Chapter 44 Arkanum Veritas (5)
Initially, a thick fog enveloped everything, creating a shroud of ambiguity that narrowed the limits of vision. Faint sounds began to emerge, disrupting the silence as if pulling it back to the painful reality, piercing through the tranquility that surrounded it. Slowly, shapes began to materialize from the depths of darkness, forming memories intertwined in his mind, like shadows of nostalgia rippling in still water.
Fitran stood amidst the ruins of his memories, as if trapped in a labyrinth of recollections that haunted his every step. The past now appeared hazy, like a distant shadow; yet, the key moments remained etched, gnawing at a soul once filled with fervor. Countless times, he had run through the streets of Thirtos, struggling against injustice and striving to protect Rinoa—precious moments when life felt full of meaning and strength. However, all of that now felt so far away, as the choice to remain silent and observe gnawed at every passing second, inscribing a profound sense of regret.
The fragments devoured by Beelzebub left unnamed voids, like pages roughly torn from the revered sacred book. However, the remaining pieces began to reassemble, slowly, like stained glass shards being rearranged by unseen hands, recreating a once beautiful picture. In this state of despair, he pondered the next step to take. "Is all of this in vain?" he thought, recalling the moments he dared to stand up for the weaker. At this moment, he could only be a mute witness to the destruction surrounding him.
Names floated endlessly, like faint shadows brushing against the recesses of memory. Unknown faces emerged from the darkness, dancing without context or story, merely reminding him of the inevitable loss, as if every memory harbored an open wound within his heart.
Yet, there was something etched into his soul, indelible:
The silence he chose for himself, like shadows enveloping every corner of solitude with a depth full of mystery.
He knew who was responsible for the killing.
He knew who twisted the law.
He knows who tore apart the city of Thirtos from within. Yet, in this silence, he continues to battle against the shadows of the past that often whisper, "You should have been there for Rinoa."