The King's Beloved

[Music Recommendation: "I Will Go To You Like the First Snow" by AILEE - Goblin OST (Instrumental only) - available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this scene T_T ~

"No!" Rania angrily shouted and created a stronger barrier to protect Zeid and the others. "Not again!"

The spirit of the Guardians helped Rania increase the concentration of her barrier. This way, she stood a chance towards the overly powerful attack of the mad king.

"Urgh… hah," Rania grunted. Despite the strength given to her, it was still hard to battle against the king. Indeed, he wasn't hailed king for nothing.

"Rania," Zeid worried for her, "don't try to fight him. Let's just go back and run away from him! I prepared a place they can't find. We can stay there with everyone! We can live there and be together again."

Hearing those words were like honey to Rania's ears… if only everything was the same as it was before. Tears started forming in the corners of her eyes once more. While her hands fixed forward, trying to maintain the barrier she cast, she turned her head to face Zeid who knelt beside her. She gave him the sweetest smile she could give… but along with that smile was deep sorrow.

"Zeid," she whispered his name dearly, "for a moment… I would have said yes."

Zeid knitted his brows, confused by what she said.

"W-what do you mean?" His heart throbbed in his chest, afraid to hear what he thought Rania would tell him.

"There's something I need to do," her voice trembled. "A calling I must fulfill. So I can't go back down now."

Zeid's face wretched and he bit his lips in his heartache. He breathed deeply, trying to accept the words his beloved told him. Even gulping was hard for him. He waited for her for so long… did everything he could to get her back… but why did it seem that everytime… it was as if destiny was against him?

"A calling?" Zeid asked, almost scoffing, as tears escaped his eyes. He was never the type to cry easily but this was just too much for him. "Is this related to you having these… powers? And related to God?"

Rania nodded slowly. "Sniff… Yes, it is."

Hearing that, Zeid's heart crumbled. But he didn't give up.

"Then come back when you're done," he said, with his eyes pleading as if his life depended on her answer.

Rania's eyes widened. Then, she smiled bitterly. For she knew very well what awaited her—the price of the calling's fulfillment. Her heart crumbled like Zeid's. If he only knew how much she wanted to do just as he said—but she couldn't be selfish—no, she had to do it. Because for her, the Supreme's words came first before anything else. She made her resolve long ago, and answered the Most High.

"Here I am! Send me."

And on that day, she vowed to herself to do everything she could. Because she loved everyone—just as the Supreme loved them all. If He needed her to fulfill His marvelous plan, then she would obey no matter the cost.

Such was Rania's heart… a heart of sacrifice… a heart of pure love not only to her selected people but for every creation.

"Zeid," Rania whispered his name dearly once more, "thank you for everything. God knows how thankful I am for meeting you. If my life would repeat itself and I would be born again, I would still choose to meet you and fall in love with you. Our memories together… sniff… they were one of the best things that happened to me."

"W-why are you talking like that? Rania, please, n-no…"

Rania shook her head, trying to smile despite her tears that flooded like rivers to her cheeks.

"Zeid… when I first arrived here, thinking you were gone, there was not a day that I did not think of you. How I wished and longed for you to come back. How I wished everything was just a dream. Because we were supposed to get married and be happy together. W-we were supposed to build a family together… sniff… have children… and grow old together. You were everything to me."

"And so are you! We can still do that now… sniff… please."

"… If you hold the fate of mankind in your hands, you won't say that."

"I don't care about the world. I only care about you. So please, don't talk like you're… gonna leave me forever."

"… I can't be selfish."

"Why does it have to be you? Why can't it just be somebody else?"

"There is hope waiting for everyone. Everything will go back to the way it was… yes, salvation is coming. And I want to be a part of that. For everyone's smile and everyone's future… I have to do this. I'm really sorry, Zeid. Please, don't wait for me. Go and find your happiness… even if it's not me."

Alas, the words Zeid never wanted to hear.

"Y-you're giving up on us?" Zeid's voice trembled. "I can wait no matter how long, it's fine. Just don't push me away, please…"

If only Rania could tell him the truth… but she couldn't. Breaking up with him was too much already. She knew Zeid wouldn't stand for it if he knew the whole truth.

"I'm really sorry… Goodbye, Zeid."

At those words, Rania reached out one of her hands to him, and broke his and his comrade's chains. Then, she started casting a teleportation circle for them to escape.

"All of you, bring the maidens with you and go back home. And please, bring Zeid with you. Please make sure… that he's okay."

"NO! Rania, NO!" Zeid shouted with all his might as Nedge and the others tried to drag him to the magic circle.

But then, just as they were all fleeing from the mad king…

CRACCCCKKKK! Rania's barrier was shattered into pieces! It was followed by the sinister laugh of the king.

"Still trying to escape?"

With another wave of his hand, he created a raging fire bird that was almost as big as half of the Coliseum. Rania's eyes widened upon its sight—the amount of spiritual energy in it was more than she could bear. She knew that she wasn't strong enough to deflect it should he continue his attack. In her desperation, she pleaded to the king.

"Please! Stop this! Let them go! I beg of you!"

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Hi Beloved Readers!

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Title: "A Beautiful Catastrophe"

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Macy_Bae

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