Chapter 1
When Bardy left, a few members muttered, ‘Clean your shame!’ Grey and Aki looked at each other, confused. Aki said that they were probably stuck here forever. Before Grey added anything, Aki was already walking in Bardy’s direction. He followed Bardy. While he was walking, he said out loud that he didn’t understand why Bardy left. Aki followed Bardy’s steps and found Bardy, who was lying on the ground. Aki approached and asked what he was doing, but Bardy didn’t answer. Aki looked closely and noticed Bardy’s neck was covered in blood. He sat and looked closely. He saw that Bardy’s neck was cut horizontally and the wound was bleeding. Aki put his right hand on Bardy’s neck, and a light cloud started to gather around his hand. Slowly the light cloud moved to Bardy’s wounded neck. Time passed, Bardy slowly felt warmth return to his neck. Aki’s hand hovered over Bardy’s wound. Light cloud flowed into the gash. The bleeding ceased. Then the wound started to heal slowly. Aki kept refreshing and gathering the light cloud in his hand again and again. Time passed, and the light cloud that was on the wound started slowly to disappear. Aki stopped gathering. The cloud fully entered the wound and disappeared. The scar remained, untouched. Aki intentionally didn’t heal the scar on the neck, then he called Bardy’s name a few times, and Bardy opened his eyes.
The first thing that Bardy saw was Aki’s worried face. Bardy became confused and checked his neck with his trembling hands. Aki grabbed Bardy’s shoulders and asked if he could hear his voice.
“Yes, I can hear,” Bardy said. “What happened? Am I dead?” he asked, confused.
“Good that you can hear me,” Aki said and smiled. “No, you aren’t dead, but you’ll be dead soon.” He slapped Bardy’s cheek.
“Please, my lord, please, I beg you, don’t beat me,” Bardy said.
“I am not a lord, don’t call me that,” Aki said. “Don’t worry, I won’t.” He grabbed Bardy and helped him to stand.
“What happened? How am I still alive?” Bardy asked, confused.
“With my powers I had to help your captured members,” Aki said. “But thanks to you, I used them on you.”
“So, that was you?” Bardy asked, shocked while tearing up. “How was this even possible?”
“Not you, but me should be asking,” Aki said. “What is wrong with you?”
Bardy apologised many times while cleaning his tears. With a hopeless voice he said that he feels bad being a person that Aki wasted his powers on. He started to talk about his emotions and how horrible things were, especially during that last period. He had a hard time recovering. Aki was expecting that type of reaction and asked if that was the only reason. Bardy explained that he wasn’t a fool and he did what the rules demanded from him. He said otherwise his family would be brutally killed. He said that there are many rules in his clan, and one of them was about Blessed Ones, Special People like Arrdun who had dreams. According to that rule, if someone raises a hand, they and their families should die. If someone from a family failed, that means all the family failed. The only way to save the family was to die alone in a shameful way as soon as the mistake was done. Basically it was suicide, like cutting the throat, drinking poison, piercing the heart, or dealing damage to vital parts of the body.
Bardy fell on his knees and said that his guilt was higher because he didn’t just raise his hands, but he literally tried to kill Aki and Grey, who were higher than any of the Blessed Ones or Special People in all their clan’s history. Even though that wasn’t really himself because of spells, it was still his body. Bardy said that there are people inside the crew that dislike him, so when they will survive, the information about ‘Bardy’s actions’ would reach their clan, with some lies or exaggerations. The Elders who control the village and clan are already in conflict with Arrdun and Arrdun’s friends, so the elders just needed a small reason to take them down.
Aki asked how they find out if the Blessed One is real and not faking anything. Bardy said that only time tells. If the dream comes true and the situation changes for the better, it means the Blessed One was real. For the fake Blessed One they kill, but with torture so people won’t dare take a risk. They learned torturing from the Dark Divines. Aki said that from all the things which the Dark Divines did, they learned one of the many worst things.
Bardy apologised again that he became an obstacle to rescuing others. He started to speak about how much he was tired of the evil, unfair world, the place where he was born, grew up, and lived. The endless wars that his clan was fighting were starting to be lost. He said that Aki shouldn’t waste his powers on him and should let him die because he wasn’t worthy and he didn’t deserve their help. Aki sat on the ground, raised Bardy’s face, and said that they came to save lives, not to destroy. Aki asked him to trust him and to follow him if he or his clan wanted to make real changes. He said that there shouldn’t be any secrets, misunderstandings, fear, or things like that between them. He asked that next time, if Bardy could speak with him before taking any serious decisions. He said that “there is always a solution.”
Those words triggered Bardy and he added, “For some, death is the only solution.” He said that there is something that was eating him from the inside, and he wants to speak with Aki. For Bardy this was the perfect moment to ask his hard questions, away from others who would judge him. Aki said if it can’t wait, then he is listening.
