Wicked Reincarnation

Under the worried gaze of the man seeing them off, the three left in the evening to rush south-west of the city.

They evaded and took sharp turns away from the soldiers who were still patrolling. Lia felt that if they really wanted to catch them, they could use their Lord's authority to invade all homes in search of them. But they didn't.

Soon, the blazing white appeared before them at the end of the city. The millions of white veils layers over each other created a dazzling light, seemingly wanting to signal the beginning of a journey from where no return would be possible anymore.

Once Lia stepped through, she would have to bear every consequence of her goal fully. She would have allies to gather and be responsible for their lives. And in the end, the fate of two worlds would come crashing down on her as a burden and responsibility.

For Lia to take on the challenge, she knew more than anyone she had to change. From the naïve, lovestruck girl-

Lia took Xavi's and Lily's hand.

And from the cold and vengeful woman she was-

Then she made the first step, the layers upon layers in the white Veil surrounding them.

To a person that would be fit carrying all lives on her shoulders. To become the Immortal King.

Against a cloudy white posed as an obstacle, an endless fear to embrace and a step to overcome. Just like the first time, Lia determined, firmly holding Xavi and Lily, strode through without looking back, without knowing what laid before them, what would be bestowed upon them just like their future.

Uncertain, terrifying yet bright. As everything will come to an end one day. This was a hope everyone held onto. These days will be over. Inevitably. No matter how long they would take. They, also, will pass.

No one said anything. They all felt the same way. The white veils were wearing down on them, their feet felt tired, their movements became sluggish. Yet they continued.

For a while longer, for another while and then finally after walking for an eternity, a small house appeared in the middle of their path.

It was a tiny wooden house with a window. Lia tightened her grip on Xavi and Lily and together they headed towards the door of this desolate and lone place.

Then Lia opened the door and stepped inside. It was a small one-room with nothing but a bed and a chair. On the chair, a male in a black robe sat. He looked up at them when he heard the door open.

His tired eyes stuck on them before he slowly opened his mouth, a long yawn escaping his lips.

"What do you want?" even his voice was riddled with tiredness.

"We want to go to Rag," Lia answered.

"Rag?" the soldiers stuck a finger in his ear and twisted it.

"So, you want permission from the Lord…." he removed the finger and blew on it.

"Well, I don't really care, follow me."

He stood up and then knelt on the ground. His hands traced a square outline before moving to the middle and pulling on a small anchor.

The ground opened up to reveal a staircase leading down. The soldier stepped in, his exhausted voice echoed, "Follow me."

Lia followed without hesitation, behind her Xavi and then Lily at the rear.

Once all four of them stepped through, the ground closed again and they had to descend the stairs in the darkness. The soldiers made no sound, only their footsteps echoing in this narrow place reassured everyone they weren't alone.

The stairs came to a halt and Lia's feet finally stepped on the solid ground carrying her forwards. She reached behind and took Xavi's hand. Xavi remained quiet and kept his head low. In this pitch-black, no one could see each other.

Occasionally yawns from the soldiers indicated he was still there.

"Finally, hate this," the soldier spoke up after a while and a second later, a bright golden light blinded everyone.

The soldier opened a door that led into a big room.

"Behave yourselves. You're in the Lord's mansion."

With that, he left through a door to the right.

The room was decorated in golden wallpaper and a chandelier hung from the ceiling. Red chairs laced with a golden frame stood alongside the four walls.

Lia, still holding Xavi, went to sit. Xavi snapped out of his trance and abashedly removed his hand from Lia.

"We're going to meet the Lord now?" Lily sounded anxious, "We can do it, right? The old guy said no one has ever gotten permission from the Lord!"

"It should be fine, I reckon," Lia straightened her back.

She was worried but if she showed it, then the other two might be even more shaken.

"I hope so," Lily paced in the room up and down.

"We should be fine, Lily," Xavi wanted Lily to calm down. Her being like this dragged him down too.

"Well, if she-" Xavi instantly covered Lia's mouth before she could tease Lily.

Lia raised her eyebrow as she turned to Xavi, "Just don't agitate her even more," Xavi helplessly whispered, not being able to look at Lia.

