(Gunlaug perspective)
Freedom.
It's a poison.
A sweet poison.
It's like a drug.
It corrupts people mind.
It makes them do foolish things.
Things that are harmful.
People chase after this freedom as if they can't live without it.
They don't see that it isn't nessesery at all.
They can live the life of a beggar, but they don't want to submit to others.
They want to break free.
They always want what they can't have.
That's the truth.
Humans will always be like that.
Unsatisfied.
Even if they are given everything, they will look for things they don't have.
It's like a curse.
A curse that won't let them rest.
To always chase after something.
And it always leads to distruction.
Of their own.... of others.
I have seen it.
With my own eyes.
I have seen people marching to their death, even though they could live.
I have seen them abandoning their home, their loved ones for something that is far away.
I have seen them making foolish decision that caused their death.
It's all because they want freedom.
They don't see that true freedom don't exist.
They are just chasing after it's shadow.
There always be people who will control others.
And people won't even realise that they are being manipulated.
They will think it's their own will.
Their mind will become their own caze.
It will be controlled. It will be guided. It will be misleaded.
For someone's else motives. It will be bend to their desire.
I have seen this too.
One Shephard gathering sheeps and walking them straight to Wolf's den.
No one is at fault.
Not the Shephard. Not the sheeps. And not even the wolf.
They are all playing there parts.
So where am I?
What role I have?
I have seen my friend die by the hands of nightmare creatures.
I have seen my comrades made foolish mistake in the name of freedom and never return.
I was also one of them.
Making foolish choices.
Until heavens light shined on me.
I received my purpose.
I was given a chance.
A golden chance.
A chance to make a change.
So I did.
I killed the ones who fed poison to others.
I showed them their reality.
I crushed their dreams.
Dream that caused their own downfall.
I became a ruler.
A tyrant.
But if someone else can, then why can't I?
If they can follow someone else, why can't they follow me?
So I ruled, I crushed, I destroyed.
Crown makes the person wearing it make hard decisions.
Even cruel ones.
Now they won't raise their heads again.
But hope is a fuel.
There are people who still have hope.
I will crush them.
One by one.
I will let them rise.
To give people hope.
And I will crush them.
So they never dare to hope again.
That's what they'll get.
Hopelessness.
Because in this dark world, there is no hope, no hope of success.
...
...
...
Gunlaug was having the time of his life.
There were naked womens all around him. Ready to serve him however he wanted.
He was eating fruits and sipping alcohol.
The highest privilege in Bright castle.
Suddenly he felt something wrong.
Like something was about to happen, but he didn't knew what.
This had happened before.
Many times even.
So he understood what was about to happen.
'Another attempt.'
"ALL OF YOU, GET OUT, NOW!" He shouted at the womens, covering himself with his Golden Echo, from head to toe.
The womens got afraid and ran out as fast as they could.
He clapped his hands.
"My lord!" A guard walked in greeting him with his head bowed.
"Bring Seisan here, right now!" Gunlaug ordered.
"Yes, my lord." The guard left in a hurry.
After about ten minutes Seisan walked in.
"Seisan,..." He looked at the women who had sharpest senses among all people he knew...."Tell me, do you sence someone around me? ..If you lie, I'll know." Gunlaug said.
"No,... I don't sence anyone. There's no one here." Seisan said.
Gunlaug stayed silent.
"You'll stay here. ....All the time. Until this threst is neutralized. Do you understand?" Gunlaug asked.
"All the time? But I ne-" She was silenced by an oppressive aura.
"...I ...understand,... my lord." Seisan said with difficulty, while her eyes grow cold.
"Good,.. now then, tell me the status of outer settlement. I heard they just returned from their expedition?" Gunlaug asked.
The oppressive aura vanished.
"Yes, they are trying to march to crimson spire, that's why they needed some memories to unseal the spire." Seisan told him.
"That spire again, hah!... I feel that this land as cursed by that spire, ...maybe I should destroy it." Gunlaug said.
"Well, no matter. You will inform me as soon as you sense someone infiltrating, you understand?" Gunlaug looked at Seisan.
"Off course, ...my lord.." Seisan said.
...
...
A day passed.
Gunlaug was prepared for anything.
He didn't remove his Echo.
"Are you sure that no one is around us?" Gunlaug asked.
"No, I don't sense anyone. Maybe you are imag-"
"Shut up, you bitch!... Do you take me for a fool?...you think I don't know what is going on?.... You are involving yourself with that bitch from outer settlement, aren't you?...oh, you think I wouldn't notice?...." Gunlaug said.
Seisan eyes turn cold, she was ready to summon her war hammer.
"But...." He paused.
"I don't mind,...I don't mind at all....you see, I'll let you do whatever you want...This way, I'll let people hope rise, ..to the hight of heavens,...so when I cruse it, ...it will fall to the bottom of the hell,...never to rise again...." He revealed his great plan.
He got up and moved towards her.
"So that's why.... you can scheme all you want, ..my beautiful Maiden." Gunlaug said as he got close to her.
He touched her face with a finger,...but didn't go any further.
"So, tell me, is there anyone around me, right now?... You can't lie..." Gunlaug asked.
"I only sence the two guards outside right now." Seisan said.
"Hah, what a pain." He moved back, onto his personal throne.
"We'll just wait." Gunlaug said.
....
...
Gunlaug grow impatient.
No one was making a move.
It has been two days now.
'Am I really imagining this?....No, this is exactly what they want me to think,... I can't fall for it. ...Not again.'
"Enough." He got up from his throne.
He clapped his hand.
The guard came in.
"Summon everyone to the throne room within the next six hour, everyone!" Gunlaug roard.
"And tell Tessai to bring Changing Star and her cohort, and if they refuse, tell him to bring me their heads."
"Yes, my lord!" The Guard left to inform everyone of the meeting.
Gunlaug turned to stunned Seisan...
"You should go prepare too,... who knows what the future holds for you." Gunlaug said.
Seisan left.
'It's about time I crush that bitch and her plans...I stayed silent because she's someone Tessai trusts...'
"This is going to be fun..."
He moved in front of mirror, watching his appearance...
His Echo parted and revealed his face... without him asking....out of habit....
He saw a handsom face...and behind it a rappidly moving blade... coming straight at his head.
'Fuc...'
He died.