“Wait? Is 15 years of waiting enough?” Bardy asked while shaking his head. “I don’t doubt your good willingness to help us, but,” he said and took a deep breath, and with a desperate look his gaze fell on Aki. “The thing is, I don’t need your help anymore and I don’t want to.”
“Hmmm, I think I am missing something here,” Aki said. “If you don’t doubt, why can’t I help you?”
“Where were you or your friends?” he asked. “15 bloody years I waited and pushed back,” he said and pointed with his finger to Aki. “Where were you when I was strong and fulfilled with faith and hope?”
“You know…” Aki said.
“No, I don’t!” he interrupted rudely. “You or Grey came here and started talking about believing and following. Don’t speak about that because I did—but you never came! Don’t say that I had to have faith or that I didn’t have enough, because I did. Don’t say that I had to believe to see, because I did—and I saw nothing but blood, pain, violence, and suffering. I followed the rules and even sacrificed my own life for the sake of 'those rules.'”
“And now what?” Aki asked.
“Now, I see you but I have no hope,” he said. “Now, you came to our end, or the moment when my clan is lost. It’s easy to believe, to keep hope and faith in a soft bed, but I have seen too much pain.”
“I know someone who was mortally injured, almost dead,” Aki said, “but the person survived. And what is a clan, a group of people, isn’t it?”
“Maybe that person was strong, but not all are like that person,” Bardy said.
The anger, pain, sadness, hopelessness, and the memory of it all covered Bardy. He didn’t understand that Aki was actually referring to Bardy's survival. However, Aki already faced a similar situation and had even been in worse, so he clearly understood why Bardy was acting like that.
“From the Blessed Ones’ dreams, we were told countless stories, and one of them was that one day we will finally receive help and hope from strangers who will become our saviors. We just need to believe and wait patiently with faith. We heard lots of good things about someone like you. The only hope in our lives was someone like you or Grey. But I don’t understand one part,” he said.
“Which part?” Aki asked.
“Well, if you, Grey, or your friends are truly ‘good,’ as the elders claimed, then why come now? Why wait until the last moment? I am rusted, broken, tired, starving, sick… perhaps I have already lost my mind. Why push me beyond my limits? When I was strong, ready to face any of you, nobody came!
I do not understand. You claim you are not ‘evil,’ that you are ‘good’—but how can you be ‘good’ if you wait until the last moment? You showed your powers, proclaimed allegiance to the light… yet all the while, you watched me and my clan fall. You watched our bodies break. You watched our minds shatter.
You or your friends cannot be ‘good.’ Good acts without hesitation. Good does not linger. Good does not watch people suffer for the sake of timing, rules, or whatever your philosophy claims.
Not just me—there are countless like me. People crushed, destroyed by what you call ‘good.’ Can your philosophy bring any of them back?
Tell me… tell me, then, what kind of ‘good’ waits until the very last moment to act? What kind of ‘good’ allows suffering to fester while hiding behind words and laws? You call yourselves saviors… but all I see is silence. All I see is blood. All I see is pain.
I followed the rules. I sacrificed. I gave everything… and for what? For nothing. For nothing but despair. And now you come, claiming light, claiming goodness… too late. Too late for me. Too late for my clan. Too late for hope itself.”
“I see your point, but…” Aki said.
“No, you don’t,” he interrupted. “The thing is, after what I had to go through, you can’t just come here and say ‘Greetings, I am your savior.’ I can’t even die in peace—you healed me. I don’t know how or why. You brought me back so I can be tortured again and again by this life. You are an 'evil savior.'”
“I didn’t say that I am a savior. But why can’t I be a simple helper or supporter?” Aki asked.
“Because bloody 15 years isn’t just some random time. It’s more than time—it’s my whole life,” he yelled.
“But now I am here. Right now I am in front of you,” Aki said.
“Too late,” he said. “It’s too late. Can you hear me?” He yelled, pushed Aki back, and started to cry while covering his face. He lowered his head and put it on the ground. Aki remained silent. Bardy was crying. A brief moment passed.
“Better late than never,” Aki said gently. Bardy heard the words and stopped crying. He raised his head and looked at Aki. His face was full of determination. His eyes were cold and unforgiving. He didn’t even blink. He spoke, and his voice came clear—not loud, but strong.
“Can you say those words to parents whose children died or took their own lives like I did? Can you say them to children who lost their parents or grew up without them?” he asked. “They waited like me, believed like me, and lost hope like me.”
Aki remained silent.
“Sorry, but no, not this time,” he said while shaking his head and looking at Aki. “Not everyone is a divine, a monster, immortal, creator, or lives like you or whatever you are. Now you are here—really? Are you?” he asked.
“Hmmm, I already see the trap,” Aki said.
“Which trap? What do you mean? There are no traps and I can’t conjure spells like you did,” Bardy asked.
“Keep this in mind. We will talk about that matter soon, but let me ask this: what about those who died with their faith but remained loyal to the clan’s dreams?” Aki asked calmly. “What about those who dreamed and gave their lives to see what you see now?”
