Chapter 41

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"You and I are the same person."

The illusion I was in started to create a rainbow of colors around me. I looked at it in awe. It had the same composition as the fireworks back at the hunting competition.

I felt free after a really long time. I didn't feel tied down or bonded to the heavy chains anymore. They withered away just after I decided to stand up for myself.

I think Erebus was just right! I'm sure that I faced my worst fear! My past.

The dark environment was now colorful. It felt refreshing both inside and out.

I twirled around in a circle in my own happiness.

"Having fun?" A voice asked. I stopped and looked carefully at a disfigure.

"I am. I'm glad that I let it all go." I told to the voice. The figure morphed into a fifteen year old Rose.

The original Rose!

She wore a red dress with heavy make up and looked beautiful. She held a fan in her arms. I admired her determination to withstand her life for fifteen whole years like that.

"Have the fun while it lasts. You'll die soon anyway." She sneered at me.

"Will I? I'm pretty sure that won't happen anytime soon."

"Why won't it? People will leave you when they find out you are a dark user!" She screamed. Ahh, man, why can't people talk normally? My ears will rust out soon.

"No, they won't. I already made good relations with everyone I need to. There is no reason for me to run away or feel scared. If they kick me out, I'll find my own place. If someone's says crap about me, I'll sock them. I have nothing to be scared of and so do you."

"What does that mean?" She asked, puzzled.

"Aren't you tired of pretending? You should have shown them who you really are. You are way more cooler with a sword than with a fan." I complimented my honest views. She glanced down and stared at the endless void below us.

"I see now. I'm sorry. I thought I could stop you from facing your fears and finding me so that I won't ever have to step in the duchy again but I guess I was stupid. You're right. I love the sword as my own life and this fan isn't made for me." She threw the fan from her left hand. Thud! Now that's courage.

"You were always there. Let me show you a new side of life. Let's love ourselves first. Are you with me?" I held up a hand, courageously. I don't even know where I am getting all these heroic-cliché words!

I realized something along the lines when I was trapped in my own vision. The original Rose had always been there. Everywhere! She was too afraid to rely on others. Just like me. But, no more.

She reached her hand and held mine.

"Remember what I said about us being the same person?" She asked me in a smirk.

"I do." I nodded.

"You see, we are actually the same---"

"Soul." I finished up for her.

"How do you know?"

"I figured. I mean, how the hell am I, an office worker, who did nothing but overtime till my back breaks, be able to wield a sword so easily?"

"You're smart. I felt something missing in my life. I couldn't control my attribute. My body was rejecting me a couple of times and that lake incident was just one of them. I just thought it was because I didn't have anyone to care for me but apparently, it was you." She smiled at me.

"So, we are like fragments of the same soul?" I asked her. There was just one question left. How did I get to know about the future through a book if it hasn't even happened yet?

"Exactly. Sorry, if I created a nasty reputation for you. I didn't mean to. I just built a wall across me and others. I was just afraid to be myself. My true self."

"And, now, you aren't, right? You have me." I told her with a smile. Wow, now I sound like a cliched character in a novel. Oh right, I am one!

"Yes." Tears dropped from her right eye. That was an indication of happiness. She held out her arms for me.

I did the right thing. I hugged her back.

A black light shined around us and we both 'wowed' at it. It was mesmerizing. The matter wrapped around us from head to toe.

"What's going to happen now?" I asked her.

"Us, fragments will merge into one. I hope you'll be okay with a brat like me." She told me with a laugh.

"Merge?"

"Yep, I mean. Our souls found each other and if we merge, our body can stabilize. Additional advantage; our stamina, fighting skills, and ability will improve by 50%."

"Wow, Awesome." I concentrated far more on the numbers she presented.

"So, what are we going to call our new self? Blair or Rose?"

"Rose sounds just fine." I told her.

"Are you with me?" She bombed me the same question I asked her before.

"Always!" I replied.

The black matter around us, twirled a thousand times faster. My eyes blinded in the tornado of change.

Swish! Thud!

"Ouch!" I landed on my butt. The ground was more solid. I opened up my weary eyes to a hall of creatures bowing at me.

"What the---"

"Congratulations Rose! You are the official new Dark Lord of the current era." A sturdy deep voice called out to me.

"Wha--?!" I groggily stood up. Enzo was in front of me holding up a hand.

My left wrist was gleaming. I held it up for me to examine when a small silver sword engraved itself on the back of my palm.

I saw Cad running towards me. He looked like a drunk dinosaur. No offence though. I flopped back down as it encircled me in its huge body. A shine attracted my eyes from my dragon. I saw the same silver symbol of a sword, engraved on its forehead.

It was different from that of the symbol that was carved on the wrist of those assassins but it looked cooler. I patted his head and Cad purred.

I would really mistake him for the cat I used to meet back in my apartment.

"Yay Rose! You did it! I'm so proud of you! Was it hard? I promise that you will never have to go through that again." Erebus congratulated and blabbered spinning around me. He was in his dark mist form.

"Why would I go through that again? I already faced it. You have no idea how refreshed I feel. It's like I'm a newborn baby."

"You should feel that. You, actually went through a whole ritual in that time lapse. Your nerves and vessels were all cleaned so that you can ascend as the Dark Lord." Erebus explained.

"Anyhow, I formally congratulate you. Welcome to Hell! And I love your new look." Enzo wished me, bowing deeply. I looked at Erebus, confused about the 'look' part.

Erebus smiled with his white outline of a mouth while a reaper came up to me with a mirror. I took it with a 'thank you'.

My hair had a black stripe running across from the left. I swished my hair around. It looked similar to the colour of my hair in my previous life.

Oh, so when Rose and I merged, our features merged as well. This is fantastic! I felt free and exhilarating.

"That is your symbol for acquiring your new status on your hand." Erebus informed. I felt Cad snuggle into me.

"You know, I'm single and I won't mind having you around to keep me company." Enzo hinted at me.

Hahaha! Wow, this guy!

"But, I do mind. I have hundreds of papers to organize for my budget in the duchy and allowance to collect. Further, I bet that Archduke left at least half of his work on his poor secretary who needs my accounting help. Most importantly, I have a family to get to." I giggled.

"Haizz. You selfish humans! You never enjoy the simple things in life. Capitalism is everything to you!" He scolded with a light chuckle.

I laughed some more.  Erebus coughed suddenly. Oh yes!

"Enzo, I have something to ask."

"Go ahead."

"I want you to allow me obtain the banished powers of the Darkness."

Hello everyone!

Here are the symbols mentioned in the story. I forgot to upload this picture before but here you go now. I got these images on the internet. They just fit the description perfectly.

The symbol Rose engraved on the Assassins who attacked her:

The symbol engraved on Rose's palm and on Cad's head (Our dragon Cad) on the forehead:

(It represents the authority of the Dark Lord.)