Chapter 109 - The King's Mourning

"P-Perun!'

People watched in horror as the nobles who had plotted against the princess got burned by the power from above – struck by powerful lightning the seal had summoned.

How could this be?

In all history of humankind, there was only one instance when Perun had descended from the heavens. It was to bring with him his beloved child for sanctuary since his wife was so jealous and had wanted to kill his children. He had built the kingdom of Ritz for that one beloved child who had survived.

Alencica: the girl in the song passed on to so many generations, the mother of all citizens of Ritz.

"P-Perun!'

What was the King of Heavens doing here?

Also, unlike his first visit, he even manifested as a returner to ancestry in the form of Alistair, the current Ritz King. It never happened before – ever.

When there was nothing else that was left except ashes, the lightning storm stopped, but the glow surrounding Alistair didn't vanish. He turned his glaring gaze towards the crowd, making the people cower in fear, yet look up at him in awe.

This man in front of them was the absolute monarch – be it here in the mortal plane or in heaven, Alistair who was Perun was the one true king.

"All you mortals who had mocked and gossiped about Ali and me, shame on you," the king began. "Because of your malicious tongues, the plot to overthrow my rule was born. The princess died because of you!"

Ivan's face was grim. Technically, if Alistair revealed his true self earlier, the current tragedy would have been prevented. However, he also knew that Ritz refrained from coming out because a greater one would present itself in a much more frightening form.

Alistair couldn't come out as Perun. Alinea would have been killed earlier in a much more cruel way if he had. Either way, the Flame Emperor surmised that the princess's life would have ended in tragedy. It was fated.

The light from Alistair's body slowly dimmed just as a look of anguish crossed his beautiful face once more. His amethyst orbs were glazed over as if he was seeing something else at this very moment in his sadness. However, Fredek and Ivan were sure that he must be seeing Alinea's image in his mind.

"Do you realize who you just killed?" he asked afterwards.

Alistair's tall frame racked in agony – from the pain of losing someone so precious.

"You not only killed my beloved sister – you murdered the very reason for my very existence here!"

His announcement spread confusion among the crowd. But of course, the king could no longer elaborate on that. His sorrow had tormented him for far too long he slowly slid onto the marble floor.

Ivan took this moment to quickly come to his friend's side and helped him up, supporting his weakened body at his side. He then gave the crowd a hard stare with his pair of jade eyes, letting them know that Kres would be aiding their king if they tried something funny – although he doubted they would do anything so stupid now that they knew Alistair's real identity.

Ivan took Alistair back into the throne room and made him sit on the throne. By this time, the Ritz King had started crying again – shameless tears that could move everyone who could see them.

"They killed my little one – they killed Ali," he sobbed his voice hoarse.

Ivan of Kres could only look on as his friend let out his grief. After all, these tears Alistair was crying were not just his pain from this generation. He was shedding tears worth thousands of years.

The reason why Alistair rarely referred to Alinea as his sister – the reason why he always called her his "Ali" or his "little one" instead, was because Alinea was Alencica, Perun's beloved daughter.

"I failed yet again Ivan," Alistair wept. "Be it in heaven or here in Ritz, I couldn't help her – I couldn't save her."

Ivan knew the complete story as he had been friends with Alistair since they were but a pair of young lads. He could understand and even feel some of his friend's torment.

"Tell me Kres, just how many times do I have to watch Alencica die over and over again?"

Alistair had looked up at him and gave him a sorrowful smile, as he asked the question that Ivan would never know the answer to.

"I do not know Ritz. We just have to break the curse somehow," Ivan answered solemnly, as he wondered where his errant ancestor – Kresnik had gone to. The only reason why Alistair made him Alinea's fiancé was that the God of Flames was nowhere to be found. "I guess we'll never know in this lifetime."

Hearing his answer, Alistair bowed his head once more. Ivan was right. Alinea was gone. The chance to break her curse was gone as well – at least in this existence.

"My little one, I'm so sorry father has let you down again…"

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Onboard the Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar on the way back to Tokyo, Suzuki Ara was listening on to the other girls rambling about many different things when she suddenly felt a stabbing pain in her chest. The sting caught her by surprise she almost doubled over that the other girls simultaneously caught her arm to steady her with worried gazes.

"Ara, are you okay?"

"Suzuki, what happened?"

"Are you in pain?"

"You've been stumbling since yesterday. Is there something wrong?"

"Quick call the teacher!"

Ara wanted to tell them that she was fine, but she was not. The sudden pain festered in her chest, turning into a sudden gaping hole that sucked out her soul. She had no idea why, but there was a sudden built up of powerful emotions that rocked her to the core.

What's this?

She felt the moisture on her face, and when she touched her cheeks, they were wet – flowing with tears from her clouded silver-grey eyes.

What's this?

She did not know why, but she felt very, very sad – as if someone so dear had died. When a sob escaped her lips, there was no stopping the overflowing melancholy from taking over. To everyone's chagrin, she wept like a lost little child, oblivious to the fuss around her.

"Ara! Ara! Ara!"