The Epilogue [Private]

"Flight of the Grand Phoenix!"


Zenshin woke up by Iana's on a day like any other, going through the morning routine of wondering where in the hell Aegis could have gone, convincing himself that the only place he could have gone to is Akasha, and getting up off the bed and making himself a bowl of noodles. She was still asleep, thankfully, as if she was awake, she'd probably start another frivolous fight over nothing like she always did. He felt bad that she was going through such pain, and even worse for the child that had to bear all that negativity and rage she held inside her. Wiping away the crust from his eyes, he rubbed his head and checked the clock. It was six in the morning. Taking up the bowl of noodles in a free hand, he walked out and sat on his couch, alone and quiet, making sure not to wake the woman in his bed.

Out of nowhere, he felt an object fall on his head, it was really light though, so it didn't bother him too much. The strange thing was the fact that, well it literally came out of nowhere. He put the bowl down and took the thing off of his head, it was a blank, white envelope. Must be for me... he thought cautiously as he used his fork as a makeshift letter opener.

Far across the distant skies
where the winds are quick and quite wise
stands a man so very stiff
faithful and atop the cliff.

The man awaits above to see;
to hear the banshee’s subtle plea.
The ardent knight stands thus so restless;
His memento’s lost – a precious necklace.

And so it is that one’s obsessed
where once it stood, now empty vest
but fear he not as though he did
for he recalls for whom it was once hid.

The one is meant to feel wind’s blows,
to watch the world from where rain first falls,
upon the peak where Fate befalls
so he may hear the dragon’s bawls

It was a poem, and upon using his abilities of Origin Perception, he was able to confirm that this letter was written by Aegis Bright, for him, months ago, probably intended to reach him a bit sooner than it did. He's alive... Judging from the time it took to write this letter, he really put the some time and effort into it. It didn't answer any of my questions though... it just raised more. Crazy bastard That's when he began to really read and break down the rhyming riddle. On a cliff where winds are quick... the necklace is lost... the one who was intended to find it... peak where fate befalls, the dragon bawls, the first rain falls... Huh The last four lines had the most information that he could decipher from the other ones. From what he gathered, Zenshin was meant to find Aegis' lost necklace by going to a high mountain peak, most likely the same peak where he first started his journey to become a recreationist all those months ago.

The dragon bawls, cries. Cries? So if I go there I'll be able to hear the cries of a dragon... Egia... Impossible. I remember him telling me something about that necklace of his being very special, something to do with creation itself. Could it be that Egia inhabits it? Why would he leave that behind...? Whatever his reasons, if he left that behind, I have to find it

And there he was, atop the mountain, performing the very same ritual that Aegis did to conjure up all the mana in the world, the 'Flight of the Grand Phoenix'. He was glad his memory was so good at this time, for is he even screwed up a single word, this would more than likely fail. When he reached the top of the peak, it was sunny, very sunny. Zenshin could feel a pressure though, unlike the last time he was here. No, it wasn't a pressure, it was more like a calling. Someone, or something, wanted him to perform the ritual, for some reason, but not the same reason he did it, or rather Aegis did it last time. Now all of the power had to be used for a different purpose, a recreation, he wasn't sure of what, but he knew it was something.

"The altar of existence.
The point where the Great Phoenix ended it's final flight.
Eternally, internally, it's essence is etched into its foundations.
This is where Men become Kings.
This is where Kings become Gods.
The top of the world, the peak of the Eternal.

Beneath me stand the many who tried.
Above me stand the few who succeeded.
Thus I am left between the two worlds.
Stronger than the strongest.
Weaker than the weakest.
I am the guiding light of those who dream.
Their final waypoint
And their first step.

