CATMAN - 13 The Thing

It was twenty years ago, the world was in chaos after the discovery of magic. It was just like a dream, no one knew how it came into existence but it came nonetheless.

There was a struggle for power. Everyone wanted to reign supreme which led to a massive war that broke and fixed the world for either good or bad.

The stench of blood lingered everywhere one could go and the paths were filled with corpses of people, including normal citizens who didn’t want anything to do with war.

The Earth had degraded but rotten hearts still fought and fought and fought. Even after a year of constant battle, no country reigned supreme as the pile of the body grew larger and larger in size.

Officials to soldiers, businessman to the farmer, everyone was dragged into the mess and had just bled for nothing.

As the saying went, one thing only goes to the peak just to return. The heat of war started to cool down as well. Except few, many countries had come to an agreement and didn’t intend to continue the madness any further.

What was funny was that our country didn’t belong to that category. It was still embroiled in war, fighting the enemy nation for a core.

The core was the biggest spoil in a war. It could absorb the magical energy from nature and release it even more concentrated than before. The richness of Mana it could provide to any country was obvious and if used perfectly, it was the best foundation of magic for a country.

My grandfather too participated in the war. He wasn’t an average man and right after the magic was discovered, he used it to the best of his ability in but one year leading the country to the victories over victories in the battle.

It was a day before the conclusion of the war. The core that our country fought for was just before his eyes, it was within his grasp just when he heard the shocking news.

The enemy had infiltrated our capital using the underground tunnels and was creating havoc without any rest. He was right in front of the core which would no doubt have been the heart of his country but…he was in a dilemma.

Whether to take, or return?

If he had fought the enemy before him for the core then he would have won the core but at the last moment, he ordered every soldier to follow him to the capital.

The trophy was right in front of him but he still chose to return. Upon returning, he killed every enemy soldier, calming the riot in the capital.

He had carefully thought just to decide the answer. He knew what he had done, but he was proud of it.

The day later, he heard the news but it wasn’t too much of a shock for him. He already knew the result of his actions and seeing them written in the piece of paper didn’t change his mentality.

Our country won the battle…but lost the war…and core with it.

The government let my grandfather off without any punishment whatsoever considering his past achievements, but they took his title from him.

Just from one decision of his, he had turned from a ‘War God’ to a person everyone cursed.

Even after that, our country attempted many times to steal the core but every time after that was but a failure and many more strong soldiers died except for some old soldiers who by themselves decided not to participate.

After five years of discovery of magic, the world finally again bathed in peace and there was no battle after that. After that, humans started researching and progressing towards the magic which introduced the new era.

Great Magic Era!

Even though he had won so many battles, just because of that one time, his name was forever engraved in history as a loser.

I always asked him when I was little that why did he choose to do so if taking the core meant being respected by everyone. But all he did was dodge my question time and again or just kept quiet.

But I was a stubborn little child who always shook him for an answer. It had almost become a routine. I would ask and he would dodge it by saying something else every day.

I too had thought about giving up. If he didn’t want to reveal it then why would my stubbornness change anything?

But one day, he called me himself sitting on the floor and said what I had expected the least from him.

“You want to know why I chose to return instead of just seizing the core?” He asked.

I was taken in by surprise but I composed myself and nodded, “Yes, why did you do it? Because of that, you are only being badmouthed by others. If you have besieged the core then you’d have been praised by everyone.”

“That’s where you are wrong.” He said looking at me, “You are still young so you will not understand my reasons, but I will tell you this…even if I had besieged the core, they would still curse me.”

“Curse you even if you had besieged the core?”

I racked my brain all night to know what he meant but my thinking was still like that of a child. So, I couldn’t come up with an answer and decided to ask him the next day.

But little did I know that those were his last words and the night of the day he told me that, he had hung himself.

Everyone who knew him was shocked upon his death. Why did he decide to take his life now when he lived for fifteen years hearing all those curses and criticism?

No one knew the reason!

***

The horizon was enveloped in red as the sunset pretty early. It didn’t take too much for the disco ball as the moon to illuminate the clear sky alongside stars.

She was bathing inside the bathroom covered full of soap lathers when he entered the house and made himself comfortable on the couch throwing his socks below it.

“You’re back?” Rebecca asked from the shower.

“Yes, ” Licht; her brother replied. He then looked at the clock hanging on the wall and asked, “It’s already 7:30 and he isn’t back yet. Is father on another demonic beast hunt?”

