Chapter 122 - Unannounced Visitor

"Some people go through life without knowing what love is. Some find it but take it for granted. Some just have no idea what love is, they don't realize it's already happening…"

A figure watched Ara and Ryuu kissed passionately from the shadows. It had on a very nostalgic smile that turned hard as its pair of dark eyes glittered with maniacal glee.

"How great!"

The figure turned his back from the couple and slowly left the place on foot, leisurely as he crossed the yard.

"It's always a pleasure to see young couples fall in love without them knowing. Because it would be more painful when they realize it only to lose it immediately no?" the figure asked no one, with amusement ringing in his voice.

He then started humming an old tune – the song Perun sang for Alencica but with the lyrics changed.

"Onwards where the garden is, onwards where her true love waits,

In another world, in another place and time...

Towards where all her sorrow's borne, in his arms where she won't belong,

Their destinies unfold, just like what I have told..."

At the last line, he let out a mirthless laugh as the environment around him shifted. The surroundings warped like a smudged painting as it continued to change, and in no time, something dark went out of its body, as if a soul got sucked out, shedding its flesh, making it fall on the ground while it got pulled into a different place– dimensions apart from Tokyo.

The place was a wall and ceiling of stalactites and stones. On the ground was a pool of water where a single beam of light shone from the huge hole above. It was the interior of the Devil's Cavern, the place where the Princess of Ritz met her end – or so they thought.

Knowing the truth made his pair of eyes dance in amusement again. His chest bubbled with a certain excitement. The plot he had patiently planted over the years would soon be ready to harvest.

"Onwards where the garden is, onwards where her true love waits,

In another world, in another place and time...

Towards where all her sorrow's borne, in his arms where she won't belong,

Their destinies unfold, just like what I have told..."

The figure repeated the lines from the song with his own words, as he walked out of the cavern. As soon as he stepped out, however, the corner of his eye caught motion from his right, and he instantly teleported to the side as a huge claw slammed against the ground, almost missing him by centimeters.

A laugh escaped the figure's lips as his eyes looked up to the harpy guardian, as it pivoted, to catch him. It was futile of course. The beast was not one of the harpy sisters, therefore, neither as smart nor strong. It was very easy for him to detect its movements and dodge.

The figure laughed as it played with the guardian, teleporting somewhere random as it tried its best to swat him like an annoying fly. He was totally amused. Perun must have become senile over the years to let such a weak monster guard something so important. But it was to his advantage so he was lucky it was like this.

SLAM SLAM SLAM

The more the guardian harpy got agitated, the more amused he became.

SLAM SLAM SLAM

Of course, none of those attacks connected – and even if one did, it wouldn't matter.

SLAM!

When he got bored toying with the monster, the figure had stopped moving and had let it hit him head-on. One giant claw had struck him from the head, pummeling him to the ground. But instead of being crushed, the figure remained unscathed as it remained standing through the clawed hand.

He was intangible.

Without a host body, he was just like a shadow that could pass through anything. He could be seen but not touched.

The guardian beast was confused. 

"I have to go now. Someone's waiting for me. Goodbye," he said playfully as he melted and poured on the ground only to disperse as he left, to go towards his target. 

The shadow loomed over the surface as it sped towards the castle. What could have been days of travel by horses was done by him in a matter of minutes. Soon, he had reached the place where he wanted to be – the throne room.

The shadow hid behind a huge pillar on the side as it slowly morphed into the form of a human. Its eyes which were the first one to appear however were trained on the king as he sat on the throne, looking dejected, until he suddenly sat up straight, his amethyst eyes turning into slits.

Oh…

It looked like Perun had felt his presence.

"All of you leave," Alistair ordered, and all servants and soldiers obeyed without question.

As soon as the hall was empty, the king's eyes turned towards the pillar where the shadow hid and demanded. "Come out. Show yourself!"

The figure then stepped out from behind the pillar.

"Ill-tempered as always Your Highness," the figure said in a singsong voice as he went out of hiding. 

Alistair's amethyst eyes widened in recognition before they turned into slits. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" The question sounded so funny, the figure laughed as his body started trembling as it morphed. "What else do you think my love?" the question was delivered in a female voice as the figure had finished its evolution.

A familiar raven-haired beauty with Gray eyes now stood in front of Alistair, and the king inhaled sharply as his hands balled into fists on his armrest. "Then you're too late. Alencica is gone," he said, his amethyst eyes clouded in sorrow.

The raven-haired beauty laughed. "Gone? Do you honestly believe that?"

With this, the King of Ritz froze. Indeed, the way his daughter had died was tragic in this lifetime, but it wasn't as tragic as how it always was in her previous existences. His eyes stared at her questioningly and she gave him a knowing grin. 

The woman's face became gentle, her eyes warm as the king looked at her, but her words were far from benevolent. "Do you honestly believe you were successful in hiding her from me this time since the great Perun himself decided to intervene? Do you genuinely believe that I wouldn't know it was her?"

When the king remained quiet, she laughed sarcastically, with pure hatred in her orbs. "You nearly succeeded surely – but you were too soft. She nearly died in the Immortal War but father came to the rescue and blessed the beloved daughter with his own seal and made her a hero."

The woman clapped. "How foolish."

Hearing her mockery, Perun released his divine power, sending a strong murderous intent towards her. Instead of being scared, however, her laughter only intensified.

"Oh, are you going to kill me?"

He could not of course. He wouldn't be able to remove Alencica's curse if she died. As soon as she spoke, Perun retracted his power, a look of defeat on his face.

"Oh, don't be sad my beautiful one. I came here to visit you actually to tell you good news," she crooned.

When the king looked at her suspiciously, she smiled. "Your daughter is alive," she said, and Alistair straightened in his seat as hope started to shine in his orbs. She knew that he knew she wouldn't lie to him. But her next words were like a blow. "And she is reunited with Kresnik."

Upon her announcement, she watched in glee as Perun's beautiful face contorted in horror, and she continued on mischievously. 

"As to how long she will stay alive now that they're together – that I cannot answer…"