you could save this nation, and YOU CAN SAVE ME! All the while you maintain your appearance.”

Narcissa bloomed with joy, jumping left and right, laughing and clapping happily.

“Haha, haha. Hehehehe! This is a great wish. A wish I wanted for so long! It almost feels like Heaven for meA”

Asahi stood there and gave a slight grin, keeping the promise of Devlin in mind. As Narcissa slowly began to calm down, she walked up toward Asahi and whispered.

“So… suitable interest~, do you know the tradition?”

Asahi genuinely had no idea what Narcissa meant by ‘tradition’. So, to keep her happy, he slowly shook his head and replied.

“I’m sorry… I don’t.”

Narcissa shook her head and gave a passive smile. As the moonlight shone on Asahi and Narcissa, she stepped forward, touched Asahi’s ear, and whispered with a bright, energetic tone.

“Tee hee. It’s fine! The tradition is that we have to go on a date to relieve the curse.”

Asahi gave a look of suspicion. Narcissa stepped forward and flailed her hands in the air nervously, screaming at a shy and fast pace.

“D-Don’t worry, it can be anywhere! It doesn’t have to be in a particular area. B-But there is one thing we have to do. And that is….”

She twiddled her thumbs and played with her hair. A silence erupted in the room. As Asahi stared at Narcissa, patiently waiting for an answer, Narcissa closed her eyes and bowed her head down, revealing.

“I-In order to remove the curse… w-we both have to share one… secret. Not just any secret, but one that is sacred and precious to you. One that reveals something about you, one that is genuinely kept in your heart. That would show Vanity, the direct opposite of Narcissism. B-By doing that… we can remove the curse!”

Asahi nodded his head and squinted at Narcissa, asking.

“Is there… anything else… we have to do?”

Narcissa hastily shook her head and replied with an energetic voice.

“NO! T-That’s it. B-But… if you… want…”

Asahi gave a nervous chuckle and scratched his head.

“No, sorry; I’m a god.”

Narcissa jumped up in wonder.

“Y-YOU’RE A GOD?!”

She rolled her thumbs and continued.

“Well, that makes the Vanity all the better! Say, let me change and wait outside the door, will ya?”

Asahi slowly nodded and stepped out of the room, smiling at Narcissa and waving at her.

“O…Okay…”

(Slam)

The door closed roughly. It echoed over the walls, toward the mirrors. As Asahi patiently waited for Narcissa to change into her ‘date’ clothes, he pondered what had just happened.

“I can’t believe it. Why did Narcissa act like that? She behaved like a ten-year-old inside a twenty-five-year-old body.”

A spark of realization erupted in Asahi.

“OHHH!”

Hearing Narcissa hum happily behind the door, assuming she was changing, Asahi hunched against the door and mumbled quietly.

“So… when I saw the original Narcissa, the one that I just encountered at the night, she acted more playful, energetic, and overall childish compared to when I met her when I first awakened in this place. The Narcissa that I saw before acted more serious, moody, and mature during the day. WAIT A SECOND”

He snapped his fingers, not realizing that his voice was loud.

“Does that mean that the clone could actually REFLECT Narcissa’s personality as well?! If… that’s the case, her action would be justified and make a lot more sense!”

(Click)

The door opened. Narcissa asked while peering through the crease of the door.

“Hey, suitable interest… could you keep it down?~”

Asahi swiftly nodded his head and covered his mouth.

“O-Okay…”

“Thank you!” She said happily as she closed the door.

(Slam)

Narcissa resumed changing into her dress while humming as well.

Asahi pushed himself up and walked to the window. As his crystal gray eyes peer at the vast sparkling ocean and the bright moon, he slowly closed his eyes. Abruptly, the face of Devlin flashed in his mind. Sighing and opening his eyes, Asahi whispered.

“Don’t worry Devlin. I’m not abandoning you.”

Then, the vision of Aletha’s face filled his head. Though he doesn’t know that she is starting a rebellion, all he wanted was for his sister to be safe. Asahi slowly closed his fingers and muttered as he stared at his reflection in the window.

“Sis, when I’m finished with this date with Narcissa, we can FINALLY be free from the problems of this nation and move on to what’s beyond the sea.”

He took a deep sigh and turned to the door, mumbling while drumming his fingers against the floor.

“But… until then… we are stuck here. I hope you’re safe, sis. For all that I want, I wish…”

He stared at the ‘S’ mark on his reflection’s face, forming a small tear in his eye.

“…the rest of the family were still alive.”