“Yes.”

“How many days till the old man comes again?” Licht asked.

“Two or so.” She replied.

“I see.” Licht sighed, “So, I have to work again for two days? My life sucks.”

Licht was lazy and sought every gap to avoid working too much. He was more interested in knowledge and information rather than work. But nowadays, his every plan of running from the work was on a failing streak because of Rebecca running on him and leaving him with all the work.

“Hey, Rey, want to hear good news and bad news?” Licht asked.

“Hmm? Start with good news?” She said as she turned up the shower and pulled the towel wiping herself.

“Good news is, you’re finally being kicked out from the organization for neglecting your duties.”

“W-What? Kicking me out? Who the hell decided that? Isn’t it bad news then?… What’s the bad news?” She asked.

“Bad news is, I was the one who suggested it,” Licht said.

“You backstabbing bastard. What did you say? I worked so hard for the position of executive fulfilling many missions and because of you they are kicking me out…? I guess I will have to ask God for forgiveness.” Rebecca said.

“Hah…asking for forgiveness now after neglecting your duties? Even the forgiveness of God can’t save you from being kicked out.” He said as he turned on the TV.

“I was saying that I would ask forgiveness from God for killing you.” She said.

“Hahaha. Don’t make me laugh. First, kill all the cockroaches in the house before you even think of killing me.”

“You…” She paused for a moment before saying, “Every cockroach is dead except you!”

“You…sigh~ Forget it, arguing with a dumb person is pointless.” He said as he watched television.

All dressed, she came out of the bathroom with a wet towel on her head, “Say…about the guy I wanted to recommend…”

“Yeah, I thought about it and decided to go along with it.” He said.

“You will recommend him? Why did you change your mind so suddenly?” she asked.

“Well, if you recommend him, the executives will know he is trash one way or another who can’t even do anything which will only shorten your time at the organization. Hahaha, so why shouldn’t I comply if it shows that you aren’t suited to be executive and need to be thrown out of the organization?” He said laughing.

“Let me tell you this, he isn’t what you think he is. Even without magic, he beat three Talents in a single day.” She said as she sat on the couch beside him.

“He did?” Licht didn’t believe her as it was unheard of. He though acted surprised and said, “Then, take him to the organization and make him join right away.”

Hehehe. Using this, I will kick her out of the organization in a few days and after she’s gone, I’ll become executive filling the post. Then I can slack all I can. Hahaha, I am truly a genius.

“I know what you’re thinking but he’s the exact opposite.” She said, “And I still have to properly talk to him.”

“You haven’t talked to him and you are expecting him to join us? Get real. You can’t force someone in joining the organization or they will kick you o…yes, force him to join us.”

“I have just the thing for that. From what I have planned, I don’t have to go and talk to him anymore. He’ll come to me himself tomorrow.” She said

“He’ll come to you? How?” Light asked.

She chuckled before she took out a pendant from her pocket, “Because of this.”

“It fell from his pocket when he shoved my hands away and went…so, I swiped it away and I will have to teach him how to respect girls as well. But for now, I know this pendant will make him come to me.”

“Someone doesn’t respect you…he shoves your hand and he’s trash and you are still recommending him? Well not that I am complaining since you’re about to be kicked in one week.” Licht said.

“Don’t talk about it.” She said as she sighed deeply, “Change the channel, My favorite show ‘Ruling Maiden’ is being broadcasted right now.”

“No, I’m going to watch this detective movie.” He said.

“Change it!”

“Back off! I am watching the movie and you ain’t getting any remote till I watch it completely.” Licht said.

“Oh really?” She looked at Licht with a gentle smile on her face.

“What? What’re you looking at? Do you want a fight? If it is a fight that you want then it is a fight that you’ll get.”

BAM~ BAM~ BAM~

“Here, here’s is the remote.”

“My, what a caring brother you are.” She said as she chuckled lightly.

“Tsk…” Licht clicked his tongue.

“Any problem?”

“No, No. What problem can this lowly me have? I am all fine. Does her highness want juice as well?” He said.

“Yes, Orange juice.”

“Then make it yourself,” Licht said.

“What?”

“I was saying I’m bringing it right now.”

Licht said and stood up from the couch just when he heard the doorbell ring.

Cring~ Cring~

“Yeah, yeah, I am coming, ” Licht said as he happily walked to the door and opened it.

“I haven’t seen you here before.” His eyebrows narrowed seeing the person at his doorstep, “Who are you?”