Trying to Save my Favorite Character from His Tragic Fate

Watching those red threads sprouting from where Ian's heart is located, Lin could sense his heart drop to his stomach. He has just seen his son suffer through the death of his wife, and now, he is faced with another potential tragedy. Didn't his son come to this world to save this kid?

"Sir… Could you please let me be the one to tell Kyrie?" 

Lin has air stuck inside his chest. What should a father do in this kind of moment? Watching Ian remain calm while waiting for his answer, Lin finally nods after suppressing an intense battle inside. 

Lin looks back at the shaman, "So? What can we do?"

"Maybe find the tree inside the silver goblet," The shaman says, "That tree had the same aura as my goddess."

"Where is that silver goblet?" 

The shaman shakes her head, shrugging her shoulders because she has never seen that goblet or the tree before in her long life. 

"Maybe the Fae Queen has the answers," Ian inputs.

Ian lets a smile out in an attempt to ease Lin's anxiety. Lin nods and massages his temples with his thumb and index finger. 

Lin whispers to himself, "There is still some hope… I will get everything ready for your trip to the Fae Kingdom."

Lin does not stay put and hurries to get the equipment ready. Ian wants to express his gratitude, but Lin is long gone before he could utter a word. 

After watching Lin disappear from the stairs, Ian returns his gaze at the shaman, "Could you also do me the same favor?"

The shaman examines Ian's eyes and nibbles the inside of her cheek. 

"I hope you know what you are doing, kid. Even if you are the receiving end of the curse, there is nothing set in stone just yet. Your curse can still affect those around you. Sometimes, too late means too late. Once, I also had to decide this. Back then, after the word about my powers got to other villages, I was faced with the fact that I needed to leave. My village was all loving people, and they did not push me away. Eventually, I stayed too long, and…." The shaman pauses while tightening her jaw, "You can fill the rest of the story."

"But it was not your fault."

The shaman softly lifts a corner of her mouth, "Lin also said that, but nothing is worse than the 'what ifs.'"

She slides down the red ogre mask on her face and leaves without another word about what later happened to her. Her back seems like it is stuck with spears, arrows, and axes. Those memories must have weighed her down so much that her spine has arched.

Yet, her words do not scare Ian away. Instead, he thinks otherwise. For many regressions, he has continuously expected the worse. He walks towards the future, expecting to repeat the same experience over and over again. 

Before he has met Kyrie, he has thought that such a future is the only future, but Kyrie has proved him wrong. He can choose where to go. Instead of concentrating on how the future looks based on his past experiences, he should focus on the present, where happiness resides. 

Happiness is like a snowflake; once it reaches your hand, you need to admire the beautiful shape before it melts.

Plus, a life without being with another soul is just too painful and meaningless. Instead of letting life do its wicked thing, why not challenge it for a better moment? Even a deep breath of fresh air can make a difference to the body, so why not live intently in the moment for happiness?

He is no longer that person carrying a dead soul who just happens to accompany the saintess for a purge thinking that it would save the world. Remembering back, he isn't even sure why he has chosen to let death be the solution. He has stained his hands over and over again, making sure that the supposed 'evil' never wins. 

He is dying, and he does not have that next chance any longer. There is no next loop. Fate is set to destroy him for being contradictory to how he is recorded. He needs to live intentionally, making sure that each second is well spent and worthwhile. No one is really born with a purpose, and living like a dead fish that floats by the currents of life would not make him more than a dead fish. He should not just survive but live. 

He is filled with hope despite how dangerous hope is, but it has resurrected his soul. Everything in this round is changing, so he has to take the chance to live.

He is not giving up on his life any longer.

---

A couple of days have passed after Ian heard the old shaman's vision. The Phantom Guild has arrived at the elven city in the morning, and they are all happy to re-encounter with Kyrie and Laurel at the center of the elven city. When they finally meet Imogen and Ian, their faces turn white. 

Celine looks nervously at Sulfrid, "Husband, I never thought our headmaster likes rougher types."

As if the entire guild has the same thought, their eyes scan Imogen from head to toe in unison. They have only seen her from afar during the temple cleansing. 

