Chapter 18

After the war

A week after the great light happened, Niffa went back to Aldon with General Malta after they recovered some of the Aldonian people that Seres turned into evil soldiers. The Kingdom of Aldon is finally restored, she begins to rule the kingdom and peace surrounds them once again. She visits Thamali after a month after her coronation, she’s glad to see that the kingdom of Thamali went back to normal with the help of Merfoy’s power.

“I want to visit Samari too, Merfoy said that he finished renovating the kingdom,” Maru said as they sits on the platform and watch the young Thamalians trained by Liana on the battleground.

“Me neither, I always wanted to go there and return everything that Rico sacrificed for me,” Niffa said, her eyes sad longing to see him.

“Like what?” Maru asks.

“I don’t want to talk about it actually. By the way, Liana is such a great General I’m sure she will lead the future Thamalian soldiers someday,” Niffa said as she tried to smile watching the children and Liana below.

“Yeah, I’m embarrassed to say this but, she is way lot tougher and fiercer than me,” Maru said as they chuckled.

“Yes, she is,” Niffa said as she stands up.

“It’s nice to have a small talk with you Maru, at least I knew that I have friends in the near kingdom,” she said as she open her hands towards him.

“Of course, we are willing to help,” Maru said as he shake hands with her.

“Thank you Maru, I will come and take a visit again someday.”

She left Thamali as she ride on her horse, she always travels alone while wearing Rico’s dark cape. She saw the path going towards the river near the forest. She went down the river as she look around remembering her memories with Rico in the place. She stand near the cliff and control a spring rain, she closed her eyes as she felt the small raindrops on her face. She stops the rain as she smiled and saw the sunset. She hopped back in her horse.

“Such a weak rain,” a voice said from behind as she quickly look back, no one was around except for a squirrel roaming around collecting food in the woods.

“Rico?” she thought as she continue her way into the castle.

“Your highness, I’m glad you’re back where have you been?” General Malta asked as he approach her at the gate.

“I just visit the kingdom of Thamali. I’m glad their kingdom is at peace right now everything is turning back to normal,” she said as she went down from her horse.

“Merfoy just came here a while ago and he told me to give you this,” Malta handed her a scroll as she read it saying that she needs to go to Mt. Sadeste to meet Merfoy and discuss something important.

Niffa immediately fled to Mt. Sadeste, she saw the ocean around the place, and it was sparkling as she saw the stars and the moon shining so bright. She remembered what Rico told her that the blue flame is the moon keeper, she sigh as she pull herself together trying not to cry while thinking about it. She knock at the huge door and it opened instantly, she saw Merfoy sitting alone on the huge table as he uses his three-layered glasses while reading the magic book.

“You came earlier than I thought,” Merfoy said as he pull down his glasses to see her.

“I can’t wait to hear news from you Merfoy,” she said as she approach him.

“Well, come in and take a seat.” Merfoy removed his glasses as he turn some pages of the book.

“So what’s the news?” Niffa ask.

Merfoy showed her the magic book as she read the page. She was shocked to read the texts which indicate their past life like how she was trained by Rico during her childhood years and also how Rico becomes the violet-eyed sorcerer throughout the years.

“Merfoy? Why is it so late to be indicated in the magic book?” she asks as she points out the context.

“It’s because you ended the war, and you are no longer the hidden weapon. You also proved that you are the royalties to restore your kingdoms back,” Merfoy said as she nodded realizing everything.

“But I have a question, Seres is dead and you said you are connected with your brother so why are you still alive? It’s not that I’m expecting you to be dead but I’m just a little curious,” she said frowning.

“I got it. I know what you mean and the truth is, I’m just a spirit and not a flesh,” Merfoy said as he smiled at her. It wasn’t a pure smile of happiness, but he also seemed sad about that fact.

“What?! I don’t understand. So you mean you’re dead?! Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Niffa said as she stands up while looking at Merfoy frowning.

“I didn’t tell you about it, because I thought you already knew that this will happen,” Merfoy said as he close the magic book.

“No, I mean we know that your lives are connected but it’s hard to kill the other while we want to save the other,” Niffa said as she looked at him in a pitiful way.

“But it's life Niffa, we only have two choices, to live and to die,” he said as he walk towards the bookshelf.

“Can I ask you something?” Niffa ask as she seemed hesitant.

“Yes Niffa, what is it?” Merfoy said as he look back at her.

“The moon,” she said looking outside the window.

“What about it?” he asks.

“It’s so clear and bright. Tell me, is someone controlling it?” She said he can see the sadness in her eyes. Merfoy knew what she is talking about but he quickly look away from those teary eyes.

“If there is, then it should be the moon keeper,” he answered as he intend to walk upstairs.

“Rico is the moon keeper, right? Because of his blue flame?” Niffa asks once again.

“Niffa, are you still into Rico?” Merfoy ask.

She look down as her sight started to blur, and there was a drop of tears.

“How can I forget him? He saves my life and sacrifices everything. Tell me, can I not forget him?” she said trying not to burst into tears. She always wanted to keep her cool believing that she shouldn’t cry that much because Rico was still alive and to her, crying means grief.

“I’m so sorry Niffa, we cannot control our destiny all we have to do is to go with the flow,” Merfoy said as he takes his steps slowly.

