"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" Lemiel whimpered, still upset about what they'd seen, "e-even if I d-didn't do it, I'm still responsible somehow. I'm the Prince of our Kingdom, that means that the safety and happiness of everyone who lives within it are my priority to protect. That includes your people. I-I have to, find a way to stop this from happening- I swear I'll find a way" the young man swore to both himself and the other Elves who still sat in the room with them, "no matter what it takes!" the young man exclaimed, a fire now burning within him, staring at Licht, determination welling up powerfully in his chest. His friend smiled at him, "we all will, and we'll do it together" he replied, placing a hand on his friend, no, his brothers shoulder. After half an hour everyone seemed calm enough to continue. Patry returned to the viewing room, and though his face was still tear-stained, he seemed to be calmer as well and he took his seat next to Fana again.
When everyone was seated, Bethany walked up to the front again, "hi everyone. I know that last viewing was especially painful, but it's not actually over yet. We've only just reached the halfway mark on this particular viewing. What you will see will be less painful, but still upsetting. Licht," she turned to the Sword Mage, who perked up at being addressed, "yes ma'am?" he asked. "In the next few scenes, Patry may do some things which you wouldn't want. Please bear in mind that the Patry of this future doesn't know that and try not to be too hard on him" the Moon Mage explained. "What?! What did I do! I didn't do anything crazy, like kill anyone did I?" the boy asked. Bethany looked away, "weeeell-" she began non-committedly. Patry panicked, "I really did kill someone?! Oh god no!" he cried, falling to his knees and vomiting all over the floor.
Many people cried out at once, both at the news that the young boy had killed someone and from his sudden vomiting. "Patry!" Licht cried, quickly scooping the boy up, as Bethany had The BUBBLES clean up the mess. Everyone crowded around the two, all trying to reassure the terrified boy at once. But their leader quickly spoke up, "everyone please! I appreciate your concern, but crowding someone who is having a panic attack is not a good idea!" he called, silencing the Elves and humans who had been talking. Everyone stepped back in shame, giving Licht room to return to his seat with the sobbing boy in his arms. As he sat, the Leader of the Elves rocked him like he would a baby, being tender and gentle to try and calm Patry down. "Shhh, It's okay, you're okay" he said softly. Eventually the young Elf regained his ability to speak, "why?" he whispered. "Why are you, helping me? Bethany said that I did a lot of things that you would have never wanted and I even killed someone. So why don't you hate me?" he asked, lips quivering as he fought hard not to cry again.
"Please- if you're a-angry at me, p-please just, yell at me, hit me or something. J-just please don't- *sob*! Patry began to cry again, not allowing himself to cling to the comforting warmth of the man he had hoped to call friend. The man who, despite his age, never looked down on him, or saw him as a nuisance, despite the many times he had interrupted his rare times alone to ask if he minded if he stayed. The man that, with his new knowledge, he knew he had betrayed. But Licht never released his hold on him and continued to try and soothe the agonized boy, "I'm not angry. I care about you Patry. I love all of my people like family, and you're no different. Whatever mistakes you make in the future are just that, in the future. You haven't done them yet, and, hopefully, you never will now. So why would I hate you for that?" he asked with his usual kind and gentle smile. At that the boy finally broke down fully, hugging Licht with all the strength he had, sobbing even more than last time, both out of relief and even more guilt. Whatever he had done was bad enough for Bethany to have to warn them about it.
So having Licht tell him that he didn't hate him just made feel even more guilty. "We'll face that future together, and with all of us working together, well change it!" Lemiel cried. Everyone agreed, and Patry finally calmed down enough to watch the next part. Licht still kept up his hold on him though.
Patry woke up suddenly, as though everything before had just been a nightmare. He looked around in shock and fear, 'what is this place? What happened to me?' he thought.