Bardy remained silent and started to scratch his head. He thought a bit and spoke with confidence.
“I know that trick—focusing on good things instead of bad,” Bardy said, “but that won’t work. How can I focus on good things if there are none?” He continued, “I want to, but I can’t ignore bad things and focus on things that don’t exist. I and many others—we just have bad things. Can you convert my bad things into good things? Maybe you can teach me a spell? Should I become what I hate more? A witch—is that the cost of survival?”
“I didn’t say to ignore bad things,” Aki said.
“So, tell me good things that I can hold on to,” Bardy said. “If I ask too much, tell me a single good thing that I can focus on.”
“I don’t know your life,” Aki said and grabbed Bardy’s forearm, “but I healed you, and now you are breathing,” he said and stood up. He also pulled Bardy up. Both of them were standing. Aki pointed to Bardy’s heart and spoke.
“Me, with my friends like Grey, we propose a new clean page. Why don’t you want to accept it?” Aki asked.
Bardy remained silent.
“Here is the thing,” Aki said, “I wish to give you more time for all these matters that happened, but the truth is, time is short. You have a choice: stay here and die—I won’t heal you again—or let’s go, follow me. Will your death help your clan or your family? I am not talking about corrupted elders, but those who try their best. I guess they don’t even know that their main dream came true. As you said, time will tell. Me, with Grey, we are here, and it’s just beginning. Why are you so impatient?”
“I am not impatient,” Bardy said. “I don’t live forever like you.”
“The Divines may live forever. Did you know that divines can be killed?” Aki asked.
“Really? How?” Bardy asked with wide-open eyes, confused.
“What do you know about Divines, Spells, or Monster types? Should I go on?” Aki asked. “A Dark Cloak fought witches, endured starvation, survived all that… only to die alone in the forest?”
“Not all were mighty warriors,” he said. “You didn’t answer all my questions.”
“I do not hold every answer,” Aki said quietly. “What I know, I will share. But there are truths that must be faced, not handed down like...”
“Stop pretending!” Bardy’s voice broke as he shouted. “That is a lie! Do not insult me with it!” His hands trembled at his sides. “You are a Divine, a creator of this world! You know more than I ever could. You have the answers. You simply choose not to give them!”
A silence fell between them, sharp and suffocating.
Aki’s expression hardened. “You know what?” he said, his voice no longer gentle. “You stand before me wounded, yet you speak with arrogance. You accuse, you demand, you judge.” He stepped closer, each word measured and deliberate. “Who are you to place conditions upon me? Do you not know that Divines place conditions upon the world itself?” His gaze did not burn. It weighed, like judgment, like truth too heavy to escape. “Who are you,” Aki continued, “to demand answers as though they were owed to you?”
The air itself seemed to tighten.
Bardy’s anger shattered. Fear rushed in where fury had stood. He flinched, raising his arms over his head as if expecting a blow that never came. His knees weakened. His body trembled, not from threat, but from the unbearable weight of being seen, completely and painfully seen.
“My apologies. I didn’t mean to become a problem for you,” Bardy said.
“Grey is soft,” Aki replied. “Am I soft as well? Yes… but so is a pile of ash. It is curious how often ash is all that remains of my problems.”
“I wasn’t, or I didn’t want…” he mumbled.
“No, you wanted, and you did,” Aki interrupted and turned his back on Bardy.
“So, this is how you show your thankfulness to me after what I did for you? Or this is how you welcome me? I thought your memory was big. Maybe free got and faster forgot,” Aki said.
“No,” he said and started to shake his open palms. “I just, I, I don’t know.”
“I know that you do not know,” Aki said, turning back to meet him. “That is why I am still here. The crew had questions as well, and what was asked will be answered in time.”
“I hope so,” Bardy whispered, voice tight with lingering doubt.
“Honestly,” Aki said, a faint smile tugging at his lips, “I was expecting you to ask why I did not heal your scar.”
“Absolutely,” Bardy said, his throat tight. “I thought about it. But I am grateful that you healed me already. I don’t know much about Divines, their powers, their spells, how any of it works. You said nothing, and I let it be.”
“That much?” Aki asked, eyes glinting with quiet intensity. “It would be enough if you admitted you knew nothing. But I did not heal your scar so that, whenever you fall into despair, you can look at it and remember this: you survived even death itself. I am no miracle worker, yet some things I cannot ignore. However, I could not let my reputation slip. Can you imagine if I returned to meet Grey with you as a corpse? You breathe thanks to someone who believes in you. I think you have more than luck on your side. I wonder what others will do to get our attention, or what fools will risk just to stand where you stand now.”
Bardy’s breath caught, and tears welled in his eyes. His hands shook slightly at his sides. “So many things… have changed,” he whispered, voice breaking.
“I know,” Aki said. “Put it this way: your decisions brought you here. You survived until this day to meet me. If you die, all your achievements would be wasted. You are the one who is looking for meaning but acting the opposite.”
