ACE OF FATE

Chapter 28: The Truth Never Lies

Chapter 28: The Truth Never Lies

Kimiko's eyes widened, a bead of sweat forming on her brow as she felt uneasy at the weight of Ewan's power. "Please forgive me; I didn't know he was your brother," she said hastily, her usual composure slipping.

As quickly as it had appeared, Ewan's aura dissipated. "Oh... please forgive me too. Anger got the best of me," he said, regret coloring his tone.

Kimiko wiped her sweat and took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. The display of power had shaken her, reminding her of the vast difference in their abilities. She was a skilled ninja and spy, but against a Zor user of Ewan's caliber, her skills paled in comparison.

"I understand..." Kimiko said, her voice slightly unsteady. "But can I ask why you said he is alive?"

Ewan's expression became thoughtful, his mind racing. "If Felix hasn't told her, it means he wants to keep it a secret. But who is she? His girlfriend?" He almost chuckled at the thought. "Nah, that Puddingbrain probably doesn't even know what that is. But I'm glad he made it out safely."

Aloud, he said, "I will tell you what you need to know, but first, I want to hear your side of the story; then I'll decide."

Kimiko nodded, realizing she had little choice. "Then I guess I have no choice..." she conceded, acutely aware of he possessed superior abilities and that she was less a guest and more a captive in Ewan's presence.

"So... where do I begin?" Kimiko asks.

Ewan smiled gently, his demeanor shifting to one of reassurance. "Oh, you don't need to tell me right now; you just woke up after all," he said softly. "Please rest and take your time. Then we can begin."

Curiosity sparked within Kimiko as she glanced at Ewan's arm—the one Virk had severed during their fierce battle.

"By the way," she ventured cautiously, "I've been meaning to ask how you got your lost arm back?" Her finger pointed instinctively at the healed limb.

"I gained a bit of consciousness when you were fighting and saw that you had lost an arm," Kimiko added.

Ewan chuckled lightly, rotating his shoulder with ease as if showcasing a trophy. "Oh, this... I guess you haven't seen someone who has achieved their Shakti," he replied casually.

"Achieved their Shakti? I know what a Shakti is but..." Kimiko trailed off, puzzled by the implications.

"But you didn't know that anyone who achieves their Shakti has their body auto-heal and auto-regenerate," Ewan clarified, his tone shifting to one of earnest explanation. "Although regeneration does take time; if you unlock your Shakti after losing part of your body, you can't recover it." He paused for effect before adding thoughtfully, "Unless someone has a healing Zor release."

"Well, I'll see you in a few hours; I need to check if the patientless wolf has returned or not," Ewan said as he walked toward the door.

[Click-Creak-Clack]

As Ewan exited, Kimiko felt a surge of determination rising within her. I should explore this place; I might find a way to tell Lady Miku what's happening, she thought resolutely.

As Kimiko stepped out of the room, she found herself in a corridor that seemed to stretch endlessly in both directions. The walls and floor were adorned in warm, faded colors, remnants of a once-grand estate. The air was thick with the scent of age and forgotten memories.

Her eyes swept over the remnants of past opulence: an overturned chaise lounge here, a shattered chandelier there, all draped in layers of dust like ghosts of a bygone era. The corridor whispered tales of long-lost grandeur, each piece of broken furniture a Chapter in a story of decline.

Kimiko chose the right path, her footsteps echoing softly in the empty hallway. As she walked, she felt the weight of unseen eyes upon her. Faded portraits lined the walls, their subjects seeming to follow her every move with lifeless gazes. The effect was unsettling, a mixture of awe at the mansion's former glory and trepidation at its current state of decay.

"I can't waste time walking here," Kimiko thought, her mind racing. "I need to find that man and ask him why he saved me."@@@@

[Whoosh]

With a sudden burst of speed, Kimiko blurred as she dashed down the corridor. In mere seconds, she found herself at the heart of the mansion where a grand staircase dominated the space. She was still on the second floor; to reach the upper floor there were other stairs at the end of the corridor.

Mansions like these were considered normal for wealthy people living in Pandora; the real treasures were those owned by nobles—twice the size and beauty. Kimiko wondered why they had left this mansion; perhaps they had acquired another one or maybe its owner perished in the disaster that occurred in Pandora twelve years ago.

