You, Susie, and Ralsei all stand, battered and battle-worn, in front of the Fountain of Light. It is the largest fountain you have seen yet, and you could feel its power even as you approached. A wave of warmth washes over all of you, but no one feels comforted.
Susie and Ralsei watch you anxiously, waiting for you to do something... Anything. You tried again to reach inward and feel for your soul... but there was still nothing.
"I don't get it...!" Susie growled, her grip on her axe tightening. "Why aren't you closing the fountain? What's the holdup?"
You explain in exasperation that you can't feel anything. It's not like the Dark Fountains, when you could feel your Soul glowing, and you could act without thinking. There is no feeling here.
"That doesn't make any sense...!"
Susie turned to Ralsei with a scowl. "Ralsei! We did everything according to the prophecy, didn't we?"
Ralsei isn't looking at either of you. He seems to be avoiding your gaze.
"... Ralsei?" Susie's scowl deepens. "Why aren't you saying anything...?"
He still doesn't respond.
Susie continues, ticking the items off on her fingers. "We have a human, a monster, and a Dark World prince. Those were the only requirements!"
"Susie... That's... not exactly true."
You both stare at Ralsei. Surely you heard wrong.
Ralsei swallows hard, letting his hat shield his eyes from view. "You have a human... and a monster... but not a prince."
"The hell are you saying?" Susie snarled, stepping forward.
Ralsei finally looked up, gaze meeting yours. His face is in shadow, you can't read his expression. "Kris, haven't you figured it out...?"
You have no idea what he's talking about.
...
There has to be some other mistake.
Susie looks between you and Ralsei, before snarling and slamming her axe on the ground, the stone cracking, and making both of you jump. "CUT THE CRAP, RALSEI!" She bares her teeth at him. "Just tell us what you're talking about and I won't bust your head."
"... I'm not a prince."
There's a momentary hush.
"Think about it. I have no people. I've never taken you back to my castle, there's nothing to see. I was the first person you met... because I had to be the one to tell you the prophecy, filling in the role of Prince myself. You had to believe me... so you'd let me come with you." Ralsei hangs his head. "I thought, since prince is just a title, that if I gave it to myself... it would still fulfill the prophecy's requirements. I thought it would work, I-"
"You've been lying to us this whole time?" Susie looks pained as she wrestles with this revelation. "You... you just wanted to tag along...?"
"I thought it would work, Susie!" Ralsei pleads. "I honestly had no idea it... that I would..."
"Shut up! Shut the fuck up Ralsei! I don't believe a fucking word you say!" Susie was livid, her face flushed, fangs bared like a feral dog's. "You lied to yourself. You lied to your fellow Darkners, who trusted you to save them. You lied to us... your only fucking friends down here." She tightens her grip on her axe, before swinging it up and holding it in both hands, looking for the world as if she was about to charge him.
You quickly step between them, holding your palms toward both of them. You tell them that fighting will solve nothing. You're running out of time as it is.
Susie gradually lowers her axe, and your shoulders slump in relief and exhaustion. You turn to Ralsei again. You ask him who the real prince is, though you're certain you already know.
"Lancer. Lancer is the Prince from the Dark." He's hidden his eyes again.
"You...!" Susie snarls again, and you place your hand on her chest to keep her from moving forward any farther. "Lancer is in danger, and you told us he'd be fine if we closed the fountain! You've as good as killed him Ralsei!" She turns and charges back the way you two had come without a backwards glance.
You start to follow, but hesitate, turning back to Ralsei a final time.
"... Good luck Kris. Hurry..."
You nod and run after Susie.
Ralsei watched as Kris finally disappeared in the distance. Then he sighed, and turned to face the Fountain of Light. The geyser rumbled with energy as it shot from deep underground, its energy uncontainable, uncontrollable.
"... Father, was that truly the only way?"
A voice rang out, from somewhere behind the fountain, although no one was there, and it could clearly be heard over the rush of the fountain. "You know as well as I that the only think I need is time. You have bought me just that, Ralsei."
Ralsei bit his lip. "But... what if-"
"Now is no time for questioning, my son. We have work to do yet."
Ralsei hangs his head and steps forward. "Of course Father."
"Good. When I, the Knight of Darkness, rise to power on the eve of Earth's destruction and tame the chaos within her very core... you shall stand by my side, as promised."
Ralsei forced a smile and stopped, near where the source of the voice seemed to be. "Thank you father."
"You make me very proud Ralsei. Now. It is time we leave this place of Night, and see the Dawn of a New Era... our Era."