Chapter Text
Nothing could be heard except for the ticking of the clock. It was a cruel reminder that no matter what the man did, he could not turn back time.
Before the Vessels of Sin began ravaging this world, before the Levianta Catastrophe was even predicted, no before even the great Millenium Tree of Held’s birth, hundreds of years prior to all of that...
...There was once a young man who was head of the senate in the Magic Kingdom Levianta, a man by the name of Niroku Loop Octopus. He sat behind a desk situated in the back of a lavishly decorated office, and had black hair tied into a ponytail. Niroku couldn’t help but wonder, if he had looked into a mirror, how many wrinkles could he spot that weren’t there before this morning? Months and months have been filled with pent up stress... but it was only just last night that the man’s worst fears became realized. And as his mind continued to recall that horrifying image that imprinted itself like a stamp, Niroku began to bury his throbbing head inside his hands and groan in agony.
A loud creak signaled the opening of a door and another man’s entrance. A servant paused to bow before he walked in.
“Your highness. As of today, it has been six months since—”
“Yes, yes. There’s no need to tell me, Rennard. I had a dream. And it was tinted purple,” Niroku responded tiredly. Separating his hands revealed a face weathered by fatigue. Rennard gave a stoic bow in respect.
“I see... then, what do you suppose we do, moving forward?”
Rennard’s question had clearly been directly at the future, but Niroku could only think of the past.
“It was a mistake ever starting that voyage...” he muttered.
What lies beyond the edges of the continent? The question has preyed on the curiosities within the people of Magic Kingdom Levianta for a time beyond understanding. 6 months ago, was the government’s first attempt at answering this age-old question. A small Viking ship with three passengers was blindly sent off west into the Evillious Sea to discover whatever may lie beyond.
This decision garnered a lot of excitement within the people; however, it also generated a decent amount of concern. No one knew what lay far beyond the edges of the continent, and therefore, no one could provide a definitive answer as to how safe the voyage would be. It didn’t help that, although the magic-powered carriages Magic Kingdom Levianta possessed as land vehicles were very technologically impressive, the shabby boats they knew how to construct were surprisingly primitive in comparison. These, along with several other factors, led many people to urge that the government cancel the mission.
But those protests were for naught, because the enthusiasm of the Loop Octopus family, combined with their authority, outweighed any potential concerns the common people may have. The head of the Senate’s brother and sister-in-law were giddy at the prospect of being the people to discover an entirely new continent. And Niroku was more than happy to fulfill a husband and wife’s dream. So, he sent them and their newborn child off with a smile. In hindsight, if Niroku knew that he was sending his family off to their deaths, he would’ve no doubt listened to the people and canceled the project immediately.
“It’s all my fault...” Niroku murmured in horror.
“My apologies,” Rennard stated. “I also should’ve been there to stop you.”
The senator sighed. Honestly, he just wanted Rennard out of his room as soon as possible so he could continue grieving. That violet image—a man and woman sleeping at the bottom of the sea amidst a sunken shipwreck—it would haunt him for all eternity. And although he didn’t see it in his dreams, the man had no doubt in his mind that the blood of a newborn baby was on his hands as well.
“Send a message to Queen Alice,” Niroku ordered bluntly. “As of today, all passengers of that ship are officially declared dead.”
“As you request.” Rennard bowed again before he closed the door and left the room.
It would take over a thousand years for humanity as a whole to regain their courage to set sail once again for a new land.