Lucino's Secret

I never understood what I truly faced until that moment.  I didn't understand what I was warned of until then.  Because it all lead back to those careful words that I always had once feared.

Death.

Her death

And the moment she said those words I truly gasped.

I didn't understand.
I thought Levy told me he loved her.

How could anyone not love her though??

It filled me with anger.

It wasn't until later I found out the exact conversation she overheard and this time it was word for word:

"That girl, there is something suspicious about her." Lucino happened to laugh dryly,

"That is why I have been keeping her here. I'm grateful Zestrella befriended her though, being with her was so bothersome. After awhile she got boring and dull." He let out an everlasting long sigh,

"She makes stupid faces and it doesn't make sense. But Zestrella told me to not hurt the girl because she is in love with me apparently."

The advisor looked at him, "Sir what are you going to do now? I thought you were going to marry her?"

"No," he shook his head, "You misheard. I was talking about Zestrella."

Levy's figure crumbled and with her remaining energy she ran to me.

In my arms, I held her tightly.  I won't let you die.

You will live.

And you will survive.

I promise.

But promises doesn't mean that it won't happen.  It just means you really want to prevent it or make something happen instead.  And broken promises can always happen and in times like these, someone always blames another for breaking the promise.

In this case I am the one who blamed someone for breaking it.

For I blame myself.

...

I saw Levy about fall over from all the emotions she was feeling.  I rushed over and caught her.  She turned to me with a sad expression.

I only mirrored it, "He's marrying her, Levy.  How could he after all that time he spent with you?!" I exclaimed, but she had no words to say not could she answer my question.

"I thought..." I even began to cry for her, "I thought you said he loved you?!" I leaned by head over her shoulder, "I can't lose you."

Levy shrugged.  'I heard him say that but I have no idea what happened since.' She lowered her head, 'What if he decides he didn't like me.'

I shook my head, "None of that.  Don't you worry, Levy." I told her definitely.  "I'll protect you and make sure he'll won't marry.  I... I'll give him something so that he'll only have eyes for you!" I decided to make it better.

All that matters is that she lives and is happy.

Levy stared at me with confusion and shook her head.

'No!  It won't be right.' she seemed to be staring at me with a fierce expression, 'I won't accept this with a love potion.'

I forgot that she was naive about certain things.  I forgot how she didn't like methods like that.  It wasn't necessary evil, but in the grey area.
And I am a lot of grey.

"Then what are we supposed to do to stop it?" I turned to her in exclamation.

She looked down, saying nothing.

"Alright..." I whispered, "I'll kill him.  I'll take his life so that you'll live."

She widen her eyes and shook her head indefinitely.

'NO! Please I won't be able to live with myself if that's the way I am still here,'

I sighed, "Well why not?! Would you rather die?!" I looked at her, "I don't care what it takes.  I will save you!  I promise you.  I got you into this mess, so I must get you out of it before it's too late."

She looked down, 'I'm sorry but I'll just feel guilty and bad if you do.  You worry about me so much, but I give you nothing in return. 

Levy laid her hands together, 'Sometimes I wonder if it is guilt because I brought you into a new world where I befriended you despite everyone else's expectations.'

I frowned, "What if I kill Zestrella?"

She shook her head, 'She has nothing to do with it and he can just find someone else.'

I sighed, she was right about Zestrella.

I didn't know what to do.

"I'll figure something out." I told her by her side, "We always do."

That made her smile.

She sat by my side with feelings of loneliness.  She didn't want to hurt anyone in replace of her.

"How is it he doesn't care?!" I shouted loudly, not caring who would hear.  "You are beautiful and wonderful in so many ways.  You're not dull nor boring.  I love spending time with you because you make life so fun and worthwhile.  Every word you speak captures my gaze, I can't turn away." I shook my head just in disbelief.

Levy stared at me in wonder.  She turned away.

"I was sad these past few weeks here because you spent little time with me and I was afraid you would get married and forget about little me. That is what I always feared." I laid down in frustration.

"He must be very blind and is so not worth your time. He has been ignoring you ever since that girl arrived." I stopped myself to clarify something, "I'm not mad at Zestrella and honestly she doesn't even like him," I sighed.

Levy stared at me and I saw her cheeks turn darker.  Was Levy blushing at my words?

She mouthed a 'thank you,' anyways.  Levy then leaned into me as sadness enveloped her more.

I turned to her again, "What do you want to do? If you want to find a way to reverse this, I will help you. If you can't bare to kill any of them then I will stay here with you." I decided after almost all my suggestions were turned down.

She stared out the window and looked beyond the horizon where the sea was.  I closed my eyes and remembered that melody that she used to sing.  That is when I began to hum it softly. 

Lumi luma lei...

I just then saw something out there by the sea and ocean.

A voice whispered my name and I had to just follow it.  I had to see who it is.  What did that person or individual want.

What if it was Zestrella?  Excitement filled me with that thought.

If that is the case then maybe I could ask her what I should do.

I might tell her a story even.  A fairytale some might call it now.

A fairytale that ruined me.

I left the room.  I left Levy who eventually fell asleep due to excess sadness.

I walked out until I found the beach.

But when I arrived, I did not find Zestrella.

I couldn't see anyone around on the sand.  It was just me there and my mind was playing tricks on me desperate for a solution.

I stared at the sea just sitting there.  I stared at the horizon that held deep but dark hues.  I stood there all alone.

I laid my hand in the water and the feeling came again. I didn't know what it was.

Was it homesickness?

Nostalgia?

Whatever it was, it made me stay.  That strange, foreign, but beautiful feeling made me stay anyways.

It wasn't until I realized that daytime happened and the warm, morning sunrise was rising up.

I know laugh at how I once thought it was magical.  Now I'm here desperate for a solution that will work.

But the only thing I can think of involves death.  But even if they die, she can't return to the sea nor speak again.

What the heart wants, shall never get.

That's something I knew.

Something I failed to learn.

Something that cost me in the end.

For my tragedy became a fairytale that was soon laughed at and obsessed over.

And me, well they called me a witch.

They weren't wrong, but they could have said it a little better.  I was hated beyond any reason anyone could muster.

Apparently just looking at them could cause great calamity and demise to occur.

I had spells and magic so strong that only evil can benefit from.

But above all, I no longer live at sea.

I have been banished and my kind-- the Ardizevepa are now wiped out for my sins that I caused them.

And I am the last Ardizevepa.

But it wasn't until I saw two figures pop out of the water that I realized there still may be hope

//Legend here,
shortish chapter but I didn't know what else to include \\