“Meeting with you, I wasn’t expecting it to be like this,” he said and closed his eyes, raising his head back. “You know, in my village and in my clan, everyone wanted to meet the saviors. Everyone claimed that they would not die and would meet them or see them. Like others, we were preparing our speeches in case we would meet some of you. Each of us wanted to be an important person. From the start, like most people, I bet on it. But over time I lost hope, so I canceled it, though there was no need, because the others had already died.”
“You should include an early-death policy; otherwise, how will you get your trophy? Or you could ask for it from their corpses or from the elders,” Aki said.
“We did, but those who became witnesses of the pact also died,” he said. “And no, the elders don’t know about that kind of thing.”
“At this rate, you’re not running an order, you’re running a memorial. You should add a policy for that,” Aki joked. “Maybe include a refund-before-burial option.”
They laugfethly slightly. “A speech? Sounds interesting. Do you remember it?” Aki asked.
“Sadly, no,” he said. “After what I saw, I’m still swimming in the air. But I am no good at education, grammar, or vocabulary; I am good at fighting and killing.”
“Hmmm, to me it sounds like you are just lazy,” Aki said and laughed. “What is the deal with being an important person?”
“Well, that gives honor to your family and a few advantages inside the clan or the village,” he said. “Sadly, our clan’s rules aren’t perfect.”
“This is why you, with your best friend Commander, wanted to overthrow the elders?” Aki asked.
“Wait, what?” he asked and opened his eyes. “How do you know that? I never told you about that,” he said, looking at Aki.
“If I hadn’t healed you earlier, how could your friend have done it without your help?” Aki asked. “We didn’t just come for your small crew,” he added with a smile.
“You know,” Bardy said, taking a deep breath and covering his forehead, “I think you are right. People in my clan would kill each other for a chance to meet you, and I have acted like a wretched fool and a bastard. What sort of punishment could cleanse my shame?”
“Don’t let the darkness drink all your hope,” Aki said.
“There is no more hope inside me,” he said. “I can’t believe or accept, that one impossible day, after fifteen years, things might change.”
“Not just might, it will change,” Aki said. “Because I came!”
“Really?” Bardy asked desperately. “I am just tired of giving myself false reasons. It’s hard. I can’t sleep at night and I don’t want to wake up in the morning. Living is impossible and dying is forbidden. When I manage to sleep, I wish never to wake up. How can you still wake up in the morning in this evil world? You have healed me, but I am still broken. Everything is in fog, even the clan’s dreams. Time will tell, but how, when, why… so many questions. There is nothing clear and simple to understand.”
“Looking for something more specific and something more exact?” Aki asked.
“Yes, please, absolutely,” Bardy said. “Sorry for my manners, but I heard too much of ‘soon’ or ‘wait a bit.’”
“Before fixing, I need to do some preparation work,” Aki said and smiled. “I see your pain. You waited 15 years; can’t wait a day?”
“Today? Is it a joke?” Bardy asked.
“Do I look like I am joking?” Aki asked.
“No, you don’t,” he said.
“So you have my answer,” Aki said. “You asked, I answered. Today I will restore your hope and will fix you.”
“Hmmm, that was unexpected,” Bardy said. “I will wait.”
“I may not be human, but that doesn’t mean that all this time I or my friends were on holiday,” Aki said. “You don’t see the full picture. You are tired of fighting for 15 years, and you say it’s a very long time that drained your life. May I ask something?”
“Yes, absolutely,” he said, confused.
“Do you prefer to live with pain but inside the light, or painless, however in the darkness?” Aki asked.
Bardy became silent and looked at Aki with a confused face while scratching his head.
“I am not sure if I understand the full meaning of your question,” he said.
“Full meaning?” Aki asked, surprised. “You are a funny man. You can’t walk, but describe to me what running is like?”
“I can walk and run,” he said.
“You misunderstood me, my friend,” Aki said warmly. “I doubt that you can even understand a small amount of it. I am not even talking about the full meaning.”
“I don’t know. It’s hard, it’s insane, it’s impossible,” he said.
“It was, but we are here now,” Aki said. “As I said before, we weren’t on holiday. You complain about fifteen years. I wonder what you will say when I will tell you that the real war began before time itself existed.”
Bardy became speechless, mouth open, looking at Aki.
“You look like a smart man,” Aki said. “Try to guess in one try whose ‘friends’ were fighting against the Dark Divines for all this period, time, ages, centuries, or whatever.”
“But the Dark Divines said… I mean as Creators, they never mentioned…” he said.
“My friend, that is what I referred to as a trap,” Aki interrupted gently. “I know what they whispered. In short, every word is deceit. Not the petty lies of a market hawker selling rot to the blind. Their lies simmer. Slow, patient, like water warming a frog until it is too late for the creature to understand it is being cooked alive.”
“Wait a moment,” Bardy said. “I’m no expert in wars, but it looks like your friends lost badly and the Dark Divines won.”