To his surprise, Lia nodded and he could feel her lips curving under his tiny hands. Xavi widened his eyes and pulled back.

"You shouldn't get embarrassed over the littlest thing," if Lia was denied to tease Lily, Xavi had to endure it.

Xavi looked at his hands on his lap as if it was the first time he ever saw them so clearly.

Lia was amused but didn't get a chance to continue as the door opened and the soldier came back, "Follow me."

Now in the light, it was obvious the soldier had dark circles and his skin colour didn't look good. It must've done this job since the beginning and he rarely slept for an immortal to look this tired.

The soldier led them down a hallway into a small hall. After he opened the door and bowed at the entrance, he turned around and walked past Lia without a glance.

He yawned, sighed and then disappeared.

Lia strode forwards. In the hall, at a large table, a slender man in his 50s sat. He looked up from the chessboard and gave them a big smile.

"I heard you want to travel to Rag?" he was different than Lia anticipated. He was more amicable and friendly. None of the arrogance and hostility she imagined him to have.

"Yes," Lia nodded her head.

"Please sit," he welcomed them with open arms and beckoned them to sit with him at the table.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? What would you like?" he was too friendly to be true.

To the point it was suspicious, however, at those words Xavi's ears pricked up and with a wide, childish grin he hummed, "Lollipops, please. A dozen, no 100, no 10000 of them!"

"Very well!" the man heartedly laughed and called his servant.

Lia had no idea if Xavi was acting again and exploited the chance of his much-desired lollipops or if he seriously just fell for it and believed the Lord was a good person.

"Anything else? For you young ladies?" the Lord winked and Lia instantly felt violated but gave a shy smile back.

"Only the permission."

"Haha, to the point!" the Lord laughed again and waved with his big hands.

"Ah, there it is!" the Lord then clapped as the servant came back with a mountain of lollipops. Once it touched the table, Xavi threw himself on it and stuffed as many into his trousers as he could.

Lia wondered if Xavi has ever heard of not touching anything that strangers offered, especially from someone like the Lord. No one who has asked him for permission has succeeded or has been sighted again. There was definitely something shady about him and the things he offered.

But she couldn't straight out say it, so the only thing she could do was to stop Xavi from eating the lollipop, "Stop, you had enough. Your teeth are already bad, leave it for later.

Xavi pouted and silently condemned Lia but then caught on, "Alright…"

"Don't be so harsh on him!" the Lord once again laughed at their interaction.

"He's still a kid, he needs proper guidance," while Lia spoke she stared Xavi down who almost curled into a ball on the seat. It truly looked like a mother scolding her child.

"Yes, absolutely," Lily quickly threw in. The Lord laughed even more until it almost felt like the whole hall trembled.

"We urgently need to get to Rag," Lia stirred the topic in the right direction again.

"You are really impatient!" the Lord showed no hostility or was displeased.

His laughter filled the room and bounced back from the walls, magnifying its volume in Lia's ears. If the Lord wasn't a slender man, Lia could perfectly picture him with a round belly.

"I don't dislike it!" even though the Lord seemed relaxed, he kept delaying or avoiding her asking for his permission.

"I wonder how useful your permissions are."

The Lord stopped laughing and looked at Lia. A big smile still on his face.

"What do you mean, my child?"

"How does your permission help us to traverse?"

"Obviously, you won't get stopped by my soldiers!"

"Ah, is that-"

"And the path will open up in the whiteness," the Lord was still smiling but this revelation was huge.

So, the permission would help them navigate easier in the Veil? How? Was this some kind of power? Or… was the white veil manufactured?

"It's nothing what you're thinking of," the Lord could easily read Lia's thoughts.

It wasn't the first time, he was asked the question but albeit not frequently. It was a surprise. Most people wouldn't question it and just blindly accepted the fact.

"My men will guide you through, it's simply that."

This made sense.

"I see. Stop beating around the bush and tell us how to obtain your permission," Lia had enough with him fooling around. He obviously had no intention to give it to them.

"A simple game will do," the Lord laughed again.

"Chess?" Lia looked at the table.

"No, that wouldn't be fun. Hide and Seek it is! It'll be a blast for your little one," the Lord nodded at Xavi while both Lia and Lily glared at the poor young master.