As we shook hands, a sense of tingling made me jolt. It wasn’t the first time our hands touched, yet, for a reason I don’t know, it felt strange, the cold sensation which I expected to occur got replaced by a burning sensation. His hand gripped tightly onto mine, and I tried to replicate the same strength.
‘I do have a question. Would you mind if I asked you this?’
Raon raised a brow, nodding his head as a sign for me to elaborate.
‘How can I return to my land? When I first tried to enter your land, I failed. Out of curiosity, I tried to leave when you gave me a chance, yet I failed in that attempt too. Is there something behind the ability that you may be aware of?’
The smile on his face got wiped the very next moment, and a cold atmosphere fell over us. I waited patiently for his response.
‘When dead souls approach our land, I feel their presence and rescue them, yet, for you, I don’t have an answer. Your soul was able to fool me, making you the first human alive I saw in this land. If you don’t know how to go back, then there isn’t much for me to help you.’
‘You failed to inform me on this matter! How can I go back and find the soul you asked for if I am trapped here?’ I broke down, retreating my hand from his grip.
‘I informed you of my limits when speaking of this power, but this doesn’t mean there isn’t someone in this land who knows the answer to your question.’
I’m not sure if the disappointment from my face made him ponder to give me such a response, or was it the duty he had, but what I was sure of was that I did not know what he was referring to. In this whole land, would there be someone above him that knows secrets that can change the stability of this land?
‘Then, I’ll wait for us to find a way to travel between the lands, yet I have to admit, it’s disappointing, after all, I trusted the Prophecy all of my life, yet there isn’t much I can do, even knowing it.’
How could I ever save my Empire, if I’m this worthless?
‘Why the long face? On Earth, those Gods of you may rule, but this is my territory, no one has any power over it. You have me by your side now, I will help you save your Empire.’
He softly whispered the last line, as he gently took my hand and lifted it for me to look at the ring.
‘Our promise. I won’t break it.’
His voice echoed in the hall, loud and clear, without even the smallest tremble onto it. Encouraged by his soft words, I raised my head to look onto his eyes.
‘I was wondering, in your land, souls that arrive here don’t have to go and reincarnate? Will I be able to defy death, knowing that once I get here I have to go to the after-world?’
Shaking him, he quickly responded to me: ‘Usually, a soul would spend 49 days in this land, as the last day approaches them, they get a choice based on the life they lived. If they lived a good life, they can go to the afterworld and reincarnate, or they may choose to stay here longer. You may meet souls that have spent way more than 49 days here.’
My eyes got bigger upon hearing him.
‘There are souls that decide to remain in this land? Why would that be?’
As I questioned him, he broke into a laugh, before responding to me.
‘You see, you can’t think of an answer because you’re still alive. For you, there is still a chance, yet, for everyone else, time has stopped. Whether they died young or of old age, people still have regrets that they carry. For some, those feelings may be engraved much deeper into their heart, to the point where they can’t find the strength to move onto the next journey.’
I was ignorant, thinking of my own burdens, I ignored how others must have felt. I clenched my fist. At first, I had such high hopes, that I got drunk with those dreams to the point where I have forgotten that my time is different, that I am a mortal, whose days are counted.
‘You should be happy, you still have a chance. Don’t say it’s over before it truly is. Even if you fail to save your Empire, you should still live.’
His hand reached mine. I raised my face to look at him, as I bit the inside of my cheeks, hoping not to break into tears.
‘For a moment, let’s forget the pain of life and enjoy our company, what do you think? Would you have the pleasure to dance with me?’ he whispered, as he snapped his fingers, and the orchestra appeared again, surrounded by the ghosts.
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