Everyone blinked in confusion. It was clear these were inner thoughts, but why did the voice sound like- they turned to look at where Licht was still cradling Patry, who now looked completely bewildered. Licht on the other hand was frowning for a completely different reason. 'But I thought Party died along with everyone else? Although Bethany did say that he would be in the future somehow. She also said to not be hard on him since he doesn't know the whole truth. Hm, I'll wait and see what happens' he thought.
'I thought, I was dead' the boy thought, but the screen didn't show a boy at all when it finally switched perspectives and showed us Patry's back. Instead it was a young man with a fairly slender build and blond hair that went just beyond shoulder-length.
By now everyone was confused, "Is that supposed to be Patry?" Vetto asked in confusion. "It is, just watch, and it'll explain at least part of it" Bethany replied.
He looked down at hands that were much bigger than his own, 'these hands, they're not mine' he thought, before noticing a mirror on the wall. Rushing over, his eyes widened at the face he saw.
"What the-! Did I steal your face or something?!" Patry asked their leader, shocked. Licht didn't know what to say and the two humans beside him looked back and forwards between the two of them, still in shock.
Patry placed his hand on the mirror, "I look like, Licht" he said in shock, before touching his own face, watching his new reflection do the same. 'What is this? Have I become him somehow?' he thought, completely confused, 'did my Spirit, implant itself in his body?' he stopped examining his reflection, 'that's not it. Judging by how this Mana feels, the body I'm in is human. A human that looks like Licht. I see, so I really did die,' he thought in pain, remembering back to what he last saw before he died. 'Whatever Licht unleashed when our magic was sealed away, it must have been some kind of Forbidden Spell, and extremely powerful too, like Reincarnation Magic' he thought.
Patry went to the window and opened it, "this light," he said reverently. Hundreds, or maybe even thousands of glowing lights floated through the sky. Patry watched with tears in his eyes, 'I can sense them. Every single one! I can feel Raya's Soul and the Souls of all the other Elves in this village' he thought. A soul flew through the air and through a human woman. 'Licht must have done this in the final few seconds of his life!' Patry dried the tears from his eyes to see better, 'and all for the sake of our people'. 'So far, it seems I'm the only one who's been completely revived' he turned around in remembrance, 'oh yeah, his Grimoire' the young Elf-turned adult human found and picked up the Grimoire of the human whose body he possessed, a three-leaf Clover one. 'It chose to bond with Licht, the Soul that truly belongs inside this body, so I won't be able to use it' he thought.
The Elf Leader quirked an eyebrow, "just because you look like me, what makes you think that that body was supposed to be mine? Especially since I already had Sword Magic?" he asked Patry. The boy blushed, "well, it does look like you aside from the ears, what else was I supposed to think?!" he replied.
The former Elf ran through the streets, "I'm not sure weather or not this was meant to happen to me. But I am the only one who came back to life, not only that, but I came back looking like Licht. I'm the only one, who can save the rest of the Elves!' he thought, running up to the Grimoire tower. Patry pushed open the doors of the tower, panting from running so much. 'Which means-' he thought, raising his hands, 'I have been chosen. I'll become Licht,' a Grimoire began glowing golden and floated down towards him and it was shown to be a Four-Leaf Clover.
"Um, a few things, but one- you'll 'become me?'" Licht asked with a raised eyebrow. Patry shook his head, "don't ask me, I have no idea what's going through my future selves mind aside from what we've heard!" he explained. Lemiel nodded "okay, next, congratulations on getting a Four-Leaf Grimoire, but I don't like where this is going. I have a very bad feeling about all this" the Prince said uncomfortably.
Patry grabbed the Grimoire, "for going back on their word, for killing the people I loved, they must pay" he said. The screen then showed the real Patry, switching between him and his 'Licht' form "I swear they will all be annihilated!" he said angrily.