“Good point,” Aki said, “and a very painful matter. Grey and I will also talk about it.”
“This is why Grey told the Commander that he doesn’t know what the darkness is?” Bardy asked, shocked, as if he were speaking to a dead man. “I’ve been thinking about what he meant.”
“We also like to make jokes, but when we talk seriously, we don’t waste our words,” Aki said. “For this moment, I will say ‘less you know, better you sleep.’ I guess not everyone is strong enough to handle the truth, so information gets edited and, with time, corrupted. Don’t worry, in the new group, lies won’t be tolerated, only the truth.”
“That comforts me, but,” he said and waited a bit, “just don’t get mad. If the Dark Divine’s words are deceitful, you and Grey also are Dark Divines?” he said. “How does this even make sense? Good Dark Divines and bad ones? But you were able to heal a dead one. I don’t remember a Dark Divine doing it before.”
“Nice try,” Aki said and smiled. “When you make the sound of an animal, do you transform into that animal?”
“Absolutely no,” he said, “but can’t say the same for witches or divines.”
“How many times have Dark Divines, Witches, Monsters or whoever tried to help your clan?” Aki asked.
Bardy remained silent.
“Grey and I never said there ‘we are Dark Divines,’” Aki said. “That is what you and your crew named us.”
“But at the same time, you did not raise a word against it,” he said.
“Silence is not always a sign of agreement,” Aki said. “Trust me, it will make sense when we say what we have to in front of your crew. There is no divine who can heal the dead, and I am not an exception. I didn’t and can’t heal the dead. I just found you fast, and you didn’t lose that much blood, regardless of your weak situation. If I came a bit late, indeed I couldn’t have helped you.”
“I don’t know, man,” Bardy said. “I’m not paranoid, but your offer is too good to be true. I’m worried. In my life, I’ve seen a lot—so much that I stopped counting how many fell to keep my own head on my shoulders. With every new death, I always thought the next would be me. I saw my future as nothing but death and darkness.”
He paused briefly, took a deep breath, and looked at Aki.
“Then, out of nowhere, you and your friend appeared and claimed that great changes would come. I want to believe and trust you, truly, but it’s very hard.” Bardy pointed at himself with his finger. “Now I ask myself: should I believe what I saw in life, or should I believe your words? On the other hand… somehow I’m still alive, and I’m not even sure I fully understand how.”
“This is why we like your clan’s dreams—they speak of faith and belief,” Aki said. “I am here, and you doubt what I say. As for evidence, you already saw a few things, but that isn’t enough for you. However, at the same time, you don’t doubt your clan’s main dream about us. When a question comes for your clan, you don’t need any evidence. Or when elders say something which didn’t turn out right, you forget it. How will you explain that one?”
Bardy opened his mouth to say something but then closed it and pressed his lips together.
“Racing with me ‘about this world,’” Aki said gently, “nice try. You may be a good fighter, but little do you know that I am a Champion and a good racer. And if you insist, yes, I can fight against you on a racing horse and still have time to tie my boots before I win.”
“I believe you,” Bardy said, eyes wide. “Horses are very expensive, I don’t own one, and I don’t even know how to ride a simple horse.”
They both started to laugh.
“I think I am starting to understand,” Bardy said and fell on his knees. “You know what? Sorry for putting all this on you, sorry for being a dunderhead,” he said while looking at the ground. “This was a mistake or a coincidence that I met you. I don’t deserve you. I am like a big capricious child.” He started to cry. “You deserved a better person to meet, not someone like me. I ruined everything. I ruined my and my family’s name. Forgive me, please.”
Aki approached and sat on the ground near Bardy.
“Please, forgive me,” Bardy said. “I know young people in my clan. If you will let me, I can introduce them. They are humble, they are patient. They aren’t like me. ”
“Absolutely, we will meet your clan,” Aki said. “There are no coincidences in this life, but I agree with the part about the big capricious child. You could be a better welcomer,” he said, smiling. “Indeed, this is why from the start we hid some information about us. We didn’t lie to you, but we didn’t say everything. Different clans would react differently. I like your determination, but sometimes you need to take a rest. By the way, do you know this one?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Listen closely,” Aki said. “You told your determination to take a rest. Then it stared back and said to you, ‘Nice try. We’re doing this tired.’”
They started to laugh again.
“May I say something?” Aki asked.
“Yes, absolutely,” Bardy said, surprised. “Who am I to refuse or question your authority? You don’t need to ask for permission.”
“All right,” Aki said. “Do you respect or want to help your crew?”
“Yes,” he said, surprised. “I did, and I will. I am also in the clan, so I have no other choice.”
“You see, it’s not clear what you say,” Aki said.
“Really?” he asked.
“Well, here is the picture,” Aki said. “The Commander is dying, the crew is starving, a few members already are unconscious. I am speaking about those who helped the Commander, and we are here talking about some stuff.”
