Legacy of the Betelgeuse

I suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, I look at the time and it's still 2 A.M., Ivonna is still asleep next to me. I get up so slowly so I don't wake her up, I leave the room and look around the Palace, there are no royal guards patrolling around this area. I walk around the hallway aimlessly and I ended up going to Avriel's chamber room, I don't want to bother to check on her because she looked exhausted earlier so I walk past her room and go downstairs. Now that I have nothing to do, I'm planning to check on Crafnell in the prison in the basement.

I see two guards are sitting in front of the door, they both stand up and bow to me. I look at them and just nod, then I get inside the prison. I look around and I see the keys on the wall, I look at them and grab them. I walk to the furthest prison cell in the basement and I see Crafnell's hands are tied to a chain on the wall, I see him standing still and he seems to be asleep but then he opens his eyes and looks at me. I'm just staring at him and open the cell door, I sit on the chair in front of him and we both are just looking at each other without saying a single word, but then Crafnell is stretching his neck while sighing.

"If you knew the day of your death, what would you do?"

I'm shrugging and tilting my head.

"It depends on the situation, if I'm in your shoes, maybe I would ask for forgiveness to my family for what I did because they must be so disappointed in me not just because of what I did but for leaving them behind."

Crafnell scoffs and looks at the ceiling.

"Is that so?"

I look at him and stand up, I unlock the chains on his arms and neck. He looks at me with disbelief while rubbing his arms and neck.

"What are you doing?"

I throw the keys on the table and sit on the chair again, I cross my leg and lean on the chair while resting my cheek on my fist.

"I'm giving you 2 options, you can have quality time with your family for one last time or you can run away. But remember, if you run away, you will be living in fear, and not just that, your family will be in danger because of you, If you bring your family with you, you must know that it's not just you who will be living in fear but also your family as well, you and your family won't be able to live peacefully for the rest of your life. So, make a choice."

Crafnell slightly smiles and sits on the chair in front of me, he looks at me and shakes his head.

"I won't run away, I want to die and I don't want my family to feel burdened. So, I choose to have quality time with my family for one last time."

I smirk and nod. I open a portal and I point my arm at the portal.

"After you."

Crafnell nods and he enters the portal then I enter the portal after him. We are in front of the house outside the Hebraum Kingdom, we both are staring at the house for quite a while and then Crafnell looks at me.

"You haven't answered my question, you only answered if you were in my shoes, what about your real answer?"

I look at the door for quite a while and sigh.

"I would visit the people that are important in my life and tell them how much important they are to me and I want them to know how much I love them and thank them for being there with me, the most important thing is I want them to know that it's going to be okay and there's nothing to be sad about. I want them to remember that I'm happy and it's all because of them, so I will show them a big smile on my face before I face my death. What's worse than death itself is to die with regrets, Crafnell."

Crafnell looks at me for quite a while and he scoffs while nodding with understanding.

"Thank you, I might as well do that."

I look at him and I can see his eyes are watering, but then he wipes his tears and knocks on the door. A woman opens the door and she's surprised to see Crafnell standing in front of her, she hugs him so tightly and tears fall off from her eyes immediately. They both are entering the house but when Crafnell looks back at me, I just shake my head, he nods with understanding and closes the door behind him to let him have quality time with his family for one last time.

I can feel a gaze is staring at me from behind, I look back and I see Avriel is standing in front of the portal while she's crossing her arms and staring at me. She walks toward me and then stands next to me while staring at the house, she looks at me and squints her eyes a bit.

"You always like that, huh? No matter how harsh you are to a person, you always give them a second chance. I remember you did the same thing to my father, and now you did the same thing to Crafnell. Is there a reason for you to do that?"

I cross my arm and exhale deeply.

"Humans are not born evil, and if the world doesn't treat us fairly, at least we, as human beings must have at least helped each other and given them a chance who needed them. Giving them a chance based on how they live their life, in his case, I guess giving him a chance to relieve his regrets is more than enough."