Black Clover
At a fortress somewhere in the world, Patry "Licht" stood above a human man who looked like Raya, "Forbidden Magic: Evil Eye!" he called, as a third eye opened on the man's forehead, enshrouded in a green light. "Ah, it would appear you're finally awake, this human has a similar wavelength, so I've imbued your Soul with magic from the other world to support your reincarnation into this body" Patry explained as Raya opened his eyes. "Gathering enough magic power to make that possible wasn't easy you know" the child-in-a-man's-body explained. "So please don't cause me anymore trouble, okay Raya?" "Wait, you're Party, why're you-" the older Elf asked in confusion, as his Third Eye faded, as did the reincarnation Magic surrounding the man's head. "But your old friend Licht can revive everyone, that's the mission that he, no, I must fulfil." Patry replied.
"You get it, don't you?" the Light Magic user asked. Raya was silent for a moment, before smirking in understanding, "yeah, Licht, I hear ya" the man replied.
Patry whimpered, shaking his head, "no, no, no, no, stop it!" he cried, covering his face with his hands. Licht rubbed his back, "it's okay, it wasn't your fault" he said softly. "But it was! And I even killed someone! Nothing about this is okay!" the young boy cried. His leader smiled, "Miss Yuki said we'd find out the truth soon, we just have to be patient, okay?" he asked. Patry exhaled shakily and nodded, "okay" he breathed. He honesty just wanted to get this viewing over with. Bethany nodded at them and un-paused the screen.
Behind 'Licht' was Fana and Vetto, or at least the Reincarnated Elf ones. "you're here too?" Raya asked as he sat up and saw them. "Raya" Fana said, sounding relieved. "About time sleepyhead, rise and shine" Vetto replied. Raya yawned, "it was good to sleep in, but five more minutes would have been great" he replied.
"Um, weren't you, or at least the human you, dead before that?" Tettia asked, confused. The lazy Elf shrugged, causing the two humans to sweat-drop, while the other Elves in attendance sighed in exasperation.
"As you can see, I've also resurrected these two" Patry explained, turning to the two behind him. A flashback then began playing.
(Flashback) The dying human Vetto lay on the ground, surrounded by animals. 'Vetto, you were a gentle soul who loved to befriend animals. Yet this world has shown you only cruelty' Patry thought as he stood over the body. "Live with me, as you once did" he said, as he reincarnated the man-turned Elf. As he did, all the nearby birds flew away.
"Uh oh, that's a bad sign. Not once, ever, did any animal run away from me. Either something went wrong, or the magic that's being use to reincarnate us is something sinister, something that the animals can feel and know to be afraid of." Vetto said, uneasy about this whole thing. Patry shrank in his seat, now feeling even more guilty about his still-to-be actions.
The Evil Eye spell activated, "'tis not you who should be despairing, but those unconscionable humans. You must remember your true self" Patry said as the Eye opened on Vetto's forehead, a bright yellow light surrounding it. Next the flashback moved to some kind of underground chamber, where a young human girl who resembled Fana lay, still alive but barley. "What a tragedy. To think we were once friends. I suppose the world never changes" Patry said to himself. "If humans are so determined to harm each other, then we'll just help them along".
The current Patry clenched his eyes shut, before looking over at the Fana who sat at the end of the row of chairs, "I'm sorry Fana, really, I am" he said, feeling like his heart was being crushed more and more the longer the viewing went on. Fana smiled slightly, "it's okay Patry, we understand. You were just doing what you thought was right" she replied. Raya nodded, "yep, and now that we know all this, we can stop it from happening. So don't apologise, 'cause soon you won't have anything to apologise for, okay?" the man asked. The boy looked down, clenching his fists around the fabric of his pants, 'that's right, no matter what my future self does, we can stop all of this from happening, so the future will change. I have to be strong now, just like all the others' he thought to himself. Patry then turned back to the viewing.
"However, you're going to need your body, so… let's keep you alive" the Reincarnated Elf said as he held out his hand. 'Fana. Your appearances are so similar, and you share the same name… this can't be coincidence. There is no need for you to suffer the same sad fate in this age.' Patry thought, as the Reincarnation spell appeared around Fana's head and her hair blew out of the way, revealing a Third Eye rimmed with red opening on the girl's forehead. "Now, awaken!"
