Chapter 0.2: The Lamentation of the Kind Man

You can do everything you can to save the world.

You can have a fulfilling life with friends and loved ones standing by your side.

But sometimes no amount of goodwill can save you. One mistake is all it takes to turn every good deed into a forgotten memory.

Never should someone have to fear opening their eyes, just to see the sun burning out before them, their bodies embracing the nothingness of eternity.

So did these and many others thoughts go through Sarajin's head as he was brought into the void, awaiting his final judgment.

It was just yesterday he was here, defending his friend from judgment. That felt so long ago now, and he changed so much in such a short time that his heartbeat was the only thing he still felt familiar with.

Justek was still bound in chains. The soul of Sirius had faded into the bodies of its two halves, now unconscious on the floor.

Neither of them spoke a word to one another. Justek's stoicism breaking was enough to send a message.

The shadow cast by Futanji was thicker and harsher than usual, his gaze withered with detachment, seemingly struggling to avoid casting judgment in a biased manner.

With a deep breath, the dragon pondered the circumstances he had to surrender himself to, and then spoke with a clear and concise voice, magnified with a strict baritone.

"Solomon Stratos…and Sarajin Stratos. For disrupting the balance of countless worlds with your battle, and irreversibly altering the course and biomes of many celestial bodies, you now stand before the gaze of your Judge."

"Your judgment shall not be weighed in equal measure…depending on how you answer for your crimes."

Sarajin felt a mild twinge of relief over the dragon's gaze brushing in Solomon's direction first.

"Well, 'Dark King'...what do you have to say for yourself?"

Solomon's eyes were on fire, fighting back this divine being's attempt to oppress him with ferocity unmatched by any dying star.

"Tell me…'creator'...Do you have a heart?"

"Be grateful I do."

"I am. Because of it…you FEAR me. Or perhaps…something else."

"I heard a voice. A tempter curling its tongue at the back of my throat."

"And the more darkness I devoured, the clearer its form became."

"I saw bones of ghastly white sprawled across the walls of our universe, rattling with laughter, its length beyond measurement."

"It was bound." As Solomon's eyes narrowed, Futanji went eerily silent.

"So if that is the case…" He widened his eyes and yelled, "Then how does that very same creature stand before me?!"

"...And the relevancy of this matter?"

"I deny the legitimacy of your role as creator, and so deny your judgment as well!"

"A full admission of guilt then."

"Guilt?! Ha! How rubbish…" He managed to lunge his head out against these tight bindings and shout, "I am not comparable to those very ants that litter your lands of lies!"

"Humanity looked inside of themselves and felt a lie in their soul, and so requested me! AND I ANSWERED!"

"My very existence is DEFINED by the darkness grown under the oppressive shadows you've placed over humanity!"

"So to judge me, is to judge yourself…! And you do. You doubt. While I…am UNFALTERING."

"This vulnerability is temporary. The moment I rise to my feet again is when your claim of superiority shall come crashing down."

"Then you shall do so flailing pitifully as a formless shadow. Your fate has been chosen. You shall be executed."

Solomon briefly shivered at the dragon's unflinching verdict.

"You cannot silence the voices that cry out their desires."

"You do NOT speak for humanity, creature. You speak for NOTHING. And so I do not care if you die kneeling, or screaming."

"You have shown the value of your character. Empty. Hollow. Much like the throat of the beast who tempted you."

Futanji turned his gaze away from him and unto Sarajin, causing Solomon to feel utterly livid and attempt to reach out to one beside him.

"This is all a fool's game, Sarajin! They only bind us because they know our power is superior to theirs!"

"That is why they struck while we were vulnerable! That is why we can break free!"

"So let us do so, and continue our endless battle!"

Taking a moment to catch his breath and push the darkness' voice out of his focus, Futanji then whispered to Sarajin, "...It should never have come to this. But…I am offering you a chance for mercy. How much guilt are you willing to bear, Sarajin Stratos?"

Sarajin remained relaxed, but silent.

Futanji showed mild impatience at the delay, but resisted acting out upon it.

The one who spoke out, much to the dragon's surprise, was Justek.

"If I can be allowed to speak in his defense."

The dragon turned his gaze ever slightly and remarked, "Your judgment is compromised."

Solomon added, "And irrelevant."

Justek glared at him and chuckled dryly, "Yes, I suppose a bastard half-breed wouldn't have much to offer."

Justek then looked at Futanji and remarked, "But as a friend, I have but one question to pose to you, oh mighty 'creator'."