Avriel looks at me and shows me a sour smile on her face, then Crafnell comes out from the house with his eyes and nose are red from crying. Avriel and I see a woman with two little girls standing next to her while waving at her dad, Avriel is staring at those little girls and then gets inside the portal immediately while Crafnell is waving at his family for one last time. Crafnell looks at me while smiling and I can tell that he has no more regrets.

"Let's go back."

I nod and then we both enter the portal and I close it.

A few hours have passed, I look out the window of the carriage and see the sun is not even rising yet, the four of us are inside the carriage and sitting in silence. Ivonna, Rodwane, Ivonna, and lastly the former king of Hebraum Kingdom, Crafnell are just staring at each other because as soon as the sun is up, we will see two heads will be rolling down from the bodies. Crafnell looks so calm and he's just enjoying the wooden wheels stumbling onto rocks while closing his eyes, Ivonna and I are facing each other and just looking at each other's eyes.

We arrive at the Maryoca Kingdom's capital city and people are already standing in front of the stage. Thousands of people are waiting for the death of Crafnell and Lionel, I look around and everyone is screaming and hating Crafnell as soon as he comes out from the carriage, they throw him with rotten tomatoes and fruits, Crafnell isn't trying to dodge them and wholeheartedly receive their hatred towards him. Ivonna and Rodwane are walking to where King Gervase is at which is on the other side of where we are, I look at Gervase wearing a crown with the people who supported him and his late father.

Avriel is waiting on the stage with a big robe, hoodie, and a mask covering her body and face so people don't know who she is. I walk Crafnell to the stage, when I put my hand on his shoulder, I can feel his whole body is trembling in fear but he doesn't want to show it to them and give them the satisfaction that he's scared. I help him walk the stairs and then slowly and gently put him on his knees next to Lionel, Lionel looks at him with hatred and his face is red from anger but he can't do anything about it.

King Gervase stands up and everyone goes silent, he looks at his uncle while clenching his fist.

"I hereby the death of Lionel Sephar by beheading!"

All the people are cheering happily and with excitement, Avriel walks toward Lionel, and without hesitation, she swings the sword in her hand towards Lionel's neck.

*SPLAT!*

The joyous screams of the people are more terrifying than the headless body in front of me. Avriel is busy cleaning the blade that's covered with blood, then King Gervase looks at Crafnell and he points his finger at him.

"I hereby the death of Crafnell Aswar by beheading!"

The people are screaming so loudly but amongst those frantic laughs, I can hear a clear sobbing in the crowd, I look where it comes from and then I'm surprised to see his wife and children are standing there seeing their husband and father on his knees waiting for his death. Avriel walks in front of me and ready to swing her sword at him, but then I can hear the children are screaming.

"Dad! No... Dad!"

Avriel notices his children sobs and screams, she looks at those two little girls looking at Crafnell and her, their eyes are begging her to not kill their father. Avriel's hand is trembling and for the first time, I see her hesitate like this. Crafnell looks at Avriel while smiling pitifully.

"I'm sorry for what I did, your father's death is all my fault..."

The longer she's hesitating, the louder the people are wanting her to kill him but at the same time the louder his children scream helplessly at her. I don't know what's happening to her right now but I don't think she can do this anymore, so I grab her hand and take the sword away from her, Avriel looks at me and immediately walks back and looks down at her own two feet.

I look at Crafnell and nod.

"I will make sure you don't feel anything."

Crafnell is smiling at me and a tear fall from his eye while nodding with understanding.

I lift the sword and swing it at his neck.

*SPLAT!*

The joyous and frantic laughter of the people is terrifying and what's more disturbing is to see his wife and his children fall to the ground sobbing and mourning while the people around them are enjoying his death. I look at the sky while still holding the sword that's covered with blood, a tear fall from my eye, and my nose start running.

"F*ck...."