Chapter 51 - The Resolution (Part 2)

The king's eyes glistened as he spoke of the Forsaken's capture, yet there was something else—something else Faustina could not figure out still. Her unease was not going anywhere, and she isn't sure how to eradicate such feelings.

"I… don't know what to say," Faustina murmurs. The flashbacks of the king witnessing the murder of his family, the king's life—Faustina felt surreal. Does she have the place to see this? Does she deserve to be standing next to the most important person governing the empire? Faustina was uncertain.

"The first king," the king says. "hasn't come out of my body ever since you started to train and get lessons,"

"Huh?"

"The last time he tried to possess the body was the time the fifth king, Dietrich, stopped him. The seal's clock-hand never moved for the month." The king says. "This is an unusual thing—almost every week, the first king would possess the body and would be speaking to Sheila and observing my progress, looking at diplomatic affairs and the like…"

Faustina eagerly listened.

"But right now, he subsided." The king says. "This is why I am telling you that Sheila is a traitor. She is in allegiance with the first king. I do not know what they are plotting, but they aim to never stop Nightmare. You saw in my memory, how her father, Julian Ortfalcon, was strictly against on diminishing the curse of Nightmare… because it would make the first king return to the River of Life."

"The River of Life…"

The king nodded. "I believe Sheila taught you Theology."

"Yes," Faustina says. "The River of Life… the great flow of light, the pathway of souls to Heaven and Rebirth."

"Yes." The king answers. "He, along with all the souls inhabiting this body, shall return to the River. Their memories will be gone and fade into the light. The first king does not want to leave, and so he used the curse to his advantage. That is how cunning he is,"

Faustina felt a shiver run down her spine as she stared at the fixed gaze of the king, his sapphire blue eyes looking at her intently.

"Do you understand me, Faustina? You will need to be wary. You are found by the clairvoyants—no, more specifically—I found you. It was a matter of time when we finally knew your location—when Eulalia Fortunatorum's concealing magic completely disappeared. The first king does not want Nightmare to disappear; you might be the probable cure to this curse, and he, along with Sheila, will not let it happen."

Faustina gulped, staring at the seed on her palm.

"What must I do?"

The king enclosed her hand with her palm.

"Fulfill your duty. I will help you retrieve the body of your master," the king says. "And we will bring the Forsaken into justice."

The seed glowed immensely, and then a magic circle on the back of the king's palm appeared. The king stared down to his hand, and then chanted a language Faustina cannot decipher.

"This will be your medium of magic,"