Kais: “What exactly do you mean?”

Dragon: “Exactly what I said.”

Kais: “And that’s what I don’t get.”

I grit my teeth in frustration. This is just so messed up, how am I supposed to go from here?

Dragon: “Is it that surprising that the archives are not completely accurate?”

Kais: “It is.”

It is. Of course it is. It has to be.

Kais: “These archives are records Ozyllus left so they can be accessed by appropriate parties, right?”

Dragon: “Right.”

Kais: “Then why would Ozyllus try to falsify that information?”

Sona: “Wait, falsify? He just said not everything in the archives is correct. That could also mean that the information is incomplete.”

It could. Incomplete knowledge about the past can cause misconceptions and so can be called ‘not correct’. So it definitely could mean that. But, it doesn’t.

Dragon: “I don’t think that choice of words was accidental, was it?”

The dragon asks while looking at me as if he’s evaluating me.

Kais: “No, they weren’t. From your aura, I can sense a repulsive hatred towards the name Ozyllus,”

-which is something I never thought I’d sense from you.

Kais: “I could sense your blood boiling with anger when you mentioned that the information is incorrect. You weren’t trying to say it’s incomplete, or that reaction would make no sense.”

To be honest, there are situations where my last statement would fail, but I have a feeling that this is the correct answer, and I am not gonna try to explain that my instinct is telling me this.

Dragon: “So you say.”

Sona: “Tch!”

With an expression of anger and hatred, she clicks her tongue. I think it’s probably because she has no idea what the dragon means and she doesn’t like him keeping secrets. If that is the case, I can relate.

Sona: “Tell me, is he right?”

Dragon: “Yes, he is.”

He says while looking at neither of us, but the golden fish.

Dragon: “This might sound revolting to you but all you have been is a pawn in his game whose purpose was to mislead people who came to you for help.”

From what he’s saying, it looks like the fish didn’t know about any of this.

Fish: “Explain yourself.”

A chilling voice rings out in our brains directing itself towards the dragon.

Dragon: “Huh, explain myself. Where do I even start?”

Fish: “Start from where my role in all this comes in.”

I find myself surprised on hearing that but it actually makes sense that she would want to know that. After all, the dragon is trying to say that the purpose of her life was not what she thought it would be. Of course she would want clarification on that.

Sona: “Well, why are you not answering?”

Sona looks at him with an angry expression, but the dragon doesn’t say anything. I can sense no change in his emotions as well. It’s like he predicted this situation.

Dragon: “Well,”

And then almost suddenly, he starts.

Dragon: “then to start off,”

Looking at us in our eyes, he says,

Dragon: “Ozyllus was no noble soul like the legend claims him to be. He was a dirty schemer.”

Kais: “Tch!”

I clicking my tongue made their attention turn towards me. There is nothing I have to say though. All I can do is try to control my emotions.

Sona: “What is it?”

She asks in a half-calm half-angry tone. While looking at the dragon, I say,

Kais: “Nothing, please keep going.”

That dirty schemer is inside me. That’s all there is to me giving that annoyed reaction.

Dragon: “Well then, it all started with his plan of causing a war between the ghosts … and everyone else.”

*******************************

Ozyllus: “That damned dragon, he thinks he can betray me and get away with this.”

Abyss: “I doubt it.”

Ozyllus looks at Abyss with an angry expression asking him ‘why?’

Abyss: “His time is already up, isn’t it? If I remember correctly, dragon souls don’t turn into ghosts when they die.”

Ozyllus: “I see. So he is not really aiming to get away with it.”

Abyss: “Yeah, precisely.”

Ozyllus: “And he thinks just because he is about to die, he can do whatever the hell he wants.”

Abyss: “Why can’t he?”

To an angry Ozyllus, Abyss replies in an almost mocking tone.

Abyss: “It’s not like you can do anything to him now that you are trapped here.”

Ozyllus: “Tch!”

Frustration at seeing his plans being torn apart because of a simple betrayal keeps building inside Ozyllus, but Abyss feels nothing except joy.

Abyss: “You have lorded yourself over them enough already. It was only about time they would have figured it out anyway.”

‘It would have been too late for them by that point’ is what Ozyllus wanted to say but he stops himself. It wouldn’t be wise to keep saying everything that came to mind, he thinks.

Abyss: “Anyway, looks like your time as a so-called ‘god’ is at its end.”