Behind me lies the path of Failure.
Before me lies the path of Truth.
One teaches Man the power to surrender.
The other teaches Him the strength to defy.
Those are the many paths, the many choices.
In their centre I remain, the opposer of possibility.
Through me Men become Kings.
Through me Kings become Gods.
And through me, Gods become Men.
Thus I am no one.
Faceless I shall remain, stranded within the world of Men.
I will be your Truth.
You will be my Salvation.
Together, we will climb atop the stairway to Eternity.
So that we may one day reach the final origin.

The Power to be Weak.
The Strength to be Strong.
The Might to Defy.
And the Determination to Prevail.
Two great Men, longing for Eternity.

Flight of the Grand Phoenix!"


The storms whipped up just like before, right out of nowhere as the infinite amounts of magical circles lit up the mountain range as they had a year ago. A voice that was not his own came into his head, Recreate... False... Akasha... young one... His eyes widened as he held tightly onto the hilt of the ethereal ritual weapon. Is that why I had to come up here? To utilize the kind of power that I don't have to form something like that? How? I don't even think it's enough to- he was cut off by the same, motherly voice that was now guiding him. Fret not Zenshin... it will be enough for what you need to do... Continue the ritual... Another voice in his head was something he didn't really like, perhaps he had finally gone crazy from all the strain he had put on it.

False Akasha, honestly... am I losing it? That's bound to cause trouble... but if Aegis' letter led me to this point and a disembodied voice tells me what to do next, what choice to I have? he thought as he recited the next part of the incantation.

"I am your Truth. You are my Salvation.

You gift me with Hope, thus I do not deserve any.

I bestow upon you Clairvoyance, yet you need not any.

Together we are the Left Wing, ever sailing upon the morphing flames of Change.

I am your Salvation. You are my Truth.

You gift me with Clarity, thus I see your Hope.

I bestow upon you Knowledge, yet it is you who leads with Clairvoyance.

Together we are the Right Wing, ever burning with the undying flames of Duty.

In our difference we unite.

In our dreams we unite.

To you I pledge with fervour

That I will never falter

Nor will I ever regret.

I will not fall to the Unholy.

I will not surrender to the impossible.

With my strength I will go on

Even as my Faith begins to crumble

For I, deep within know

That I have never betrayed the Righteous.

So even as my path begins to crumble

I will gaze at the horizon.

Determined, strong.

Thus I pledge to you

My most earnest dream.

My wish.

My Hope.

Two great Men, longing for Eternity."


That's when he fainted. Not there, but before. He passed out the last time the final line was uttered, but now, he was in his master's shoes, awake and kicking through the bright white, surreal world that greeted him. His eyes were shut tight, the power enveloping him was far too powerful than he was able to control, but the ritual would fail if he didn't remain focused, so he powered through. In the endless sea of white was a single thing floating freely, but he ignored it and focused all the energy he had in order to recreate the subject of taboo between Aegis and himself, False Akasha.

It took all the power and strength he had gained from the ritual just to create a tiny *portion* of False Akasha, just a tiny piece of a fake origin point. And then he awoke, inside the room Aegis called home, this was his physical mind. This was where he stored his blueprints, his information, everything. It looks like a room... he thought as he gathered his surroundings. It was a bright white room with a single, circular, glass window that showed a beautiful meadow just outside. Worry not child... I will explain to you the truth of the prototype AEGIS, the one you know as Aegis Bright, your master, for getting this far. You alone are the most anomalous human in existence, being the one of the only ones among many who've tried to master and control recreation, although limited, it is a great feat. It makes me happy to see my child's efforts did not go in vain. I cannot imagine the determination it would take in order to try and find an ally with nothing but faith to go on...

And then, all was revealed to Zenshin in the room he ironically named, the room of truth. He sat there, for hours and hours on end, trying to get his thoughts together as Aegis' mother spoke to him in his head, attempting to comfort him. She shared her son's like for Zenshin, which was good, as this was not the greatest time for him to be alone. Zenshin. Enter the room to your left. It holds everything that my child did not convert into a blueprint for immediate usage. There you will find the necklace I am in, take it, I will aid you. Also, feel free to take his other armaments, he would've let you have them. Still weak from recreating this tiny piece of False Akasha, Zenshin slowly stood up and walked over to the door she Egia spoke of. Normally this room would be hidden, but not with me guiding you.