Bardy remained silent.
“Listen, my patience is running out,” Aki said. “Earlier, you and your crew agreed to follow us freely, but now, for some reason, you’re here and I’m here too. I’m thinking of going back. Should we start without you?”
“I didn’t know about the light. You don’t know who I am or what I did,” Bardy said, lowering his eyes.
“All right, understood,” Aki said. “I may not know what you mean, but I know that you know where the campfire is, Dori,” he added with a smile.
Bardy raised his head and immediately looked at him. Aki was already walking away.
“Wait!” Bardy yelled from afar and ran to approach Aki. “Wait for me.”
“Let me guess,” Aki said, “you…”
“Thank you,” he interrupted and bowed on his knees again. He grabbed Aki’s forearm. “Thank you for supporting me, thank you for helping me, and pushing me. I am blind; I can’t see or understand the light. I know only blood, hunger, violence, pain, and suffering.”
“Not just you, dear friend,” Aki said gently and gestured to Bardy to stand. While Bardy stood, Aki looked at him and added, “The Darkness has swallowed this world. Regardless of the clan, there are people who need a light. But I can’t help them because I am here telling you things you should hear later. Asking why good didn’t help immediately? Because there are people like you who keep asking questions.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Bardy said. “Now I see. I am greedy, and you are right. Others had questions too, but I kept abusing your goodwill again and again. I am a horrible person; I put myself above others. I think only of myself. Your words, which give light and hope, should reach others, yet I am holding you back. I am keeping you like a prisoner.”
“Keep your apologies,” Aki said. “And this will be your punishment, Mister Lazy Man. Keep in mind what we spoke about here, because later you will speak in my place. You aren’t flawless; mistakes are part of the path. Next time, make sure to find someone who will hold you when you fall—and trust me, you will. Don’t be so harsh; time is already harsh. After all, we aren’t in your village or clan, and I am not an elder to punish you. Your unmeasured harshness will break you more. Think for yourself, and think for others—the one doesn’t contradict the other.”
“Your knowledge is more valuable than anything else,” Bardy said, amazed at how Aki answered him. “It’s just unbelievable that I still share the same air and campfire with a divine—not just one, but two. Not just some random divines, but The Divines from our clan’s dreams—the ones who healed me while I was dying. I don’t think anyone will believe me.”
“You don’t believe yourself,” Aki said. “Will you judge those who will not believe?” He added with a smile, “Don’t think that in my free time I wander the forest randomly healing half-dead people.”
Bardy said nothing but smiled. Together they returned. The crew was seated in their places and was surprised to see Bardy back. Their looks weren’t welcoming, because they knew stories about people who didn’t clean up their shame, and because of it, terrible things happened and harmed others. From their understanding, the one who didn’t clean it, or escaped, caused others to pay with their lives. Which meant putting others at risk, which wasn’t good or friendly. Though none of this was proven, the elders had made it into truth, an unjustified suspicion. Yes, many had died, but there were also other consequences, often ignored, to make people believe what was required.
Bardy stood and didn’t approach. Before anyone said anything, Aki spoke.
“Long story short, folks,” Aki said, looking at the crew. “Yes, Bardy did clean his shame, but from now on, those who join us are forbidden to clean shame that way.”
“But how did he clean up if he is here now?” a member asked.
“My words should not be doubted,” Aki said. “If I say something, there is no how, if, when, or what. Bardy had cut his own throat and was unconscious when I found him. I healed him, looked at his scar, and wiped the blood from his tunic. Soon, I think we will create a new clan, with new rules.”
When the crew heard this, a murmur rose among them. Fear passed from one to another, yet it was not fear alone. They stared at the two men with awe, with trembling, with something dangerously close to hope.
Bardy watched them, bewildered. These were the same faces that had endured hunger, loss, and silence. He had expected anger. He had expected despair. Instead, their eyes were alive. A sharp pain stirred in his chest. I have done everything wrong, he thought. I turned away. I chose the dark while they remained and endured.
He wanted to step forward, yet his feet would not move. Should he speak to Grey? To Aki? Would they even listen now? Or had he already cast himself out beyond return? His throat tightened. I wished for death, he thought, and they still wish to live. I could not bear the weight, and they still carry it. I walked away while they remained… and now they stand where I cannot.
For the first time since he had taken the stone to his own neck, the shame felt heavier than the wound.
“Bardy, is everything all right?” Grey asked.
When Bardy heard his name, he became straight, worried, and wanted to speak but started to stammer.
“Yes, we just had a small talk,” Aki said and hit Bardy’s shoulder as a sign of camaraderie.
Grey noticed that Bardy was looking different; he was looking with guilt and regret.
“Bardy,” Grey said calmly.
Bardy said nothing but looked at Grey, then approached Aki and mumbled something near Aki’s ear. When he finished, he kept his gaze down, as if ashamed.
“No, there is nothing that you missed,” Grey said.
