Chapter 20 - The Tale Of The Reborn Hero

"What shall we act out today?" One of the children asked.

"Let's do the Tale of the Reborn Hero!" Another one suggested.

"What is that?" Leron asked Vladstin.

"It's the legend of the foundation of our Kingdom." Vladstin said. "Also known as the tale of the Crimson Wolf. It's a really old story, I'm honestly tired of it because Yulio and Raishti are the only ones who keep performing it. I've watched it millions of times that I memorized the lines."

"They're not here though." Suzhi said, leaning against the wall. "Someone ought to take their roles away eventually. Who better than our guests?"

"Yeah, please! Please! Vladstin and Leron should play the leading roles!" The children cheered from excitement.

"I don't know the script." Leron smiled sheepishly.

"I have a copy here." Xiani took a scroll from one of the cupboards. "The performance is passed through word of mouth so this must not be the original rendition, but this is Yulio and Raishti's version. I transcribed it, but I am not sure if it would suffice."

"Good job, Xiani." Suzhi patted her back. "I would transcribe it myself if it weren't for the fact that those two's performances make me fall asleep."

She handed the scroll to Leron. "Show us what you got, Your Highness."

"Can't I memorize this first?" Leron said. "It feels embarrassing if I cannot give you a satisfactory performance."

"This isn't some official play in a theater, Leron." Vladstin wrapped his arm on his shoulder. "They're just a bunch of kids. Just do what you can, no need to take it so seriously. You can read from the script as you perform."

"Yeah, we just want to see you two act!" Edvart said. "We'll like it no matter what, we promise!"

Leron was not used to people not having expectations for him. As the one and only prince of Ilvedia, everything he does must be perfect. From the way he handled his teacup, to the way he walked, to his sleeping position. When he was trained as a spy, every single mistake....

Would result to a lash with a whip.

Why haven't people seen these lashes?

It was on his thighs, hidden most of the time by his pants. If he would ever try to show it to someone, it would be shameful for him.

Prince Leron was born to never make a single mistake. So to have someone tell him it was alright to make one was baffling, to say the least.

He took a sharp breath, scanning the script as fast as he could. The kaleidoscope of colorful eyes was looking expectantly at him, pressuring him to start performing soon. Though he doesn't really feel like it, he lied with a smile.

"Alright, I'm ready."

"Yes! I knew you would be up for it!" Vladstin grinned excitedly. "Who would be our narrator? Lady Wilhengard always narrates, but she's in a bad mood now because of the swordfight."

Xiani raised her hand. "I also know all the lines of the script. I believe I would make a decent narrator."

"Thanks, Xiani!" Vladstin gave a thumbs up. "Well then, the show must begin."

Xiani cleared her throat, her high-pitched yet somehow mature voice filling the whole orphanage with a sense of drama and mystery.

"Long ago, there were two close friends inseparable since their first encounter."

Vladstin bowed to Leron, and Leron hastily bowed back.

"One was Rouge, the fierce and steadfast warrior."

Vladstin gestured to the crowd. "Behold, my people! With my arms and fist, I shall protect the lands from danger!"

Vladstin was brimming with confidence, no hesitation with his performance. It was like he already embodied who Rouge should be.

"The other was Azul, the cautious and callous scholar."

Leron read from the script, forcing his hands not to shake. "Behold, my people! With my wits and ingenuity, I shall attack the unknown with their weaknesses!"

"With Rouge's strength and Azul's mind, the Unnamed Lands flourished. Shining brighter than the sun, facing any adversaries with the help of their two leaders."

Vladstin suddenly took Leron's hand and Leron almost recoiled, but thankfully he didn't. Vladstin raised both of their hands together, a sign of victorious camaraderie. He smiled brightly to the crowd of underaged children, who did their part as the cheering crowd for them.

Leron tried to smile too, eyes straying to the script so he wouldn't mess up.

"One day, Azul offered a half-bitten peach to Rouge."

Leron read from the scroll again, clearing his throat. "My brother, as a sign of our mutual bond and respect, let us share this peach with one another."

A kid handed him a rattan ball to serve as the 'peach', and Leron handed it to Vladstin.

Vladstin smiled sincerely, no sign of acting on his face. "My brother, there is no need for such rituals to show our love for one another. But if you must insist, I shall bite into your peach as proof."

He took the rattan ball to his mouth, pretending to bite it.