“Tell me Merfoy, is Rico alive?” Niffa ask.

Merfoy sigh as he looks at Niffa’s teary eyes pitying her.

“Niffa, I’m sorry I don’t want to hurt your feelings more in answering that question,” he said as he keeps on taking his steps away from her.

“Then tell me something to do to forget him! Please! Cast a spell towards me to forget everything about him! It’s too painful Merfoy! I can’t take it anymore! Please,” Niffa pleaded as she lost control and burst into tears.

“Niffa I can’t do that, I’m sorry.”

“Please Merfoy.” Niffa cried kneeling on the floor. Merfoy sigh as he snaps his finger and Niffa falls asleep. Merfoy didn’t bother to wake her up as he went to his room. He snapped his fingers once again and he was standing on the grassy ground on top of a mountain. It was always dark in the place.

“How long until your spirit fades?” a tall man said sitting on the grassy ground while looking at the clear dark sky.

“I still have 2 years left before I totally disappear,” Merfoy answered.

“How is she? And the kingdoms?” he asked Merfoy once again. His voice seemed tired and sad.

“She’s busy, Aldon recovered and now she has the responsibility to be their queen. Thamali was doing great also, Maru is a good prince he’s tough too. The rest of the townspeople whom I recovered under Seres’ spell was in Veroma, I assigned a good leader so I don’t have to worry about it,” Merfoy answered as he sits with him crossing his legs together like the man’s position.

“That’s good news then,” he said as he look at him.

“Rico, If I were you I will tell her that I’m sealed in this mountain,” Merfoy said.

“Please don’t tell her that. In that case, she will wait for me, I don’t want her to wait for me,” Rico said as he keeps on pulling grasses and tossing them away.

“Rico, she can’t forget you,” Merfoy said trying to convince him.

“Merfoy, please do me a favor then,” Rico said in a serious manner.

“What?”

“Please make her forget about me. Cast her a spell if that’s what it takes,” Rico said as he sigh in devastation.

“For what reason Rico?” Merfoy asked as he frowned.

“Merfoy, I was sealed here and I can’t get out of this mountain and I don’t how long will it take. I know this is the consequence of sacrificing myself in the great light, besides I don’t want Niffa to wait for me.”

“She doesn’t know you were alive and sealed here at Mount Filli. All of them doesn’t have any idea about it,” Merfoy said.

Rico widened his eyes as he was supposed to shed tears but he pull himself up.

“That’s better than, maybe in that case she will easily forget about me. Then please don’t say that I’m alive,” Rico said as he fake a smile.

Merfoy let out a deep breath and leave him. He snapped his fingers and he’s back in his library. Niffa was not on the floor, he saw her on the balcony looking up at the moon. Her eyes were in tears as she suddenly look at him from behind.

“Oh it’s you, I’m sorry I think I catch a cold,” she said as she sniff and wipe her tears pretending she was not crying.

“That’s why your eyes are teary?” Merfoy ask and approach her, he knew she was crying.

“Do you know why the moon shines in the night?” Merfoy asked as he looked up.

“No, why?” Niffa asks waiting for his ideology.

“Long time ago, the sun and moon are shining together, but when the moon learned that the townspeople cannot see that much during the night and the stars are not enough to light. The moon decided to leave the sun and sacrifices itself to shine in the night accompanying the stars. And so, the town people can finally see their way during night time, that’s why the sun and moon are separated forever.”

Niffa looks even sadder from the story.

“The moon leaves the sun so easily, isn’t that hurtful?” she asks as she looks away.

“Yeah, the moon was hurt to leave the sun alone but you know the other reason why the moon leaves the sun?” Merfoy asks trying to cheer her up.

“What?”

“Because the moon believes that the sun can shine alone. The moon knew that the sun is independent and powerful enough to shine on its own without the moon’s help,” he said giving her a smile of encouragement.

Niffa looks back at the moon and wipes her tears.

“Merfoy, thank you for your time. I have to go back to Aldon,” she said as she tried to smile along.

“Yeah, of course.”

She walks outside and gets Holio her horse.

“I will come back again to visit,” she said as she climb up ready to ride.

“By the way Niffa, don’t lose hope.”

Niffa gave him a smile and leave the place.

She walk through the forest once again, and she came across the river. She just smiled as she walk past it and decided to visit the cottage. It was the same as how they left it, the traces of burned wood and debris are still there. She get down from her horse and saw a squirrel run in front of her with a cookie in its mouth, it was the same cookie as before.

“A cookie?” She remembered the cookies that Rico used to produce from his imagination.

“Hey, squirrel! Where did you get that?” she asked as she chase the squirrel and lead her to the darkest part of the forest. The squirrel stops and climbs up the three, she looks around and realizes that it was the part of the forest where she first met Rico.

“This location, it’s where I first met him. Rico, where are you?” she said.

She slowly kneeled down looking so sad until she lay down on the grassy ground and look at the sky. She closed her eyes and began to reminisce about her time with Rico.

“I miss you, I miss your colossus, the cookies, and milk,” she said as tears came running down her face. She suddenly hears her horse as if someone is trying to hurt it, she quickly runs back.

“Hey!” she shouted upon seeing a tall man wearing a dark cape holding her horse’s rope facing behind.

“Dark cape?” she gasped as she waited for the man to face her.