Imogen is tall and gallant, a muscular, toned woman who oozes confidence and danger. She is the saintess, the rumored judge of light. 

They all turn to look at the thin and gentle Laurel. They all close their eyes for a moment of silence. Some even sniff a bit while controlling their tears. 

'Chief is not going to win on this one….'

Sulfrid messes and pulls his hair, "I believe in you, headmaster!"

Kyrie lifts his eyebrows, confused, "Thanks?"

The guildmates all nod and yell that they believe in him. 

Just when they have thought that their lovely chief is going to be in extreme sorrow, their dreams might be turning into reality.

For the next two days, Kyrie has been spending a lot of time with Laurel, and they have been together discussing their plans to enter the Fae Kingdom… for the twentieth time? Federline and Lemuel's souls are about to come out, discussing over and over again the route, equipment, and terrain.

"How is the equipment?" Kyrie looks at Federline.

Federline silently tries to search for answers on Kyrie's face because Kyrie has asked the same question for the past days multiple times. 

"Headmaster… Everything is ready to go... The equipment is complete, cleaned, polished, in good condition, and tested."

Kyrie looks at Lemuel as if he is looking for a problem.

"Kyrie… The 57th revision is done for the route, and Federline has been training with me. I can guide you the entire route without fail."

Ian and Imogen are standing behind Kyrie and Laurel with a dangerous aura steaming out of their pores. Feeling the danger prickling their skin, Kyrie and Laurel sweat cold while they look at each other. 

Kyrie uses his best eye communication to send the telepath, 'Think of something!'

Laurel catches the message from Kyrie's eyes, and her eyes wander around as she thinks. Federline and Lemuel look at the troubled headmaster and chief flipping out their brains like a pocket for loose change as if they are brooding over the answer for an unsolvable problem. 

Laurel's eyes light up, "We need to know about the fairy culture so that we don't offend them by accident!"

"Yeah! I will ask dad about…. AHHHH! Ian? Wait… It is important!" 

Ian has lifted Kyrie and put him on his shoulder. Then, he proceeds to walk away with the struggling man.

"Wait, Imogen! We are busy!" 

Laurel does not escape her fate either. She is getting carried like a sack of potatoes like Kyrie.

"Busy…," Imogen murmurs low, with some slight annoyance.

"Yes! We are SUPER busy!" Laurel wiggles while trying to get off.

Imogen slaps her bum, making Laurel gasps.

"Be good," Imogen whispers low enough that only Laurel can hear, "We still have to make ends meet. Didn't you send me a list of demands?"

Laurel blushes hard enough that her entire body turns red. She puts her hands on her face and lets Imogen carry her away. 

The whole guild, who has been observing in the shadows, comes out. Everyone looks at Sulfrid at the sudden twist of events.

Sulfrid bites his lips and sighs, "This is bad…."

"What is going on?" 

Sulfrid lets out another sigh, "They are settling it in an extreme way…."

"What? We have to be in the best condition to look for the entrance of the Fae kingdom!"

Sulfrid looks at the guildmate, "You are still single, so you don't know. To get the one that you love, you gotta fight with every obstacle. Despite how our headmaster and chief want it to be peaceful, they have failed. Their previous lovers are not having it!"

The guildmates become awfully quiet.

Sulfrid shouts, "Don't lose hope, my comrades! I am sure that the headmaster and chief will find a way!"

"But we have seen how well that saintess and that hunk fight!"

Celine goes in between them and puts her hands on her hips, "I don't think it is a bad thing. Maybe they will not be able to walk for a couple of days, but that means more vacation for us. We haven't been on a single vacation for an entire year! This is an opportunity!"

All of the guildmates' eyes light up and nod in agreement. They all conclude that for warriors to grow, they need to meet tough opponents. So, they all disperse to do what they are assigned to do, leaving Federline and Lemuel behind. 

Lemuel looks at Federline, worried, "I think it is best to stop them!"

Federline ponders, "Maybe we should…."

At a distance, Nate shakes his head. That is exactly how people would live a short life.