It was really ironic to him, the shock of hearing that his greatest ally was actually meant to be used as a piece of the most powerful weapon ever devised. What could it mean if Aegis returned to Akasha then? he thought, but Egia didn't respond. The room was massive, much larger than it was from the outside, then again, this was Aegis' mind after all. But at the center of a four way intersection of the dark wood the floor was made from was a simple armor stand with the familiar greaves and gauntlets, necklace, and trenchcoat that Aegis once wore. This is purity, his armor set. Just the greaves and gauntlets. They have their own powers associated with them and are granted upon the wearer given they are a recreationist, like yourself. I am in the gem of the necklace hanging around the mannequin's neck. The trench coat also has its own unique properties, I'd advise taking these items So, he followed the instructions of the dragon god of creation and took these items.

He felt far more powerful with these items, he'd need to test them out once he got out of here and- And there's one more thing... the voice said, now crystal clear in his mind. Yeah Egis? Well, there's another hidden room, one that took me more effort to find and it contains all of Aegis' memories. He created it for himself to see, but was never able to see it... If you choose to enter it, and your mind survives the entire history of Aegis, you will learn how to create another AEGIS using me, but there's a good chance you will go insane from it. she told him reluctantly, feeling as though she should share this information with him. Now that you told me this, I have to see it. I won't lose my mind. I've been through Aegis' training, and my mind survived that, so his history shouldn't be too much... he responded.

NO! Do not get arrogant young boy, think of what you could lose... she said, a slight change in tone to try and convince him not to. All you really need Egia, is a little faith he thought with a smile as he walked back to the main room, the one he awoke in. A new trap door was on the floor, smack dab in the middle of the room, so he opened it, and entered it. The things he saw, the things he learned, they could never be unseen. The events that unfolded before him will be forever etched into his mind. Prototype AEGIS, the godedge, the hubris of Lucifer, the death of Egia. Aegis becoming "human", Lucifer inhabiting the child, the destruction of his father, his family, his town, all of it.

What Egis told him and actually seeing it were too, drastically different things, but now, he was able to see the world through Aegis' eyes, and he didn't like it one bit. Once he thought it was too much to bear, when he was ready to give up to the dark embrace of insanity, the final memory played, writing the letter that was delivered to him at the start of the day. He awoke laying face down in the center of the magical circle, where the ritual sword was, wearing Aegis' armaments and with crystal clear memories of what happened, and he didn't want them. I should've taken your advice Egis... I should've never seen what Aegis past was like... I should've learned my lesson from last time I dabbled into someone else's history... he thought regretfully. What will you do with this knowledge young recreationist? You are the only one with the knowledge of such things, and it is doubtful that anyone will believe such a tale. Calling them ravings of a mad man.

What he saw and learned was not worth it. As they say, ignorance is bliss. He refused to see the world as Aegis, and was able to block that way of thinking out, as it would overtake him if he really did begin thinking that way. I don't know. Maybe write a book? It could be the greatest work of fiction ever written. The tale of a boy who yearns to be something he's not, but in the end turns out he's more of what he wants to be than those who he looks up to. A boy who can't escape his fate no matter how hard he tries. A tragedy. As for the fact that I now know how to create another hilt to the GodEdge, well, I'm sure that information will put me in great danger and will be useful when the right time comes. Right now though, we wait. We wait and hope that Aegis will some day return, if only for a minute, to see the great things that I will turn Sabertooth into. I will leave my mark on this world, mark my words. It may not be me, or my child, or my child's child, but one day, someone with my blood running through their veins will do great things. I know it... he thought, as self righteous as he'd ever been with this new found, strange sense of confidence. There was only one reply, Then we shall wait...

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