Bardy immediately looked at him.
“All right, folks, let’s start,” Grey said. “And Bardy, don’t stand there, take your place, or we will find another crew.”
The crew started to cheer Bardy and welcome him. They were seated, and in front of them were Aki and Grey standing.
“This is a last warning, folks,” Grey said. “From here, there shouldn’t be any more doubts or questioning our authority. If there are people who can’t accept this or will betray us later, just stand and go away. We are gentle, but those who try to go against us, tell things to others without our permission, or disobey—don’t expect mercy. I see all of you are adults, so you know that each action has a consequence. We can make punishment worse than you have ever heard in history, including your favorite Dark Divines, whose torturing would look like a holiday compared to what we could do to those who betray us. Our goal is to make you understand that things from now on are important.”
“Don’t scare them,” Aki said. “We won’t do the horrible punishment. Otherwise, we would become worse than the Dark Divines. Take this with respect: whatever you or your ancestors did was important. Whatever you or your future children try to do will be important. But from this moment, nothing else matters. The only thing that will help your clan survive starts with us. You know better than we do that your clan’s days are numbered. Your clan is already dying. Now, if we fail, your clan will be dead and forgotten. If we succeed, new hope will bring new life with a new page for your clan.”
“We will punish and reward when necessary,” Grey said.
The words, like a cold wind, blew over them. They realized things were more serious than they imagined. From the crew, only Bardy stood, looking around, confused, while others whispered different things: “How can he betray us?” “He came back to life? I wish I had something.” “What is he doing?” After a brief moment, Bardy spoke.
“Aki, Aki,” Bardy said, confused, touching his head and neck.
“Yes, I am listening,” Aki said.
“Am I really alive, or is this an afterlife? Am I dead?” Bardy asked. “I am still confused.”
“Yes, you are really alive, and no, you aren’t dead,” Grey said. “But if you like, I can approach you and get rid of your head with my bare hands. Then you will be dead. Want to try?”
“No, I don’t,” Bardy said fearfully. The crew was also shocked.
“Nice,” Grey said. “Then feel free to sit down, please,” he said and smiled.
Bardy sat down. Oh, this is bad. This is very bad. What am I doing here? This is soft… Aki said Grey is soft… so what is Aki? I do not even want to know. Maybe Grey is angry because Aki wasted his power on me. I made them wait. I made all of them wait because of me. They had plans, and I ruined them. He was kind before. Why is he angry now? Did I do something worse?
Aki looked at Grey. “Are you sure you know what ‘gentle’ means?”
Grey nodded. “A knight once tried being gentle with his sword. The dragon still filed a formal complaint, and the king declared them both guilty of murder.”
“I see why,” Aki said and smiled, then looked at the crew. “Today is the most important day for your clan,” he said. “I think you all are realizing it, and I am glad that you all decided to stay with us. If you want to speak, don’t stand up.”
“We could do all this beneath dark clouds without ever showing the white ones,” Grey said, “but then you would believe the Dark Divines came and saved you. I think I should speak with those who teach your history. Your elders, your clan leaders, whoever guides such things. Maybe they will better understand what you witnessed.” He said and smiled.
“I doubt that you hate the Dark Divines more than we do,” Aki said while looking at the crew.
“For the sake of symbolism, we decided to use our true nature’s color,” Grey said. “Like this, every mole could see,” he said, looking at Bardy.
“The joke we did was about the colors,” Aki said, “because most of you, and as Bardy said, referred to the Dreams as a 'gray' cloud. But in reality, it was 'white',” he continued, “that means your ancestors, your clans, were connected with us.”
This sparked a discussion among the crew. For a brief moment, Aki and Grey remained silent while the others shared the clan's stories. They talked and argued about whether their Blessed Ones had clouds of a similar color to Aki’s or Grey’s—if so, it would make sense that they were connected. Misunderstandings about the colors, or stories being incorrectly explained by the elders, had caused yet another problem.
“In general, we wanted to perform the ‘First Step’ of your faith earlier,” Aki said, “but I don’t wish to heal any more dead members, so we will do it later. Normally, there is an order: you all declare ‘good,’ then comes the ‘First Step,’ and after that, the other rites. But for this time only, since you are the first group and your health was failing, some of you, like Arrdun, already half-dead, we shall begin.”
“None shall fall anymore!” Grey shouted unexpectedly, shocking the crew.
“Bardy! Bardy!” Aki’s voice thundered. “Everyone here, hear us!”
“Arrdun! Arrdun!” Grey’s voice roared. “All of you, witness this truth!”
Then Aki and Grey spoke together, their voices rising as one, echoing with countless tones, as if a chorus of many had joined them. “We are the Light Divines! And we are here with you. Your wounds will heal, your hearts will strengthen, and together we will face whatever comes. You are not alone—we stand with you.”
