The day of his Prophet Coronation, eight-year-old Cecilius Araceli, who called himself 'Sees' stood alone on the altar. His eyes faced the sacred light, awaiting the voice of the divine to grace him.
Nothing.
Ah, this is bullshit.
Even at eight, Sees knew his luck was terrible.
Just because he could guess here and there about people's problems and how to fix them, why would he get dragged here to receive a divine prophecy? Those people he helped… ungrateful wretches! They reported him to the temple!
Well… maybe it was better than getting burned at the stake as a heretic…
But if they found out he wasn't really the Prophet, wouldn't he also get burned at the stake? Hmm… should he just… rely on the vibes like those scammers on the streets? He was quite smart. Perhaps he could do a better job?
No.
If a real Prophet emerged, he would be toast. He needed to find a way to just… leave. After this, he would think of a plan to ru—
CLACK! BLAM!
People gasped. Elegant, rythmical footsteps approached from behind him. Guards scrambled to block something from reaching the altar. As he turned, he saw her for the very first time.
Tall. Ancient. Majestic.
The Lord of the Lords of Beasts, the Dragon Empress, Oathria Alicei, her name announced by the shriek of the people around them.
Intimidating. Cold. Wrathful.
"Leave."
With her absolute authority, she used her Dragon Tongue. Instantly, all the priests, guards, and noble beasts in the hall walked out rigidly, like marionettes with strings attached to their bodies, forced to obey.
Sees tilted his head. Though significantly smaller, he was standing on the higher ground. The dais was made of carved stone, elaborate and smooth, and his saintly robe pooled around him.
The woman looked up at him, slowly climbing the stairs until she could look down on him. Her hair was a very long, white cascade, like a misty waterfall.
"Prophet Cecilius, I have a problem."
Sees blinked. "What problem do you have?"
What crazy problem could an almighty creature like her have?
…not something outrageous, like 'I want to be more beautiful', right…?
This woman looked a bit pale… she needed more veggies. Less alcohol, better sleep, and more workout. That could help. Well, that was what the aunties at the clinic would say when gossiping about the townsfolk or about themselves.
Even though she was the almighty Dragon Empress, and evidently already the prettiest creature alive, the biggest women's fear could still apply to her, no?
"No one can kill me. I'm too strong."
Sees's brain had to load for a bit before he could process what she was trying to get from an eight-year-old with that statement.
"How old are you?" Sees asked.
"400 years old," she answered.
Wasn't that still kinda young for dragons? And dragons were rare. Why would she want to perish so soon?
"Absolutely no one can kill you?" Sees asked again.
The Dragon Empress raised her eyebrows, looking amused. Perhaps she expected him to ask why, or to persuade her not to. But all those questions only lingered in her brain before she decided to voice the more practical one.
"Yes, no one. Not the Werewolf Alphas. Not the Weretiger Kings. Not the Werelion Prides. Not even when they worked together."
What, she's bragging now?
Sees looked up towards the light, turning his back on her. She blinked, stunned to see the first creature to ever turn its back on her.
"Have you tried to kill yourself?" He asked.
"I promised my mother I wouldn't," she answered.
Oooh, a mum's girl.
"Are your choices in the way you die final?" he asked, turning to face her again.
Oathria looked at him, incredulous. "Yes. The best death possible. With honor and dignity."
He nodded. "Okay."
The Dragon Empress's eyes widened. Was he actually able to provide a solution?!
"You don't want to be killed by strong people who are weaker than you, essentially because you didn't want them to claim they were stronger than you afterward. Nor do you want to kill yourself because of the promise," he deduced, a small smile playing on his lips.
"...yes. You are correct," the woman said, her voice low. "What should I do?"
"Nothing," he shook his head. "I will bear the burden for you."
Oathria froze.
"Strong people who are weaker than you are out of the question. But what about me?" He offered. "I am weak. Everyone knows I'm far weaker than you, a grain of sand against a giant wave. It would be impossible for me to kill you, unless you allowed me to."
"So," he reached out a hand to her. "I can bear the burden of killing the strongest Lord of the Beasts, without ever being able to claim I am stronger than her."
***
WHOOOOSH—
The sky was blue, and the shade was cool.
The forest was prettier at day.
Two entangled hands still connected.
Oathria's beautiful eyes were wide, jaw slack, face turned to him in astonishment. Not the look one usually expects from a recently 'deceased' Dragon Empress.
Sees deadpannedly looked at the woman and blinked. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. I know you wanted to die. I've ruined it…"
"What the fu—"
The woman stopped herself. She looked at her entire body, noticing that although still mangled, a real patchwork quilt of a being, all of her wounds were sealed and no longer painful.
And this man… this man still didn't have his heart!
"Prophet, h-how…"
"I don't know. Divine intervention?" Sees shrugged, because what other explanation was there? A particularly efficient cosmic delivery service?
Seeing his nonchalant expression, Oathria's eyes changed. It was hard to describe warmth and tenderness in the face of a beast lord. Especially when her face was full of blood, dirt and moss. Not to mention the mangled part of her cheek and jaw.
But it was there. Somehow.
The corners of her beautiful grey eyes, the micro shift of her full lips, and… the ease of tension of her jaw. The unclenching of a fate held for seventeen years.
Come to think of it, this woman was the reason he chose to pose as the prophet all this time. Talk about unintended consequences.
"I see. You are going to kill me one day?" she asked, her voice echoing the question from seventeen years ago.
Sees raised his eyebrows. Huh? Not now?
He didn't say that he would kill her one day. He was saying that he would take the burden of killing her from herself and others.
"If that's what the prophet said…" the once enchantingly beautiful, tall woman shrugged. "I will take my leave today."
This was when the real problem started. The point of no return.
Seeing the Dragon Empress, the strongest existence in the world, walk out of the temple with a satisfied expression, the beast nobles, priests, and guards outside were now convinced that he was the real Prophet!
His security was tightened, and his fame soared. People from all over the world, human or beast, all tried to find him and fix their problems. Well, if the Lord of the Dragon herself left satisfied, their little problems wouldn't be a hard task for him, right?
DI—
After that day, Sees assumed that this woman was just momentarily interested and tried to test him. When she heard his absurd solution, she was amused and spared him. If she truly wanted to die, then she would let him kill her that very day. A one-and-done deal.
DING—
And assuming by the way she interacted with him now, this woman might still not know that he had been removed from his Prophet position since the real Prophet, Reuben Vaiva, had emerged. She was living in a seventeen-year-old headline.
DI-DI-DING—!
She still believed the solution he gave her that day was the real prophec—
RING…! RING…! RIN—
Ugh, this annoying sound—Couldn't a man convalesce in peace?
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Whatever you are, don't spam notifications! Sees thought, his headache returning.
[...]
[...]
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Oh. He could control it…?
"Well, now that we're somehow alive, how about we eat that bone broth you craved so, Prophet?"
Sees blinked his eyes. "Oh… right."
His heart felt squeezed. This woman… was such a kind person… Of course his last meal wish wouldn't be forgotten by her… Sees smiled genuinely, and squeezed her hand back.
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