Naomi, beaming marvelous after meeting Lied again, went straight home and slumped into a couch. She remembered the mirror image of the red-haired boy.

“I don’t know why, I do feel as if it wasn’t a coincidence…”

 

...

 

Lied no longer had a place to call home since his house was engulfed in flames. The boy walked up the stairs, despite this. The structure could barely hold itself up. He crouched down and leaned against the wall between his bedroom and the bathroom, where it was possible to see the moon in its splendor through a breach on the roof.

The teenager started feeling sleepy. When just a pitchy background remained, Lied was awakened by a groan of the wind.

“Hm...?”

Reality mingled with his soul as from the sky poured down…

“Snow?”

Actually, those were the blue orbs that Lied and Naomi witnessed. Lied noticed the Adam’s Apple on his right while on his left a young man, resembling the red hooded figure, smiled at the moon. It was indeed the same person.

“Who… are you really…?”

The man whispered something that didn’t quite reach his ears. Lied only heard his own name. Night came and the predestined hero fell asleep.

 

...

 

The day dawned bleak and chill. Martyr, Zechariah, Varius, Core and Nemo gathered at the table, discussing the last details regarding their next step.

Martyr had an unfriendly face, Nemo seemed back to normal. Yesterday Core found his behavior strangely odd, thus asking now:

“Are you... ok?”

“…What about you? Looking at your dead face, I’d say you didn’t sleep well.”

Core didn’t move to the next page of her book. De facto, the girl's recent encounters have revived old dreams.

“Any questions?” Zechariah stood up.

“What’s your role?” Nemo raised his hand.

“I... ought to carry out formalities” Zechariah cracked a smile.

“That means...?” Core said.

“’Them’” Varius said.

Martyr sighed as the snake had to wait for his turn to have fun.

 

...

 

Many years later, a certain promise was finally on the brink of being fulfilled. Covered with a hood, Xanthus geared up to keep his life’s vow.

 

...

 

Two minutes after Martyr, Varius, Core e Nemo were dismissed.

“Well, I should get going too.”

Upon opening the door, Zechariah is greeted by a wind gust coming from the open windows, his black coat danced daintily.

“At long last, the day has come, Zaccharias. This spectrum of yours... is taking action.”

 

...

 

Saturday, it was a windy day like the weather forecasters predicted. The police station was very buzzy that morning, officers were blooming with joy.

“The future looks bright.”

“Our station will surely be considered the best in Ganeden, no, in the whole world!”

“I’m so proud of us…”

Apparently, only Susumu himself didn’t know what was going on. He ran into two fellow detectives on his way to his father's office.

“Oh, Susumu! Congratulations!”

“You’re a senpai henceforward. Get along!”

“Senpai? What...?”

 Tatsuo was talking to someone when Susumu entered without knocking.

“Dad, what is…”

“Susumu! I was about to call you. This is Nemo, he’s five years younger than you and from today on shall be your partner.”

Susumu inspected him: he wore a white shirt and black tie, green eyes and spiky hair. Nemo brought his chin up and invited Susumu to shake hands.

“Nice to meet you... Susumu-senpai.”

 

...

 

Lied was awoken by a burning sunlight. The street in front of the house wasn’t bustling since the folk refused to approach it during this time. In that sense, Lied was accursed as the lone survivor.

Lied shook his head and headed to the park. It was time... to face the one who knows most. The white hooded man awaited him at the fated place, hence the stage was set for both Lied and Xanthus to draw the curtains.

 

Destiny is reserved for those who are chosen.

And the big guilty boy, like those who came before him, spins the wheel that moves the world.

This is a “lie”, an adventure in search of the truth.

 

[END OF CHAPTER]

[ARC “GANEDEN” ENDS]

[END OF VOLUME 1]