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Leonard had been waiting for the time when his team would head out and hunt the Beyonders of the Rose School of Thought in East Balam. As they were currently idle, Leonard spent most of the time in the prayer hall of the Evernight Church.
He had felt that everything that had been happening lately was all building up to something greater.
The talks of the Apocalypse, how the Evernight Goddess had changed her title after the World War, removing the ‘Lady of Crimson’ part, and the fact that Klein had become a Sequence 1…
He knew he was merely a pawn in the games of the gods. He was far from being strong enough to do anything about the current situation. He supposed the only thing he could do was believe…
But if such a battle occurred where the gods had to step in, it was inevitable that people would die.
Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure enter the Church, breaking him out of his thoughts. It was a face he’d recognize anywhere. Klein Moretti, wearing a top hat and formal suit. Not any other identity, it was Klein.
Leonard’s pupils dilated and knew something was going to happen soon. There’d be no reason for Klein to appear as his original self otherwise. If Klein wanted to ask something from Pallez, he could do so during the Tarot meetings, via prayer, or messenger. There was no need to come all the way to East Balam.
Klein walked into the prayer hall and began praying next to Leonard like a devout believer of the Goddess. For a moment, Leonard remained frozen in his praying position. He didn’t know what to do. Klein didn’t acknowledge his presence either. It was as if the two were strangers.
Then, Klein put his hands down and walked past Leonard, slowly approaching the altar. He was heading for the donation box. To outsiders, it just looked like a regular devout believer donating to the Church.
But something about the whole thing was off.
And before he could stop himself, Leonard’s hand shot out and grabbed Klein’s sleeve. ‘… Are you going to leave me again, Klein?’
Stunned, Klein turned around and was met with Leonard’s pleading face. It was clear Leonard didn’t know what he was about to do, but he could tell that something was going to happen. Klein internally cursed Leonard’s perception that only worked in the worst moments.
Seeing Leonard desperately looking at Klein like that…
He couldn’t help but fold.
“Hello, do you need something?” Klein tried to act as if he didn’t know the other man.
“Klein,” Leonard said, voice soft. “Please don’t go.”
Klein’s face fell. He hoped he didn’t have to break his Dear Poet’s heart like this, but…
‘When you look at me with those eyes, how could I ever deny you?’
“Perhaps this discussion is not suited to be held in the Church of the Goddess,” Klein kept his face neutral.
Leonard nodded and his hand slipped into Klein’s, guiding him out of the Church.
They walked and walked, neither having a particular destination in mind.
Leonard stopped a few blocks away from the Church, looking at Klein with a somber expression. Just in case, he used Concealment around them so a passerby would not know they were even there.
For a moment, the two stared at each other, not knowing what to say.
Then, Leonard spoke. “… What are you going to do?”
“Something that needs to be done,” Klein let out a dejected laugh.
Anger slowly bubbled inside of Leonard. “But you’re going to leave again.”
Guilt filled Klein and he looked away. “I have no choice. It is best this way.”
“Best for who!?” Leonard yelled. “Is Mr. Fool making you do this? Why… Why does it have to be you?” His voice broke at the end as tears spilled from his face.
‘My Dear Poet… Do not talk about gods so carelessly…’ Klein chided in his thoughts.
It hurt to see Leonard like this and know that the one who made him this hurt was Klein himself. He cupped Leonard’s face with one of his hands, the other was still intertwined with Leonard’s. “I’m not going to be sent off to my death, Leonard. I’ll just be… unable to be reached for a while. This is my own choice.”
Suddenly, Leonard surged forward and enveloped Klein in a tight hug, sobs muffled on Klein’s shoulder.
Klein let him cry for as long as he needed. It was the least Klein could do, for what he was about to try to do. Guilt crept up in him, seeing Leonard like this. ‘How could I have ever thought of leaving you without saying anything? I really am sorry, my Dear Poet…’
After a while, Leonard stopped crying. He lifted his face and kissed Klein instead. It was full of desperation and messy from Leonard’s tears, but Klein kissed back regardless. His hand came to gently stroke the back of Leonard’s head.
How badly Leonard wanted Klein to stay, yet how powerless he was to stop it. He was just standing idly by while the love of his life was about to march off to his death.
So he immersed himself in the feeling of Klein in the present. His soft lips, the way his hand came to intertwine with his own, those eyes that looked at Leonard like he was the most important thing in the world.
