Phantom went back to the balcony and took deep breath of the cold night air. Luminous had done something to Phantom when he hit him at the back of his head. Whenever Phantom recalled about that moment, he could feel as though Luminous had struck him only moments ago. A sort of corrupting magic that grew in his mind until he could remember everything during the repetitions. For the first time, he had the knowledge to change the outcome of the night. It might be his only chance. His mind raced to figure out his next plan of action.

He must have done something when he hit me.
That sneaky bugger.
Now what?
Run straight to Cygnus of course.
But what if her knights show up?
Do I defeat them?
What if they are mind-controlled?
Injuring them would be a bad idea.
If there is no more chance to redo the night...
Stealthily I must move.
Like the shadows.
You can do this.
Master Thief.

Phantom's memories of the repetitions was a blessing and a curse. He had the knowledge of his enemies and the experience of facing different scenarios. But because he knew too much, he gained a visceral fear of failing. As that was all he remembered, failing. Making decisions almost seemed awkward to him. A part of him wished he had not remembered anything. He became hesitant as he grabbed onto the balcony railings.

I can just leave the island...
That way, I won't get caught in the time loop.
What will happen to Cygnus then?
Someone else's problem.
I can just side with the winning party...
Idiot! Why are you hesitating?
I must not run away.
I must not run away.
I must not run away.

Phantom leapt off the balcony and dived into the dark forest. His feet propelled him forwards automatically, while his mind was still in a dilemma. Navigating through the forest became second nature to him. He could probably do it with his eyes closed.

Phantom noticed someone waiting ahead of him. It was Irena. Phantom's mind was bombarded with questions; searching for the right method to handle the threat. But his mind could not keep up with him. He became distracted. He tripped and fell, tumbled and crashed onto the ground a few steps beside the archer. Phantom cursed at his own lack of focus. Irena just watched him. She covered her mouth and tried to hide her laugh.

"Oh look, its Oz," Phantom pointed to the trees behind Irena as a distraction.

Irena turned her horrified face around to look. Phantom moved in and quickly knocked her unconscious with a chop. Phantom caught her and slowly placed her body on the ground.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" Mihile appeared from dense forest.

"Wha!" Oz too, appeared.

Phantom froze in his tracks. There was no time to take down the two of them. So he ignored them. He ignored the two knights and just ran. The knights chased him. He smiled as he ran, realising what he had done wrong all this time. He didn't need to defeat the knights. All he needed to do was to reach Cygnus. He saw the forest opened up ahead. Several strides later, he stepped into Cygnus' garden.

Phantom finally did it. He finally caught up to Cygnus. But to his surprise, there was not one, but two Cygnus. They were facing each other. The normal looking Cygnus, dressed in her old clothes, had terror in her eyes. The other evil looking Cygnus, wearing a purple dress, wore a sinister smile on her face. Phantom's body moved instinctively, attacking the witch that haunted him in his nightmares. But the moment he swung his dagger at the back of the witch, her image disappeared. Her laughter echoed in the surroundings. The terrified Empress fell unconscious. Phantom dropped his dagger and caught her. Phantom knelt on the ground, holding Cygnus in his arms. The ground shook. He looked around for his pursuers. The two knights were unconscious too, lying on the ground nearby. Phantom just knelt there, trying to make sense of it all. He noticed the short staff on the ground which Cygnus was holding onto earlier. It looked like a heart staff. This did not surprised Phantom as he felt that Cygnus had always been the mage type.

Why? Why is Ereve still falling?
I defeated Evil Cygnus?
I saved the Real Cygnus?
Then why is this happening?
Is Ereve fated to fall?
Is it all done?
No more time loops?
What will happen when Shinsoo gives the signal?

The ground stopped shaking. Phantom waited for Shinsoo's cries. There was none. Phantom left the staff where it was, carried Cygnus and slowly made his way back to the palace. In the palace, all the inhabitants that were once chanting were now all unconscious. In hallway leading to Cygnus' bedroom, he met Mercedes. She was wearing an evening gown. She was about to give an earful about Phantom's letter, but remained silent when she saw Phantom's crestfallen face.

She waited for Phantom to place the Empress in her bed before asking. "What happened?"

"Some strange things happened." Phantom sat on the bed and wiped his brow before continuing. "When I arrived, the Cygnus Knights suddenly attacked me. I ignored them and ran towards Cygnus to ensure her safety. At her garden, I saw Cygnus and her doppelganger. Her doppelganger looked like she was about to attack Cygnus. So I attacked her. She suddenly disappeared before my very eyes. Then, everyone fell unconscious and Ereve fell out of the sky."

"What?" Mercedes was confused.

Evan then walked into the bedroom as the door was left open. "Woah."

"Evan, write down what I am about to say," Phantom instructed Evan.

