CHAPTER 27

What the Future Holds

"It has been a while, Levi," the Fates greeted him as he and Eren entered their garden domain. "We have been expecting you both."

"It has," Levi agreed. "I really should just stop by sometime for no reason at all. You know, just to shoot the shit and all."

Eren sat down on a large stone and began to sketch the scene in front of him.

"An image for posterity?" the maiden asked.

Eren blushed as he continued drawing. "Kinda. Just my own small contribution to the Library of Alexandria." He suddenly paused in his work. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not," the old woman smiled. "I look forward to seeing the result."

"You have questions for us, Levi," the mother said.

"I do," the demon confirmed. "I'm not really sure where to start. I guess I'll start by asking if Ran Mau is the cause of the disasters and wars starting up all over the world. I mean, does she really have that kind of power?"

"She is, and she does," the old woman replied.

"If Ran Mau is destroyed, the world will truly return to as it was before the separation – I mean, will Paradise and the Underworld cease to exist and what will become of the souls within?"

"If Ran Mau is destroyed, the world will return to how God created it. Paradise and the Underworld will no longer be. The fates of the souls within them will return to the hands of God. This is as it should be," the mother explained.

Levi sat down on an old log and contemplated his next question. "Is it even possible for anyone other than God Himself to destroy Ran Mau?"

"Why do you think God created you?" the maiden answered with a question of her own.

The demon sat in shocked silence for several minutes, digesting this new information. "What will become of the arcs and demons when Ran Mau dies and Paradise and the Underworld are no more?"

"You are living breathing beings," the old woman began. "When the three realms are again fused into one, the living beings of all three will again live in one."

Levi's brow furrowed at this. "That's not good – all those damned demons running around. They'll destroy humanity."

"You forget something, Levi," the mother said. "Arcs, demons and humans are all one species."

"Understand this, Levi," the old woman continued. "Once Ran Mau is no more, not only will the world again be one, but the powers Ran Mau bestowed on the arcs and demons will also cease to exist."

"You see, Levi," the maiden added. "there is a price to be paid. If you succeed in destroying Ran Mau, you will forfeit all of your demon powers as well as your immortality. All demons and all arcs will be mortal again. You will all age, grow old and die just as any other human."

"Though your physical bodies will not change, all of your psychic and supernatural powers will be gone," the old woman elaborated. "Furthermore, your physical attributes will not pass on to the next generation. When the last arc and demon die, the ability to fly will die with them."

Levi scowled at the Fates. "Do you really think I give a rat's ass about losing my powers? Do you really think my immortality means anything to me? I never wanted immortality to begin with! And my powers – they are nothing more than a means to an end. Once Ran Mau is dead, I won't need them anymore! I may be hated and reviled by the other arcs and demons for the loss of powers, but it will be indeed worth it if the world is again in God's capable hands."

All three Fates smiled. "You're heart is pure and your resolve unwavering," the old woman responded. "You will indeed be reviled by some, but not most. However, Ran Mau's death will not be the end of your trials."

"You and the arcs will still have a great deal of work ahead of you to rebuild the world and the relationships with humanity, but the humans will help you as well," the mother added.

"I presume this means that all the holy swords will also lose their power," Levi guessed.

"They will," the maiden confirmed. "All but the one that was created before Ran Mau came to this world."

"Volpl," Levi said.

"Correct."

"I have heard rumors that I may be the reincarnation of Darien. Is this true?" Levi asked.

"It is not," the mother answered. "Darien was as guardian of light from another world, just as Ran Mau is a shadow from another world."

Levi's brow furrowed deeper, but he decided to take the answer at face value and not press for details. "What is Ran Mau planning?"

"Destruction," the old woman replied.

"Grief and sorrow," the mother added.

"Pain, suffering and strife," the maiden finished.

"The evil thrives off of the pain and suffering of others. She will allow humanity to forget the horrors of the past, and then she shall inflict even greater horrors to send humanity spiraling into the depths of despair," the old woman explained.

"Such has been the cycle for 45,000 years. Each disaster reduces the human population to the edge of extinction before she allows the population to recover again so that there will be more people to suffer each time she destroys the world as they know it," the mother elaborated.