They had only been together since Klein escaped the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
When Leonard had found out how Klein had nearly died there, alone and being hunted down by Amon, he couldn’t help but confess. He broke down and sobbed, and through his tears, he confessed his love. He hadn’t wanted to ever confess to Klein, but the fact that at any moment, he could lose Klein forever…
And now, his greatest nightmare might as well be coming true.
They pulled apart breathlessly, panting.
“Klein,” Leonard murmured, hand caressing Klein’s cheek. “You really are so cruel… So cruel, yet so kind.”
‘Kind, my Dear Poet?’ Klein thought, smiling humourlessly. ‘Hardly. This is out of my own selfishness… To keep everyone I care about safe, to keep you safe.’
“Can't I do something to help you?” Leonard asked sadly. “I'll do anything. Just…”
“Leonard,” Klein spoke softly. “You don't need to do anything. Just being here is enough… I really do love you. I promise, we will meet again. If you ever want to say anything to me while I’m gone, pray to Mr. Fool. Your prayers shall reach me.”
“Alright…” Leonard said, clear reluctance in his eyes and hesitation in his voice.
“I am so sorry…” Klein said. “I hope that even with how selfish I am, that you’ll wait for me to return.”
Leonard smiled, a weak one full of pain. “For you, I’d wait an eternity.”
At that moment, Klein really wanted to forsake everything he had been preparing for and hug Leonard tight once more. What had he done to have someone fall so deeply in love with him? He had hurt Leonard countless times before. He’d left him behind, practically used the man, and now, he was going to leave him once more.
Those eyes that looked at him with the reverence and devotion one would look at a god with. That soothing voice that agreed to whatever Klein had wanted without an ounce of hesitation. The man who would readily give up his everything for him.
No. Klein had to do this. To keep everyone safe, to keep Leonard safe.
Klein leaned forward and pressed one final kiss against Leonard’s lips. At the same time, he pushed a gold coin into Leonard’s hands.
He pulled away quickly so he wouldn’t change his mind.
“Farewell, my Dear Poet, my most important anchor, my beloved,” Klein took off his top hat and bowed. “I love you, Leonard.”
With a bit of illusions, petals began swirling around them and blocked them from seeing each other. For one last selfish act, Klein did not want to see the expression Leonard made as he left him once more.
Tears rolled down his cheeks as Leonard watched Klein’s final farewell.
It was a long moment before Leonard moved from where he stood. Eventually, he looked down at the gold coin Klein had placed in his hand.
“That coin is special. Keep it safe,” Pallez spoke in his mind.
Leonard nodded in acknowledgement but stayed silent.
As if on autopilot, Leonard walked back to the Church in complete silence. Eventually, he made it to the office where he sat alone and sobbed.
He didn’t know how much time had passed, but after calming down, he began to pray. “The Fool that doesn't belong to this era; The Mysterious Ruler above the Gray Fog; The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck… I implore you, I implore you to protect your Blessed, Klein Moretti for what he is about to do.”
Then, he walked out. There were things he had to do. If he couldn’t accompany Klein, he had to become stronger. He had to prepare for the apocalypse.
—————
Elsewhere, Klein was in the process of stealing Antigonus’ fate to become the Lord of the Mysteries.
Stealing the fate wasn’t the hard part. Even though he failed the first few times, what came next was truly the difficult part. As he stole Antigonus’ fate, he also stole the madness.
The two identities merged. A splitting pain pierced through his brain. He couldn’t think. It was agony. It felt like his mind was going to split into two.
Maggots wriggled from within his skin. His body felt so wrong.
Endless prayers flooded his mind, incomprehensible mutterings in his ears.
He was Klein Moretti. He was Antigonus.
…
Who was he?
Suddenly, through the madness came a muffled voice that was clearer than all the others.
“The ◼◼◼◼ that doesn't belong to this era; The Mysterious Ruler above the ◼◼◼◼ ◼◼◼; The King of ◼◼◼◼◼◼ and ◼◼◼◼◼ who wields good luck…”
Who was that? Who was speaking to him? Why was his body instinctively seeking that voice?
“I ◼◼◼◼◼◼◼ you, I implore you to protect your Blessed, Klein Moretti for what he is about to do.”
Suddenly, everything became calm.
That’s right, he was Klein Moretti.
And this was a dream. A part of the fate he had stolen from Antigonus.
He laughed softly. ‘My Dear Poet, thank you…’ Leonard really had worried for him. Leonard really was his most important anchor, the one who saved him from the brink of madness.
His face became focused as he prepared for what he had to do next.
To become the Lord of the Mysteries.
‘Till we meet again, Leonard.’