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Ralsei swept up and down the halls again, removing the thin layer of dust that had resided in the day that had passed between now and his last sweep. Each swift of the broom echoed off the walls of the castle, bouncing the sound back in his ears.
Finishing the sweep, he sighed and leaned the broom pack in its place against the wall. It has been a few days now since the Card Kingdom Fountain opened. Seeing its black ooze seep into the sky, darkening everything around it, Ralsei continued to wait.
The prophecy stated that the two lightner warriors would show up after the opening of the Card Fountain, but these warriors were nowhere to be found. Ralsei made his way outside to the front courtyard. It was full of barren buildings, would be shops and homes left to rot, collecting dust.
Reaching the entrance to Castle Town, Ralsei looked up into the beam of light in the sky, awaiting something. But of course, nothing came. Walking down the stretch of road, he reached his unused training area, where he would’ve shown their leader to ACT and to SPARE. The dummy sat patiently, awaiting its never to come purpose.
He walked up and inspected the grand door. It was still locked tight, preventing any darkners from the Card Kingdom from invading into Castle Town. This door would have been opened if the warriors had shown up, but until they did it stayed sealed.
Ralsei walked back to the Castle, inspecting the Grand Dark Fountain rising from above it. He walked inside the castle, meeting the cauldron that sat in the middle of the room. He could bake something if he wanted to, but he didn't have to eat, and there was no one to share it with.
He made his way down to the basement, cleaning the empty cage that sat dormant, waiting for someone to hold. The cold stone tiles echoed everyone of his steps he took. It was so quiet all the time, the only thing audible was his own breathing.
Coming out from the basement, he made his way over to the second floor. There were rows of empty rooms, waiting for tenants. He would’ve made these first two for the warriors, and the rest for any darkners they recruited along the way.
Finally, he made his way upstairs and down the long hallway to his room. Opening the door, he was greeted with the familiar sight of nothing but an open window. He closed the door and walked to the middle of the room, sitting. He laid on his back and looked out the window, seeing what little bit of the Grand Fountain he could, and he drifted to sleep.
+======================================================================+
Had he done something wrong? Did he fail the prophecy in a way that he didn’t understand? Or maybe he wasn’t given the full story…
They should have been here by now. Looking at the Card Kingdom Fountain in the sky, it was growing, becoming more unstable. If it wasn’t sealed soon, something terrible could happen, but that wasn’t a problem. The prophecy doesn’t lie, and you can’t deviate from the prophecy, so the warriors would show up soon.
He traveled the ruins to the west of Castle Town, wandering the rotten docks in the murky black void. There was a glowshard in one of the cliff-faces, and he considered taking it. After so long, even a glowshard was company.
He sat at the end of the ruins for a while, inspecting the world around him. There was a small chime of wind emitting from somewhere, giving a small ambiance to the world. He retraced his steps back to Castle Town, residing in his room once again.
He store at the wall, remembering every small crack and splinter coming out of its wood. He counted the nails on each plank one after the other until he finally fell asleep again.
+======================================================================+
Ralsei was now sitting face to face with his dummy again. Another full day of waiting and nothing had happened. The days were getting longer and he was getting more and more tired, and drained of energy.
He focused on the dummy and practiced some spells. He walked up and tore a small cut in the dummies fabric, stepping back, he casted a heal prayer spell. The fabric wove itself back together, leaving the dummy in better condition than it originally was in.
Ralsei casted pacify, and although it might have been his imagination, it seemed like the dummy was more relaxed. Like a weight was off its shoulders. He tugged at his scarf around his neck, adjusting it to be more comfortable. He looked more at the dummy.
Ralsei walked up and hugged it, squeezing it tight. Some muffled sniffs came from him, holding the dummy in his arms he stayed for a while. What was he doing wrong? They should’ve been here. Was it really his fault all along?
+======================================================================+
Ralsei woke up in the middle of the night to a deep rumble. Looking out his bedroom window, the Card Kingdom Fountain had expanded more. It was slowly encroaching upon Castle Town, and would soon envelop both it, and the Grand Fountain.
Ralsei rushed over to the light portal, throwing himself into it. But nothing happened. He tried jumping up into the light, he brought over some items to stack up, trying to reach the top of it. After a few minutes of trying he gave up.
Tears formed at the brim of his eyes. The prophecy was true, right? He was doing his part and there was nothing more he could do about it. He just didn’t understand where the warriors were, why were they not fulfilling their duties?
Running over to the grand door, he smashed against it, trying to force it to open. It didn’t budge at all, and no noise came from behind it.
+======================================================================+
He couldn’t sleep that night. He watched as the fountain took over all of Card Kingdom, enveloping its landscape in darkness. It would eventually reach the Grand Fountain, but what would happen? The prophecy has yet to show any truth, it has in fact yet to even start.
He was conflicted. A darkner, especially the Prince, should be having these feelings. He didn’t want whatever was about to happen, to happen. He was… he was scared.
Watching the fountain creep closer and closer towards Castle Town. He closed his eyes and reflected. What could he have done to change this outcome? Could he have tried harder to break open the grand door, or maybe try harder to go into the light world? It would have all been for naught, as both were impossible for a lone darkner to do on their own.
So Ralsei sat in silence, as the Fountains collided and tore each other apart. The sheer power of the Grand Fountain, and the ever growing power of the Card Kingdom Fountain collided at equal power levels, cancelling each other out.
And both ceased to exist, including everything inside. Including Ralsei.
+======================================================================+
“Ugh… Why is Alphys making us get more chalk?” Susie muttered, being dragged along by Kris.
“I don’t know… every person she has sent up there just took their chance and skipped out on class, so now it’s just our turn.” Kris mumbled back, leading Susie along to the storage closet.
“Ooh! So are we skipping class?” Susie asked, her face lighting up.
“No. My mom would kill both of us.”
“Damnit… I was looking forward to bouncing out of here.” Susie said, pouting her face, crossing her arms.
Kris and Susie walked up to the storage closet. Kris slowly reached out for the doorknob and swung the closet open…
Plucking a box of chalk off the top shelf, they handed it back towards Susie.
“Don’t eat it this time, just steal some for yourself after class.” Kris said, pointing a finger at her.
“Whatever dumbass, fine.” She shot back, leaving Kris behind to walk back to class. Kris took a final glance back in the storage closet. There was mostly school supplies, a box of cards, a chess set, and… their old red hornband at the bottom.
Plucking it out of the storage closet, they inspected it. It looked worn and old, waiting to be found again. Kris put the headband back inside the closet and shut the door, walking back to class alone.