Ozyllus grits his teeth as he hears Abyss say that. The voice of the dragon spilling his secrets keeps coming to them. Abyss smiles and Ozyllus grits his teeth. The opposite of each other - that’s how it had always been for them – for the two archenemies.

Ozyllus: “Well Abyss, aren’t you happier that your time as a so-called ‘devil’ is coming to an end?”

Abyss: “Huh?”

Abyss asks in a curious tone as Ozyllus regains a bit of smile on his face.

Ozyllus: “Don’t think this is already over. The ‘end’ is just beginning.”

Abyss narrows his eyes while staring at Ozyllus.

Ozyllus: “They say when you stare into the ‘abyss’, the ‘abyss’ stares back into you.”

Abyss doesn’t respond. While turning to look at him, Ozyllus says with a smile,

Ozyllus: “Well, looks like someone is just about to find the meaning of those words.”

Abyss does not know who he is talking about, but uncomfortably enough, he does understand that he is not bluffing.

Abyss: “So there’s still more to it.”

Ozyllus: “Of course there is. As I said, the ‘end’ is just beginning.”

*******************************

In the middle of the forest,

Ro: “Why do you think Ethan let us go in the forest first?”

Barry: “You think that’s suspicious?”

Ro: “Yeah, I think it is.”

The two converse while walking.

Ro: “He said his goal is to bring Kais into the war, right?”

Barry: “He did say that, yes.”

Ro: “I guess us trying to bring him to our side technically does end up fulfilling his purpose, but …”

Barry: “But you think there’s more to it than that, don’t you?”

Ro nods. Barry understands his concerns very well. He knows there is some genuinely threatening reason why Ethan let them go first.

Ro: “Could it mean he was lying to us about his intentions?”

Barry: “No, I was using aura-reading on him. I would have known if he would have ever lied to me.”

Seeing that both of them came here in a sort of a race with Ethan to reach Kais first, it just doesn’t seem logical for him to allow his competitors have a head start.

Barry: “Were we the only ones who thought getting to Kais first is important?”

Ro: “Well, I hate to say it, but it could be that we are walking into his trap.”

Barry: “But it could also be that there was never any reason to be on each other’s throats.”

He says in an uncharacteristically serious and calm expression.

Ro: “Huh?”

Barry: “Think about it, he was a suspicious individual so we automatically assumed whatever he is doing is going to harm us, but what if that’s not the case?”

Ro: “Are you serious?”

Twitching his eyebrows, he asks with in a disgruntled tone

Barry: “Yeah, it does make sense, doesn’t it? If this is true, then everything he is doing makes sense. He came here so we follow him here and is now trying to achieve his goal through us. He also shared information with us yesterday because we would only end up benefitting him in the end. Yeah, maybe we are suspecting him too much.”

Barry looks at Ro for his response but Ro just stares at Barry with a cold expression.

Barry: “Ah!”

Only then does Barry realize that he is telling Ro that the person who killed him has no reason to be suspected.

Ro: “There’s something wrong with you if you think that’s it.”

Barry: “Hey listen, try to think of this rationally.”

Knowing he might be stepping on a land mine, Barry still has to go down this spiral of thought.

Ro: “Back on the beach too, what was going on? It’s almost as if you had lost all hostility towards Ethan.”

Ro points out the moment of Ethan coming to completely understand Barry.

Barry: “Believe me when I say that has nothing to do with this.”

Ro’s frustration was growing, but he did still try to think of things rationally. That is why, he wouldn’t outright deny the possibility that Barry just mentioned but,

Ro: “I can’t, believe that.”

There is no way he can accept it either.

Barry: “Tch!”

Barry lowers his gaze.

Ro: “Why are you suddenly trying to defend him anyway?”

Barry sighs.

Barry:  “All I am saying is that this is a possibility.”

Ro: “… that I have no faith in.”

Barry: “Why?”

Ro: “I think he said something about him having another goal last night. And he said he can’t tell us what that goal is. That’s plenty of reason to be suspicious.”

Barry finally remembers it when Ro reminds him.

Barry: “I-I see. That was indeed suspicious.”

Barry puts a hand at his chin as he remembers that detail.

Ro: “Which is why, your argument just now is pointless.”

Barry: “Uh,”

Ro: “What?”

Barry narrows his gaze as he stares at Ro for a while, but then sighs and says,

Barry: “Nothing.”

