The Embodiment of Insanity

Chapter 10: The Beginning After the End

The sound of birds singing sounded in her ears, those peaceful chirps bringing harmony to anyone who will hear it.

Well, that was at the very least for most people.

002 groaned in pain and her shut eyes kept fidgeting, her hand groping for something to hold as it kept waving in the air non-stop.

Her breathing was heavy and she felt the air clogged up in her throat.

Beads of sweat kept dripping down her forehead as her other hand tightly held her chest from the burning pain she was feeling.

-You knew it, didn't you? That they would die because of you, again!

002 let out a panic gasp but continued to struggled with her eyes tightly shut.

-It's all your fault! They all- died! And it is because of none other than-...

-...You!

"Ha...!" Sitting up abruptly, 002 gasped for breath. Her face was pale and she was covered in cold sweat.

Just as she was panting heavily and trying to digest her situation, she tried to move but felt her left hand was gripped, startling her for a second.

Tilting her head to the side, she realized that it was indeed 001 who was holding her hands.

"0-" Before she could even call out for his name, pain suddenly surged in her head once more, the hand of 002 holding hers replaced by a much more smaller and pale hand.

Opening her eyes, she tried to get out of the bed she was lying on but fell to the ground with a 'thud' as 001 supported her.

Holding on to 001's shoulders, tears finally streamed down from 002's eyes as she asked in painful and anguish voice, "003, he-!"

Then, she only saw 001 look at her with sad eyes, his crimson irises reflecting her miserable appearance.

002 made a painful expression as she spoke in a suppressed voice, almost pleading, "Please..."

Alas, she only saw 002 shook his head.

"Ah...ahh..." 002 couldn't even speak anymore, a self-deprecating laugh escaping from her lips.

"I knew it, I knew it! This is all my fault, he died- because, of, me! It has always been me!" 002 yelled as she tried to stand up and wanted to punch the wall but 001 held both of her wrist.

002 struggled as she kept punching 001's chest, tears never stopping as she continued to scream in agony.

"It's my fault, hic! I- I should be the one to die!" Just as 002 finished saying this, she suddenly felt 001's body turned stiff and as she looked up blankly, she saw him looking down at her with a frown.

Letting go of her wrists, 001 made a sign language and said, "Are you just gonna let his sacrifice go to waste?"

002 sniffed and said, "Then do I have to continue on living, despite having to live with a sin?"

"My friend, died because of her gambling parents. My mom and dad, was murdered by me. Those children, died of torture because I let them get involved in my plan. And now, 003, he-! He! He died, because of me! Because he tried to save someone as worthless as me!"

001 no longer moved, his mouth pursed as he raised his slightly trembling hands and made a sign language. "Yes. You have to live a life with a sin."

"Because if you give up now and die meaningless, then..." 001 tried hard thinking before he added, "Then, they won't forgive you, ever."

002 looked at 001 in daze before she just cried and finally fell into 001's arms.

001, unable to do anything, just hugged her back and patted her back, secretly gritting his teeth as there was a slight tear in his eyes.

----

Coming out from the an old small house they momentarily used as their shelter, they went up the mountain through the woods and buried 003's body there, creating an 'X' sign made out of a pair of woods and tied it with some vines.

As they both knelt before 003's grave, they silently prayed for peace for his soul before they both stood up and looked at the grave.

They neither have picture nor an item that 003 left behind for them, but just by staring at the ground that was covered in a pile of dirt, they can recognize in just an instant that this is where 003 is lying.

Holding hands together, 002 looked up at the sky and spoke softly, "If there is still any god out there, please, i am begging you, may 003's soul rest in peace."

001 felt the strength in his hand tightened and she glanced at 002 secretly before he also looked up at the sky.

'God huh, I wonder if they really do exist.'

****

At the Noxus Empire's Main Capital, inside the castle where the throne is at, the one sitting on it surprisingly wasn't the current king that everyone knows about, instead, a child with golden hair and eyes was the one that sat on the throne for the ruler of the Noxus Empire.

And the child was none other than Adrian Noxus, the crown prince and the successor of the throne.

Before him, a man with white hair and beard along with an ashen coloured eyes was lying on the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath him.

And he, was the king, and Adrian's father.

"You-...you are not, my son! Are you?!" The king shouted, blood pouring out from his mouth.

Suddenly, at his words, the smile on Adrian's lips became stiff. Then, a laugh suffused the place of the throne as Adrian wiped away his tears from laughing too much.

"Oh father, you still don't get it, do you?" Adrian said with a smile that did not reached his eyes.

"Have you ever wondered why I suddenly changed all of a sudden? Why that incident of murdering my siblings occurred?" He asked as he sat up from the throne and walked nonchalantly towards the king.

As he crouched down, he suddenly held the king's face and before the latter could even react, Adrian's hand was reflected in his eyes before-

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

The king's left eye was gouged out as Adrian held the bloody eyeball in his hands, playing with it.

"Father, do you know? I still remember the last time we had a conversation." Adrian chuckled. "You said that a bastard son like me who was given birth by a mere maid will never become a king, a ruler of this empire, and that I could only look up at you whenever I stare at you."

"But look at me now! Haha! You are now the one who is looking up at me as you stare at me from below!"

"Ahh! How beautiful this reunion is, isn't it, father?"

The king kept groaning in pain, his entire body trembling and his pupils kept shaking.

"So now, father, you can be at peace! Because from now onwards, I will be the one sitting in your throne!"

"Oh! And since you're a goner anyways, I shall tell you my little secret!" Adrian leaned his head forward and whispered in the king's ears.

"I-"

The king's pupil's instantly contracted the moment he heard this and before he was given the chance to speak, Adrian pointed his finger at the king's neck before swiping it in the air.

Splatter!

A red line appeared in the king's neck before his head fell to the ground with a thud, the remaining eye turning into a lifeless colour.

Adrian smiled and stood up as he looked at the eyeball of his father in his hands before throwing it away.

"Haah, now isn't it fun being a regressor, isn't it?"

"Just wait for me, dear goddess, my oath for you shall be granted! Even if my soul is disintegrated and my body is burned, I shall pledge my heart for you my Goddess!"

****

At a certain place, a statue of a woman whose chest is covered with both her hands with a thin veil over her face and a long robe covering her body, suddenly had some of parts of her body crack all of a sudden.

Then, her closed eyes suddenly opened, shining in a bright colour.

A woman gasping for breath echoed as they spoke in a sadistic laugh.

"I am back."

****

End of Volume 1