Evan hesitated for a while before getting some writing materials from the table nearby. Phantom then repeated what he told Mercedes, but with more details. He completely left out the time loops he experienced. After he finished, he walked towards the balcony.

"Where are you going?" Mercedes asked.

"I don't feel so well. I'll be at my ship," Phantom replied before disappearing from the balcony leaving an after image of cards falling to the floor.

The Lumiere could be seen cruising away from the palace.

"What the heck is going on?" Mercedes wondered.

Back on Lumiere, Phantom immediately retreated to the Forecastle and collapsed on his bed. It wasn't because he was tired from not being able to sleep during the time loops. It was the mental exhaustion of repeating the same night for weeks. Phantom slept for two days. When he woke up, it was in the evening; the sky was red. He looked out the window, down at Ereve. There was chaos. Hundreds of people were scattered around the palace grounds. Cygnus Knights, Explorers, and The Resistance were all on standby. Was there a war about happen? Phantom wondered.

Gaston walked into the room. "You have been asleep for almost two days."

"What's happening down there?" Phantom asked his butler.

"Nothing. Everyone is just being paranoid that an unknown enemy had somehow attacked Ereve. They are all waiting for this unknown enemy to suddenly pop out of nowhere. There is a rumour that this 'enemy' is you."

"And Cygnus?"

"She is still unconscious. Along with Shinsoo. The rest of the island's inhabitants woke up the next day, unharmed."

Phantom had a quiet dinner on his ship. He could not leave the island as people would suspect him more. He needed answers. Maybe Luminous had some. After all he did help Phantom get out of the time loops. Phantom was sure Luminous had noticed something. Phantom waited for nightfall. He stood on the ship's deck, looking down at the rows of the palace windows. He noticed an odd light coming from one of the windows. There was a floating white orb in the room. It was as if Luminous was signalling him to come. Phantom leapt off deck and landed on a palace balcony crouching down. A bowgun was pressed against his forehead the moment he stood up.

"Where do you think you are going?" Mercedes asked.

Phantom leaned to his left to look behind the elf and took a peek into the bedroom. Cygnus was asleep in her bed. Irena, seated beside the bed, just woke up and wiped her drool. The broken mirror was removed from the room.

"Have you heard of the story: Sleeping Beauty?" Phantom asked.

Mercedes pulled the trigger. Phantom managed to dodge the arrow that whizzed pass his ear, slicing through some of his hair.

"Crazy elf!" Phantom words escaped his mouth.

"Why you..." the elf became more aggravated.

"Oh shit."

Phantom jumped off the balcony, with arrows hot on his trail. He leapt from balcony to balcony while dodging Mercedes' fury. He entered a room from one of the balconies. He checked his bearings and calculated the location of the room with the white orb before proceeding. At the hallways he met a few guards.

"Good evening gentlemen," Phantom greeted them and walked away quickly before they could get a word out.

The guards muttered to themselves behind Phantom's back. Phantom reached the room at the end of the hallway and opened the door. Luminous' back was facing the door. He was sitting on the floor in the middle of the empty room. It looked like he was meditating. In front of him, was a white floating orb of light. On the floor beside him, was Cygnus' heart staff.

"Quite an unbelievable story you left behind," said Luminous.

"Yeah. I don't believe it either." Phantom closed the door and walked beside Luminous to get a look of his face.

Luminous glanced back at Phantom. "Anything else you left out?" the mage asked.

"Can I wait for Cygnus' side of the story first?"

"If she doesn't wake up?"

"Why won't she?"

"Half her magic is gone. I could even say half her soul is missing."

"Even if I told you, would you believe me?"

"No."

"I'll wait then."

"Fair enough."

Several guards came, bursting the door open.

"Yes?" Luminous asked.

Phantom was long gone.

A few days later, Cygnus finally regained consciousness. Luminous escorted Phantom though the palace hallway, walking pass the ever suspecting guards.

"She won't tell us anything. But maybe, she will tell you," Luminous said.

They reached the Empress' bedroom. Luminous knocked on the door. Mercedes opened it. She had a displeased look when she saw Phantom. Mercedes stepped aside to let them in.

"The two of them. Alone," Luminous said.

The elf reluctantly left the room with Irena. Phantom entered the bedroom.

"If you touch the bed, I will blow a hole in the wall, and you along with it," Luminous warned Phantom before closing the bedroom door.

Phantom was left all alone with Cygnus in her bedroom. She was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees, staring into blank space.

"You can tell me anything," Phantom said.

Cygnus remained silent.

"Do you remember anything?" Phantom asked.

Cygnus continued to remain silent.

"Do you remember running?"

Cygnus turned her head to look at Phantom.

Author's notes:

It happens to me quite often. After sticking with an idea for a while, after thinking about the same idea repeatedly, it doesn't feel like a good idea anymore.
But I still continue. A curiosity of wanting to know what the finished product looks like.

To be continued-

(25 JAN 2015)