A pale, radiant cloud began to rise from Grey’s chest, glowing with a light that seemed to hum in the air itself. It flowed outward, winding over his shoulders, arms, elbows, and forearms, until it filled his hands and made them vanish within its brilliance. The air shimmered where he moved, as if reality itself bent to their presence.
Grey sent the clouds toward the crew like a living wind, soft yet unstoppable. The clouds wrapped around each person, hugging them, seeping into their bodies, filling them with warmth and healing. Time stretched; some healed slowly, others more quickly. Some reached for more clouds, hoping for extra strength. Some felt guilt, some unworthy, yet the clouds embraced them all without question.
Aki stood beside him, radiant as well, and wherever his gaze fell, the shadows seemed to shrink back. The crew watched in awe, hearts pounding, realizing that these were no ordinary beings. The Light Divines were real—and their presence alone reshaped the world around them. For a moment, even the air seemed to hold its breath.
Bardy looked at Arrdun, who was on his knees with his head down and eyes closed. He didn’t look up. Bardy came closer and whispered, “Radi, has the sun set? How do you feel?”
Arrdun’s eyes filled with tears. In a low, quiet voice, he said, “Jester…” Bardy smiled and stepped back. Arrdun smiled too and whispered to himself, “We did it. We did it.”
The healing was complete. Everyone had recovered. The two wounded members who had helped Arrdun were also healed, and their strength returned. Technically, they hadn’t fully agreed to join the Light Divines because they had been unconscious but now, looking at the others, they stepped forward without question. Relief and awe filled the crew. For the first time, they felt truly whole, and they knew the Light Divines were real, and they were with them.
Parallel to Grey, Aki was also at work, though he used only his right hand. Time passed, and the crew’s excitement and emotions ran high. Then Aki stepped to the center of the group, hiding his right hand behind his back.
He looked at Bardy, whose chest still heaved with months of despair, and then at Arrdun, kneeling slightly forward, eyes wide with disbelief. “Bardy, Arrdun,” Aki said softly, “I know what you endured. The past cannot be undone, nor the losses restored. But your survival—your endurance—gives meaning to what remains.”
Grey stepped forward, his gaze sweeping the crew without speaking yet. “No. The darkness has claimed much. Yet those who endured it—those who stayed alive—carry hope. Bardy, Arrdun… and even those among you who watched silently. What is done cannot be changed, but what comes next can be shaped by your choices.”
Aki and Grey raised their right hands slightly, letting a snow-white light touch the crew. Slowly, the clouds spread, enveloping each member. Some recoiled, others trembled, some closed their eyes, feeling warmth, healing, and the gravity of mercy. Bardy and Arrdun stood at the center, their breaths shallow, hearts heavy with years of pain, yet slowly feeling a fragile sense of hope. None fully understood why, but the effect was undeniable.
Bardy felt the weight of his own shame, heavier than the stone he once lifted against himself. Beside him, Arrdun trembled but did not turn away. The cloud brushed over them, and Aki’s words reached them directly, even as the crew observed silently: “The past is gone. What comes next… we face together.”
Bardy swallowed. For the first time in years, he felt that survival could mean something beyond mere endurance. Arrdun’s chest rose with a shaky breath, and he met Bardy’s gaze. In that moment, both understood: they were still here, still alive, and the path forward, though uncertain, had begun.
The crew murmured among themselves, unsure what had just happened. Some eyes were wide with awe, some hands clenched nervously—but all recognized the power and moral weight of Aki and Grey. They had not been told the private struggles of Bardy or Arrdun, but the actions and light were enough.
Bardy glanced at Arrdun, who nodded faintly. Even in the silence of their own pain, they were witnessing the truth: divine goodness was not empty words—it moved through the world, even if slowly, even if imperfectly.
Grey’s voice cut through the moment, calm yet commanding. “This is a new day, for all of you, and for the future of your clan. Those who doubt or falter now will understand soon enough. The past cannot be undone, but what you do next… that can change everything.”
For a moment, silence followed. The crew held their breath, feeling the weight of Grey’s words.
“Today is the day!” Bardy shouted, his voice bursting with life, eyes shining with hope. He knew what Aki and Grey were capable of. He closed his eyes, raised his hands to shoulder level, clenched his fists, and started moving them in wild, twisting motions. He stayed in place, but it looked like a dance, messy, happy, alive.
His mouth was wide open in a real smile. Pure happiness. Joy and hope pounded in his chest. He laughed, spun his head with his shaking hands, and began to sing, a short, clumsy song born from relief and excitement:
“He said it, and he did not lie!”
“Sky and earth were witness!”
“Today! Today is the Day!”
“Is it today? Yes, it is the Day!”
“Not just a Day, but the Day of Days!”
“THE Day—and it is today!”
His voice stumbled and soared together. He laughed in the middle of the song, shaking and spinning with pure joy. The excitement spread outward, anyone watching could feel it, hope, happiness, and relief catching in the air.
Aki watched Bardy, his smile gentle. He understood fully why Bardy was singing and why he kept saying “Today.”