He wants to say that his argument doesn’t fall off with just that, but he decides not to. After all, the biggest reason he thinks this possibility makes sense is because he knows the truth. He knows the truth he directed Valdis and Reid towards. They would have already found out about it, but Ro didn’t get a chance to.

Barry: “If he just,”

If he just knew about Ozyllus’ true nature and intentions, then maybe Ethan would want to go against those intentions and salvage his plans, which would happen if they end up succeeding in bringing Kais in the war and causing the Dragon Alliance a cataclysmic defeat. While thinking thoughts like these, Barry continues to walk.

Ro: “What did you say?”

Barry: “Nothing, don’t mind it.”

Even while still curious about what Barry said, Ro decides to focus on their current task. Unlike Ethan who often gets distracted from the topic whenever talking about something, Ro knows how to keep his focus on one thing.

This is the reason Barry thinks he is someone capable of dealing with Ethan. Someone like him could be capable of outsmarting Ethan given a little help. This is why he brought him on their side. But now,

Barry: “What if …”

In a voice so soft Ro couldn’t hear, Barry asks himself, “what if he finds out the truth about who Ozyllus really was. Will his approach to things change? If so, then how?”

But more important than that is the question – ‘who would do that?’ Who would reveal those secrets to him? Barry could have easily told him before but now it may sound to him like a made-up lie to help his argument about Ethan, which also stops Barry from revealing this secret to anyone else. So, who would spill the beans?

*******************************

Dragon: “I don’t think there’s any point in me saying any further.”

Kais: “Why?”

Dragon: “I don’t have enough time or credibility to tell you everything, do I?”

I turn to take a look at Sona and realize what he is saying is true. His revealing whatever secrets he has is not going to convince her that they are the truth.

Dragon: “This is why; if you want to know the truth about everything, then try to find the Library. That’s the only place that Ozyllus had no control over.”

The library, huh? Is it some special library he is talking about?

Sona: “Wait a minute! Are you talking about the Psychic Library that’s considered to be impossible to find.”

Dragon: “Yeah, I am talking about that library.”

So it’s a library that no one has ever been able to find. And Sona called it ‘psychic’ library for some reason too. This is getting really confusing. Maybe I should stop pretending like I know what they are talking about and try to ask them directly.

Dragon: “Who knows, you might even realize I am not that big of a monster as you think I am.”

Sona: “What?”

The atmosphere just got chilly all of a sudden and my words get stuck in my throat.

Dragon: “You might also find a new target for your revenge.”

The dragon however continues on without flinching. At least, that’s how it looks like. Because of Aura Reading, I know that he is also getting pressured from the coldness of her stare.

Sona: “Are you trying to say there is someone else who is responsible for what happened to me?”

Dragon: “I don’t even know what happened to you, but since whatever it was couldn’t have been about a thousand years ago, then that is what it means.”

That seems like a roundabout way of saying you are not to blame for anything that has happened in the last thousand years.

Sona narrows her eyes as she stares at him, while I keep my silence. The golden fish on the other end has not spoken a word and since I can’t read the expressions of a fish, I am at a loss for what she is thinking right now.

Dragon: “Well, Barry once told me that he would come here when you would come here. And now he is here.”

He suddenly said something that seemed unrelated to the topic but grabbed my attention nonetheless.

Dragon: “Ethan said that the island will be in its last days when I am seen outside of the tomb, and I certainly am in my last days. Ethan predicted that after I am gone, something will probably happen to the island that would take it down.”

So, what is he trying to get at?

Dragon: “From those predictions of theirs, I think those two also know about these things. If you can’t find the library, then just ask them.”

The dragon says as a ray of the sun shines right at my face. I move aside a little. It’s morning now. It was last evening when I first reached this pond. It was night when I reached Sona, and by the time we came back here, it was already past mid-night. Now, it’s morning. Time sure flies by.

Dragon: “Well, I guess the sun’s up, huh? That means new guests will be coming to the island.”

Sona: “Huh?”

That startled both of us but I regain my composure as I had no reason to suspect it’s a lie when I can read his aura. Sona probably thinks he is trying to deceive us.

Kais: “New guests, you say? Who are you talking about?”

Dragon: “Well, just …”

From the corners of my eyes, I can see a small dot in the sky far away.

Dragon: “some ghosts.”

*******************************