The King's Beloved

~ [Music Recommendation: "Dearly Beloved" by Yōko Shimomura (Orchestra version by Hikari) - available in Youtube] ~ Please listen to it in loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter XD ~ 0////0

Rania sighed. "What could it be about? Did he hear my conversation with Ducis?" she thought. "Well, hopefully not. Besides, if he heard about it, he'd probably be angry right now - which is not the case. So I guess, I'm safe?"

And so, the two stepped outside for a moment. Luna's eyes followed them. She wanted to sneak a peek and get some gossip but Ducis pulled her back to the sofa, with his eyes squinting on her, giving that 'Don't even think about it' look.

Elliot and Rania's feet brought them to the pavilion near the Forbidden Forest, much to their surprise. It must have been out of habit since there's really not much place to wander around - just the chamber and the forest. 

Elliot nonchalantly sat down to the couch as opposed to Rania who hesitated to sit beside him again, especially now that they're alone. Elliot noticed it and smirked at her.

"Too scared to sit with me now, mom?" Elliot teased, tilting his head. 

"Hmf! No, I'm not," Rania lifted her chin, trying to act smug, though she was failing it.

Elliot just smiled at her, adoring her cuteness. If a smile could kill, millions would have died already should they see Elliot's smiling face. It could be a magical skill on its own, with the ability to give instant death to those who would see it. Majestic? Divine? Beautiful? No words were enough to describe it. The sun was still high at the sky with no cloud blurring its light and yet, Elliot's smile was more radiant and captivating.

Rania's heart squeezed deep inside her. She immediately averted her eyes upon a glimpse of Elliot's killer smile - not even two seconds passed!

"It was easy brushing him off before, treating him like a son," Rania deliberated in her mind. "Well, that's because he's so cute and innocent! But after that incident, I can't even treat him like that anymore. It's so hard … I don't even know what's going in his mind. Uhmmg, if only he'd stop doing that".

"Rania," Elliot called out, his face, now serious. "Why did you cry again?"

Rania's eyes widened. "Huh?! How did he - but I checked and my eyes weren't even that puffy or red," she thought. Then answering Elliot, she replied, "What do you mean?"

Elliot's brows furrowed. "Please don't try hiding it from me," he pleaded, looking sad like a puppy.

Rania felt her heart squeeze again. She breathed deeply before answering. 

With her face turning serious, she replied, "I'm sorry, Elliot … for worrying you. But rest assured, I'm fine! It's just … I can't really tell you about it but -"

"- You can't tell me because you don't want me to worry?" Elliot interrupted her. "But not telling me about it, also makes me worry. So it's better to tell me instead. Let's work it out. Maybe there's something I can help with. It's better to lift the burden together - that's what you always tell me. So why don't you … share your burden with me, too?"

Now, Rania felt her heart squeeze and sting at the same time. 

"Elliot is really kind," she thought to herself. "He notices the simplest of things and always offers help. He always listens, too … listens and understands. Now my words to him are coming right back at me. I could still remember the time I first met him … If I compare it to now, it's like night and day. The Supreme really chooses well …

How I long to see the day of your ascension …

The day that the world would recognize your brilliance …

I truly believe that you can achieve it …

Even if … I won't be there physically …

I promise I would be with you in spirit … my King …".

As Rania's heart tightened in both joy in hope, and pain in sadness, she was reminded of the day she stayed at the library - the day she prayed to the Lord and asked who Elliot was … and what was her purpose on this journey …

When Rania fell asleep, she dreamt once more. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw herself back in outer space, though this time, it wasn't the planet Earth in front of her but a similar looking planet. Somehow, she knew instantly that it was the planet of the Magi - Gaia.

Rania's heart ached upon seeing the ruin that Gaia had become. It was in a more dire state if compared to their own. The whole planet was covered in darkness. There were large thunderstorms covered by clouds, giant fissures on the ground, lots of volcanoes erupting, greenery was almost exhausted - a picture of a planet dying … and fast! And it was not because of war, or any conflict made by the people living in it - it was something else.

After realizing the depths of the situation, Rania's body suddenly got transported inside the planet. At the next blink of her eye, she saw herself standing before a giant transparent crystal with its roots stuck on the ground, and its peak, unseen from where she stood. 

Inside the crystal was a woman with darkened red hair. From the looks of it, she seemed alive, only sleeping. The roots of the crystal where she was in, glowed in different colors - red, blue, green, yellow, orange, white, black, turquoise, purple, pink, light brown, and brown - it was beautiful to look at. That was until Rania's view expanded.

With the transparent crystal in the middle, twelve crystals surrounded it in all directions, like a clock. From the one o'clock position was a black crystal, followed by an orange one at two o'clock, then a purple at three, brown at four, light brown at five, green at six, blue at seven, followed by yellow, turquoise, red, pink, and white, in that order, with the white at twelve o'clock. Each crystal shined bright with their own colors and sparkles of light illuminated all round them. 

However, the beautiful glowing lights they produced seemed to be sucked by the transparent crystal in the middle. Yes, all the light flowed there instead of spreading around. Rania noticed that the area where the twelve crystals stood were healthy and booming with life. But since the transparent crystal in the middle was hogging all the energy they were producing, the rest of the land looked chaotic and barren.

And that woman inside the transparent crystal … a dark aura emanated from her. An aura so apparent and sinister that Rania felt her spine shiver just from seeing it.

"ποιος είσαι?" a voice suddenly spoke to her. It was the same voice she heard when they entered the First Gate. But this time, it wasn't soft nor gentle. Though she did not understand what she said, Rania felt extreme hatred from her rather cold tone. Her body trembled and her heart thumped wildly in her chest. For some reason, fear creeped in her entire being.

In a blink of an eye, Rania was back to outer space. She had to breathe heavily to catch her breath. 

While clenching her chest, a Giant Vessel appeared on top of the planet. It was a beautiful, clear vessel in a shape of an urn, pure and pleasing to look at. It was filled to the brim with water of different colors, circling and whirling around inside. 

When Rania saw the Giant Vessel, she felt a very familiar feeling. She smiled as she felt warmth in her heart.

CRAAACCCK!!!

A crack suddenly formed on the vessel's body. Little by little, the water inside escaped from the cracks until it widened and the whole vessel broke and its pieces scattered like golden dusts in the air. Along with it, the water poured into the planet washing it whole, from top to bottom.

Large droplets of tears fell from Rania's eyes. She didn't know why but her tears just won't stop. She lowered her head as she tried to wipe away her tears. She felt happy and sad at the same time. She didn't know why so she thought her emotions were playing with her. When finally calm, she lifted her head again, back to the planet.

Rania's eyes widened with what she saw. She fell to her knees as she finally realized the meaning of the things being shown to her.

She asked the Lord what her purpose was … and this was it.

After the waters flooded the planet …

The once ruined planet …

Transformed to its former glory!

And from afar, she heard a voice speaking to her. With its angelic voice, it said:

"Behold! The Vessel whom I uphold,

The Maiden in whom my soul delights.

I will put put my Spirit on her,

And out of her brokenness,

She will purge the planet of its scourge".

And another voice shouted:

"When night meets day,

When dusk meets dawn,

In the beauty of the twilight, 

Perfection will come.

And out of the three,

The greatest will rise.

When the king sit on his throne,

The maiden shall be no more.

The king will have his queen,

With his righteous right hand,

He will rule the kingdom forevermore"

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