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Cale Henituse had excepted the concept of being a villain.
In fact, he played his role well. Drinking? Down. Being rude and rambunctious? Gotcha back. Being beat up? Totally. He could stand all of the ridicule and stares. The maids fleeing was normal. He got stares of hate and anger from the slums. Alright. It didn't matter, after all. He just wanted to keep his family safe. Safe from the one thing that he could not find a way away from.
The Pen of Fate- or that's what he called it.
If he didn't, his family would die, forever stuck in eternal rest.
The day seemed to rewind as Cale awoke to another drunken haze. The monotonous drinking and acting brought a melancholy embrace, and he staggered out of bed. He, as usual, would not drink lemon tea, and would complain about the food while asking for another bottle.
He went to the bookstore.
Other things happened. He was able to slide his way into pre-renting a magic disruptor. He was also able to get the Vitality of the Heart.
Things would be okay.
They would.
After he snuck two beast men some food, he told them to go for Hans and he would take care of them. After all, what kind of lout would care for kittens? More time passed.
Another day. His eyes felt like sandpaper. He felt exhausted.
His body begged him to rest. Begged him to sleep. But he ignored it and went on to yell at the maids, who scattered like scared cattle. He could not rest. Especially not now. He downed another bottle. And another. His head spun and his bones ached, and he could feel his mind haze.
It was evening.
There came in a man with tired eyes and dark hair, reporting the tragedy of his town.
Cale prepared himself for pain.
Thus, he stood in front of the man and there declared that his wine was worth more than the village the poor boy came from.
The boy stared at him with intense hatred, anger slipping out like speratic lights.
"Really? Why don't we test that?" The boy scowled.
That night Cale lay in bed, his whole body shaking in pain, a deep gash buried in his side. He did not cry or grimace. He needed to keep his family safe. Safe.
Not too much later, he recovered. He forced himself to go to the capital for the celebration. He needed to stop some things, after all.
Hans, Ron, and Beacrox followed him, and halfway there, they stopped at a village, carriage halted by an old man who nearly got hit by the one and only, Venion Sten.
Thankfully Hans took Cate of it, and they stopped at the old man's inn.
More time. Night again. He summoned for the beastmen Ohn and Hong. He told them what to do. After they planted the device, they went to the entrance to the cave and poisoned the guards while letting one escape. The dungeon was dark and cold
The dragon lay almost still on the ground. He took they keys and unlocked the beast. He lifted it and carried it out, escaping higher, and then, he cut the collar off the dragon, healing it with a potion.
With that, he and the kittens left.
They reached Puzzle City. Cale sent a tip king, just hopping it was enough.
It was.
Before he knew it, he was heading back, but not before one man intercepted him.
Choi Han.
Cale acted a bot more tame this time, but tried to stay evil. He tried his best to hint at things to come. It would be better it the boy thought he was behind all of it.
Time passed. He claimed other ancient abilities. He helped,but also hid. He crafted himself into the perfect villain. He burned himself on the inside to appear flawless on the outside.
He killed the final villain, and became it himself.
Then there he was.
The dragon he'd named, Raon Miru, begged him not to do it. Everyone did.
' I don want to die.'
Alas, he told everyone to leave the tower in which he stood. He needed to finish this, or else his family would die.
Choi Han entered the top level. There stood a familiar figure. A man with crimson red hair and pale porcelain skin.
Hazel eyes.
"You." He growled. "You were behind all of this?!"
Cable's heart ached.
"Of course, you fool. That's why I pretended to be a lout, oh idiot."
Choi yelled in frustration and ran at him.
"What did you have to gain from all of this?!"
Cale laughed, sounding amused as he sidestepped the attack and blocked it with his shield.
"I got to see the pain and suffering of a kingdom. Why else?"
Choi screamed and charged at I'm again, this time, faster.
Cale was fading, fast. The power he'd used to defeat the man before.was taking it's tole.
One of Choi's slashes scraped his arm as he became faster. Next was his thigh. Then his ankle. Then his cheek.
For a moment they we're separated by a burst of fire. Cale knew he was facing death.
The swordsman came back, more furious than ever. Strike after strike, slash after slash, as he yelled out these words.
"YOU MONSTER! YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL THEM ALL!!"
Cale heard every sort of profanity yelled at him.
Finally, he couldn't keep up.
He stumbled, and the sword went in. Through his heart. Out his back. Sparkling pain shot through him as his vision faded.
He felt something hot slide down his cheek. It was over.
"Thank..." He muttered. "...you..."
He felt a thread of fate release him as the world became dark and he entered Eternal Rest.
If he could have one wish now, it would be to protect his family for all of eternity.
But... he couldn't now. He felt heat spill out from him, the ancient abilities screaming his name.
Then his body was cut apart. Then...
He was free.
...
A golden rose pendant with crimson ruby in it's heart floated gently in the air, four lights shooting from it to all the corners of the kingdom.
Choi Han stared at it. Was this the ancient ability Cale Henituse had stolen? He grabbed it.
"You're free now."He told it, and left, leaving just before shadowy figures along with two kittens and a dragon to take the bloodied body to be buried.
...
That very night on the coast of the kingdom, there was held a funeral for the man which Fate treated unjustly. There were many tears. Many sorrows. But they could not be undone. All the small party could do was wish Cale a safe journey to the lands above.
...
Cale knew he wasn't human anymore. He was something else. But what, he could not figure out. He was being carried. He called, but nothing came out. Where was he? What was he?
A pit of regrets filled him. He wished that he'd been able to spend a bot more time with his family. He wished that he could've have slacked. He regretted a lot of things. But what could he do?
In a flash, he could see. There he was as Lily and Bassen Henituse stared down at him.
"This is an ancient power? In a relic?"
What ancient power? What were they-
"That's what the Hero thought."
The urge to move came out of him. He called to Lily. Would she hear?
She took a step back, and cake felt there kid that was him slam against the glass that held him in.
"Uhm, it's talking to me!" She said nervously. She could hear him!
He asked her to do one thing for him.
She nodded, ignoring the warnings of her brother as she opened the case.
"Please protect this family."
"I swear I will." She stated, never even thinking of having it any other way as she reached out and grabbed the relic.
Cale felt his fear fade.
"Then I will protect you." He's swore in response as a symbol of a rose surrounded by thorns emerged on the back of her hand.
"Don't regret you choices like I did, alright, kiddo?"
She smiled.
"Alright!"
Maybe Cale still had time to spend with his family after all.
END