My surroundings felt otherworldly to me. It seemed as if I had been transferred to another realm. I looked near my hands, which were tied to a tree, and found signs of possession. Oddly so, I could not feel that I was being possessed. In front of me, there were people in multitude, forming a crowd.

A figure then appeared in front of me. His appearance was that of Lukas Weber, although I knew that it was nothing but a corpse in which a spirit breathed. Then, I felt a sudden contradictory feeling, as if I had missed something of grave importance.

“Do you understand why I said ‘Praise to the Heavenly Lord’?”

For the entire time, I thought that Lukas, or Barbatos, had sacrificed himself to awaken me. But, if I were a figure opposing the judgement as Padraig had shown me, why did Lukas praise the Heavenly Lord instead? Now, I was back scanning the Mana book again, and remembered that it had been modified.

“You tricked me, didn’t you, Barbatos?”

Through the Rausch series, there was a magic overturn casted to try to prevent me from awakening, which meant Lukas must have been conscious the entire time, acting against Barbatos who tried for rebellion. The possession must have been in effect for quite some time, without me realizing it. I looked above, and found out that this was the Tree Of Divinity. I had been played right into his hands.

I let out a laugh, as I started to feel the heat from behind the tree, which started to shed its pink leaves. I was being burnt alive. After all, the sacred tree burns all of the spirits that are tied to it. The crowd watched it with ecstasy as if they were seeing a performance. I continued laughing, but I felt an overturn of identity in Barbatos’ voice as I approached my end:

“Remember, dead men are the most free.”

Suddenly an undecipherable magic incantation came to mind.

My eyelids opened again, and I found myself again tied to the tree. This time, I realized I could easily escape through the rope. I sneaked behind the tree to avoid the crowd. But, I could not tell how to get myself out of this realm. It seemed I was still in the midst of being possessed as well. It was like I was replaying the past. But, I felt now that I knew what to do.

I closed my eyes, with the incantation in mind. Soon, I found myself lying on the floor of the same room. It felt like I had casted multiple spells at the same time, even though I did not have the proficiency to do so. It all ended like a dream. I remembered one of the lyrics of the song which fit perfectly with my feeling: “Like a lullaby come by.”

I conducted myself with caution. The possession process was still going on. It must have progressed quite a bit while I did not realize it, judging from the marks near my hands. It must have been made hidden all this time.

There was only one way to release it: To kill the caster.

The worrying part was twofold. First, I had not encountered Field Marshall Jurgen, and second, that it would prove to be difficult to kill him. I loaded my gun in advance in case of a surprise encounter. What I found most strange was that it was the 10th Hour of Morning, and there was no one in the Eastern House. Then, a sound came tapping from behind me, clapping his hands.

“Oh, it seems you survived Frederich’s little trap.”

I pointed the gun right between his eyes. It was the Commander, with his sword drawn from the sheath. He dashed towards me with great speed, and I tried to conceal my presence as much as possible. It was almost impossible to follow with his speed. I tried to conceal my presence further, and it seemed to be working on him as his attacks started missing. But, he was quick to adapt to it.

I was going to lose, I could tell that with confidence.

“To have the thought to kill Field Marshall Jurgen when you cannot beat me, it seems your senses have dulled.”

My senses have dulled, that thought struck me. Was there nothing that I could use from my newfound power?

“Dead men are the most free…..”

Quickly, I cast the same magic incantation as if it stuck to me instinctively. Now, we were transported to what felt like the same realm, although the Tree Of Divinity was no more to be found.

The Commander seemed to chuckle in his final moments.

“Remember well, the Divine will rise onto the hour!”

I glanced in his eyes which seemed full of conviction. He was sure about the Heavenly Lord, and his rise onto his throne. For a strange reason, I felt I knew all this as if I had experienced it beforehand. Suddenly, voices seemed to come from beneath me. I looked behind me, and found a crowd below, near a throne with a reversed cross in the middle of it.

“Praise to the Rebel of Judgement!”

I now seemed to understand all of it, as I looked behind the throne. There were 72 spirits with their legions. From the beginning of the library incident, I was bound to become Oulanem, and inherit this throne. I could not decipher the reason behind the spirits’ actions or their motive. But, I could say with certainty from the book, Lux, which mentioned the story of the Light and the wanderer, to the book, Mana, that they seemed to mention Oulanem as the rebel amidst those who worshipped the Heavenly Lord, and who was bound to roam this realm for eternity to come.

Now, it seemed clear from the two crosses I had drawn in the book, and the text that had appeared, that Barbatos was referred to as a “friend,” contrary to his rebellious actions. The magic incantation that I had cast earlier must be from Oulanem having “the mark of the beast.”

I sat on the throne with confidence, and the crowd cried with joy:

“Praise to Oulanem, the Sovereign!"