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It was just another day, really.
Sitting there on the ledge of castle town's balcony, waiting for the heroes to arrive and shake up his fate. Set him on the path for his soul to be claimed.
It had just been another day when he met the human and monster, the cage and the lover, the savior and the fighter.
Where he was the prince from the dark, the mentor, the prophet.
The burdened one.
It was just another day when a girl of love fell into the realm, falling under the dictatorship of an "evil" queen and needing saving. Where he bared upon the seriousness of the prophecy.
When they forgot his name.
It had just barely been a new day when a world of TV was all Ralsei knew, where they played games and won prizes.
That night, that knight... best of wishes to the mother of their savior, his savior, really.
It had just been a fresh day when many new experiences of loss and knowledge spread. When death met imagination. When blood met white furred cheek.
When a smile wasn't enough to appease his savior.
...
It was just another day when he was shoved in a closet. When he was forced to face all he knew about the prophecy. When he was forced to face those who try and defy fate.
He was the PRINCE of the dark! Prophecies are all they know! All they've been purposed to stop.
The roaring of the end, of cold dead darkness.
And yet...
"Got it, Princess?"
The glass shard slips from her grasp, cracking at the edge as it hit the shortly distant floor. Truly, a remarkable fact that glass is so fragile... yet so powerful.
It can shine light.
It can spread dark.
It can prophesize.
It can show you yourself.
And yet, as she looked into the mirror, he stared back. All she could think was...
"Princess?"
The glass cracked gently, as if politely declining such a devilish idea. The thought that they could ever be a she... ridiculous.
Truly... ridiculous.
Their prophecy is set in stone, glass, and the fabric of time. Some measly feelings cannot squash the fate of Earth herself.
...
Sometimes, glass can lie.
* You look into the glass shards...
* Is what you see really what you want to be forever?
> YES
> NO
Hands fall together in prayer.
"Please... please make sure Kris will be safe. Please make sure that... that Susie will be safe too..."
Hands fall from their grasp, hitting cool floor.
What's the point? Everything's despondent anyhow.
Dark glass pieces shimmer as drops of dark tears spot them.
Sometimes princesses lie to save face.
* You are filled with the power of fluffy boys!
* You suddenly feel sick to your SOUL.
A bitter laugh escapes their lips. Pathetic, aren't they? Can't even pick between pink or blue. Can't even choose a simple thing.
Does it even matter in the end? The end is already decided for the prince of the dark.
They know the end, they know the beginning, they know that bated breath and final rises are sooner than comfortable.
They know it all.
And yet...
She finds her gaze in the mirror, ignoring the tears of her face and the red of her eyes.
Isn't she beautiful?
The princess of the dark.
"Y-you a-are... beautiful."
A shaky breath leaves her maw as she rests knelt on castle floor.
"You are... beautiful?"
The faint ticking of a clock echoes from down the hall.
"I... am beautiful."
Despite herself, Ralsei smiles. A fragile grin that could shatter at any moment.
Perhaps the most fragile things are worth protecting.
Worth protecting before they break.
Sometimes the prophecy lies.
It doesn't matter in the end, though does it?
.
.
.
A CAGE OF UNWITNESS,
A SAVIOR NONETHELESS
A LOVER SO DYNAMIC,
A FIGHTER TO BE PROUD
AND A PRINCESS OF DARKNESS...
A SACRIFICE INBOUND
THE LAST PROPHECY. THE STORY'S END.
AND THEN. WHEN ALL HOPE IS LOST FOR THE TALE
THE FINAL TRAGEDY UNVEILS.
TO SAVE THE WORLDS, THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY.
SEAL THE DARK WORLD FOREVER AWAY
ONLY THEN, WILL THE WORLDS BE SAVED.
Ralsei looks at the prophecy. At what was once her entire life's purpose. Now it felt...
Wrong?
The glass fragment in her hand cut into her palm, tinting the glass red.
"Oh, my omega..."
"Why?"
The tears came faster now.
Why doom her to eternal darkness?
Why bring her joy only to rob it from her hands when she realizes what's at stake?
Is it selfish to want more?
"Why? Why do I feel so..."
Empty?
You've always felt empty, haven't you?
What does that mean?
You're broken.
You are the problem.
Wouldn't it be easier to just be sealed away?
But you don't really believe that...
Do you?
.
.
.
* You are filled with ENVY