"How many died because of Sarajin's efforts to stop Solomon?"

"The consequences of the chaos unleashed by the influence of their battle has yet to be calculated."

"But you CAN calculate how many lives would have been lost had Sarajin done nothing, no?"

"...Too many to measure." Futanji admitted with a great deal of reluctance.

Justek then glared at him and remarked, "If you truly have a heart, and are not merely some autonomous omnipotent machine, then PROVE IT."

"Sarajin has risen to the occasion at your request or by his own will countless times. He does not deserve your callous judgment."

"Justek, stop." Was the first thing Sarajin spoke, his voice choked up but his face wearing a smile of serenity.

He looked at the ground with a heavy head of shame as he began talking, "...After I left here…my mom's illnesses finally caught up to her."

"Between that and you, I was tired, angry…confused. Like everything was crashing down around me."

"And I…I was going to kill Borealis just to take control back…If Solomon hadn't done so first."

"All these years later and I could still turn out like that same ugly person who murdered all those people in cold blood."

Justek reached out to him softly, "So what? You have been nothing but helpful to others."

"I know, I know…I'm never going to forget the lives I've changed for the better," Sarajin said with a smile pointing his friend's way, "But…ultimately…"

"This power and me…we're never meant to be together. I see that clearly now."

He then raised his head towards Futanji, "So if sentencing me to your judgment will keep this power out of the wrong hands…I-I accept that."

He then closed his eyes and smiled brighter, choking up on the inside as tears rolled down his cheeks, "At least…I tried my best to help."

"..." Futanji closed his eyes and tried to deliberate on what to do next.

Meanwhile, Solomon continued to lash out in impotent rage, "So you will surrender to them just like THAT?!"

He then tried to drag himself up onto his feet and unleashed his darkness to try and shatter the chains, his disappointment at Sarajin scathing, "Fine…! Then I am your proven superior, for I SHALL-"

"GHHHH…!" Solomon lurched back into silence and his darkness became nullified by Yen Sid stabbing his blade through his chest.

Yen Sid glared cold daggers through him and remained stiff as the darkness thrashed before him.

"Hrrrmmm…" Futanji focused upon this man accepting of his death, and felt every stretched out fiber of his being trembled with hesitation.

"Then…I shall heed your request, Sarajin Stratos. For the sake…of protecting the world from yourself, you shall be executed."

"Hold, Futanji."

Another voice, distorted with an otherworldly nature, descended from up high.

Even in this ascended plane of reality, there still seemed to be places that others could fall from.

And this being came cloaked in the simplest of brown cloaks, dangling around their being to make them take on the appearance of a specter.

But behind the shade of their hood was a distinctly human shape, their body surrounded by all manners of floating books.

With a pale gasp Futanji remarked, "Almighty…! Why…?"

Yen Sid immediately bowed and Futanji took actions resembling the same manner of respect.

"Rise. I am not here to address you both."

The being descended before Sarajin and left him feeling strange, as though he was meshing with energies that shouldn't exist. It was familiar and very…real.

The being flashed a grin and their eyes remained hidden under the rim of their hood.

They then gestured their hand out and remarked, "I go by many names. I am most commonly referred to as the Chronicler. But maybe you'd be more receptive towards…God."

"G-God…?" Sarajin muttered in reverence.

Solomon fought through the pain of pure light coursing through his being to declare, "You…are NOT God…!"

His voice was mixed with another's.

God glanced at him and then at Yen Sid to wonder, "Why is this dull being still allowed to speak?"

Yen Sid tore his sword from Solomon's body and then bound his face in more chains to muffle him for good.

"Better." God nodded.

God then looked at Sarajin, who could only gaze upon this being in wonder, "What does God…want with me?"

God sat down.

"Reconsider your position, Sarajin Stratos. Yes. You are not the right fit for these powers. But you have experience. Knowledge. Virtue."

"All stuff that could be passed down to a better person."

"You have been of great service to me, my child. So many 'Blanks' have been wiped off the face of the universe. Many 'Authors' dare not try to pollute my property."

"...To say nothing of all the other worlds you have aided, of course."

"The world is always changing, and it will go through some difficult times in the future. It will need a great hero once again. It will need…an Elemental Overlord."

Sarajin's eyes widened and then looked melancholic, as he turned away to think about it.

He shook his head and remarked, "It's too much of a risk. H-How could I find someone who can be trusted?"

"I'm sure your wife would be able to see who is perfectly suited for the role."