"By tricking humanity into supposedly controlling their own destiny, she has assured that the same souls will be made to suffer over and over again. She has also assured herself a guaranteed supply of souls to make to suffer," the maiden finished.

"So she's gradually building up to a new disaster that will leave humanity on the brink of extinction. But, even if humanity did go extinct, the souls will still remain and she can use arcs and demons to start the population again if needed," Levi concluded. "Please tell me what it is Ran Mau plans to do to destroy the population this time."

The Fates exchanged saddened glances. "We are sorry," they said in unison. The mother then continued. "What she has planned is beyond your power to stop. It is already begun."

Levi's expression went blank with shock as he felt his stomach drop into his boots. "No," he whispered.

Eren, who had been sketching throughout the whole conversation, suddenly paused, as the color drained from his face.

"Destroy her, Levi. Put an end to this cycle," the old woman told him.

Levi sat, his eyes closed and a sickening knot in his stomach as he contemplated all that he had learned. He finally looked up and looked each Fate in the eye as he stood. "I will. One more question; when Ran Mau dies, will I finally be rid of these damnable tear gems?" The question came to Levi's mind out of the blue, so he asked it.

"No. The gems that are born of your tears come from your soul. They will always be a part of you, no matter how many lives you live," The old woman answered.

"I am to be cursed with these things forever?"

The old woman smiled. "They are only a curse if you choose to see them as such. They will not attract attention in every life you live."

Levi looked at the ground and sighed. "Very well." He turned and raised his right hand to open a portal back to St. Maria's. "I thank you, Fates, for everything."

Eren grabbed up his sketchbook and pencils to follow Levi as he left, but before Levi opened the portal, the old woman called out to him. "Wait, Levi. There is more that you should know."

The demon lowered his hand and turned to face them. "I'm listening."

The mother was the one who spoke. "Levi, Ran Mau is by no means the first evil to try to invade this world. Nor will she be the last. In another 500 years, another will attempt to ruin the world. You will again be called upon to defend this world and destroy the evil."

"In other words, I'm going to reincarnate at that particular time," Levi surmised.

"Yes," the mother confirmed. "You will reincarnate many times and will meet the same souls many times in many different relationships through the millennia. You will never be alone. You will always be able to call upon your friends to help you."

"However, Levi," the old woman continued. "as always, there is a price to be paid. 2,500 years from now, another evil will come to this world and will raise a horror unlike any other. You will again be called upon to destroy the evil and save humanity from extinction. The obstacles you face in that fight will be far tougher than the ones you have faced thus far."

The maiden now took up the telling. "The price you must pay for the power to defeat this evil, will be your mortality."

Silence reigned as the full gravity of what the maiden had said sunk in. "My . . . mortality?" The demon's eyes dilated in horror leaving only the slimmest ring of silver around jet black pupils. "You mean I'll become immortal . . . I won't be able to die? Ever?" His answer was the sadness in the eyes of the Fates. "I don't . . . I don't want to live . . . forever," he finally managed.

Eren placed a hand on Levi's shoulder. "But you said he'd never be alone, right? That means someone else will have to be immortal alongside him. I will be that one. I will stay by his side no matter what."

Levi looked at the arc in surprise. "Eren!" he exclaimed softly. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course I would!" Eren replied. "I love you."

"That is not for you to decide," the maiden said sadly.

"You two are indeed soul mates," the mother stated.

"Neither is truly complete without the other," the old woman finished. "Perhaps it will be so. But that is not for us to tell.

Levi, who had been staring at the ground, lifted his head to look each of the Fates in the eyes. "I will go forward with my destiny regardless. I will pay the price necessary to ensure humanity's safety. I may not like it, but I will pay it." The demon turned and created a portal back to St. Maria's before again turning to the Fates. "Again, I thank you for everything."

"You are welcome, Levi," the Fates answered.

As he stepped through the portal, Levi heard the maiden call out. "If you have questions in the future, you should ask the trees!"

He had no idea what she meant, but he still filed the advice away in his mind for future use.