The staircase was a testament to craftsmanship from a bygone era. Each step was adorned with intricate carvings telling stories from a time when laughter and music filled these now-silent halls. Despite much decay claiming parts of the mansion, the staircase retained haunting beauty—a reminder of grandeur that once was.

As Kimiko stood before the staircase, anticipation built within her. Whatever answers she sought—whatever truths Ewan held about Felix—she placed her foot on the first step, ready to descend into the unknown and unravel the mysteries that had brought her here.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she looked at the massive door at the end of the grand hall. That must be the exit, she thought.

[Whoosh-Creak]

She appeared next to the door and opened it slowly. When it opened just enough for her to pass through, she tried putting her right foot forward.

[Thrum]

Kimiko couldn't believe what she was reading. "This information is not available in any other kingdom—at least not in Higashihara. I guess they didn't share any of this because they could have held Pandora responsible for the birth of the Kaals; that's why I think they must not have shared it."

"Whoever owned this mansion must have been a minister in close circles with the previous Royal King of Pandora; that's why this diary is here."

"Then, I suppose The Draconis Empire also knew about this, as their bond with Pandora was very strong."

"All this information is just too much," Kimiko thought, overwhelmed by the possibilities that had occurred and could have occurred.

She glanced back at the book. "Let's see..."

"Breakthrough! Today... we witnessed the first successful transfer of Zor energy... The subject... a young man named Claude... his body pulsing with a purple smokey aura... His laughter of joy echoed through the underground chamber... For a moment... I saw the future of Pandora in his eyes..."

"What I didn't know was that Zor energy is like a chrysalis... no one knows when the butterfly may emerge from it... or if it may never come out at all—which would mean a failed eclosion..."

"Furthermore, Zor energy was a blessing given to us by God when He created us. If we try to change God's rules, it won't affect Him; it will only put us in danger and make us suffer..."

"So, when Norman started these tests... people became enveloped in a purple energy... This marked the birth of the first Kaals..."

"I was very happy... This made him believe that now Pandora would be even more powerful than The Draconis Empire... But fate had something else in store for Pandora..."

"The people weren't happy that those with this newfound energy were getting more attention than they were... so a rebellion started..."

"It was led by none other than my older son... who believed he deserved the title but found it given to his half-brother... who was also one of the new users of this newfound power..."

"There was also another issue... I quickly learned that the people we helped gain this new power were dying... Only 5% of them were able to maintain and control it..."

"The remaining 95% couldn't do so; they started dying within 7-8 months of acquiring this new energy..."

"By then, more than half of the Zorless population had been given that power..."

"Agh, why is this text blurry here?" Kimiko said, feeling a bit frustrated as some parts were unreadable. She squinted at the faded ink, her fingers brushing against the pages.

"I held my son in my arms... His last words were not of forgiveness, but of bitter accusation... 'You did this to us, Father.' The crown weighs heavier than ever on my head..."

"Grief was everywhere... and my son, who was supposed to take the title, also died... Now the son who started the rebellion has assumed it..."

"I see... faces in the dark... accusing, pleading... Norman assures me all is well, but I cannot shake this feeling of dread... The purple that once seemed so beautiful now looks sickly to my eyes... What have we done?"

"The kingdom's streets are littered with bodies—men, women... children."

"Gasp..." Kimiko inhaled sharply as her eyes widened in disbelief. She could only imagine the horror of these events.

"I ordered Norman's execution. When he was captured, Norman confessed that he knew from the start that people would die from this new power during testing... But he never told me..."

"When Norman was arrested... he told me... 'This is a necessary sacrifice. With this power, we can become gods...'"

"The streets run with blood—blood that is on my hands... I sought to create a utopia and instead birthed a nightmare... To whoever finds this diary, please don't do what I did... Don't try to change something that is not yours... Power and Love, when forced, become a poison..."

"So now I should meet my end in this place—my secret manor—as pathetic as I am... as a King..."

"As I write these final words..."

"I can only..."

"Pray for hope... for this kingdom..."

[Thud]

The diary that Kimiko was holding dropped to the ground. She couldn't believe that the Kaals were the creation of Pandora. Now she had to decide whether to leak the information that the Kaals were made by Pandora.

If she did, every other kingdom would wage war against them. Should she keep this a secret and consult with Miku about what to do? After all, people suffered everywhere because of the Kaals.