"I am already writing the scenario in my head. A chosen one, guided to seven temples, each containing a fragment of your power. He proves the strength of his character through many trials until bringing the fragments to you, upon which you will guide him through the course of his destiny."

"...Hmmm, maybe you're right. If Auris and I work together, we could set up a way for a successor to prove themselves."

"And I could get my friends to help out, and the Titans too-"

"Ah, see…that's going to be a problem." Spoke God with a whimsical tone

Sarajin flinched.

God then stood and remarked, "If you're willing to accept my bargain, then these trials will need to be set up on another world of my choosing."

"W-Why?" Sarajin uttered.

"You may have brought peace to your world, and undid the threat of the Rot, but there's no proof that everything won't repeat itself again."

"The temptation of power just within reach will complicate their recovery, or poison the minds of the potentially worthy."

Sarajin found this a bit suspicious, but didn't know why. God was thus prompted to remind him, "You are still being punished, Sarajin Stratos. Why would you think you'd have a choice in how it goes?"

"But you can trust me. Follow the guidance of my word and you shall be able to repent for the guilt you feel."

Sarajin took a moment to glance at Solomon and wonder, "What about him?"

"Hmmm…" God stared at the darkness and smirked, "I think we can make use of this creature. Yes. Yes. Every good tale needs a powerful adversary to overcome."

"We'll strip him of his flesh and bury his black drenched soul until the time is right."

Yen Sid had to stop and remark in a deeply curious voice, "That does not sound wise."

"Do not fret, Yen Sid. Have I ever led you astray? Of course not. I am God."

"I already have a perfect world in mind. One simple in design, with very little darkness for this creature to feast on, but enough virtue for a great hero to rise from."

Yen Sid tucked his hands into his sleeves and bowed.

God then asked of Futanji, "Do you have any objections to voice?"

The dragon remarked like an obedient servant, "None whatsoever."

God looked upon Sarajin once more and asked him, "What do you think? Doesn't this all sound satisfactory?"

"...I guess I already accepted that I'll never see my home again," Sarajin murmured aloud, before looking God in the eyes and telling him, "But if I'm going to do this, I want to see my friends and family one last time."

"I don't care. I will give you until the sun sets. Then, I shall have Yen Sid bring you to the world in question, with instructions on how to set everything up."

Sarajin suddenly had another realization, "Wait!"

He looked to his friend, who was restraining his own personal discomfort ever since God arrived, "What's going to happen to Justek?"

"Since you are being punished, I am going to have to change the arrangement of our bargain."

Sarajin's face turned pale as he knew full well that meant Justek's death was guaranteed…

Until the dragon continued speaking, "I will simply keep him within that cage among the stars along with his children. There, they can spend their days resting until the time of your successor. As he knows you best, he could make for a great advisor for them."

"Hrrrmmm…" Grumbled Justek.

"...And one last thing," Sarajin murmured, a hint of fright in his voice, "What will happen to…me?"

God raised his hand to silence the dragon's attempts to answer, providing one of his own, "You will never see your body again. But your spirit will live on, to be the voice that will advise your successor based on your past experiences."

"I…wow…ok. This is a lot to take in, but…" Sarajin caught his breath and coughed a couple times, "I'll do it. If you're going through this much effort for me, then it's probably the right way to go."

"I'm glad you see things my way," God said, with a smile curling under his shade, "Yen Sid. Undo his binds and return him to his world at once. I shall make my way to the planet of Plit to plot out the location of the temples."

God then disappeared in an instant.

And Yen Sid walked over to Sarajin and undid the chains with a wave of his hand. He then reached out to his shoulder and whispered sincerely, "I am sorry it had to be this way."

Sarajin hung his head and admitted, "It's not your fault…"

He then looked at Justek and told him in a tearful tone, "It should have never been me."

Justek furrowed his brows and bluntly whispered at him, "Don't be absurd. It could only ever be you."

Sarajin cracked a tiny smile and remarked as he was taken away, "...I'll see you again someday…elsewhere."

Justek knew this would truly be farewell this time. A fact lingering in his thoughts as he murmured with a bit of scorn in his voice, "I refuse to be an advisor to any successor."

"Hmmm?"

Justek raised his head and declared, "There will never be anyone else like Sarajin. You are a fool for even trying."

"I will not be put to rest. Keep me awake. I will spend every moment buried in my frustration and guilt."

"If that is what you want, very well." Futanji said with little care spared towards his animosity.

Justek kept mumbling to himself, "God…yet another force dragging my friend's good nature around. Where does this all end…?"

"Perhaps…my fight is not yet over after all."

Next Time: Choices