Son of the Hero King

Gretel the witch

Hansel the scientist

Nent the Phoenix.

This was a story that began like a bad joke.

Even now, 700 years later, Nent could remember it vividly. How they meet at Crossroads, in the Astral realm, after Hansel followed his sister into the Astral realm.

How the three of them became friends thanks to Gretel's relentless probing and joy of life.

Even though the girl was a witch, she showed none of the solemnity witches were known for. Though she was as eccentric as the best of them.

Hansel meanwhile was a shy young genius who wanted to revolutionize the world through science. He wished to bring Luxuria and the world in general to the same technological level as Slothein, the flying city of angels.

Despite how he acted, he was a man of great determination and big dreams. Something Nent respected very much.

Sadly, the shy stuttering young man was no more.

—

“Nent…”

“Hansel.”

Standing in the void, two old friends who had not seen each other since seven hundred years ago finally faced each other.

“You are as beautiful as I remember. Then again, I guess that for a Phoenix, time is meaningless.”

Nent stayed silent for a while, “You have changed.”

“Heh. I guess getting executed and then crawling out of the Underworld would do that to anyone. Though, I am not the only one who changed. Isn’t it the same for you?”

Natural undeads were different from those created by a necromancer. They were the result of much resentment and stubbornness. The strength of will necessary to defy death itself was impressive.

Nent could give no retort. She had indeed changed greatly over the course of those seven hundred years. The warrior who could confidently say that the world was a beautiful place was no more.

In its place was a jaded and cynical woman who hurt many of the people close to her.

But…She was changing once again.

“I will change again.”

“Indeed. I saw you use your power. Changing and growing is the greatest benefit the living can have. Undead has hard time growing. After all, we are already dead.”

Once the personality of an undead was set, it was basically impossible for it to change. Furthermore, since they were dead, undead did not absorb new knowledge very well.

Growth and change were the luxuries of living.

This was why the undead resented the living.

The discussion between Nent and Drei, or rather, Hansel was calm and composed. Which contrasted greatly with the chaos of the battlefield.

But never of them cared. Never of them moved. This was a decisive moment,

“It’s still not late. You can still join hands with us. For a world of true freedom. For a world where everyone is really born equal. Do you not resent the goddesses? Do you not wish to break free from them? Work with us and I am sure we can bring great change to this world.”

“Do you truly believe that?”

Nent could feel that Hansel’s emotions were going out of order. “For you who lived so long! You should understand, right!? The longer you live, the more you realize that the only things that truly exist in this reality are merely pain. suffering and futility.

We are toys! Mere playthings destined to be used for the enjoyment of those above. I hate such a world. I wish to destroy such a world and with Nihil at our helm…We will create a new world.”

“So, your solution is to bring a great war once again?”

“War has never ceased. We are merely taking off the hypocritical veil of peace this world was hiding behind.”

“Hahahah.”

Nent chuckled, “I hate the goddesses. For them, we are nothing more than playthings born for their amusements. I hate them from the deepest part of my heart. I hate the limitations that were put in this world.”

“Then, Nent. Will you join us?”

Nent ignored the soliciting hand of Hansel and continued, “I indeed hate this world. I also want to change this world. But…I will not follow you.”

Hansel hand froze, “Then…Do you wish to stay a slave of the goddesses all your life?”

She shook her head, “I have no loyalty to them. The only ones I am loyal to are my are my own ideals.”

Her golden eyes shone with splendor, “I have already found my way. I already made my bet and I have no intention to go back on it.”

“...”

“....”

“I see.”

She looked at her surroundings, the sight of war. Something so familiar that she was sick of it.

“Hansel. No, the Hansel I know died seven hundred years ago. Drei. I do not hate you. It's nothing but our different ideals that make us stand against each other.”

She looked up at him with pity, “Wake up to reality. Whether the goddesses exist or not, a world of true equality cannot come to be as long as free will exists. People are not born equals and duality is something that cannot be erased.”

Lightning began to crackle all around her, “Everywhere you look in this world, wherever there is light, there will always be shadows to be found as well. As long as there is a concept of victors, the vanquished will also exist.

The selfish intent of wanting to preserve peace initiates war. and hatred is born in order to protect love. There are nexuses causal relationships that cannot be separated. True freedom cannot exist. Your goal is flawed from the start.”

Flaming wings covered in lightning grew out of her back and her aura seemed to rush to the sky.

“Hansel. No, Drei, member of the Wings of Freedom. As one of the divine beasts, I shall erase you from this world.”

Drei’s hand lowered. Despair clouded his mind and his already wounded soul began to crack even more.

“I see. It seems like Nihil was indeed right. I have been wasting my time.”

He looked up at Nent. He was currently using his true body and as such was very vulnerable right now. But Drei did not care.

One of the obsessions that have allowed his immortal soul to keep in shape was Nent and now that obsession was broken. With his soul as broken as it was now.

Drei knew that he did not have much long to live. This battlefield might very well be his final resting place.

But Drei did not care.

He had already faced death once and was ready to do so again.

[Zone: Requiem of Zero] [1]

If he had to die, then he would simply bring down as many people as possible with him.

‘I am sorry Nihil. It seems like I won’t be able to see the world you want to create.’

This was really a shame.

[1]: As a reminder, Nihil means Zero.

(AN: Man, Nent is one of the characters I think had the most startling growth in my hand. I wonder what you think of her discussion with Drei? Fight-wise, I think the fight won’t last more than two chapters max. Most likely it will end .

What do you think of the war as it is currently? I did use some references from an epic speech in anime.)