Black Clover
The group stood inside their hideout, 'so, these three are the souls I was able to restore at this juncture. It's as if they never died.' Patry thought. "But I'll need greater power to bring back the rest. And that means supplying even more sacrifices!" The screen showed a young red-haired teen shooting fire, while an older red-haired man watched him.
"Hang on, are those two related? They look similar" Tettia asked. Bethany smiled as the screen paused, "yes, they're brothers, and they have a female cousin as well as an older sister. Everyone nodded in understanding and turned back to the viewing.
"To that end, we will gather the Magic Stones that were once kept within our village, but have since been scattered far and wide. And we'll use humans to do it." Patry explained, as several of said stones were shown, before returning to Patry, who was smirking, "smart, don't you think?" he asked. "Oh yeah" Raya replied, "agreed, let's begin" Fana added. "We'll get back at those hateful scum, I'll make sure they suffer endless despair!" Vetto said.
Lemiel and Tettia looked over at the three Elves who had gone very pale, "Why are you guys acting so different?" the Prince asked in confusion. It was Licht who answered, "that Reincarnation Spell was Forbidden Magic that taints a person's very Soul. Using it may bring back the desired people, but it will taint them, forge wickedness into their hearts and corrupt them to the point they aren't even the same people anymore" he explained, still clutching a shaking Patry in his arms, who's face appeared to be turning green, "oh god, I'm gonna be sick again!" he muttered. Lemiel went and picked the young Elf up, before using his Light Magic to teleport him over to the bathroom. Patry ran inside and the sounds of vomiting could be heard.
Bethany winced, maybe she was doing more harm than good with this. But she couldn't stop now. It would all be worth it in the end when they found and destroyed that Devil before he could cause any of this. It had to be. Eventually the boy stumbled out of the bathroom, "s-sorry, thanks for helping me to the bathroom" he muttered in thanks to the human Prince, before heading back over to his seat, but seeming much weaker than before. Lemiel frowned, maybe these viewings would help them stop all this from happening, but it would probably traumatize Patry as well. Maybe he should have a talk with Bethany after this viewing was over. Turning back to her audience, the young woman smiled thinly, "is everyone ready to continue?" she asked, but her voice was slightly shaky. "Let's just finish this viewing, so we can get to the truth about all of this and stop it" surprisingly, it was Patry who answered.
Bethany nodded in understanding, "very well" she replied, before continuing the recording.
Patry turned to face a huge stone tablet, "indeed. The great rebirth will start with the humans" he said.
Then the screen went black. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that it was over, or at least this particular viewing. Patry relaxed slightly. Bethany also sighed silently, she had to keep up a strong appearance. If she broke down, there could be a panic. It was Vetto who spoke up, "so, what happened?" he asked when it seemed like no one else could speak. The Human Moon Mage stood up from her seat and walked to the front of the room again, "the resurrection worked, but the Elf possessed humans were full of hatred and killed any human they came across, regardless of weather they were a threat or not. The unpossessed Magic Knights, that is to say, the military force of the kingdom fought back, but all of the Elves were so much more powerful than them. I'm sad to say that there were many casualties in the civilian population," Bethany replied.
Fana swallowed, "and, we were among the ones, a-attacking the humans?" she asked. "Well technically yes, but not as you saw yourselves in this viewing. By this time, you and Vetto had already been sent back to the afterlife once. A human member of Patry's group, all of which were marked as sacrifices to fuel the Reincarnation Spell, created artificial bodies for you two, as well as for Licht, so you don't actually look quite the same as you do in this viewing. Anyway, we'll get into the next one in a bit. For now, I'm sure you're all hungry. I have a separate room set up with food and water, so anyone who feels like eating can go in. When you feel like eating of course, no pressure. For now, take another break and use this time to process what you've already seen. I'll be in another room with my children resting for a while. I by no means am weak, but bringing you all here and then showing all of that straight away has drained my magic reserves quite a bit. So if you'll please excuse me". The young woman then turned and left through another door that only just appeared.
To Be Continued