"However, what Rouge did not know is that Azul dipped half of the peach in lethal poison, one that would bring any man to eternal sleep. That half was the one he gave to Rogue."

Vladstin clutched his chest and dropped the rattan ball to the ground, as if in great pain. "Brother, why!? Why must you do this to me!?"

Leron already read the next line, and said it without looking. He made a guilty expression. "My father had cursed me to perish if I was not the sole ruler of the lands. My heart aches for your death, brother, but it was either your life or mine. For the benefit of my people, I chose mine."

"Rouge collapsed to the earthy soil where he came to existence, returning to nature's womb with the last memory of the pain from betrayal. To make sure, Azul cut his body to pieces and threw them at sea."

The two young actors performed their parts as best as they can. With his wooden sword, Leron pretended to chop Vladstin to pieces, and Vladstin tried to stay still. Then, Leron left the 'stage'.

"The body traveled far enough to reach the boundaries of the living and the dead, where strange creatures reside. A Crimson Wolf recovered Rouge's body pieces, interested to find something it had never seen before."

A new actor joined the stage to play as the Crimson Wolf.

It was Izre, the crawling five-month old baby, who sniffed the lying Vladstin. He played the part of a wolf well, and even let out a howl. The orphan children laughed and giggled, praising Izre's realistic performance.

Leron was amused by how they could just watch a low-grade performance and enjoy it. He started to relax too after his stage fright, enjoying the Tale of the Reborn Hero as it is.

"The Crimson Wolf, pitying the dead body, joined the pieces together with his breath as strong as the four winds together. It slashed its own forearm and feed its immortal blood to resurrect Rouge."

Izre smashed his fist and blew through his toothless gums, spraying spit everywhere on the lying Vladstin. He bit his own arm and brought it to Vladstin's mouth, and Vladstin gasped, as if returning to life. "Thank you, benevolent wolf."

"Wahhh! Wahh!" Izre answered, smiling.

"Though they could not speak with each other, Rouge and the Crimson Wolf became friends. But one day, Rouge's memories have returned. Filled with anger, he wanted to return to the Unnamed Lands and confront Azul. Having wolf blood flowing in his veins, he had a great desire for destruction and possessiveness for his territory."

Vladstin gritted his teeth. "I shall take back what what is mine. Azul will pay for his deeds."

"The Crimson wolf nodded, and gave him one of his claws that transformed into a scythe. This scythe had become Rouge's weapon for his vengeance, glinting like the crescent moon."

Vladstin got his own curved dagger, almost shaped like a crescent. Leron was shocked. He never thought Vladstin had been carrying a weapon with him all this time!

"He returned to the Unnamed Lands, only to learn that Azul had long passed away. The Crimson Wolf had made him immortal, but his former friend was not. The citizens were shocked to find their former ruler reborn."

"My people, do not fear! My brother had forsaken me, yet I do not blame you at fault. I shall bring you a blessing for those who are true, just and good, so that they may have a second chance to live. Meanwhile, it shall be a curse for the vile, so that they may die and suffer all over again." Vladstin proclaimed, holding the curved dagger up to the air.

"He sliced his own wrist, spraying his immortal blood to those who were buried to rest. Rain came and spread the blood everywhere. The whole world was covered by Rouge's blood, his blessing, and curse. But only the Crescentians, his people, knew of this fate. They learned to be right and just in their current life, so that they may live happily on their next life."

"Still, Rouge felt hollow and forlorn. He could not deliver his revenge, nor could he forgive his Azul. What happened to him was unclear. Some say he returned to the Crimson Wolf, banishing himself from mankind forever. Some say he slit his own throat with his scythe, hoping that he would meet Azul in the next life. Some say he became Death itself, reaping the dying, both good and evil alike, and weighing their heart to determine their next life."

Xiani bowed in front of the wide-eyed children. "No matter the ending, that is how the scythe, Crescentia... and rebirth came to be."

Everyone clapped and cheered. "That was the best performance I've ever seen! Even better than Raishiti and Yulio!"

"We did great, didn't we, Leron?" Vladstin offered his hand to him. "Come on, let us make one final bow to the audience!"

The young Prince Leron took his hand, dazed. The Tale of the Reborn Hero, a story about to close friends and the one betraying the other because he would die according to his father.....

It was all too similar to his and Vladstin's situation. It felt like a cautionary tale, a warning for him to not continue his betrayal.

Yet he did not listen.