"Good morning, Musashi" Lona said as she looked at me. I opened my eyes wondering... was it all a dream?
No, it felt real. I wasn't just dreaming that I met... my maker. I know this is real. but... I guess she did have a point.
I had to find my purpose. not the purpose of Musashi who I am impersonating. No... I have to live by what I want. did I ever want destruction? Did I wish for the end of this world truly? I know that deep down... I didn't want to. I didn't want the world to end. I wanted this story- no this world to keep going.
And this mask I wear... I want to tear it off... I want to be who I am.
But who am I? all those thoughts were flooding my head.
"I'm not Musashi." I spoke as Lona stared at me and smiled.
"Finally going to take that mask off?" She spoke as if she had known since the moment we met that I'm merely a pretender.
Right... my true name... my appearance... everything about me right now is granted due to this skill called le Plus grand faux-semblant.
The skill grants me the ability to pretend to be anyone from history and thus I fooled everyone but I seem to have not fooled her. Lona stared at me intently as I turned off my skill.
my appearance began changing.
the dual katanas turned to a pair of daggers and my hair? it began changing from the deep blue into white hair. my eyes? they were crimson red. with an exception on my face that being that I had a mask on. it was at this moment that I looked at the mirror and knew who I resembled.
I looked like Haruki.
"This is my true form... You see, in truth I'm a returning descender." I said.
"Oh I remember you. You were the one who brought upon destruction to the tower the last descent didn't you? You passed by here too. and also you were fighting someone who in the end bested you. You died so how are you still alive?" Lona asked as I sat and began explaining everything.
I explained everything. I told Lona all my secrets. My longevity, how I survived.
"I see... So you did that." Her words held a gentle tone as she then smiled.
"I'll accept you only if... you can free us from this nightmare. Savior~" She said as I nodded.
"Yeah... I know what I ought to do." I said as I stood up now walking out of the mansion.
"I'll save them all, I'll be the one who brings them down then." I said as I raised my sword high into this cavern.
A desolate place with only a mansion in the middle, as I begin my chant.
"I raise this blade once more, to hopefully sever all ties with the past and start a new." I said as Lona who followed me chimed in.
"And to unite the people who were wronged by fate."
--- Narrator POV ----
The sword in his hand had begun to glow a light of iridescence, with it was all the hope of the people who wanted to live, the people who wished to survive. the will of many will always overpower the illusions created by such a place.
He was once a descender who brought destruction and killed everyone who tried to defy him, but now... He is their savior.
The savior that hid himself from others. his return marks the beginning for the true descent.
"The shackles of freedom, shall be broken for the hour is nigh." He and Lona spoke in Unison as his sword now the bringer of freedom slashes through this illusion and breaks the hold of this false reality.
the moment they open their eyes, the stars shine ever so brightly beautifully and for the first time... He has found his purpose.
The sky that was once an empty dream to Lona was now real. They had escaped this book.
"I'm uhm... My name is Arisu. I'm Arisu Caroll. I'm... a descender and the savior of this forsaken world." Arisu spoke as he looked at everyone and then realized he had no reason to hide anything this time.
This was his true self he had shown. and he wanted them to see him. To know the real him.